Get Us Out of Here

Get Us Out of Here

By Aquila

Rating: R, to give the muse room
Category: Don’t know until the story ends
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.
Spoilers: Yes – don’t read this if you don’t want to know.
Summary: Things didn’t turn out quite like Daniels expected. Trip and T’Pol and the crew of the Enterprise have to clean up his mess. Again.

--

Part 1

“Get us out of here, Travis!”

The shuttlecraft was under attack en route to Starfleet Headquarters to announce the end of the Xindi threat and the triumphant, if somewhat mournful, return of Enterprise.

Before Trip’s order was complete, the shuttle banked sharply. Mayweather had anticipated the command.

Trip, his eyes on the instrument panel, hit the comm. button. “Malcolm, start learnin’ everything you can about 20th Century fighters. Hoshi, monitor planet side communications using 20th Century frequencies.”

“Commander Tucker.” T’Pol’s voice snapped from the speakers. Travis winced. Commander Tucker had broken protocol. His welcome from the Captain would be chilly.

“Our ETA at the dockin’ bay is 4 minutes. T’Pol, I will explain more fully when Travis and I are on board.” Tucker paused. “Somethin’s happened to the timeline.”

“We’ll plot a stationary orbit over the south pole. As soon as you are docked, we will reposition. T’Pol out.”

Now Mayweather was wide-eyed. Their elimination of the Xindi weapon was supposed to reset the timeline – for the better.

“Travis, I never thought I would live to say this, but the sewer I slogged through in that Trellium-D mine seems more appealing than our current situation.”

“A greater proportion of excrement in this mission…Commander?”

Trip erupted with laughter, “Kilos of it, Ensign.”

--

Enterprise was in stationary orbit over Antarctica, out of range of archaic weapons of war like fixed wing aircraft. The senior command staff was gathered in the Bridge alcove, gazing at a replay of the attack on the shuttlecraft.

“According to our aviation history database, those are P-51 Mustangs shooting at you. The projectiles,” Malcolm pointed at the dots on the screen, “Were fired by 6, 12.7 mm Browning machine guns. The Mustang carried 2 bombs of approximately 1880 kilos each, plus 8 127mm rockets.”

Travis completed the data report, “The Mustang, affectionately known as The Pony, was a single seater.” There was a touch of driver’s lust in his voice. “If we stay above 13,410 meters, they can’t touch us.”

T’Pol turned to Hoshi, “What have you to add?”

“Commander Tucker’s hunch was correct.” Hoshi nodded in the direction of the second in command. “We can monitor public airwaves using radio and satellite frequencies that would have been used in the 20th Century.’

“What are they sayin’ about us, Hoshi?” Trip barely contained his anger.

“Nothing, sir.”

“Nothing?” Malcolm hiccoughed. “There should be reports of UFO’s.” He clarified, responding to the puzzled look of his comrades. “Unidentified Flying Objects.”

“Have you confirmed the date?” T’Pol returned their attention to the present.

“Yes, ma’am. February 16, 2154.” Hoshi’s confidence left no one in doubt that she was certain of the date.

“Which supports your hypothesis that something has happened to the timeline,” T’Pol appeared to be thinking out loud, directing her thoughts at Tucker.

Immediately the others felt as if they were invisible, a phenomenon that had become increasingly common during the final weeks of the Xindi Mission. Malcolm looked from the Vulcan Captain to the Human First Officer. The tactical officer suddenly understood that more than the timeline had changed. Had the NX-01’s encounter with the alternate Enterprise acted as a catalyst, pushing his superiors into a deeper friendship? Friendship my ass, conjectured Malcolm silently. They are sleeping together.

A blip emitted from a computer bank, drawing the attention of the communications officer. She pushed aside her curiosity about the relationship dynamics of Trip and T’Pol.

“Excuse me, Sub-commander?” The excitement in her voice redirected everyone’s attention.

“Yes, Ensign?” T’Pol waited.

“I’m getting an unusual bio-sign from the surface.” Hoshi pushed some buttons and refreshed her screens.

“I’m waiting Ensign.” T’Pol did not hide her impatience. Time continuum conundrums gave the Vulcan the equivalent of a human migraine.

“Captain Archer may be alive.” Hoshi looked up from the screen that had held her attention. “Something has activated his subcutaneous transponder.”

“Phlox to T’Pol.” The crew gathered in the situation room held its collective breath.

“Can you confirm that Captain Archer’s subcutaneous transponder has activated?”

There was a pause before the voice of the doctor emerged again from the speaker, “I have sick bay confirmation. You must have received comm. confirmation from Hoshi.”

Trip spoke, “T’Pol and I will let you know if triangulation is complete.”

Trip followed T’Pol toward the Captain’s ready room. The others returned to their stations eager for confirmation that Archer lived. Malcolm took the command chair. Travis sat at the helm. Hoshi returned to her comm. post and began to sort through the data attempting to pin point the location of the transponder signal. The ready room door slid shut behind the senior pair of officers.

--

“Phlox to the Bridge.”

“Reed here, Doctor.” A half an hour has passed since they had first received the transponder signal.

“Have Commander Tucker and T’Pol confirmed the triangulation?”

“They haven’t communicated with you?” Malcolm was instantly on the alert.

“Nor with you, I gather.” Phlox sighed.

Before Malcolm could ask Hoshi to report, she offered, “Neither Captain T’Pol, nor Commander Tucker is in the ready room.”

“Locate them,” snapped Reed.

“They aren’t on the ship, sir.”

End of Part 1.

Chapter 2

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!

Half a dozen of you have made comments

Great start. Loved Mal's comment about them sleeping together. Very perceptive man.

I agree -- a great start to what I hope is a series, but this chapter is on the short side (hint, hint!) and a cliffhanger this early is downright mean.

BTW, who is the author? The index page says Ragua but the title above says Aquila. (I'm guessing by the writing style that it's Aguila.)

Great so far though I can't get my head around the fact that T'pol can be captain. She isn't a member of Starfleet or the High Command and she gets to be captain!. I know its never been addressed on the show either but it just niggles me. Great cliffhanger. Look forward to your next update.

Yay! This is a great idea. Let's fill the void that cliffhanger left ourselves. Who needs season 4? :-) I'm definitely looking forward the next part.

Great! So did they jump ship or were they pushed? Answer that question and we may solve the riddle of Humpty Dumpty. This is really good and I am enjoying it very much. Hope the next part comes along soon before something else happens to timeline - Ali D :~)

Great start - can't wait for more!!