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"Snow Bound" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG CHAPTER 4 “Sir, there are three ships approaching,” Malcolm reported. Trip turned away from the monitor, looking at Malcolm. “How fast?” “They just dropped out of warp.” “And they’re hailing us,” Hoshi said. Trip walked around to stand in front of the captain’s chair. “On screen, Hoshi.” A humanoid man appeared on the screen. He had green-yellow skin and white eyes. There was a bump in place of his nose with two slits on it. “Who are you?” he demanded. “Lieutenant-Commander Tucker. And you are?” “What are you doing here?” “Trying to find our Cap’n and crewmen. And you are?” “You’re attempting to help them escape?” “It appears that way. This place is locked down tighter than--” “All three have charged weapons,” Malcolm reported. “Hold on a minute!” Trip told the alien. “Attempting to help prisoners escape carries a penalty of death.” “Prisoners?” Trip asked. “If they were interned on X549R, they are prisoners of Uyar, Opaug, or Raxid. I ask again, are you attempting to help them escape?” “That planet down there is a penal colony?” “Yes.” “Look, we scanned the planet and we detected a lot of technology and biologics. He went down to check out the civilization cuz that’s what we thought it was. We didn’t know it was a penal colony. An EM blast hit the shuttle pod, forced it to land and then an EM shield went up and has been up since. We’ve talked a couple times before our communicator signal was scrambled and there was an avalanche.” “Didn’t you find it strange that there would be so much life on a frozen planet?” “Yeah! That’s why he went to check it out. Intrigued the hell out of our senior science officer.” “What planet are you from?” “Earth.” “Where is that?” “A good five hundred plus light years that’a way.” Trip pointed to his left. The humanoid smiled, even laughed a little. “With your odd dialect and accent, I actually believe that.” Trip smiled a little. “I will contact my superiors to ask what they would like us to do.” “Maybe get our Cap’n and crew off a planet of criminals?” Trip suggested. “We will see. I cannot promise anything.” The alien’s smile dropped. “Don’t attempt to leave or we’ll open fire.” “We aren’t planning on leaving without our Cap’n and crewmen, so don’t worry none.” The alien disappeared. Trip looked at Hoshi. “See if you can’t pick up their transmission without them knowin’ and monitor it. I want to know what’s goin’ on.” “Yes, sir,” Hoshi replied. Trip sat down on the edge of the captain’s chair, watching the view screen that now showed two of the three alien vessels. # Archer watched T’Pol sit down next to Travis and smiled at her. “How are you feeling?” he asked her. “Still a little weak, but otherwise well. Ensign Mayweather told me what has happened.” T’Pol looked around the dining room at the alien faces. She looked back at Archer. “He said this is a penal colony.” “Yeah. It is.” “This does not strike me as a penal colony, sir.” “A little too civilized?” Archer asked, smiling. “In most penal colonies I know of, the occupants do not have facilities as they have here.” “Maidra said they have a variety of people with diverse backgrounds and have made quite a bit of things. She said three quarters of the population here are political prisoners.” “And the remaining two thirds?” “Criminals.” “Do you know the crimes?” Archer lowered his fork to his tray and didn’t answer right away. “Sir?” Travis asked. Archer looked at Travis and then T’Pol. “They’re criminals of a wide variety. Everything from pick-pockets to murderers.” Travis looked down at his tray. T’Pol looked away at a couple faces. “Don’t act funny,” Archer told them. “We don’t know how long we have to be here. Act normal and try to put it to the back of your mind.” “That is going to be difficult to do, Captain,” Travis muttered into his food. “I know.” The three started eating again, trying to avoid looking at the other occupants. # The alien captain appeared on the view screen and right away Trip could tell he had bad news. “They aren’t going to let you rescue them, are they?” Trip asked. “On the contrary, we are going to retrieve your captain and crewmen, however, our governments demand you comply with several conditions if you want your Captain and crewmen back.” “What?” “You will depolarize the hull, you will take your weapons off line, you will power down both your impulse and warp drive and take them off line. You will not attempt any communication to the surface. You will open the bay doors the shuttle pod your crewmen will be docking in. And you and any other human vessels will never, ever, return to this sector again.” “We’d be vulnerable if we do all that.” “Yes. You will be. You will also be showing you are not here to try to rescue other prisoners. Otherwise, we are ordered to escort you out of this system and all ships are to fire on you if you attempt to return.” Trip sighed, looking at the floor. He reached back and tapped the companel on the captain’s chair arm. “Trip to engineering.” “Go ahead, sir.” “Power down the engines and take them off line.” “Sir?” “Do as you’re ordered, Billy.” “Yes, sir.” “Malcolm, take weapons off line. Depolarize the hull. Ensign Carter.” Trip waited for the helmsman to turn around. “Go open the bay doors.” Carter got up and left the bridge. Trip looked back at the view screen. “How long is this going to take?” “That all depends.” “On?” “The inmates. If they attempt to attack us, it could take a while. Transmit me pictures of your Captain and crewmen, two questions only he would know, and then take your communications relay off line.” “Take care of it, Hoshi.” Hoshi sent the requested information and turned the relay off. The view monitor went back to stars. “I don’t like this, Commander,” Malcolm said. “I don’t either. But if we want them back, we have to wait.” # Archer turned away from the wheel gears he was fixing when he heard yelling. Aliens raced past him toward the commons area at the cave entrance. He stood up straight, watching the commotion for a few more minutes before following the people. He came out on a balcony and stopped. In the entry way below was a reinforced hover vehicle. Humanoids dressed in armored suits were standing around the vehicle with deadly looking phase rifles in their hands. They watched the convicts like wary prey among hunters. Through an external COM on the craft a voice boomed, “Captain Jonathan Archer. Step forward where we can see you.” Archer turned to walk to the stairs. A hand grabbed his arm and he looked back. Praig shook his head. “Don’t go. Anyone that does never comes back. They will kill you.” Archer gently pried the alien’s hand from his sleeve. “I have to go, Praig. Take care.” Archer walked to the stairs and watched the inmates part before him. Maidra was standing at the bottom and she reached out, laying her hand on his shoulder. Archer met her eyes. “Good luck,” she said, smiling, “You will meet with your ancestors soon.” Archer’s nodded once. He continued walking into the space. A humanoid stepped from the vehicle and approached Archer, keeping his weapon aimed at Archer. “Are you Captain Jonathan Archer?” “Yes.” “We have set a challenge. You will tell me the name of your Beagle.” Archer was surprised by the demand. “Porthos.” “Her nmother’s maiden name?” “Schaffer.” “The challenge is verified. Order your crew to join you,” the alien said. “What’s going on?” Archer asked. “You will do as ordered or you will be shot. Do you understand?” “Yes. T’Pol, Travis.” T’Pol and Travis quietly joined Archer. “You will not speak. You will make no sudden movements. You will keep your hands at your sides. If you fail to do any of these, you will be shot. Do the three of you understand?” The three answered yes. “Enter the transport vehicle in single file. Do not look at anyone.” Archer led the way onto the transport vehicle. He was greeted at the door by two more humanoid aliens. They grabbed his arms and roughly led him to the opposite wall. They positioned him to face the wall and snapped his wrists in cuffs attached to the wall. He heard them do the same to Travis and T’Pol. The humanoids entered the transport and it moved. Archer heard someone come up beside him. “You are being returned to your shuttlecraft and your starship. Relax a little, Captain Archer, but do not disobey orders. We are under orders to kill you and your crew if you attempt to disobey or aid prisoners to escape.” Archer nodded, but kept silent. The ride lasted only a few minutes. They vehicle stopped and Archer and his crew were released and led off the transporter. Above two black ships hung in the sky and two-dozen guards surrounded the shuttle pod. “Step over here, Captain,” the guard ordered, motioning where he wanted Archer, “The Vulcan needs to go over there. Order your helmsman to stay where he is.” Archer slowly turned to T’Pol and Travis. “Do as he says,” Archer said. The three were separated and scanned four times before being escorted to the shuttle pod. The guard stood by the hatch controls. “Open the hatch and then step ten paces back,” he ordered Archer. Archer started to ask what was wrong and weapons were suddenly aimed at them three, several whining as they were activated. Archer did as he was told. Three guards disappeared inside the shuttle pod for several minutes. The guards came out, one telling the guard next to Archer, “Clear, sir.” “Who will be piloting?” he asked Archer. “Travis.” Archer motioned back to Travis. “Go on board and prepare to launch. Your captain and the Vulcan will wait here.” Travis looked at Archer. Archer nodded. He walked inside and prepped the shuttle pod to launch. “We’re ready for takeoff,” Travis called. “First the Vulcan. She will stay where I can see her.” T’Pol walked onto the shuttle pod and turned. The guard looked at Archer. “Your weapons are off line. They will remain so all the way back to your ship. You will not communicate with your ship until you are within a kilometer of it. You will not raise your shields. There is a course plotted on your computer and you will follow it. If you deviate from it you will be shot down. Is that clear?” “Yes,” Archer answered. “May I make a future suggestion, Captain Archer?” “What?” “Never, ever visit this sector again. This misunderstanding has cost government officials a great deal of money and time and the prospect of future elections into offices, and they do not care to meet you. Ever. Is that clear?” Archer nodded. “Board your ship and shut the hatch. I will signal when you are cleared for take off.” Archer got on and shut the hatch. He sat down in the navigation seat without a word. They saw the guard move in front of the shuttle pod and he waved his arm. “Go,” Archer ordered Travis. Travis launched the shuttle pod and they headed for Enterprise. # Travis walked into the mess hall, glancing at Archer as he walked to a cupboard. He collected a sandwich and drink and then walked to the table Archer was sitting at. Archer was watching the stars outside and appeared oblivious to Travis’ presence. Travis turned to leave. “Have a seat,” Archer said. Travis turned back. “I didn’t mean to bother you, Captain.” “You aren’t.” Travis sat down. He sat his plate and glass on the table and suddenly didn’t feel hungry. “Do you think they lied to us, sir?” Travis asked. “They who?” “Those convicts. Do you think they really were that civilized? I mean, some of them in there were murders and rapists and there were three assassins.” “I think their situation forced them to be civilized, Travis. They either changed their ways or they died, either from the planet or the people.” “Do you think they could have ever have made if they went back to their own civilizations?” Archer looked at his glass. “Part of me, the compassionate part, wants to say yes. But the other side, the one that saw two men hung for stealing socks, argues against it. There is something to be said about swift justice, but there are also serious arguments against it.” Archer looked at Travis. “All I can hope is that their children will learn to make life better for themselves. After all, Australia started out as a penal colony and became a recognized country, so there is hope for those people. But in which generation, who knows.” The two men were silent as they watched the stars speed past together. |
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