"Snow Bound"
by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Don't own them, CBS/Paramount does.
Summary: Archer, T'Pol and Travis go to visit a colony on an ice planet. The colony turns out to be a penal colony, and if the wildlife doesn't kill them, the security measures will.
CHAPTER 3 The alien led Archer through a wide cave mouth into a large cave. There were hover bikes built from scrap parts and an assortment of animals in pens around Archer. A variety of aliens were walking around them, some working on the hover bikes, some feeding the animals or working in other areas.
"Wait here," the alien leading Archer told him and then ran off into the crowd.
"Captain!" Archer heard Travis call out and turned, catching sight of him jogging toward Archer.
Archer smiled, holding his hand out to Travis. Travis shook it, giving Archer's shoulder a sound clap.
"I was starting to get worried!" Travis said.
"ALL IN. DOOR'S CLOSING. CLEAR!" someone yelled and an alarm went off.
Archer turned, watching a door slide close across the mouth of the cave.
"We didn't pick up any of this on our scans, sir," Travis said under his breath.
"I know."
The humanoid that had brought Archer returned. "This way." He led them up stairs into a tunnel. "What's your names?" said the humanoid that had brought Archer to the cave.
"Jon and this is Travis," Archer answered.
"Praig." He held his hand out.
Archer shook it.
"So what are you in for?" Praig turned, walking away.
"I beg your pardon?"
"What are you in for? What they drop you here for?" Praig looked back at Archer. "Only new ones are stupid enough to run from a Drahkili. Never run from a Drahkili. Drop to the ground and you disappear into the snow. They can't see, they can barely smell, but they can sense movements. Like bats."
"New one?" Archer asked, glancing at Travis.
Travis shrugged.
Praig looked back at him. "A little shell shocked still, huh? No matter. You'll learn the ropes." Praig turned, walking backwards as he said proudly, "You'll get stuck in my wing. Jasip can be a real dick, but he's fair."
"I'm not following you at all," Archer said. "What are you talking about?"
Praig smiled. "They said he asked questions like that when they found him." Praig motioned to Travis as he turned around again. "Don't worry. You'll adjust. It's better to be here than stuck in some five by five room." Praig shook his head. "Much better."
Archer sighed, deciding he wasn't going to get an answer from Praig, so instead he asked, "What was the larger creature?"
"That's a Rigala. You can try to run from them, but that doesn't usually work. They're fast. Most can only outrun them with a hover bike, but I've never seen anyone outrun them on foot. They're too smart. Thankfully, there are only two herds on the planet and they fight so much among themselves that they keep their herds down around ten. Had thirteen one year, but the bull killed off two and another one was killed in an avalanche." Praig stopped at an open door, turning to them.
"Speaking of avalanches, you said-"
"She's in here." Praig stopped at a door, motioning into the room.
Archer looked away from him into the room. T'Pol was lying on a bed that had a single light over the head. She was dressed in clothes like the other humanoids here and covered with several blankets. She looked like she was asleep.
"Is she okay?" Archer asked, looking at him.
"When we pulled her out she had hypothermia, but she's recovering. She's strong. What species is she?"
"Vulcan."
Praig shook his head. "Never heard of that one. I have to go report in. I'll tell Maidra you're here. She said if we found you guys she'd wanna talk to you three and make sure you're reported alive so we get enough rations. Just wait here with your friend." Praig turned away and hurried off.
Archer walked into the room, sitting in the chair beside T'Pol's bed. Travis sat down in a chair in the corner.
"Did you get a hold of Trip when you got here?"
"I did, but I don't know if he heard me. This stupid thing was all static." Travis pointed to his arm. "I told him what happened and what the alien that found me told me."
"Which was?"
"They saw us from some outpost and sent him and this Praig guy to get us back here before a storm hit."
Archer slunk down in the chair with a heavy sigh. "I just want to sleep. I am so tired."
Travis smiled. "I know the feeling.
Archer closed his eyes and was asleep in seconds.
Archer walked along the hall, returning the smiles he was greeted with. He turned into a door and found himself in a huge hydroponics garden. It was brightly lit with sun-lights fixed into the cave ceiling and humanoids tending to the gardens.
"Captain Archer."
Archer turned, smiling when Maidra walked up to him. She extended her hand.
"I was told this is your form of greeting?"
Archer shook her hand. "Yes. It isn't yours?"
"We bid hello and call it good."
Archer smiled, looking back at the garden. "This is amazing."
"It is. Regretfully I cannot say it's my doing. We had several farmers when we landed and they began it."
"Had?"
"An illness fell on us five years into the colonization and we lost many. We now only have a handful of farmers."
"You all came from another planet?"
"Yes."
"To colonize this one?"
She smiled, "No. You've met Praig?" She motioned to Archer's other side.
Archer turned his head to find Praig standing on his other side. With the paint his skin was a green-yellow and his eyes were actually white. His nose was not defined and looked like it was just two holes under a small bump. He had two slits behind his ears and his hands had flat, wide fingers that were constantly in motion, as if he were nervous although he didn't appear to be. He stared at the garden with a loving smile.
"Maidra is being formal, you know?" Praig looked at Archer. "They learned to be farmers. They learned everything on their own. Some of us are excellent farmers we've discovered. Have you ever farmed, Captain Archer?"
"No."
"It is for some and not others," Maidra said, smiling. "Not for me. Praig, get down to the pens. Heris is looking for you. Said it's your turn to muck."
Praig wrinkled his nose. "I hate mucking those pens. See you at mid-meal." Praig held out his hand out to Archer.
Archer shook it and then Praig hurried off.
"Are you hungry?" Maidra asked.
"Yes." Archer smiled.
Maidra turned and led him back into the halls.
"Maidra...I'm confused about something," Archer said, pulling his hands behind his back.
"Yes?" Maidra looked at him.
"Yesterday Praig made several references to new ones. What is he talking about?"
"He means new inmates. We call them new ones to help give you some identity back."
"What do you mean by inmates? I thought this was a colony that you started."
Maidra stopped, looking ridiculously at him. "What prison are you from, Captain Archer?"
In an instant Archer understood the situation. "This planet is a penal colony, isn't it?" Archer asked.
"Yes. A penal colony for six solar systems."
"That explains the shielding," Archer said, looking down and putting his hands on his hips.
"You aren't from a prison, are you, Captain Archer?"
"No." Archer looked at her. "We're exploring space. We came upon this planet and detected technology and biologic signs, despite it being a frozen planet."
"It was terraformed. They didn't do a very good job. After all, we are all just criminals."
"If my crew can contact someone, who would they contact?"
"Captain Archer, they don't care." Maidra shook her head some. "You're here and they won't help you. You're here until you die like the rest of us. They won't send anyone to extract you. Others have crash landed here and have lived here till their end. Only those sentenced to execution ever leave this planet."
"I have to try. Who would they contact?"
Maidra shrugged. "I don't know. We're criminals here. We're not privileged with that information. If you would like something to eat, follow me." Maidra turned and walked away.
Archer followed her, keeping silent until he could curb his frustration.
T'Pol turned her head, rolling onto her back.
"Hey," she heard Archer's voice say
T'Pol opened her eyes, looking up at Archer. He was sitting on the edge of the bed she was laying on, smiling at her. She looked around the room and back at him.
"Where am I?"
"Let's wait on that. How do you feel?"
"Weak."
"You've been asleep for two days. Are you any good at fixing the modulator on a communicator?"
"Yes. Why?"
"As soon as you're strong enough, we'll talk about it. I brought you something to eat but I can't stay. I have to go work on the gate engine."
"Gate engine?"
"Another story. Get some rest."
T'Pol looked him up and down. "You have oil and grease on your uniform, Captain."
"I know. The gate engine's not a clean place to work." Archer smiled.
"I don't understand."
"Get some rest, T'Pol. You were nearly frozen to death in that avalanche."
"Where is Ensign Mayweather?"
"I think they have him mucking pens."
"Mucking pens?"
Archer laughed. "T'Pol, do you understand what I mean when I tell you to get some rest?"
"Yes."
"Then why don't you do that? Trust me. We have lots of time to talk." Archer stood. He reached down and squeezed her hand. "See you later."
"Captain, I'm sorry."
Archer slowly sat down again. "For what?"
"For getting us into this situation. I should have done more scans and been more certain it was safe to come to the surface. I did not do my job as thoroughly as I thought I had."
Archer leaned on his leg, meeting her eyes, "T'Pol, you had no idea of knowing what this place is and all the data we collected didn't even come close to revealing this place for what it really is."
"Are you still angry with me?"
"No. Get some rest." Archer stood and left the room.
T'Pol looked at the tray of food sitting on the chair by her bed. T'Pol reached out and picked up a pastry. She bit into it and made a face, but continued to eat it.
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