1. Chapter One

Title: The River Runs Through it 2: Let's Do it Again   
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Warnings: swearing  
  
Codes: Tu/S, all  
  
Betad by: allie  
  
E-mail: frazzledmess@hotmail.com   
  
Note: Paramount owns it, I just got bored.   
  
Archiving: ask  
  
Chapter One:   
  
Sub-commander T'Pol stared at the PADD in her hand while sipping her tea. The captain ordered away teams to head down to a planet to collect plants that Dr. Phlox thought could make great breakthroughs in medical research.   
  
It had been 10 months since the Enterprise crew left the space claimed by the mysterious race known as The People   
  
Phlox suggested they visit the new planet. He wanted to see the sights and get some fresh air, something that the entire crew could benefit from His recommendation to the captain included having certain officers who tended to feel cooped up on the ship be among the first away teams. The lone Vulcan on board wanted to research the planet before going down to the planet.   
  
It was not that T'Pol felt confined on the ship, but someone had to lead one of the three away teams. The captain picked her to lead Team B, as Trip coined it. Each team consisted of four people. Two hours after Team A arrived on the surface, Team B would head down. Two hours after Team B went down, Team A would return and Team C would go to the planet. Two hours later, B would return and C would follow in another two hours. Once the plants were categorized and any necessary research completed, the ship would leave the system.  
  
T'Pol looked up just as she saw Reed approach and tap his feet to get her attention.   
  
"May I sit here, sub-commander" the Brit asked.   
  
She nodded and proceeded to return to her work, ignoring his human habits of eating.   
  
  
  
The ship shook as it entered the system. T'Pol set her PADD down and stood up, then peered out the windows. The space seemed hazy.   
  
Malcolm looked up from his plate and finished chewing the sandwich.   
  
"The captain says he didn't know there were anomalies in this system. That is probably what's causing the ship to shudder like it is," Malcolm told her.   
  
"Is that all that was found in the system?" T'Pol asked, turning to face the lieutenant.   
  
Reed nodded, "That's what Captain Archer was wondering. The crewman at your station confirmed it and then rescanned the planet; it's inhabited.   
  
T'Pol looked out the windows again. "How did we miss that the planet was inhabited?"   
  
Malcolm shrugged.   
  
"Probably because we scanned it with long-rang scanners. They're not always correct."   
  
The Vulcan nodded and sat down, returning to the PADD.   
  
"How far away are we from the planet?"   
  
"My guess is around twenty minutes," Reed replied as he finished up his lunch and left.   
  
***   
  
Captain Archer paced, like usual, on the bridge while waiting for a response from their hail. He kept looking to Hoshi, who replied with a simple shake of her head. Finally she announced.   
  
"Captain, we're being hailed from the planet below," Hoshi excitedly broke the silence. "Audio only."   
  
"Put it through."   
  
Static and then, "Welcome to the planet Farisha. Please enjoy your stay." Static. Nothing.   
  
Archer looked at Hoshi for answers.   
  
She slightly rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. "It was automated, sir."   
  
Archer sighed and leaned back.   
  
"Hail them again. I want to talk to the people not a robot."   
  
"Hailing them again, sir," Hoshi replied. "This could take awhile. I mean, we're right above the planet but it doesn't seem like they have much for communications. I doubt they have visual contact and I don't see any ships of any kind belonging to the inhabitants."   
  
Archer was curious and repeated the linguist's words, "Any ship belonging to the inhabitants?"   
  
"No, sir. There was a ship on the east side of the planet a moment ago. I didn't get a look at it, only heard muffled transmissions."   
  
"T'Pol?" Archer asked.   
  
"I did not get a good look at the vessel but I believe it is not more powerful than Enterprise," the Vulcan replied from the back.   
  
Archer nodded and waited for the aliens on the planet to answer their hails. He did not have to wait as long as Hoshi believed they would. Five minutes later, the view screen flickered and an alien with short black hair appeared. He looked in his thirties and had blue eyes. The alien seemed very human; the same bone structure and the same ears. But he had blue dots around his eyes that formed a point.   
  
"Hello," Archer greeted. "I'm Captain Archer of the Starship Enterprise. We're explorers and were wondering if we could collect a few plants from your planet for research."   
  
"What sort of research?" the alien replied, the UV working perfectly.   
  
"Medical research," Archer replied.   
  
The man nodded. "It will be permitted. Which plant is it?"   
  
"Well, we don't know what it's called. We've never seen it before, but our doctor believes it has medical properties," Archer explained. "We were told by a ship we ran into that you have such a plant as this. They gave us the information on it but told us if we wanted it, we had to get it ourselves. It has thick leaves and pink buds on the leaves."   
  
  
  
"I know of this plant you speak of. We call it terashik; you are allowed to take as much as needed. We have much of it."   
  
"We'll only be taking a small amount of this terashik and visiting your planet, if all possible."   
  
"Of course, this is a pleasure planet."   
  
"Reminds me of Risa," Archer said.   
  
The alien nodded and closed the connection.   
  
The captain looked to his crew for any thoughts. They all agreed he seemed friendly but T'Pol warned the captain to be cautious. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two:   
  
Hoshi and Trip were standing by their bed, they moved in together earlier that week. They were discussing the away teams and what exactly they would be doing.   
  
"So, we're going on one of the teams together," Trip teased Hoshi, who gave him a short peck on the cheek.   
  
"Maybe we can get married and have our honeymoon while we're here," Hoshi said playfully, waving her ringed finger around.   
  
They had only been engaged for a week and were already discussing plans of marriage, prompted by Archer asking if they planned on a short or long engagement. They had decided on a short one, but hadn't gotten past that decision.   
  
Trip pulled his fiancée close to him and gently kissed her face. Her eyes fluttered. She wanted more.   
  
"We have to get going, we're on Ream A, darlin'," Trip said.   
  
He pulled her onto their bed and ran his hands through her dark hair.   
  
"I love you, Hoshi Sato," he breathed quietly.   
  
She let out a short giggled and repeated the sentiment. "I love you too, Charles Tucker. Now let's get going before this goes any farther."   
  
Trip chuckled and lifted her off of the bed. She gave him a short kiss and they walked hand-in-hand to the shuttlebay.  
  
Travis rolled his eyes and then smiled. They were two of his best friends and he'd never seen someone, other than his parents, so much in love. They were meant for each other. Crewman Cutler poked Travis in the side, telling him to get into the shuttlepod. They both climbed into the pod and strapped in.   
  
Travis got permission to leave through the now open bay doors and headed to the planet's surface.   
  
***   
  
Once they landed on the outskirts of the town, they began to scan around the outskirts of the town where they had landed. The plant they were looking for had thick, spiny leaves with budding pink flowers at the tips. After a few scans, Travis pointed behind them to where there was a high concentrate of the plants.  
  
Reaching the area, Trip blurted, "Those are some strange lookin' plants."   
  
"Doctor Phlox said not to touch them with our bare hands," Cutler replied, handing out leather gloves. "Especially the buds, they have poisons that harm skin."   
  
Trip looked bewildered and put the gloves on. "Do we pull them from the roots or take the leaves?"   
  
"Phlox said he wants the roots and all. Apparently the roots have the best medical qualities," the crewman explained.   
  
Nodding, the engineer pulled the plant out carefully and placed it in the plastic box. Hoshi and Travis soon followed, while Cutler continued to scan the area.  
  
There were many other patches of the plant all around the cracked desert area. This patch would be the one their team would harvest.   
  
When the patch was bare, the away team stood and took a look around the area. Hoshi glanced down at the patch just as new plants appeared in the just-cleared area. She hit Trip's arm.  
  
"They're back!" Hoshi exclaimed.   
  
"Holy …"   
  
Travis and Cutler looked at the newly grown patch. Cutler smiled.  
  
"What?" Travis asked her, watching her smile grow.   
  
"Phlox said that they grow back in a matter of moments."   
  
Trip wrinkled his brow. "Let's head back, ya'll."   
  
Hoshi shook her head and pushed her fiancée to lead the way back to the shuttle. The plants they had pulled had been some of the strangest she'd ever seen.   
  
***   
  
"Ah, thank you for the plants," Doctor Phlox replied as he immediately began his scan.  
  
"You're welcome, doctor," Hoshi replied.   
  
"They will most likely cure some sort of disease within the next ten years," the Denobulan said excited.   
  
"Wow," Hoshi said, amazed as she looked back down at the strange-looking plant.   
  
Phlox looked at Sato and smiled. She had changed somewhat since she had been engaged to Mr. Tucker. She seemed more happy, more pleased about being aboard Enterprise.   
  
"How is your relationship with the commander going?" he asked.   
  
She nodded and smiled. "Oh, great. I think he's asking the captain if we can get married on the planet, if the government will allow it."   
  
"The cities are quiet beautiful, I took a group of scientists there earlier. They're nothing like the desert where these plants are from."   
  
"Really?"   
  
"It's a natural paradise, unlike Risa. There are white beaches, and the natives are quite peculiarly beautiful," Phlox added.   
  
Hoshi laughed, "It sounds beautiful. It would be nice for a honeymoon."   
  
"Quite so. Their beliefs on marriage are similar to humans and they go on honeymoon for an entire year."   
  
The linguist loved the idea of a yearlong honeymoon, but knew that would not be possible. Archer had been kind enough to tell them they could take a week-and-a-half off after they were married. Either way, it wouldn't matter to her. She was marrying for love, not time off from work.   
  
She was walking to her post when the Tactical Alert came on; the noise loud enough to almost make her jump out of her skin. She ran to the bridge, to see what was going on. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three:   
  
"What's going on?" an alarmed Hoshi asked as she stepped onto the bridge and made her way to her post.   
  
"Away Team C was kidnapped while they were on the surface of the planet," the grim-faced armory officer answered.   
  
"The inhabitants?" Hoshi (asked) wondered.   
  
"We have already ruled that out, I believe it is the alien ship we saw disappear behind the planet. They flew by us and sent a small craft to the planet. We warned the away team about them and then all we could hear was static," T'Pol replied.   
  
Hoshi nodded, trying to absorb what had happened while checking the comm logs at the same time. She too believed that the vessel that they had seen earlier had kidnapped the away team. Hoshi wondered if it the kidnappers were just lucky when the picked the captain's team to grab.  
  
"I'm hailing them again" she said.   
  
"They will not respond to hails," T'Pol answered.   
  
"We will be sending an away team to the planet to speak with the inhabitants to complain," Malcolm said calmly. His eyes, however, flashed a look that Hoshi would call typically pissed-off Reed.   
  
"Good idea," Hoshi nodded.   
  
***   
  
Archer covered his eyes to protect them from the blinding light that poured into the cell. The crewman sitting next to Archer had to turn and face the wall. Archer peeked at the open door and saw a tall alien with dark hair and eyes standing there. He looked incredibly fierce, especially with the large gun he was totting by his side.   
  
The alien sneered and muttered something before snapping his whip over his head and striking the starship captain with it. Archer screamed in pain as the whip bit into his skin. Archer got a better look at the whip as it came crashing on his face again. The weapon had spines on it, much like the plant they had been collecting.   
  
Crewman Jack Saunders swore at their captor, earning a lashing for his efforts to get the alien to stop whipping the captain.   
  
"You will tell me what planet you are from and where it is, or I will be forced to cause you more pain," the creature replied, showing grungy teeth as his mouth twitched in a gruesome parody of a smile.   
  
The crewman spat out, "Go to hell!"   
  
"Crewman," Archer started to say.   
  
"We won't!" Saunders yelled at the alien and spat on him again.   
  
"So be it," their captor said and then whipped them both again.   
  
The two other crewmen huddled in the corner, trying to hide themselves from the alien. Crewman Gretchen Stromberg turned to her hiding companion and covered her mouth with her hand to keep her from screaming in horror. They went unnoticed and the alien left, slamming the prison doors.   
  
Stromberg ran to the captain and looked at his bloodied face. He grunted to the crewman who stood over him.   
  
"Gretchen," Saunders called out.   
  
The woman bent over to peer at her fellow crewmembers face. She helped both men take care of their wounds and then tended to the timid Crewman Hannah Olde. She had been beaten when they had been captured because she tried diplomacy with the aliens who came to the surface.   
  
The crewman told them they were explorers and were just heading back to their ship, but that their captain would love to speak to them when they returned to the vessel with their prospects. The group of shady, dark-looking aliens laughed at her and then whipped her across the face, causing her to lose balance and fall over.   
  
They then grabbed the four and threw them into a mucky, old prison that smelled of death aboard the alien's ship.  
  
"Is she all right?" Archer asked, ignoring his wounds.   
  
Stromberg looked at the gash that covered the blonde's once childish-looking face.   
  
Olde cussed as Stromberg touched the gash across her face.  
  
  
  
"She's in about the same shape as the rest of us," was the reply.   
  
"You're better off than us, Olde," Archer coughed.   
  
"We could break out," Saunders suggested.  
  
Archer thought about the idea, but knew he was in hardly any shape to help after being repeatedly whipped.   
  
"Captain," Gretchen said alarmed. "Olde's face looks sickly. I'm not sure if it's because of the loss of blood or what."   
  
"How bad?" Hannah managed to say.   
  
"I'm not a nurse like you, so I honestly can't say specifics. The gash looks infected though."   
  
"I think the whip had a poison on it; maybe the plants from the planet. Phlox said that the spines on the plants carried a poison, when I was hit the whip seemed spiny," Olde explained.  
  
"Shit," Saunders cursed.   
  
Any other time and Archer would have told the crewman to watch his language, but they were all badly off and a few swear words wouldn't hurt them any worse.   
  
Archer thought about their predicament. It would probably only be a matter of time before Saunders and he would start to feel sickly as well.   
  
"What will the poison do to us exactly?" the captain asked Olde.   
  
The young nurse shook her head.  
  
"They're looking for us, no doubt," Archer reminded his cellmates. "We've got to hold on." 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four:   
  
"What do you mean you cannot do anything about what has happened?" the sub-commander challenged the alien council.   
  
Fren shook his bowed head before looking back up at the group before him.   
  
"There's nothing I can do but inform them to release your people," Councilmember Fren explained. "We have no authority over the kidnappers."   
  
Fren was the black-haired, blue-eyed man that Archer spoke to the day he was kidnapped.   
  
Hoshi decided she needed to speak up. "Are they from your world?"   
  
Sali, a blonde council member replied, "No, they're from another world. They're constantly trying to get us to share our resources."   
  
"Who are they?" T'Pol asked; her interest sparked.   
  
"They call themselves the Jalashk," Fren said.   
  
T'Pol's chin rose as she recognized the name.   
  
"Are you sure?" Hoshi questioned, only half believing they were the same people who attacked them ten months ago.   
  
"Positive," Sali said.   
  
"Then we will hail them once again with a warning," Reed broke in.   
  
"That is a logical course of action, Mr. Reed," T'Pol replied. "When we return to the ship, ready the phase cannon. We will fire a warning shot."   
  
Fren waved his hands around frantically, "You cannot do that! This is free space!"   
  
"Fren, these people's captain and crewmen have been kidnapped," Sali said. "They have the right to, since they are not from this space."   
  
"Ten months ago many of their vessels attacked us and tried to kill the captain," Reed spat out. "We have every right to attack them and get our crew back!"   
  
Hoshi nodded in agreement and the group stalked away from the Council of Lalinal.   
  
  
  
Fren turned to the rest of the council as the group sat quietly, watching everything play out.   
  
"We should tell the main Helshk," Kor, the leader of the council, replied.   
  
"I am afraid you may be correct. But I want to see how this plays out. These people are our guests," Frem answered.   
  
"The main Helshk must know, they have superior power," Sali said.  
  
  
  
***   
  
The senior staff gathered to come up with a rescue plan if their scare tactic didn't work with the Jalashk.   
  
"Now jus' wait a cotton-pickin' minute, these guys are those Jalashk?" Trip grumbled.   
  
"That is correct, and they are most likely torturing the away team to find out the location of Earth," T'Pol inclined her head slightly as she calmly spoke.   
  
Trip groaned.  
  
"Damn it, I have had it with them," Trip ground out. "We need to show 'em how painful it can be to mess with humans."   
  
"I will be sending Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Sato," the sub-commander replied.   
  
"Malcolm and Hoshi?" Trip asked, upset that he would not be going.   
  
"Lieutenant Reed has the skill and Ensign Sato has the agility and communication skills. Therefore they are the best candidates."   
  
Trip sighed, growled, and dug into his cold cereal. He really didn't want Hoshi to go, but he understood why she should.   
  
Reed nodded and brought up the plans of the ship where the kidnapped Enterprise crew was being held. The ship had some shielding but not enough to protect it from scans. The plans showed the small corners that Trip would not be able to get through. Malcolm, who was not as bulky as Trip, and the much smaller Hoshi would be able to easily slip through unnoticed.   
  
***   
  
"Firing a warning shot across their bow," Reed announced.   
  
The alien ship shook under the pressure.   
  
"Direct hit!" Reed said with satisfaction. "Shall I fire again?"   
  
T'Pol shifted her weight in the captain's chair and stared at the Jalashk ship.   
  
"Wait for a hail."   
  
Reed nodded, wanting to fire again to make sure their message got across.   
  
Hoshi shook her head. There was no response.  
  
"The mission is a go in one hour," T'Pol said, nodding toward Reed and Sato. "Get ready and arm yourselves with phase pistols. Doctor Phlox will help you with your prosthetics and then you will be beamed aboard the alien vessel."  
  
Reed and Sato briskly headed toward the lift to get read to rescue the away team. 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five:   
  
Archer groaned in pain as the whip slapped down on his thighs. His body was bruised and bloodied from the attacks he already had suffered. He refused to break and his example made sure his crewmen did the same.   
  
"Tell me where you are from!" the alien demanded.   
  
Archer yelled as he felt his skin break under the pressure of the spines on the whip. The pain was unbearable and he felt incredibly ill. He and the crewmen all felt as if they would die.   
  
"No," Archer choked out a response.   
  
"The pain will only increase until we decide we have no use for you," the alien muttered wickedly.   
  
"So be it," Archer replied, clawing at the ground beneath him.   
  
The whip did not lash out on his skin again. Soon he heard the door slam as the alien left them alone.   
  
Olde whimpered from the corner and crawled to the captain. Her face was much paler than usual and she could not control the drool that covered her chin.  
  
The blonde ran her small hands through the captain's hair to check for injuries. Her hands were so cold on his warm face. She wiped her face clean with her other arm and tried not to cry, seeing him this way.   
  
"Shhh," Archer said, trying to comfort the young crewman.   
  
She shook her head and he pulled her close, trying to warm her. Stromberg and Saunders moved in closer as the chills hit them as well. Whatever this poison was it made them warm and then cold all of a sudden.   
  
"Where the hell are they?" Saunders asked rhetorically.   
  
"They've got to be coming," Stromberg said, trying to keep up their spirits.   
  
Olde's breathing was very heavy as Archer held her, but suddenly it trailed off and after a few moments stopped entirely. Archer pulled her off of his chest and checked her pulse.  
  
"She's not breathing anymore. I think she's…" Archer choked, unable to find a pulse on the too-still crewman.   
  
"Unconscious," Saunders spoke up. "She's tough, she's not gonna die."   
  
"She can't die," Stromberg added quietly.  
  
***   
  
Reed and Sato headed for the transporter room once the finishing touches were done to their disguises. Phlox lightened their skin some and put black contacts in their eyes. They now looked like Jalashk and could pass as long as they weren't scanned.   
  
When the two got to the transporter room they went over the plan for rescuing the away team, in between scolding each other to stop scratching their facial and body makeup.  
  
"It stings around my eyes," Malcolm muttered as he stepped onto the transporter pad.   
  
Hoshi nodded, "Don't touch it. That will only make it worse."  
  
The room shimmered around them as they appeared in the dark hallway of the ship where their crewmates were held. The black walls and floors were more depressing than the light gray of Enterprise.  
  
Hoshi and Malcolm darted behind a wide pillar as they heard muffled screams of protest from a nearby room. Instinctively shutting their eyes to block out the screams, they opened them again after hearing a door thud.   
  
Malcolm shook his head slightly as Hoshi moved slightly. The pair heard footsteps pound off in the opposite direction. Reed poked his head out first, making sure the coast was clear. There were two guards outside the makeshift prison who spotted Reed immediately.   
  
"Halt," one ordered.   
  
Hoshi left the safety of the pillar and stood with Reed. The guards, who were taller than Reed and about the same weight, closely looked them over.  
  
"State your name and rank," the other intoned.  
  
The guards had ebony colored hair and black eyes. Their uniforms were loose and black with shiny buttons down the middle. Phlox had copied them perfectly, right down to the square shape of the buttons.   
  
"Why should we give a lowly guard like yourself our names and ranks?" Malcolm answered haughtily.  
  
Hoshi nodded and gave a wicked grin. She hoped she looked intimidating with her hair twisted in the high ponytail.   
  
Both guards kneeled and quickly apologized.   
  
"I am sorry, milord, we were making sure you were not imposters. The humans have been guarded by us for one full day and we did not wish to mess up and have a break in."   
  
"Pitiful fools," Hoshi cackled. "Let us pass, we wish to check up on the prisoners."   
  
"Are you here to check up on how S'vrard has been treating them?" one of the guards asked.   
  
It was easy to get them confused, for they looked almost identical. But one was a few centimeters shorter than the other and did not have quite as fluffy hair as the other.   
  
"Of course. S'vrard is such a screw up, we need to make sure he is properly doing his job," Reed said arrogantly.  
  
The guards nodded and replied, "He has been too harsh, if you ask us. Not to mention he has yet to get any information other than their names."  
  
"What did they say their names were?" Reed asked curiously.  
  
"Larry, Curly, Moe and Susy," the shorter replied, nodding his head like the idiot Hoshi now thought him to be.   
  
Hoshi stifled her laugh.   
  
The guards motioned to the now open door and let them pass… 


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six:  
  
As the light shown on the away team again, they groaned and hid their bloodied faces. Archer wondered why their tormenter had come back so soon. He usually gave them a couple of hours in between each torturing before returning.  
  
I woman knelt beside Archer and placed a cool hand on his chin, lifting his stiff face up. She looked his face over, before he recognized who she was. Archer didn't know if it was a dream or what. She resembled their alien captors. Her voice was soothing to the captain.  
  
"This one has been severely hurt, no wonder he has not been cooperative," Hoshi said.  
  
"What would be the best way to discipline S'vrard?" Reed asked no one in particular.   
  
He was not sure just how stupid the guards were, but if he could get them to give up any information without realizing it, then that would be wonderful. Hoshi and he only had twenty minutes to get off of the ship with the away team before being found out as non-Jalashk and for those who ran the ship to find that there had been a beam in.  
  
"Firing squad," the taller guard replied very quickly.   
  
Hoshi nodded, let go of Archer's chin and stood. "Very well, please go to him and have him impounded in another prison, until we can put together his death."  
  
"Yes, milady," they said in unison and left.  
  
"Malcolm?" Archer coughed as soon as the guards were gone, leaving Hoshi with a key.  
  
"Shh, yes sir, it's us. We need to get you outside of the prison in order to beam you each up all at once," Reed replied.  
  
"I think I can carry Hannah," Archer crawled to a stand and shook with chills and weakness.  
  
"Are you sure?"   
  
"She's the lightest of them all and the weakest. Hoshi help Gretchen, Malcolm help Jack. We'll get out quicker if we work together," Archer ordered.  
  
As they were safely outside the door and Hoshi was contacting Enterprise, klaxons sounded all around them.  
  
"Dammit," Malcolm hissed.  
  
"We're ready to be beamed off of here," Hoshi said over the comm to T'Pol.  
  
The Jalashk forces could be heard coming their way  
  
***  
  
When the call was received from Hoshi, T'Pol motioned to the crewman at Reed's post and he contacted the transporter room.  
  
"We have a lock, sub-commander," the crewman said.  
  
"Beam them up, now," T'Pol ordered.  
  
***  
  
"Looks like we might have to fight them," Malcolm said dryly as the Jalashk approached them.  
  
Hoshi rolled her eyes at their predicament and tried to reach for her concealed phase pistol. Just as they were under fire, she felt a tingle around her body.  
  
"Sir?" Hoshi asked as the blue color swarmed around them.  
  
***  
  
The Vulcan stared at the crewman, waiting for a response from him. His forehead sweated and he scratched at his head nervously.  
  
"Crewman," T'Pol said, almost anxious to know if her collegues were safe.  
  
"Go them!" he yelled out and then wiped the sweat on head off.  
  
T'Pol sat down and let the tension seep out of her.  
  
"Get us out of here, Ensign Mayweather," T'Pol ordered.  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" 


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven:  
  
Before Travis could even begin to set in a course for outside the system, the Enterprise was approached by a fleet of familiar ships.  
  
"Sub-commander," the crewman in the back replied. "I think you should take a look at this." The crewman hit the button and turned the viewscreen on, showing the fleet.  
  
T'Pol stood to get a better look. She cocked her head to one side to scrutinize them, determining who they were.  
  
"They're those aliens, what did Captain Archer call them?" Travis asked.  
  
"The People," T'Pol replied. "The Lalinalians must have contacted them."  
  
"For what purpose?" Travis asked. "They know them?"  
  
"They are a sect beneath The People."  
  
"A sect?" Hoshi questioned.  
  
"A small group that is close in similarities but not exactly the same," the Vulcan explained.  
  
"You mean a faction?" Travis said.  
  
"That is another term that can be used, but it is not the term that is used amongst them," T'Pol explained.  
  
Malcolm entered the bridge just as Hoshi exclaimed that they were being hailed by the flag ship. T'Pol gave Hoshi the okay to answer the hail and she did so obediently.  
  
Mishkra appeared on the screen, her red hair was much longer than the last time they had seen her, but she still looked like the same alien.  
  
"Hello, Sub-commander T'Pol," she replied, gleefully.  
  
T'Pol bowed slightly. "Mishkra," she said.  
  
The redhead smiled and asked, "Is your away team safely aboard your ship?"  
  
"They are, we were just leaving the system to get away from the Jalashk ship."  
  
Mishkra nodded and looked away from her viewscreen. She said something that universal translator did not pick up, but Hoshi seemed to know what she said because she smiled.  
  
"As you can see, we have apprehended the criminals and they will be dealt with accordingly," the alien said.  
  
T'Pol looked to Lieutenant Reed for an agreeing nod of the head and got one along with a response.  
  
"She's right, they have them."  
  
"May I ask why you did not destroy the Jalashk vessel this time?" the sub-commander asked.  
  
"We believe they could be of some help in locating a group of renegade Lalinalians who have recently joined their ranks."  
  
"Logical," T'Pol replied.  
  
Mishkra's smile disappeared. "Captain Archer is in pain."  
  
Hoshi looked to the ground, remembering how the captain looked.  
  
"He has been harmed," Mishkra said as tears pricked her eyes. She stared at Hoshi, who had seen her.  
  
"That's right," Hoshi answered, as she raised her head. "He's-"  
  
"In the sickbay. Yes, I know."  
  
"Can you do anything to help our injured away team or do you not care about us?" T'Pol challenged.  
  
Mishkra's expression turned to annoyed. "We cannot do everything for you just because we are more advanced. You will have to learn to do things yourself."  
  
And then she changed the subject, "The plant you have collected should help the swelling if made into a broth."  
  
T'Pol nodded, "Thank you."  
  
Mishkra bowed her head, "I wish to speak with Jon."  
  
"That will be permitted."  
  
The viewscreen went blank and T'Pol knew the female alien was already aboard the Enterprise. 


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight:  
  
When Archer was staring up at the ceiling with Phlox fixing his wounds, he thought he was dreaming when the beautiful maiden appeared by his side. Well, until Phlox and her started exchanging words.  
  
"He should be fine in time, I've done what T'Pol said would work," Phlox said.  
  
"Hi," Archer said, breathlessly.  
  
Mishkra walked to his side and placed her head on his heaving chest. She clutched onto his bandaged hand and then kissed his bruised cheek. He squinted in pain from her light touching. As soon as Mishkra ran her fingers through his hair, Phlox decided to give them some privacy.  
  
"You are feeling well?" she asked him.  
  
He shook his head, "Not really. How have you been?"  
  
She closed her eyes and stared at the floor. Tears pricked at her eyes. Jon put his hand on her face.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked her.  
  
She looked up with tears streaming down her face. "I used you the last time I was here."  
  
He thought for a moment and then the memories of the dream came back. It had all been real and he had no regrets of it happening.  
  
"It's okay, I enjoyed it," Jon said, smiling.  
  
She stared at him even longer and the tears began to pour out of her eyes very quickly.  
  
"I said its okay, Mishkra. You don't need to apologize nor feel bad about it."  
  
"It isn't that, Jon. It's…" she stuttered and decided to stand and show her true form to him.  
  
Her belly was swollen with a child that Jon knew immediately was not his. Jon Archer nodded, understanding. He hurt that the child wasn't his and wished she had a child with him. He had feelings for Mishkra, how could she do this!  
  
Mishkra's eyes began to swell with tears again. She knew his very thought.  
  
"I'm sorry," she cried.  
  
Jon shook his head. "Don't be. You're not from this timeline, you're from the future. I understand. Whatever happened was supposed to happen, we're not supposed to be more than friends."  
  
The alien woman kissed his cheek again and held onto his hand. She nodded and decided it was time for her to leave.  
  
He grabbed her hand, trying to stop her, but she pulled away.   
  
"I should leave."  
  
"Please stay…" Jon begged her.   
  
He put aside that the child was not his and only wanted her to stay.  
  
"My husband…" she started.  
  
Jon took his hand away from lingering out and put it on his chest. Then he shut his eyes.  
  
When he opened his eyes, she was gone. He cried to himself, in his physical and emotional pain.  
  
***  
  
"No, clan or tribe can't possibly work, sub-commander," Hoshi explained.  
  
"Then use the word off-shoot."  
  
Hoshi had been translating the entire language that morning and had problems with the relationship between the three aliens.   
  
The ensign glared annoyed at her and flung the PADDs onto the table. Oh, how she wanted to corner her in the hall and force her to explain the relationship between each species.  
  
"Please just explain the entire relationship," she almost pleaded.  
  
"If I do, you cannot interrupt me until I have done so."  
  
Hoshi nodded, that was an easy bargin.  
  
"The Jalashk and the Lalinalians are an off-shoot race of the People. Neither possesses time travel like the People do. The Jalashk are enemies of both race, along with several other off-shoot races from the People, but I will not go into detail about the other off-shoots.  
  
"The Lalinalians are less developed than the humans and the Jalashk are more so than the humans and even the Vulcans," T'Pol explained. "The Jalashk used to be almost as advanced as the People, but all of their technology was taken from them for annexing other planets without permission. For their transgressions, they were also sent into a dark age of no technology. After fifty years of such, they were able to build small craft and steal from other nations once again."  
  
Hoshi was interested at first, but felt like falling asleep with the history lesson.  
  
"Are you listening, ensign?" T'Pol asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm listening, keep going," she said as she tried to record all of this.  
  
"The Jalashk are at war with the People and a couple other off-shoot aliens. They are currently trying to take over Lalinal but cannot for the Lalinal people are under the protection of the People."  
  
T'Pol finished, giving Hoshi time to stomach all of the information. She fingered the PADD that lay before her.  
  
"Do you understand?"  
  
"Almost," Hoshi said. "Why don't the People just take out the Jalashk totally?"  
  
T'Pol rose her brow. "That would be heartless of them."  
  
Hoshi glared, T'Pol's brow only rose more.  
  
"It may seem logical of them to eradicate the Jalashk people, but it would not be prudent."  
  
"What's the Helshk thing?" Hoshi said, looking over notes from a previous discussion.  
  
T'Pol raised her brow again.  
  
"Helshk is a term for the People, one which the Jalashk named them."  
  
"What does it mean?"  
  
The sub-commander did not feel that the piece of information should be shared. But she went ahead.  
  
"Terror."  
  
Hoshi stared at her and asked, "Why terror?"  
  
"They possess great power and have brought terror to the Jalashk people," T'Pol explained, shifting her weight and deciding their conversation was over.  
  
"Wait," Hoshi said, standing from her seat and verbally stopping T'Pol. "Are the People dangerous?"  
  
"Not to the humans but they are to anyone who brings harm to them or anyone under their protection," the Vulcan replied and then left the mess hall in a rush.  
  
Hoshi Sato threw her hands down to her side. She only felt more confused about who or what these People were. 


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine:  
  
Hoshi glared through T'Pol's back as she told her a wedding was not possible on the planet's surface. They had only pulled her aside to the briefing area to discuss the topic.  
  
"The captain is in no shape to make a decision. Therefore, I am making the decision for him," T'Pol explained, coldly.  
  
"We just wanna get married!" Trip shouted.  
  
"That's all we are asking, sub-commander," Hoshi said, she didn't want to have to beg.  
  
"This area of space is in utter chaos, ensign and commander. To have a wedding on the planet would be a poor choice."  
  
"I'm this close to pullin' yer Vulcan ears!" Trip mentioned.  
  
"That's enough!" Archer strolled in to the open area.  
  
Travis looked up from the helm, surprised that the captain had entered.  
  
"Sir, she won't let us get married," Trip complained.  
  
"No one said you can't get married," Archer said, crossing his arms and then rubbing the sore one. "T'Pol, I appreciate you trying to help me, but I don't need you too. I'm fine now."  
  
Trip slightly nodded, not believing he was fine but happy his best friend would be making the decision instead of them getting married on the surface. It made him feel more secure that a cold hearted Vulcan wasn't planning everything.  
  
"They can have their wedding on the surface, there's no problem with that," Archer announced.  
  
Trip's head bobbed happily up and down. "Thank ya, Cap'n."  
  
"But sir, this area of space is in complete chaos. It would be unwise and illogical to have a wedding on a planet in which that you were recently kidnapped."  
  
"T'Pol, I've already made my decision. Those who tortured us are imprisoned."  
  
"That reminds me," Trip asked. "Is everyone all right?"  
  
"They'll make it. Saunders and Stromberg have made a full recovery, but Olde is still in sickbay. Doctor Phlox moved her status from critical to stable," the captain explained.  
  
"Oh good," Hoshi sighed.  
  
"Anyway," Archer replied. "Back to work people."  
  
Hoshi and T'Pol obediently went to their posts, but Trip stopped Jon.  
  
"Cap'n, you all right? You seem kinda…"  
  
Thoughts of Mishkra returned to Archer's head. How he wanted to be the father of her child, how he wished things were different.  
  
"I'm fine, Trip," he lied and went to his chair, leaving Trip to stand by himself.  
  
Tucker knew he wasn't going to get anything out of his friend for now, so he stood for a bit staring at him, trying to figure it out. Then he left the bridge, to go muss in engineering.  
  
Archer starred at the wall, trying to figure out this. He cared so much for her, thought it was love between them, but knew deep down that he couldn't do anything about it and that it wasn't meant to be. He wished some more that the baby was his; that he was the lucky father to be. Jon mentally kicked himself for not having a family years ago. Damn him for putting a lame career ahead and just seeing people die and be brutalized lately. Damn him for never loving anyone deeply until now. Damn him.  
  
***  
  
An'rah'mishkayala'h'sha'vree paced the small, dark, room, thinking about all of her options. She hated hurting Jon's heart with having to come to his rescue. The Council had ordered her to lead the retrieval party and bring in the enemies. She objected immediately and told them there was no way. But the wise, old Council knew so much and told her she had to face the music and not stay home. Even reminding them she was due in one month did not change their mind.  
  
Sighing, she sat on the lounge bed and cried to herself. Her husband heard from the other room and yelled if she was all right.  
  
"I'm fine," she whispered softly. "Or I will be…someday."  
  
Her husband peeked in on her, his green eyes shown like jewels. He ran his hands through his dark, sandy hair and sighed. He felt sorry for his wife, but knew that her destiny did not lay with Captain Archer. It lay with him. But he respected whatever decision his wife made.  
  
***  
  
"They will not escape this time," the dark haired alien said to himself. "We will take the one called Archer and find their planet and take their resources."  
  
Chapter Ten:  
  
"Report!" Archer yelled as he bustled into the bridge.  
  
"It's a Jalashk warship," the sub-commander reported.  
  
The ship gave a shake as it was impacted by another weapon.  
  
"Where are the People?" Archer asked, confused.  
  
"They are returning fire as we are."  
  
"Why can't they destroy it?"  
  
"Their captain said they are trying to take them into custody and do not wish to have more blood on their hands," Reed replied as he returned fire.  
  
Enterprise shook.  
  
"What's the status of their shields, Mr. Reed," Archer asked as he sat down looking at the small console on his chair.  
  
"20%, sir. I doubt they can hold up much longer. Shall I take out their weapons?"  
  
"Of course!" the captain replied.  
  
"I'll try my best, captain."  
  
Another volley of phase cannons were launched at the enemy ship and it rumbled under pressure.  
  
"Shields and weapons are down sir," Reed announced, proud of the work he had done.  
  
"Good job, now let's see what they decide to do."  
  
A tractor beam was lached onto the Jalashk warship by the People's flag ship. It was pulled into their docking bay like a dance. The bay doors shut and locked, closing the ship in.  
  
***  
  
"It's in, sir," the news was announced.  
  
Mishkra stood and was pleased that they were able to decrease their torpedoes explosions and be able to not destroy the enemy vessel. It took great precision of the weapons analysts aboard her ship to keep the explosions at a bare minimum and still disallow the Enterprise to not be destroyed by them. She walked to the analysts and asked if the people were being transported to the cells. When he gave the affirmative, she returned to her seat and had Captain Archer called.  
  
***  
  
"We are being hailed by the flag ship, captain," T'Pol replied.  
  
"On screen," Archer ordered.  
  
The familiar red-head appeared again with a slight smile.  
  
"All is safe, captain. Your people can go ahead with the wedding. We will leave shortly and you should not be bothered by our little war again."  
  
"You're leaving? To where?"  
  
"The future, where I belong. I hope our paths may one day cross again. Maybe in several decades you will meet me as a child."  
  
Archer's brows furrowed.  
  
"I will not be born for another 20 years," she said.  
  
Archer chuckled. He finally had an idea how much older he was than she.  
  
"My people live for many centuries, I am much older than I seem."  
  
"Looks can be deceiving," Hoshi murmured.  
  
Mishkra nodded at that.   
  
"I must leave, in order to not tamper with the timeline," she answered.  
  
"But haven't you tampered with it already?" Hoshi asked, confused.  
  
"This was all supposed to happen, Miss Sato," Mishkra explained.  
  
There was silence on the bridge of the Enterprise as they all thought about that. The viewscreen was turned off and the alien ships left orbit.   
  
Hoshi Sato stared at her console and wanted to hit her head against it.  
  
Damn time paradoxes. They were so confusing. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten:  
  
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…" the words still rang through Hoshi's mind.  
  
Trip lifted the veil from his bride's face and planted a kiss on her lips. The crew cheered on the surface of the planet. There were even bells ringing as Trip kissed her even more and then carried her off.  
  
Tears of joy streamed down Hoshi's face, she laughed as she was lifted off the ground.   
  
The sun shown bright and the air smelled of exotic flowers and the sky was turquoise blue. There was not a cloud in the sky and the crowd cheered and whistled constantly…  
  
***  
  
Lying on the plush couch, the newlyweds sighed as they remembered the joyous day. Hoshi curled up in her husband's arms and they discussed their plans for the next few days. Life was wonderful.  
  
***  
  
On a nearby beach, Jon Archer sat drinking the strange concoction and basked in the rays of the sun. He was approached by a lithe woman who gave him another drink and winked as she walked away. She had long brown hair and her features were very Lalinalian. Jon watched as she swayed her body away, taunting him to follow. A smile crept up on the man's face. He set aside his towel and followed her…  
  
THE END 


End file.
