|
"Mistake" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG13 CHAPTER 4 S’Tah looked back at Trip and T’Pol. The group had climbed onto a cement ledge to rest and Archer was cleaning the wounds on Trip’s legs. T’Pol had reclined him against her chest and held his hands. S’Tah couldn’t make out what she was whispering to Trip, but it appeared to be taking his mind off his pain. “All done, Trip,” Archer said. Trip let out his held breath. He turned his head, pressing his cheek against her chest. She wrapped one arm around his chest and cradled his head with the other. Archer sat down, leaning against the wall behind him. In the silence they could hear the encouraging words she was whispering to Trip. Archer closed his eyes, comforted by her words. His eyes popped open when he heard something splash in the water. He was sharply aware that T’Pol had stopped whispering. “You four take tunnel 29B. Kill on sight,” a distant voice said. They could hear Sorh sloshing through the water, but in the tunnels they couldn’t tell if it was getting closer or further away. “We must move,” S’Tah whispered. The group slid back into the water. Archer heard Trip whimper but he managed to keep it below a whisper. “We can’t move fast enough,” Archer whispered. S’Tah pulled a device from his belt and looked at it. “We have twelve meters to go. Keep moving.” The group continued as quietly as possible. Ahead Archer saw S’Tah’s wrist beacon flash across a giant metal pipe that he assumed was the water main. Behind them the Sorh’s quiet talking was getting louder. The group followed the pipe to an access door. The three soldiers tried to turn the door’s handle. “It’s rusted, sir,” one of the soldiers whispered. “Move back,” S’Tah ordered. He adjusted his phaser and cut through the rusted latch. It fell into the water and he threw the door open. “You go right five access hatches,” he told Archer, turning to him. “You’ll be within one point six meters of the embassy. There was a mob outside the gates before we broke into Reace’s building and it is most likely still there. They’re expecting you and will open the gates if you declare your species.” Archer climbed into the pipe and turned. T’Pol led Trip up to the door and helped him climb into the pipe. T’Pol pulled herself in and turned. S’Tah handed her his phase pistol. “You will need this,” T’Pol protested. “If the manhole is rusted, you will need it more.” He pulled the beacon off his arm and handed it to Archer. “Thank you,” Archer said. Archer fastened the beacon onto his arm, watching the door close. He turned and started crawling. He counted five access hatches and tried to open it. “It’s rusted. Hand me the phase pistol, T’Pol,” Archer said. T’Pol passed him the phase pistol and Archer began working at cutting the hatch free. T’Pol knelt down, letting Trip pull close to her and lay his head on her shoulder. “I wanna big bowl of hot chili. With corn chips and cheese and hot sauce,” Trip muttered. “For once, I might share such a food with you. I am cold as well.” T’Pol tensed, her hand freezing on Trip’s cheek. She turned her head, listening. “Captain, hurry,” T’Pol said. “I’m trying, T’Pol.” Trip looked up at T’Pol’s face, but in the darkness he couldn’t see much. “Captain, you have to free the handle much faster. The water is coming.” Archer tried to work faster. Trip moved over to Archer, grabbed the phase pistol away and began cutting spots. Archer shined the beacon on the door, fighting rising panic. Trip glanced at Archer when he heard the water rushing toward them. “Hurry, Trip,” Archer said. Trip made one last cut and threw the phase pistol to Archer. Archer caught it, watching him straining to turn the handle. Archer dropped the pistol and grabbed the wheel. “T’Pol, help.” She grabbed the handle and the three felt it slowly give under their force. In the background the roar of the water grew steadily louder. The wheel suddenly gave and Archer shoved the hatch open. He pulled himself into the space above and reached back down. Trip slapped his hand into Archer’s and Archer pulled him up. He fell against on the side, holding his right ribs. “Trip?” Through gritted teeth he snapped, “Get her! Hurry!” Archer turned back, holding his hand out to T’Pol. She grabbed his wrist and started to pull herself up. The water slammed into her body, yanking her body with its force. Archer grabbed her arm with both hands, straining to pull her out of the water. “I can’t hold on, T’Pol! You have to pull yourself in.” “I can’t!” T’Pol looked up when another pair of hands grabbed her arm. Trip met her eyes. “Yes you can, honey. Now pull,” Trip ordered her. T’Pol mustered her strength and pulled herself out as the two men pulled back. She got one foot on the edge of the hatch and used it as leverage to push herself up. She pulled free from Archer, falling against Trip. Trip wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. “Good job, honey,” Trip muttered into her hair. “Good job.” Archer slammed the door shut and screwed it closed. He leaned back against the wall, trying to catch his breath. He reached out, patting T’Pol’s shoulder. T’Pol looked up the ladder leading to the manhole cover above their heads. With the roar of the rushing water muted they could hear the roar of a crowd overhead. “Guess that mob is still up there,” Trip commented. Archer turned off his wrist beacon and climbed up the ladder. He reached the manhole cover and stopped, listening for a moment. Archer pushed the cover up so he could peek out. He could see a crowd of Sorh around the embassy fence. Archer lowered the cover. “Captain?” T’Pol asked from the darkness below. “It’s a big crowd. We’re going to have to come flying out of here. Get up here on the ladder you two.” Archer heard the two move and one of them laid a hand on his boot. “Ready?” “I am ready,” T’Pol answered. “Trip?” There was a moment of silence. “Ready, sir.” “On the count of three I’m throwing this cover off and we’re running. Got that?” “Yes,” they both answered. “One, two, THREE!” Archer shoved the cover off, leapt from the hole and started running toward the gate. Several Sorh turned when the cover clanged onto the cement. Archer shoved and punched his way through the crowd, intent on not slowing until he was inside the gates. He caught sight of the gates ahead with a dozen Vulcan soldiers standing inside. “OPEN THE GATES!” Archer screamed, “We’re human and Vulcan. OPEN THE DAMN GATES!” Inside there was a scramble as the soldiers powered down the shielding over the gate, armed more soldiers behind it and opened one side. Archer punched a Sorh that stepped in his path to try to force its way into the embassy. Archer ran past the soldiers, tripped over the foot of one and skidded on the sidewalk at the base of the stairs. He turned to see T’Pol run in, but he didn’t see Trip. Archer got to his feet, staring in horror. Trip was trying to run and fight his way through the crowd, but his weakened state left him at a disadvantage. Archer saw T’Pol move out of the corner of her eye and then she stepped into the gate armed with a phase rifle. She began firing at the Sorh around Trip. Archer grabbed a weapon away from a soldier, checked the settings to make sure it was on stun and provided additional cover for Trip. Trip raced through the gate, stumbled and fell. T’Pol tossed her weapon to another Vulcan and ran over to him, sliding to her knees beside him. Archer gave up his weapon when a soldier pulled it away. Silent tears ran down Trip’s face and he was having a hard time breathing. “Can we go home now?” Trip whispered. T’Pol slid her hand into his. She heard Archer talking to someone but the crowd muted it. Trip looked at her. “Yes,” she answered. The three dematerialized, as they were transported back to Enterprise. |
Like it? Hate it? Just want to point out a typo? Join the discussion now.
Disclaimer: Star Trek in all its various forms and its characters are the property of CBS/Paramount. No copyright infringement is intended by the authors of this site, which is solely for the purpose of entertainment and is not for profit. This site is owned by CX and was opened to the public in February 2008.