Lost, Part 7

LOST

by The Watch Stander

Disclaimers in Part 1

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

Part 7: Final Solution

Reed helped a shaky Archer to his feet, and then sat him down in the copilot chair while he continued to look for the medical kit. Equipment was thrown everywhere. It was amazing they had all survived.

The Captain looked pale, but Reed quickly guessed he might have a concussion. Commander Tucker was the problem; it would be hard to figure out what further injuries he had acquired.

Finally, Reed found the kit and decided to help Archer first since he could get the shuttle engines back online and determine where they are while Reed assessed Trip’s injuries.

Archer was holding his head. “How’s Trip?” was the first thing he asked Malcolm as the Lt started to open the medical kit to tend to the captain’s injury.

Reed paused a moment when he found the bandages and some ointment to stop the bleeding.

“I don’t know, Sir. I’ll need to scan him and I doubt there will be much we can do for him here.”

It was the truth and Reed knew it, there was little anyone could do until they reached Enterprise.

God knows when that will be!

Archer was trying to take that in as well as decide what to do next. They were obviously still inside the nebula, since the space around them was gold and red with flashes of light. It was the same scenario all over again. However, this time they were the ones without power.

“Do what you can for him and let me know what you find. I’ll try to get the engines online again.” There was a sense of urgency in his voice, aware time was still running out on them. He wanted to save Trip and knew it was up to him to get them all out of here.

“Let’s get your head patched first, shall we. Don’t want you bleeding all over the place, Sir.” Reed tried a smile, glad that Archer seemed to be all right.

Reed finished the now cleaned head wound by placing a square sticky patch over it. Archer had taken quite a wallop. Malcolm was surprised the man could even function.

“I’ll just go and see about the commander and come back and help you fly the ship.” Reed headed to the rear of the shuttle.

Trip still lay where he had fallen when Reed had first found him. Malcolm checked him over using the scanner, but it showed nothing more recent than a few bruises as well as a reopened gash on Trip’s head. However, the fever was still there and Trip was now unconscious. There could be internal injuries, but Reed had no way to tell what they were.

Reed patched the engineer’s head and gave him another shot of painkiller. He also found a pillow and placed it under Trip’s head. There was no sense moving him and causing him further injury.

Just hang in there Trip, we’ll get out of this somehow, Reed silently promised his friend.

Archer called to him and Malcolm went to the front quickly, drawn by the tone of surprise in Archer’s voice.

Reed was about to ask what the matter was when he saw the stars through the forward view screen. He had never seen a more beautiful sight! They had drifted through the edge of the nebula and into open space.

“We bloody well made it!” Reed yelled and started to laugh with joy.

Archer was smiling as well; they had come through the nebula on the other side, much as Trip had predicated they would. Now all they had to do was find Enterprise and start the impulse engines.

“That we did, Lt. Let’s get this ship’s engines online and find Enterprise.”

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

Hoshi had come back on duty after only six hours of sleep, too restless to try and get any more rest. She was worried about her friends and the Captain. No one had heard from them in over 36 hours. The thought of their being gone forever was heart wrenching and she realized just how much she would miss Commander Tucker’s teasing her and also his encouragement when she needed it most. Malcolm would be missed as well, his always-calm demeanor and patience in teaching her how to handle weaponry was something she always appreciated. Nevertheless, their friendship would be missed most of all. Captain Archer held a special place in her heart as well, for he had believed in her and brought her on this mission.

She took over her station from the relief crewman and once more put on her earpiece. The nebula was still beside them, and she had come to hate it for taking away her friends.

A noise from the frequency she was turned to caught her attention, she tried to tune it in louder. Suddenly she realized who it was. “It’s Captain Archer," she yelled out loud, "they’re on their way back!” She shouted it and didn’t care she was so elated.

T’Pol was at her elbow now. “What of Commander Tucker?”

She realized that she sounded anxious, but then didn’t care who noticed when she heard the answer to her question.

“They’ve got him as well, but they need Dr Phlox to meet them, he’s badly injured!”

T’Pol nodded and went to call Phlox. Hoshi answered the captain and told him they would be awaiting his arrival.

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

Archer was able to restart the impulse engines and then he tried hailing Enterprise. His signal seemed to go nowhere, but he kept trying. Suddenly Hoshi was responding to his hail and he took that deep breath he needed so desperately right now. Malcolm behind him breathed a sigh of relief as well then went back to prepare the Commander for arrival. Phlox would need to get to him immediately when they docked.

Archer felt a heavy weight lift from his heart as he realized they were just a short distance away from Enterprise and safety. He prayed now that they would get Trip to Enterprise in time to save him. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing Trip now when they were so close to safety. Determinedly he flew the shuttle at its fastest speed racing against time for Trip’s life.

As Reed tucked the blanket firmly around the Commander, he thought about all they’d been through together on this mission as well as the shuttle pod where they both had thought they would never see Enterprise again. It had formed a sort of forced friendship and Reed actually was glad of it. He liked Trip and respected his abilities as well his optimism, without that they never would have survived that earlier shuttle ride. This was why it had been so important that he help Archer in rescuing Trip; he couldn’t bear to have Trip’s earlier pessimistic prediction come true. The loss of the Commander would have affected him deeply and it would have been a severe blow both to Captain Archer as well as the crew of the Enterprise.

“Rest well, my friend, for we’ll soon have you safe onboard Enterprise,” he said softly to the unconscious man then went forward to help Archer.

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

T’Pol had been waiting with Phlox and his team when the two shuttles were brought on board. All three men were battered and bruised, but Commander Tucker was unconscious and looked deathly pale. She feared he was badly injured and watched as Phlox hurried him from the Shuttle bay area. She then turned her attention back to Captain Archer as he made his way up the stairway from the shuttle.

“Captain.”

Archer smiled wearily, “We had quite a mission and I’ll have to fill you in on it latter after Malcolm and I have a decent meal and a shower!”

The two men did look exhausted, and both of them needed medical attention as well. “I’ll have chef prepare meals for three and meet you in the dining room in two hours?”

Archer nodded and the three left the shuttle bay together planning to meet later.

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

Archer checked with Phlox before going to his quarters wanting to hear the Doctor’s assessment of Trip’s injuries.

Phlox saw the Captain enter and waited by the control unit of his scanner unit. Trip was still inside the unit being scanned by the efficient machine. His body was a glowing light form shown on the consol screen before them.

“Ah, Captain, come to see how Mr. Tucker is doing?” The Denobulan always seemed to have a Cheshire cat smile on his face no matter what was going on.

Archer was afraid to ask but managed to anyhow, “How is he?”

Phlox seemed to think for a moment as he checked the readouts before him on the scanner control panel. “I’m happy to say his back is badly bruised but nothing is broken. I‘ll have to realign a few of his vertebrae that are causing him distress, but nothing I can’t handle. The fever should come down once I flush the infection out of his system. He had internal injuries that became infected by leakage from a punctured intestine.”

Phlox smiled again, “Should be good as new in a few days.”

Archer looked relieved, “That’s good news. He had us all worried. “

“Yes, Mr. Tucker does have a way of finding trouble, he’s my most frequent patient.”

That drew a smile from Archer; even he had brought Trip in here a few times.

“I’ll check back with you later. Let me know when he wakes up.”

“Of course, Captain. Please come back, as I need to look at that wound on your head.”

Archer nodded then left for a well-deserved shower; he knew Phlox would call when Trip woke up.

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

It was two days later and Trip was lying on his stomach as Phlox looked at the scan he had just done of the commander’s back.

“Are you sure that you’re still in pain? I know I corrected all the vertebrae that were on this scan.”

Trip was lying there slowly getting flustered as well as worried. “Doc, I’m telling ya, I can’t move, my back is killing me!” He was getting more upset by the minute, thinking that he would never be able to move again and that something was seriously wrong with his back after all.

Phlox moved next to the table and finding the spot on the Commander’s back pushed down suddenly.

Trip taken by surprise by the sudden pain let out a cry. His face went white and he saw spots in front of his eyes.

“Doc, what are you doing? Trying to kill me!”

Just then, T’Pol entered and noticed the Commander’s pale complexion as well as the slight sheen of perspiration on his face. She looked at Phlox for an explanation.

“Doctor, I can hear Commander Tucker’s shouts all the way down the hall, what is it that you are trying to do to him?” She said it softly, but was annoyed that Phlox seemed to be causing Commander Tucker undue pain and causing him to yell.

Phlox looked indignant, “I’m trying to line up this middle vertebra and it doesn’t seem to want to cooperate. I can’t understand why not!”

Trip groaned softly in pain as the two discussed his back.

T’Pol looked at the commander and found herself actually feeling sorry for him.

“Let me help, show me which one it is,” She finally said, not wanting the engineer to be subjected to anymore mistreatment, however good intentioned it was.

Trip just rolled his eyes and lay still glad that the pain was receding slightly and that Phlox had stopped doing his so called treatment.

Archer and Malcolm chose that moment to come through the door.

“How’s your star patient, Doctor?” Archer was smiling, but Reed had a look of concern on his face when he saw Trip’s pale face.

“We’re trying to realign one of Mr. Tucker’s vertebrae, so that he can walk again!” Phlox jovially replied.

“So he says!” Trip said to no one.

Archer was frowning now as well, something wasn’t right. He had expected to see Trip sitting up in bed looking like his old shelf, not lying face down like a beached seal that couldn’t move.

Hoshi and Travis suddenly walked into the room.

Trip saw them enter, “Ah hell, what is it with today, everyone come here to see me scream?”

Hoshi and Travis both caught off guard looked at Archer.

“Ah, actually Trip, I asked them to come,” he said sheepishly.

Trip looked disgusted, “Next it’ll be the entire engineering staff marching in here.”

T’Pol chose that moment to push down on the commander’s back, and it took him completely by surprise. He nearly passed out from the pain, but suddenly, it was if a large weight had been removed from his back and he started to sit up and was surprised when there was no more pain!

T’Pol looked pleased with herself as Phlox nodded to her in congratulations.

Archer and Reed came over to help Trip sit up and Reed even fluffed the pillows to place behind Trip’s back. Trip gave him a dirty look. He hated being in sickbay, and was never in a very good mood while here.

Archer started to smile; glad to see his friend back in one piece.

“I asked everyone to meet here because I wanted you to know how everyone contributed to your rescue.”

He went on to explain each person’s contribution and in the end even added Trip’s input since they might never have gotten out of the nebula without that idea.

“So you see, it was a team effort and I’m happy to say we got you back in more or less one piece,” he added with a slight chuckle trying to lighten the mood.

Trip was clearly embarrassed by the sudden attention and looked apologetic for his earlier cranky remarks.

“Ah hell, I’m sorry, everyone. I just haven’t got use to being able to move yet.”

Trip looked sheepishly down at his lap unable to look at the people around him.

Hoshi couldn’t bear to see Trip looking so sad. She ran over and gave him a big hug. Travis then came over and shook Trip’s hand, followed by Reed.

“Glad you’re back, Commander. It would be very dull around here without you,” Reed smiled knowing Trip would appreciate the sentiment.

Trip nodded unable to say anything, knowing that Malcolm and Jon had risked their lives to rescue him.

Archer waited till he had everyone’s attention, “ Trip I ‘m ordering you to take a day off and sleep in after you leave here.”

Trip nodded, agreeing for once to some down time. He was exhausted and would do as ordered.

“Thanks, Capt’n.”

I can always count on Jon to read my mind.

Archer wasn’t finished, he smiled then added,

“Then I need you back in engineering to fix both shuttles, 2 plasma relays, 6 conduits and.., “ but before Archer could finish, a pillow thrown by his friend hit him in the face.

Archer started to laugh and was joined by almost everyone in the room. They were glad to have their Chief Engineer back.

T’Pol just stood there, puzzled; trying to figure out what was so funny.

After all, she was the one who had given the repair list to Archer.

End :)

AN: A big Thanks to all who have read this and everyone who left comments. I was in Europe for three weeks and unable to finish this before I left. I thought it was better to write it after I came back then to rush it.

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Half a dozen of you have made comments

Great to see you finished this. Lovely ending.Thoroughly enjoyed the interaction between the characters and their efforts to save our stranded chief engineer. Thanks a lot.

Thanks for finishing this! I couldn't wait for them to get back to Enterprise. Good interactions. Keep it up!

Great story. Good interaction by everyone. When is the next story coming

Thanks for this, I really enjoyed it. It was worth the wait.

I love it! great ending, especially the last line..funny. Brillaint!

I love it! great ending, especially the last line..funny. Brillaint!