Unbound-Part 16

Unbound
An "Enterprise" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

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

SUMMARY: "The stakes could not be higher. While his friends try valiantly to help him, the Commander fights a different kind of battle. Meanwhile Captain Archer comes to a realisation."
DISCLAIMER: The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Enterprise' are the property of Paramount. No infringement of copyright is intended.

Part 16

"IN THRALL"

* * * * *

Dr. Phlox was so weary yet he knew how important his contribution was. He needed energy but his reserves were all but depleted by the need to respond to the Sub-Commander's frantic order. He shuddered at the memory of the dark forces he had touched. At least two minds diametrically opposed to everything he believed to be sacrosanct vied with him and the Vulcan for control of the Chief Engineer's mind and by default his body too. The physician in him was sick at heart for causing the Commander still further trauma but there was nothing else they could do. It was imperative to break the Zenari hold over him. Now he suddenly found himself fighting alone. The dark insidious march of evil hovered on the outskirts of his consciousness. He did not know how much longer he could hold on.

* * * * *

There was deadly silence on the bridge. Ensign Hoshi Sato felt numb, her whole world seeming to slowly unravel before her very eyes but without a thread of logic to string it all together. She looked at Travis. He seemed to be very self-contained, as if whatever was happening carried their sanity as well as their very lives by the thinnest of threads. She longed to get him alone and demand answers from him but they had not been relieved and there was no way she would desert her post with everything so critically balanced. She pursed her lips but Ensign Mayweather kept his eyes on his navigation console. He appeared to be deep in thought.

At first she was mad at him. So furious to be kept out of the loop that she wanted to ram her anger down his throat and shake him until he told her what he knew. Then her anger dissipated. Glimpsing a wary misery in his eyes that told her that whatever he knew came at a very high cost. How could she blame him for doing his duty? She was the one who needed to be brought into line not him. The insight calmed her and made her wonder what she could do to help. Then she got an idea. Her specialty was languages. The Zenari had a very complex social system and more language variations than any other species she had ever encountered. Could she perhaps discover something in their own language to help them fight this most accomplished of enemies? Excitement began to stir inside her. The opportunity to do more than sit on her hands was a gift she did not intend to squander.

Quietly and carefully Hoshi began to sift and collate every bit of information she had gleaned about the Zenari then used both her gifted ear as well as her eyes to look for anything that could give them an insight into who and what they were dealing with.

* * * * *

The Xindi Captain did not laugh. Nothing the Human Captain did or said was of concern to him. Captain Archer was feeling not only helpless but also frantic. He tried to stay calm. Giving in to panic would not get him out of this fix or enable him to do anything to help his crew. "Listen, I think we are both being manipulated."

"What you think is irrelevant."

"Then you won't mind if I tell you."

The Xindi Captain could not believe how slow to comprehend the Human was. And *this* inept creature was their future downfall? It was an insult to sentient life everywhere. "You are a pathetic lifeform."

The voice was a grating sibilant sneer of contempt.

"That I may be," Said Captain Archer carefully. "But I'm not about to just give up because you say it's over. All I ask is that you let me speak. If I'm a dead man anyway what harm can it do? You might even learn something to your advantage."

The Xindi stepped closer to the Human. "Persistence does not equal intelligence."

"Neither does scorn and blind obedience."

That caught his captor's attention. "Obedience? We obey no one."

"That's not how it looks to me. You jump to follow what dictate the Zenari give. How did such a high and noble species fall so low as to become the slaves of the Zenari? Since when did you let others orchestrate your destiny?"

* * * * *

"What do you want me to do?"

Sub-Commander T'Pol blinked. For a moment she had forgotten Lt Reed was there. Her thoughts completely focused on the Commander's situation. Her heart aching for him in ways that she was sure were rare outside of the feelings between bonded mates. Yet she and the Commander were not bonded. They were friends. Colleagues. Did this mean they could be more? *Should* be more?

"Sub-Commander?"

The tone was more urgent now. T'Pol blinked again and this time forced herself to concentrate on the now anxious looking Armoury Officer. "We need to conjoin in deep trance, Lieutenant."

Lt. Reed found himself hesitating. He wanted desperately to help Trip but something was definitely off about the Sub-Commander. He did not want to save one friend by sacrificing another. Or should that be two? "Are you sure this is the only way?" He asked carefully. What he really meant was *are you sure you are up to this?*

Somehow she knew. "Yes. There is no other way."

"You looked to be in some pain, Sub-Commander. What happened?"

"I managed to reach Dr. Phlox but he is weak. We expected a presence. What took us unawares was finding two. Both strong and focused. Your strength and commitment will help us to assist the Commander."

He gazed at her in silence for a few moments then nodded. "Very well. Just tell me what to do."

Relief flooded through her knowing that time was of the essence. Quickly instructing him, T'Pol renewed her connection to the Commander, the fingertips of her right hand settling back on the pulse points on the left side of Trip's face. Lt. Reed stood on the Commander's other side and copied her actions with his left hand splayed against Trip's right cheek. T'Pol used her free hand to carefully adjust his fingers until the pads of his fingertips were in exactly the right place. He was surprised how gentle she was, the ghost of something flitting over that controlled and austere mask. He wondered just how deep her feelings for the Commander went then mentally berated himself for wanting to know. It was none of his business. Then all thoughts of trivial things fled from his mind as he was joined by the Vulcan's thoughts, her steady pressure in his head opening him out to her control as the connection was deepened. With a jolt he sensed Trip struggling. *Trip, calm down. We're here to help you.*

*Yeah? An' who's gonna help ya when ya get trapped in this damn nightmare?*

He almost laughed only things were too dire for such levity and they all knew it. *We're not going to get trapped.*

*Yeah well ya know what they say about the best laid plans, Malcolm.*

A dark intense shadow crossed over their thoughts and chilled the Lieutenant so much that he felt as if he were turning to ice then the Vulcan was with him and warmth began to seep back through his consciousness. T'Pol had warned him to block everything out but the Chief Engineer. He was to be the anchor. He had not asked what T'Pol and Dr. Phlox would be. It somehow seemed irrelevant at this late stage.

T'Pol steadied Lt. Reed and helped him focus. Unable to maintain any semblance of privacy the Sub-Commander embraced a position between her Vulcan reserve and her familiarity with the Commander. He must have sensed her reasoning because he neither questioned nor corrected her. Acceptance freed her of any reservations she might have had. It was good to be in such full accord with him. Once satisfied that the Lieutenant would be the immovable object Trip needed to cling to, she withdrew sufficiently to link with Dr. Phlox. Alarmed at how weak he was she gave him some of her strength.

*Do not be foolish, Sub-Commander. I am expendable, you are not.*

*If we would help the Commander, none of us are expendable.* Corrected T'Pol.

There was a slight pause. *I apologise. You are correct.*

*Now enjoin your mind to my mind, your thoughts to my thoughts, the beat of your heart in synchrony with mine.*

As she asked, so he did.

*You have not forgotten your training, doctor.*

*Yes.*

Flowing energy into energy, they became one bright purpose. T'Pol fixed her inner eye on the flame and Dr Phlox embraced it. Together they drew the fire and the light up through the many veils of darkness being wound around their friend and colleague. As they rose up through the dark heavy layers of reforming matter, little fell sparks of foul intent burned at them trying to steal their heat and freeze it. T'Pol never wavered once. Dr. Phlox expanded their envelope of light, a blazing sun rising up through Trip's struggling consciousness. Lt. Reed felt a deep shudder go through his body but hung on for grim death.

Empty black mouths tried to suck at Commander Tucker's lifeforce. T'Pol could see wisps of it drifting away. Dr Phlox heard her heart-felt cry and fragmented part of his consciousness to retrieve the errant strands and weave it back into the unique DNA that held the hope of untold universes. All of them were trembling now but oblivious to the effort. Only the outcome concerned them. T'Pol and the doctor began to weave a web of light around the Commander and Lieutenant. The Zenari were furious, venting their frozen spite and trying to shred the protective layer away from the Human. Trip felt his breath flagging as if not enough air was getting into his physical lungs. T'Pol noticed and tried to calm him. Reached out to the Armoury Officer to impress upon his friend the need to stay calm.

*Trip, relax. The more you tense up the easier it is for them to bind you. Let T'Pol and Dr Phlox do their jobs.*

*If that's all the thanks I get I may just take you up on that, Commander.* Was the tart response.

Silence. An awkward, pained pause followed. *I'm sorry, Malcolm. Guess I'm just a little frightened.*

*Who isn't?* Came the mild and compassionate response.

Then suddenly the Zenari switched tactics going from intense cold to terrifying heat. Trip cried out, his body curling up in self defense, his mind shriveling at the unexpected violence of the heat surge. Lt. Reed almost lost his grip, only the intrusion of T'Pol and Dr. Phlox kept the link intact. Furious the Zenari tried to attack them but together the three were strong. Maybe not stronger than their enemy but certainly wily enough to outwit them long enough to gain an edge however small.

*How long can we keep this up?* Asked Lt. Reed.

*For as long as necessary.* Asserted Dr Phlox.

T'Pol ignored them both and reached out for Trip. "Commander? Trip? Are you with us?*

His thoughts responded, sounding lazy and drugged. *Nowhere else I'd rather be, darling.'*

She frowned, concerned. *You must expel them, Trip, do you understand?

*Expel who?* He slurred.

*The Zenari.*

*Thought they were the good guys?* He mumbled.

The Sub-Commander felt her heart miss a beat. *No, they are the enemy, Trip. Do not get drawn into their mental seduction.*

She could feel his humour. *They're gonna seduce me?*

*Mentally.*

He paused. *Oh.*. She thought he sounded vaguely disappointed.

*Resist, Commander.*

*Too tired, T'Pol. Just wanna go 'sleep.*

Her thoughts were so sharp they pierced his lethargy for just a moment. *You must not go to sleep! Waking is survival, sleeping is death.*

*Yes, Commander.*

A pause. *What happened to Trip?*

*He was busy being seduced by the Dark Side of the Force, what the bloody hell do you think happened to him?*

Trip hesitated. *Malcolm?*

*Still here, now do as you're bloody well told for once.*

Trip sobered up fast. Felt something slimy nudge at the inside of his brain. It felt all kinds of creepy and made him want to be sick. *There's somethin' in my head...*

*If it was a brain cell I'd celebrate,* Came the Lieutenant's dry response. *But I can't hold my breath that long.*

*Hardy-har-har, very funny just don't give up the day job.*

T'Pol intruded like a stern Head Mistress. *Concentrate, embrace the light we are creating.*

*Got ya, T'Pol. Light. I'm embracin' it....* Trip paused. *What d'ya want me to do with it?*

She resisted the urge to sigh in exasperation. There was no time. *Push it towards the wall of darkness. Can you see it?*

*I would not have missed it for the world.* The Denobulan dead-panned.

Lt. Reed hissed in frustration. *Can we cut out all the back slapping and get back to work?*

Chastened, the banter ended abruptly and all four of them concentrated on the light. Drawing on T'Pol's imagery to focus their thoughts on the one goal then pushing out in a concerted ring around the Commander until the heavy suffocating wall of darkness began to shift. The pain was incredible, a tight band of agony squeezing their minds as if their heads were strapped into mediaeval vices. T'Pol managed to touch Trip's mind for a pure moment of unbound ecstasy. Free of the pain and restraint he felt his hope flare bright and unblemished and in the instant it did so T'Pol embraced it and made it fiercely her own. Sensing her intent, Dr Phlox did the same. After a moment's hesitation so did the Lieutenant. As all four immolated themselves in vibrant imagery the shadows of darkness binding the Chief Engineer began to weaken.

Trip felt T'Pol in his mind. *Push Trip, push as hard as you can and for as long as you can. If you lose this contest of wills you will not get another chance. You will be beyond our power to save.*

Panic momentarily flooded him. The thought of losing T'Pol a pain so acute it cut briefly through to Malcolm and Dr. Phlox searing them with echoes of his torment. Quickly he quashed it and did as he was told, his burgeoning feelings adding strength to his determination not to give in. Oddly enough an old saying Malcolm had once told him echoed in his mind: 'The only thing necessary for evil to prosper is for the good to do nothing'. He had always liked that quote. Never had it seemed more appropriate to him than now. He felt Malcolm smile wryly in his mind as if approving his choice then redoubled his efforts, sensing the others doing the same. He felt a sudden surge of pride in his friends and the light flared even brighter, the hungry shadows falling back as their flames licked outward created a cleansing path back to consciousness. From darkness into light.

* * * * *

The Xindi Captain consulted with his small war cabinet over what to do with the Human. The insectoid Chancellor was indignant. "He must die! Why hesitate? What is it your feeble reptillian brain fails to comprehend?"

The Xindi Captain bit back a sibilant hiss of anger. "The Human intimated that we are being used. I do not like to be manipulated."

"The Human lies. It is aware of its' imminent death." The mammalian Xindi shrugged. "Why are you surprised? Even primitive lifeforms cling to their existence however pathetic it may be."

"This Human seems more structured. His words disturb me."

The Chancellor leaned forward. "Then his plan is working."

For a moment the three stared at each other in silence. At last the Xindi Captain spoke. "I think if the next act we agree on is the death of this creature we should hear its' last words in full."

* * * * *

Ensign Travis Mayweather was getting increasingly anxious. Time was passing and none of the senior command staff had returned to the bridge. What the hell was happening? Why had the Sub-Commander not updated him? The silence was disturbing and they still had no news about the Captain. His moribund thoughts were interrupted by an excited little gasp from Hoshi. "What is it?"

She turned a barely believing radiant look in his direction. "I don't believe it!"

"What?"

"The Xindi."

"I thought you were studying the Zenari language, Hoshi?"

"I was but in going back into their roots I found something unexpected. The sundering of their base language happened at a very specific point in their existence."

Travis frowned. What did that have to do with anything? Who cared when the Zenari learnt to form sentences or understand maths? "Hoshi, this is serious..."

She nodded as she cut him off. "And so am I." Hoshi held up a placating hand. "Just hear me out Travis and if you fail to agree you can shove me out of an air lock."

That made Travis raise his eyebrows. Caught between surprise and amusement he could deny her nothing. "Okay, genius. Give. What have you discovered?"

* * * * *

Trip opened his eyes and blinked. Only Lt. Reed seemed completely focused, the Sub-Commander's face a pale wash of colour. She looked as if the only thing keeping her upright was the Commander's biobed. She leaned heavily against it and closed her eyes in relief. Malcolm smiled down at his friend, instinctively knowing the danger was over. The Zenari interlopers were gone. And good riddance. "Welcome back, Commander. How do you feel?"

"How d'ya think I feel? Like I've kicked around the corral by wild horses. Don't think there's a part of me that doesn't ache." He paused then looked seriously at the silent Vulcan. His eyes clouded with worry. "T'Pol? Ya all right?"

For long seconds she did not move. Lt. Reed contemplated scanning her then changed his mind. He had got rather fond of living. Trip moved his hand to touch hers where it gripped the side of his biobed so hard her knuckles were white.

"T'Pol?"

The softening of his voice paradoxically penetrated her befogged senses where shouting would have gone unremarked. Slowly her eyes opened and he beheld those deep exotic liquid pools. For a minute no one spoke. He squeezed her hand gently and T'Pol took a steadying breath. "It is good to see you conscious, Commander."

"How about you?" He asked softly. "How d'ya feel?"

She considered brushing him off but realised that would be another kind of lie. You did not build a strong house on a weak foundation. "Tired. My energy has been depleted."

"You need to rest." Said Lt. Reed.

T'Pol shook her head. "Not until we retrieve the doctor. We must hurry, Lieutenant. He will be even weaker now and more vulnerable than is prudent."

The Armoury Officer thought that was a masterpiece of understatement and judging by the expression on Trip's face the Chief Engineer agreed with him. Trip began to sit up. The Sub-Commander placed a hand on his shoulder and stopped him. "You are not going anywhere, Commander."

"Uh huh, I'm comin' with ya to get the doc back."

"No, you are not. You need to stay here and work out a way to rescue the Captain."

She saw the flash of pain deepen in his eyes then guilt because for a moment he had completely forgotten about the Captain. "One day we're gonna run into a group a aliens that don't wanna kill us, eat us or impregnate us with their larvae..."

"Larvae?" Mused Lt Reed.

Trip mock-scowled at him. "Ya know what I mean."

"I would hardly call Ahlen's baby a larvae."

The mock-scowl became a real one as Trip flushed. Before war could break out Sub-Commander T'Pol intervened. "We do not have time for this. Commander Tucker, please try to get some sleep. Do you require any medication to help you achieve this?"

He tried to stifle a yawn. What the hell was the matter with him? He felt as weak as a baby. Then he remembered and nodded quietly, his manner becoming subdued. "I think I'll do that, T'Pol, but I don't want any sleeping tablets. I've had enough manipulation to last me a lifetime."

She frowned. "Manipulation?"

"Yeah. Long story. Tell ya all about it when I wake up."

T'Pol nodded. Lt. Reed gave Trip a smile then went to see how Ensign Cutler was doing. He was pleased to see she looked much better. When she tried to get up he stopped her and shook his head. "It would be more than my life's worth Liz to let you out of sickbay without the doctor's authorisation."

"Where is Dr Phlox?"

The Sub-Commander answered. "He is down on the Zenari homeworld. We are going down to bring him back."

She looked confused. "What is he doing down there?"

"He has been studying the Zenari."

Lt. Reed shot her a look of amazement which fortunately went unseen by the Ensign. Trip frowned but said nothing. He was finding it hard to keep his eyes open let alone follow the conversation.

"Surely he is not down there on his own?"

"Ensign, do not alarm yourself. Get some rest and if you want to do something useful perhaps you could keep an eye on the Commander?"

Ensign Cutler nodded. Relieved to be able to help in some way. T'Pol turned to say something to the Commander and was surprised to find him already fast asleep. Lt Reed smiled at his friend then gave the Sub-Commander an amused look. She failed to see what was so funny. Before she could berate him, he nodded to the door. "Perhaps we should go, Sub-Commander?"

She realised he did not simply mean leave sickbay. He was referring to their trip back down to Zeon. Giving him a curt nod back she turned and walked out, the Lieutenant falling into brisk step beside her. He just hoped the doctor could hold on long enough to be rescued.

* * * * *

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Three people have made comments

I need more of this and soon! Please.

I'm impressed with the very fun use of words -- hahaha the star wars thing so perfect CT would have made a much better Luke! Both in the orig (though too young) and in the current...alas too old... but maybe not for number 3???

Another great chapter, Ali! You sure do have a way with words! The struggle for Trip was very well described. Thanks and I'll be watching for the next chapter! :-)

Wow! Breathtaking chapter! Where´s the rest?!?! *bg*