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Paradise Lost - Part 3

Author - ginamr
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Star Trek—The Continuing Voyages of the Enterprise:
Paradise Lost


By ginamr

Genre: Science Fiction/Angst/Action/Adventure
Rating: PG-13

Last time on Star Trek: Enterprise… “Paradise Lost Part two”


Story Number: 1 Paradise Lost

Part III


Play intro music

Captain’s Log

I have just received a communication from the Columbia indicating that they have a passenger who might have a lead that would help our investigation into the disappearance of Commanders Tucker and T’Pol. We should be meeting up with them within the hour.

********

A half hour later…

Hoshi looked up from the comm. panel. “Sir, the Columbia is in range.”

Archer nodded. “All stop, Ensign.”

“All stop, sir. Aye.”

“Open a channel, Hoshi.”

Hoshi nodded. “Channel open, sir.”

“Glad you could make it, Captain.”

Erika’s smiling face appeared on the viewer. “It’s good to see you, too, Captain.”

Archer smiled. “I hear you have an important passenger aboard.”

Erika nodded. “With your permission, I’d like to accompany our passenger onto Enterprise.”

Archer inclined his head in agreement. “Lieutenant Reed will guide you through the Launch Bay procedures.” Archer turned to Reed. “As soon as you’ve finished, report to the Launch Bay.”

Reed nodded. “Aye, sir.”

With this, Archer stood and entered the lift, headed for the Launch Bay.

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

Archer waited outside of the Launch Bay for several minutes before Reed arrived. “Captain Hernandez is aboard, sir,” Reed reported.

Archer nodded. “Let’s see if she’ll be any help, then.”

The two entered the Launch Bay just as Erika Hernadez was exiting the Shuttlepod. When she caught sight of them both, she inclined her head. “Captain, Lieutenant.”

“Welcome aboard, Captain,” Archer said, smiling.

Erika returned the smile. “I’m sure you’re anxious to speak with Ms. Brooks.”

Archer nodded. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.”

Erika turned back to the Shuttlepod where the passenger was making her exit. “I’m sure you remember Ms. Brooks, Captain.”

Gannet smiled. “Good to see you again, Captain.”

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

Play Intro. Music

Archer nodded and smiled, extending his hand. “Ms. Brooks.”

Gannet took it, shaking his hand for a moment before releasing it. She then turned smiling to Reed. “Lieutenant. I’m sorry that our first meeting wasn’t under better circumstances.”

Reed nodded. “As am I.”

“Perhaps this time, the situation will turn out better.”

“We all hope so…for Commander Tucker and Commander T’Pol’s sakes.”

Archer cleared his throat. “You have information on the Commanders’s possible whereabouts?”

Gannet nodded. “We have reason to believe that Terra Prime is behind the abduction of your officers.”

“But Paxton’s sitting in a prison cell on the lunar colony.”

“Or so Starfleet thinks. Our information tells us that Paxton has managed to successfully clone himself.”

Reed frowned. “So we have Paxton’s clone on lunar colony?”

Gannet nodded. “And we also believe that Paxton is again attempting to create a child using the Commanders’s DNA, although we’re still not sure what he intends to do with the child.”

“Do you know where the Commanders’s are?”

“We suspect that Terra Prime is holding them captive in a facility on Yvedra VI.”

Archer frowned. “Isn’t that one of the planets we studied early on in the mission?”

Reed nodded. “Commander Tucker will recognize where they are if he sees a member of that squirrel-like species that kept following him because it smelled pecans in his pockets. Hopefully, they’ll at least be able to escape into the forest. The groves are rather thick and that should provide some cover.”

“So that’s the first place that we should look?”

Reed nodded. “Commander Tucker will most likely hide in those woods.”

Archer nodded and made his way toward the nearest comm. panel, pressing the button with his thumb. =/\=Archer to Bridge. Set a course to Yvedra VI, maximum warp. Engage on my mark.=/\= Archer turned to Erika, smiling. “Would you care to join us, Captain?”

Erika smiled and nodded. “It would be my pleasure, Captain.” With this, Erika slipped her communicator out of her pocket and flipped it open, pressing her thumb to the button. =/\=Hernandez to Columbia.=/\=

=/\=Columbia. Go ahead, Captain,=/\= the first officer, Commander Cross answered.

=/\=You have the conn, Commander. Enterprise is heading toward Yvedra VI to look for its missing officers. Meet us here in four hours.=/\=

=/\=Aye, ma’m. Cross out.=/\=

Archer smiled. “I’m needed on the Bridge.”

“I’ll accompany you, then. A Captain’s place is always on the bridge no matter what the ship.”

Archer nodded. “Then, Mr. Reed, if you could find Ms. Brooks some guest quarters and then report to the bridge…”

“With all due respect, Captain,” Gannet interrupted. “I can help.”

“You’ve been a great deal of help already, Ms. Brooks.”

“I know their defense systems, Captain. I know their facility. I can help you bring the Commanders back safe and sound.”

Archer exchanged a hesitant look with Reed. “Maybe she could help us, sir. She’s not a security risk. She is on our side.”

Archer sighed and nodded. “All right, Ms. Brooks.”

Gannet grinned. “You won’t regret this, Captain.”

“See that I don’t.”

“I will, sir…and call me Gannet…please. I haven’t been called Ms. Brooks since high school.”

Archer nodded and turned to Reed. “Mr. Reed, be sure that Gannet has access to the information she needs.”

Reed gave a sharp nod. “Aye, sir.” Reed then turned to the young woman. “Ms. Brooks, if you’ll accompany me to the bridge.”

Once Reed had turned to leave, Gannet fought to cover her grin as she followed him out, leaving Archer and Erika alone. They were silent for a few moments before Archer inclined his head toward the door smiling. Erika returned the smile and headed toward the exit. Archer chuckled, laying his hand lightly on the small of her back, gently guiding her out of the Launch Bay, his hand falling back to his side once they were in the corridor.

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

“I think we managed ta lose ‘em,” Trip said, gasping for breath. “Damn, yer fast. Stop for a second an’ give me a chance ta catch my breath.”

T’Pol stopped and looked over her shoulder for a moment before moving to his side. She knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked up smiling as he took in air through his nostrils.

“You were great back there. Real quick thinkin’.”

“I was merely taking advantage of the situation.”

Trip nodded and a few moments of silence passed before he spoke. “It’s gettin’ mighty dark. We should find a clearing and start a fire. It’ll be gettin’ cold soon.”

T’Pol nodded. “And we should gather fruit for consumption.”

Trip nodded. “I don’t think it’s that wise for us ta split up, though. If we get lost or if those guards come after us, we could be in for a heap of trouble.”

“Perhaps we should stay close together. Certainly, there will be edible fruits in the vicinity of logs and kindling for a fire.”

“All right, let’s get started, then.”

******

Two hours later…

Trip grinned as he carried the animal carcass to the fireside. “Main course…whatever in the hell you call this thing.”

T’Pol frowned and wrinkled her nose. “Was it truly necessary to kill the creature and bring the body all of the way back to camp?

Trip’s grin dissolved to be replaced by a frown. “Sorry, darlin’. Forgot ya don’t like meat…or the smell of it.”

Trip moved to the farthest reaches of the clearing and set the animal down, looking around for a couple of rocks. At last, he found one with a sharp edge and used the larger, rounder rock to shape it into a crude stone arrowhead.

“What tool did you use to kill the creature?”

Trip turned to her grinning. “My bare hands. It attacked me in the grove while I was gettin’ more wood. Took me a while to wrestle it to the ground. Damn thing was nearly dead by that point so I just used a sharp stick and a heavy rock to put it out of its misery,” he said pointing to the gash in the carcass’s stomach and then the blood seeping from the head.

T’Pol grimaced slightly. “How…humane…of you.”

Trip frowned. “It was dyin’, darlin’. I jus’ couldn’ bring myself ta leave it there.”

“Yet you are satisfied with your deed.”

“How often does a man wrestle a strong critter like this ta the ground?”

“It is a very primitive aspect of your culture that is very troublesome, your need to defeat nature armed with only your strength.”

Trip frowned. “When I was in high school, my buddies and I wrestled alligators for sport. There’s something about the risk to yer life that brings ya closer ta nature.”

T’Pol said nothing, a tense silence hanging between them before she stood and moved to his side, taking two rocks and following his example. Trip’s eyebrows shot up and he just stared at her for a moment before he returned his attention to the creation of his tool.

“It would be disrespectful to the animal’s katra to leave his physical body to decay. Also, you will require more than fruit to maintain your strength. This animal’s flesh will provide you with many days of sustenance. We could be here a very long time before the crew finds us.”

“What ‘bout you, darlin’?”

“I will be fine. Vulcans can go many days without sustenance. The fruit should sustain me until we can return to Enterprise.”

Trip nodded and there was a silence between them until T’Pol spoke. “You are still having difficulty walking.”

Trip looked up and frowned. “What do ya expect? I sprained my ankle. It isn’t goin’ ta heal in a couple of hours.”

“Perhaps you should not walk on it as much.”

Trip scowled. “I’ll be fine. I managed ta run so I think I can handle a bit o’ walkin’.”

“Nonetheless, it would not do for you to put further strain on your injury lest you cause it to worsen.”

Trip went back to his work muttering something under his breath that sounded distinctly like “Women. “

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

“We’re within range of the planet, sir,” Mayweather announced.

“Good. Drop to impulse and put us in a high circular orbit over the northern continent.”

“Aye, sir.”

“We are within visual range, sir.”

“Put it on the viewer, Lieutenant.”

Reed nodded and did as his Captain asked. Against the dark, ominous background of space, the blue-green orb glowed majestically as the vicious white clouds swirled around it. As Enterprise drew closer, the orb seemingly increased in size, the spots of brown and dark blue that dusted the planet becoming more obvious.

“Prepare a team, Lieutenant.”

Reed nodded and left the bridge, headed for the Armory.

******

A few moments later…

Archer had left the bridge to Hoshi and entered the lift with Erika, intending to go down to the surface with the Lieutenant and his team. They now approached the Armory. Upon entering, they witnessed Reed giving the final orders to his team.

“Protect the Commanders’ lives at all costs.”

Archer cleared his throat and Reed turned abruptly. “Sir?”

“My chief engineer and my science officer are down there, Lieutenant. I don’t intend to stay behind.”

Reed nodded turning to Erika. She shrugged. “I’ll be of more help on the surface than I will be here.”

Reed said nothing, making his way toward the weapons locker, opening it and removing two more phase pistols. He returned offering one to each of them and they took them, giving a nod of acknowledgement.

“We’re looking for a stealthy approach, sir, and there’s some kind of field around the planet preventing us from using the transporter. We’ll need to approach the compound from the far side. The Shuttlepod has been prepped, sir.”

Archer nodded. “Good. Then let’s get moving.” With this, Archer, Reed, Erika, and the two members of Reed’s team made their way toward the Launch Bay.

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

Trip frowned, sitting abruptly upright. “What was that?” T’Pol didn’t respond. “It sounded like footsteps.”

The crunching noise grew gradually louder and Trip reached for the weapon that he had taken from the guard earlier. His heart raced in his chest, his breathing quickening and growing more labored.

T’Pol had looked to him when she had begun to hear the crunching of leaves. Knowing that her hand weapon was far too dangerous, she picked up a heavy, round stone, ducking behind a boulder peering over its top, her heart racing as well as the footsteps came closer.

They brought their weapons to ready when several shadows were cast across the ground. Acting purely on instinct, T’Pol dropped the rock and leapt at the lead figure, pinning him to the ground, bringing her fist back to strike. She was surprised to find that the figure she was pinning to the ground was none other than Captain Archer.

“Nice to see you, too, T’Pol,” Archer teased.

T’Pol released him immediately, standing and offering her hand for him to do the same. Archer took it, nodding, and she pulled him up.

“Jesus, Captain. We didn’ recognize ya. We thought it was those guards comin’ after us.”

“So I see,” Archer said, smiling wryly as he threw a glance first at T’Pol and then at the weapon Trip was holding which was still focused on him.

Trip mumbled an apology and set the weapon down, standing and moving to greet Archer.

“It’s good to see you in one peace, Commander,” Erika offered, smiling.

Trip returned the smile. “Glad ta see ya aren’t one of the guards that were after us, ma’m,” Trip returned, a slight bit of humor in his tone.

“Commander,” Reed greeted.

Trip chuckled. “Where’s the rest of the cavalry?”

“This is it, I’m afraid.”

Trip smiled wryly. “Well, how are we gettin’ out of here? The transporter?”

“There’s some kind of field preventing us from using the transporter. We came down in a Shuttlepod.”

Trip frowned. “It’s goin’ ta be kind of a tight squeeze on the way back, don’ ya think?”

“We didn’t have a choice, Trip.”

Trip nodded and picked up his weapon. “Well, let’s get going.” Trip winced as he took a step forward, his injury causing him to limp.

“I will assist you,” T’Pol said, moving to his side immediately, much to the surprise of the others.

“I don’ need help. I can walk.” He winced again as he took another step forward.

Immediately, T’Pol grabbed his free arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. “Allow me to assist you,” T’Pol said, an almost pleading note in her voice.

Trip sighed, resigning himself to needing her help, and nodded. T’Pol wrapped an arm around his waist, helping him to move forward.

“Where to, sir?”

Archer nodded and lead the way out of the clearing and back toward the Shuttlepod.

******

“The shuttle should be a half kilometer in that direction,” Reed said.

Trip’s head snapped around to look behind them. “We’re being followed,” he said in a low voice.

“I don’t hear anything.” A second later, Trip shoved Archer out of the way of a weapon’s blast before crawling to take cover behind a rock.

“Didn’t hear anything, huh?” Trip said his eyebrows raised high.

Archer shook his head, looking at Trip stunned. “How did you hear that?”

Trip shrugged. “Don’t know. Back in the clearing, I could hear you all comin’ a mile off. Just didn’t think much of it until you all were about a half kilometer away.”

Archer frowned. “Only a Vulcan’s hearing is that good.”

A weapons blast hitting the rock they were hiding behind kept Trip from having to answer any awkward questions about his and T’Pol’s bond. Trip took one side of the boulder while Archer took the other. Trip jerked around the stone barrier and fired two shots hitting two of the intruders in the chest.

Archer looked at him and grinned. “Lucky shot.”

“I’m not goin’ ta say it matters. I can use all the luck I can get, Captain.”

The sounds of weapons blasts filled the air, the intruders receiving a stun blast from either Trip or one of the others. At last, all of the intruders lay on the forest floor unconscious.

“All right. Let’s move before they send reinforcements.”

“Don’t move,” said a voice behind them. Trip and Archer turned to find themselves being held at gunpoint by none other than Paxton. There were several others with him training their weapons on the others. Paxton nodded and one of the guards rushed forward picking T’Pol up off the ground and holding the weapon at her neck. Trip made to go toward her, but was knocked to the ground by a blow to the stomach. Trip kneeled over gasping for breath.

“Let…her go,” he wheezed. “Let…her go. I’ll…take her…place.”

“Trip…” Archer began.

“I don’t think you understand, Commander. We need her. You, on the other hand…” he began, aiming his weapon at Trip’s forehead. “…we no longer need.”

“I’ll do whatever ya want. Just let her go.”

Paxton paused before nodding to another one of the guards, who moved instantly to help Trip up. “We’ll let her go when we’re finished with her. As long as you cooperate, no harm will come to her.”

Trip nodded and stood, glancing at T’Pol asking if she was all right.

“ I am unharmed,” she replied out loud.

“You will return with us to the compound.” Paxton grimaced. “ shoot the others once we’ve reached the compound."

One of the guards poked Trip in the back with weapon, urging him forward.

“All right, I’m going," Trip mumbled.

Another guard pointed a weapon at T’Pol. She said nothing, merely moving to follow Trip.

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

It was a long walk back to the compound, during which none of them were allowed to converse. Trip had made a series of sarcastic comments, which had earned him a sharp hit in the back of the head by one of the guards with the butt of his weapon. Trip had rubbed the back of his head and had refrained from making any further comments. Trip fought back a grin upon seeing the hole that T’Pol have made earlier with readjustment of the weapon’s energy converter.

Trip and T’Pol were led into one room while the others were led past the room. Two guards remained, closing the door once Paxton had entered.

“What do you want with her?” Trip asked.

“You have always wanted children, correct, Commander?”

Trip eyed him warily. “What does that have to two with anything?”

“Everything, commander.”

Paxton clasped his hands behind his back, grinning almost maniacally. “You see, Commander, there are others like myself who believe that interspecies relationships will eliminate humanity gradually with each generation of breeding. I am out to prove just how correct this assumption is.”

“That’s what we’re out here to do. We’re out here to meet other species. Our job as explorers is to study the unknown, which includes learning about other species. By learning about other species, we are making that unknown less of an unknown. Much of what we learn about other species can help us better understand who we are and where we come from. That’s Starfleet’s objective; to meet new species, to explore strange new worlds, and to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

“Very good, Commander. Does your captain have Zephram Cochran’s speech, culminating the launching of the first warp one spacecraft memorized as well?” Paxton grinned. “Yes, Cochran was a very wise man indeed. He was ahead of his time. Unfortunately, he did not realize to exactly what use his discovery would be put to. Had he known that we would be inviting strangers who were not like us to take over our society, perhaps he would not have shared his discovery and perhaps he would not have made his legendary flight.”

Trip frowned. “That’s what he intended for the warp drive to be used for. Nowhere in his speech did he mention that exploration of our universe excluded new life forms.”

“Commander, you have always resented Vulcans for holding back the Warp Five Program, correct?”

Trip nodded. “At first, I didn’t understand why they were holding us back. But after seeing everything that I saw on our mission, I finally understand why they thought that we weren’t ready.”

Paxton frowned. “That’s only the beginning of what will happen if we do not take back control. Soon, Earth will no longer be known as the homeworld of humans as there will be no pure humans left. We will be overrun by half breeds. Human DNA will be muddled with Vulcan, Xindi, Denobulan, Risan, Orion, and other non-human DNA. In time, there will not be a being on Earth who does not carry the genome for some type of alien trait. I encouraging humans not to breed with other species, we are conserving the human race; we are conserving our heritage.”

Trip sighed. “Purity of race is what destroyed so many of Earth’s civilizations. Because of our prejudices, we were very nearly the cause of our own annihilation. If it hadn’t been for our prejudices and our judgments, we would have been able to achieve what we have today a helluva lot sooner. Admittedly, we still do judge anyone who is different from us. But, in time, we learn to overcome those judgments and to see just what those were different from us to have to teach us about ourselves.”

“Even my people, who claim that their lives are based on logic, judge other species. All species judge others using their own cultural standards. My people claim that logic guides them; yet, we expect other species to abide by our standards of behavior, our codes of noninterference, and many of our ritualistic behaviors because we feel that the way things are done on Vulcan is the only way and to behave in any other fashion shows a lack of control and a lack of responsible behavior. In the time I had spent among humans, I have come to realize that every species has a way of doing things and that there isn’t just one correct way for all species. Certain Vulcan customs do not make sense to humans because humans have evolved in a different way than Vulcans. Therefore, it would be illogical for humans to adapt such customs. Logic dictates that each species do what is necessary in order for their culture to survive. Driving all alien species from your planet will not solve anything.”

Paxton grinned. “Ah, but that is where you’re wrong, Commander. It will solve a great deal.”

“Chasing all of the aliens away from earth will not stop Starfleet from sending out ships.”

“But that is the next step, Commander. I intend to see that Starfleet is disbanded once all non-humans have left the system.”

Trip frowned. “And just how do you intend to do that?”

“We will do so by force, if necessary. We do not wish to hurt anyone. We simply wish to preserve the purity of the human race.”

“You’ll get hell before you destroy Starfleet headquarters without a fight.”

“Our numbers are strong. We have the equipment and personnel to fight back if the need arises.”

“So what did T’Pol and I have to do with all of this?”

Paxton chuckled. “Your child will serve as an example of just what kind of defects inter species breeding can cause.”

Trip stood, speechless for a moment. “You purposely didn’t take the time to fully explore the consequences of cloning Vulcan and Human DNA, didn’t you?”

Paxton grinned. “Very good, Commander. And here I thought your Vulcan companion was the only one understood.”

Trip clenched his fists. “You sonuvabitch! You killed her! You knew all along that she wasn’t going to survive!”

Paxton nodded. “It would have done me no good if the child had survived to reach maturity. I would have failed in the statement I was attempting to make that humans should not breed with other species.”

Trip felt a hand on his arm, attempting to hold him back. He looked down at her hand on his arm, not even realizing that he had begun to move toward Paxton. He stayed where he was, holding himself stiffly as though ready to attack at any given moment.

“What do you still need T’Pol for? I assume that you took samples of our DNA during our interrogations. Why do you still need her?”

“We still need one last sample of her DNA to complete the genetic profile.”

“Then why didn’t you just take it when we were in forest?”

“Because if we had, there is a possibility that you could have escaped. We do not intend to let you leave here alive.”

I hope you have a plan, darlin’.

I am afraid I don’t this time. We will have to hope that the captain, lieutenant reed, and the others manage to free themselves and ‘come to our rescue’.

At that precise moment, the door flew off its hinges and revealed Archer, read, and the others standing in the doorway. Reed took aim at one of the guards and Erika the other while Archer kept his weapon trained on Paxton.

“Are you two all right?”

Trip nodded. “Fine, Captain.”

Archer pulled his communicator from his pocket. =/\= Archer to Enterprise.=/\=

=/\= Go ahead, sir.=/\=

=/\= We’ve located Paxton and we’re on our way back to Enterprise.=/\=

=/\= Aye, sir. Good to hear. We’ll leave the door open.=/\=

Archer nodded.=/\=Archer out.=/\=

“It looks like it’s finally over,” Trip said, running his hands through his hair.

“For now,” Archer added.

Trip sighed. “One adventure after another right, captain?”

Archer nodded. “Sure seems that way.”

“I’ll be happy if we even get a couple of days without another adventure like this one.”

Archer grimaced. “So will I, Trip. So will I.”


THE END



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Seven people have made comments

I'm first! Nice one with Paxton. :)

I'm second! Most excellent! I had forgotten about this story. Excellent resolution. I hope your future stories will keep TnT together.

Good story although I personally hope you're going to disregard TATV...:-D

And hey, cool! CDR Cross makes another appearance outside of my story! Cool! :-D

Good resolution, but so quick! To have Gannett and Travis AND Archer and Erika together again... and no romance? And here I was looking forward to it! : ( Guess I AM obsessed with pairing everyone up, just like they say!

That was action-packed, and fast-paced! Well done, hope there's more coming! :)

for those of you who come back to this story, i've decided to switch it up a bit for the next story. I've finally discovered the secret!!! I know what makes me love a story therefore I will be using that knowledge to reel in some of you that have strayed. get ready for tears, laughter, action, and betrayal!!! The next story will be a long one. You know how they do those one-hour series premieres? Well, I've decided to do something similiar for the season five premiere...I'll give you a couple things that won't spoil things too much...Title: Conflict Eminent. Pairings: A/H, T/TP, R/S M/OFC

I think you need a beta. There's too many inconsistencies within the story. Like why Paxton kidnapped them again when he'd already created Elizabeth in the first place. What's the point of creating another child? How will it FURTHER prove that Humans/Vulcans won't work?