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Enemy of the State-Ch 14

Author - Quills
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Enemy of the State

By Quills

Contact: the_quill_pen@yahoo.com
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 angst, drama, romance, humor, action/adventure
Summary: The starship Enterprise is on a desperate mission to save Earth from the mysterious Xindi. While searching for the weapon the Xindi intend to use against Earth, Captain Archer and his crew are reunited with their friend from the future, Captain Soma, who brings news of an even more sinister plot by a Xindi faction involving the Vulcans, which threatens not only Earth, but the entire galaxy. Now it is up to Archer and his crew, with the help of Soma, to unravel the Xindi plot and prevent Earth and the galaxy from falling at the feet of their greatest threat…Vulcan .
***Special note: This story takes place after the season three episode, “Carpenter Street,” but before the episode “Harbinger”.

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Chapter 14


Trip Tucker watched in horror as Soma was pulled out the cave opening. He could see the Vulcan flailing wildly, desperately trying to grab hold of something to stop his movement. But Tucker could also see the effort was useless. As jagged as the cave walls were, there wasn’t any handholds or outcroppings for Soma to grab hold of. In moments, the Vulcan would be pulled out of the cave and into the waiting maw of the ‘meg’.

“Jonathan!” Tucker shouted frantically through his communicator as his mind raced. What could he do? His own air supply was rapidly escaping his harness. He would never have enough air to mount a rescue and even if he did, how could he hope to stop the creature.

Struggling to stand, his eyes darted frantically, stopping suddenly on a dark silhouette lying on the cave floor. The UCR! he realized, reaching down to pick up the MACO rifle. It occurred to him that Soma must have laid it down when he had tried to free him from the tangled guide rope.

With the UCR in hand, Tucker pushed off the jagged cave bottom, propelling himself towards the cave opening. Bolting through the water, he reached for his web belt, fumbling for one of the pouches.

“Come on,” he said, watching a continuous trail of bubbles leave his harness. “I know it’s there, dammitt! I packed it.”

Reaching into the pocket, his fingers grasped at empty space. Had the contents spilled out when he was dragged down the cave? He couldn’t go back to look. Pressing his fingers deep into the pouched, he made one last effort to find the object he desperately needed. His fingers stretched and touched metal. Grasping in relief around the cylindrical object, Tucker pulled it from his pouch.

Holding the MACO rifle in the crook of his arm, he used his now free hand to tear off the cap on the cylinder. Turning the cylinder upside down, he jab the short end into his arm, feeling a pricking sensation on his skin. The emergency tri-ox compound flowed through his veins.

Tri-ox was normally used in emergency situations. It gave a diver a few extra minutes of breathing time if his air supply ran out. As long as the diver kept water from entering his lungs, the tri-ox would feed the body the necessary ‘chemical oxygen’ equivalent.

Reaching the cave opening he looked out into the open basin. Soma was nowhere to be seen. He was too late! That sea devil had pulled his friend out and made short work of him before Tucker could get to him. Gritting his teeth in anger, Tucker pushed himself from the cave opening and into the open basin. That monster may have killed his friend, but Tucker swore Soma would have company if it were up to him.

Looking across the basin, Tucker could see the yellow and red striped sea grass they had used to cover their earlier movement. Scanning the darker water for any sign of the ‘meg’, Tucker gripped the handle of the MACO rifle. He was scared. He didn’t have a death wish, but he wasn’t about to let his friend’s death go unavenged.

A sudden movement in his peripheral vision caused Tucker to react. Raising his weapon, he turned and pointed in the direction he had detected the movement. Breathing steadily he looked for any further movement. For a long tense moment, he waited and watched.

Suddenly a section of sea grass parted at the far end of the basin. The sleek gray form of the meg, shot out of the tall sea grass like a torpedo. Tucker barely had time to react as the meg came speeding for his position. Throwing himself down to the basin floor, he made his body go completely flat as the rush of sea current moved over him. The large predator sped over him rapidly. Glancing up, he could see the neon guide rope attached to the creature’s mouth. He had been right. He had hoped…prayed he had been wrong and that some how Soma had escaped.

Tucker’s eyes followed the tattered guide rope from the meg’s mouth down past it’s sleek body to…

“Jonathan!” he shouted as he saw the body of Captain Soma being pulled through the water. Pushing himself off the sandy floor, he keyed his communicator. “Jonathan, can you hear me?”

Getting no response, Tucker strained to see Soma’s form as he was pulled behind the meg. He couldn’t see any sign of movement or struggle. What he did see caused his fear and anxiety to return, a light-green smear on the inside of Soma’s faceplate. Blood.

Frantically, he swam across the basin, following the meg. Soma was alive and Tucker wasn’t going to give up on him. He wasn’t sure if the meg realized Soma was on the other end of its dental floss. Watching the meg zig zag through the water he saw in horror that the big fish was indeed aware.

Banking sharply, the meg caused Soma’s limp body to continue forward, crashing against the sandy bottom only to be violently jerked forward as the meg sped off in the opposite direction.

It’s playin’ with him! thought Tucker. Jeezus, I gotta cut 'em loose before that thing gets bored and decides to tear him to pieces.

Moving towards the meg, Tucker quickly realized that he wasn’t getting any closer. It was moving away from him and taking Soma with it. He needed to attract the meg’s attention and get it to come back in his direction. Looking down at his rifle, a sly grin formed on his lips. Raising the rifle, he took aim directly at the meg.

“I hope yer right about this thing pissin’ him off, Jonathan.”

Pulling the trigger, the rifle recoiled violently sending Tucker falling backwards. He landed hard on the sea floor and the MACO rifle flew from his hands. Looking up, he saw what appeared to be a bubble heading towards the meg.

The big fish, sensing danger, turned suddenly in time to be hit squarely in whatever passed for its snout. The MACO rifle’s compressed water discharge struck the meg with a concussive blow causing it to fish tail wildly.

I think that did the trick, Tucker thought as he pushed off the sea floor. Raising his arms, he flailed frantically letting the angry fish know where the source of its annoyance had come from.

“Come on ya oversized sardine,” he shouted. “I’m over here. Don’t ya know a dinner bell when one slams ya in the face!”

The meg continued to thrash wildly in agitation. The MACO rifle had apparently caused it no injury, but had put the large fish in a frenzied state. Continuing to thrash, the creature turned in Tucker’s direction. Suddenly, and quite deliberately, the meg stopped. Remaining quite motionless in the water, it faced Tucker as it’s three black eyes focused on him.

“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”

Slowly, Tucker moved back. He watched the meg’s body begin to flex as it started to move forward. Tucker had been positively ‘made’ by the creature. Glancing to either side, he saw open basin. No where to run, he thought. Ok, ugly…

Reaching for his web belt, Tucker grasped the hilt of his knife. Pulling it from the scabbard, he waved the shiny metal blade through the water. “Come on! What the hell are ya waitin’ for? Come and get me!”

The meg stopped, its gray body floating a hundred meters from Tucker. Watching the tiny human standing in the open basin, the meg seemed almost disinterested for a moment; as if Tucker were no longer a worthwhile effort. Suddenly, the creature made a violent thrash propelling it forward, its body rippling a mass of hard muscles pushing it with lightening speed through the water.

Standing his grand, Tucker gripped his knife tightly. He couldn’t move, not yet. If the creature lost sight of him, it might change its direction and he would lose any chance of rescuing Soma. Swallowing hard, Tucker watched as the meg closed in on him. The creature, seconds away, was now racing across the basin with only a few meters of space between it and the ocean floor. Tucker suddenly realized his plan to drop to the floor and let the meg pass over him again wasn’t going to work. This fish was going to skim the floor and rip him to pieces in the process.

Frantically, Tucker looked for an alternative. The MACO rifle lay too far out of reach and the basin was wide open. His options were dwindling along with his time. The meg would be on top of him in a matter of seconds.

Suddenly a small trail of bubbles passed in front of Tucker’s faceplate; the last of his harness’ air supply dissolving in the water.

Seeing the meg was almost on top of him, he reached up as fast as his hands could move and opened the clamps on his harness. Pulling the air cabling free, he swung the harness around just as the creature slammed into him, it’s large jaws wide open.

Using the harness as a makeshift shield, Tucker pushed hard against it. The harness slammed into the creature’s snout, scraping against the razor teeth in it’s outstretched jaws. Fighting to keep the harness between him and the meg, Tucker shifted the plate as the creature propelled them both through the water.

Tucker, realizing that his tactic was only delaying the inevitable, gripped his side of the harness. Forcing what little strength he had left, into his arms, he pushed up and off the harness; sending him vaulting over the creature’s head and down its length as it continued forward.

Gripping his knife, Tucker reached out for the neon guide rope. Grasping at the rope, it thrashed out of reach from the creature’s movement. Seeing the futility in trying to grab the rope, Tucker twisted his body so the momentum carried him downward. Cutting through the water, he collided with a hard slam into Soma. Holding onto the Vulcan for dear life, Tucker gritted his teeth. His head began to spin. Either the impact had been harder than he thought or his tri-ox was running out.

Lifting his knife took all the focus and energy he could manage. His eyesight now blurry, Tucker forced his hand down on the guide rope. Slashing the knife blade across the rope, he struggled to remain conscious as he cut into the frayed rope.

Looking over at Soma, he struggled to focus. Looking into his faceplate, he could see the Vulcan’s eyes briefly open. “Don’t you die on me, mister! I’m getting us off this ride…now!”

Screaming into his faceplate, Tucker lifted his knife blade. Dragging it across the final cord of rope, the blade cut through, snapping the line in two. Soma and Tucker immediately fell away from the speeding meg as their momentum carried them at a down angle.

Both men hit the basin floor with a hard crash. Tucker, barely able to move, looked up
to see the meg circling back. It had worked and he had gotten Soma free. But now they were both easy targets on the ocean floor and Tucker could feel the last of the tri-ox compound fade from his system.

Struggling to get up, fell down, face first on the sandy bottom. He strained to see where the meg was, expecting the creature to be seconds away. Looking up, he caught the familiar site of three compressed weapons discharges striking the meg and sending it careening off its intended course.

The creature thrashed wildly as a second volley of compression fire struck it lengthwise. Tucker struggled to look behind him, but he didn’t have the strength. Turning his attention back to the meg, he watched as the creature made two more passes along the outer perimeter of the basin and then quickly darted back into the inky abyss from which it had come.

Smiling to himself, he wanted to thank whoever had shown up to save them, but his head dropped forward as he lost consciousness. He was finally out of air.


“Charles.”

Charles Tucker III groaned as he felt the aching throb in his head…both his arms…his back. In fact, he was certain there wasn’t one spot on his body that didn’t ache and on top of that he was hearing things. He actually thought he heard someone call his name.

“Charles?”

Someone was calling his name. It was sweet and pleasant, a feminine voice. His father used to tell him that angels would greet his soul when he died and take him to heaven.
Maybe he was in heaven. Opening his eyes, he focused on the first image that came into view.

“T’Pol?” he said in confusion. “Are you an angel?”

T’Pol arched her brow and frowned at the engineer. “What would lead you to believe that I am a mythical winged representative of one of your planet’s many deities?”

“Because I’m dead and you called me Charles,” he said with a weak smile. “So, I must be in heaven.”

“Or perhaps you are suffering from some form of psychosis,” she countered. “However, I assure you that you are not dead. We are in one of the submerged pressurized caverns.”

Tucker squinted and briefly looked around. They were in a relatively dry cave, with a small lagoon several meters from his feet. He decided that he was definitely not in heaven. “Ok, so I’m not in heaven and you’re no angel,” he said attempting to sit up. T’Pol placing her hand against his back, helped him into an upright position. “But ya still called me Charles,” he said grinning at her.

T’Pol swallowed slightly as a tinge of green bloom came to her cheeks. Before she could give a suitable response, he asked another question.

“The meg?” he said in confusion.

“Gone,” T’Pol replied curtly.

“It was you,” he said. “You fired the compression rifle.”

“Yes,” said T’Pol nodding her head slightly. “I heard you over the open communicator channel. Unfortunately, I did not arrive in time to stop you from attempting your rescue of the captain. All I could do was watch and wait for an opportunity to lend assistance.”

Tucker suddenly bolted to a standing position.

“Jonathan!”

T’Pol grabbed Tucker, forcing the man to stop. “Commander!” she said forcefully. “Captain Soma is alright.”

Tucker turned and looked at T’Pol. He face was calm and impassive, but with a slight sense of understanding. Releasing her grip on his arm, she gestured up the small lagoon shore. “He’s lying right over there.”

Rushing over to his friend, Tucker kneeled down next to the unconscious Soma. The Vulcan had his harness and helmet removed but was still wearing his wet suit.

“How?” was all Tucker could get out.

“After I the creature was driven off,” explained T’Pol. “I found you both unconscious on the basin floor. Since you were without your harness, I administered a dose of tri-ox compound. I then carried you and the captain back to the cave and into this pressurized cavern.”

Tucker looked at her as continued her recount of what had happened after he lost consciousness.

“I would have preferred returning to the surface, but I would not have been able to carry the both of you. So the cave was the next logical choice.”

Tucker shook his head, looking back at Soma. T’Pol studied him for a moment. She knew he was still concerned over their son’s well being.

“Vulcan physiology is quite resilient,” she commented. “He has suffered some heavy bruising along with a number of cuts and scrapes, but he will be fine.”

“What about the blood,” he said looking at the dry green blood caked around the center of Soma’s face. Before T’Pol could reply, a low moan came from Soma.

Tucker turned and leaning down placed his hands on the man’s shoulders. “Jonathan.”

Soma swallowed and his eyes began to flutter. “D-Dad?”

T’Pol looked down at her son in surprise. Glancing over at Tucker, she saw him shaking his head.

“Jonathan, it’s me, Chief Tucker.”

Opening his eyes, Soma looked up at Tucker. “Chief?” he said in a dazed and confused voice. “W-What happened?”

Tucker shook his head. “You almost wound up fish food,” he said smiling. “That’s what happened.”

Soma closed his eyes. “I remember…being dragged.”

“You were untanglin’ the line from my legs,” explained Tucker. “Ya got a bit tangled yourself and then that big fish started pullin’ on the other end. He dragged you out of the cave and banged you up pretty good in the bargain.”

Soma forced himself to open his eyes as he looked up at Tucker. “You…you came after me,” he said. “You saved my life.”

“Guess I did,” smiled Tucker. “But I can’t take all the credit. T’Pol saved us both. She sent that big fish packin’ with the compression rifle.”

Soma looked past Tucker and for the first time noticed T’Pol standing behind him. He gave her a weak smile as she looked back at him.

“Commander Tucker was able to free you from the creature,” explained T’Pol “Once the two of you were clear, I was able to use the compression rifle, which I had retrieved.”

“She gave me a shot of tri-ox and carried the two us here,” finished Tucker.

“Here…where are we?” asked Soma still confused.

“One of the pressurized caves we detected on Enterprise’s sensors,” replied T’Pol. “When you left to see what was keeping Commander Tucker, I continued scanning the tunnel system.”

Soma shook his head. ”But you said the mineral deposits were interfering with your scans.”

“They were,” she replied “However, I was able to filter out enough extraneous data to get a more accurate reading. If I had continued scanning with interference then I would quite probably have missed this opening. It was only a few meters away from our position.”

Soma took a deep breath. Looking up at both tucker and T’Pol, he smiled. “Good work…both of you…I-I…”

T’Pol looked down at Soma. “You’re not going to get emotional, are you?”

“Captain’s prerogative,” he laughed and then winced. Placing his finger along the edge of his nose, he could feel bruising along with some swelling. “Oh crap, I think I broke my nose.”

“Yes,” said T’Pol. “That is what accounts for the blood on your face and on the inside of your helmet.”

Soma shook his head as he held his nose. “I vaguely remember getting my face slammed into it.”

“Your lucky that’s all ya broke,” said Tucker.

“I’ll have Phlox take care of it when we get back,” he said. “Right now, we need to…”

You need to remain where you are,” said T’Pol. “Both of you. I will investigate this cavern and determine if it connects with any others.”

Soma wanted to protest, but he just didn’t have the energy. Shaking his head, he agreed. “Take a phaser with you and be careful,” he told her. “I don’t want you wandering to far.”

“I believe I have the situation well in hand, Jonathan.”

Trip smiled at her and looked down at Soma. “I’ll make sure he stays out of trouble.”

T’Pol arched her brow. “But who will make sure that you stay out of trouble.”

Before Tucker could respond, T’Pol walked over to her equipment bag. Pulling out a phase pistol, a flashlight and her portable scanner, she headed into the deeper recesses of the cavern.

Once she left their site, Tucker turned to Soma. “I think she’s enjoying this.”

“Careful Chief, she can still hear you.”

Tucker chuckled and sat back as Soma closed his eyes. T’Pol had been right. Neither of them was in any kind of shape to go exploring. Once she returned, they would have to contact Enterprise and appraise Archer of the situation.

“Cap’n, can I ask you something personal?”

Soma’s eyes remained closed but he nodded his head. “Go ahead.”

“What was your father like?”

”My father?” said Soma opening his eyes in surprise.

“I don’t mean ta pry,” said Tucker. “It’s just that ya called out to him when we tried to revive ya.”

Soma looked down at the rocky cavern floor. This was a topic he had managed to sidestep in the past. He wanted to tell Tucker who he was. But he also knew he had no right burdening the man with his future. Now, apparently he had inadvertently said something that piqued the man’s curiosity.

“He was…” Soma started, pausing to choose the right words. He didn’t want to give his father any further reason to speculate, but he also wanted to convey how he truly felt about him. He might not be able to embrace Tucker as his father, but he could certainly let him know what meant to him. “He was always there when I needed him…watching over me…keeping me safe. He was very human…sometimes a bit more than my mother preferred, but he loved us both and…and I miss him very much.”

Trip looked at Soma as the words sunk in. For some reason, they seem to mean more to him than they should. He wasn’t sure why. It was as if he felt a connection to Soma on a level he couldn’t explain, a hidden meaning just beyond his reach.

The two men remained quiet for several minutes. They each needed rest and talking about Soma’s father didn’t seem like it was a subject that was conducive to resting.
They would wait for T’Pol’s return and then plan their next strategy once they had contacted the Enterprise.

“Captain!”

Tucker and Soma both turned at the sound of T’Pol’s voice. They could see her coming back towards them from the darkened cave recess she had entered several minutes earlier.

“Everything all right?” asked Soma.

“I believe so,” said T’Pol. “I have found the Preserver’s technology.”




Chapter 15

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

Oh, oh, oh! Quills, this is the best chapter yet... sure, Trip, ignore the sparkling blue eyes right in front of you, ignore the weird sense of humor and the brilliant mind, and ask: “What was your father like?” WOW! WOW!

Glad I'm not Soma... I'd have spilled the beans. I wonder if T'Pol overheard, as her family's conversation echoed through the caverns? I'm sure it filled her heart if she did! WOW!

Thanks, Quills!

nikitee...

Yep, Trip has what I call the "Lois Lane
complex". Soma's 'disguise' is about as effective as Superman's glasses and yet Trip is the last person to have any suspicions. Lets see...

Man has thing for Vulcan female...Man is only human to interact with Vulcan female on any kind of 'intimate' level...half Human/half Vulcan Starfleet guy from the future just showwwwwws up...knows the guy will be born in a few years...
half Vulcan has more personal relationship with Vulcan female and engineer than the rest of the crew...nooooo...nothing odd there. ;)
Q

There's only one word for this... "Perfect!" I think that says it all. This was just perfect. Can't wait for the next chapter!

OKAY, I HAVE TO WRITE IT:

A slow smile spread over the engineer's face.

"Commander Tucker, did you hear me?"

Tucker stared at the wallscreen screen, then down to T'Pol on the biobed, and closed his eyes. "I heard ya, Doc."

"For someone who has just found out he's going to be a father, and that his son is healthy and thriving, you're surprisingly quiet. Why, when I confirmed that my second wife, Crenda, was expecting our first--"

"Ya went right out, and put him on the waiting list for Starfleet Academy..."

"Actually, Commander, my first offspring was a daughter -- my lovely Reeeka -- and she went to medical school on--" the ship's physician rattled on as he sharpened the scanner resolution to allow a better view of the wiggling fetus hidden below the still-flat plane of his mother's abdomen.

Tucker opened his eyes, and reached for T'Pol's hand. "...an' named him for yer commanding officer and his maternal fourth-forefather."

"Fourth forefather?"

"Soma, son of T'Mir."

Very nice nikitee :) Maybe I should give up writing and let you take over the Captain Soma adventures.

Just to let you know...Trip WILL find out who his son is...one day. It's already decided which story, when and how. I liked your family setting
for his revelation...but the actual scene he finds out in is far removed from that very pleasent setting. Keep reading.
Q

Oh, what a most wonderful, wonderful chapter! You´ve left me breathless! Wow, wow, wow! Great action and descriptions! Thanks!

I know, Quills! The muse just grabbed me and shook me around a bit! :) Can't wait to read the rest of the TRUE ADVENTURES OF SOMA...

AWESOME!!!

AWESOME!!!

Great chapter. Love the dialogue and the rapport between Soma and Trip. A pleasure to read!

This is great! Keep it coming!

I just *adored* this to bits! Absolutely loved all the drama and tension with the meg and Trip trying to save Soma, then T'Pol having to save them both! I chuckled even as I was cheering, honest I did. As for Trip not realising the truth that Soma is really his son, I can see that actually - after all you would expect your son to be quite a bit younger than you and certainly not a Captain and your superior officer. Sometimes hiding something in plain sight is far more effective than under layers and layers of subterfuge and camoflage netting. Can't wait for the next part and a million thanks for this one. I simply love this whole story series to pieces. Hugs, Ali D :~)

Can't wait for the next chapter and for that special chapter...Quills...when you reward your faithful readers with the moment we all been waiting for...when Trip kinds out who Soma really is!!!!

Great chapter! Action was great. "D-Dad?" Silly Trip. It doesn't even sound like he has any suspicions yet. He's quick to notice everything, except for when it directly involves him. At least you're going to take pity on him and let him find out. But the question is whether or not someone will tell him. Can't wait for the next chapter!