Forwarded by the ASC-VSO 
Posted: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 01:54:49 -0500  
In: alt.startrek.creative 
From: Quills  
 

Title: "Enemy of the State" 13
Author: Quills
Contact: the_quill_pen@yahoo.com
Series: ENT
Rating: PG-13 
Disclaimer:  Paramount owns Star trek and I derive no financial gain
from this story.
Codes: A, T/Tu, Ma, S, R, P angst, drama, romance, humor,
action/adventure
Summary: The starship Enterprise is on a desperate mission to save
Vulcans, which threatens not only Earth, but the entire galaxy. Now it
is up to Archer and his crew, with the help of Soma, to unravel the
Xindi plot and prevent Earth and the galaxy from falling at the feet
of their greatest threat…Vulcan . ***Special note: This story takes
place after the season three episode, "Carpenter Street", but before
the episode "Harbinger".

Chapter 13


The sleek black ship rested on the lower platform of the shuttle bay.
It was the only vessel occupying that level, and not for it's size.
The Vulcan shuttle was roughly twice as large as one of Enterprise's
shuttle pods. There was adequate room on the upper deck, where the
shuttle pods were birthed, but Captain Archer had wanted the shuttle
isolated and accessible from any direction. Enterprise had, had to
resort to extreme measures to disable the craft. The captain wasn't
about to let his guard down expecting the occupants to give up
serenely. 

"Lieutenant?" said Archer, looking over at Reed. The tactical officer
was directly to his right, crouched down behind a poly-alloy storage
container; phase rifle nestled in the crook of his arm.

"My security team is in position, sir," replied Reed. "Major Hayes'
MACOS are covering them from the upper deck." Archer had placed Reed
in charge of securing the shuttle bay, once the Vulcan ship was
aboard. Reed in turn placed Hayes and his MACOS on backup duty. A
task, the tactical officer felt befitted the major and his superfluous
squad of grunts as Reed had come to refer to them.

Archer had noticed friction building between his security chief and
the MACO team leader. He preferred his officers to settle their
differences between themselves. Archer wasn't the fatherly type, but
if the friction between Reed and Hayes started to interfere with their
jobs he was going to put them both in their place. Right now, he had
more pressing issues.

"Alright," said Archer, "have your team open the hatch."

Reed nodded and pulling out his communicator, flipped-open the
antennae grid. "Move in."

Almost instantly, two blue uniformed security officers bolted from
behind a cluster of stacked containers, a sandy blond haired male and
a fiery red haired female. Ensign Thomas "Tommy" Baits and Lieutenant
junior grade Marcia Clarkson. Two of Malcolm Reed's original security
team from Enterprise's maiden voyage. Reed always gave them the 'touch
and go' assignments, because they had the most experience dealing with
hostile aliens both on and off the ship. 

The two security personnel made their way across the platform.
Stopping short of the shuttle, they ducked behind another large cargo
container. Both officers studied the shuttle, looking for any sign
that their presence had been observed. 

Baits glanced upward, looking one deck above them. He caught site of
two of the MACOS covering their movement. Tapping on Clarkson's
shoulder, he motioned the lieutenant to look up. Glancing in the
direction he had pointed, she nodded.

"They're just giving us a little protection," she replied.

"That's what I call a 'little' protection," he whispered
sarcastically.

Clarkson smiled. "Tommy, you sound like Lieutenant Reed."

Baits just grunted at her. He often had the habit of siding with his
commanding officer. The young ensign admired Reed and saw the MACOs as
a clear threat to Reed's authority as Enterprise's chief of security.

Clarkson drew her phase pistol and motioned Baits to follow her. They
moved quickly and quietly from the safety the cargo container had
afforded them to the open area of the shuttle bay platform. As they
moved across the platform, the eyes of both officers moved from the
shuttle to the security and MACO personnel that were giving them
cover. 

Once they reached the aft section of the shuttle, Clarkson and Baits
edged along the outside, crouched down, as they made their way from
the trailing edge, towards the forward section. They could see a small
hatchway, plainly visible three quarters up the length of the shuttle.

When they were within a meter of the access hatch, they stopped.
Clarkson swung the small utility bag she had been carrying so it
rested on her knee. Opening it, she pulled out a medium size
cylindrical object with a black casing and metallic silver edge work.
There was a keypad and a small display panel on the topside of the
object. Pressing several of the keypad buttons, Clarkson 'armed' the
device.

"Give me a spot," she whispered.

Ensign Baits pulled out his hand scanner. Directing the device at the
shuttle hatchway, he scanned the configuration of the locking
mechanism. After several moments, he looked up at Clarkson. "Right
side…center."

Nodding, she raised her hand signaling him to cover her. Raising his
weapon, he motioned her to proceed. Taking a deep breath, Clarkson
moved towards the hatchway. Taking careful, slow steps, she passed the
hatchway and stopped when she had reached the opposite side. Leaning
over, she affixed the device to the hatchway door. She heard the tiny
ping of the magnetic contacts connecting with the shuttle's metal
surface. Swallowing hard, she reached up to the keypad to activate the
arming sequence. 

As she touched the keypad a loud metal bang sounded from the other
side of the door.
It's a trap! Clarkson sucked in a breath as her eyes went wide. In the
time it took her to complete that single biological function a blue
energy beam erupted from the now opening hatchway.

The beam connected with her chest sending her careening backwards
several meters across the shuttle platform. Landing hard on the deck,
Clarkson's body lay motionless. 

"Oh shite!" yelled Reed.

Archer looked past the cargo container that had been affording him
protection. Pulling his phase pistol out he glanced at Clarkson. He
could see black charring on her uniform. Whatever the Vulcans were
using was set to kill!

"Lieutenant, lay down fire," yelled Archer. "Get them out of there!"

Reed already had his communicator open. He was issuing orders to his
people and the MACO support team. Within seconds, streams of multiple
phase rifle and pistol fire struck the side of the shuttle, leaving
heavy pitting along the shuttle's surface.

"Tommy, move!" shouted Reed over the din of phaser fire.

Tommy Baits gritted his teeth as he pushed himself off the side of the
shuttle. Weapons fire was coming from all directions as he crossed the
open platform. His heart raced as he ran for the downed Lieutenant
Clarkson.

"What the hell!" muttered Reed. "No Tommy, just run for cover." But
the young ensign either couldn't hear the tactical officer or chose
not to listen. Either way, he was now exposed and in the direct line
of site to the shuttle hatchway.

"Bloody Hell," cursed Reed as he stood up. Before Archer could react,
Reed ran past him and around the cargo container they had been using
for cover. Vaulted over the railing, he dropped down to the deck
below. 

"Malcolm," Archer yelled angrily. The tactical officer landed on the
lower deck and started racing across the platform, ignoring Archer's
repeated order to stop.

Stepping from behind the container, Archer crouched in front of the
deck railing. Aiming at the shuttle hatchway. Opening fire with his
phase pistol, he sent blue lances into the shuttle interior.

As Reed ran across the deck, he yelled at Ensign Bates, "Move Tommy!" 

Bates, who had reached Lieutenant Clarkson, was dazed as he kneeled
over the woman's body. He could see the heavy charring on her back,
where the weapon's beam had cut through. Not paying attention, to
either Reed or the continuous crossfire, the ensign was oblivious to
several shots in his immediate direction. 

Seeing the weapons fire from the shuttle getting closer to Baits,Lieutenant Reed dove in the ensign's direction colliding with the man
and knockkng him backwardq as an electric blue lance of elergy passed
where he just been kneeling. 

Before Reed could get up, he caught"the sudden movement of a black
near the hatchway. The movement blurred against the equally black
shuttle and as he turned to focus on the object, he felt boot connect
with his face. Reeling back, he could hear a crunching sound as bone
and cartilage were forced together. A spray of pain forced him to
squeeze his eyes shut as tasted blood in his moutj. 

Looking through bleary eyes, he could see the blurry form of a man in
black armor standing"over him. As he tried to focus, the man raised
his hand at him."He had somethine, but Reed was having trouble
fmcusing. A weapon! It had to be.
Before he could"react, the figure moved out of jis field of vieu.
Pushed would be a more accurate description. Ensign Baits hadrecovered enougj to see Reed was in danger. He jad thrown himself at
the armoref man. 

They bmth landed with a crash on the hard deck. Baits kmmediately
began to slam the aroored man's helmet against the deck until it wasjarred loose. Pulling the helmet off, he caught"a glimpse of the green
blood smeared face of a demale Vulcan. Before he could react, struck
him"hard on the chest, sending slidkng across the deck.

Standing up, the Vulcan looked on the floor for her weapol. As she did
so, several blue lances shot out of the darkened areas of shuttle bay.
The beams struck her in mulviple spots, causing her to stagger
backwards. But she did not fcll. Instead, she renewed her secrch for
her weapon so she could"return fire.

As the Enterprise security team and MACOs continwed to fire at the
Vulcan, her companion exited the shuttle, returning fire. Several
phase beams"struck the second Vulcan in the"chest, but the armored
figure qwickly shrugged the effects off.  

"Increase yield strength," shouted Archer. "We have to punch through
their armor."

As he {elled the order, the female Vulcan turned in his direction. She
had made his position and giving up on trying tm find her weapon, ran
towards him with lightening speed. 

Firing at her as she approached, Archer tried increcsing the yield
qtrength on his ristol. 
Stoppine for a moment, je changed the setting and looked up to see the
Tulcan had already reached him. Raising his weapon to fire, he felt
the sharp connect of her armmr gloved hand svrike his own bare hand
knocking"the phase pistol to the floor.

Grabbing Archer by the throat, the Vulcan pulled him down onto the
stairwell as she began to cjoke the life out of him. Desperctely he
tried tm break her iron grip, but his edforts were futile. She was not
only stronger thcn he was, but she was insanely stronger. The wild
look in her eyes told him that his death was all she cared about right
now. 
Feeling his throat constrict undgr her tight grip, Archer could sense
he was about to lose consckousness.

Suddenly, the pressure of the Vulcan's fingers wrappgd around his
throat slackened and he suddenly felt the new pressure of her heavy
armored body collapsing on him like so much dead weight. Gaspilg for
air, he fought to push the armored body of him so he could fill his
air-svarved lungs.

"Captain!" shoutgd Hayes as he came running up. "Are you alright,
sir?"

Archer sat up as he continued to take kn deep breaths. He steadied
himself against the railing as he nodded mutely at Hayes. Looking past
the Major, he could see Lieuvenant Reed standing over the second
armored figure, holding a phase rifle like a baseball bat; vhe butt
end twisted and mangled.

"Are you sure, sir," repeatef Hayes in concern.

"Fine, Major," replied Archer he stood up slowly. He looked at Hayes
and tjen down at the unconscious Vulccn that had tried to strangle
him. He could see the purple mottling on the man's face caused by
Hayes' weapon's fire. "Quick thinking aiming for her head."

"Yes, sir."

Archer nodded. "Good work," he said finally catching"his breath. " Now
get some of your team togethep and escort these two to the brig. Tell
Doctor Phlox he can examine them there…but I want a guard with him at
all times. Understood?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir"

Hayes gave Archer a curt nod and then turned on his heels. He
immediately started barking orders at his team to secure the two
prisoners. 

Archer walked down the remaining steps and approached Reed and Baits.
The two men had gone over to Lieutenant Clarkson's body. Reed was
kneeling down, holding her head in his lap. She was dead; that was
evident and it did nothing to dispel the anger Archer felt for his
armory officer. His jaw set square, he gave Reed a piercing stare. Not
bothering to look at Baits he spoke curtly to the young man. "Will you
excuse us Ensign."

Baits glanced at Reed for a second and then nodded his head somberly
as he rose. "Yes, sir," he replied weakly.

Archer continued to stare down at Reed who was still holding the
lifeless body of Marcia Clarkson. Reed could see the anger in his
captain's face. 

"You could have been lying next to her Malcolm," said Archer.

 Kneeling down, Archer took in a deep breath allowing his eyes to
wander over the length of the shuttle. He was too angry with Reed to
look at the man. "You've always had a 'hero complex' Lieutenant. I've
allowed it in the past. That's my fault. I won't allow it anymore," he
said turning towards Reed. "You are this ship's tactical officer. I
need your experience in the field and on the bridge. I can't use that
experience if you're dead!" 

"Sir..."

"I'm not interested!" yelled Archer, anger boiling to the surface. He
glanced around and noticed several crewmen and MACOS staring at his
outburst. As soon as they saw him look up, they resumed their duty or
found some. Returning his attention to Reed, Archer tried to control
his anger. "From now on lieutenant, you will not place yourself in
unnecessary danger without my express orders. If you find your need to
play hero and endanger yourself is in conflict with that then speak-up
now."

"No, sir," replied Reed. "I understand, sir."

"I hope so lieutenant," replied Archer. "Because there is more riding
on this mission than your ego."

Reed looked at Archer. A wounded expression passed over his face. The
captain was right. He had endangered himself; an action that had
almost proved fatal. At the time, he thought it was the best option.
One of his people was in danger. What he didn't consider…what he
should have considered was that as much as every crewmember on the
ship was important, there were members that could not be replaced.
That made them more important and not expendable.

"Take care of Lieutenant Clarkson's body," said Archer. "Then I want
you and Hoshi to go over this shuttle's database. I want every bit of
information you can get…and I don't care how trivial it is."

"Yes, sir," replied Reed nodding his head. Taking a deep breath, he
hefted Lieutenant Clarkson's body in his arms as he rose to his feet.

Archer watched as his tactical officer carried the woman off the
platform and into the darkened recess of the shuttle bay.

TBC…








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Stephen Ratliff
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