"Excess Baggage" by A. Rhea King Rating: PG Disclaimer: Don't own the, CBS/Paramount does. Summary: An away team on their way to explore a planet is forced to land, and discover the natives are very hostile. To make the situation worse, they discover they have three unexpected stow aways. CHAPTER 1 Eartik, Navta and Porthos ran into the shuttle bay to the furthest shuttle pod. Navta had a canvas bag slung over her shoulder that she held against her to keep it from swinging. Eartik reached down, scooped up Porthos and the children climbed the ladder of a shuttle pod to the top hatch. Navta opened the hatch and they climbed into the shuttle pod. Eartik dropped Porthos on Navta’s lap. He climbed up to shut the top hatch and seal the airlock. Below him the docking light came on. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Navta asked him. Eartik heaved a heavy sigh, looking back at her. “Will you stop worrying?” Navta shrugged and spread out their lunch. She reached back in the bag to retrieve a deck of cards. She looked at them and then Eartik. “What’d’ya think they’re going to do when they find out we ditched class?” “Yell some, scold some, threaten a lot, and forget about it tomorrow or the day after.” “And you’re sure that this shuttle pod wasn’t scheduled for the away mission to the planet?” “Yes, Navta! I read the schedule and checked it again this morning when Trip wasn’t looking. Trust me.” “Don’t you know that’s a bad thing to say?” “Only if you’re human.” Navta and Eartik both laughed. Navta dealt the cards for ‘Go Fish.’ Eartik tossed a sandwich wedge to Porthos, picked up another and his cards. “Got any eights?” Eartik asked over a bite of sandwich. Trip glared at the control panel of the shuttle pod. “Anything?” he asked the Ensign at the back. “No, sir.” “Her circuitry is toast.” Trip looked back at Archer and Malcolm. “I’m not going to get this fixed in a couple hours, Cap’n. We’re lucky we didn’t do a nose dive when that lightening hit us!” Trip reached under the console, yanked a circuit board free and held it up, showing Archer a mass of melted silicon, wire and plastic. “Everything on her looks like this.” “Can you replace it?” “Yeah but it’s going to take a while. Not a day like you’re wantin’.” “Let’s just take the other shuttle pod, sir,” Malcolm said. Archer looked out the hatch, contemplating if he even wanted to take a second chance. So far the weather on the planet below seemed erratic. The spheres they’d detected hovering in the stratosphere of the planet, according to the last recording this shuttle pod was able to get before it was struck, controlled the weather. Below the spheres there appeared to be cities. Most had technological readings as advance as their own or better, but they had received no reply when they hailed any of the cities. The limited scans they had gotten of the surface showed nothing but plant life as far as biological signs went. It was almost like they had come upon a ghost planet, which was the only reason he’d agreed to allow a landing party in the first place. He was as curious as the rest of the crew about what was below the clouds and spheres. “Captain?” Malcolm asked. Archer looked at Trip. “You still want to go, Trip?” “I want to stay right here and figure out why the shielding failed on this thing. It’s supposed to be able to discharge lightening strikes and I don’t get why she didn’t. That doesn’t make any sense.” “Okay. T’Pol.” T’Pol stepped into the hatch, looking up from her tricorder, “Yes, Captain?” “You’re staying here. Get back up to the bridge.” “Yes, Captain.” “Let’s move everything to the other shuttle pod, Malcolm. Ensign McDowny and Lieutenant Anderson.” Ensign McDowny and Lieutenant Anderson stepped into the hatch. “Grab cases. Let’s make this one move and get down there before the sun goes down.” They turned and grabbed cases and containers. Archer picked up two cases. “Cap’n,” Trip said. “Yeah?” Archer turned. “Be careful.” Trip looked back at him. “That storm appeared out of now where. Kinda like it was a defense of sorts.” “I was thinking the same thing. Cross your fingers and rub a few rabbits feet for us.” “Yes, sir.” # Navta sat up, hearing voices in the shuttle bay. She looked at Eartik, whose eyes were as wide as her own. She grabbed Porthos, pulling him onto her lap so she could keep him from making any noise that would give them away. “Malcolm, take navigation,” the two heard Archer say as he came into the shuttle pod. Porthos’ tail started wagging and he tried to worm free from Navta. Navta grabbed his snout, keeping him from yipping excitedly like he always did when he heard Archer. “You don’t trust me, sir?” Malcolm joked. Archer chuckled. “I trust you! In poker.” “So I have kept that ace concealed well!” Malcolm laughed, “Glad to know it.” Again Archer chuckled. “No you haven’t. I just like watching Trip get whipped every Thursday night.” “Now I’ll start counting aces, Malcolm,” Lieutenant Anderson joked. The children heard four people laugh. “All the equipment is on board, Captain. Let’s see if we still have a date with fate,” Ensign McDowny chirped. Eartik leaned to the side to look at the back of the shuttle pod when the engine came to life. Navta slowly looked back and then Eartik. “Oh no,” Eartik whispered, “I think they’re going to take this shuttle pod, Navta.” Navta shot him a glare. “Really? Is that why the engine just came on?” “I think we’re going to be in a lot of trouble this time,” Eartik whispered. “Sh!” Navta said, putting her finger to her lips. “Archer to the bridge.” “Go ahead, Captain,” T’Pol’s voice replied. “We’re prepared for launch. Keep an eye on the spheres as we get close and see if you can detect anything happening. Wish I could be more specific, but I don’t even know what you’re going to be looking for.” “An energy signature perhaps?” “Perhaps. Keep this channel open. Malcolm, as soon as we’re free, locate a place where the spheres are as far apart as possible. Alert me if they move to intercept us.” “Yes, sir.” “NAVTA!” Eartik cried in a squeaky whisper. Navta put her finger to her lips. “Did you hear that?” Lieutenant Anderson asked. Navta reiterated her command of silence to Eartik more forcefully. “Hear what?” Archer asked. There was a pause. “I dunno, sir. Guess I’m hearing things.” They heard Archer chuckle, “That can’t be good, Luke.” Navta and Eartik looked up when they felt the shuttle pod drop fast for a couple centimeters when the docking arm let go. It turned and the two looked at each other. Eartik mouthed to Navta, ‘We are so dead!’ Navta looked down at Porthos. She kissed his forehead, trying to keep her mind off the truthfulness of Eartik’s comment. “Found a location. Here are the coordinates, sir.” “Looks good. Transmit them to the bridge.” “We’ve received the coordinates and are monitoring the spheres, Captain,” T’Pol’s voice informed Archer. There was a moment of silence. “The spheres are moving to intercept,” T’Pol’s voice said. Navta closed her eyes when the shuttle pod rocked suddenly. “That wasn’t lightening,” Archer said. “It was, but at an unusually higher voltage,” Malcolm confirmed, “and more are coming, sir.” “Gotta get below these clouds,” Archer said, “How far till we clear the cloud deck, Malcolm?” “Nineteen kilometers.” The shuttle pod rocked again. Eartik moved over to Navta’s side. Navta switched her hand holding Porthos’ snout to holding Eartik. “This was a really bad idea, Navta. I’m sorry,” Eartik whispered. “It’ll be okay. Just hold onto me and Porthos,” Navta whispered back. The shuttle pod rocked again. “Lost navigation and communication with Enterprise, Captain.” “How far till we clear the deck?” “Another one point six kilometers, sir.” The shuttle pod shook again and Malcolm reported, “That took out our sensors. You’re flying by sight, sir.” “Hold on, guys.” The shuttle pod dipped and Navta and Eartik slid across the hatch cover, hitting the bulkhead. Porthos jumped free from Navta’s arms, but stayed close to the children. “Clear of the clouds. This is a monsoon! I can hardly see anything!” Archer cried. “Can you see a place to land?” “I think there’s one right ahead. I hope.” Navta pulled Eartik and Porthos close to her, both the dog and boy trembling in her arms. The shuttle pod ride ended bumpy and with an abrupt halt. The silence that followed was filled by the sound of driving rain. “Everyone okay back there?” Archer asked. Porthos began whining and clawing frantically at the hatch cover. Navta grabbed him and he yipped loudly before she got her hand wrapped around his snout again. Navta pressed against the bulkhead, meeting Eartik’s eyes. “They heard that, Navta. I know they did,” Eartik whispered. Below there was silence. “So do you two want me to open the hatch so you can fall out of there, kids, or do you want to open it from up there and climb down?” Archer’s voice asked from below. Navta closed her eyes tight, holding Porthos tight to her chest. “We are so dead,” she whispered. “Dead doesn’t even begin to describe what you two are right now!” Archer’s dark voice shot back, “and sometime during all this, the external COM up there was turned on.” Navta looked down. Eartik’s elbow was jammed against the VOX button. She looked at Eartik with a horrified look. He pulled his arm away, but the light to indicate it was turned on stayed on. “Just a minute, K’pan,” Navta said. “Move it!” The two quickly collected their toys, cards and half-finished lunch. Navta handed the bag and Porthos to Eartik and entered the code to release the hatch into the shuttle pod. She pulled it open and hesitated, staring down at Archer’s angry face. “Here...K’pan,” Eartik said, handing him Porthos. Archer’s angry face changed for only a moment to surprise. “WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING WITH PORTHOS!?” Archer grabbed his dog away from Eartik. “GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW! YOU BOTH HAVE A HELL’UVA LOT OF EXPLAING TO DO!” Navta and Eartik slunk down the ladder and stood before Archer with their eyes on the floor. “Why are you two even up there? How did you get in?” “We...were playing. We came in through the top hatch. They aren’t usually locked,” Navta said. “And so you took it upon yourself to go into my quarters without my permission, take Porthos and play in a shuttle pod that you both know is off limits? Correct?” “Yes, sir,” they both answered. “Aren’t you two supposed to be in class?” “We didn’t go...sir,” Navta said, her voice getting softer. “What? Speak up!” “We didn’t go, sir,” Eartik replied. “And why not?” “We didn’t want to study any more history today. Besides,” Navta turned an angry glare on Archer, “it’s not even Jit history. It’s human.” “So now that you’re in trouble for cutting class, going in my quarters without my permission, playing in a shuttle pod you know you’re not supposed to be in, you’re going to hate me because I’m human?” Navta’s angry glare melted away. “No...K’pan. That’s...That’s not...what...I meant.” “Then what--” “Captain,” Malcolm interrupted. “What!?” Archer spun around. “We have guests,” Malcolm pointed out the window, “and they have phase rifles. Perhaps now would not be a good time to discuss this matter?” Archer handed Porthos to Navta. “DON’T either one of you move. You stay in here and you don’t make a sound, understand me?” The two nodded. “I didn’t hear you!” “Yes, K’pan,” they answered. Archer turned and walked to the hatch. He stood for a few minutes, recollecting himself for first contact. He punched the hatch release and stepped out into rain that had become a drizzle. Malcolm, Lieutenant Anderson and Ensign McDowny followed him out. Navta looked at Eartik. “I’m going to be grounded for life!” Navta whispered. “I’m sorry. I swear the schedule didn’t say this shuttle pod was being used. I swear it!” “Are you sure? Are you sure that it wasn’t last weeks?” “I swear it!” Navta shook her head, looking down at Porthos. “Oh Porthos, we are so sorry.” # “Ma’am, Captain Archer’s hailing us,” Hoshi said. T’Pol nodded her head once. “This is Enterprise.” “T’Pol,” Archer said, almost yelled. In the background they could hear phase fire. “Navta and Eartik stowed away with Porthos on the shuttle pod. We found ‘em when we landed. The natives here aren’t friendly. I’ll contact you when we get the kids to safety, but tell Likos. Archer out.” “Captain?” “He’s gone,” Hoshi told her. T’Pol let out a slow breath. “I will return shortly,” T’Pol told Hoshi as she walked to the lift. “Aye, ma’am.” # The children looked up when Archer ran into the shuttle pod with Malcolm. Malcolm grabbed Eartik and Archer grabbed Navta and the two took off at a run and under heavy phaser fire. “Keep a tight hold on Port, Navta,” Archer ordered her as he ran. They reached the woods and Archer put Navta down, grabbed her hand and kept running. Behind them they heard the natives of the planet yelling as they pursued the group. Archer and Malcolm, with kids in tow, caught up to Lieutenant Anderson and Ensign McDowny and the yells of the angry natives began to slowly fade away. Archer took the lead when they reached a cliff face and followed it until they were in a denser place of the woods. He stopped and let Navta’s hand go, leaning on his legs to catch his breath. “I don’t think they wanted us here, sir,” Malcolm said. Archer looked back at Malcolm and down at Eartik and then Navta. “You two picked a really bad time to disobey me. I hope this is what you wanted, Navta.” Navta looked down at Porthos. Archer grabbed her hand and pulled her into a walk. “Let’s keep moving. It’s not safe to stay out here,” Archer said. Navta glanced up at Archer’s face. He didn’t look down at her again or speak another word the rest of the day. # “I’m hungry,” Eartik muttered to Navta. Navta glanced at him but said nothing. “And tired.” Navta glanced nervously at Archer’s back. “And my feet hur--” Archer stopped and spun, leaning down so his face was centimeters from Eartik’s. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have hid in the shuttle pod, Eartik!” Eartik swallowed, not blinking until Archer turned and started walking again. Navta took Eartik’s hand and pulled him into a walk beside her. Archer heard someone approaching and stopped, drawing his phase pistol. Behind him, Ensign McDowny and Malcolm drew theirs, aiming toward the sound. Lieutenant Anderson came out of the brush. “Did you find any place?” Archer asked, putting his phase pistol in its holster. “Yeah. About five meters ahead there’s a small cave and there’s a river a little further on.” “Lead the way.” Lieutenant Anderson turned and led them through the woods to a cave he’d found. “Marsha,” Archer turned to her, “take these two and go collect wood.” Archer motioned to Navta and Eartik. “Be careful. Luke, Malcolm and I will see if we can find something to eat.” Marsha nodded. She waited until the men disappeared into the forest before looking down at Eartik and Navta. The two were standing side by side, watching the ground. Porthos had his head resting on Navta’s shoulder, watching Marsha. Marsha crouched down in front of the two. “You know he doesn’t hate you two, right?” Marsha asked. “The captain that is.” Neither answered. “He doesn’t. And I really think he’s more scared than mad.” Marsha laid her hand on Navta’s arm. “Is that how he feels? Really, really scared?” Navta nodded. “Is he really, really mad?” Navta nodded. “Oh. Maybe he’s both.” Marsha rubbed Porthos’ head. “So I know you two are upset that he’s yelled a lot, but just know he’s scared, not so much mad. You shouldn’t have been in there, but you know that now and you won’t be doing it again, right?” Both shook their heads. “Yeah.” Marsha smiled as she stood. “Navta, take you and Eartik’s belt and make a leash and collar for Porthos. Then take him in the cave and find a place to tie him. We have to get wood for a fire.” Navta and Eartik pulled their belts off and Navta disappeared in the cave. She came back and the three set out to collect wood. By the time the men returned, they had a small fire burning and warming the inside of the cave. “This isn’t going to attract the...whatever they’re called?” Marsha asked Archer. “I hope not. It’s too cold to be without one though. We didn’t find anything.” “We’ll live one day without food,” Marsha smiled, “I could stand to lose a couple pounds.” “May just get to do that if we can’t get off this planet,” Archer said, smiling at her. Archer looked down at Porthos, noticing the joined belts Navta had looped to make a leash and collar. “That was a good idea, Navta,” Archer told her. “It was Marsha’s idea, sir,” Navta murmured. Archer looked away. The cave became silent except for the crackling fire. # Navta sat straight up. She looked at Eartik sleeping beside her and then at the cave entrance. She slowly got up and crept to the entrance. Outside it was overcast, foggy and growing slowly lighter as the sun rose. Wisps of fog wove in and out of the thin trees creating ghostly forms in the gray light. Navta slowly stepped out of the cave, turning her head. She turned and ran back to Eartik, shaking him awake. “What?” Eartik muttered. “Come with me.” Navta grabbed his wrist, pulling on it. “Where?” “COME ON!” Navta hissed in a whisper. “But--” “NOW EARTIK!” Eartik got up and let her lead him to a tree. “Can you climb this?” Navta asked. “Yeah. Why?” “Climb up and look that way.” Navta pointed straight ahead. “Tell me what you see. Hurry.” “Why?” “I hear something. It sounds like a lot of people.” “I can’t hear anything.” “EARTIK!” Eartik sighed, pulling off his shoes. He jumped up, caught the tree and scrambled up the trunk into the fog above. Navta waited impatiently, watching the fog above her. Eartik appeared suddenly. He leapt to the ground, landing on all fours and looked back up at her. “There’s a line of people coming this way. They all have phase rifles and I think they’re looking for us.” Navta turned and ran back into the cave. She fell to her knees beside Archer. “K’pan. K’PAN!” “Navta, go back to sleep,” Archer muttered. “K’PAN!” Navta practically yelled. “What?” he asked, looking back at her. “There’s people coming this way. I sent Eartik up a tree and he saw a line of them coming this way with phase pistols, K’pan. We gotta go. We gotta go now!” Archer sat up, reaching over and shaking Luke until he woke up. “We have to go. Malcolm, Marsha, wake up!” Archer grabbed Porthos up in his arms and ran to the entrance. He stopped and listened. “I don’t hear anything, Navta.” Archer looked down at her. “I do. They’re over that way.” Archer grabbed her hand, glancing back to make sure his crewmen and Eartik were ready to leave. Archer set off at a jog, clutching Porthos to his chest. They came out of the trees onto the riverbank and soldiers from across the river opened fire. “TAKE COVER!” Archer yelled, pulling Navta in front of him as he dropped behind a large boulder. “Hold on tight to Porthos, Navta. Do not let him go, understand?” “Yes, K’pan,” Navta said, clutching Porthos to her. Archer turned, drawing his phase pistol and returned fire. He ducked and Navta let out a surprised squeak when a phase stream hit the boulder they were hiding behind. Archer grabbed her and ducked around the boulder, putting a boulder between the soldiers across the river and the soldiers in the forest. “They’ve got us pinned, sir,” Malcolm called from where he was crouched between a log and a boulder. Archer fired his phase pistol and the stream only went a few centimeters from the barrel. “DAMN!” Archer said, falling back against the boulder. He looked at the energy readout and grimaced when he saw it flashing on empty. “I’m out. How are you guys?” Archer asked the others. “My energy bank’s almost out, sir,” Luke answered. “They all should be by now. They haven’t been charged in over twenty-four hours, sir,” Malcolm said. “Who’s great idea was that?” “I’m afraid the weapons specialists on Earth never intended them to be used in ground combat, sir.” “Great. Just...” Archer let out an angry growl. “Could this get any worse?” Archer grabbed Navta, sheltering her with his body, when an explosion threw dirt and rocks up between him and Malcolm. “It just got worse, Captain. Combat flyers,” Marsha said. “Me and my big mouth,” Archer growled to himself. He looked up, his eyes stopping on the rushing river water. He looked back at his crew. “Can all of you swim good?” “Swim?” they asked him, looking at him. “That river is the only way out and from the looks of it,” Archer looked back at the water, “It’s pretty fast. Being taken prisoner would be considerably better than drowning, but if you are all good at swimming, then it’s our best chance.” Archer waited, watching them look at each other. “I can swim, K’pan,” Navta said, looking up at him, “Porthos can too.” “How do you know that?” “We used a big old crate to make...a...po...ol.” Navta looked away. “You and I are going to have a serious talk about you disobedience when we get back Navta.” “Yes, K’pan.” “Everyone else?” Archer looked at the others. “I can swim. I can swim, K’pan,” Eartik said. Archer reached down and pulled the leash/collar off Porthos. “On three, we make a run for the river. It’s bound to be cold so take a deep breath and dive, got it?” Archer asked them. They nodded. “One...two...THREE!” Archer reached down and pulled Navta to him as they splashed into the river. Navta wrapped an arm around his neck as the current caught them up and pulled them down river. Archer turned his head looking back up the river for his crew and Eartik, but all he could see was water and the forest rushing by. “THERE’S A WATERFALL, K’PAN!” Navta screamed. Archer looked around, seeing the edge of a waterfall swiftly approaching. “HOLD ON, NAVTA!” Navta wrapped her arms tighter around Archer’s neck, hugging Porthos between them. They plummeted over the edge and hit the water below feet first. The force of the landing ripped Navta and Porthos out of Archer’s arms. Archer felt the current grab him and gasped before it drug him under. Archer struggled back to the surface, fighting against the current and undertows trying to keep him under. Archer broke the surface and was yanked under again by an undertow before he could get a full breath. He struggled to get back to the surface, losing consciousness as his hand broke the surface. Continue to Chapter 2

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