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"The Batty Engineer"
Rating: PG-13 Thanks, Pesterfield! Two Phlox caught Captain Hoshi Sato on her way to lunch in the Captain’s Mess. She asked him to accompany her; Phlox chose egg drop soup and dim sum to eat, while Hoshi selected broiled chicken and vegetables. She seemed surprised at his choice, until he explained that he’d gotten quite fond of Chinese food while in San Francisco. Hoshi chose to speak in Denobulan and Phlox didn’t mind; it was nice to converse in his native language. Although Jon Archer was quickly grasping the particulars, he still needed assistance with the transitive verbs. “Faa-je sh’kyu da na’thede?” Hoshi asked him. How is your department doing? “Dae, dae,” Phlox replied. “Eba’nier se-an’ju evem Warp-Nju-je.” Good, good. We believe we can do Warp 6. “Eh? Par kweesah essah. Veh-je?” Really? I’m impressed. How (will you do it)? Phlox switched to English, for engineering terms were difficult to translate into Denobulan. In fact, the words for radiation and intake differed by two letters and were easily mistaken. Such mistakes could be...undesirable. When he mentioned the transformers on the Vulcan shield generators, Hoshi nodded. “Talk to T’Pol. She worked on several prototype Vulcan ring ships with similar shield generators. Her insight would be valuable.” He nodded. “Yes, I was planning on asking Ensign T’Pol when she goes off-shift.” Then he told her about his conversation with A.G. Robinson and Robinson’s suspicions. She was silent for several minutes, then commented, “I knew they greenlighted Intrepid and Pravda long before our launch, but this still seems pretty quick.” “Indeed,” Phlox said, after he chewed and swallowed his noodles with a thoughtful air. She didn’t say anything and Phlox suspected Hoshi knew more than she let on. “I don’t know, Phlox, but as A.G. said, it won’t hurt to keep our eyes and ears open.” The whistle of the intercom interrupted her and she pushed the button. “Sato.” “Sorry to interrupt your lunch, Captain,” came the apologetic voice of Commander Travis Mayweather, “but we’re getting a transmission from Pyrithia Colony.” Hoshi wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I’m on my way.” She turned to Phlox. “Don’t rush through your lunch on my account, Phlox. Stay as long as you need.” “Thank you, Captain.” He smiled at her as she left, and turned his attention back on his dim sum. Phlox was just getting off shift when Hoshi summoned him to the Situation Table at the back of the Bridge. Joining them were Travis, Doctor Malcolm Reed, Lieutenant Jonathan Archer and Trip Tucker. Trip gave Phlox a wide smile and mouthed, “Thank you.” Phlox only inclined his head in response. Hoshi called the meeting to order. “We’ve received a cordial welcome from the Pyrithians. They invited us to the surface, but there are some things they want us to keep in mind while we’re down there. Travis?” The Science Officer nodded and brought up the results of his planetary scan. “The Pyrithians’ planet is basically one huge wildlife preserve and they have strict rules. They don’t tolerate any outside interference with their native animal life. No adopting pets, no catching fish for lunch, and no picking the wildflowers. Their ecology’s pretty delicate and the slightest disruption has widespread consequences.” Hoshi nodded. “They have special areas set aside for breeding and conservation projects. Lately, their generators haven’t been functioning up to their expectations. They’re asking for a trained engineer’s opinion, so Phlox, I’d like you to accompany the Away Team with some of your engineers.” “Of course, Captain,” he replied. “I want Jon, Malcolm and Trip along as well. Travis, Lieutenant Khartoumb’s your Exobiology specialist, isn’t he?” “That’s right, Sameer’s one of the best,” Travis answered with a smile. “I want the two of you to arrange some scientific teams. Pyrithia has unique lifeforms that we’ve haven’t before and their wildlife Rangers are willing to share information.” “Gladly, ma’am.” Travis said with a grin. He looked ready to jump into the assignment feet first. Phlox matched the grin. He reminds me of my second youngest son...always eager to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge... Hoshi nodded at her crew. “All right. Phlox, Trip, Malcolm, Jon: shuttlebay one in ten minutes. Travis, you’re in command. Dismissed.” The senior crew scattered to their assignments. Phlox sighed and headed back to Engineering. He’d much prefer the confines of his engine room to the wide open spaces of an unfamiliar planet, but perhaps some fresh air and sun would spur some new ideas from deep within his subconscious... Besides, this seems like a peaceful contact so far. What can go wrong? The first thing that Phlox smelled was the scent of wildflowers. Their heady perfume made his head swim and his eyes water. He reached up and wiped tears with his sleeve. When he could see again, he realized the Away Team stood in a clearing that was outlined in silver light. “Oh, my,” he murmured. A full moon hovered just over the treetops, shining gently on the babbling brook at his feet. The wind blew ripples in the water and flicked drops on Phlox’s skin. Green and brown hills loomed in the distance, against a backdrop of majestic purple mountains. His nose twitched. Phlox pressed the bridge of it with two fingers to ease the sudden pressure. “Are you all right?” came a soft voice behind his shoulder. Phlox turned his head to see Doctor Reed. How is he able to move so quietly? This doctor is full of surprises indeed. Aloud he said, “I can’t seem to keep my eyes clear and my nose suddenly feels...odd. The wildflowers seem to be adversely affecting me, Doctor.” Malcolm ran his medical scanner over Phlox, then chuckled. “It seems that you are having an allergic reaction, Phlox.” “Allergic reaction? Denobulans don’t have—“ “—allergic reactions,” Malcolm chorused with him. He cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows. “So your people claim, but apparently the local flora wishes to disprove it. Here, this should help.” He put a hypospray against Phlox’s arm and pressed the trigger. “This should last you for eight hours. If you feel the symptoms returning, let me know and I’ll give you a booster.” “Thank you, Doctor.” Phlox smiled at him, as his eyes cleared and his nose stopped twitching. He looked around for the captain, then-- SSSSQQQQQUUUAWWWWWWWWKKKKKK!! “Get DOWN!” Malcolm yelled. He completely disregarded Denobulan tradition by grabbing Phlox by the arm and yanking him down to the ground. A second inhuman screech echoed over their heads, the sound of a frustrated demon that had missed its prey. “What the hell--?” Trip Tucker burst out and immediately tackled Hoshi out of the way. They rolled for cover behind some bushes, just as a large bird-like shape flew inches past their heads. Automatically, Trip’s phase pistol went up, but Jon put a hand on his arm. Phlox cautiously lifted his head and glanced around him. He saw a large avian circling above them, its magnificent wings spread across the sky. That wingspan must be at least a meter from tip to tip, Phlox thought, judging the distance with a trained eye. It beat its wings as if trying to gain altitude, but the movement was...awkward. “It’s been injured,” Malcolm said suddenly. “A broken wing, perhaps.” “A fall from that height will kill it,” Phlox said grimly. “There must be some way for us to help it—“ Then above them, was another cry that echoed over the clearing. The bird responded, circled once more, then angled down. It hesitated and pulled back up, like a shuttlepod aborting a landing. “It can’t land,” Hoshi cried, “or it won’t for some reason.” The sound of running feet caught Phlox’s attention, and two women burst into the clearing. One of them wore a tunic of sturdy beige canvas, tucked into denim pants, which were tucked in turn into thick heeled boots. Her skin was a few shades lighter than Travis Mayweather’s, black hair in two thick cables over her shoulders and curled up under a wide-brimmed hat. She towered over both Trip and Jon Archer, which was a strange sight. Next to the Pyrithian was a much shorter being, about Captain Sato’s height, with a fall of pure ice white hair and shimmering blue eyes. She was also dressed in outdoor gear and her translucent skin gave her the appearance of an angel. This woman seemed to glow with an phosphorous light. Phlox thought she had some kind of otherworldly beauty; right now, that beauty was hard as diamond. Both women glanced at the members of the Away Team, huddled under cover. The taller woman met Phlox’s gaze, then he heard in his mind, Yes, you can help us. “What—?” he sputtered aloud, but he didn’t have time to finish the question, for she had already crossed the distance between them with uncanny speed and was kneeling next to him. Her wide dark eyes had a commanding expression, like a charismatic general had over his troops. “We need your help,” she said in accented Standard English. “Can you help?” “Tell me what you need me to do,” he answered firmly. She thrust a hawker’s glove into his hands. “Put this on your right arm; make sure the straps fit snugly over your wrist and hand, then follow me.” The engineer nodded and did as she asked. The glove was surprisingly comfortable; he could make repairs on the warp core wearing this. He was still affixing the last strap when he took off running after her. “Stand right there, hold your arm out and whatever you do, don’t allow the bird to touch the ground. Do you understand?” “Clearly,” Phlox replied. His skin crawled at the prospect of actually holding the bird, but he firmly shoved the feeling aside. Obviously, these women knew what they were doing. They were worried about the animal’s safety and welfare, but were channeling that terror into positive action. Phlox was impressed by their relative calm. The woman nodded at her companion and gave an order in a foreign tongue. The white-haired girl nodded back and cupped her hands around her mouth. She took a deep breath and let out a cry that mimicked the bird’s call. Again, the bird responded and spiraled downward towards Phlox, talons outstretched at him. He was rooted to the spot; he couldn’t move even if he wanted to. The hawk’s golden-black gaze commanded his, pain and fear and horror poured into his mind, and his voice was stuck in his throat as the bird closed the gap between them, as precise as a torpedo... You...like-mind...no more afraid... And the bird landed on his arm, the impact causing him to stumble backwards. He remembered the woman’s warning: Don’t allow the bird to touch the ground. The hawk flapped its wings, trying to regain its balance, but only succeeded in tipping Phlox off his feet. Then he felt hands steadying him from behind and preventing him from falling flat on his back. The hawk croaked a miserable note and shuddered, hiding its head under its uninjured wing. The other one was bent at a strange angle. Phlox winced in sympathy. “Thank you,” said the white haired woman as her friend slipped a hood over the hawk’s head. It hissed as she tried to transfer it from Phlox’s arm to the glove on her own arm. Her confused expression seemed more than just a little troubled. “It won’t leave him Thala,” she said to the dark-skinned woman. “Imprint, Mylene?” Thala asked, her voice incredulous. “It can’t be; it’s too old to imprint.” “We’ll puzzle it out later. Right now, we have to get it to the Shelter.” Thala suddenly remembered that they had an audience. She looked at Phlox. “Captain Sato?” Phlox shook his head. “I am Commander Phlox. Captain Sato is the woman right behind you.” Thala half-turned to see Hoshi. “Forgive me, but your commander must accompany us to the Shelter. It seems the Moon Hawk refuses to leave him.” At Hoshi’s nod, she turned back to Phlox. “Are you a doctor or a veterinarian of some sort?” “Ah, no. I am an engineer.” Phlox found the question rather odd and glanced over at Malcolm, but the Englishman’s mystified expression mirrored his own. Now Thala looked really concerned. She opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it, then closed her mouth. “Follow us, Commander Phlox, and you might want your doctor at your side.” Malcolm nodded and moved to Phlox’s side as they all followed Thala and Mylene into the trees. Phlox caught Hoshi’s look of reassurance, but there was worry deep within her eyes. She knew about as much as Phlox of what was happening, but whatever it was affected her deeply. I was overly hasty when I wondered what could go wrong on this Away Mission, he thought. The irony nearly made him smile. |
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