This story was written for the Entficathon 2008, for JadziaKathryn, who had asked for a gen story with the line "That was something you never, ever wanted to hear from the person at the helm." (PG-13 or under)

Gabi 2305 and IchthusFish were my beta readers for this. Both did a wonderful job.

§ 1 §

"Capt'n, ya know Shuttlepod One?"

Archer stopped cutting through his thick, juicy steak and looked up, tilting his head to the side. When one of the cleverest minds in Starfleet asked such innocent questions something was definitely up. Even T'Pol looked interested in finding out what logical conclusion this conversation could have.

"Yes, Trip. I know Shuttlepod One. What about it?"

"I mean, ya know that Mal 'n I… Yeah, well, ya know what happened to us in that pod."

That had been a few weeks back. Archer had thought the misadventure by now was behind his Chief Engineer's and Armoury Officer's backs, but… He frowned, scanning Trip's face for any evidence of psychological discomfort, his steak and grumbling stomach all but forgotten. How could he be so oblivious to his crew's, his closest friend's feelings? Maybe Trip had been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress, and he hadn't even realised it.

"Are you okay?" he enquired in concern. Darting a glance at T'Pol, who had stopped eating and was following their exchange with her usual impassivity, he went on, "I never took the time to really talk to you, after that mission. I suppose I took for granted that you knew my door is always open and..."

Trip stopped his own, rather vigorous, cutting, and lifted his blue eyes; and for a moment his face was blank. Then it turned almost panicky.

"Oh… oh, no, Capt'n, that's not what I meant," he blurted out.

Archer let out a sigh. "What is it you meant, then?" he asked deadpan, as both he and T'Pol returned to their meals.

"I mean, after that time, while we were recoverin' in sickbay, Mal 'n I swore we'd make Shuttlepod One the best pod in the fleet, so to speak."

"You did?"

"You never told us, Commander," T'Pol clarified.

Trip shrugged lightly. "Yeah, well, maybe I never did. It was somethin' between me and Malcolm, actually."

"So why are you telling me now?" Archer wondered, reaching for the salt.

"Because in our spare time we made some terrific upgrades to that baby." Trip's grin split his face in two. "And we'd like your permission to test them."

Archer chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Like you fell from the horse and need to get right back on it, huh?"

"I did not know Commander Tucker had had an equestrian accident," T'Pol said, dutifully piercing a morsel of celery with her fork.

Purposefully avoiding Trip's merry eyes, Archer turned to his Vulcan SIC. "It's a figure of speech, T'Pol," he explained. "It means to face circumstances which have upset you before you might grow too afraid of them." The pretty face remained perfectly blank, so he expounded, "Trip and Malcolm had a bad experience in Shuttlepod One, so they would want to get in it again before they get anxious about it."

"A peculiar expression," she acknowledged with a lift of the eyebrows.

"I dunno, Capt'n. Maybe it is to exorcise that mission," Trip said pensively. "But… do we have your green light, then?"

Archer gave an amused frown. "What upgrades, exactly? Kitchen Unit? Shower? Toilet?"

He might feign light-heartedness but was already feeling that knot in his gut which, after Trip had almost shot T'Pol on the first M-class planet they had come across, and Malcolm had been taken hostage by those Novans, and... Well, which was becoming chronic.

"Ah – we haven't got to those yet," Trip joked back. "But everythin' else, yes." He lit up like a Christmas tree. "Navigation, engine, weapons, transceiver… you name it. Malcolm 'n I are dyin' to test them."

It was difficult not to get infected by the Engineer's enthusiasm when it came to these things. Although Archer couldn't imagine Reed as being quite as eager about this test flight – unless the man was planning a few explosions, of course: that prospect always managed to perk him up.

"If we make a slight detour from our present course we shall encounter an uninhabited system," T'Pol said. "It might provide an appropriate testing ground for Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed."

Trip grinned at her. "Why, thank you, T'Pol. You can actually be sweet, when ya want to."

"Trip!" Archer rebuked him, hiding a smile behind his napkin. "All right, Commander," he finally agreed. "But I want you to bring Travis with you. He ought to test any helm and navigation upgrades. And Hoshi too, if you boosted the transceiver."

"Aye, Sir," Trip said gleefully, jumping to his feet. "I'll go tell Malcolm." He dumped his napkin in a crumpled heap on the table, much to T'Pol's ill-concealed disapproval, and was gone.

Archer heaved another sigh. His first priority, though he hadn't said it out loud, had been not sending the two officers alone on another mission together, especially in Shuttlepod One... but he'd better keep that for himself. A Starfleet Captain couldn't admit to being superstitious. Not that he really was. No. Malcolm and Trip did not attract bad luck and dangers. It was just coincidence that when they went on a mission, all kinds of things should start going awry…

TBC