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Negotiations - Ch 6Negotiations By Hoshi’s Sis Rating: PG/13 A/N: Takes place after they have left the Expanse at the end of Season 3, but before the Season 4 episode, “Home.” @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Later that night T’Pol walked into sickbay to visit Commander Tucker. “T’Pol,” cried Trip, glad that she had kept her promise and come to see him, “ya know ya going to get the gossips going again with ya coming to visit me like this.” “You should know by now, Commander, that the actions of idle gossips do not concern me nor should they you. I am merely concerned for the welfare of a fellow officer and a friend.” “Ya consider me a friend?” smiled Trip. “On the rare occasion when you are not being illogical,” replied T’Pol, sitting down on a chair next to Trip’s bio bed. Trip smiled at this ……. “Hey, what do ya mean on the rare occasion……..” T’Pol just stared back with her usual raised eyebrow and stoic face. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say ya were teasing me…….” “Vulcan’s do not tease, Commander.” “Vulcan’s aren’t supposed to do a lot of things that I’ve seen you do over the past 3 years,” teased back Trip with a smile. Again T’Pol stared back at him with her usual raised eyebrow and stoic face, but Trip knew deep down that she was enjoying their little banter, just as much as he was. “Since Doctor Phlox has insisted on keeping you here for observation overnight, I’ve brought you a movie to stop you from getting bored,” said T’Pol handing over a touch pad. “Thanks,” replied Trip, touched by the gesture, “which one did ya choose?” “The Black Cat. I believe it is a horror movie.” “That’s ma favourite horror film of all time. How did ya know?” “Ensign Sato helped me choose, she remembered you saying that you liked this one.” “Thanks, T’Pol,” replied Trip softly as he gazed into her beautiful big brown eyes, “I really appreciate it.” Just as T’Pol nodded her thanks and stood up to leave, Trip reached out and gently touched her hand, “Would ya like to stay and watch it with me? Kinda make up for our missed dinner date.” “Thank you, that would be nice,” said T’Pol, who still hadn’t removed her hand from Commander Tucker’s, “I am interested to find out your fascination for this particular movie,” she said as she pulled her chair up to Trip’s bed. “Why don’t ya turn the lights down a little bit, your in for a real treat…… this movie is an absolute classic…..” explained Trip as they both settled down together to watch. He did for a tiny second consider sneaking his arm around her, but considering how weak he felt at the moment and how strong Vulcan’s were compared to humans, he pushed that thought to the back of his mind. He didn’t fancy having his arm ripped out of his socket, although saying that, he was certainly in the right place if something like that happened……. // Dammit Trip, will ya shut up yapping, your actually on a date with T’Pol. Shut up and Enjoy it ya fool. // “ Never mind I’ll let ya see for yourself.” --------------------------------------------------- “Did you send the first transmission?” asked the Romulan captain. “Yes… he’ll only feel the effects during his subconscious and sleep at first through his dreams sending him subliminal messages, but it will get stronger as he body works with the drugs to lay down the pathways. Within a couple of days they will be strong enough to start controlling his actions, consciousness and free will. Soon he’ll be completely under our control,” smirked back the doctor. ---------------------------------------------------- Somehow, Trip wasn’t sure how, but he was fully dressed and standing in Cargo bay 2 on C deck. Instead of the steady thrum of the engines and the noise of crewmen and women busy at work, there was a dark eerie stillness. In fact the sound of a pin dropping would’ve probably CLANGED noisily on the floor with a resonating echo. Just as Trip was relating in his mind, the scene to that of the town they had watched in the cowboy movie last night in the mess hall, a lonely dust ball of hay bounced along the deck plates and settled into the corner. // Weird // thought Trip as he tried to move and find out where everyone else was. To his utmost surprise he found that he was literary rooted to the spot with growing white tubeloids growing out of his bare feet downwards into the floor. As he was glancing downwards, he noticed the glint of ragged steel in his hand. Lifting his hand up for a closer inspection, he was able to ascertain that the glint was in fact a large ceremonial knife like dagger. What seemed more worrying though was the smearing of green blood spread over the course edges of the weapon, which seemed to be dripping slowly onto the floor as if it was in slow motion. // What the f…… // thought Trip as he wondered just what the hell was going on. Just then Malcolm and Captain Archer burst into the cargo bay with a couple of armed security men. “Drop the weapon, Trip and move away from T’Pol,” said Archer in a calm voice, as if he was trying to talk down a vicious killer. “I know you didn’t mean to them, lets find out what’s wrong with you.” // What the hell does he mean, move away from T’Pol? // thought Trip as he glanced around wondering if she was in the bay with him. Off to one side, nearly unnoticeably at the back of the bay, T’Pol was lying on the floor with a huge gash in her midriff, which she had covered with her hand as she attempted to stop the endless stream of blood. Her huge brown eyes were staring at him, filled with endless questions – Why? Why? Why? Behind her lay the lifeless bodies of Shran and Ambassador Soval. // Oh my God, T’Pol // thought Trip as he tried unsuccessfully to run towards her. Someone help her for Gods sake he tried to shout, but unfortunately no words or sounds came forth and everyone just seemed to ignore her as if bleeding to death was a common occurrence. “Drop the weapon, Trip and move away,” pleaded Archer in what seemed a frantic voice, “nothings going to happen to you, I’ll do everything I can to help.” Trip tried to shout out again, but no joy. It felt like there was a zip across his mouth and even stranger, his body seemed to be doing actions of its own accord. Instead of letting go of the knife, his arm was raising itself into a throwing position so it could propel the knife forward straight at his captain and friend. “Trip, drop the weapon. I don’t want to shoot you but I will,” screamed a frantic Archer, “I asking you as a friend,….. please…..” You have to kill her, kill them all. // Why do I have to kill them, there ma friends?// It is your destiny, your purpose, your mission. //No, I won’t do it…..// “Trip,” pleaded a desperate Archer, “ please………..” // I trying…….. // screamed Trip inside his head, as he tried to force his arm back down. // please I don’t want to do this. Something is wrong…… please help me…… help T’Pol…… someone…… she’s dieing // “Trip, nooooooooo…………!” screamed Archer as the knife flew out of Trip’s hand and straight into Archer’s midriff, causing him to be thrown backwards and be pinned to the floor. // Nooooooo…………..! // screamed Trip inside his head, as he watched his two closest friends die right before his eyes, before feeling the blast of phaser hits assaulting him from numerous directions. “Nooooooo……………. !” screamed Trip, as he jumped up in his bed, sweat pouring off him as his mind tried to wrestle itself back into reality from traumatic visions of his friends dieing faces dancing before his eyes. -------------------------------------------------------- Have a comment to make about this story? Do so in the Trip Fan Fiction forum at the HoTBBS! A handful of people have made commentsOh god I guess we know what The Romulans have in plan for Trip now! Something tells me that he finds a way to fight this mind control. This was a great chapter! Cant wait for the next one! Wow... that's not good. FINALLY! I can't wait for the next chap! Great chapter! I love your style of writing and your sense of humour. You know the characters really well and you write them brilliantly. Love all the angst and excitement! Keep posting soon! Great chapter! I love the teasing and the dream was very intense. Thank you! |