Lost, Part 5

LOST

by The Watch Stander

Disclaimers in Part 1

Many thanks to all who have posted reviews.

Things are finally winding down and hopefully our 3 officers will finally get out of the nebula!

I plan on having this completed this weekend.

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Pt 5: A Failed Plan

The three men finally decided to take the shuttle out and test the area around the void. It would be an exploratory mission to get the needed data for an idea they had come up with. The padds and charts from the cargo ships had only given them a hint at what the cargo crew had used as their final solution to the problem.

Reed crouched down next to the couch Trip was lying on in the rear of the shuttle. There was a slight flush to Trip’s face as well as perspiration on his forehead. Reed was concerned, for the infection was probably getting worse.

Trip seemed very tired and Reed wondered if it wouldn’t be wiser to leave him behind on the cargo ship while they explored the void.

“You haven’t eaten, Commander. Are you hungry?”

Trip tried to joke, “Only if you have some fried catfish!”

Reed smiled, “Sorry, best I can do is Sea bass or that horrible meatloaf you love so much!”

Trip made a face, “No thanks!” Truth was he wasn’t hungry, just very tired. “I’ll pass. Think I need a nap.”

Reed smiled then opened the medical kit. He took out the scanner and held it near Trip’s forehead. The scanner showed the commander’s temperature was 2 pts higher than it had been earlier. Taking out a hypo spray, he gave Trip a shot in the neck.

“That should help you sleep.” Reed put the equipment away.

Trip’s eyes were barely open. “Malcolm, wake me if you find anything?”

Reed smiled, “Of course. Just get some rest while the captain and I do the flying!”

Archer came through the hatchway. He had disconnected the other shuttle so they could fly this one unencumbered. When he noticed that Trip was asleep, he signaled to Reed and they left the shuttle.

Archer was concerned when he saw the look on Reed’s face.

“How is he?” he asked, dreading the answer.

Reed shook his head, he was visibly concerned, “Well, he’s not hungry and his fever is higher. I’ve never known the commander to pass up a meal, even in the worst of times. “

Archer was silent for a moment thinking about the consequences to their chief engineer if they delayed their departure much longer. “I think we need to make a decision on a plan and try it, we’re running out of time in more ways than one. We need to get him to Enterprise.”

“I agree, at least we’ll be doing something.” Reed looked hopeful.

“I’ve released the other shuttle; we can make a circle around the void and see what’s out there. Let’s go!”

“Captain, shouldn’t we leave Commander Tucker here?” Reed asked.

Archer shook his head, “No, if something happens to us he’d be alone again and helpless, I’d rather have him with us.”

Reed nodded, “I didn’t think of that possibility.”

The two men went back inside the shuttle. Archer went to the back to quickly check on Trip. The engineer was sound asleep and Archer didn’t want to disturb him, but he did make him a promise.

Somehow we’ll get you out of here and back to Enterprise.

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Archer flew the shuttle toward the area where the last ship in the void was located. When they arrived, they found the ship had been breached and had no life signs. Flying past it, Archer wondered what secrets it held.

There was no time now for more exploring, he needed some answers to just what force was keeping them in this area of space and how they could get through it and back into the nebula.

Reed was busy checking his readings and making notes while Archer flew the small ship. “The force seems to intensify the closer we get to the edge of the void. It’s almost like a force field is holding us back.”

Archer looked around the void through the view screen; it was hard to believe there was such a powerful force out there. He was about to say something to Reed, when the Lt. shouted,
“Look out, another vessel coming at us!”

Archer saw it and reacted quickly veering off to the right to avoid being struck by the other small ship that was coming out of the nebula and straight at them. It sped by them never stopping or showing any sign that it had even seen the shuttle pod in its path.

“That was close!” Reed exclaimed.

Archer was shook up as well, but the next thing that hit them sent them flying practically backwards. A wave like they experienced before washed over their ship and pushed them backwards. Archer fought the controls and kept the ship’s nose steady so as not to allow it to start tumbling out of control.

Reed watched, unable to help. All he could do was sit there and take note of the force and it’s affect on their ship.

They were thrown halfway back into the void before Archer was able to regain full control of their shuttle. The alien ship was nowhere in sight.

Archer looked at Reed, relief at still being in one piece evident in his voice, “See if Trip’s ok back there, then lets go find that other ship!”

“Yes, Sir.” Reed went to the back. The Commander was still asleep, but the blankets had slid off the sleeping man so Reed put them back over Trip and tucked them around him.

“He’s still sleeping. I’m not sure anything would wake him right now.” Reed remarked as he slid back into the co pilot seat behind Archer.

“Let’s find that other ship, maybe they have some answers, or can help us leave here.” Archer headed the shuttle in the direction the alien ship had gone.

They found it floating without power, halfway into the void.

Reed used the scanners on it,” No life signs,” He looked at Archer, “There are five bio signs!”

Archer knew what that meant, too much of a coincidence, it was the shuttle from the cargo ship.

Something had gone wrong; the Xindi crew hadn’t made it after all. Both men’s hopes were dashed by this fact.

“Let’s get it hooked up with the grappler and take it back to the cargo ship. Maybe we can find out what happened so we don’t make the same mistake.” Archer was determined to get answers.

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T’Pol was still on duty on the bridge, it was now almost 24hours since the captain and Lt. Reed had left Enterprise and entered the nebula. There had been no word from them or for that matter Commander Tucker.

Hoshi was still trying different frequencies, but there was no response. It was beginning to look like the mission was a failure and now both crews were lost. She wasn’t looking forward to telling the crew, never mind Starfleet that three of Enterprises’ senior officers were now missing and presumed dead.

It bothered her that two of the officer’s lives were intertwined with hers and that she felt a sudden loss, an emptiness that she shouldn’t have felt. On Vulcan ships, crewmen and officers lives were often lost and the ship would function without them. It was an accepted consequence of space exploration. She wasn’t sure why this loss of both Commander Tucker and Captain Archer bothered her so much. When she had time later, she would have to meditate and search for answers, but for now, she could only wait.

She stared at the nebula wanting answers but there was nothing but swirling red and gold…

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When they opened the alien shuttle on the cargo ship they were greeted by the stench of death. Both Archer and Reed had to back away to keep from retching. Archer found some oxygen masks on their own shuttle and both he and Reed put them on before entering the alien craft.

Inside were the bodies of five Xindi crewmen. They must have been killed when their ship was breached for the there was no air left and the bodies were just starting to decompose. Archer took what information he could find, since the inside of the ship was in the same condition as Trip’s shuttle had been. Everything was strewn about including food and supplies mixed in with the Xindi bodies. Reed downloaded their logs and then they both left the ship as quickly as possible.

Once outside Archer closed the ship’s hatch. He didn’t want the stench filling the cargo bay.

They both made their way to their own shuttle and placed the disk in their reader. The charts came up and the path the alien ship had used to leave the void was projected.

Archer noted the direction the ship had entered the nebula, it seemed to have found a weak spot and by using extra fuel had gone through the force field and into the surrounding nebula. What happened after that was the puzzle. The ship had been hit by something and breached, but what? Was it solid or another anomaly wave that seemed to keep occurring without warning?

“The answer is here somewhere, Malcolm, we just have to find it.” Archer sounded frustrated, disappointed that this alien ship hadn’t made it through the nebula.

“There are dents all over the ship. It looks like they were hit by something. There’s nothing in their log that shows what it was.” Reed was equally frustrated.

Both men’s attention was drawn to a voice from the rear of the shuttle.

A sleepy voice called out to them,“Capt’n, I just remembered something.”

Archer and Reed both went to the rear of the shuttle where Trip was.

The engineer was still groggy, but he managed to finish what he was trying to tell them. “Capt’n you said something about the eye, made me think of hurricanes that use to hit us in Florida. At one time planes use to fly through them and take readings. Made me think of our situation, surrounded by the nebula, we’re probably right in the middle where the strongest forces are surrounding us. If we fly up first and then enter the nebula higher up we might be able to get through.”

Archer and Reed looked at each other, surprised at the simplicity of it all. “That just might work!” Archer was the first to exclaim.

“It sounds so simple.” Reed muttered, he couldn’t believe Trip had thought of this before they had.

Archer was smiling now as he put his hand on Trip’s shoulder, “You, my friend, just might have the answer everyone has been looking for.”

Trip was glad that he had remembered and that he finally had contributed something to help. He hated being a burden.

Archer went forward and got their padds and charts and brought them back to where the three men could go over the plan together.

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TBC

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Two folks have made comments

Delighted to see you have added another chapter.Really enjoying this story,look forward to the rest.

Thank you Dee for staying with this and I hope to finish it today!