The Mission
Title: The Mission (1/1)
Author: Weebob
Fandom: Enterprise
Pairing: Archer/Reed
Rating: PG13
Category: Slash
Feedback: Aids the learning process! ([email protected])
Archive: EntSTCommunity, Reed's Armory, BLTS, MEGA if you want it - any others, probably, but please ask first.
Summary: A successful mission ends badly.
SPOILERS: VERY slight for "Minefield" and maybe for "The Xindi" I haven't seen it yet!!
WARNING: Deathfic written on the fly after an evil bunny bite, so I'm not sure that I've pulled it off!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own or have any rights to the Star Trek universe, "Enterprise ", or any of its characters they belong to UPN/Paramount. I am making no money from this story.
THE MISSION
The mission's been successful: we've transmitted the information we came for back to Enterprise and they're on their way to meet us.
Unfortunately, they'll be too late.
The aquatic Xindi species' defence grid picked us up when we tried to escape
in the submersible Trip put together for us out of that old Suliban
cell ship we captured way back at the start of our mission. It
saved our asses last time Malcolm and I were in a fix but its not going
to save us this time. Nobody will.
Our power's gone all but the glow of the emergency lights and our hull's
been damaged by the Xindi weapons. We're lying low in an ocean trench
but water's leaking in fast and Malcolm's getting scared.
He knew this could happen, but he still wouldn't let me take this on alone:
said I'd need him to watch my back and keep me alive to get the
job done. It was way too important to risk failure.
On both counts, he was right and I DID succeed because he was with me.
Now he's going to die because he's with me.
I move aside to let him get up on the pilot's console and raise himself
a little bit out of the water. He shoots me a frightened glance:
"We're not going to make it, are we?"
His voice shakes with fear and I reach up to caress his face but can say
nothing to reassure him. "Enterprise will get here a little too late
for us, Malcolm, unless Trip manages to pull off a miracle and get
her above warp 5.5"
Leaning into my touch, he gives a wry smile: "Not much chance of that on
the amount of sleep he's been getting lately." His bravado crumbles
" Oh Jon, I'm so scared."
I move closer and put my arms around him: the water's deep enough now to
lift me off my feet and our faces are level "I know Malcolm. So am
I."
Wrapping me in a desperate embrace, he kisses me even though that means
he has to duck part of his face in the water to do so. We're both
floating now, our heads brushing the roof of the ship, and I pull
him in for another kiss probably our last.
When we separate, he's crying and tells me how much he loves me and that
I'm the best thing ever to happen to him. The desire to save him drives
me to try the comm. one more time. Its working, but there's nothing
but static and nobody to hear me.
Our phase pistols and other flotsam bob past us and Malcolm's terrified
now, trying to climb up my body to get his face out of the water
- we must only have a few minutes of aiir left. He's getting hysterical
and I try, unsuccessfully, to calm him down. I pull him against
me again, feeling his lean body struggling and his hands trying
to push him upwards. I hold him tighter and he makes little panicky,
mewing noises.
My heart is breaking as he clutches at me: my brave, strong Malcolm losing
his dignity because of a phobia. I can't let him suffer like this.
"Malcolm, I love you more than you can ever imagine and you don't
have to be afraid. I won't let you drown."
At my words, he looks up suddenly and those remarkable eyes of his meet
mine. He understands and nods almost imperceptibly suddenly serene.
"Forever and eternity, Jon."
My hands are trembling as I grab a phase pistol out of the water and hug
him as I hold it against the back of his head, feeling his lashes brush
my cheek as he closes his eyes. "Forever and eternity, Malcolm."
I fire just as the comm. splutters to life: "T'Pol to Archer. We are
in orbit and preparing for emergency transport. Please stand by."
As the channel clicks closed, I pull my beloved Malcolm's lifeless body
against me, bury my face in his shoulder, put the phase pistol to
my temple and pull the trig
End.