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"S.A.M. 92" By A. Rhea King
Rating: PG CHAPTER 3 Archer watched Malcolm work, amazed that the nanobots in him were able to make his body move so fast. “Captain?” Hoshi asked. Archer turned his head. The two were tied to a support post near the production line. Archer’s wrists and ankles were tied so tight that the rope was cutting into the skin and limited his movement. “What, Hoshi?” Archer looked up when the lights came on and the machinery came to life. The factory filled with the noise of automated machinery working. Archer turned his head, watching the conveyor belt near them started moving. Half finished androids headed toward the next workstation. He looked at Malcolm. He had moved to a computer terminal at the center of the factory. “He’s moving more fluid now,” Hoshi commented. “I’m afraid to know why.” “Sir, we have to do something.” “I’m working on it, Hoshi.” Hoshi sighed, laying her head against the support. “Why’d he want me?” “Language perhaps.” “And you?” “Those things in him are using Malcolm’s knowledge. A good tactical officer would know a crew wouldn’t shoot their captain.” “That’s not reassuring, Captain, considering all the weapons Malcolm knows about.” “I know. Why do you think I’ve been worried since I found out what was happening to him?” The two looked up when a shadow fell over them. Malcolm stood over them with a knife in hand. He reached down and cut Hoshi loose. He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her to her feet. “What are you doing?” Hoshi asked, struggling against his hold. “You will be adapted.” “LET ME GO!?” Hoshi screamed. She swung her fist out, punching Malcolm in the face. The impact of the punch made him step back and drop the knife. Archer quickly moved his legs out and hid the knife under him before Malcolm regained control of Hoshi. He looked around for the knife. His cold stare met Archer’s. “Give me the knife,” he demanded. “I don’t have it.” Malcolm’s free hand snapped around Hoshi’s throat and he slammed her against the support. Hoshi gagged, fighting to get free from Malcolm. “Here! Here.” Archer moved so Malcolm could see it. Malcolm let go of Hoshi’s throat and snapped his hand around her wrist. He reached down and picked up the knife. He slowly leaned up until he was eye to eye with Archer. Archer’s breath caught. Bits of light danced in Malcolm’s pupils, indicating nanobots that were using his eyes as visual sensors. He was so entranced by this he didn’t hear Hoshi scream his name or see Malcolm draw his arm back with the knife in it. Archer screamed when Malcolm plunged the knife into his shoulder. Malcolm twisted it, making Archer scream louder. He suddenly let it go. “I can’t… Stop it, Captain,” Malcolm whimpered. Archer looked back into his eyes. Horror and pain reflected in Malcolm’s eyes. His whole body was trembling. “Let Hoshi go,” Archer told him. Malcolm obeyed and she ran off. “Kill me… If you…” Malcolm winced. “Can’t stop… It. Don’t… Let… Them… Spread.” Malcolm suddenly stood straight, the coldness returning to his eyes. He ran in the direction Hoshi had run. Behind him Archer heard Hoshi scream. He heard footsteps come toward him and pass. “LET ME GO! MALCOLM, PLEASE! PLEASE LET ME GO!” Deep fear struck Archer to the heart; those may have been Malcolm’s last words. Archer let his head fall back against the beam. “Did we come at a bad time, Cap’n?” Trip’s voice asked, and then he appeared on Archer’s other side. Archer smiled. “Perfect timing, Trip. Hurry with these ropes.” Doctor Phlox and Travis came out of hiding, helping Trip free Archer. Doctor Phlox knelt to examine Archer’s injury. The three men looked up when they heard Hoshi scream. “Go help Hoshi and Malcolm,” Archer ordered. “About Malcolm, Cap’n,” Trip said, “We could only come up with two ways to stop the nanobots.” “And?” Trip grimaced. “Set a phaser to the highest setting, just under kill, and shooting him, which would essentially short circuit the nanobots in Malcolm. The shot or the nanobots frying might kill him. The alternative is to inject him with an acid that will kill him and the nanobots.” Archer closed his eyes. “These were the best options you could come up with?” “Unfortunately.” Archer looked at Trip. “Shoot him and pray before you pull the trigger. “Are you sure, Cap’n? I mean—” Hoshi screamed again. “GO!” Archer snapped at the three. The three got up and left. Archer laid his head against the support, holding his arm against him. # Trip led the two into the room, sneaking slowly from hiding place to hiding place and closer to the table Malcolm had tied Hoshi down on. He had cut off her uniform and was injecting something into her limbs. Hoshi was crying, begging him to stop. “He’s injecting nanobots into her, Commander,” Phlox whispered. “And?” “You’re going to have to shoot them both.” A particle stream hit a barrel behind the three and they scattered as they ducked. Trip looked up, seeing Malcolm had a weapon he was firing at Travis and Doctor Phlox. Trip changed the settings on his phase pistol and looked up. “Forgive me, Malcolm.” Trip stood and fired at Malcolm. The particle stream hit Malcolm in the chest and he fell back against the table, landed on the floor, and began convulsing. Phlox, Trip and Travis ran to Malcolm, falling on their knees beside him. Phlox quickly scanned him. “The nanobots are exploding. This may last for several minutes. One of you help me hold him down.” Travis moved to Malcolm’s other side and held him down. “Let me go, Trip,” Hoshi begged. Phlox looked into Trip’s eyes. Trip slowly rose and aimed his phase pistol at Hoshi. “Trip, what are you doing?” Hoshi asked. “I’m sorry, Hoshi.” Trip fired. Hoshi fell unconscious and began to convulse. Trip untied her, lowering to the floor with her in his arms. Archer ran into the room. “We got company coming, crew. We have to move and fast.” Trip looked through the windows of the room and saw androids grouping as they walked toward the room. “They know who we are,” Archer told the three, “and they’re promising existence as we know it will cease. We have to go now!” “We aren’t going anywhere yet, Captain. We can’t risk moving either of them,” Phlox informed Archer. “Risk…it,” Malcolm muttered. “What, sir?” Travis asked him. “Move…me,” Malcolm swallowed and managed to bellow, “MOVE ME NOW!” Travis and Phlox pulled Malcolm to his feet and started for another door. Trip picked Hoshi up and he and Archer followed them. The group made their way through the factory and out into the deserted city. On a hill above the city the shuttle pods waited. Travis and Phlox led Malcolm into one. Archer and Trip ran into the other. Archer dropped into the navigation chair. Trip laid Hoshi on a bench and fell into the pilot’s seat. He launched as the androids reached the top of the hill. He swung the shuttle pod around and opened fire on them, giving Travis time to lift off. He turned his shuttle pod to the sky when the other zipped past him. “Hail Enterprise, Trip,” Archer ordered. “Trip to Enterprise.” “Go ahead,” T’Pol replied. “Target that city and level it,” Archer ordered her. “I don’t want an android moving when we leave orbit. Program a beacon to broadcast a warning in as many languages as we have in our database and set it in orbit around the planet.” “Aye, sir.” Archer leaned back in his chair, holding his arm to him. |
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