Darkness Unfolding - Part 8

Darkness Unfolding

by The Watch Stander

AN: Happy New Year Everyone!

Another short chapter but I’ll try and post every few days so I don’t drive anyone crazy! Thanks to all who review.

The Watch Stander

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Part 8

Trip could hear his name being called, but it was coming from afar and his head hurt so much it felt like it would explode at any moment. Soft fingers held the side of his face as he opened his eyes. The very anxious face of Hoshi appeared just above him.

"Commander, are you all right?" Her voice reflected the worry that was written on her face.

Trip still wasn’t oriented yet to his surroundings or to just what had happened. He remembered the alien invaders, one of them attacked Jon, then he went after the other one. Vaguely he remembered being stunned, then waking in a room with his two abductors.

They had questioned him repeatedly about temporal agents and whether there was one on Enterprise. He had played dumb, refusing to answer even after suffering being hit repeatedly by them. Finally, one of the aliens hit him with the butt of a weapon and that was the last thing he remembered. Reaching his hand up to the side of his head, he felt something wet and sticky.

Hoshi moved his hand away from the wound, "Easy, Commander. We need to clean that. Are you able to get up?"

"Hoshi, where are we? Are there any others? Is Captain Archer here?" He was full of questions that needed answers.

She tried to sound strong even though inside she was still frightened. They had imprisoned her in this room immediately after bringing her on board.

She shook her head, "I’m not sure. So far it’s just you and I."

Trip was disappointed upon hearing they were alone , since the more prisoners the better the numbers in planning an escape. However, he really didn’t want anyone else in harms way either. Jon would try his best to get them back.

‘Well, there’s no time like the present to try an escape."

Hoshi smiled at him. Now that she knew he was going to be all right, things were looking up. The Commander was one of the most resourceful people she had ever met.

She helped him to stand then he slowly made his way to what looked like a control unit for a door. The door was hidden, but the control was right before him. He ran his hand over it checking for any electrical shielding and when he found none smiled.

This would be easy with the right tool.

Hoshi came over beside him and looked at the control as well. She was so much shorter than Trip that he could see over her head.

Trip smiled when he looked at her hair and spotted what he needed. Reaching out he gently removed the large black bobby pin that held part of her hair in place.

Hoshi looked at him quizzically, "what are you doing?"

Trip was intently bending the pin into the shape of the tool he needed.

"Getting us out of here," He smirked at her and continued to work.

************************

Jon entered the turbo lift to the bridge and as it ascended allowed himself to slump back against its wall. Now alone, he reflected on what had taken place.

Trip had been shot, but was he dead, that was the unanswered question. To go through all of this time reversal only to have him killed , it was ludicrous, but it could be true. And Hoshi, what of her? Was she dead also?

He thought about how things had gone from bravado to chaos in only a matter of weeks . They had left Earth with a mission ,sure of themselves and that they would succeed and save Earth. Now he wasn’t so sure. With Trip and Hoshi both gone, they would never fulfill that mission ,at least according to Daniels.

He couldn’t believe all this had happened so quickly. Trip was just with him. Not 15 minutes ago they were talking and now he was possibly dead. Losing any member of his crew hurt, but to lose his best friend as well was even more painful. Inside he felt himself slowly starting to lose control over his emotions , but pushed it away. The hurt would come later, he couldn’t allow it now, he needed a clear head free from the anguish Trip’s death would bring.

Jon wondered where that man he use to know as Jonathan Archer went. There was a time he had been carefree and in control and had wanted to explore the galaxy. He had his own ship and friends on board , what more could one ask for.

This morning he had looked in the mirror and what he saw reflected there was a hardened man whose soul had been taken hostage by a mission that needed to be full filled. A mission that demanded all he had to give, and no one must get in his way of succeeding, no matter the consequence or the sacrifice, for millions depended on him.

Taking a deep breath he waited for the turbo lift doors to open trying to keep his emotions in check so none would see the man whose world was starting to come apart.

He had just arrived on the bridge when he was joined by Daniels a few minutes later.

"Captain, What’s happened?" a worried Daniels asked.

Suddenly, Archer let loose his anger and frustration, "Something you didn’t warn me about. Two aliens boarded our ship and took Trip and Hoshi!"

Daniels looked stricken. "That can’t be,... it wasn’t in this time line!"

He thought for a moment trying to piece things together. "They must have been aware of our change of course and followed us."

Archer was becoming more impatient, "Just tell me how we get them back!"

Lt Reed had been busily searching the area of space around with his scanners for any kind of fuel trail. A sudden blip on his screen alerted him of a discovery. "Captain, I have the ion trail from their engines. It’s heading into an area just ahead of us."

T’Pol immediately redirected her scanners to search the stated area.

She looked up, "Captain, it leads into an asteroid field, but Enterprise won’t be able to go through it. They’re using smaller ships and we’re ten times their size."

She didn’t seem to show any emotion, but John detected the disappointment in her voice.

Travis busily checked his own scanners at the helm and did the math, there was no way through it. "What about a shuttle ,Captain? I’m sure I can pilot it through the field."

Hoshi was a close friend and he wasn’t about to let her be abducted and not help to get her back. Commander Tucker was also a friend and the same applied to him.

Archer thought for a moment. There was nothing but blackness surrounding them so they would be flying blind with only instrumentation to guide them. Once inside the field they could be pulverized at any moment by just one strike from an asteroid. The shuttles hull could only stand so much.

Daniels spoke softly, "Captain, I need to talk to you for a moment alone."

Archer nodded. "Travis work out a course, I’ll be back in a moment."

He led Daniels into his ready room.

"You better have good news for me or I’ll start to reconsider spacing you and your ship!"

Daniels nodded, "I know this sounds weak, but somehow they’ve outmaneuvered me. It was a possibility and one of the reasons I’ve remained with you. It’s my job to keep this time line intact."

Archer looked serious for a moment, "They shot Trip, just before they disappeared. He may be dead and this will all be for naught." He tried to keep his tone neutral, but anyone could see that he was upset.

Daniels was surprise by that bit of news. "If they took him with them than he’s probably all right. They wouldn’t risk killing him knowing that if I’m on board I will bring him back by just creating a time warp backwards again."

Archer wasn’t convinced, "They also took Hoshi."

Daniels sighed, "I’m not surprised. She plays a big part in the destruction of the Xindi weapon. Without her it won’t happen either. We need to get them both back."

Archer was getting impatient, if Trip truly was all right then they needed to get him and Hoshi back as soon as possible before things got ugly. "We’ll take the shuttle and follow their trail."

Daniels looked at him. "No, we’ll take my ship. I have shields that protect the hull and fire power to destroy any asteroids that get in our way. The future’s technology far surpasses anything you have now."

Archer looked at him surprised. "I thought your ship’s engines were not working?"

Daniels smiled sheepishly caught in a lie, "Let’s just say I was waiting for you and needed to hitch a ride. I was attacked by pirates, but they only did minor damage before I outran them."

Archer sighed, when did the charade end. However, he wasn’t in a position to argue ,Trip’s life and Hoshi’s were at stake as well as the mission’s success. "All right, but I want to leave as soon as possible after I brief my officers."

"All right, I’ll meet you by my ship. I need to adjust some settings on some of my equipment. Oh, ...you can only bring one other person as my ship will be crowded with four people as it is." Daniels then headed for the door.

Archer immediately called T’Pol and Reed on the comm and asked them to join him in his ready room.

TBC

Continue to Part 9

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Three people have made comments

I really enjoy the way you write the friendships - I wish we had as many interactions between the characters on the show! And the suspenseful story fits in with the Xindi arc from last season. Good job! I'm looking forward to more.

Very nice! This was great! I can't wait to read more!!!!!!!!!!

:D short but alot of content. that was an amazing chapter and i can't wait for the next