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Thirty-Six Hours

Author - Hoshi's Sis | Genre - Angst | Main Story | Rating - PG | T
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Thirty-six Hours

By Hoshi’s Sis


Rating: PG
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Paramount. No infringement intended.
Summary: It’s been 36 hours, and Trip is still missing.


Part One

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It’s been 36 hours since I returned from the planet on a stretcher; 36 hours and there has been no word on whether he is alive or dead. It’s all quite hazy; we had been stranded together on the planet below after our shuttle pod made a crash landing. I’d been hurt during the process but he kept me alive, talking to me, keeping me warm and aware. It was only when they became aware of our presence that things began to get complicated and dangerous, but he held up well with his engineering genius, managing to hold them off for two days until help arrived. I was so proud of his courage and fortitude as he dealt with each new problem thrown our way. Not once did he give in to fear or admit defeat, even at our bleakest hour when it seemed we wouldn’t survive the night.

Unfortunately help came too late to save both of us as he was attacked and dragged away moments before a rescue team touched down. I can vaguely recall Captain Archer calling the pilot to take off, the strained look of despair on his face as we rose higher and higher, leaving him behind totally surrounded and defenceless. Then I remember Phlox shouting something about internal haemorrhaging before he rushed me off to sickbay. I now lie here awake projecting an aura of calm as I recuperate, whilst inside my emotions are in turmoil – my Vulcan nature screams to me to repress them and control myself, but I am afraid, afraid of how I feel about him, afraid that I won’t be able to contain myself when I see him again and afraid of how I will feel if I don’t.

Despite being laid here in sickbay, Captain Archer has been keeping me updated on their progress. He has been sending out search teams none stop but so far they haven’t found him yet. The stress and worry is beginning to show as he is becoming more and more short tempered with the crew and looking drawn and haggard. I know he blames himself for leaving him down there, but I also know he blames me for being the reason why – another point to add to his ‘why I hate the Vulcan’s list’.

It’s been 36 hours, why haven’t they found him yet?’

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It’s been about 36 hours since I was dragged into hell, 36 hours since I woke up and found myself in the middle of ma worst nightmare. I thought things couldn’t get any worse when I came round after the crash and found T’Pol in a bad way. I totally panicked seeing her laying there all frail and drawn, with green blood running down her temple and bruising that covered most of her abdomen. Despite my limited knowledge of field medicine, I was determined not to lose her – she means far too much to me, more so after she helped me get over the pain of Lizzies death. It’s strange, I’ve always had strong feelings where Vulcan’s are concerned, but damn I would never have thought they would be this type that I feel right now.

I patched her up as much as I could and for the first day or so, things just seemed to flow naturally as I tried to get some of the shuttles systems back on line, while keeping us both alive and warm. Then they detected our presence; from that moment onwards things just went from bad to worse. They were like huge carnivorous apes, vicious snarling beasts who you could hear howling for miles around as they came out at night to hunt – or to put it simpler, hunt for us. From then onwards life began a constant struggle, as ma days were filled with collecting water, firewood, and fixing systems, while ma nights were filled with keeping the fire stoked and protecting T’Pol and me from their endless advances.

After two days, things looked bleak indeed – I had totally given up hope of fixing the shuttle so I’d concentrated all of ma efforts on fixing the transceiver in the hope that I could at least get a distress call out. Against all odds I managed to get it working but power reserves were so low, we had to conserve energy broadcasting it during the day only. During the night, the charges finally ran out on our weapons, so I ended up using the burning logs from our fire as a defence, swinging them against our attackers with the last ounce of ma strength. I could feel time slipping away as they attacked again and again; it was if they could smell ma fear – fear of failing to protect T’Pol and fear for ma own life.

As Dawn approached the attack eased off and I began to feel hope, more so when I heard the sound of an approaching shuttle pod. That distraction became my undoing; as I glanced up one of the creatures slammed into ma side, knocking me off ma feet and sending me cascading head over heels down the hill. There they pounced on their winded prey, dragging me away to their lair as I watch with despair the shuttle rise beyond ma vision. As I lye here now waiting for them to come and finish me off, I smile in the knowledge that I know at least she is safe and out of their reach.

It’s been 36 hours, why haven’t they found me yet?

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It’s been 36 hours since I left him on the planet surrounded by those creatures, 36 hours since I made one of the hardest choices of my life. They were on a simple survey mission, an ordinary everyday type of mission that we will probably do about 1000 times on this voyage. Trip and T’Pol are two experienced officers who work well together – last year proved that beyond all doubt. At times I did have my doubts that something may be going on between them, but I think it just stemmed from the many rumours that were flying around. I’m sure either of them would have set me straight if it were true.

The first hint we got that they might be in trouble came when they missed there designated call in. After one hour of unsuccessfully trying to raise them on the comm.., I decided to take Enterprise into the system and search for them. It wasn’t going to be easy since there were two inhabitable planets with fifteen moons with a hospitable atmosphere – either of which the shuttle pod could have landed on. After two days of finding nothing on the sensors nor receiving any answers to our hails fear for there safety was beginning to set in. Trip was a capable and experienced engineer, if they were both fit and well surely he would have been able to get some kind of signal sent by now.

Just as we were beginning to lose hope, we began receiving a faint intermittent signal from our shuttle pod. Despite the signal being only one-way, it at least indicated they were alive so I ordered an immediate course change towards their coordinates. We didn’t need sensors on the way down to tell us that they were in trouble – the shuttle pod was surrounded by large ape like creatures who were charging towards it, while Trip was swinging a club like stick at the creatures like a man possessed as he tried to keep them at bay. Trip must have heard our approach because he glanced up towards us with a huge look of relief on his face.

Unfortunately it would be his undoing as a creature took that moment to forcibly strike against him, knocking him over and sending him reeling down the hill. I was about to run off after him, but Phlox was shouting that T’Pol was critical and had to be returned straight away if she was to survive. I felt completely and utterly torn having to choose, since turning from either could sign the others death warrant. In the end I choose the easy option - T’Pol was here; we could help her now without endangering others, whereas Trip unfortunately was surrounded, needing a time consuming phaser fight or attack to break him free. That was nearly two days ago; I have been since sending out search parties to find him but so far we have been unsuccessful. Inside my heart is breaking; I know it’s not T’Pol’s fault, but each time I look at her lying in sickbay recuperating I feel enormous anger and hatred – again through the fault of a Vulcan, I have lost someone dear to my heart.

It’s been 36 hours, why haven’t they found him yet?



Chapter 2

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

ACK!!!!!

I hope we don't have to wait much longer than 36 hours for the update!!!

Awesome story. Why haven't they found him yet.. This story need to be continued so we all can find out ;-)

Ditto comments above. I really liked how you did the story in the perspective of the main characters, with each character providing a little bit more detail. Nicely done, I can't wait for the next chapter. Thank You.

If T'pol had lasted 36 hours would another 10 minutes spent trying to save Trip have made a difference!! I'm surprised that Archer would choose T'pol over Trip and to fly away and watch while Trip was surrounded by his attackers withoug making ANY effort to help him. Couldn't he have left some of the rescue team behind to help Trip. Will Trip be angry with Archer or will his feelings be clouded by the fact that T'pol is safe.Look forward to your next installment.

great story
I hope we don't wait a long time for your next story :)

Hehe, looks like we gonna have a steamy sickbay again... (not that I'm complaining :-)

Nooooooo! Find him this instant! *sobs and mopes about* And yes, I'll probably die if I have to wait 36 hours for the next chapter. Heh heh. Good solid start. I love the 3 points of view and the characters emotions in all of this. Keep it up. Hope to see a new one soon.

I love the multiple points of view!!! Your story is already rife with tension and that's just in the first chapter. I love how each one of the big three are experiencing a bit of sorrow and a touch of guilt. It's rather cyclical. I cannot wait to read the next installment

i love the different points of view in the telling of the story .. very dramatic.
but i am with ocean i dont understand why archer wouldnt have just left some of the party down there to help trip.

and there needs to be a reason why at the same time they just couldnt transport more people down to help.

At first I thought,'oh gawd, no talking' but it's really well done and doesn't get stuck providing mind-numbing detail.

Great job on this, you've kept it free flowing so far and I'm really looking forward to the resolution.

More please!!!!!!!!