Star Trek Enterprise Bk. 02 - Inherit Ch. 07

" Who are you?" he demanded.

"Do you doubt your eyes?"

"You look like Lt. D'Arcy, but you are not her," he answered, shaking her slightly.

"Use your scanner if you're in doubt." The parasite challenged. A simple bio scan wouldn't detect anything and the yamanu knew this thanks to its host's knowledge. It was the full indepth neuro testing with the ship's doctor that the creature feared. Standing there in Archer's quarters there was no reason to believe such an exam was even on the table so the yamanu was confidant it would escape detection.

"Lt. Reed already ran a bio scan, but I'm not buying the results. I don't know who sent you, but you are nothing more than a very clever fake."

"If the scans showed you that I am her, what makes you so certain that I'm not?" she pulled free and eyed him coolly.

"First, she would never call me Jonathan, it would be inappropriate for someone of her rank to do so. Second, she wouldn't risk coming to my quarters alone while off-duty, or dressed like that." At his explanation she seemed undaunted and started to move towards him again.

"We've thrown our ranks aside before and touched," she answered, but to her irritation he moved out of her way.

"Thirdly, even if I could be fooled. Porthos was not. He is always friendly with her, yet he barked and growled at you. That told me a lot. Since you came back to us it has been noted by more than a few people how completely different you are." She didn't answer, just started to move towards him again. What bothered him was that if this wasn't her, how could she look, sound, feel and smell so much like her?

"These hands, this body and every part is your Danaë. Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me that you have not wished this body was in your bed," Her lips barely brushed against his as she spoke. "Fulfilling your every..."

"WHO ARE YOU!?" he challenged once more, grabbing her and slamming her against the wall, momentarily knocking the wind out of her. Once she had managed to catch her breath again,, her expression became dark and twisted. No longer concerned with being discovered, her normally bright eyes seemed empty and her natural soft accent was gone.

"I don't think you would understand what I am, but for me this has been an incredible experience. My kind don't usually reside in hosts with so much... intricacy. Certainly not creatures with such sophisticated minds and emotions. Your Danaë has been quite an insight into your species. Being able to communicate in such a fashion is fantastic in itself, and the human brain... I don't know how to begin to explain it's complexities. I know everything she knows and I have complete control of her actions." The captain became alarmed at this revelation. "I know each of her memories. The one's involving you were the most... interesting. Did you know that every time she saw you the strangest feelings would run through her body, such as a curious warmth in places I never would have expected," she smiled thinking of what she felt just moments ago. "I'm not sure how to describe the emotions attached to you. For her there is pleasure and strength in just the sight of you. She feels a longing I can't quite comprehend. A mix of wanting to help you, comfort you and even protect you all rolled into one."

Captain Archer was hearing what the usurper was saying, but he refused to listen to it. There was no reason to believe that whatever was possessing the lieutenant was telling the truth. He had no idea why this thing was sent here or what it was plotting (his asassination?), but it couldn't be trusted. In fact, lying would be by far the most advantageous thing it could do. What better way to get him off kilter than to tell him things that he might possibly want to hear.

"You lie."

"Do I?" she responded, a bit surprised by his assertion. "You can believe what you want, but you, captain, are very special to this human. So much so that I found myself wanting to experience what this human had for myself." She smirked at Archer causing him to give her another frustrated shove against the wall before releasing her and backing away.

"Who is behind this... Degra?" The captain's tone was low and clearly threatening, but if this usurper was afraid, it gave no indication.

"I know what it was like for her," the usurper continued, ignoring the captain's question and beginning to sway suggestively towards him again. "But I'm also curious to know what the mating ritual was like from a male perspective. Tell me what was it like for you, Jonathan, playing the game of want and wanting for so long? A whole year you two kept each other at a distance. Looking, appreciating, but never touching. You never allowed yourselves to be alone together or spoke beyond your missions. What was it like to finally have this body?" She grabbed his hand and attempted to place it on her breast but he quickly pulled free of her grasp then thrust her backward, ensuring space between them. "My curiosity must be satisfied, Jonathan; what is it you feel for your human woman?" She stared at him, her expression, tone and something in her eyes made him believe for a moment that it was Danaë rather than this pretender. "Tell me, do you feel the same about her?"

"Whatever feelings exist between the lieutenant and I, stays between her and I. Now tell me what your game is and who is behind this!" Seeing that he was not going to tell her what she wanted to know and tired of hearing him speak so harshly and forcefully shoving her away, she glared for a moment then shrugged.

"Humans are terribly foolish creatures. They become far too attached to each other. This is no game, captain, and it doesn't matter who the players are. That information will never give you back your precious Danaë. She is gone forever. She belongs to me and any attempt to get her back will only serve to permanently damage her." At her words, Archer became incensed and instantly caught her by the throat. He desperately wanted to squeeze and make the creature take back its words but he couldn't do it. His hesitation gave her a moment to stealthily reach behind her and pull out the small knife concealed in her waist band. With her finger she pressed the button causing the blade to open in less than a second. "I wouldn't grieve, Jonathan. Shortly I will be gone and this ship and everyone on board will be dead. Your lover is a wealth of information when it comes to the interworking of your ship." This time he didn't hesitate and started to tighten his grip around her throat. In one swift motion she brought her knife up and slashed him across his arm freeing herself.

"You won't make it off this ship," he growled. He reached out to capture her again, but she promptly plunged the blade into his side and gave it a twist before running into the corridor. Holding his side Archer quickly got to the comm and called for security to block all means of escape from the airlocks to the transporter. He then ordered Lieutenant D'Arcy's capture before getting a towel from his bathroom and covering the hole in his side and taking himself to sickbay.

While the captain was still at his comm calling for Danaë to be stopped, the usurper had grabbed the backpack from where she had left it outside the captain's door then taking the Xindi communicator she began to run the short distance to an escape pod. All she had to do was get into the capsule then unleash her computer virus. Everything was going to be fine, the creature assured herself. She was just in sight of the airlocks when Lt. Reed spotted her in the corridor. He yelled for her to stop but when she didn't, he fired his phase pistol, stunning her just as the hatch opened. Once her body hit the floor he lowered his weapon slightly and waited a few moments to to see if she was truly incapacitated before approaching her. Satisfied that she was stunned, he walked over to her and started to take her communicator. Before he could get it from her hand she started to convulse violently, startling him. To make sure her airway stayed clear during the seizure, Lt. Reed quickly rolled her on her side and called for immediate medical attention.