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"Leap of Faith" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG CHAPTER 3 Archer looked up, watching the planet come into view. He stood, walking over to the communication station. The ensign sitting at the station turned to him. “Ted, hail Malcolm,” Archer ordered. Enterprise slowed to a halt, moving into geosynchronous orbit. T’Pol turned away from one monitor to another and tensed slightly. She turned suddenly, bringing up her viewer. Across the bridge Trip noticed the movement and watched her. “They aren’t responding, sir,” Ted said. “Knowing them, they haven’t left the caverns the whole time they’ve been down there,” Archer joked. “Captain,” T’Pol said. He turned to her. “The volcano near the cavern entrance is active.” “What?” Archer looked at the view screen. T’Pol changed it and zoomed in. A gray ash cloud at least a hundred kilometers wide hid the volcano from view. “Ted, hail them again.” Ted tried. “They aren’t responding, sir. “Compensate for the ash.” “I did, sir. They aren’t responding. “Trip, you’re with me. Ted, don’t stop hailing them.” “I advise against going to the surface, Captain,” T’Pol told Archer. “The volcano could erupt at any moment.” “Thanks for the advice,” Archer said as he walked past. Trip followed him onto the lift, watching Archer. He waited for the doors to close to speak. “Cap’n, is this a good idea?” Archer looked at him. “They’re your crew and friends too, Trip. You’d better come up with some way to get them off that planet.” “But we can’t take a shuttle pod down there, sir. The ash will shut the engine down, just like a combustion engine.” “I meant the transporter, Trip. There has to be a way to compensate for the ash.” The lift doors opened and they walked off. “What if there isn’t? What if I can’t transport them, Cap’n?” Archer looked him in the eyes. “One disaster at a time, Trip.” Trip nodded. “Yes, sir.” # The three had walked for hours in silence, their footsteps muffled in the black sand they were shuffling through. They were beyond exhausted and talking felt like too much work. “Can we stop and take a nap for ten minutes, sir?” Hoshi asked. Malcolm stopped, turning to her. “Yes, but only ten.” Hoshi reached out as she inched away, finding the wall with her hand. Travis grabbed her arm, helping her get her pack off. He pulled his own off, setting it on top of hers. They both let out a sigh when they sat down, leaning against the tunnel wall. Malcolm deposited his pack on the floor as he sat down on Hoshi’s other side. He tugged his canteen out and drank some water. Malcolm looked at Hoshi when she softly gasped. She had her head turned and he couldn’t see her face. Travis had his head back against the tunnel wall and looked like he was asleep. Hoshi suddenly sat up, rigid and straight, her head tilted with one ear down the tunnel. “What’s wrong?” Malcolm asked. “I hear something.” Malcolm closed his eyes, sighing. “Like what?” “It sounds... Almost like water.” Malcolm smiled. He was surprised she would be joking, but he decided to humor her. “And how does ‘almost like water’ sound, exactly?” “Thick. Like fast moving... Goo?” Malcolm chuckled, but his smile suddenly dropped when he noticed the temperature in the tunnel had risen a few degrees. He stood, shaking Travis. “Travis, wake up!” Travis woke with a start. “Wha’?” “Get up! Get up now!” “Malcolm?” Hoshi asked. Malcolm grabbed her arm, hauling her to her feet. “What’s wrong!?” Hoshi cried. “You’re hearing magma!” Malcolm ordered, pulling her into a run. “Leave your packs!” Travis snatched up his lantern, glancing back. There was a very dim glow growing brighter along the tunnel walls. “We can’t stay in this tunnel, sir,” Travis told Malcolm. “We won’t outrun it!” “I’m quite aware of that, Ensign!” Malcolm snapped. The three raced by a tunnel opening. Malcolm pulled back, yanking them both to a stop as he turned. A breath of hot air washed over them and it was getting hotter by the second. Malcolm ran up the adjoining tunnel, passing an opening. He stopped dead, seeing the end was blocked. He turned, running back to the opening and stopped, shining the lantern into it. The tunnel opening started at his chest and the floor slanted sharply. “Untie,” Malcolm ordered. “Sir--” Travis started. “UNTIE!” Malcolm screamed at him. The three quickly untied the rope. Malcolm grabbed it, tossing it into the tunnel. He grabbed Travis’ lantern and tossed it into the tunnel, and then turned, pulling Hoshi to the wall. “Give me your foot and I’ll boost you into the tunnel.” “Is this tunnel the right way?” “I DON’T KNOW! GIVE ME YOUR DAMN FOOT!” Hoshi lifted her foot and Malcolm cupped his hands under it. “Reach your hands up and you should be able to just barely feel the edge.” Hoshi reached up, her fingers griping the edge of the opening. Malcolm gave her a boost. She tried to pull herself up, but she couldn’t get a grip with the black sand on the tunnel floor. Travis pushed up on her butt, sending her tumbling into the tunnel. Hoshi quickly turned around, holding her hand over the edge. “It’s starting to get really hot. Hurry,” Hoshi said. “You’re next,” Malcolm told Travis. Travis started to argue. Malcolm looked up at him and his words died in his throat. Malcolm eyes were large with terror, but defiant determination was keeping it in check. Travis lifted his foot; Malcolm cupped his hands around it and boosted him up. Hoshi grabbed Travis’ uniform, pulling up. Malcolm gasped when the heat rose suddenly. He looked back, seeing the dim orange glow had reached them. He gave Travis’ leg a shove. Something hit Malcolm on the head and hit the sand at his feet. He looked down, watching the lantern roll down the tunnel. Malcolm ran after the lantern. “LIEUTENANT!” Travis yelled, grabbing for his shoulder. Malcolm skidded to a stop when the lantern landed in the tunnel. The clear Plexiglas around the light ruptured, exploding in fragments. It hit the ground and the metal started melting. The battery exploded, the acid instantly evaporating. He ran back to the tunnel, leapt up, and smacked his hand into Travis’ waiting hand. Travis grabbed his arm, pulling back. Malcolm scrambled for a foothold. He looked down at his feet and gasped. His pant legs were starting to smoke and singe and the soles of his shoes were getting softer. Malcolm looked at Travis. “You have to go. Take Hoshi and go.” “Sir, I can’t--” “It’s about to get unbelievably hot, Travis! We’ll all die if you two don’t go.” Hoshi appeared next to Travis, holding her hands out. “Give me an arm.” “Hoshi, go!” “Your arm.” “That is an order, Ensigns!” “SCREW YOUR ORDER! Now give me your arm, Malcolm!” Malcolm shook his head, giving her an arm. Hoshi and Travis pulled back and Malcolm began inching up the wall. His foot found a small outcrop and he was able to climb into the tunnel. Malcolm grabbed the rope and Hoshi’s arm, yanking her to her feet. “MOVE PEOPLE!” The three ran into darkness, stumbling and tripping, but putting sure death behind them. # The tunnel had widened so the three could walk abreast. The rope, tied again to their waists, had so much slack that it drug in the sand between them. The temperature in the tunnels had risen to well over forty degrees Celsius. Small earthquakes happening every few minutes were all that made them keep their weakened bodies going. Malcolm stopped, staring ahead. “Travis?” “Yeah?” Travis asked. He barely spoke, as if speaking was too difficult. “Is that daylight or a mirage?” Travis stopped beside Malcolm, staring down the tunnel. He let out a breath of relief. “Daylight!” “Are we almost out?” Hoshi asked. “Yes,” Malcolm smiled, lightly clapping Hoshi’s shoulder. She leaned against Malcolm, resting her forehead on his shoulder. “I want a bath.” “And a long nights sleep,” Malcolm added. “I want a huge bowl of anything. I’m starving,” Travis said. Malcolm started walking again, encouraging the Ensigns to follow him but the men’s renewed spirit began to crumple as they drew closer to the opening. Ash rained through the entrance and was at least a meter deep at the mouth. “I really, really, really hate this planet,” Travis complained. “Why? What’s wrong?” Hoshi asked. “It’s raining ash outside.” Malcolm’s legs locked, stopping him. What was the problem here? For a few seconds his weary brain couldn’t find the answer. An entire three weeks of studying volcanoes for a college geology class was suddenly recalled and made him draw a sharp, painful breath. It had rained ash before Mount Saint Helens blew, the blast scorching three hundred and seventy kilometers of pristine forest. It had rained ash before and during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the eruption itself wiping out the entire populace of Pompeii. So then it would be safe to stay in the tunnels, his mental voice reasoned. “Malcolm, why are we stopping?” Hoshi asked. Malcolm looked back down the tunnel. There was no sign of magma behind them. But when the volcano blew, that may change. These tunnels may fill with magma, superheated ground water or worse yet, deadly gasses. And they would be sitting ducks. Those ancient people of Pompeii had not escaped death in boathouses, so how could this tunnel be any safer? “Sir, what’s wrong?” Travis asked. Malcolm’s mind raced ahead to the recent past. He knew, or hoped, that Archer wouldn’t try to send a shuttle pod. He wasn’t an engineer, but he guessed ash could probably cause severe damage to a shuttle pod. So that left the transporter, but even that had a glitch. One day almost three years ago, Trip had been going on and on and on about how the transporter could transport through anything. In order to get him to shut up or change the subject, Malcolm asked if that wasn’t an exaggeration. A long pause later, Trip admitted that there were still certain minerals, types of rock, and metal, that it couldn’t transport through. So what if the rock and minerals that composed these tunnels were on that list? If they had any hope of escape, they had to get into the open. His internal voices fell silent, finally in agreement. ‘We must leave the tunnel.’ Malcolm began tearing off his sleeve. “Tear off a sleeve. We need to cover our noses and mouths.” The two obeyed. Malcolm tied his sleeve around his mouth and helped Hoshi tie hers around her face. “This stinks!” Hoshi said. “It’s necessary.” “No. I mean my sleeve stinks. Is there light ahead?” Hoshi asked. Malcolm was surprised by the question. “Yes. Can you see it?” “It’s really grey, but I can see something that way.” Hoshi pointed in the direction of the exit. Malcolm smiled. He checked her rope, making sure it was secure. “Already our luck is turning, isn’t it? Soon you’ll see as you always did.” “Maybe,” Hoshi answered quietly. “Travis, are you ready? I imagine we’re in for a fast trek to safety once we leave here.” “Ready, sir.” Malcolm took Hoshi’s hand, leading her toward the light. Malcolm’s sarcastic internal voice chided, ‘Just like moths to a flame. Those stupid moths fly into that light, even if it will kill them. We’re stupid moths, aren’t we?’ And then Malcolm stepped into fine ash... The world around them was covered in ash that fell like snow on a silent world. Hoshi’s hand left Malcolm’s to pick a large piece of ash off her cheek. She smashed the silky minerals between her fingers. The ground shuddered and Malcolm forced himself to turn, looking for the volcano. It wasn’t until he was facing the tunnel that he found it towering over them. His mouth went dry and his legs quivered. They were in the shadow of the deadly monster and only God knew if it was about to erupt. “We must hurry. We’ll try to make it to the top of a mountain before...” Instead of finishing, Malcolm grabbed Hoshi’s hand and set off up the nearest mountain. He imagined it was going to be a grueling hike, but they had to make it or die. # The three were hot, tired, and soaked with sweat. The seemingly weightless ash stuck to their wet uniforms and skin, weighing them down as it built up on them, and slowing their trudge to the summit. Hoshi slipped and fell, pulling Malcolm down with her when she hit the end of the rope. The two laid where they fell, too tired to get up. “We can’t stop moving,” Travis said. His voice shook, the only indicator that he was frightened. Malcolm sat up and Travis grabbed his arm, helping him to his feet. Malcolm reached down, helping Hoshi sit up. He tried to pull her to her feet, but she didn’t even try to stand on her own. Malcolm closed his eyes, fighting back fear and tears. She had stopped talking, she was falling more, and it was getting harder to convince her to go continue. ‘Perhaps if she believes Enterprise and Captain Archer is waiting for us...’ Malcolm looked at Travis. “You should be able to raise Enterprise at the top of the mountain, Travis. Go on and wait at the summit for us.” Travis nodded. “Aye, sir.” Travis untied and headed up the mountain. Malcolm crouched beside Hoshi. Her eyes were closed and tears were cutting tracks through the ash coating her face. Malcolm reached out, pushing her hair back. She opened her eyes. “We have to make it to the top. I’m sure Captain Archer is waiting for us up there. We mustn’t disappoint him.” “Do you think he is? Really?” “Of course I do. Come on.” Hoshi grabbed his arm with both hands and he pulled her back to her feet. He untied the rope from them both and wrapped his arm around her waist, keeping her held up. He followed Travis’ footsteps in the ash, keeping his head ducked to keep the ash out of his eyes. As they cleared the tree line Malcolm looked ahead, seeing Travis waiting at the crest. The mountaintop didn’t come to a steep rise with rocks like some of the mountains in the distance. Malcolm was thanking his lucky stars, not realizing that small geological difference wasn’t something to be thankful for. Malcolm and Hoshi reached Travis in time to hear Archer finish saying, “...reconfigure it.” “Captain Archer?” Hoshi asked. She held out a trembling hand for the communicator. Travis handed it over. “Captain Archer?” Hoshi whimpered. “We’re going to get you out of there, Hoshi. I promise.” “How soon? How soon are you getting us out of here?” “We have to reconfigure the dampers and filters to compensate for the ash in the air. Phlox doesn’t want you coming back mixed with ash. He says it could kill you if it gets into your heart or lungs.” A violent quake shook the mountain, knocking them off their feet. On the slopes boulders rolled from ancient resting spots, tearing down anything in their way as they raced toward the valleys below. Malcolm looked back at the volcano. Had it become more rounded in the last few minutes or was that his imagination? He got back to his feet, pulling Hoshi up as he yanked the communicator from her. “HURRY, CAPTAIN! WE’RE NEARLY OUT OF TIME!” “We almost--” Malcolm looked at the communicator. “Captain?” There was no reply. “Enterprise?” No answer. “Captain?” Silence. “ANYONE!” All three of them jumped when a burning lump of lava crashed to the ground less than five meters from them. The forest they’d just climbed out of quickly lit on fire as the lumps of lava rained into it. Malcolm looked at the volcano. “Dear God!” Travis looked back. The top of the cone seemed to be melting away, sliding down the sides. “We can’t stay here.” Malcolm tightened his hand around Hoshi’s, dragging her into a run. Travis came out of shock when a lump of lava landed only meters from him. He ran after the two, sliding on the ash. An explosion reverberated the air around them, hurting their eardrums. Malcolm dropped to the ground, yanking Hoshi down in front of him and hugging her tight. Travis slid to a stop next to them, wrapping his arms around both of them to provide even more shielding for Hoshi. “We’re going to die!” Hoshi cried. “No. Trip will get us out,” Malcolm assured her. “It’s just going to take him a few minutes.” “WE’RE OUT OF MINUTES, MALCOLM!” Malcolm pressed his face into her hair, bursting into tears. Fear had kidnapped the brave senior officer he’d been, leaving a weak, scared man. A low, deafening rumble began to build, growing closer. The temperature of the air began to rise swiftly. It burned through their clothes and blistered already exposed skin. The heat and smell of burning flesh and hair filled the air around them. Carbon dioxide and hydrogen chloride pushed ahead of the explosion, burning their eyes and lungs. Hoshi began wailing, trying desperately to get a full breath. Malcolm heard Travis start sobbing. He lifted his head and his eyes bugged. A deadly gray pyroclastic cloud filled the sky and was coming for them at an unimaginable speed. Fear smacked him in the chest, stealing his breath. Malcolm’s eyes snapped shut and he buried his face into Hoshi’s singing hair, not seeing it dematerialize suddenly... # He didn’t notice the roar of the approaching pyroclastic cloud had been silenced, leaving only his wheezing, labored breathing. His mind still felt only searing heat, unable to differentiate that it was cool air making it sting. His burned throat and lungs still stung from the gasses he’d inhaled. His body shook uncontrollably by adrenaline that was momentarily fending off exhaustion. A hand squeezed his shoulder. He lifted his head, finding Archer’s eyes staring back at him. Archer gently pulled off the sleeve covering Malcolm’s mouth. “You’re back,” Archer said, lifting up an oxygen mask to put on Malcolm. Malcolm turned his head and everything swirled into a sickening mix of colors and motion. “Malcolm, hold still,” Archer quietly ordered. Archer’s face came back into view, strangely focused and distinct against a still moving background. He pulled the oxygen mask on. “Hoshi? Travis?” Malcolm whispered. “They’re right here with you.” “Dead?” “No. They’re alive, Malcolm,” Archer told him. Adrenaline suddenly cut off and his over-exerted body refused to hold him up any more. He felt the excruciating pain of his burns and eyes. But the worst was his lungs. Ever breath felt like someone was scratching billions of shards of glass across his lungs, inhibiting his ability to draw the deep breath he desperately wanted. He began to hyperventilate as panic began to rise. He didn’t feel the hypospray needle poke his neck, he only heard the soft hiss of it, and then cool, safe unconsciousness overtook him. |
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