The Chaos Series - Pt 7

The Chaos Series
An "Enterprise" story

By Alison M. DOBELL

RATING: PG-17, this chapter, PG-13
ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.
FEEDBACK: Welcomed.
EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com
WEBSITE: http://carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY: "The Away Team have an uncomfortable epiphany. Captain Archer discovers the answer to a mystery and T'Pol finds her control beginning to break down.
DISCLAIMER: The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Enterprise' are the property of Paramount and part of the wonderful legacy of Gene Roddenberry. No infringement of copyright is intended.

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

Part 7

"NO SURRENDER"

* * * * *

The first Guardian looked tense, annoyed. "If he has vanished from the lines of probability that means..."

"He has been erased?" Ventured a second Guardian.

They looked identical yet there was an obvious if understated hierachy. "No, not 'erased'. Relocated."

Suprise showed briefly on their faces "That would mean..."

"Yes." Said the first, tight-lipped. "There is another like us."

For a few moments no one spoke, their minds contemplating the complex weaving of possible futures and outcomes. Subtle and not so subtle shifts manipulated by them to nudge various species towards a preferred outcome. One which would benefit their own complex future for eons to come. For centuries their manipulations had been unopposed. "The time travelling human - Daniels..."

"Is not the other."

"Then...?"

"Yes. It appears an ancient force that long lay sleeping has been reawakened."

Unreadable looks settled on their bland faces yet conveyed a sense of deep disquiet. After a very long silence one of the Guardians spoke. "The Sphere Builders..."

"Have gone. If I am correct the Sentinel has awakened and been activated to its duty."

"If the Sentinel detects us..."

Silence widened around them as the ramifications sank in. The white cloudy mist was the only slow langorous movement around them for several long disturbed minutes. In a place where time stood still it was an eternity. They would not acknowledge that they were feeling the unwelcome tendrils of fear.

Looks were exchanged then the first Guardian made a decision.

* * * * *

Lt Reed was furious but also anxious. The handcuffs were thick heavy steel with a screw bolt locking mechanism. No way would they be able to simply break them apart with a heavy implement. A narrow beam concentration of phase fire might do the trick but they would risk severe burns and there was no guarantee that it would work. At least they had not been returned to one of the deep, dank, dungeons. He risked a glance across at Commander Tucker. The man was having trouble staying conscious, his broken nose splashed across his face in a messy pulp of blood and tissue impeding his breathing. His mouth hung open, eyes closed, the bruise along his cracked cheekbone hidden by all the blood. Facial wounds always looked worse than they were because face and head wounds bled so freely but in the Commander's case the Lieutenant considered his concern more than justified.

The MACOs hovered as close as they could to Trip in a protective stance that the Armoury Officer heartily approved of. He wished Major Hayes were still with them so that he could compliment him but the man had already given his life in their fight against the Xindi and no greater sacrifice could be asked of any man.

They were propelled unceremoniously towards a large tent. The MACOs helping the Commander to remain upright. Lt Reed wanted to keep his hands free in case an opportunity presented itself though what he thought they could accomplish against a camp full of Germans he did not know. But just because something looked impossible didn't mean that it was. He inwardly sighed. The Chief Engineer was definitely rubbing off on him. A Nazi flag flapped on a pole and the German eagle glared down at them from lifelike eyes in a huge plaster figure above the tent flap. Even without the guards on either side of the entrance the Lieutenant would have guessed this was the camp headquarters. What he was not prepared for was what they found waiting for them inside.

* * * * *

T'Pol was frustrated.

"We can't get a lock!"

Her look hardened. "Try again."

Ensign Rostov's apologetic voice echoed back through the com from the transporter room. "It's not working. Something or someone is preventing me from being able to lock on."

For a moment she felt crushed, the pain and sorrow in her heart almost breaking through her Vulcan reserve. Ensign Sato looked worried, not just for their friends down on the planet surface but also for T'Pol. Then the Vulcan's back stiffened and she straightened, that iron will and control back in place. Hoshi could only admire her the more suspecting how much it cost her.

"Hail the Nestar."

Hoshi opened a com channel to the other ship and seconds later the haughty hard lines of Lt Tara stared back at them.

"We are unable to lock on to our Away Team. Have you managed to retrieve Commander Shran?"

The hard glittering eyes seemed to flicker, just a fraction. Hoshi would not exactly call it a softening of her features. "No."

"Do you have contact with him?"

Lt Tara paused for several seconds before answering. "Why do you ask, Vulcan?"

T'Pol ignored the flare of irritation that threatened to undermine her control. "We have no contact with Commander Tucker and the Away Team. If you have contact with Commander Shran perhaps he can tell us what has happened."

Travis Mayweather watched the stony expression on the Andorian's face and half expected her to simply cut the com. Instead, something that may have been the merest glimpse of concern shadowed her austere features. "We have lost contact with the Commander and his team."

A hush fell over the bridge crew. T'Pol reached out with her mind but there was nothing. Not even a hint of her ashayam. It could mean he was asleep, rendered unconscious, or... She refused to consider that he might be dead. Captain Archer had once said that Trip had more lives than a cat. Even as her heart quailed at the thought of losing him, her resolve clung to that idiotic and spurious piece of earth logic. Cats did not have nine lives they had one, as did Commander Tucker. And she would do anything within her power to keep that one life intact.

* * * * *

"We should go back, *now*, while they are distracted."

Commander Shran barely acknowledged Dala's concern. He recognised the Enterprise officers and noted that Commander Tucker appeared to be injured and had to be helped towards the large tent dominating the camp. He pursed his lips together thoughtfully as guards escorted them into the tent and out of sight. He cast around for any sign of Enterprise's Captain. Apart from the two guards outside the tent he and Dala could have been the only ones in the camp. He frowned. "Where is he?" He muttered darkly to himself. "Where is Archer?"

* * * * *

The eponymous Captain was thinking the same thing. Where the hell was he? He blinked in the dimness of the cavern, head spinning, his whole body aching as waves of pain ripped through him whenever he moved. It was warm inside, the sounds of weapons fire now muted until he was no longer conscious of what was happening outside.

His fidgeting and low moans attracted attention. Captain Archer froze, some instinct warning him that being noticed was generally not a good thing. Something huge and oddly graceful moved towards him partially blocking the light from the cave entrance. Both shadow and light seemed to part to let the creature through. Huge leathery iridescent wings folded along a mid-joint halfway along each span then came to rest along the creature's sides with the tips hooked together across the broad back. He looked ancient. Archaic. An impossible creation from the Dawn of Time like some venerable dinosaur but imbued with the gift of speech. But like no dinosaur Captain Archer had ever seen before.

The broad beak parted, something glinted in a smart intelligent eye that fixed on Archer and appeared to miss nothing. "You should not be here, Human."

His mouth opened to ask a question but he made no sound. Surprise and amazement held him silent. Awestruck. The creature had a heavily feathered face, broad and powerful like some great bird of prey yet without the streak of cruelty he would have expected. Now why did he think that?

"Your time is not now." Said the creature slowly. Those large bright eyes watched him carefully to glean even the ghost of a reaction.

"You can speak?" Said the Captain weakly then silently cursed himself for an idiot. What an inane question. Of course it could speak.

The birdlike creature tilted its great head. "We are ancient but evolved."

"From what?" Asked the Captain before caution could kick in.

Fortunately the fabulous beast was not offended. "Do you know who or what I am?"

Captain Archer shifted slightly to ease his painful shoulders. Biting his lip to prevent himself crying out in pain. "My captor?"

The head dipped towards him, huge eyes narrowing. "If I were your captor you would be shredded into strips of meat for my young."

The Captain held his breath. A memory little more than a rapid blur came back to him. "You saved me. From the others."

The creature said nothing. Watching him. Waiting. Captain Archer wished he could sit up properly but just remaining conscious was something of an achievement.

"Who...? What are you?"

"Have you not guessed?"

Something tugged at his back brain. A memory perhaps? Then he watched as the creature deliberately moved to one side so that the dying light from the entrance now illuminated him. He looked like a piece of stained glass that had broken free of its frame allowing the impossible to come to life. Form did not always follow function.

"Oh...my...God!" He paused. Thunderstruck. The similarities slotting into place. "You're..." He could not finish the sentence.

The fabulous beast inclined its great solemn head in an oddly dignified gesture. "I am extinct."

The Captain just blinked at him. He felt dizzy, wanted to lean back against the stone wall and close his eyes but something kept his attention pinned on his unlikely host.

"You have been manipulated." The creature said in a strong melodious voice.

"By you?"

A dark dry huff erupted from the beast as if it were clearing a fur ball from its airway. "You saw them below us. They would have killed you."

"Why did you save me?"

Something like a sigh escaped the creature causing the Captain to sense a great sadness in him.

"So that our story may be known. The past is filled with lies, Captain Archer, and the future is more fragile than you could imagine. It must be cherished and guarded against those who would seek to bend it to their will. In fashioning a lie the continuance of that fallacious conceit costs misery and lives to perpetuate. But we do not seek revenge."

He was surprised and puzzled. His head so light he wondered if he were stuck in some weird kind of dream. Only the pain anchored him. "You don't?"

"Revenge accomplishes nothing of lasting value."

"Then what do you want?"

The creature paused for what seemed like an age. Captain Archer was aware that there were other creatures sharing their cavern but none intruded on their conversation. He was not sure whether that was out of respect or pity. "We want something much harder than revenge."

The Captain's mouth was so dry he was not sure he could form another word but he had to know. Licked dry lips until a single word tumbled out as if looking for something to support it. "What?"

The huge creature raised its head, eyes pinned on the Captain's face. "Justice."

Captain Archer tried to stay conscious he really did but his eyes were closing of their own accord, his weary body sagging, the fight seeping out of him on an ebb tide of consciousness that took him away from the realm of the fantastic. He was dreaming, he had to be. Justice! The temptation to sneer in disbelief was twisted into pain, a sorrow so deep he could almost drown in it. Sadness washed against his sleeping shore. Clouds of regret gathered while the slow steady build of understanding brought a new and troubled dawn on the edge of that drifting horizon. Swaying like a kind of mirage, so close yet so very far away.

* * * * *

Commander Tucker could not believe his eyes. Even though they were little more than slits the view was a far from pleasant one. The German officer grinned at him and stalked closer. Lt Reed tried to step in front of his friend but the guards prevented him. He glanced at Corporals Fox and Mayo, noted their silent but furious faces, eyes darkening with worry.

"Your meddling species never learns."

Trip wished he could spit at him but right now his mouth was pretty numb and all he wanted to do was throw up then pass out. Not that he could afford to do either.

The alien looked amused. "Nothing to say? No famous last words, Commander?"

He could not speak, put all his hatred and contempt into the glare he gave him but it was more than a little spoilt by the mess they had made of his face. The alien commander stepped right up close to him, reached out a hand and grabbed Trip by the hair, yanking his head back so he could look right into his swelling eyes. "Your Captain cannot escape his destiny."

Lt Reed's interest perked. A strange thing for the enemy to say when he already held the Captain. Or did he? Had something happened? Had Captain Archer somehow managed to escape and if so, where was he?

* * * * *

It was becoming almost impossible for T'Pol to stomach the insufferable Andorian a moment longer. Her expression hardened and tightened in an effort to hold in emotions that would do more than wreck any tentative alliance she tried to achieve with them. It did not help that as a Vulcan she no more trusted Lt Tara than Malcolm did. She was about to try again when Ensign Sato caught her eye and indicated that she had some urgent news. Without explaining to the Andorian, T'Pol cut the com link and looked at Hoshi. "What is it, Ensign?"

"A biosign."

An eyebrow rose. "Commander Tucker?"

Hoshi shook her head, reading off the information being flashed to her from Ensign Rostov. He had routed the information direct to her terminal so as not to alert the Andorian. T'Pol felt her heartbeat increase a little.

"Who?"

The communications officer looked a little stunned. "It's Captain Archer."

T'Pol blinked then quickly instructed Ensign Rostov to lock immediately onto the Captain's biosigns and transport him back to Enterprise. Without another word she left the bridge at a brisk pace. Travis gave Hoshi a grin of pure relief. Finally, things were starting to go their way. But Hoshi did not smile back. She was happy and relieved to get the Captain back but had noticed more and more of the Vulcan's control was slipping. She had picked up on it sooner than the others because that was part of her training as a communications expert. The crew were used to her sensitive ear, her ability to pick up and decipher almost any spoken language but the body had a language all of its own and sometimes the non verbal communication drowned out anything spoken.

* * * * *

Lt Reed was concerned. Commander Tucker looked ready to collapse any minute but the alien was either not aware of that fact or did not care. He suspected the latter. The alien nodded to a couple of guards who grabbed hold of the swaying Commander. Alarmed, Malcolm took a step foward but was blocked by a guard. The two MACOs were also prevented from going to the Commander's aid. Amused, the alien paused to look at them. Their loyalty, while pathetic, was entertaining but he had neither the time nor patience to indulge them.

"If any of you try to escape I will kill him."

For a moment no one spoke but as the alien started to walk off to the far side of the tent with Commander Tucker, Malcolm felt his anxiety increase. "Where are you taking him?" He shouted, uneasy that he and the MACOs were not being allowed to follow by the guards.

The alien did not speak just turned his head and gave a malicious little smile. Then to Lt Reed's horror the alien, Trip and the two guards holding him upright took another couple of steps and vanished.

* * * * *

On the way to the transporter room T'Pol had Hoshi com Dr Phlox to meet them there. It was likely that the Captain would be in need of his services. She had so many questions that needed answering but first she needed to see him. Be sure it really was him and that he was all right. More worried for his mental state that his physical one. Dr Phlox could heal the latter but only Captain Archer could heal the former and with everything that had happened since the Enterprise had begun its mission she was inclined to take not even that for granted.

As she approached the transporter room T'Pol was gratified to see Dr Phlox arrive. They entered together in time to see the shimmering particles coalesce into a distinctive bipedal life form with which they were only too familiar. The problem was, it was not Captain Archer. Rostov looked stunned, Dr Phlox surprised yet somewhat intrigued but T'Pol was furious. She closed the distance and fixed a hard angry glare at the Andorian Commander. Barely able to hold her temper in check.

"What have you done with Captain Archer?"

* * * * *

He had no idea where he was. Or should that be when? Aching all over he felt dizzy and disorientated. The light too bright for his eyes yet unable to block out the intense glare from seeping through his closed lids. He raised his hands before his face to try to shield his eyes so that he could open them a crack to see where he was. The sight that met his startled gaze threw every preconception he had ever had about the future straight out of the window.

The structure was obviously fashioned not natural. Presumably by human hands though how his species had mastered the art of carving crystal latticework over the mouth of an active volcano he had no idea. Walkways of crystal curved like elegant single span bridges, the light beneath shining up through them and creating a myriad of light effects that were both hauntingly beautiful and absolutely terrifying. He knew it had to be the future if only because it was not possible to create such a place in the present and the people appeared to be human. Some wore a semblance of Starfleet uniform but he was too dazzled to see enough detail to be sure and found himself blinking like an owl in the powerful light.

Only as he began to become accustomed to the brightness was he able to discern that he was not alone. Something shone beside him. A vaguely human form. He wanted to speak but found that no words came out. Instead his thoughts seemed to ring in the huge subterranean chamber beneath which the volcano bubbled and steamed. The sound of his thoughts were not words but a light vague tinkling of little glass bells. The figure beside him answered and the resonance in the chamber increased, the light changing into a warm light orange that filled him with a sense of awe and peace. He asked where he was and instantly the crystal chimed and he knew.

He blinked in surprise. "This is Earth?"

The being beside him began to dim. At first it alarmed him but then as his eyes grew accustomed to the lower light level he felt a sense of relief. Gradually features solidified out of the lightform until the weight of a solid body seemed to mould itself out of the light and into the density of physical matter. He should not have been shocked but he was.

"Daniels!"

The man smiled slightly at him, his expression serene. "That was my name, Jonathan."

"Was?"

"Many years have passed since we last met."

Captain Archer began to feel uneasy. "How many years?"

"More than you can count and consider yourself still human."

He blinked then tried not to show his rising temper. "Just tell me!"

Daniels seemed amused. "Think not of tens of years nor even centuries."

The Captain's mouth went dry.

"We are thousands of years into the future."

He would have laughed, mocked him, anything but calmly accept what was so preposterous and yet he could not deny the evidence of his eyes. Reaching out he touched a crystal wall and as his fingers brushed the smooth opaque surface it rang softly. Forgetting how annoyed he was at Daniels, the Captain brushed the wall again, varying his pressure and touch to change the tone. A smile danced across his lips. Daniels watched him for a moment. The Captain realised he was under scrutiny and took his hand away so that silence once more fell.

"We succeeded."

Daniels raised his eyebrows. "Why would you think that?"

For a moment all the air that was in the Captain's lungs seemed to huff out of him leaving a painful sucking sensation as if he was trying to breathe in a vacuum. It lasted but a moment yet left him shaken. "But we can't have failed! Otherwise why am I here and don't tell me this is Earth. It's like no Earth I've ever seen."

"You are assuming," Said Daniels quietly, his thoughts ringing in Archer's head with that strange hypnotic tinkling sound that meshed with the words like some harmonised duet of thought and sound. It was weird. Exotic. Beautiful. And creeping him out more than anything he had ever experienced in his life before. "That I am human."

The Captain stared at him. Blinked. Opened his mouth to ask him what the hell he thought he was playing at but no words would come. Instead he simply stared at the man who had once been Crewman Daniels. "Who - or should I say what - are you?"

Daniels smiled at him. The smile deepening as his form began to brighten once again like a dimmer switch turned up on full illumination then going beyond that until it seemed the very light itself would ignite. It was beginning to become painful but before the Captain could cry out and demand he stop whatever it was he was doing every single bone in his body shattered. He could not cry out. Could not beg for mercy or help. As his consciousness expanded, exploded then evaporated the last thing he heard was the crescendo of tinkling bells coalescing into one sound so clear and pure that his heart wept with the beauty of it just before the climax turned him to dust. Sparkling motes that fanned out like microcopic fireworks then vaporised into a mist so fine it fell like a rumour of tears.

The man who had been Daniels glowed with pleasure, the pulse of his light seeming to say 'Now you know'.

* * * * *

* * * * *

Part 8

Return to Part 6

Return to "The Chaos Series" MENU PAGE

Back to Fan Fiction Main Menu

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

Four of you have made comments

How dare you mess with Trip's perfect nose! ;-)

Great chapter, Ali! Can't wait for your next chapter! :-)

What an intrigueing story. What has happened to Archer?. Where has Trip been taken?. Look forward to your next update.

Uh, oh. Keep posting!!!

Wow! I cant wait to find out what the heck is happening to Archer. You are cruel to leave us hanging. Can't wait for the next chapter.