The Sacrifice - Ch 8

The Sacrifice

By Triplover

Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of this stuff, I simply like to write… that’s all, it’s all about the writing! Besides, if I was the owner of all this stuff then I’d probably have money in my pocket but alas… I do not!

Chapter Eight

Shadows

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

Jonathan Archer looked out at the stars before falling to his bed and feeling Porthos jump up to lick him. Jon shook his head. “Not now boy.” The dog seemed to sense his master’s despair and curled up next to him letting his head fall to Jon’s leg. It let out one small and very human sigh. Jon looked down at the dog, scratching him behind the ears. “I’m sorry, boy… I just miss him. I bet you do too, huh? I know for a fact he was sneaking you cheese.” The dog looked up at him, looking as innocent as he could be. The look seemed to force Jon to smile but the smile went away as fast as it had come. It was then that he heard the chime. “Come.”

The doors opened and Sub-Commander T’Pol walked in. He could tell right away that she was in distress. The realization hit him hard. T’Pol had been in love with Trip. The kisses, the looks… it was all there. She had loved him, and she had lost him. “Captain I… was unable to meditate. I thought perhaps that you could help me.”

“How so?”

“You are human. Am I correct to assume you have dealt with loss before with people you cared about?” she asked. He gestured for her to take a seat and she took it.

“Many times.”

“How do you deal with the emotions that come with that loss?”

He could tell she was confused. Vulcans didn’t deal with such feelings the same way Humans did. The emotions she must have been feeling had to be pretty powerful to break down her Vulcan mask. He could see the pain in her eyes. They mirrored his eyes. “Trip once told me that death is the one thing that a person never gets over. He said it was like a pain in your chest that you would feel everyday, and that the pain never really went away. It would only dull with time. He called time the enemy and the best friend of a person. It will help you get through something painful one minute then help destroy you the next. I wasn’t quite sure what he meant by that until now.”

“I do not understand.”

Archer shifted on the bed and looked her straight in the eyes. “There isn’t really any way to deal with loss, T’Pol. It will always be there with you. You just have to wait and as time goes by the pain will get less and less. There’s really nothing else you can do.” he explained to her. She said nothing for a long time.

“I am Vulcan, Captain… I do not experience such pain. I simply wished to know how you deal with such a circumstance.” He knew instantly it was a lie. Why would she lie to him?

==

Malcolm Reed downed yet another cup of whisky as he looked at nothing but stars. He couldn’t believe Trip was gone. He couldn’t believe that his best friend was dead. And perhaps he never would. “He wasn’t supposed to die. Not yet. Not now when we needed him most.” The words pierced his heart even more as he poured himself another shot. He downed that one just as fast and closed his eyes. What in the world were they going to do now?

==

Travis Mayweather walked somberly down the corridor wondering why Hoshi had asked him to come to her quarters. He could sense something in her voice and knew it had something to do with the Commander’s death. But why ask for him? It wasn’t until he walked to the door and saw the door open after he buzzed himself in that he got his answer. There standing before him was Hoshi; tears streaming down her beautiful face. He moved inside her quarters and held her tightly as her face fell to his shoulders and she cried even more. He felt his throat close up just hearing her cry. “It’s okay Hoshi. Everything will be okay,” he whispered to her but knew it was all a lie. If only the Commander knew just how much the crew needed him… now more than ever.

==

The doctors looked down at the body before them. “He is not Roelorian… this will be difficult," Doctor Prowen reminded the other doctors. They all nodded and took their places over the body. Prowen could feel the tensions rise as he took out the implant. It was the size of a fingernail and just as thin but was more important than any other tool a person could have after such an event as the one that had just occurred on Roelor. Time was running out. They had to act before it was too late. Doctor Prowen looked down at the dead body one last time feeling his body tense with nervousness. This would be difficult but if done right… they would make history. He sucked in a breath and then looked at the other doctors. “Okay… let’s begin. We have exactly three hours left. I suggest we work fast.”

==

“Are you gonna be okay, T’Pol?” Archer at last found himself asking.

T’Pol looked back up into his eyes. “I am Vulcan.”

Did she actually think she could hide her true feelings from him? “T’Pol… everyone mourns in their own way. But ignoring your feelings won’t help things.”

“I have no feelings to ignore.”

He laughed mockingly at her. “Are you kidding me? I know you a little better than that, T’Pol! I saw how you looked when he died. You were near tears!” His accusation seemed to push T’Pol even further in her Vulcan mask.

“You were mistaken.”

“No I wasn’t! I saw you! I could see your eyes! You can’t hide from me T’Pol, just like you couldn’t hide from Trip. I heard you tell him goodbye. I saw him kiss you. I could hear the desperation in your voice. It’s not a crime to be in love.”

T’Pol’s eyes shot him a glare that would make any man’s knees crumble. “Vulcans do not allow themselves to fall… in love Captain. They don’t allow themselves to develop an emotional attachment towards another in this way. His kiss meant nothing to me… it was simply that a kiss that I allowed him to have because he was going to die.” He could see her trying to get hold of her anger.

Archer took in a deep breath.

“Then why are you wearing the necklace he gave you with the engagement ring?” For some reason all he wanted was to see some kind of emotion from her. See something that showed him that it wasn’t just him that was feelings so rotten over Trip’s death. He hated to admit it but it was the truth. He was trying to be anything but what he was. Anger was so much easier to feel than despair. It was strange that he would push the issue on her feelings for Trip at a time like this but he was upset. He seemed to be just looking for a fight. Why was he acting like such an ass? They both stared at each other for what seemed like forever. No one dared to say more. Finally T’Pol’s control appeared once again. Archer could feel the room become colder somehow.

“It is to honor a colleague… nothing more,” she answered then got up and walked away. “Perhaps it was a bad idea to come here. I apologize for disturbing you. Goodbye Captain.” At that, she was gone.

Archer let out the sigh he had held in and stood as he watched the door close behind her. “Good going… now you’ve just pushed her away even further. You certainly have a knack with Vulcans, don’t you Jon.” He mumbled to himself, looking at Porthos who was also looking out at the door where T’Pol had just gone through. The dog whimpered. “God I miss Trip.”

==

His nostrils flared as oxygen entered his nose through the passage provided until it reached the lungs. It all came in a rush as if he hadn’t breathed in a while. His eyes opened wide along with his mouth. He gasped as his brain began to function once again. His entire body reacted as he began to move on the bed. He sat up while trying to breathe more air into his lungs. His mouth and nose worked together until he was breathing normally. A hand lay on his bare shoulder. He looked around blinking in confusion.

Doctor Prowen smiled down at his patient. “Welcome back to the living, Commander Tucker.”

==

The human had fallen asleep not but a few minutes after life was returned to him. Doctor Prowen watched him in shadow in his new quarters. The moon shown through his window and onto the sleeping man to whom Prowen watched intensely. He found the human perplexing, so fragile yet so strong. Prowen had not been sure that the surgery would work. The human was already in a weakened state from lack of nutrition. His body was beaten so much that Prowen wondered how the human had stayed alive long enough for his execution.

It was sad really. The human had done nothing wrong, and yet he had been the one to pay. The poor man was alive, but even then he seemed half dead. He would probably never recover fully from the experience. No one ever did; this human was no different. The human moved in the large bed. Soon he’d have to be given clothes. He would also have to be told the truth about why he had to suffer. It would not be an easy discussion but he knew the man to explain what is going on would be the best for the job.

Doctor Prowen took one last glance at the human and left. He should rest for awhile before being bothered with the problems of this life. In an hour he would be woken up and told what he needs to know. In the meantime, Prowen would get some rest himself. Tomorrow would be a big day.

==

Trip Tucker moved back and forth on the bed until finally he awoke to a darkened room. He took in a breath just as he took in the surroundings before him. Where was he? What happened? His memory slowly returned showing shouts of pain along with feelings of fear. The memories flooded back. Enterprise. Captain Archer giving him a nod. He could see the golden necklace holding the engagement ring, the one he’d given to T’Pol. Trip Tucker jumped up, eyes wide in shock. My god! What’s happening to me?!

His heart beat faster and faster as he looked around while trying to understand how it was possible for him to be alive. Unless this was some type of afterlife… could that be it? It couldn’t be! It was then that he noticed he was in a room. A window sat across from him.

Trip jumped out of bed. “Hello? Where am I? What’s going on here?! Hello!” he shouted. Soon through the dark he was able to find the door. He tried to open it but it was locked. He banged on the door. “Hello!”

A second later the door opened and a young man stood before him. “You called?”

“What the hell is goin’ on here? Where am I? What am I doing here?” It was then that he felt the strange coldness on his skin. The hairs on the back of his neck stood as he felt the strange metal on his neck behind his ear. “What did you people do ta me?”

The young man frowned. “Take it easy, Commander Tucker. You should sit down… then I will explain what has happened to you.”

==

T’Pol walked onto the bridge and to her post without saying a word. It was morning on Enterprise and she wanted to get an early start. The captain was probably still in his quarters after their talk only an hour ago. The night shift was still on duty for another hour so she did her work in silence. Her talk with the captain had made her realize just how bad things had gotten. She no longer could meditate. Her control over her emotions was weakening more and more. It had been for some time now. Starting with the day she met Tucker.

She did not like his effect on her. He could even move her to feel such intense emotion even without being with her. His death had brought her closer to losing control than anything else had. It was disturbing. T’Pol closed her eyes. Could she not go one minute without thinking of the Commander? He was dead… why was she still thinking of him?

T’Pol looked down at the necklace that hung around her neck. She missed Charles Tucker more than anything. She would have to get him out of her mind before she lost all control of herself. This was beginning to really worry her. T’Pol’s eyes opened at that thought. Worry? Another emotion.

==

Trip Tucker sat in reflection as the shadows cast by moonlight from the window danced across his face. Blinds covered some of the window but he looked through them in the gaps. He could still feel the coldness of his death along with the darkness that covered him like a blanket. He could still remember the feel of air coming back into his lungs as he gasped. The feelings terrified him.

He’d been dead for almost ten hours. Ten hours. Another record he believed, but this one was one record he wished he hadn’t made. The memories of what had happened haunted Trip's thoughts. The scars from his whippings had not been removed. They could raise him from the dead but not remove the scars. But that was because the Roelorians wanted them there. There was nothing anyone could do. They’d be with him for the rest of his life along with the memories that came with them.

His mind tried hard to process what he’d been told by the doctors who’d awaken him from death. Shivers ran down his spine almost every second since he’d been revived. Trip's normal body temperature still wasn’t normal. But the doctors had promised that it would return in time. He’d taken at least ten showers just trying to remove the strange feeling of his skin… something he was told he’d feel for awhile because of the radiation in his bloodstream. The radiation had two functions. First it would shut down the brain and for nearly ten hours put his body in a suspended state by creating some sort of field around his brain, which was how they were able to revive him. After ten hours though the field would fade and his body would have had no hope after that.

Trip knew that to Enterprise it was morning, but he’d been on the planet so long that his body was now used to the new time zone, yet he just couldn’t sleep. He’d had about ten hours ‘sleep’ already anyway. It might not have been the same, but Trip was sure that he didn’t want to sleep again for a while. He didn’t want to lie down. He didn’t even want to think about sleep. He just wanted to try and figure out what was happening to him.

His thoughts centered on the moment when air filled his lungs for the first time since his execution. Trip had never been so terrified in his life to see people standing over him when the last memory he’d had was of darkness swallowing him whole as he stood in front of the crowds of people who’d called for his death. The memory haunted him. He could still hear the sounds of people shouting. He could still feel the slight breeze. He could still feel the intense pain as their radiation attacked his body and shut down his brain.

Trip moved his right hand to the back of his neck where a small piece of metal was attached. The implant was the size of a fingernail and it was the only thing keeping him alive. When the radiation went into his body it attacked both his pain centers while the rest shut down his brain as if shutting off a light in a room. The thought brought shivers down his spine. The implant that they’d given him protected his body and kept it in working order until the remainder of the radiation would dissipate. The doctors said the implant suppressed the radiation from working since it was a technically enhanced by some scientist. The doctors also said it could be removed in about two days. Until then if he removed it the radiation still lingering in his body would again shut his brain down and since the field had already been unstable when they gave him the implant it wouldn’t be reactivated when the radiation began to work again. He didn’t quite understand what they were talking about but he had gotten that much.

He slowly took his hand away from the back of his neck and folded his arms while focusing on the world outside his window. Trip missed Enterprise and the feel of the warp core pulsing around him as he would get ready to sleep since it helped him get some rest after a long day.

The doctors had told him nothing more. He’d asked for answers but no one would give him any. They simply told him what they did to him and shoved him into the room he was now in. He’d never been so lonely in his entire life. He missed his friends… he missed his family. He just wanted to go home.

Trip had tried hard to sleep but his mind was still working hard on the last few days. It was then that he heard the sound of the door creek open. His eyes dashed over to look and see who it was that had come in but could only make out a shadowy figure in the dark room. “Who are you?” he asked the shadow.

The man kept in the shadows not answering his question but instead asking his own. “Do you remember anything? Do you remember what happened to you?”

Trip thought a moment then looked down at himself. “The doctors already went through this with me. And yes I remember what happened… kinda hard not to.” He answered. What was this man here for?

“At times memory of a person’s past fades somewhat hours after being revived. I was simply making sure your memory was still intact since last you were spoken to about your situation,” he told him and stepped out of the shadows. Trip lifted an eyebrow much like T’Pol would do at what he’d said. He was getting uncomfortable in this strange place and the stranger before him was not helping. “I have much to explain, Commander Tucker.”

Trip cocked his head. “Who are you?” he asked again hoping that he’d answer this time.

And he did.

“I am Ambassador Vassion.”

Continue to Chapter 9

Return to Chapter 7

Back to Fan Fiction Main Menu

Have a comment to make about this story? Do so in the Trip Fan Fiction forum at the HoTBBS!

Half a dozen of you have made comments

"Trip missed Enterprise and the feel of the warp core pulsing around him as he would get ready to sleep since it helped him get some rest after a long day..."

*gasp*
Now that's a metaphor! :))

Great story. I love the way T'pol is confused (as always) by her emotions for Trip, even in death. She just needs to realize that loving Trip is like riding a big wave. *giggle* It's better if you don't fight it, and just enjoy the rise and fall, and ultimate thrill. :)) OK, OK, this story is awesome!!!

Hugs and Kisses!
XOXOXOXOXO

Excellent, this story just gets better and better. I admit to wanting to shake Archer for the way he spoke to T'Pol. And Trip, what is going to happen to him now? Did they save him to let him go or for some purpose of their own? Can't wait to see what happens next, Ali D :~)

I have a habit of doing this... But I haven't read it all, and I think they're going to revive him!!!!!!!! I think my tears have stopped falling.

My jaw just dropped. That's crazy. You are an excellent writer. I mean, whoa! Isn't that guys supposed to be dead? This is crazy.

I had a feeling from your last chapter that the guy in the robe was Ambassador Vassion. Not dead either,hmmm!. What does he want with Trip and how could he have put him through such a terrible ordeal. I hope he has a very good explanation. Please update as soon as you can. Thank you.

I had a feeling from your last chapter that the guy in the robe was Ambassador Vassion. Not dead either, hmmm!! What does he want with Trip and why did he put him through such a terrible ordeal. I hope he has a very good explanation. Please update as soon as you can. Many thanks.