Unbound-Part 24

Unbound
An "Enterprise" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

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

SUMMARY: "With Sub-Commander T'Pol and Captain Archer in Xindi hands Enterprise is forced to cease fire. The Xindi come up with an unexpected solution leaving the crew of Enterprise with a fait accompli."
DISCLAIMER: The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Enterprise' are the property of Paramount. No infringement of copyright is intended.

Part 24

"MASTERS OF THE VOID"

* * * * *

It was steaming hot. Commander Tucker had no way to bring down the rising level of heat. With so many systems out or malfunctioning he had to concentrate on stabilising life support then work on getting the warp engines back on line. No mean task under the current circumstances. Dirty, soaked through with sweat and streaked with oil he was no cleaner than the rest of his crew. Life support would soon be functioning and then they could bleed off some of the heat and make life a little more bearable while they applied themselves to the bigger headache of repairing the engines. A nightmare. That's what it was.

Lt Anna Hess came looking for him, her face creased in worry. The Commander hardly spared her a glance as he worked. Toby and Rostov picking up his slack as he beavered away, hands slipping off his tools as he worked, rapping his knuckles and drawing colourful curses half under his breath. They were all beginning to tire but no one dared to slow down or take a rest. "Sir?"

"Yeah, what is it Anna?"

She hesitated. The Commander continued working. Lt Hess listened to the clang of the spanner hitting the side of the casing every time the Commander's fingers slipped. "Lt Reed asked me to tell you..."

"Tell me what? Spit it out, Lieutenant."

This time she did something she would not normally do and placed a hand on his arm. Surprised, Trip slid back and lifted his head making eye contact. The worry on her face stopped a sarcastic retort from rolling off his tongue. He frowned. "What's wrong?"

"It's the Sub-Commander."

Alarm shot through him impaling his heart in a thousand places. *T'Pol? What's goin' on?* Her silence frightened him. He scrambled to his feet. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "I don't know sir but Lt. Reed said to tell you they've taken the Sub-Commander."

Almost his heart stopped beating. His face actually paled despite how hot it was and how much he was perspiring. "How the hell did they do that?"

Lt. Hess ignored the angry snap to his voice knowing it was fueled by worry and not aimed at her. "I don't know, sir."

Trip went to the com and spoke as soon as he opened a channel. "Commander Tucker to Lt. Reed, how in hell did the Xindi get hold'a the Sub-Commander?"

His friend's voice came back cool and calm but with an undercurrent to it that told Trip the Armoury Officer was definitely rattled. "The Xindi just appeared on the bridge, spoke to the Sub-Commander telepathically, then both of them dematerialised."

The Commander's mouth dropped open in stunned surprise. The Xindi were telepathic? Holy shit, what else were they going to find out about these bastards? Malcolm's voice cut through his sense of shock.

"Commander, we could use your presence on the bridge."

The Chief Engineer cast a baleful look at the sealed door. "Uh, we seemed to be locked down tight here Lieutenant but I may be able to find a way through the Jeffries tubes if they've maintained integrity."

He could hear the worry in Lt. Reed's voice. "What do you mean 'if they've maintained integrity'? And how exactly are you trapped?"

"Beats me, somehow the platin' round the door got all warped - ceiling too. I feel like I'm in a tin can that's meltin' all around me."

"Bloody hell, Commander. Isn't there something you can do?"

Trip fell silent, biting down on his bottom lip so as not to go off into a rage. He counted silently to ten and then counted another ten because it was hard to stay calm. He had to, not for himself but for T'Pol. *Anything* for T'Pol. If that meant swallowing some anger and pride along the way he would do that too. Right now he had to stay in control so he could think clearly and he couldn't do that if he flew off the handle in a blinding rage. Besides. None of this mess was Malcolm's fault. If it was anybody's it was his. After all. Hadn't he been the one to suggest that the damn Xindi might be telepathic? He was quiet for so long that Lt Reed's agitated voice made him jump.

"Commander? Trip? Are you all right?"

He took a deep breath. *No, Malcolm, I am NOT all right. I am terrified for T'Pol and though I know I said it looked more an' more as if this was gonna be a one-way trip I didn't expect the end to come so soon.* But he could hardly say that to his friend now. Swallowing hard he forced the words out through gritted teeth. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let me know the moment ya hear somethin'. In the meantime I'll try to find a way up to the bridge."

He was about to stride away from the com when the Lieutenant's voice gave him pause. He sounded more conciliatory, his voice softened with worry and concern. "Be careful, Commander. If it looks too dicey to come up I'd rather have you trapped down there in relative safety that isolated and cut off from us elsewhere in the ship."

Surprised to hear it put so baldly Trip did not make any sarcastic quips. They were all on edge. "Sure thing, Lieutenant. In the meantime you have control of the bridge. Do whatever ya think is right until I can get back to ya."

"Understood, sir. Reed out."

Trip ran a hand through his sweat dampened hair and turned, his anxious eyes meeting the same look of quiet desperation in Lt. Hess's gaze. He sighed quietly, not wanting to alarm his team. "Let's get back to work, Anna. I'm gonna check out the Jeffries tube, see if it's clear enough to give me a way to the bridge. Your priority is to the get the warp engine back on line now that we have life support stabilised."

She nodded but paused. "Sir?"

He turned back to her. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Don't go alone."

"Lieutenant, I'll be careful."

She shook her head. "No, sir, it's not that."

He frowned. "Then what is it?"

"Take someone with you, sir. If you get caught out it may be the only way to let us know."

Their eyes met in mutual understanding. He gave her a curt nod and as he turned to walk away from her snapped out a single word. Half-command, half-request. "Toby!"

* * * * *

The Ambassador was deep in thought. Reports back were initially exactly as expected but this new development was a surprise. And he had not been surprised in decades. He was in the Grand Audience Chamber, his heavy cloak whispering lies across the crystal floor. His thoughts echoed up like rising bubbles from the depths of a mind that no body could contain. It fomented in the non-corporeal consciousness that sailed this dark exotic sea. Thoughts that traveled outward and inward and juggled atoms and sub-atomic particles with such ease that it was an automatic response to arrange them as he pleased. A permanent yaw in creation that could be likened to a physical body passing through a diaphanous curtain and causing the material to flow outward around him then drift back to form a cloak that was almost intuitive in its' level of mute response. There was a natural flow in the way the expanse accommodated their kind. Not by crude physical displacement but by mental acuity. Subtle forces that bound this part of the universe in a many layered confection that existed only to be fashioned by their will.

The first thought was to annihilate this new development. Allow no fledgling threat however doomed to failure it might be. Yet he was intrigued. The thought that any of the Xindi could form thoughts separate from their collective overview was delicious to him. After all, with the outcome assured there was no rush to reach completion. They had the seas of eternity to sail and this was not even a mild squall upon the horizon of that vast and endless journey of time. These Humans were not like any other species they had encountered. They reached out, formed connections however unlikely with denizens from other worlds with whom they had little or nothing in common. In the broader spectrum of alien existence this was a rare thing. Those who were different invariably chose one of two options. To fight to the death or to stay as far away from each other as possible. This unexpected openness to new cultures gave him pause for thought. Let the Human think he could influence the outcome. In the meantime they still had to find out more from the Vulcan and time was something they could expand to fill the vacuum of knowledge while waiting for revelation to fill the cup.

Ambassador Chot felt a dark satisfaction brewing. Inhaled with his senses and reached out to his major domo with instructions to bring the Vulcan to Zeon. They needed to find the link. Discover the extent of the progression then make a decision. The visions written in future events could guide the severing of outcomes until new connections were formed. But first. First he would drink from that cup. Savour all the flavours that mixed and swirled within it. The most important element at this point in time was the Vulcan.

* * * * *

The Xindi Captain sounded almost nervous but Captain Archer could not be sure. Did not want to assume anything especially where the lives of his crew were concerned. Plus they still had a mission. One that was looking less and less likely to have a successful conclusion. Yet. He lived. New information was giving him the first stirrings of hope. He dared not embrace it too keenly, knowing now that the Zenari manipulated people and things. And the Xindi were nothing if not avid protégé. He could not afford to fall into the trap of trusting this man. No matter how much he wanted to. "Shouldn't we speak with the others?"

"They will not listen."

"You did."

The Xindi Captain stared at the Human. Yes, he had listened. Already he was having second and third thoughts. What was he doing?

Captain Archer's voice softened. "Why?"

"I told you." He rasped.

When the Xindi Captain did not continue he dared to make a request. "Untie me."

"You are not tied."

"You know what I mean. I can't move. What have you done to me?"

"You have not been permanently harmed. You are bound. I have released your senses."

"What?"

"Your senses. We blocked them."

"Sensory deprivation? Why would you do that?"

"It makes the mind easy to navigate. Thoughts are scanned with great ease and precision. There is no opposition thus no need to rip from your mind that which we seek."

"What is it you seek?"

The Xindi Captain fell silent. Captain Archer felt his frustration building.

"If you won't tell me and you admit you've released my mind why not my body? What threat am I to you?"

It was the last question that had been racing through the reptilian brain of the Xindi Captain. "You as a Human are no threat." He half hissed and half rumbled.

"Then let me go."

For the longest time Captain Archer thought he had blown it. Been too insistent too soon. Then the Xindi Captain tilted his head and a strange guttural slurring sound came from his throat mixed with clicks and an almost mewing sound that quickly broke off. Like a puppet with his strings suddenly cut, he fell to the ground. Knees bruising as they hit the deck but oh, it was such a satisfactory feeling. Even the sound of his groan at the impact was joy to his ears. He allowed himself the brief luxury of resting his hands on the deck before carefully getting to his feet. Oddly enough he did not hurt, the aching he had expected to feel was absent. He looked at his captor and hopefully saviour. "What now?"

"Now we do as you wished. We speak to the others."

A brief stab of alarm shot through him but he pushed the fear to the back of his mind. If he was going to get out of this he needed to speak to them. Convince them that Humans were no threat. He had been released and he would do whatever it took to get his ship and crew free. There simply was no other option.

* * * * *

They made good progress climbing up the Jeffries tubes. Trip began to feel a slight lightening of his heart. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Behind him he heard Toby Weiss huffing. It was really hot in here, no cooling air ducts to assist their passage. Trip had made the priority all the working and living spaces on the ship. That did not include the Jeffries tubes which were left on minimal life support. Fortunately they were passing intersections quite frequently and at those points recycled air did flow albeit sluggishly. It was enough to revive them when the heat and threat of suffocation got too bad. They spoke little, chests heaving as they hauled themselves up rung after rung of the inbuilt ladders. Sentences reduced to single word questions and answers. A grunt, a nod, a shifting of body mass replacing whole paragraphs.

The relief when they finally reached the bridge was almost comical. Trip flopped out of the access panel and half lay, half sat, on the floor getting cooler air into his flagging lungs. Beside him Toby Weiss dropped to his knees and hung his head doing the same. In a moment Lt Reed was kneeling beside them, his look anxious. "Are you all right?"

Trip nodded. It took several more deep breaths to get enough air into his lungs to manage speech beyond the pain barrier in his chest. "Yeah," He gasped. "Just not a lot of air in the tubes."

Lt. Reed frowned. "You should have said, we could have diverted some."

The Commander was already shaking his head. Travis helped Toby to his feet and Lt Reed offered Trip his hand. They stood on shaky legs. Trip leaned forward and braced his hands on his knees until he had recovered sufficiently to stand upright. Toby was panting heavily beside him, his face ruddy with effort and his uniform soaked through with perspiration. He gave the boy a grin, knowing he looked just as dirty and disheveled as his ensign. He looked at Lt Reed. "Okay, Lieutenant, what we got?"

The Armoury Officer filled in him on everything that had happened. Trip listened in silence, his heart aching, his anger threatening to spill over the thin remnants of self control that currently kept him sane. He glared at the view screen. "I want ya to open a hailing channel to the Xindi."

Hoshi looked concerned but he was not looking at her. All his focus on the ship in their view screen. Ensign Sato risked a glance towards Lt. Reed. A barely perceptible nod told her to go ahead. Not that she would not have done so anyway, but it did reassure her knowing that the Lieutenant agreed the Commander's decision. With hands that shook just a little, she opened a channel then held her breath.

* * * * *

The Chancellor was happy. He watched the Vulcan's stoic expression and tested his thoughts in her mind. The inward flinch was slight but enough to tell him that his presence was far from welcome. It brought a grin of pleasure to a face that seldom smiled either inwardly or outwardly.

"What do you intend to do with me?"

*Why so formal, T'Pol of Vulcan? We are in your mind, you need not speak aloud.*

T'Pol glared at him and continued speaking aloud. Refusing them the intimacy of automatic communication. It irritated the insectoid Xindi who now had to hear her through their communication devices but the Chancellor was amused. His thoughts savoured the notion of mental communion being an intimacy. *Who is your bond mate?*

She was almost surprised into replying in kind. "You are mistaken. I am not bonded."

"Lies!" Hissed the insectoid Xindi. "Even without touching your mind I can read the obfuscation you think to trick us with. Veil your thoughts all you want, Vulcan, your mind cannot defy us."

The mammalian Xindi was watching her closely while his aquatic cousins moved closer to the glass to stare silently at her. If she had been Human she would have found the whole experience more than a little creepy. Certainly Commander Tucker would be most discomfited. The Chancellor raised his head, eyes glinting. "Who is Commander Tucker?"

As quick as a spring loaded hatch shutting the Sub-Commander buried her thoughts of him deep. Locked away, compartmentalised, hidden like a box within a box. Buried so deep that even dissecting her brain would not find it. "A member of our crew."

The Chancellor leaned towards her. "You are *intimate* with him?"

She summoned up anger to hide her sense of shock. "He is Human."

"Yes, and you are Vulcan." He paused. The aquatic Xindi had stilled its' movements, all focus was on the Vulcan to the exclusion even of its' own cousins.

After several moments of silence the mammalian Xindi gave a satisfied nod and looked at their aquatic cousin. Telepathically they had reached the same conclusion. "You have bonded with a Human."

It was not a question. Despite her mental control T'Pol felt a sense of deep shock. They *knew*. How in the name of Surak could they know and why did she have the terrible feeling that it was something they had been seeking? The insectoid Xindi waved his limbs managing to impart a sense of impatience mixed with excitement. She realised he was experiencing pleasure. "Now we will destroy their vessel."

"No!"

The cry from T'Pol's throat was an unexpected and rare display of emotion. It was coupled with the surprise of hearing it echoed in a familiar voice once thought lost. In shock she turned her head and found herself looking into Captain Archer's eyes. He was somewhat the worse for wear but was not limping. Bloody smudges on his face highlighted the gaunt almost haunted look in his eyes. Beside him stood the Xindi Captain. As their thoughts mixed in a flurry of mental activity the air around them grew cloudy. T'Pol felt her senses coming under determined assault. Expertly she blocked all attempts at intrusion then a sudden sharp spike of pain brought her to her knees. Captain Archer tried to reach her but the Xindi Captain stopped him easily with a hand on his arm. Weakened by his time spent bound in sensory deprivation he was not able to shake the hand off in time before Sub-Commander T'Pol's body began to become indistinct. His throat tightened with something close to panic. There was a partial materialisation beside the Sub-Commander. Captain Archer thought it looked like one of the Zenari.

Then. To his utter consternation both the materialising Ambassador and Sub-Commander T'Pol disappeared. In the stunned silence that followed Captain Archer found himself surrounded by enemies.

* * * * *

Sub-Commander T'Pol blinked. Confusion then deep concern flooded her consciousness. She knew where she was at once. On the Zenari homeworld. They were in the Grand Audience Chamber. Before her stood the Ambassador. Without speaking or moving he seemed to impress upon her the need to walk with him to the dais. As they walked T'Pol turned her head to take in the totality of her surroundings. Wondering what was going on and why she had been brought here.

When they reached the dais they both stopped. Ambassador Chot turned to face her. "Do you know why you are here, T'Pol of Vulcan?"

She arched her eyebrows at him. Back stiff, eyes cold. "No."

"Do you know why we are interested in you?"

The admission surprised her. "No."

"You will."

She was tempted to question those words but forbore. What was going on? What did any of this have to do with her? The Ambassador answered her unspoken thoughts.

"You have bonded with a Human."

"Even if that were true why would it be of interest to you?"

"*Everything* is of interest to us in this sacred space. A place which you and your human companions have entered uninvited."

"We did not know it was occupied."

She sensed some dark kind of humour in him but before she could attempt to analyse it the mood in the room shifted and the Ambassador lifted both his arms. She could not see his hands for the vast voluminous sleeves that draped along arms and hands. Was it her imagination or did the cloak he wore give off blue sparks and little tongues like forks of lightening as he moved?

* * * * *

The Commander was about to ask Ensign Sato to hail them again when the screen showed the face of the Xindi Captain. Everyone on the bridge held their breath. The Xindi Captain was speaking, only a second's delay brought his mouth out of synch with his translated words. "You wish the return of your Captain?"

Trip was astounded. Had they read his mind? He made himself as calm as he could before trusting himself to speak. He gave a cautious nod. "Yeah, an' our Sub-Commander."

His heart was beating so fast he hoped he was not having a heart attack. The Xindi Captain's words had given him hope that the Captain was still alive and that was something. The Xindi Captain tilted his face as he silently observed the Commander. Trip had no idea what he was thinking. Wished the whole telepathic kick included him. Not that he wanted Xindi inside his head but he wanted to know what they were thinking when he was in their presence. He felt that lack disadvantaged him. A bad thing when dealing with an enemy.

"Your Captain wants us to free the crew and his ship."

Trip nodded cautiously and said nothing. Not sure where this was leading. Then to his surprise the image opened out and he could clearly see all five species of Xindi. But what made his mouth drop open in unmitigated joy was the sight of Captain Archer standing next to the Xindi Captain. Trip bit back tears of relief. "Cap'n! You okay?"

Before Captain Archer could respond the Chancellor interrupted. "Your Captain is well - for now."

"What the hell does that mean?" Snapped Trip without thinking.

There was a very brief pause. Trip tried to calm down, angry with himself for losing control. Praying that Jon would not have to pay the price of his outburst. "You have something we want, Commander Tucker."

He did not wonder how they knew his name. Assumed the Captain or T'Pol had told them. Wondered why he couldn't see the Sub-Commander. Maybe she was standing just out of camera range. "What's that?"

"And we have something you want."

Trip could not argue with that.

"We propose a trade." Said the mammalian Xindi.

There was a look on his face that the Commander did not like. He could almost hear Lt Reed telling him not to trust them. "What kind'a trade?"

They did not answer but turned to face Captain Archer. The Xindi Captain conferred mentally with his cousins, a connection from the surface of Zeon telling them what they should do. Agreement was swift and unequivocal. They left it to the Xindi Captain to tell the Human. "What would you give to free your ship and crew, Captain Archer?"

Trip's eyes narrowed, hands clenched into fists at his side. Everyone on the bridge tensing for their Captain's reply. "Anything."

The Xindi Captain nodded once. "Then we will make an exchange."

Alarmed, Captain Archer began to ask for more details. The Xindi Captain stopped him with words all too familiar to the crew of Enterprise by now. "Is there not a saying that 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?"

Captain Archer nodded slowly, his eyes fixed like hot coals on the Xindi Captain's face. "There is but it's a Vulcan saying. I'm Human."

"Then it is appropriate."

Before anyone could say or do anything the bridge begin to thicken with a white mist. Trip waved his arms in front of him to try to clear it so he could see what was going on. He felt a brief wave of nausea, closed his eyes and tried to bite back the urge to be violently sick. On the bridge of the Xindi vessel Captain Archer felt suddenly dizzy, closed his eyes briefly and opened them to a thick white cloudy mist. "What the...?"

When the mist cleared he was stunned to find himself back on the bridge of Enterprise. His crew stared at him with their mouths open but any pleasure he might have expected to see on their faces at his safe return was marred by one simple fact. Commander Tucker was no longer on the bridge. The Xindi had made an exchange and taken the Commander. Sub-Commander T'Pol was still missing. Angrily, Captain Archer glared at the viewscreen. The Xindi Captain was the only person filling the screen now. He could not see who else was on the bridge or what the rest of the Xindi were doing. He did not speak but gave a slow solemn nod then the viewscreen went blank.

Lt. Reed looked up in anguish from his duty station. "Captain, the Xindi ship has just gone to warp."

"What?" Captain Archer spun round to face his Armoury Officer. "Follow them!"

"Sir, I'm afraid that won't be possible."

Captain Archer was tired, traumatised and wound up so tight that he wanted to hit something. He bit off every word as if sinking his teeth into a Xindi neck and snapping it. "Why not?"

"We no longer have warp capability."

* * * * *

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Four of you have made comments

Great chapter. You left me hangin on the edge of my seat at the end. Please post the next chapter soon. What are those Xindi up to. Given your amazing skill at writing sex scenes...can I expect one between T+T as they are being held captive??? Here's hoping!

yer just just just killing us here!! you just keep tossing things in the air and changing things left and right! damn i love it.

oh things are bad bad bad now that they have the two that are going to create (or already have created) what will destroy the nasty Z's.

one itty question though... um thought Toby was hurt bad enough that Trip wanted him to to go sickbay wouldn't the trip through the tubes have been too much?

Tracy, a lot of the engineers have burns and blisters but no one is really seriously hurt. They are *walking wounded*. Trip is especially protective of Toby and wanted him to see Phlox to get something put on the huge blister forming on the side of his face. So no he would not have been too badly hurt for the tubes plus it was a way for Trip to get him out of there. Ali D :~)

I am actually dying here. I hate cliffhangers. And I hate thes Xindi and those freakin' Zenari. Why the hell can't they just leave Trip, T'Pol and Enterprise alone. lol. But really, great chapter. But that's evident. You wrote it.