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"Bottom of the Ninth"
Rating: PG Hayman (5) Dedicated to those who fought the fire, those lost to the fire, and those now rebuilding their homes and lives. Archer looked up when Porthos rubbed up against him. He smiled, scratching his ears. He turned his attention back to the book he was reading on his PADD. Across the tent Trip muttered in his sleep, turning in his sleep. Outside wind blew against the tent, whistling through the trees surrounding them. Occasionally lightening ripped across the sky, lighting the inside of the tent with bright light. Resounding Booms! of thunder followed, some closer than others. No rain had fallen since the storm begun, evaporating in the dry air above the trees before it reached them. T’Pol had mentioned that the entire planet seemed to be in a drought but she couldn’t explain why. Archer secretly smiled, amused at how transfixed she had become on solving the riddle. Porthos walked to the zipped tent flaps and sniffed. He whined a little. Archer looked at him. “You’ll have to hold it, Port. It might start raining and then we’d both be soaked.” Porthos whined. Archer turned back to his book. Porthos scratched at the opening and Archer ignored him. He turned off the PADD and laid it on his gear heaped beside him. He switched off the electrical lamp as he laid down on his sleeping bag. It was too warm to sleep under it and, if truth be told, it was too warm on this planet to wear uniforms. Archer closed his eyes and dropped to sleep. # Porthos licked and licked and licked. He whined and pawed at Archer. Smoke had filled the tent and the wall was lit by an orange light. “Go away,” Archer muttered. With a response finally, Porthos began barking. He ran to the door and barked, ran back to Archer and barked, each bark getting louder. “Porthos, hush,” Trip muttered. Porthos turned his attention to Trip. He started licking and pawing at him, barking in his ear. “Porthos!” both men said. Trip opened his eyes and immediately sensed something was out of place, although his groggy mind couldn’t immediately place it. He rolled onto his back, looking at the wall of the tent lit orange. Smoke filled his lungs and stung his nose and eyes. Trip got to his knees and turned on the lamp. His eyes widened to see the tent was filled with thick white smoke. Trip grabbed his boots. “Cap’n, wake up,” he said. Archer didn’t move. “JONATHAN!” Trip yelled. Archer jerked awake. He sat up, looking around him before reality hit. He patted his gear for his communicator. Trip crawled to the tent opening and ripped open the zipper. He climbed out, stopping halfway out. The top of the mountain they were sleeping on was lit up in flames that were being blown toward the campsite by the dry wind. Trip scrambled to his feet and ran to the next tent. “EVERYONE UP! HURRY!” Trip screamed, ripping open the zipper. He crouched down and grabbed T’Pol’s ankle, jerking hard on it. She jerked awake, assessing the danger faster than he or Archer had. She reached over and started shaking Hoshi. Behind Trip, Travis and the three other crewmen came out of their tents, staring up at the fire. Archer came out of their tent with Porthos under one arm. “Archer to Enterprise.” “Go ahead, sir.” “Where are the other teams?” “Where they were last reported, sir.” “Wake everyone. We’re evacuating immediately. Tell them to leave their camps and get to the shuttle pods on the double.” “Aye, sir.” Archer snapped his communicator shut and looked around for a flashlight he’d left outside. He found it and grabbed it, glancing back at the fire. The crew was staring up at it, transfixed by the threatening element heading toward them “MOVE IT PEOPLE!” Archer screamed. Breaking from their trance the group turned and ran down the mountain to the meadow the shuttle pods were waiting. They reached it as one of the other teams did. Archer’s communicator beeped in his hand. He flicked it open, turning to watch the approaching fire that was still. “Go ahead.” “Sir, the second team isn’t responding. I can’t get any of them to answer.” “Do you have their coordinates?” “Yes.” “Scan it. Are there bio signs?” There was a pause. Too long of a pause. “Commander Anderson, are there bio signs or not?” “No… There are not bio signs, sir. We just scanned the area for a hundred kilometers. We’re only picking up the biosigns at the shuttle pods. No where else.” “Get in the shuttle pods,” Archer ordered the crewmen. They obeyed. Archer looked back at the fire. “Luke, scan once more.” “Sir, you have to leave. That fire is moving toward you at eight kilometers an hour. The wind is pushing it down the mountain.” Archer hesitated. He turned and got in the shuttle pod, pulling the hatch shut. Trip had taken the helm and launched. Archer watched the forest fire for as long as it was in sight. He turned and sat down on the end of the bench, staring at the floor. # Archer strolled along the corridor, his hands held behind his back. It was early morning and the halls were empty, but he couldn’t sleep. His port windows had full view of the planet and the fire was still spreading across the surface of it, consuming everything that was flammable. “Good morning, Captain.” Archer stopped, looking up. T’Pol was standing in front of him. He stared at her, not sure how long she had been standing there. “Good morning,” he answered quietly. “It’s very late. Shouldn’t you be asleep?” “I can’t sleep.” “Neither can I.” T’Pol looked down. “May I join you?” Archer hardly nodded when she looked up at him. The two strolled side by side down the hallway. “Figure out what caused the drought?” “Not yet.” Archer fell silent. He didn’t really feel like talking. “There has been no word on the crewmen?” Archer slowed to a stop. T’Pol looked up at him. “There has been?” she asked. Archer sighed, looking at her. “Trip and Phlox found their remains early this afternoon. They were transported on board after most everyone had gone to bed. I didn’t want them taking their corpses through the halls with crewmen around.” T’Pol looked away. “That was considerate.” “It was Phlox’s concern. All data indicates their campfire started the fire.” T’Pol looked back up at him. “I warned the crewmen not to start campfires because it was so dry.” “They apparently felt they needed one. The sensors were picking up the fire before we did and it originated from their campsite. It spread fast. They probably were engulfed in it before they had a chance to run.” “Did you not say Porthos was acting strangely before you went to sleep?” Archer smiled a little. “Yes. He smelled it I’m sure. Dogs can sense those things.” “He deserves some credit. We would have been killed in the fire if he had not been persistent in waking you or Charles.” Archer’s smile broadened. “T’Pol, are you complimenting my dog?” “I am simply stating that his instincts saved our lives.” “Instincts wouldn’t have made him know to wake us up, T’Pol. I’ve heard stories of dogs remaining in danger to wake up their owners and get them to safety.” T’Pol shrugged her eyebrows. “I may never understand human’s loyalty and defense of their pets, but in this circumstance, whether it was instincts or his loyalty, I am appreciative that you brought your canine with us. He saved our lives.” Archer nodded, looking down the hall. “I’m going to try to sleep again, T’Pol. I’ll see you in the morning in the Captain’s mess. We need to address the crew about the deaths.” “Of course, Captain. Will Charles be back in the morning?” “Yes. They were getting the last of the equipment that was salvageable when I talked to him a few hours ago.” “Good night, Captain.” Archer returned to his quarters and undressed. He looked down at Porthos as he climbed into bed. Archer laid down, getting comfortable. “Porthos, come here buddy.” Porthos jumped onto the bed and trotted up to Archer. He laid down beside Archer, stretching his full length and pressing against Archer. Archer smiled, scratching his belly. “You’re quite the mutt, pooch,” Archer lovingly crooned. “I love you, buddy.” Porthos flopped his tail a couple times. With a content groan he closed his eyes and fell asleep. |
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