Don't Judge A Book
By Antares *Star
Chapter One: Captured and Betrayed
*Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Enterprise characters! Wow, we all knew that anyway, but oh well. The plot is mine, and the aliens and new characters are too!! Of course, you can borrow anyone I make up, as long as they come back in one piece, more or less.
*Archive: of course, just include my name and the disclaimer, and please tell me!!
*Summary: An away team travels to a seemingly peaceful planet, but the people are at war with a dangerous enemy, who turns against Enterprise. The team is forced to fight for their lives while the Enterprise wages the war on another front. Archer also finds some facts about his crew's past, things that may change his opinion of them forever.
*I hope you all like my newest story!! Uhh, my newest story makes it sound like I've written a lot, which isn't true! As many of you know, I LIVE for reviews, and positively refuse to write more without them. Well, not really, but It helps a lot. You don't have to say a lot, just one or two encouraging words!! PLEASE! You don't know how much they mean to me!! By the way enjoy the story! Anyway, on with it…
A beautiful green planet, spinning slowly in the black of space. It rotated a red giant, and showed millions of life signs. Archer felt a slight pang of homesickness as he looked at it through the forward viewer. Earth sure was a long way away.
"The species of this planet appears to be highly industrialized," T'pol said leaning up from her science station viewer.
"Is this your way of giving me a go ahead for contact?" Archer asked a bit sarcastically. T'Pol merely raised a brow in answer. Hoshi tried to keep from smiling at his tone and Mayweather simply grinned, since no one could see his face.
"Should I put Enterprise in orbit?" Mayweather asked, a grin still on his lips.
"Yes." Archer turned to Reed "Do they have any ships in orbit?"
"No, although they do have advanced technology. They also have warp capability. As well as extensive weaponry. They could probably shoot us from the planet surface." Malcolm Reed's soft accent was full of suspicion.
Archer ignored his tactical officer's usual pessimistic manner, "Hoshi, hail them."
The forward viewer changed suddenly from the planet to a tall male. He was quite handsome, and almost could have passed as a human. His eyes were too large though, his ears too small, and his skin a little too green. He looked positively friendly and benign.
The alien spoke in a soft flowing language, which was at first unintelligible, then the UT began to translate. "Greetings." He studied them for a second with his large liquid eyes. "You have come a long way, as we do not recognize your species. We are the Ansians, welcome to our planet, Aldovia." He bowed slightly, revealing dark brown hair.
"Greetings. I'm Captain Jonathan Archer of the Enterprise. You're right, we aren't from around here. We're from a planet called Earth. We're exploring."
"My name is Capena." He smiled revealing beautiful, straight white teeth "You are welcome to explore our planet." He turned to someone off screen and listened intently. He nodded at the unseen person and turned back to Archer. "In fact, we would be honored if you would come visit us. Can we expect you?"
"Yes! We'd love to come down. Send the location and time."
"I look forward to our next meeting then, Captain Archer of the Enterprise." Capena said. His screen went blank and he once again turned to his commanding officer. The commander was extremely tall and muscled. He had a command presence one could feel.
"Its perfect sir! Their technology is inferior to ours, but another ship on our side could win this war!"
"Stay quiet." The commander ordered. "We haven't won anything yet. Although this is an advantage, I admit, but we still have much to do. Hmph, these 'explorers' seem wet behind the ears. They won't suspect a thing. Make the arrangements."
"Yes, Commander Korsca." Capena replied.
***
(several hours later on shuttle pod two)
Malcolm gently guided the shuttle through Aldovia's upper atmosphere. It truly was a beautiful planet. "Our ETA is ten minutes, sir," Reed reported.
Archer nodded and turned to Trip, who was excited as a boy to be going on an away mission. "They seem friendly enough Cap'n. It's a nice change, ya gotta admit."
"Yeah, this is the way every first contact should go. Too bad though, it's so rare."
"Don't judge a book by its cover." Malcolm muttered. At Archer's questioning glance he elaborated. "Its an old saying, we shouldn't base our thoughts of them on just their appearances. We shouldn't trust them quite yet, sir." Malcolm warned, "We know nothing about them. For all we know, they could be violent, or dangerous."
Trip and Archer exchanged half amused, half exasperated looks. "Of course Malcolm, but maybe you should'n be so quick to judge 'em as bad people, as we are good people." Trip grinned and slapped Malcolm's back. "Relax Lieutenant!" Malcolm sighed and turned his attention to his console.
Hoshi looked up for the first time from the PADD she was studying. "Their language is pretty simple Captain. They appear to have dialects also." She grinned "I can't believe how many languages we've already learned on this mission!"
The shuttle rocked and Hoshi immediately tensed, the smile melting from her face. She elt her body tensing and her breath hyperventilating. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. In, out, in out… She thought of an ocean and calm waves. It helped a bit. Reed smoothed out the pod and she relaxed.
As they broke the lower atmosphere, they all eagerly stared out the view screen. Below them was a beautiful planet of green pastures and sparkling rivers. It seemed highly industrialized as well, with huge cities and ships flying just below cloud level.
Malcolm gently landed the shuttle in the designated area, and opened the hatch.
"Aww, feel that fresh air!" Trip exclaimed sucking in a huge gulp.
"I should bring Porthos down here! He'd love it." The star serving as Aldovia's sun was shinning brightly, and a soft breeze tickled their skin. Hoshi felt herself squinting against the bright light, unused to it.
No one was there to greet them. "Huh, this was the meeting place, right?" Archer asked Reed.
"Affirmative sir." Reed whipped out his scanner, keeping one hand on his phase pistol. "I'm detecting several bio-signs. They're right over…there" his eyes snapped open in surprise as he turned abruptly, pistol leading out front. There stood four Ansians with weapons pointed directly at them.
They fired and Trip had to leap out of the way to avoid being hit. "Take cover!" Archer yelled as Reed shot at the aliens. Hoshi sprinted behind a large tree.
The aliens were shooting unmercifully. Reed squatted behind the pod and continued to shoot at them. They kept dodging his shots though .Archer pulled a pistol from his belt and ran to cover with Hoshi. "What the hell!" he shouted. He was so angry he felt like running out and strangling the gun men himself.
Trip had recovered from his leap and crawled quickly to his feet. Slightly off balance, he began to make his way towards Reed. His head felt blurry, must of hit it on the ground pretty damn hard. All of the sudden, Trip felt shooting pain swell up from his right foot through his entire leg. He cried out and stumbled to the ground, clutching his foot. "Damn it all to hell!" he howled in agony.
Reed, seeing Trip was hurt, cautiously ran out to him. "Are you all right?"
"Does it look like I'm Ok? God, you English are so clueless! Shit, these weapons hurt!" Reed grabbed Trip's shoulders and began to drag him towards the shuttle, still dodging shots. Archer was doing a good job of covering them though.
"And you Americans are too trusting and reckless. I told-"
"-yeah yeah, get me to safety and you can brag all you want. " Trip moaned, his voice laced with pain.
Another shot came extremely too close to Reed for comfort. It ripped through the sleeve of his uniform, barley scorching his skin. "Bugger!" he spat pulling Trip even faster. "You owe me for this, Yank." But Trip was already unconscious. Reed pulled him the rest of the way to safety and collapsed. His back ached and his arm stung from the close call
He pivoted around the shuttle corner, aimed, and fired directly at one of the soldiers. The Ansian went down immediately, but was only stunned. Reed had no idea what setting their weapons were on, and wasn't wont to find out. It appeared to be quite painful according to Trip's colorful descriptions.
Archer had taken out two soldiers, and the last one ran. He and Hoshi carefully ran over to Reed and Trip. Reed was bent over Trip, examining the engineer's foot. Blood was pooled in Trip's boot, but it didn't look life threatening.
"Sir." Malcolm motioned towards Trip. Archer bent over the injured man just as a splitting pain ripped through his head, then, he collapsed into darkness. Hoshi yelped in surprise, but was knocked out before she could turn around.
Reed twisted around as the captain and Hoshi went down. An Ansian was right behind them. God, they were quiet! It swung its weapon into Reed's stomach, then brought it up to strike Reed's forehead. Malcolm felt a rib or two break and gasped in pain. His head was dizzy and blackness was coming. He dove away and groped for his pistol. It was gone. He picked up a jagged rock and threw it from one hand to the other, testing its weight.
With a last effort, Reed jumped up, and punched at the soldier's face. The Ansian went down, holding its jaw, and Reed rammed into him, throwing them both onto the grassy earth. The alien got on top on Reed and began to strangle him. Reed once again punched him, and rolled over so he was straddling the alien. Reed swung the rock in a wide arc, ending at the alien's head. The Ansian immediately went limp, a huge gash on its forehead. Reed thought the soldier might be dead. He couldn't find it in himself to care.
Reed tottered off the alein, breathing heavy through his injuries. He fell to his knees in pain and utter exhaustion. He glanced up and saw ten more aliens approaching. He saw his pistol laying on the ground by Archers head, and on a pretense of checking the Captain's pulse he shoved the pistol surreptitiously up his pant leg. He fastened it to a secret holster he had strapped around his calf, then laid out his hands in surrender. Ten against one was just plain stupid odds to go up against, and Malcolm Reed was anything but stupid. Just as they reached him, Malcolm passed out.
***
"We have them sir!! This war is ours" Capena exclaimed
Korsca, the commander of the war base they were on allowed a infinitesimal smile to cross his face, "One ship and a few fighters will hardly make a difference, but its better than nothing. Yes, I suppose things are looking up for us."
Well, that's just the beginning!! You want more?? Well, you better review. I'm serious. I will not go on without some reviews, and that's a promise.. REVIEW!!!
Antares Star