ROUND ROBIN #4: Silk and Subterfuge - 3

Round Robin #4:
Silk and Subterfuge

Continuing to a new page to leave more room for comments. THUS

Page 3

Beginning with Part 13 by myst123

Part 13: (Myst123)

Trip grabbed the calf of his leg, feeling pain shoot up his body. He knew immediately that something had happened to T’Pol, although he had not previously experienced any of her physical responses. Straightening, he darted to the comm on the wall to alert Archer that something was wrong, but he was unable to get through because the comm system had been deactivated. Cursing, Trip quickly overrode the door panel lock, taking the guard by surprise and knocking the unfortunate man out with a low level zap of a phaser the engineer conveniently kept in his quarters…just in case.

Running through the hallways, Trip made his way to the armory, hoping that was where T’Pol had gone when she left him. He smacked the button to open the door and rushed through, hitting T’Pol in the process and knocking her to the floor. The Vulcan raised an irritated brow. Using the apologetic hand Trip extended to help her, T’Pol gracefully rose to her feet.

“Trip … Commander Tucker, you are confined to quarters. Why are you here?”

Trip flushed in embarrassment. “I…I thought you had been hurt. I felt a pain, as though I had been shot, and I…I thought you had been shot by the goons after the brooch.”

“Indeed, that is correct. However, I was able to detect the presence of the Orions through my olfactory senses which enabled me to avoid a direct hit to my torso. Although the blast hit my leg, it did not disable me and I was successful in overpowering the two...goons. I have secured them with wrist restraints.” T’Pol and Trip turned to look at the two unconscious Orions shackled to the ladder which led up to the catwalk above the floor of the armory.

“I’m sorry, T’Pol. I felt the pain and panicked. It felt like you had been killed, the pain was so intense. Guess you don’t need me to be the white knight, huh?”

“White knight?”

“Yes, in medieval times men had to prove themselves worthy of their loves and…never mind, I’ll tell you later.”

“I ‘look forward to it.’ However, the present situation has become problematic,” T’Pol observed. “The comm system is down and Lieutenant Reed cannot be located by sensors. The Orions are intent on finding the brooch and taking it by force, if necessary. We need to rethink our strategy.”

“Malcolm’s disappeared? Where’d he go?”

“I have not been able to determine his location. The Orions may have him in their custody.”

“Nah, not Malcolm. He’s too paranoid…I mean wary. He’s too smart.”

“Glad to know you have such faith in my skills, Commander Tucker,” Malcolm said dryly, entering the open hatch of the armory. “Bloody’el, what have you two been up to,” he enquired, brows raised as he took in the two shackled Orions.

“Lieutenant Reed, your presence and apparent health are both gratifying. The Orions have escalated the situation by attempting to take the brooch with force. Mr. Tucker and I are concerned with these actions, and their apparent disabling of the comm system.”

“Yes, the Orions and Rigelians are a bother. In addition, I have been notified that there are certain parties willing to bomb Enterprise so that the brooch will be destroyed in the process.”

“Bomb?!” Trip shouted.

“An explosive device?” T’Pol queried.

The three exchanged glances.

“We’ve got to act now and get away from these guys,” Trip said decisively.

They all stood quietly for a few moments, each attempting to find a solution to their dilemma.

“I don’t know if the aliens who want the brooch are the same aliens who want to destroy it,” Malcolm said slowly. “It is possible that we are dealing with two different groups with very different agendas.”

“If that is the case, then the longer the brooch is on Enterprise, the more danger the ship and crew are in,” T’Pol pointed out.

“Then, there is only one logical solution,” Trip stated.

~~~~

“What do you mean you can’t find them,” Archer nearly shouted, frustrated that all seemed out of control. “Trip was confined to quarters! Lieutenant Reed was confined to quarters! T’Pol was researching the…conducting research! How could you lose all three people?”

“Sir, Commander Tucker escaped from his quarters using violence. We cannot determine what happened to Commander T’Pol nor the lieutenant. Internal sensors are offline, and a deck by deck search has not found any of the individuals.”

“Damn it Trip, why are you doing this to me and…where are you?” Archer demanded under his breath.

~~~~

“Mr. Tucker, the cloaked Suliban cell-ship was an inspired idea. However, you are in violation of several direct orders by implementing this plan. I will explain our logic to the Captain upon our return, but you may find yourself confined to your quarters, or even to the brig.”

“Thanks, T’Pol, you are always a harbinger of good news,” Trip groused at her.

“As a strategic ploy, it is not without merit,” Malcolm assured T’Pol. “Neither Mr. Tucker nor myself could discover the motives of any of those involved confined to our quarters, and we will…one hopes…draw those involved to follow us and leave Enterprise alone. It is a risk, but an acceptable risk.”

Trip sent Malcolm a grateful look. Malcolm could always make Trip’s harebrained ideas sound logical. T’Pol raised a brow, slightly amused by the way the two men would irritate and yet seek to protect each other. She found Trip and his many friendships to provide insight, confusing as that insight could be, into human relationships.

“So, where are we going, Mr. Tucker?” T’Pol inquired.

“The point isn’t the destination, the point is the discovery. When you figure out what the brooch is, then we can turn ourselves in. In the meantime, we run.”

“Run?” T’Pol questioned.

“Run. Let’s lose anyone tailing us.” Trip was suddenly enjoying himself as the two humans and the Vulcan united to outfox the unknown enemy. T’Pol began to work on the brooch in the close confines of the rear of the Suliban cell-ship, using the tools Trip had snatched up during their hasty departure. As she worked, she pondered the meaning of the word “tailing” and wondered if she would ever acquire the vast vocabulary necessary to understand her human. Trip and Malcolm plotted the course to take them away from Enterprise and to lure the Orions, the Rigelians, and any other interested parties, to follow.

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Part 14: (Hoshi’s Sis)

Back on Enterprise Captain Archer was having a hard time facing down two very angry Orion and Rigellian parties who seemed to be of the view that Reed and Trip’s escape was set up very conveniently by Starfleet to keep them from being apprehended into custody. Hoshi was standing behind him biting her tongue, doing her best to keep quiet and not be drawn into this argument and diplomatic mess.

“We are doing everything we can to locate our missing officers. I assure you that …”

“We warned you to lock them up in a secure location in the first place to prevent this kind of thing from happening,” interrupted a very angry Rigellian.

“We also had your personal guarantee that such actions wouldn’t happen due to their … innocence,” sneered Harrad Sar, joining in with the foray. “I might have known how worthless that was considering our previous interactions with you,” he went on with a deep and menacing glare.

“I assure you gentlemen that any actions my officers have taken are very much out of character for them both,” replied Archer in a very determined voice to the Rigellian. Then, turning to look at Harrad Sar, trying to tame the urge to jump up and wipe the smirk off his face with nothing but his bare hands, “I can only assume that they have good reasons for doing what they have done, since we found two of your comrades tied up in our Armory.” I know there’s a lot more to this than you’re letting on, you smug bastard, he wanted to add, but diplomatically held under his breath.

“I have a right to retrieve my property however I see fit,” shouted the Orion, standing up in his full glory until he towered over everyone, before leaning onto the conference table in an intimidating fashion.

“Sneak anymore of your people onboard my ship and you won’t need to worry about retrieving your property anymore, Harrad Sar, because you’ll be too busy piecing your ship back together again,” said Archer in a calm voice, as he and Harrad Sar both glared at each other in a threatening fashion.

After a few ominous minutes of silence both of them sat back down again, “ I assure you both of my officers will be dealt with accordingly and severely once they are back on board,” said Archer trying to steer the conversation back on track again.

“Considering the ease in which they escaped with in the first place, your assurances of dealing with their criminal behavior doesn’t measure very high in my estimations,” taunted back the Rigellian, causing Archer to see red once more.

“We wouldn’t be in this position if our systems hadn’t been damaged during your initial sensor sweep.”

“Just what are you implying, Captain?” asked the Rigellian in a very angry and menacing tone.

“It seems a virus was downloaded into our Bridge systems through a signal that interceded your sensor sweep causing widespread malfunctions.”

“I hope you are not accusing us of sabotaging your ship, Captain?”

“I wasn’t able to trace the exact source of the signal,” said Hoshi, deciding it was time to try and help out her captain and friend.

“Which is why I’m not taking this further and actually pointing an accusing finger at anyone in particular,” interrupted Archer. “I am merely stating this fact in order to answer your question about why my officers were able to escape undected off this ship.”

“I have informed Kalos V security headquarters and two of our ships are on an intercept course to impound your ship until your missing officers have been found and apprehended into our custody,” said the Rigellian, standing up to indicate that as far as he was concerned, the meeting was at an end and there was no more that could be said.

“We will deal with this,” sneered the Orion. “It was our property the criminals escaped with; we are the injured party here so we will deal with them. Two of our ships are on the way to apprehend the criminals and bring them to justice. If you attempt to stop us you will have a battle on your hands,” he said, glancing over at Archer as if to dare a response out of him.

“This is still our jurisdiction,” shouted the Rigellian. “Do not attempt to intimidate us with your idle threats.”

“No idle threat, I assure you,” snarled Harrad Sar in a menacing voice, before storming out of the conference room.

Take no action against us, Captain,” said the Rigellian, obviously furious with the turn of events. “I have no wish for this to escalate any more than necessary, but we will defend ourselves if you resist.” Archer wasn’t happy about the situation; he nodded his head to show that he would comply, before the Rigellian angrily turned and thundered out of the room.

God dammit Trip, Malcolm, you better have a damn good reason for placing me in this position thought Archer as he sunk back down on his chair, kneading his aching forehead with his fingers. ‘cos I’m going to bust your asses down to crewman first class when I get a hold of you …

“If I was a suspicious person,” said Hoshi, “I would be thinking that is something more going on here than two factions wanting to apprehend someone for receiving stolen property…”

“I think you’ve been hanging around Malcolm too long,” answered Archer, with a bare hint of a smile. He didn’t want to say it, but he was beginning to suspect the same thing himself.

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Part 15: (Distracted)

Eight hours later, the cloaked Suliban cell ship orbited Kalos V in a geosynchronous orbit over the most deserted stretch of featureless water that Commander Tucker had been able to find. No Rigellian patrols frequented the area, and it was on the opposite hemisphere from the planet’s underwater trading post. They were hiding in plain sight. If the ships that were searching for them had been able to penetrate the Suliban cloaking device that protected their ship, they would have been an easy target. Trip had been unsure of the cell ship’s power supply, and had no desire to be stranded light years from Enterprise, literally up a creek without a proverbial paddle. They’d compromised with a hiding place which was more accessible in the event of an emergency.

Each of the ship’s passengers was occupying themselves as best as they were able while waiting. Malcolm sat in the co-pilot’s chair, running battle scenarios on the computer. T’Pol was intently focused on uncovering the secrets of the brooch that had turned up so mysteriously in her package from Trip. She’d been at it now for seven hours without a break, and now glanced up and looked over at Trip with a look of Vulcan annoyance. Trip was sound asleep in the pilot’s chair with a blissful smile on his face. She returned her attention to the task at hand, but seemed to be having considerable difficulty concentrating. Her respiratory rate increased as she fought for control. Finally, she’d had enough.

“Lieutenant Reed,” she said finally into the silence. “Wake the commander.” Her eyes remained fixed on her task, but her tone was long-suffering. Malcolm paused his simulation and swiveled in his seat to look at her hopefully.

“Have you discovered the purpose of the device?” he asked.

She sighed and lowered the scanner that she’d finally managed to modify. She hoped that it would be capable of imaging the large central crystal on a molecular level... the one in which the data chip was imbedded. Her eyes met Malcolm’s with a resigned expression.

“No... I have not,” she replied bluntly, “...and I am not likely to do so as long as the two of you continue to distract me,” she said.

Malcolm eyed her in puzzlement. “You’ll forgive me for asking, Commander... but how are we distracting you? No one on board has made a sound in over six hours, ever since Commander Tucker fell asleep.”

T’Pol raised a brow, and then returned her attention to her work. “Just wake the commander, Lieutenant... that’s an order,” she said dryly.

Malcolm shrugged, and reached over to shake Trip briskly by the shoulder. The blonde engineer’s smile broadened as he slept.

“You know I like that rough stuff, baby...” he murmured drowsily. Malcolm suppressed a grin and shook harder. Commander Tucker awakened abruptly, blinking blearily in the dimly lit cabin. His eyes immediately turned to T’Pol, who was studying the results of her molecular scan of the crystal with renewed interest. He ran fingers through his hair, and then got up from the pilot’s chair. Malcolm stared at him in puzzlement as he approached T’Pol and sat next to her.

“You’ve got something,” said Trip. It wasn’t a question. T’Pol showed him the scan wordlessly.

“Organic crystal!” exclaimed Trip in surprise.

“This is not a piece of jewelry concealing a data disc,” T’Pol said to him with certainty. “This is a sabotage device.”

“Explain,” he said briefly, lifting the brooch to get a closer look with an almost Vulcan expression of detached fascination. Malcolm looked from one of them to the other with a bemused expression. Which one of them was the Vulcan, anyway?

T’Pol eyed Malcolm briefly, as if she were debating the wisdom of revealing information in his presence. Then she spoke.

“During the time of nuclear civil war on my planet... when we nearly destroyed ourselves... it is said that such devices were made. They were designed to be brought into an enemy stronghold, disguised as a simple piece of jewelry. Their true function was triggered by an external trigger... often a weak electromagnetic pulse. When triggered, the devices transmitted a computer virus through the closest wireless network, incapacitating the enemy’s defense systems. I have never seen one, nor do I even know how they were constructed, but I believe this is one of those devices.”

Malcolm’s eyes widened. “No wonder the Orions want to get their hands on this thing. Can you imagine what they could do with something like this?” he whispered. All eyes shifted back to the beautiful piece of jewelry in Trip’s hands. The central crystal glowed ominously red under the light of T’Pol’s work station, giving the device a sinister appearance. Trip laid the brooch gingerly on the counter.

The silence on board the Suliban vessel was suddenly shattered by the proximity alarm. Both Trip and Malcolm sprang to their feet and took their places at the helm. Malcolm reached forward and silenced the alarm, and then studied the sensor display.

“It’s a Rigellian patrol ship,” he said urgently. “They’re scanning us.”

“Commander Tucker!” cried T’Pol. Trip turned and regarded her as she held her scanner over the device at her workstation.

“It’s activating,” she told him calmly. Their eyes met. “I can’t stop it,” she admitted.

The three of them watched helplessly as the cell ship’s computer systems were systematically destroyed by the virus. First, they lost helm control. As the ship’s orbit began to decay, their cloak failed. As soon as they became visible to the Rigellian patrol ship, it fired upon them. The tiny cell ship rocked with the impact... and then their defense shields failed. The impact of the Rigellian’s phase cannon blast drove the small ship farther off course. The ship entered the upper atmosphere of Kalos V, heading inexorably downward to a watery landing.

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Part 16: (Misplaced)

Weightlessness. That was the first sensation that overwhelmed Malcolm. As his body floated abruptly from his seat, his heart made a very uncomfortable shift to his lower abdomen. Only by sheer will did he swallow back the bile that was rising in his throat. Now was not the time to succumb to the weakness of his inner ear.

Malcolm was abruptly thrown back into his chair as the helix began it’s plummet through the atmosphere. He very nearly lost his dinner then.

“Bloody hell!” The words barely escaped his lips as he grimaced at the growing g-force pressing against him. The ship whined in protest as it accelerated and Malcolm became aware of the others speaking.

“…Secondary systems are down. Life support…” T’Pol’s normal calm voice sounded strained.

“It’s a good thing we’re no longer in space then!” Trip clipped the words off with a grunt. It was becoming difficult to breathe let alone speak.

“Could we—‘

“No! I don’t know enough about this ship—“

“But there is—“

“Forget it.”

“Commander Tucker, we must,” T’Pol paused to catch her breath, “consider all our—“

“Options? What options!? We’ve got no options!”

If Malcom weren’t too busy trying to keep his stomach calm, he might have found this banter between Trip and T’Pol amusing. Somehow his eminent death was putting a damper on his good humor. The security officer felt helpless. It was an emotion he did his best to avoid, but here he was armed to the teeth and the only enemy he was facing was a ship that was carrying them swiftly to their demise.

But he would not throw-up.

Malcolm was determined to retain at least that modicum of his dignity. It was a thought that disappeared when without warning the ship stopped completely. Inertia propelled him into the bulkhead and the world went beautifully black before his digestive track could respond.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jonathon Archer was worried. And frustrated and disappointed and angry, but most of all he was worried. Why hadn’t any of his missing senior officers contacted him? Why hadn’t they left even a message assuring him about what they were up to? When he laid his hands on them alive and well—and he would dammit!—he was going to strangle all three of them!

It was exactly five steps across the length of his small office. Five steps across, then turn around and five steps back. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat….

“Dammit T’Pol! You, of all people, should know better than to just disappear without a note!” he yelled at his empty ready-room. Porthos barked in return but Jon barely heard him.

Five steps. Turn. Five steps. Turn. Five steps…

There was nothing he could do but wait. Jon was tired of waiting. It had been several hours and not a word. Not even from the Rigellians, other than a warning to cooperate. The Enterprise was escorted into orbit around Kalos V by several highly armed ships, should the Captain change his mind about complying.

Five steps. Turn. Five steps. Turn. Five steps…

His pacing was interrupted by the door chime. Please let that be someone with news.

“Come on in,” he announced as he took his seat behind the desk. The door slid open and Hoshi stepped inside with an unreadable expression.

“We still haven’t heard from anyone,” she said before he could ask. “But I’ve been looking over the sensor logs and I found something interesting.” Hoshi handed him a padd.

Jon did a double take when he looked at the data before him. “I’d say that’s pretty damn interesting.”

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T’Pol was disoriented when she awoke. It took a moment for her to ascertain that she was no longer in the helix. In fact, it appeared that she was in some kind of medical facility, though the room was only dimly lit. With a cursory glance she found Trip and Lieutenant Reed lying on beds like hers, only just beginning to stir.

“Bloody hell,” Malcolm groaned as he sat up, clasping his head between his hands. “What happened?”

Before T’Pol could answer, Trip spoke in a raspy voice. “Something tells me we aren’t in Kansas anymore, Toto.”

Part 17: (Bether6074)

“Where the hell are we?” Malcolm questioned, gazing about the room.

His eyes followed T’Pol as she walked around the windowless chamber, calmly scanning every nook and cranny, while her brain apparently absorbed all of the pertinent information that would help her identify their current whereabouts.

Medical equipment was scattered about. The all-white floors were carpetless and the walls were painted a gloomy shade of gray. In fact…nothing in the entire room had any semblance of comfort at all. There were no pictures on the walls…no decorations…no colors…no…anything…

T’Pol stopped walking and looked over at the doorway. Armed guards stood at the entrance just beyond a force field which blocked the exit. The Vulcan’s eyes circled the room and fixed upon Trip. He stared back at her. Malcolm could see the apprehension on his face.

“Well…obviously it’s some type of sickbay,” Trip began, as he got up off the bed and moved toward T’Pol. “But…somethin’ is different about it…I can’t quite put my finger on it…”

“I don’t know about you two, but this sure as bloody hell feels like confinement to me,” Malcolm stated informatively. He felt his stomach churning again. The unsettled feeling he had experienced during their rapid descent was…rather unfortunately… still present. He felt it best to ignore the queasiness for the time being.

We’ve got more important things to worry about right now besides my little bellyache, he thought to himself, attempting to strengthen his own intestinal fortitude…very literally.

“Indeed, Lieutenant. Confinement is a logical assumption, given our current surroundings…”

The brooch lay quietly and rather harmlessly upon a square table in the center of the darkened room. Rigellians circled about the chamber, focusing their eyes intently upon the stolen device, and carefully planning their next course of action.

“We must question the prisoners,” the largest and most formidable one of the group ordered, with a deep and menacing tone. “Perhaps they have uncovered some information that will be of value to us.” He stopped pacing and pressed against the wood to gain a closer look at the brooch.

“There must be a valid reason why the Orions wish to possess this device. I demand to know why it is so important to them. We can’t afford to lose any more time. Interrogate them now!”

Captain Archer stared down at the PADD in utter silence. He considered the information before him thoughtfully as he continued reading the data from the sensor logs.

“What do you make of it, Captain?” Hoshi inquired, with a concerned expression. The captain placed the PADD down on top of his desk and gazed back at her.

“The evidence here, Hoshi, would seem to indicate that there was some type of… splashdown… in this region.” He pointed a finger to the PADD, indicating the coordinates of the location.

“Could they have survived?”

“Well, it is a water planet...and, as I’m sure you know by now, these three can be mighty resourceful when they need to be.” Archer smiled at Hoshi reassuringly. “We’ll set a course for the area and begin search and rescue operations,” he declared confidently. “Trip, T’Pol and Malcolm are waiting for us.” Hoshi nodded in approval.

Archer stood up from his desk, straightened his uniform and called to Ensign Mayweather with the specific coordinates.

Kalos V…here we come, he thought to himself, still undaunted by the latest turn of events.

“Tell us what you know about the device,” the Rigellian officer demanded, his face so close to Trip that it looked as though the engineer might choke on the alien’s malodorous breath.

“The best I can tell ya’ is that it’s caused a whole helluva’ lot of trouble,” Trip answered evasively. “More trouble than it’s probably worth, I’d be willin’ to bet.”

The Rigellian slammed his fist down onto the table where the Starfleet officers had been forced to sit for the interrogations. “I’ve had enough of these misleading answers! This is not a game, Commander Tucker! Perhaps I should remind you that it was the Rigellians that rescued you and your crewmates. If we had known you’d be this worthless…we’d have just let you drown,” he added, with icy disdain.

“Excuse me…but where exactly are we anyway?” Malcolm inquired with apparent nonchalance….and a vaguely apprehensive expression.

“Silence!”

The Rigellian glared at Malcolm, moving his face right up into the Lieutenant’s face. Malcolm took one look at him and felt his stomach begin to churn again.

“Answer our questions, Lieutenant, and we’ll answer yours.”

Suddenly the lights began to flicker. T’Pol glanced over at the brooch. The Vulcan’s eyes widened.

“Is it…” the lieutenant stammered, “…has it started to…”

“Activate?” T’Pol finished his question. “Apparently something or someone has indeed triggered the device.”

“What is happening? Our power systems are going offline!” one of the aliens screamed.

The Rigellians began to scatter about the room, checking over their malfunctioning equipment. The lights went completely dark. Alarms sounded out throughout the facility and bedlam ensued.

“Let’s get the hell out of here!” Trip yelled, grabbing T’Pol by the arm. The trio somehow made their way past the panicked Rigellians and out of the holding room. They raced down the pitch black hallway, unsure of where it might lead them.

“Their security systems are down,” Trip whispered, bumping into Malcolm. “If we find an exit, we just might be able to escape undetected.”

“I believe that we’re underwater, Commander Tucker,” T’Pol informed him. “We’d need the proper equipment to safely make it to the surface.”

“She has a valid point, Trip…but there’s no way in bloody hell I’m donning a wetsuit and a rebreather! All of that water…”

“You will SO wear a rebreather…Malcolm Reed!” The familiar high-pitched voice came from just up ahead. It was too dark for the trio to clearly see who it was, but Malcolm was quite certain he recognized the bright red even through the dimly lit corridor. Suddenly yesterday’s dinner…yesterday’s lunch… and maybe even…yesterday’s breakfast… lay quite uncomfortably at the bottom of Malcolm’s throat.

But he would not throw-up.

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Part 18: (Hoshi’s Sis)

“Maddy!” exclaimed Malcolm in a stunned voice, trying to wrestle his stomach contents back down as a familiar figure wearing a bright red spandex wetsuit and huge yellow flippers stepped around the corner waving a flashlight.

“Mally,” screeched Madeline with a maniacal grin as she ran up to her brother to give him a smothering hug. Malcolm couldn’t help but smile at the weird sight of his sister shuffling up to him in a duck-like manner, while her form fitted outfit struggled to maintain some decorum with her wayward assets.

“You still need me to pull your ass out of the fire, I see,” she laughed, bouncing around, before falling into her usual game play of tickle poke. A tactic she used a lot when they were kids whilst trying to pull Malcolm out of his black moods after a trying day of not living up to fathers’ expectations.

“I’ll have you know, we were managing just fine on our own,” he replied, trying to sound annoyed, but failing as he collapsed into a fit of laughter as he sought to slap her hands away. “STOP IT!” he gasped, “we don’t have time for this. Maddy, will you STOP IT!”

With a deep breath, he managed to wrestle himself free from her grasping, ticklish hands and straightened up in as much dignity as he could muster. “We need to get away from here quick before the Rigellians detect our escape, … and just why on earth are you here anyway?” he asked in a curious afterthought, whilst sneaking a quick look at his superior officers beside him who both looked completely at a loss for words at the sight of this bright, bubbly, red and yellow colored madwoman, whose hair had frizzed out in an uncontrolled manner that matched her wild personality.

“Don’t worry about them, Mally,” said Madeline, as she recovered a small gadget hidden deep within the folds of her ample bosom. An action that caused Trip to take the stance of an open mouthed guppy, while T’Pol’s right eyebrow arched up high into her hairline. “This little gadget can fool their sensors, so they will be unable to detect our bio signs.”

“Obviously” said Malcolm.

Trip, whose interest and curiosity piqued at the sight of new interesting gadgetry, reached forward to get a better look. “Owww...” he said quickly as Madeline slapped his hand away.

“Fingers, Commander. Didn’t your mother ever tell you that you use your eyes for looking?” asked Madeline sternly, as if telling off a young child, much to Trip’s annoyance and Malcolm’s amusement. “There’s a store room just around the corner. We can hide out in there for a while and I’ll tell you everything,” she said. Turning round with her back up against the wall, she slowly crept away in an Austin Powers stealth like pose with the sound of her flippers flip-flopping heavily on the floor.

Malcolm feigned a faint smile before turning around to follow this comedic vision prowling away from them. With a shake of his head, Trip followed, pulling T’Pol along with him, who had yet said a word as she no doubt tried to reason the actions and behavior of this very unconventional and highly illogical human woman into some logical order.

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Securing the lock so it couldn’t easily be opened from the outside, Trip first looked at Madeline, then at Malcolm, with a raise of his eyebrows and a questioning look that silently asked “what the hell is going on, who the hell is this, and just how does she know YOU?”

Taking a slow deep breath, Malcolm looked at both Trip and T’Pol, “Commanders, this is my sister Madeline Reed.” Silence filled the room as if they had both been struck dumb and lost the ability to speak. T’Pol was the first of the two to regain her composure.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Reed,” said T’Pol, offering the traditional Vulcan hand greeting, which Madeline muddled back. “May I ask for an explanation as to what has transpired and why you are here?”

“I’ve been sent to retrieve the brooch,” replied Madeline. “No doubt you are aware of its origins and unique abilities,” she smirked to three bemused expressions. “My superiors were alerted to its presence by an acquaintance on Vulcan who discovered it whilst on an archeological dig. As he was transferring the device back to us, he was intercepted by a Nausicaan raider who stole his cargo before destroying him and his ship. The raider then delivered the device to a merchant back on Kalos V who had orders to pass the device onto the Orions.”

“The two I saw in the shop before us--” interrupted Trip.

“Luckily for us, although I don’t know the reasoning behind it, Harrad Sar failed to retrieve the brooch and it ended up being placed in a package delivered to you guys on Enterprise instead,” continued Maddy.

“Let’s just say, Harrad Sar has a few … issues with Captain Archer,” said Malcolm. “Looks like he decided to disobey orders and make it personal instead.”

“I’d say,” stated Trip, “Humiliate Captain Archer by implicating his officers in a smuggling ring, steal the device thereby pushing up his standing within the Syndicate and blow up Enterprise to top it all off. Quite an ingenious plan.”

“For an Orion,” remarked T’Pol in a dry tone of voice. Turning to Madeline, she asked, “Who are your superiors and why do they want the brooch?”

“People who like to keep close tabs on our allies believe it would be in Earth’s and Vulcan’s best interest if a device like this is stored under lock and key, out of temptations reach,” said Maddy coyly.

“Who?” probed T’Pol.”

“People who wish to remain anonymous,” said Madeline. “We all have our dirty secrets, Commander, even Vulcans, wouldn’t you agree?” she said as T’Pol threw her a typical Vulcan glare of annoyance.

“Well,” said Malcolm trying to diffuse the tense atmosphere between T’Pol and his sister, “now that’s settled, why don’t we work out a plan to get the hell out of here.”

“I thought that was settled, Mally,” smirked Madeline as she whipped out her rebreather, much to the horror of Malcolm who turned white with fright.

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Part 19: (Boushh)

“Oh take it easy, Mally! You have a little while before you have to worry about swimming your way out of here! We need to secure the device first!”

Trip winced at Madeline Reed’s comment. They’d just left the brooch behind in their hasty escape from the Rigellians. If she was so intent on getting her hands on it, and if they were to trust her intentions with it, then they’d have to go back. He wasn’t too keen on that one.

“Why shouldn’t we leave the damned thing here?” He asked.

Everyone looked at him.

“What? It’s more trouble than it’s worth.”

No one said a thing. They didn’t have to.

“All right… all right… It shouldn’t be left in their hands… I get it. I just wish I’d never set foot in that shop…” He glanced at T’Pol. “Well almost wish anyway.” He could almost sense her amusement as he recalled the reason he went into that shop in the first place.

“Let’s get moving then,” Malcolm said. “The detention room is this way.” He nodded to his left and began to take the lead in that direction.

“Pfft! You just wanna’ get out of goin’ in that water!” Trip teased.

“He’s so going in that water…” Maddy said in a smug tone that left no room for argument.

“May I remind everyone that we must keep quiet lest the Rigellian’s discover us? They might not be able to detect our biosigns--”

“But they’ll be able to hear our yackin’,” Trip finished for her. He couldn’t argue with her reasoning. “Let’s move.”

With a silent nod to each other the group moved down the corridor with Malcolm and Trip taking the lead.

As they neared the room where they had been held captive, the volume of the alarms began to increase. Malcolm and his sister pressed themselves up against one wall while he and T’Pol did the same on the opposite wall and further down the hall. They were practically next to the room now. He just hoped the brooch was still there. Trip looked sideways at T’Pol who winced, ever so slightly. He found those damned alarms loud and annoying. He could only imagine what she felt. At least they didn’t have to worry as much about the Rigellians hearing them now. All they had to worry about was them all going deaf.

He looked back across at Malcolm and Madeline who were in the middle of a somewhat vigorous pantomime. There was much pointing at each other, then at the corridor and looks of frustration tossed back and forth. He shook his head and hoped these two were never put in a position to work together again. The wacky brother/sister thing did not work in their favor, even if it was pretty damned funny.

He was barely aware of the shadow as it was cast across the corridor when he felt T’Pol move away from him. He turned and saw a sole Rigellian coming out of the doorway and turning towards them. T’Pol without preamble walked towards him and placed her hand between his neck and shoulder. The Rigellian crumbled.

Trip glanced back at his companions who had both tilted their heads and wore a look that clearly said, “That works.”

Trip rolled his eyes and stepped forward to help pull the alien away from the doorway. Before he knew what was happening, Madeline walked up to the doorway, hopped up and down in front of it and then sprinted down the corridor away from them.

Two more Rigellians were soon out of the door. T’Pol took care of one swiftly, while Malcolm and Trip manhandled the second for the moment it took for her to move onto him as well.

Trip risked a quick glance inside the room. It was empty. He nodded to T’Pol and Malcolm. The three of them began moving the aliens back into the room as Madeline jogged back down the corridor.

“That was your diversion, Maddy?” Malcolm asked with a grunt as he pulled his captive through the doorway.

“Is that what all that was about before?” Trip asked, as he deposited his alien just inside the door, his comments summarily ignored by the Reed siblings.

“It worked, didn’t it?” Madeline said with a certain amount of glee.

Malcolm shook his head. “I’m glad I got out when I did. It’s all gone to the dogs, I see.”

Before Trip could ask what the hell he was talking about, T’Pol had joined them with the brooch and a PADD in hand. “I believe this will show us the way out.”

“I know the way out… and a place where we can get ready. Mally… it’s ti-ime.”

Her grin was tremendous.

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Part 20: (Tripsmyguy)

“I hope you two are strong swimmers.”

“I was practically born in the water.”

“I’m sure you’ll find my skills adequate.”

“They’d better be more than adequate; we’ve got to swim over thirty kilometers up with a rough ride out of the gate.”

Malcolm’s legs suddenly felt weak. He leaned against the wall with one hand over his mouth and the other around his stomach.

“Hope you haven’t had a big meal lately, Mally.”

Malcolm glared at his sister. “It’s not losing my lunch that concerns me.”

“C’mon Malcolm, you trust your sister, right?” Trip winked at Madeleine.

Madeleine laughed wickedly. “It’s this way.”

With that, she climbed on a box and popped out a ceiling tile. “This is the safest and most direct route. Bring up the rear, will you Skipper?”

“Skipper?” asked Trip, wide-eyed and grinning.

“Yes? Trip?” replied Malcolm putting emphasis on the first and last letters of Trip’s nickname.

“Nothing…. for now,” replied Trip with a smirk.

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

It was a long crawl through the ducts. Madeleine finally climbed down into a room with a large machine taking up a majority of the space and an opening in the ceiling that was protected by a forcefield.

As T’Pol came down, Madeleine whispered to her, “I need to speak with you privately in a bit.” T’Pol nodded.

“Where are we Madeleine?”

“Call me Maddy, Commander. We’re in the waste disposal chamber.”

“How appropriate,” Malcolm added dryly.

“So, we’re bein’ tossed out with the trash, huh? Oh, and it’s ‘Trip’.”

“Something like that, Trip, but we have to get a move on. Give me a hand.” She removed two panels from the wall and began removing pieces of a substance similar to fiberglass that had been hidden there earlier.

“Maddy, are we safe here?”

“It’s okay, Mally, no one ever comes here. We had the place under surveillance for quite some time before choosing it. It’s also the only exit without an alarm.“

“How is this going to work, Miss Reed?”

“Every 47.3 minutes there’s a short burst of gaseous waste that gets released through the main forcefield. It actually breaks the large field for .2 seconds. It then continues to break through a series of forcefields before it reaches the ocean. The fields open like gates to keep the water from flooding the chamber. The thing is, traveling through a forcefield is a wild ride. You have to hold on for dear life. Zero-G training is a child’s play compared to this.”

“Fascinating.”

“Just kill me now.”

“Steady Malcolm.”

“You’ll be fine, Mally, I promise. Remember the rapids at Mirror Lake Park?”

“That wretched place landed me in hospital, as I recall.”

“Oh yeah, sorry luv. No worries, Mally. I’ve got a plan; I promise we’ll get you home.”

“I might bloody well have joined the Royal Navy after all,” Malcolm mumbled to no one in particular.

“Is this everything, Maddy?”

“That’s it for now, Comm, um, Trip. I need you two gents to assemble the pieces into a pod while Commander T’Pol and I have a little chat.”

“Hey, a project!”

“All those years of avoiding the water…”

“Here’s how they fit together.”

“Trip, I want you to have my antique weapons collection.”

“C’mon Malcolm, this will take your mind off your troubles.”

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

“Yes, Miss Reed?”

“Maddy, please, I hate being called Miss Reed. May I call you T’Pol?”

“Certainly”

“I need to know more about the Vulcan strength. It’s quite legendary, but is it true?”

“Compared to typical human strength, yes… Maddy.”

“Here’s the thing. My brother would never survive this escape as it stands, so I have a plan, which will require several of your Vulcan “talents”…

“Madeleine dear, we need you,” Malcolm called out. Madeleine looked to T’Pol for a sign that she accepted the plan. A small nod from T’Pol and they rejoined the men. “Our Chief Engineer can’t determine how the top and bottom go together.”

“Neither can our Chief Tactical Officer.”

“Actually, let’s put them together after we change into wet suits. Mally, this one’s yours… Trip… T’Pol. You can stuff your uniforms and boots in the sides of the pod.”

“What else is going in this thing, sis?”

“Something very precious. Who’s got the brooch?”

T’Pol held it up and Madeleine nodded, “Give it to my brother… hide it in your suit, will you luv?”

Malcolm unzipped the wetsuit jacket and T’Pol quickly reached up behind him and pinched by his neck. Malcolm dropped like a stone.

“What the hell was that for, T’Pol?”

“I was obeying orders.”

Trip looked incredulously at T’Pol, then at Madeleine, who was carefully placing the brooch in a hidden pocket of Malcolm’s jacket. After securing the brooch, she zipped the jacket and stood up.

Trip was staring at her with his mouth hanging open.

“It’s the only way to get him out of here safely, Trip. Help me; we need to get him into the pod.”

“Are you crazy? That thing won’t hold him!”

“Yes it will, trust me.”

“Maddy, what are you thinking? You’re going to kill him!”

“Trip, I have it all worked out. He’ll be perfectly safe as long as the three of us work together. He’d never make it otherwise…”

“Don’t you know him at all? Malcolm Reed is the bravest man I know! You should let him face this water phobia thing once and for all. Don’t coddle him! He’d rather die than be treated like this. He’d never agree…”

“I KNOW, damn it! I KNOW he’d never agree to this! How dare you imply that I don’t know him! I know him better than any of you on Enterprise. I know how brave he is and how hard he works to control himself in dangerous situations. I also know that we can’t always control ourselves the way we’d like to.

“Malcolm can!”

“Really… have YOU ever seen him in the water? Well?”

“No, actually, I haven’t, but at least I trust him enough to take care of himself in any situation.”

“Then you’re a fool. He would take care of everyone else before he would take care of himself. He would lay down his life in a second for any mission, any crewmate, any superior, and any ship for which he served. What he wouldn’t do is ask for help because of something beyond his control. He’d die for that brooch and perish believing it was necessary for the success of the mission.”

“Which is what makes him an excellent Security Chief!”

“But it’s not necessary, at least not today! We can get the stupid brooch back to Enterprise without losing Malcolm in the process, if we do it my way. Didn’t you hear him before? He was already giving away his prized possessions!”

“Just be glad he didn’t have time to write any letters.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ve seen him come through worse situations just fine.”

“Oh yeah? I’ve seen him hyperventilate inside a boat that got caught in a storm. I’ve seen him raced to the hospital in a full-blown panic attack after being forced to stand in water chest high. He was accidentally pushed off a dock once and ended up in a coma! This is not some harmless phobia, Trip. His reactions to water are very real and very dangerous… to all of us.“

“That doesn’t sound like the Malcolm Reed I know.”

Madeleine took a deep breath before quietly continuing. “Trip, if Malcolm were conscious and something happened to him, something like what I just described, could you cut the tether and let him go?” Trip remained silent.

“Mr. Tucker….”

“What?”

“She’s right.”

“T’Pol, no… at least let him decide for himself.”

“There’s no time.”

“T’Pol, don’t let her do this to him.”

“Commander Tucker, as First Officer, I’ve decided that we should proceed immediately with Miss Reed’s plan. You may file your objections with Captain Archer if and when we are successfully returned to Enterprise. However, at this time, you will assist Miss Reed and myself.”

The three of them pushed and pried Malcolm’s form into the base of the pod with the uniforms tucked in around him. Madeleine placed the rebreather over his nose and mouth, then several tubes over his chest.

“T’Pol, that thing you did to him -- how long will it have him out?”

“Not long enough,” answered Madeleine, “so this tube has been equipped with a strong sedative. It will be administered through the inhalation controls in this helmet. He’ll be able to safely inhale, exhale, and remain unconscious until your Doctor wakes him up in the Enterprise Sickbay.” After securing the helmet, Madeleine wrapped a blanket around her brother and whispered, “Sleep well, Sweet Prince.”

“Enterprise is aware of our location?”

“They’re on their way to pick us up as soon as we break the surface.” Madeleine retreated behind the wall panels to look for the sealer pieces.

“He’s going to be humiliated.”

“Miss Reed believes this is the only way to get Lt. Reed and the brooch safely back to Enterprise. I trust her judgment.”

“You just met her today! What about Malcolm’s judgment?”

“Being forced into facing a deep-seated and life-threatening phobia is extremely dangerous. The anxiety and stress of this escape could easily kill someone with severe aquaphobia. After his action in the Romulan minefield, such a position would pose an unacceptable risk.”

“That was different…”

“Miss Reed believes the rest of us may be in danger if Lt. Reed were conscious, and considering the circumstances; I’m inclined to agree with her. His conscious reaction to the situation is highly unpredictable. Her plan is carefully thought out and is our best option.”

“He’ll never forgive us.”

“I believe the Lieutenant will come to understand that the actions taken were for the sake of the mission.”

“Okay, I’m in, but I’m not goin’ to be the one to tell him how he got back.” Looking into the pod, Trip added, “Hang in there Skipper, we’re takin’ you home.”

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

“Here’s the sealer. Now let’s get this done, we don’t have much time left.”

Trip and T’Pol saw how Madeleine fit the sealer into a ridge on the bottom half of the pod. The sealer was expandable and added enough room for Malcolm to fit rather snugly. Once the top was attached, Madeleine released a horizontal bar from the end of the pod. She explained that the three of them would be attached to the bar by specially designed magnetic gloves and tethers. Each would also be tethered to the other and would strap a compass on their arms. The tethers would allow them means of directional control, communication, and added security.

T’Pol would be in the center and would paddle continuously. Trip and Madeleine would control the pod and take turns paddling once they had passed through the forcefields. That would be the worst part, Madeleine warned them. She really wasn’t kidding about holding on for dear life; it would be 7.5 seconds of the worst imaginable roller coaster, river raft, and rodeo ride, all rolled into one.

The three of them attached their rebreathers, oxygen tanks, earplugs, gloves, flippers and tethers. T’Pol’s flippers were larger than the others and were of a design Trip had never seen before. Madeleine had additional helmets for the three of them. She just hoped they would hold up in the forcefields.

The trio lifted the pod to the top of the waste disposal machine and into position in front of the forcefield. There was no going back. The pod was very heavy and Trip glanced at T’Pol. Their eyes met and through the bond they each felt the other’s concern and summoning courage. With a small smile and tilt of the head, they told each other, I’ll see you on the surface.

The machine below them hissed, the forcefield flickered, and they were sucked into the waves. Madeleine was right; the pull of the forcefields was terrifying. All three felt as though their limbs were being completely pulled off. Next came the violent spinning, bumping, and crashing which seemed to go on forever. The longest 7.5 seconds of their lives left each one seriously bruised. Phlox was going to be busy later.

Finally, the underwater silence surrounded them. The pod no longer felt heavy, just slightly cumbersome. T’Pol began a strong paddling pace with Trip accompanying her for the time being. Madeleine would contribute a series of bursts between resting periods before she and Trip switched.

They worked well together and T’Pol was reaching great speeds between the specially designed flippers and her natural Vulcan strength. Trip was both proud and envious. He looked over at her early in the trek and was struck by her focus and concentration. He also saw the serenity in her features that he sometimes observed as they meditated together. Once again, her beauty was enhanced by her inner strengths and Trip found her radiant. He wondered, How many times will I fall in love with this incredible woman?

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

Madeleine could see why Malcolm spoke so highly of these people. They completely trusted each other and worked together as one. She knew how often Malcolm’s very life had been in their hands and that Trip had argued earlier with Malcolm’s best interests at heart. She also knew that Malcolm considered Trip his best friend. Madeleine appreciated Trip’s loyalty and was glad that her brother had finally found a substitute family worthy of him.

Madeleine’s life and relationship with her parents had been much easier than Malcolm’s because they had never expected her to uphold the family Naval tradition – that was a male tradition. She saw the pressure her father and grandfather had put on Malcolm; she saw the pain in his eyes each time he had tried to stand up to them and be his own man. Madeleine was the only person Malcolm had ever trusted with his pain.

In their teen years, Madeleine saw Malcolm becoming serious to the point of reclusive. She decided then that she would always try to bring some semblance of joy into his life. If silliness, teasing, and faux sibling rivalry brought even the slightest twinkle, or roll, to his eyes, she would bring it on. He deserved that much. Madeleine loved Malcolm more than anyone and she would always be there for him. She had been behind his decision to join Starfleet one hundred percent and could not be prouder of her brother, the hero.

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

T’Pol could feel her legs tiring, but pushed herself to paddle harder. She had learned to swim when first arriving in San Francisco. Coming from a desert planet, the water held great interest for her. She had become proficient quickly and often likened the sensation to meditation. The quiet was similar; it was easy to think and focus while swimming. Although she would never admit it, she enjoyed the sport, finding it both relaxing and invigorating. She paid little attention to human sporting activities, but understood why Captain Archer would be drawn to a water sport.

Though she was focused on her task, T’Pol could hear and feel Trip through their bond. He was so worried about Lt. Reed. She had felt a shift as soon as Malcolm collapsed under her pinch. In Trip’s mind, the brooch, and their mission, became secondary to Malcolm’s welfare. T’Pol tried to send reassurance to Trip through the bond, but he was so focused on his tasks and his concern for Malcolm, that she didn’t believe her efforts were getting through.

She had seen this before, with Captain Archer, when the objective of a mission quickly became secondary to the safety and welfare of an injured crewmember. Again, Lt. Reed’s experience in the Romulan minefield came to mind. She considered discussing this seemingly illogical aspect of human nature with Phlox.

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

Trip saw it first -- there was light above them. He tugged on the tether and motioned for the others to look up. Madeleine’s smile filled her mask. Trip’s mind was flooded with reassurance and love from T’Pol. They were going to make it. They would reach the surface and Enterprise would be waiting for them. Soon their mission would be complete, Malcolm would be awake, and everything would be all right.

Hang on Malcolm; we’re almost there. He started kicking furiously along with Madeleine and T’Pol. Their exhaustion gave way to adrenaline and before they knew it, the front of the pod was breaking the surface. The air was warm and the sun was blinding. They looked up for Enterprise, but would need to shade their eyes. Trip and Madeleine struggled to free their hands while T’Pol stretched her legs in a well-earned rest.

Trip was first to free himself from the glove and tether. He rubbed his hand on the pod; then pulled his arm over his eyes. He squinted and looked to his right – no Enterprise. He looked to his left - no Enterprise, no shuttlepod. There was nothing in the distance - nothing, but water. His excitement took a sharp turn. Where the hell was Enterprise?

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Part 4 CONCLUSION

Return to the beginning of Part 2

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Have a comment to make about this story? Do so in the Trip Fan Fiction forum at the HoTBBS!

A whole mess of folks have made comments

Cool! In an invisible ship! This is getting better and better. Wish you could have gotten Hoshi on board somehow. That might have made for some interesting possiblities. (For CONVERSATION! Get your minds out of the gutter, people!) : )

Fugitives on the run! Great stuff, getting really exciting! PS My first thought was for Hoshi's presence too!

"Trip grabbed the leg of his calf"?? When and where did Trip acquire an infant bovine?? And how does T'Pol feel about it? ;) (Sorry, couldn't resist.) Should be "Trip grabbed the calf of his leg".

Enjoying the series. Tnx to all

An invisible ship with the Disaster Duo aboard? How will T'Pol keep them in line? Good entry!

Good eye, Jeff! I've corrected the text.

Getting better and better.

Interesting... (*steeples fingers in manner of Mr. Burns*) I can't wait to see what happens next, this just keeps getting better and better! :)

"Hanging around Malcolm too long!" Ha! I like that one. Very good tie-in chappie, Hoshissis. Now that the uglies have left the Enterprise and are off chasing invisible ships, maybe we can get some more battle action.

Not only that, but when are we gonna find out exactly what this little doo-hickey IS and what it DOES? How about it Ludjin?

Nicely done. And yeah, what IS that little doohickey? Anyone? Anyone? :)

I'm lost this is the first i've read in this seris

I'd recommend starting from the front, Fireheart...

Good job, Hoshissis. And really, does it matter what the doo-hickey does? It's the MacGuffin, people! Just like that briefcase in Ronin ... or the briefcase in Pulp Fiction...

Looking forward to the next chap...

Come on Ludjin, let's start getting some answers round here!!!!

Finally an update. Good chapter, more please.

Oh this is good. Nice update Distracted. How did you guys set this up? and I will start at the front Rigel. ;)

Nice addition, Distracted. Love that dream, huh?! :-D

Distracted's installment was both fun and exciting. The dream bit was a riot! Really excellent stuff. :)

Great chapter D, great cliffhanger!

Come on need more fuel for my furnice.
Good stuff.

Trip was distracting her, huh? That's hilarious on so many levels! Nice chappie, more please! :)

What is with you and the rough stuff lately? I guess dear old Trip was having another pleasant dream, huh? So now Trip's acting Vulcan too? That would certainly be amusing to watch. Poor Malcolm...the guy's surrounded. How will they ever get out of this fine mess?

Rasputin throws his latest blessing on your work.

Distracted, you are a genius! Loved the way Trip's dream was distracting T'Pol - fab!

OMG!!! What have you done to me??? I'm the next writer!!

If I weren't so worried that I have to come up with something pronto... I would say that this latest installment is excellent. LOL Trip's dream distracting T'Pol... Trip acting a little Vulcan. Very cool... but crash landing the cell ship? And who activated the durn brooch anyway??

LOL... I've got my work cut out for me!

Nicely done, Misplaced! Love how you muddied things up even more! :D Where are the Triumphant Trio? What was on that PADD? Looking forward to the next chapter...

I'd say you did a great job, Misplaced. As far as the brooch activation goes, my intent was to imply that the Rigellian's scanners inadvertently trigger the effect. Remember in an earlier installment when alot of the systems on the Enterprise went haywire right after they were scanned by the Rigellians? That's what gave me the idea. My thought was that since the Enterprise is a really large ship with LOTS of advanced computers on board, the effects of the brooch were limited. Of course, our successors in this endeavor will have to explain the rest of the story. Your plot device of having them rendered unconscious and then suddenly awakening in a medical facility is pretty mean to the next guy, too, BTW. Who's our next victim? : )

Loved your installment, Misplaced!

Cool. Malcolm's a martyr to that delicate stomach isn't he? Brilliant!

Boah, what a cliffhanger... but please could somebody write the next part??? I don't much like cliffhangers ;-)
Anyway, good work, misplaced! Malcolm rescued by a beautiful blackness, brilliant!

It's Turanguleela, Distracted.

Oh boy! T'Leela... You've got your work cut out for you, girl! I have confidence in your impressive creative powers, though. Misplaced left you with so MANY tantalizing mysteries to solve! I can't wait to see what you come up with.

I know I left more mysteries... and I did get your intent, Distracted (at least I *think* I did! LOL)

With only two pages, it's difficult to move the story too far forward, especially when characters need rescuing!

We're building quite an epic here (funny and interesting)... if need be to help this story come to a natural conclusion, I am willing to go another round. (I know not every writer is, but I can, if necessary).

Glad that you all enjoyed it. Sorry T'Leela for torturing you further, but I can't wait to see what you come up with!

So glad to see the story going again! Trip, T'Pol and Malcolm against the great unknown. Look out great unknown! ; )

Veeeeeeeeeddy eenterestink. Man, you guys don't give each other ANY help whatsoever, do you? It's just cliffie after cliffie after cliffie! Man, glad I'm not in this thing (although that would be kinda cool), I'd rip half my hair out trying to figure out what to write! Great stuff, though, keep up the awesome-cross writing! :)

But that's the rules, W. A two page entry with a cliffhanger ending... except for the last one, of course. Don't you think it's more fun this way?

Loved it Misplaced! My imagination is running wild with possibilities, can't wait to see where you take this T'leela!

And it's Bether stepping into the breach to carry the ball! What a great turnabout! Poor Malcolm and his delicate digestion... and now he'll have to swim unless the next writer comes up with a better way for them to get out of there. Where's the brooch? Are they gonna try to get it back? And who's the mystery woman in the corridor? Inquiring minds want to know!

very short, but good. glad to see this update. can't wait to see what happens next.

Oh, don't let Distracted fool you. She supplied me with a good portion of the ideas for this little segment. Adventure is not really my forte, so I wasn't arguing. :)

Ah, but YOU wrote it, my dear... and a very excellent job you did, too... don't you guys agree? : )

Absolutely Distracted. Bether you did a fantastic job. Everyone has. There are only a few writers left now and this story is slowing drawing to a conclusion. I think everyone should clap themselves on the back for doing a fantastic job at building suspence throughout.

Nicely done. Very nicely done. I can't wait to see where this will go, it's hard to believe it's almost done! :)

Great Bether, fabulous ending - I can't wait for the next episode.

I am constantly surprised by the quality of writing on this site. It's excellent!

This is the best round robin I've ever read. You guys are doing a great job!

Very nice. Good job!

Very funny, Hoshissis. I love your take on Maddy... and you finally gave us a reasonable explanation for everything. Yay!

Ditto what Distracted said: let's hear it for reasonable explanations! Hip hip... *sigh*. Anyway. Great stuff, yet again, and I can't wait for more. Well done, Hoshi's Sis! (BTW, I never knew that those were the rules for each entry, thanks D!) :)

Thanks guys. I couldn't have gotten this chapter done without Distracted's help. she is a real star.

What rules did you mean Windrider?

I think she means this that I posted Jan 23rd:

"But that's the rules, W. A two page entry with a cliffhanger ending... except for the last one, of course. Don't you think it's more fun this way?"

Thanks Distracted.
Yes the rules are that each author writes 2 pages with hopefully a cliffhanger at the end for the next person to carry on with, so the suspense can build up to a climatic ending.

Quite a challenge.

I love it... reminds me of an old slapstick movie. I could just see the look on T'Pol's face as she nerve pinched that third Rigellian ("Do I have to do EVERYTHING around here?"), Maddie jumping up and down in front of the doorway in her bright RED wetsuit (Who goes on a clandestine mission wearing candy-apple red? Why... a crazy woman, of course!), and Malcolm's expression of sheer panic when he realized it was time to get wet. I can't wait for the next installment. : )

I'm just loving this Maddie character! I wonder who they could've cast to play that role? I guess poor Malcolm's going to have get in the water if the trio is planning on escaping this fine mess. This round robin sure has been a lot of fun. Who's up next?

... I have to start explaining my posts a bit better, I'm thinking. Thankfully, Distracted understands! Moving on. Wunderbar! Poor Malcolm, though, Maddy is really intent on torturing him with the water! Keep it coming, you guys, it's great stuff! :)

This is really fun to read, well done all of you.

This has just been great to read...can't wait to see how the next part goes

Excellent addition, Boushh. Good job.

Hey, guys... we were going so well... and now a 3 week hiatus. I'm on the edge of my seat here. Who's up next?

Yea! Made my morning! Nice excape route, and I can't wait to see what is keeping Enterprise busy.

Awesome rollercoaster ride! I'd always thought of T'Pol as being fearful of the water... but this works. I like it! They are gonna SO be in trouble when Malcolm wakes up, though. : )

Fantastic cliff hanger! Can't wait for the next episode.

I love Maddy Reed, what a character!

Good chapter...but 30 klicks? Wow...that's a helluva of swim.

That was the walk the Capt. and Trip had in Desert Crossing. I figured if it was good enough for the paid writers, it was good enough for me. ; )

Hee hee hee! I like Maddy, she has spunk! Poor Malcolm, though. Phobias suck. Great stuff, tripsmyguy, and I can't wait for more! :)

So... what's up? I know everyone's gearing up for the con, but I wanna find out how this ends! : )

I'm in the middle of throwing rocks at Persianmouse to get her ass in gear. LOL.

Okay... Hoshissis just tagged me to finish this thing up... with no limits on length... tee hee! *rubs hands briskly together and settles hindquarters firmly into seat with hands poised over keyboard* Here goes nothin'!

BTW... mouse, if you've got something written, don't toss it. When you finish it, we can post "alternate endings". Same goes for anybody else. Whatcha think, Hoshissis? Maybe this'll wake 'em up!