THE BITTER By A. Rhea King Rating: PG Disclaimer: Don't own them, CBS/Paramount does. Summary: Trip visits an alien's ship to help repair their warp engine, but he quickly finds their chief engineer has no intention of making his job easy. CHAPTER 3 Trip stopped walking. He felt exhausted and sweat poured down his body and stung his eyes. Trip swayed from a dizzy spell and sat down hard on the side of a sand dune. He let his chin droop to his chest and stared at the sand under him. A shadow fell over him and he looked up at Jahk’pr. “We have to keep moving,” Jahk’pr said. ‘What I wouldn’t give to be an Arestak right now. Look at him. He hasn’t even broken a sweat and all that energy! I wonder if it’s his genetics or just the gift of youth. I remember when I was young and I could… Trip, ya gotta stay focused here.’ Trip looked down again. “I ain’t walking another step.” “Then I will leave you.” “Hasta tardes.” Jahk’pr turned and walked away. He reached the side of the next dune and turned to speak to Trip and found Trip hadn’t followed him. He looked across at the facing dune and found Trip still sitting where he’d stopped. Jahk’pr looked up the dune he was climbing and back at Trip. He rolled his eyes and returned to Trip’s side. “We must continue walking,” Jahk’pr said. “You know what amazes me the most about you?” Trip asked, looking up at Jahk’pr. Jahk’pr didn’t reply. “Your persistence in trying to get under my skin. If you applied even half of that persistence to your job you’d be the best damn engineer in the fleet.” “I was not aware you held a doctorate in psychology,” Jahk’pr hissed. “I don’t.” “Then stop advising me on my actions. We must keep moving.” “I ain’t movin’. The sun’s almost down and I’m staying right here.” “We must keep moving to reach the oasis.” “You said that last night. We walked all night. No oasis. You said that this morning, we walked all morning, no oasis. You said that this afternoon, and lo and behold, no oasis. The hell if I’m gonna walk all night again. I’m tired, I’m hot, I’m thirsty, I’m hungry, and I’m cranky!” “You mean being cranky is not your natural disposition?” Trip shook his head, a tight smile coming to his lips. “You just keep ‘em comin’, don’t ya, Jahk’pr?” “Fine. We will rest for a short time. Then we will continue walking.” “We’ll rest ‘til they open the damned door.” “No.” “Yes.” “No.” “YES!” “NO!” Trip stood. “I am gonna stay right here until that door opens! If you wanna keep moving, fine, but you’re going it alone.” “What will you do should the computer generates wind?” “I’ll be lost in a holographic projection of a desert that someone’s gonna get turned off eventually. It’s not like I’m gonna die in here!” “You might.” “Is that a threat?” “No. It is a fact. If the safeties are off, that means everything that is deadly about the desert is possible.” “I. Ain’t. MOVIN’!” Jahk’pr turned away. “I can imagine how frustrating humans must be to your Vulcan science officer, do you know that? Perhaps Captain Pah’pr should ask her to join our crew. At least then she would not have the inconvenience of dealing with humans. Humans are stubborn, arrogant, conceited and worst of all you stink! After spending a week and a half with you, I can only imagine what kind of an unpleasant human your captain is.” Jahk’pr turned back, “Does your Vulcan—” Trip’s fist hit Jahk’pr on the bridge of his nose. It cracked and started bleeding as he fell back. Trip walked down the dune to the flat spot between the two dunes. He turned around to face Jahk’pr. Jahk’pr was sitting up, holding his nose and staring at Trip. Yellow blood oozed between his fingers and dripped onto his clothes and the sand. “I’m waiting!” Trip yelled. “Why did you strike me?” Jahk’pr stood. Trip pointed at Jahk’pr, using it to accent his points. “You insulted my Vulcan science officer friend and you insulted my best friend and captain. Now, I’ve spent the last five days puttin’ up with your insults and cut downs and I done lost my patience with you, boy! I ain’t got a clue why you got it out for me, but I know I’ve had it! So get down here and fight me like a MAN!” Jahk’pr stood still for so long that Trip didn’t think he was going to do anything. With a yell, he charged Trip and when he reached him, swung his fist. He caught Trip in the side and pain raced up Trip’s ribs, causing him to suck in a breath. Trip stumbled, caught his balance and fought back. Their momentum didn’t slow when the ship rocked from a phase canon blast. Each time the rocking ship knocked them off their feet, the two jumped up and attacked each other again. # Pah’pr glanced at the monitor at his fingertips. “There are four, captain.” “Hold our position. Evasive maneuvers and fire at will. Enterprise should be here any minute. Are they not responding to hails?” “The aliens are blocking our communication. We cannot get a hail out,” the COM officer reported. “I have Enterprise on short range sensors, Captain,” another Arestak reported. “They should arrive in another three minutes.” “Has Aws’tp gotten the warp drive on-line yet?” “No, Captain. We’re receiving a hail from Enterprise.” “On screen” Enterprise’s bridge appeared on the view screen before Pah’pr. Archer was sitting in the captain’s chair. “You seem to be popular this week, Captain Pah’pr. Are these the same aliens that attacked you last time?” “Yes.” “We’re almost within weapons range. Hang in there.” “We are, Captain Archer.” “Archer out.” The view screen changed to show the attacking alien ships. Enterprise suddenly dropped out of warp and opened fire on the attacking alien ships. # Trip fell back when the ship rocked and landed in the hot sand. He slowly drug himself to his feet and turned, expecting to find Jahk’pr there; Jahk’pr, however, was lying in the sand. Trip walked toward him, stopping to brace himself when the ship rocked, and knelt down beside the Arestak. Trip shook Jahk’pr’s shoulder but he didn’t move. “What I wouldn’t give for a nice, cold shower right now.” Trip told Jahk’pr. “Wake your ass up so I can kick it again!” Trip looked down at Jahk’pr and frowned. “Naw. I don’t wanna do that. I just… You irritate me! Why you gotta be so damn irritating all the time? That’s really old and it pisses people off.” Trip brushed sand off his leg and shorts. He looked up at the sky when the ship rocked. “AND WHOEVER KEEPS ATTACKING US, KNOCK IT OFF!” Sparks showered from above. Trip turned, covering Jahk’pr’s body with his own to keep him from being burned. Trip sat up when the shower stopped. He heard something creak and looked up. He didn’t have a chance to identify what was flying at him before it struck him on the side of the head and knocked him unconscious. Trip fell back on the sand beside Jahk’pr. Back to Chapter 2 Continue to Chapter 4

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