The Sacrifice - Ch 9

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 Nine

Mystery

Guard Kalore smiled as he walked through the corridors towards Judge Corrow’s workstation. It was late but Kalore knew the Judge would be there. The door opened and he bowed his head slightly to show respect. But he felt no respect for this man. He was wrong to kill Commander Tucker and now he would soon pay for his mistakes… and his treason.

“Judge Corrow. I have just had a talk with the undertaker… it seems that Commander Charles Tucker’s body has gone missing,” he said. He left out the part where the undertaker complained about being knocked unconscious and awaking to find Commander Tucker’s body was no where to be seen.

Judge Corrow’s eyes flashed in anger as his head snapped up. “What?!”

“Sir, the undertaker has looked everywhere for the body. It is gone.” He tried to keep the smile from showing on his face. That would surely get him into trouble.

“Have your teams search for it! I want that body Kalore! Find it or I will have your head!” Kalore simply lifted an eyebrow at this. He wasn’t worried. The threat meant nothing to him. He was not afraid of the Judge unlike so many others.

“What should I tell Captain Archer, Judge? He is the one that has requested the body,” Kalore pointed out. Judge Corrow’s anger disappeared as annoyance took over.

“Tell him what you have told me. Then assure him that we are doing whatever we can to find it,” the judge ordered.

Kalore again bowed his head and left. It wouldn’t be long now. Soon they would return Commander Tucker alive to his commanding officer and explain to him just what Judge Corrow has been up to.

==

Judge Corrow took in a deep breath as he turned on his monitor and watched a Xindi reptilian appear before him. “What is it, Corrow?!” The Xindi asked.

“There’s been a small problem. The undertaker cannot find the body.”

“I want that dead body, Corrow, or I will settle for yours! Time is running out Corrow! Bring him to me! Do not disappoint me.” The reptilian looked with only hate at Corrow and the judge felt himself redden. That Xindi never did make him feel comfortable in their agreement when the man was so content on threatening him every time there was a problem.

“Do not worry. I will fix this. You will have the body to you soon. Uh… may I ask what you want of it?” he then found himself asking.

“No you may not! Just find the body and send it to me! That is all you need worry about Corrow!” At that the screen went blank. Corrow was starting to wonder if this deal he’d made with the Xindi was really a good idea. What could the Xindi possibly want with the human dead body?

==

Captain Archer stood on the bridge thinking. He’d ordered Travis to prepare to leave orbit. Not but a few hours ago he’d gotten word that the planet had somehow lost Trip Tucker’s body. Jonathan wasn’t about to wait forever for it… not with his mission being as important as it was. He’d wanted to at least have a funeral for his dear friend but it seemed not even that would be possible. He never wanted to see the Roelorians again. He wanted to continue on their mission. He wanted to find the Xindi and stop them from destroying Earth and then he wanted to go back home.

He missed Trip more than he ever thought he would. His dreams were haunted of old times when the two would get themselves into trouble back before Jon had made captain. Poker games on Jupiter station. Double dating. Knocking back a few beers while complaining about how stubborn the Vulcans were. He remembered laughing as Trip tried desperately to figure out what Rudy wanted to name her children. Good times. Those times were now long gone but always alive in his memory.

Jon hated the mission he now found himself in. He’d lost his best friend to this mission. He’d lost Sim to this mission. He’d lost so many others because of the mission. He’d never hated anything more. He wished for the times he used to have when Enterprise was still exploring. And now he was loosing everything and it was all because of the temporal cold war. If the future would just keep its nose out of other people’s centuries then maybe things would be different. Then he’d be exploring and meeting new races instead of on a mission to save humanity. Time travel was beginning to be a pain. He got headaches just thinking about it.

Hoshi Sato’s console beeped and Archer's attention moved to her and away from his thoughts on the mission. “What is it Hoshi?” he asked.

Hoshi’s eyes moved rapidly back and forth as she looked at the data before her. She then looked up at him, a spark in her eyes that he’d not seen in a while.

==

Guard Kalore looked over his shoulder for what seemed to be the hundredth time before finishing the message to be delivered to Enterprise. He had to be watchful since the Xindi were tapping into all frequencies. It was the only way to contact Captain Archer without being detected. If he did it just right, they’d know what had happened by the message. Hopefully.

==

Hoshi cocked her head and sighed. “Uh… it’s a message… should I put it on screen?” she asked. Archer gave her the go ahead and the screen went black as white letters formed before them. Archer fell into his seat as everyone tried to hold back a gasp.

Commander Charles Tucker is alive

“Hoshi… find out who sent that message!” Archer ordered just before glancing over at T’Pol. Her eyes were fixed on the words before them all. Hope filled the captain as he looked back at the screen. Alive. God I hope this isn’t a trick! Archer thought to himself.

==

“You have got to be kidding me! You mean I was tortured and executed and you weren’t even dead?!” Trip yelled, his anger getting the best of him. The Ambassador simply lifted an eyebrow much like T’Pol would do when he lost it. His anger diminished at the thought.

“I am sorry, Commander Tucker. I did not wish for this to happen but if the Xindi found out I was still alive then they would surely kill me. I knew that you would be executed so I made arrangements for your revival. If I die then Enterprise will loose information that could be important to your mission.”

Trip cocked his head, information important to his mission? What could he possibly know? “What kind of information?” Trip asked.

Ambassador Vassion seemed relieved to know that he’d gotten Trip’s attention. He took a step closer and Trip soon realized the man had both his arms. But didn’t he lose one arm? Trip had seen it himself, the bloody arm lying on the ground. Was this man who he claimed to be?

“And what about your arm? I saw it lyin’ on the ground… it was yours.”

“I did lose an arm. But my race can grow back their appendages,” Vassion explained. “Commander, what do you know about the Xindi’s plans to destroy your world?”

“Not much. All we know is that they're plannin’ a bio weapon that’ll kill humanity. We found them hiddin’ in the twenty-first century buildin’ part of it. We were able to stop them though and take the components, but other than that… we have no idea where they are or when they're gonna deploy it.” he told the Ambassador.

“Part of the weapon was built here. Our planet gave them resources that they did not have.” The bombshell brought back the anger Trip had felt before.

“What?! Those sons of bitches! They set us up didn’t they?!” Trip’s outburst seemed to annoy the Ambassador somewhat but Trip could see some understanding in his eyes. The Ambassador understood how Trip felt and was trying to help. Trip again suppressed his anger. If T’Pol were with him she’d be nagging him about controlling himself. This man was trying to help them… he had to calm down.

“Our race and the Xindi are not allies but some are helping the Xindi. Judge Corrow made a deal with them.”

Trip tried to suppress his shock. “The Xindi wanted me dead?”

“Not you personally. Their target was going to be whoever reached the area first where I apparently ‘died’. They would then plant evidence and pay people to give a false witness. You and your female friend were the ones that came. They then took your hair follicles, skin cells and anything else in order to incriminate you. They set you up so that you would be executed because they knew you were important to Enterprise. If they had known your captain was there I’m sure they would have tried to incriminate him as well. They only wanted you since your friend was not human. The more important the person the better. Once you were dead Corrow had made plans to transport your body to them where they would be reviving you then pumping you for information in an interrogation room.” Trip felt a lump appear in his throat. They’d done all that just to kill him and then take him?

“I don’t get it… why not just shoot me and take me with them?” Trip asked.

Vassion smiled. “The Xindi are trying to hide from you. They think you’re the first wave of an invasion. They don’t want to be involved. That’s why they haven’t attacked you already and destroyed your ship. It would leave them out in the open. If you are the first wave they want to keep hidden in the shadows. By using my people to kill you they push the blame on us and not them,” he explained.

“That way they get to stay in the shadows. Your people would be the ones in trouble if we were an invasion force,” Trip finished. Ambassador Vassion nodded. “So by killin’ me they slow down Enterprise and they don’t get blamed. Enterprise would think I was dead and leave while they take information outta me. Smart bastards.”

“Judge Corrow has no idea what he has done. If you are an invasion wave… you could have decided to punish us for your death.”

Trip shook his head. “We just wanna save Earth… we’re not an invasion force.”

Vassion seemed to relax at what Trip had just told him. “Our people have been pestered by the reptilian Xindi for many years. Judge Corrow wished to stop this by helping them. But this is not our way. We do not get involved in other people’s affairs.”

Trip raised an eyebrow. “Then why did you help me? Why tell me all this if you believe your planet shouldn’t get involved in other people’s affairs?”

Vassion chuckled. “We have already gotten into other people’s affairs Mr. Tucker. I am simply trying to correct a wrong. Corrow has been trying to kill me for awhile now because I know all this and because I am against his decision to help the Xindi.”

Trip smiled kindly at the man before him. This wasn’t the enemy. This was a friend. Trip for some strange reason had a feeling he could trust him. “Call me Trip Ambassador. My friends call me Trip.”

The Ambassador seemed to smile much like Phlox would which warmed Trip’s heart. “Trip it is then. Please call me Vassion. Ambassador is far too formal for my taste.”

Trip nodded. “Vassion it is then.”

==

Doctor Prowen and Guard Kalore both stood outside Commander Tucker’s quarters waiting for the Ambassador to finish speaking with him. They’d been waiting for hours and when he finally came out them both smiled. “Well? How did it go?” Doctor Prowen asked. Vassion smiled.

“Good. Quite good,” he answered.

Kalore took a step closer. “I sent the message to Enterprise that the Commander was still alive but I do not know whether they will believe it.”

“They will at least investigate. The Xindi prevent us from contacting them now… we have done all we can do. In the meantime, I think there is more we can do for the humans. The Xindi base is not far from here… we could perhaps take information from their databanks that could be vital for their mission.” Vassion seemed determined to help them. Kalore was happy to help in any way but Prowen was concerned.

“We have set things right Ambassador… but we should not get involved. What if Corrow finds out what we have done? Or the Xindi?”

Vassion frowned. “We have been involved ever since Corrow made that deal with the Xindi. We must set things straight. The humans are simply trying to save their own world, they do not want to fight a war,” the Ambassador fought.

“But they could be the beginning of an invasion force. Should we take the risk? We do not know if we can trust the humans,” Prowen shot back.

Kalore decided it was time to step in. “I have talked to Commander Tucker. We can trust him.” Both Vassion and Prowen looked at Kalore. “I was his guard… he was willing to die to help his people. His cause is worth fighting for.” Vassion smiled and looked back at Prowen.

“Then it is settled. We will locate the Xindi base and get that information for the humans,” Vassion told them both. Kalore nodded while Prowen frowned.

==

“Someone sent that message… what do you mean you can’t find out who?!” Archer asked Hoshi in exasperation. Hoshi frowned.

“I just can’t sir. The signal’s gone… I can’t trace it. Whoever sent this… there’s a good chance they didn’t want to be traced,” she said.

“Why send a message like that and then cover your tracks?” Travis Mayweather asked from the helm. Archer looked over at him then back at Hoshi.

“Looks like we have a mystery on our hands. Can you at least trace it to see where it came from?” Archer asked her. Hoshi looked down at her controls and began to work. A minute later she looked back up at him.

“I can’t get an exact position but I did get something. It came from a continent in the northern region. I have the position right here but it’s very vague.”

“How vague?” asked Malcolm from across the room. Hoshi looked back at him.

“Let’s just say we’re talking about a search the size of Texas,” she informed Malcolm. Archer looked back at the look on Malcolm’s face. He didn’t look at all happy. Jonathan knew the feeling.

“We need to find out who sent this message. If there’s any chance that Trip’s alive….” His voice trailed off at the thought.

“It could be a trap Captain,” Malcolm warned. Jonathan gave him a slight smile.

“As I said before… if Trip’s alive… we have to find out Malcolm. T’Pol… I want you with me. Malcolm, you have command.” Archer and T’Pol began to walk to the turbolift.

“Sir! You’ll need a security team down there just in case it is a trap,” Malcolm said. Jonathan smiled and stepped into the turbolift backwards while looking at his security officer.

“And that’s why I’m going to bring a security team, Malcolm. Hayes’ people will come in handy if we find ourselves in a tight position,” Archer told him. The turbolift doors closed as Malcolm glowered.

“Hayes… why does he always bring Hayes?” he mumbled under his breath and fell into his seat with a sigh. He then looked at the message that was still on the screen. He would have done just fine in solving the mystery. He wanted to help… Trip was his friend. If he was alive… then Malcolm wanted to help get him back. Malcolm’s frown deepened. And if it was a trap… he wanted to be there too. Who knew what the Xindi had in their sick minds?

Continue to Chapter 10

Return to Chapter 8

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!

Four of you have made comments

And the excitement continues to build. Can't wait until Trip and T'Pol reunite. Don't keep us in too much suspense!

Great chapter, hope Archer finds Trip soon, hope he gives him a big hug. Poor Malcolm, pushed aside again for Hayes. Please update soon. Thank you.

Silly oblivious Archer. Why does he always push Reed to the side? And Reed's security team too?

Great chapter. So Trip is alive and kicking and mad as hell. (And what else is new?) I wonder how T'Pol is taking the news? I wonder how she took his (apparent) death. Keep it coming!

Loved this, can't wait to see what happens next. So good to find there is someone out there who actually wants to help our benighted heroes! Thanks and hoping for the next part soon,
Ali D :~)