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Enemy of the State - Ch 3

Author - Quills
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Enemy of the State

By Quills

Contact: the_quill_pen@yahoo.com
Series: ENT
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star trek and I derive no financial gain from this story.
Codes: A, T/Tu, Ma, S, R, P, So angst, drama, romance, humor, action/adventure
Summary: The starship Enterprise is on a mission to save Earth from the Xindi. While searching for the Xindi weapon, Captain Archer and his crew are reunited with an old friend from the future who brings news of an even more sinister plot that threatens to destroy not only Earth, but the entire galaxy.
***Special note: This story takes place after the season three episode, “Carpenter Street”, but before the episode “Harbinger”.

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Chapter 3


“Alter course! Steer us into wave!” came the order over the blaring sound of warning alarms blaring and crewmembers scrambling to grab hold of a station or handrail as the ship was violently rocked and buffeted by forces being exerted on the ship.

“The helm’s not answering Captain!” yelled Mayweather as he pressed his body against the console.

“T’Pol?” yelled Archer, as he held onto his command chair to keep from sliding down the deck. The warning alarms blared as the starship was violently rocked and buffeted once again, sending the starship off its horizontal axis. Crewmembers grabbed for the nearest stationary object to keep from sliding into view screen.

Overloaded energy dampeners allowed current to bleed out of critical system panels in the form of electric blue charges that danced across the consoles. A crackling snap erupted from the starboard side of the bridge as the auxiliary science station and the bridge engineering tie-in station erupted in a shower of sparks and flying debris as the overload violently blew the console panels clear off their boards. The bridge filled with a haze of smoke and the acrid burning smell of fused and burnt wiring.

Enterprise’s science officer was attempting to maintain her post as the ship’s altitude suddenly changed once again, sending three crewmembers sliding down the now angled deck of the bridge and into the adjacent wall.

Not prepared for the sudden change in altitude, T’Pol was thrown over her station to what was now a thirty-foot drop to the opposite side of the bridge. As she fell past her station, her arm went out reflexively and her hand grabbed onto the now vertical deck railing. Holding onto the railing, she hanged in mid air for several seconds before scrambling to pull herself up.

Archer looked on in concern and amazement. T’Pol could move like nobodies business he thought. He was tempted to call out and ask her if she was all right, but he didn’t want to risk interrupting her movement. A fall across the bridge could now be fatal.

Stretching her arm out, T’Pol reached for the edge of her station. Grasping her hand along the ledge, she pulled herself onto the small ledge circling her outer console wall.

Reaching across her board, she tapped a series of lighted buttons and brought up the readout display. “It’s a high energy wave…,” reported the Vulcan as the ship suddenly lurched once again. Gripping the side of the console, she prepared for another shift in the ship’s altitude. When none came, she continued her report. “…with shifting spatial distortions, Captain. Those are what are causing the disruption in the ship’s altitude control.”

Until twenty-three seconds ago, the Enterprise was following the faint ion trail of a Xindi transport shuttle. The shuttle was supposedly carrying a main component of the weapon that the Xindi intended to use against Earth. This information had been coerced from the Xindi reptile prisoners Archer and T’Pol had brought back from their temporal mission to Carpenter Street, on Old Earth. Unfortunately, their pursuit of the Xindi transport was interrupted by the emergence of a spatial anomaly in the form of an energy wave directly in their path.

“How much longer until it passes us?” shouted the captain.

T’Pol fought against the thirty degree down angle the deck had pitched. Pulling herself over her sensor board, she slid down against her now horizontal station. Glancing back, she swallowing hard as she looked at the thirty foot drop. Vertigo was an illogical and emotional response, she reminded herself as she took a deep breath and pulled herself to the main sensor display. Activating the scan, she looked at the readings with frustration.

“Captain, sensors show no exit from the wave. It continues in all directions with no exit point!” she shouted over the buckling deck plates. The bridge was now alive with the vibration of the composite metal alloy of the deck and the walls as they rattled and buckled under the force of the energy wave.

Archer glanced over his shoulder at Lieutenant Reed. “Tactical?”

Lieutenant Reed was hunched over his monitor board, using it to keep himself upright.
“Hull plating is holding,” he yelled adding, “For all the good it’s doing us.”

Another wave struck and the ship’s altitude changed once again, sending a crewman falling over the circular railing. The crewman came crashing down against the lower deck and slid past the command chair. Archer, shot his leg out and the crewman grabbed it as the captain tightened his grip on the chair, holding the added weight.

Archer looked down at the man. “Ensign, grab onto something.”

The ensign reached out and grabbed the lower support of the command chair, releasing his hold on Archer’s leg. “Thanks, Captain,” came the shaken response from the ensign.

Not wanting to risk, losing his grip on the command chair, Archer slid his thumb to the comm. panel on the armrest. “Engineering!”

Archer waited several moments for his Chief Engineer to respond. When no response came, he issued a general order. “Anyone who can hear me…divert emergency power to the hull plating. We have to ride this out.”

“Aye, sir,” responded the familiar voice of Trip Tucker.

“Thank God he’s still with us,” thought Archer with a sigh of relief.

“Captain!” cried T’Pol causing Archer to snap his head upward in her direction. “Something has just entered the wave…bearing three-two-seven mark four.”

“What is it?”

T’Pol shook her head. “Unknown…sensors are no longer detecting the object, but they do detect its wake. Whatever it is…it is able to maneuver inside the wave and is approaching our position”

“Hoshi, try hailing it!” yelled Archer.

Sato leaned against her console, trying not to look down at the long drop. Focusing her attention on the display panel, she sent out a general hail. After looking at her console for several moments, she glanced towards
Archer.

“Nothing, Captain.”

“Malcolm, are the torpedoes online?” asked Archer.

Reed lifted himself off his console so he could check the status light. When he saw it lit up he gave Archer a reply. ”Yes sir!”

“Then load both tubes with level three photonic torpedoes.” ordered Archer.

“Captain, we can’t guarantee the torpedoes will hit their target in this wave,” countered Reed. “They could be forced off course.”

“And we know we can’t lock onto that object with our sensors! Load the torpedoes!” barked Archer in annoyance.

Reed pressed the loading sequence on his console. Waiting for the indicator to show green, he watched as a bead of sweat trickled down his nose and dropped onto his console. He saw the indicator light go green and looked up at Archer.

“Ready, Sir.”

Archer looked down at the view screen for a moment. He didn’t want to do it, but he had little choice. Whatever the object was, it wasn’t responding to hails and it could navigate inside an energy wave that was going to rip the Enterprise to pieces. He had to assume it was hostile.

“Fire!”

Two torpedoes simultaneously streaked from the Enterprise’s saucer. They headed on a straight course away from the ship and then suddenly changed course. One torpedo moved off away from the ship to port. The other torpedo changed its course back towards the Enterprise!

“Incoming torpedo!” shouted Reed, “She’s headed right at us!”

“Position of object wake?” yelled Archer.

T’Pol was staring at the closing torpedo on the view screen, glancing at her display for a moment she shouted over the vibrations and proximity alarm. “Directly to port!”

“Captain?” called Reed waiting locking the phase cannons onto the returning torpedo.

“Wait for it…,” said the captain as he watched the torpedo close in. He had to wait till it the torpedo was on top of the object, but that also meant it was on top of the Enterprise “wait…”

NOW!” shouted Archer as the photonic energy of the torpedo filled the view screen.

A blinding light instantly filled the screen as the torpedo detonated less than two hundred meters from the starship. The energy blast of the torpedo added to the pounding the Enterprise’s hull plating was taking and the tiny starship lurched violently sending it spinning through the energy wave like an out of control discus.

Archer fought the centripetal force now pinning him to his chair. The pressure exerted on his body made him feel like he was about to be turned into chunky salsa. Squeezing his eyes shut to block out the pain, he yelled to the helm, praying Mayweather was still there.

“Fire…thrusters!!”

He didn’t hear a response from the helm, but after a moment he felt a sudden lurch and then a decrease of the pressure being exerted on his chest. Opening his eyes, he could see the bridge was no longer spinning wildly and after a few moments came to a complete stop. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the helm and saw Travis Mayweather looking back at him.

“Good work Travis,” said Archer

“Captain, look,” called T’Pol pointing to the view screen.

Archer turned his attention to the viewer and saw a welcome sight, a clear star field.
It had worked! They were out of the energy wave.

“Is everyone alright?” asked the Captain. When he was satisfied by the acknowledgments from around the bridge he turned to the comm. station.

“Hoshi, damage-control all sections.”

“Aye Captain,” replied the ensign.

“Mr. Reed, good shooting,” said Archer

T’Pol turned from her station, brushing back a lock of hair from her face. “Captain, with all due respect to Lieutenant Reed’s marksmanship, I do not believe our exit from the wave was do to the torpedo’s detonation.”

Archer slid back up into his command chair as he looked over at T’Pol. “Then what?”

T’Pol touched a panel on her board and directed her attention to the view screen, prompting Archer to do the same. The image on the screen changed, from an empty star field, to one with a small object drifting across it.

“A ship?”

T’Pol arched a brow as she studied the screen. “It would appear so, Captain,” she replied turning back to her instruments. Activating her sensors, she directed the forward array to scan the vessel. “It appears to be the object that entered the wave from one of the spatial distortions.”

Archer stood up from his command chair and circled the helm, not taking his eyes off the view screen. “Hoshi, open a hailing frequency.”

The young comm. officer touched her board and looked over at Archer. “Open sir.”

Archer scrutinized the object on the screen for a moment, studying its sleek angles. If it was a ship, it was beautiful. Entirely silver, smooth lines with tapered edges terminating in a blunted point.

“This is Captain Jonathan Archer of the Earth ship Enterprise.”

Archer waited a moment. When no response came, he added. “We mean you no harm. Do you require assistance?”

“Nothing sir.”

Archer turned back to T’Pol. “Life signs?”

The Vulcan turned and looked into her scanner. “Interesting…the object appears to be deflecting our scans. I cannot even detect that it is there.”

“Well, unless we’re all having a mass hallucination,” said Travis Mayweather. “I’d say it’s pretty real.”

Archer continued to stare at the object. His curiosity was only exceeded by his very real concern that this ship had something to do with the energy wave they had just encountered.

Turning to the aft tactical station, he looked over at Reed, “Lieutenant, see if you can lock the grappler onto it.”

“Without sensors, sir?” replied the armory officer.

“I’m counting on your marksmanship again, Lieutenant,” smiled Archer with confidence in the armory officer.

Reed shook his head in acknowledgment. “I’ll try sir.”

Reed activated the grappler arm, which extended from the ship’s underside. Manually aiming the arm where he believed the object was, he pressed the launch button sending the cable shooting towards the object and sailing directly across its bow.

“Best two out of three Malcolm,” said Archer.

Reed retracted the grappler and rearmed the device. Moving his targeting cross hairs over five degrees he fired the grappler cable again, this time striking the object dead on. For a moment, the bridge crew tensed, uncertain how the object would react to the intrusive connector. When no response came, Archer shook his head in satisfaction.

“Good shot,” said Archer coming around the helm station. “Travis, take over control of the grappler and pull that ship into the cargo bay. Mr. Reed, you’re with me. T’Pol, you have the bridge, have a security detail meet us in the hangar bay.”

“Understood Captain,” replied the Vulcan as she exited her station and headed for the command chair.

Archer made his way up the steps to the upper deck and headed to the turbo lift with
Lieutenant. Reed behind him.


Several minutes later…

Archer and Reed entered the hanger bay and immediately caught site of a MACO soldier crouched down by the staircase leading to the hangar platform. Reed shook his head in disgust as he blew air through his teeth. He did not like seeing MACOS doing Enterprise security personnel duties. Reed’s disgust increased when he saw Major Hayes step into view.

Reed despised the man. Several of the senior staff had noticed a friction between the two security specialists from the moment the MACOS came aboard. Trip Tucker had asked his friend ‘What’s your problem with Hayes? He seems like a nice enough guy.’ The armory officer told the engineer that Hayes might be civil on the outside, but he was trying to railroad his way into taking over ship security…in the best interests of the ship…and Reed wasn’t going to stand for it.

Hayes approached Archer, giving Reed a casual glance. “We have the perimeter covered
Captain.”

“Good, any signs of life inside…whatever it is?”

“Scans can’t penetrate whatever the object is made out of, sir.”

“Then you can scan it?” asked Reed skeptically.

Hayes turned to Reed and gave the armory officer a smile. “Yes, Lieutenant. It registers as a form, but nothing more.”

Archer glanced at Reed. “Well that’s something at least.”

“Sir?” said Hayes clearly confused.

“Ship’s sensors didn’t even register the object when it was outside Enterprise.” explained Archer.

Hayes turned back and looked past the railing and down at the silver object sitting in the middle of the deck.

“I’m going down there,” said the Captain moving towards the stairs.

Both Hayes and Reed made a move to block the Captain. The two security officers glanced at one another.

Reed was the first one to speak. “Captain, you can’t go down there, sir.”

“I have to agree with Mr. Reed,” added Hayes.

“Gentlemen, we don’t know what that object is or what its doing here.”

“Exactly the point,” countered Reed. “We don’t know if that thing is dangerous or not.”

“And we’re not going to find out by standing up here trying to scan it.”

“Captain," countered Hayes. “At least let my squad do a probing examination.”

Reed was ready to throw Hayes down with the bloody thing, but Archer gave his answer before the armory officer could do anything rash.

“Gentleman, we do not have the time to play the waiting game. We have already been diverted from tracking the Xindi transport ship. We need to find out what this object is and if it’s tied to our mission. It’s my opinion that the object is not inherently dangerous.”

Hayes looked at Reed for a moment. Both officers had the same confused look.

“Captain, how can you make that assessment?” asked Hayes.

“Simple,” said Archer. “We’re still here. If that object was meant to destroy us then I suspect it would have already done so.”

Hayes conceded that point, but Reed wasn’t convinced. “What if it’s a Xindi delivery device for a bio-weapon?”

Archer had to admit that it had occurred to him. “That’s why I want this deck sealed off from the rest of the ship. If anything happens…fall back.”

“But Captain…” Reed said trying to press the argument.

“You have your orders…Lieutenant,” said Archer making it clear that the discussion was over.

“Aye sir,” replied the armory officer.

Reed went over the wall unit just inside the hanger deck entrance. Punching in his security code, he sealed off all air vents and access doors save the main entrance.

“Hangar Deck secure.”

“Alright, take up positions and cover me,” said Archer. “If anything goes wrong get the hell out of here….and no heroics…from either of you…understood?”

Archer gave both men a hard look and they both grudgingly acknowledged the order.

Archer started down the staircase slowly, watching the silver object as he look each step. Looking at it up close like this, convinced him even more that it was a ship of some kind. It was about half the size of a shuttle pod.

Archer exited the staircase and continued to move closer to the ship. He had not Taken a phase pistol with him and was feeling foolish for not having done so. ”You’re no good if your dead, Jon.” he thought to himself.

Suddenly, his attention snapped to the end of the ship. He had heard a noise, almost like a seam being broken. Looking towards the end of the ship, he could now see lines forming where only smooth surface had just been. When the lines finished, they made an almost perfect rectangle. Before Archer could consider what the lines were, the surface within them went opaque and dark billows of smoke emerged.

The security detail immediately tensed and Reed called out. “Captain!”

Archer waved the armory officer to remain where he was. Peering through the dense cloud of smoke he could see movement. Tensing his muscles ready to fight if he had to the captain saw the silhouette of whoever was occupying this ship…for it must be a ship. Archer moved a step closer as he saw the figure stumble towards the edge of what was obviously a sophisticated entrance.

The figure stood in the entranceway for a moment. Archer still couldn’t see anything more than a dark silhouette inside the craft. Then suddenly the figure fell forward, collapsing in the captain’s arms. Looking up in Archer’s stunned face the pilot said one thing before passing out.

“Permission to come aboard, Captain.”

Archer hefted the man up as he stopped him from falling to the deck. He could feel a wet mass pressing against his uniform and saw a green liquid running down the man’s arm…Blood! thought Archer and he instantly reacted pulling out his communicator.

Hayes and Reed were already down the stairs heading for Archer by the time he pulled out his communicator. Hayes was the first to arrive and stood over Archer stunned at what he saw. Before the man could say anything, Reed pushed him out of the way as he heard Archer’s voice.

“Medical Emergency, Doctor Phlox to the hangar deck!”

Looking down, he gasped as he saw his captain was holding in his arms…it was the lifeless body of Captain Jonathan Soma.



Continue to Chapter 4

Return to Chapter 2

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Half a dozen of you have made comments

Oooohhh, this is getting better and better every second! Can't wait for more!

Wow, that was good! I loved T'Pol's reflexes, so cool under pressure too. I wonder what Soma was doing and can't wait for the next part. Would also love to see more of Trip. Ali D :~)

Excellent! That part with Enterprise being tossed around was like no other that I've ever read. Can't wait to see how everyone reacts to this... Keep it up!

Yes!!!! Keep writing please! I love how he gets there!

Ok, i was confused at first, I was reading about suliban on a trip and t'pol site during season three, so i didn't read anymore but i'm getting it now, and I love it.

Jonathan Soma is a great character. I hope he ain't really dead!