Temporal Separates. [Anteyra]

[Harbinger]

"Have you located it?"

"Yes Sir... just a few metres shy of this mountain range. Whoever's sending it, they must be in trouble. The signal's rate is increasing but it's also getting weaker," Hoshi replied, two fingers pressed to her earpiece.

"And still saying the same distress?"

Hoshi only nodded in response to the Captain who in turn glanced at Malcolm and T'Pol in turn. They all knew the risks, their time in the Expanse had more than prepared them by now but since a year had passed since the events of Terra Prime, some of their naive passion to help others and explore the galaxy had returned.

"Well, let's go help them. Malcolm,"

"Aye Sir," the Englishman dutifully replied before he tapped at his console and smartly left the Bridge, replaced by one of his trusted sub-ordinates.

Time passed and the away team were soon on their way down to the mensharra class planet with no way of knowing they were waltzing right into an ambush. The away team consisted of Archer, Hoshi Malcolm, Trip and two of the MACOs. Archer had decided a contingent were worth keeping aboard and they had finally incorporated into the ship's crew by now. Archer knew that they had no problems with accepting the Lieutenant's orders.

Shuttlepod One flew in a gentle arc at the hands of Archer as he went towards the alien craft that had seemed to lose its way. It wasn't long before he could see it via the view screen. It looked in a bad way. No one seemed to have come out of it.

It wasn't too long before dust pillowed about Shuttlepod One's landing.

---

Sat on a ledge on the highest of the nearest mountain was a figure, sat cross legged and clad in a variety of thick leathers from his trousers to the jackets he had to stave the biting cold. His attention was stuck to a pale green lit device which he was evidently reading from. It illuminated his peculiar looking helmet that only allowed his mouth and jawline to be seen. He had seen the shuttlepod come down though wasn't sure what to make of it.

Other than to find it a nuisance. Since coming into whatever time he was in, he had to fend for himself in a world full of smugglers, cutthroats and god knew what else. Hell, he had started life out here found and bought as a slave till he fought for his freedom. But then he knew how to fight and that merit had won him a fair few scores.

Now hoever, he was stuck on this planet. He wasn't a victim of the people ambushing these newcomers but he had underestimated the frequent ion storms that were notoriously bad. His little flitter couldn't handle it and he had crashed. Ironically it was the same one the locals were using as bait but it was past saving. He was weighing his options as he read the statistics coming off his screen.

Perhaps he could complete this bounty and buy transport off these newcomers. He knew he would have to get them out of the mess they would ultimately find themselves in order to gain some trust but that was a small order. He could easily incorporate his target into the same move. Two birds, one stone. He smirked at that thought as he fine tuned the details to his plan. It was now a waiting game.

[Anteyra]

With the engine off and the dust beginning to settle back down, Trip got up from his seat, opened the hatch, and climbed out of the pod. Captain Archer was next and the two men took stock of their surroundings for a second before looking back and helping Hoshi out of the pod. With that little task done they began to move forward knowing the men needed no help what-so-ever.

Archer had landed the pod around one hundred metres away from the damaged ship. He turned to look at his crew again before heading towards it. "Let's see what we can find." He said and the small six-strong group began heading for it. Archer and Trip taking the lead, while the two MACOs remained at the rear, their plasma rifles primed and ready should they meet any hostiles.

They knew nothing of this planet, but they knew that the Delphic Expanse had once been a harsh environment for anyone to live in. Now that the spheres that caused the anomalies were gone, travelling through space was a lot easier.

[Harbinger]

The planet itself appeared as if it was going through a winter phase, snow was thick on high points and the trees were decidedly deciduous. Hoshi was already making scans as they neared the damaged vessel. It was a strange place and Hoshi knew they would be finding a lot of strange things out here. Sure, they had found strange things before but they never had the time to appreciate it as much back then.

She noted hardly anything was making a noise and wondered if that was significant as the ship came into view. The thing was battered and fried, even from here they could all wonder what its history was.

"And you're sure there are no other life-signs out here?"
"Yes," Hoshi replied, her attention focused on where she was walking and on her scanner.There had been some strange interference that did nothing to help her scans. So, she did not sound 100% certain of her response to the Captain who frowned in response to her uncertainty.

They were at the ship now and the only sign of movement was the occasional flicker of a light somewhere inside. It wasn't very big and looked to be something entirely made for a small number of crew. The once brown hull was badly scorched and the front dented and caved in. It was evident ever from the outside it would never see a space flight again. The other fact Archer noted was that the door was left open which was some sign that someone had been able to get out. He looked at Trip for a moment before he moved to enter. Malcolm told the two MACO to remain outside and keep watch, so they did setting up a perimeter as the Enterprise crew ventured inside.

"What do you make of her, Trip?" he asked, wondering if anything could be salvaged.

[Anteyra]

Shining his torch around the inside, the Commander's eyes scanned the interior of the ship. He sighed slightly. "I don't know, Cap'n. Doesn't look like it's been here long. Probably a couple of months." He replied in all honesty. "Although she still has some power." He added, indicating the flickering lights. "But I doubt that'll last much longer." He kept looking around. "I'd need to get a team down here to be certain if anything is worth salvaging."

The Captain nodded his head as he listened to his friend. He then turned to his communications officer. "Hoshi? Can you tell who owned this ship?"

[Harbinger]

The layout inside was unusually simple. There was the smashed in cockpit, a receiving area where they were now, an engine room, a cargo space with a section that may have served at one time as a jerry rigged brig and another which might have served as quarters. Hoshi had already found a terminal set into on of the walls. It was worryingly near the cockpit's door as she scanned and shook her head.

"No sir," but then she blinked and did a double take as she took further scans with her own little machine that was evaluating the language. "But the language... it's so close to English, it's weird,"

"Close to English?" Malcolm asked, his weapon was out but loosely held.

"Language tends to mutate, change. This is like English, Sir but not. Looks like it may have derived from English itself,"

Archer frowned, "What would an English language be doing out here?"

[Anteyra]

"The Skagarans and people on that planet, sir." Trip piped up. "Maybe it has something to do with them... I mean they've been out her for what... a hundred and fifty years, two hundred years?" He suggested. It was a long shot, but it was by no means implausible.

Malcolm shook his head. "That planet was several light years away... and the Skagarans ship wasn't usable when they got it there... it's doubtful to have been them."

[Harbinger]

The ship looked to have some age to it as they explored inside what they could reach, "So that means whoever this belonged to is possibly human or has been around humans long enough to use it for themselves?"

Hoshi nodded, "These records all seem business related, Sir. I haven't been able to find anything personal. Whoever they were, don't think they were keen to evidence their identity,"

A box drew Archer's interest and with Trip's help they opened it. They immediately wished they hadn't as the smell of something very dead and rotting assaulted their sense. They hastily shut it again. Distracted by the discovery of the not so alien language and the smell, they failed to read the momentary but definite blip on their scanners that picked up life-signs. It wasn't long before something flew into the space between the four of them.

Malcolm had turned on the spot, his pistol aimed at the ball-like device which had blinking lights to it and those lights were speeding up as they flashed. He realised what it was for but too late as the grenade exploded in a flash of painful white light and sent enough force to drive them back, slamming into the surfaces that made the walls.

There was a chirrup of sound then as the life-signs that had not showed before came into existence. They began gathering up the now unconscious team and hauled them back to their camp.

[Anteyra]

It was quite a while before a thumping headache awoke the away team from their unconsciousness. Groaning, each of them woke up a minute or two after each other. Archer and Trip were first to wake, while the two MACOs were last to regain consciousness. Taking in stock of their surroundings they looked at each other. "So much for no signs of life." Archer said with a groan as he stood up to inspect their prison. It appeared to be a single room structure with plenty of head height. One door in the centre of one wall, and the only windows were high up.. to hight to see out of properly... they would have to stand on each other's shoulder if they wanted to see what the view was like.

"What was that thing?" Hoshi queried, nursing her neck and head that ached quite a lot.

Malcolm also stood up and moved to the door, testing it's strength. "A grenade, fairly similar to ours, though our model doesn't send people flying nor does it have the flashing lights."

"Flashing lights... normally means a bad sign." Trip added, pinching the bridge of his nose, his eyes shut tight for the time being. He was still sat on the floor, his back against one of the walls. "Must be a dampening field in place, or some sort of radar jammer for us to not detect them from Enterprise... nor with the hand helds down here."

Archer simply nodded his head as he listened to each of his officers ask questions and make comments. It was then that he realised all their equipment had been taken from them... their weapons, scanners and communicators. "Well... all we gotta do is sit this out. When we don't report back, T'Pol will start investigating and send another team down to find out what happened to us."

"And if they get captured as well? She can't keep sending teams down forever y'know." Trip added, resting one arm on a bent knee.

[Harbinger]

"Well, you know T'Pol. Always a logical way around a situation. I'm sure she won't be too long," Archer replied as he watched Malcolm test the bars. It wasn't the first time any of them had found them selves in a similar situation. His pain from the grenade was quickly subsiding.

"Well sooner the better. I don't like the way this cell smells," Hoshi muttered, true enough that it smelt of previous occupants.

Archer nodded for a moment before stretching his back a little. He remembered vaguely slamming into a jutting out section. Phlox was going to have a field day checking them over. Only deities long forgotten knew what they were picking up that they were blind to.

---

He had since shifted position now that the strange humanoids in blue and grey had been captured. If not for the need for a ticket off this lump of rock, their capture would have hardly concerned him at all. Survival was everything in his walk of life and Reuben had learnt that trait well. He had recorded the whole thing. He had been accused in the past of not fulfilling the criteria of payment so he had taken to recording it as to proof the deed. No one had since argued.

Reuben noted how many guards there were he would have to take out before he would get to his target. He was aware this would require a little game and he set about setting traps. It was a good few hours before he paused. His helmet was special, it had a readout in the viewing section that he could use. It told him that there was a heavy storm coming in.

---

T'Pol shifted ever so slightly in the Captain's chair with only a hint of concern gracing her features. The team should have reported in by now and it was not in the nature of the Captain to be late without a good reason.

"Hail the away team," she said softly, looking to the standin for Hoshi.

"I'm sorry Commander... intereference is too great. A heavy ion storm is blowing in,"

[Anteyra]

T'Pol didn't like the sound of that. "Are they still examining the vessel?"

The man in Hoshi's spot shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm uncertain.... I've lost their bio-signs. Could be due to the ion storm."

[Harbinger]

"Ensign," she started looking to Travis who turned slightly in his seat, "Is it advisable to send down another shuttlepod?"

They had been caught out before, the need of not repeating that was shared amongst them. He shook his head, "Sorry Commander, I doubt we'd get very far before having to come back anyways,"

T'Pol nodded almost too little for one to notice, "Do as many in-depth scans as you can to determine their location," At that, they all set to work trying to see past the storm but it showed no signs of letting any one see through it or letting up

---

He smiled as the storm raged. Perfect, it would interfere with their equipment too. The fact that it would disrupt his own was hardly consequential to him as he moved. He was so close to their camp, it was laughable. A hamster could run one better than this. He took up a position, lying flat on a jutting rock with a device that looked similar to an old rifle. He had counted sixteen to eighteen guards so he had his work cut out. He was glad he had requested more than decent pay for this job. He waited for one to be open to him before he took the shot.

The man fell to the ground like a deflated balloon and immediately the small place was up in arms. No one could see where it had come from. One by one they were going down like flies, slowly but surely.

---

Malcolm tilted his head to one side, "Any one else hear that?"

[Anteyra]

Everyone's ears were perked up listening to the muffled sounds from outside. "What does that sound like to you?"

"Sounds like people getting shot." Trip replied.

After a few seconds more Hoshi shook her head. "I don't hear any firing back."

[Harbinger]

"A rescue team?" one of the two MACO's asked a little too hopefully.

"If it was a rescue team, there would be more shots being fired in succession," Malcolm said slowly before glancing to Hoshi. She had the best ear out of them all and she nodded.

"I'm only hearing one shot... the intervals aren't the same either," Hoshi replied, "Think some one else is out there Sir?"

[Anteyra]

Archer nodded his head slowly. "Could be the person who owns that ship." He suggested. "May have been foraging, saw us arrive, knew we'd come to help, and seeing as how we now need rescuing, they're returning the favour."

[Harbinger]

"I sure hope so," Trip piped up. The smell was getting a little too noticeable by now.

After a while, a great shout was heard and without the UT, Hoshi had more problems trying to understand what was being said. She shook her head when Archer gave her a questioning look. She frowned then, straining slightly to hear but there was another voice. She couldn't hear what was being said. That was in the language what the other alien was speaking but she could tell it was a man. After a few moment, the first voice screeched in pain and everything became silent.

"What j'st happened?" Trip said, blinking slightly and Archer agree with him. This was a strange turn of events.

---

Reuben stood there for a long moment staring at the smouldering wound in his dead target's chest before he collected his senses. He stooped over the body, searching for anything of use as ID before finding it and put it away on his person. He then moved into the other outbuildings and found several items he didn't recognise. The few things that he did know the identity of were the phase pistols and the phase rifles. He holstered his weapon before picking up one of the phase rifles.

He liked the weight. Perhaps he could buy one of them too. Smirking, he turned for the building where he had seen the aliens being locked up.

---

"Whoever it is, they're coming," Hoshi said and the all stood at the ready.

[Anteyra]

Archer was ready. His stance showing he was prepared to defend his friends and crewmates, but at the same time not wanting to appear too threatening in case whoever it was took it as a challenge to a fight. He had learned that between different races, the same gestures or way you looked at any one could be interpreted in completely different waysl some good and some not so good. A first contact like that would not go down well at all for any of them. He knew the MACOs and Malcolm would be in much more defensive stances ready for a fight. He glanced to his side where Hoshi had taken up a protective position behind Trip who looked ready to defend the only female in the group. Sure, she had good fighting techniques, but at times she was still a very vulnerable young woman.

[Harbinger]

He brought a hand to his helmet, fiddling with a setting before the view changed to thermal imaging. He chuckled softly and nodded before he changed it back to his favoured setting. He opened the door and moved in, his hold on the MACO weapon lax but there was certainly no chance of questioning his ability to use it.

"Well, what have we got here then?" He looked between them though that was hidden by his helmet. All they could see was his mouth. Reuben the look of one of the men that didn't look too happy.

[Anteyra]

They all briefly glanced at each other when the man entered and spoke in English. There was a short pause before Archer stepped forward. "I'm Captain Jonathan Archer. We came answering a distress call, we don't mean anyone any harm." He had no idea if this was one of the men that had captured them, or if he was a rescuer. The fact that he was holding one of their own weapons had him slightly concerned.

[Harbinger]

Reuben didn't respond, he had not expected to hear English in return either. Whilst he remembered it how he knew it, he had long learned to move on. But according to his helmet's readings, the man spoke English.

"Yes, they're rather fond of distress calls," he replied, smirking slightly before he leaned against the wall. He knew he was probably a curiosity for them like their weapons were to him. It handled well in weight and balance. He was keen to actually use it but first things were first as he realised he had yet to return the favour of introductions.

"Reuben Boch," he replied before peering at the MACO weapon the other dark coloured haired males were making furtive glances to never mind Archer before something else struck him. "Archer, eh? Where do I know you from? I know the name," Course, given his occupation, names came up everywhere.

[Anteyra]

"Well... I'm not too surprised that people know my name after what happened around a year ago. You'll probably also recognise the name of our ship.... Enterprise." He returned. Him and his crew were quite famous after defeating the Xindi, stopping them from destroying Earth.

"Who sent out the distress call then? Not you?" Trip queried, taking a couple of steps forward to stand next to Archer.

[Harbinger]

"Well, spank me rosy, I'm honoured," he stood straiter as if his comment was genuine. It was, but Boch was not one openly trusted. He had been hurt too many times to open himself up in that way. Still, information scrolled on his little view screen and he almost nodded at it before remembering he had company.

"Really, it's your lucky day. Had it not been for little old me, you boys, and lady," he flashed a grin at Hoshi before appearing to be looking back at Trip and Archer, "would have have been carted off and put into slavery. Sold and sent goodness knows where."

"You let them use your vessel?" Malcolm asked, shifting his stance and Reuben glanced at the small Englishman, noting the accent.

"I decided to leave and scout the area... this was my destination. You have to keep an eye on those storms it seems. Happen quite often here. Won't sate for a while either. Daakans aren't opposed to reeling in potential fish, if you get me."

[Anteyra]

Archer nodded his head. "Then we thank you. We are in your debt."

[Harbinger]

"I plan to collect," he returned, peering back at Archer, "Mind if I hitch a ride, Captain? As you've seen, my old vessel, she's isn't going anywhere. It's a more or less fair trade," he said softly.

[Anteyra]

Archer glanced at his friend next to him, receiving only a shrug from the engineer. After a few seconds thought he turned to look back at Reuben. "If you can take us to where the rest of our equipment is, then we can take you to wherever it is you want to go."

[Harbinger]

"Wonderful. You might want to stand back, chaps," he gave a loose grin. The team did so and Reuben raised the MACO's phase rifle and shot the lock. The door fritzed and clicked open. "Nice!" he turned the rifle over in his hands before turning for the doorway, gesturing at them with a hand to follow. "Have got to get me one of these!"

[Anteyra]

Archer sighed slightly. "I'm afraid they're not for sale. MACO issue only." He said, feeling a little uneasy around Reuben. With that said he began to usher the team out of the building. Trip was keeping Hoshi close to him.

[Harbinger]

"You sure? They handle better than this Xindi thing. Shame, shame," he said merrily and didn't look too keen to give it back just yet either. Trip's action didn't go amiss and he just shrugged. It was up to them to decide if he was a threat but he had nothing to mean against them. He had the rest of his bounty money to collect after all.

"Sorry, I've been a little messy," he said, talking about the bodies lying around as he lead the way to the other building. "There you are. There's your gadgetry," Reuben spoke merrily before turning to the last MACO to come with the group. "Don't lose that. Nice weapon,"

"Thank you," it was clear the MACO's did know what to make of Reuben Boch either as the hunter moved off, his helmet running scans as he waited.

Trip picked up his phase pistol as the rest of them did, "He makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end,"

"He is somewhat unusual Trip, but he did lend a hand in our rescue," Archer replied.

"You sound like TPol," Archer only smiled before like Malcolm returned to their guest who turned and grinned again at them.

[Anteyra]

"He's a bounty hunter." Hoshi whispered to them as she picked up her bits and put them away in her pockets.

Archer just nodded and turned to him. "I guess you know the way to the pod? Lead on."

[Harbinger]

"Oh sure," he replied "They left that well alone. Can't see why," he said loftily as if he thought this was some new adventure that truly excited him. The Expanse was hardly strawberries and cream, and he had dealt with the darkness in his own way. It had left him a little peculiar.

He lead the way, the rest following in tow thought Archer was willing enough to match his pace when they eventually saw it. Right where they left it.

"I guess they got a bit ahead of themselves with such fine specimens," he said with a smile.

"There a face under that helmet?" Trip said before he could stop himself but Reuben took no offence.

"All in good time. Well, your craft, your lead Captain. I hold as much rank as a tribble,"

[Anteyra]

Archer stopped at looked at him bemused. "A Tribble?"

"It's a creature, sir.... basically a ball of fur that reproduces a lot. Phlox fed one once to his reptile." Hoshi replied.

The Captain looked at her for a few seconds, then at Reuben and then they continued their walk to the pod. Once there, Archer immediately took his place at the helm while the others clambered in. Trip and Malcolm sat either side of him.