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"The Batty Engineer"
Rating: PG-13 Please R&R...even if you haven’t reviewed before. I’d like to hear what you all think. Thanks much! :) Thanks, Pesterfield! :) Five Phlox learned to take his cues from the baby bat as they made their way through the caverns. Its squeaks bounced off the walls and reflected back to them. The bat indicated their path with frantic gestures of its wings. After several moments, Phlox recognized the cables strung overhead as the power lines leading to the main junction. Trip was uncharacteristically silent; he seemed to be listening closely to their surroundings. Phlox noticed how he inclined his head in the correct direction a split second before the bat did. “Does this look familiar to you?” Phlox asked him. “It’s starting to,” Trip replied, but he still seemed distracted. “T’Pol says—“ He broke off, embarrassed. Phlox raised an eyebrow. Were the two in some sort of communication with each other? It explained the armory officer’s strange behavior. Could Tucker trace T’Pol’s presence like he would a homing beacon, rather like the bat? Extraordinary, Phlox thought. I do wonder what passed between them on Zora Prime. I will ask later, when we have more time. “What does she say?” Phlox encouraged. “You’ll think I’m nuts, Phlox.” “Nonsense. It is apparent she is able to contact you in some way, and I am appreciative of any help she can give us.” The glowstick highlighted Tucker’s blush, but his tone was steady. “She says we’re getting close to ‘em. They’re heading toward us; we should be within hearing range right about now—“ “Commander Phlox? Lieutenant Commander Tucker?” Indeed, T’Pol’s voice sounded quite close. “Can you hear me?” “Right here, T’Pol.” Trip stepped into the cone of light made by her lantern. “Am I glad to see you.” “We were quite concerned with your sudden disappearance,” T’Pol said. Her voice was as cool as ever, but Phlox now heard a glimmer of relief within it. “I am gratified to see you both safe.” Phlox chuckled. "Between Charles and the bat, I think we'd have found our way out eventually." Trip's blush intensified, and Phlox thought he saw a corresponding verdant color on the Vulcan's cheeks. So, yes, there was something between the two that hadn't been there before. He looked over T'Pol's shoulder at Doctor Reed, who only observed them with a slight smirk. So, Reed had also noticed. What had the doctor seen that Phlox hadn't? Then Reed noticed something and spoke up. “You’re holding your arm at an awkward angle, Lieutenant Commander. Did you injure it?” “I think I wrenched my shoulder, Doc. Mind taking a look at it? It’s beginning to hurt like all get out.” Trip winced as Malcolm went to his side. "Phlox saved me from flying off a precipice, but I think I banged it against a boulder or something." As Malcolm examined Trip’s injury, T’Pol took a step toward them, concern in her deep amber-brown eyes. Phlox decided to distract her. “Ensign, I would like your opinion on a serious matter.” “On what matter?” Phlox explained what he and Trip had seen within the caverns, and her expression became grave. “May I see this crystal that the criminals seem to covet?” Phlox nodded and reached for the drawstring pouch attached to his belt. Trip had “borrowed” it from one of the rockhounds, since the dead man would no longer have use for it. Carefully, he opened it and withdrew the jagged crystal from it. The bat flapped its wings and chittered something in an excited tone. T’Pol raised an eyebrow at it. “It appears you have acquired a companion, Commander.” “He lost his family in the chaos, Ensign. I believe he will be happy to find them again.” She examined the stone carefully, turning it over and over in her gloved hands. “I have never seen the like before. Perhaps Commander Mayweather has; we should take this sample to him.” “My thoughts exactly, Ensign.” He accepted the stone and put it back into the pouch. The hiss of a hypospray interrupted what else he was going to say. Phlox watched as Trip slowly moved his arm and rotated his shoulder, then breathe a sigh of relief. “Charles?” “Thanks, Doc,” Trip said, then turned to Phlox. “Just strained a few muscles, nothing overly serious. Did you show T’Pol what we found?” The Vulcan nodded, but the shadow of concern had lifted from her features. “I suggest we take it to Commander Mayweather and his science team on Enterprise. He might be able to tell us why it seems so valuable.” “Sounds like a plan,” Trip agreed, deliberately ignoring Malcolm’s expression. “We oughta catch up with the others...they’re probably worried sick about us.” “Indeed,” Malcolm said. Phlox wasn’t sure how to interpret the doctor’s tone, but he met Reed’s look of bemusement. Malcolm raised an eyebrow and Phlox mouthed, I will tell you later. Obviously, the doctor had also detected some kind of connection between Tucker and T’Pol. Malcolm only nodded in response and made no comment as they retreated through the caverns. The bat flapped its wings, but was silent as well. To Phlox’s delight, he found that Rostov and Hess had already done most of the repair work on the power junction. He was content to allow them to finish, with minimal interference on his part. Both engineers had proven to be invaluable so far during Enterprise’s mission. Phlox counted himself lucky to have them on board; both Rostov and Hess would make excellent chief engineers elsewhere in the future. Thala and Mylene examined the baby bat, as Trip updated Captain Sato and Lieutenant Archer on the impromptu journey through the caverns. Phlox watched as Hoshi’s expression became grimmer and Jonathan’s more disturbed. “We found odd readings on the planetary scans from Travis,” Hoshi said. “Some sort of radiation that’s interfering with the readings. Nothing lethal, but enough to be noticed. Travis detected a small group of transports hiding in the residual backwash.” “Our unwelcome friends,” Phlox commented. “Indeed.” Hoshi’s eyes gleamed coldly in the dim light. “They tried to get away when they realized we’d seen them, but Lieutenant Trace aimed some well-timed warning shot across their bows and they gave up without a fight. Turns out they were self-proclaimed ‘prospectors’ working for a Terran mining consortium.” “Which one?” Trip asked. “Something called Triad Energy.” Phlox saw Tucker’s face darken like a thundercloud, and so did Hoshi. “Trip? Sound familiar?” “It’s one of John Frederick Paxton’s holdings.” “Paxton?” Hoshi and Jon exchanged looks. Jon looked somewhat disbelieving, for Paxton worked closely with his father, Henry Archer, on the Warp 5 project and was a consultant for the current set of ship upgrades. “He has his fingers in a lot of different pies, doesn’t he, Jon?” Jon nodded. “He’s got a diverse portfolio in many things, Captain. Trip, are you saying that Paxton has something to do with this? He’s been a model citizen for almost two decades.” Trip bit his lip and Phlox noticed how carefully the armory officer formulated his answer. Phlox didn’t blame him; Jon Archer tended to see the good side of people and disregard the bad. “If it ain’t Paxton, Jon, it’s someone who works for him. I’m not gonna jump the gun and just accuse people without proof.” “Which is prudent,” T’Pol added smoothly. “We do not have enough evidence to support an accusation at the moment.” Trip shot her a grateful look. “Thanks, T’Pol. I’m glad we’ve got the voice of logic on our side.” “Merely pointing out the obvious,” she said, with a raised eyebrow. “Captain, I suggest we—“ Phlox felt Mylene’s small hand on his arm. “Commander? May I speak with you? We have a complication.” “The bat? Is he all right?” Phlox asked. He noticed the creature sitting on Thala’s shoulder, quite calm, but he swore he saw a forlorn look on its face. As the Denobulan came closer, the bat emitted a small shriek and launched itself from the Ranger’s shoulder, circled the ceiling once, then gracefully landed on Phlox’s shoulder. Its claws didn’t pierce Phlox’s skin at all; to his amazement, the bat began a low trill in its throat, as if it was purring. “That confirms it,” Thala said, with equal parts of consternation and amusement in her voice. “It’s imprinted on you, Commander. It considers you its caregiver now.” “But—but—“ Phlox spluttered, “I cannot take this bat with me. He belongs here, where he can fly free with his brethren. I work in an enclosed room, with minimal sun and fresh air. Being trapped could kill it and I refuse to condemn him to death!” Mylene sighed and squeezed his arm. “You’ll find that Pyrithian bats are quite adaptable, Commander. If we separate the two of you, this little one will die. It will pine for you when you leave and we will not be able to do anything for it.” “It’s against your laws—“ “Then again, this has never happened,” Thala pointed out. “None of our animals have imprinted on a guest. The rules must be flexible and in life—“ she smiled, “—there are almost always exceptions.” Phlox sighed, looked at the bat, then turned to Captain Sato with an expression of appeal. “Captain—?” Hoshi came over and scratched the bat under its jaw, and the purring became louder. “Well, I think we can accommodate another pet, Phlox. Jon’s already got Porthos, so it’s not a problem.” Phlox took a deep breath and sighed deeply. “I will need instruction on how to care for him.” “We can provide that,” Thala told him. “That will not be a problem—“ And the overhead lights came on. “Got it, chief!” Anna Hess called in triumph. “Positive flow to Shelters Thirty Five through Fifty Five!” “Excellent job, Anna and Michael,” Phlox said with pride. His communicator went off and Kelby’s voice echoed, “That’s got it, Commander. We’ll have to run the emergency generator for another fifteen minutes, then we can turn it off.” “Good, Richard. We will join you momentarily. Please extend my congratulations to the rest of the engineering team. Phlox, out.” Just as Phlox signed off, Hoshi’s communicator went off. “Sato.” Travis Mayweather’s report was short and to the point. “Captain, we’ve got contacts coming into the system. Their configuration matches the transports we apprehended before, but their lead ship isn’t anything I’ve seen.” “We’re coming up, Travis,” Hoshi said. “Stand by; we’re heading out of the caverns. Sato, out.” She flipped her communicator closed and looked at Thala. “I’m sorry, but—“ Thala only nodded in agreement. “We understand, Captain. We’ll activate our defense systems as soon as you and your people are safely on your ship.” She gave Phlox a sad smile, then gave the bat a final scratch under the jaw. “Peace be with you, Little One, and protect your Master.” The bat only chittered as if he understood her. |
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