Chapter 1
It was quiet in engineering only a skeleton crew remained, quietly checking readings here and there to make sure the engines continued to run efficiently. All of the senior officers were still tucked in their beds fast asleep considering it was 4:30am, except one.
Leaning back in his chair he dropped his feet to the floor from the desktop where they had been resting and stretched his arms over his head letting out a yawn. Lightly he ran his fingers through his blonde hair making it stand on end, his face showing evidence of his sleepless night. His attention was drawn to the blinking lights on the panels surrounding his desk. A slight smile played around his lips as he surveyed his domain, everything was in perfect working order just the way he wanted it. His eyes went to his desk and he reached over and picked up the PADD he had been working on. All the calculations were there and to his knowledge accurate. He'd been working on this project for three months and it was finally ready to be tested. All the sleep-deprived nights were going to be worth the look on the Captain's face when he delivered his surprise. The quiet whoosh of the door to engineering sliding open alerted him to someone's entrance. Swiftly he pocketed the PADD and stood up to see who it was.
Captain Archer walked in heading directly for Trip's station. A frown marred his face when he saw the Commander. "Commander, what are you doing here so early, or should I guess by the way you look that you haven't seen the inside of your quarters in awhile?"
A flush of red crept up Trip's face and he grinned sheepishly at the Captain. "Well Sir, I was in the middle of somethin' and time just got away from me." Tilting his head at an angle and with a shit-eating grin on his face he said, "I promise I'll be fresh and able to perform my numerous important duties after a quick shower and somethin' to eat. By the way, what are you doin' here this early, shouldn't you still be sleepin' beauty?"
Archer relaxed and chuckled at the remark. "What I'm doing here is trying to find out what my Chief Engineer is up to. For the past several months you've been preoccupied with something and I'm tired of waiting for you to tell me what it is, so would you care to let your Cap'm in on the big secret?"
Trip looked at the floor and heaving a weighty sigh replied in a quiet voice, "I'm sorry Sir, I can't tell you anything about what I'm doin' right now." Looking up he saw the Captain's demeanor change from friendly to authoritarian and his eyes turn to an intense fixed gray, "Commander," Archer said coldly, "as Captain of this vessel I am to be informed of all projects. I've given you some slack because engineering is your baby but I expected you to inform myself or T'pol of your activities."
Trip spread his hands out in front and said defensively, "Cap'm I'm not trying to keep you in the dark, it's just.. Well it's a surprise for someone on the ship and if I let you or anyone else know about it it could get back to this person and spoil it."
"Sorry Trip," the captain said apologetically, "I didn't realize it was a personal project, the dedication you've shown regarding this project had me thinking it was for the ship. You haven't shown up for a meal in the Captains mess for two weeks and every time I suggest nine ball you say you have other commitments." Smiling he whispered, "I was beginning to think you were avoiding T'pol or me because one of us had a bad case of halitosis."
Trip's laughter echoed throughout the room, several crewmembers turned to stare at the Commander and Captain then smiling to themselves they returned to their duties.
"Seriously Trip, I know I don't have to tell you I'm to be informed of any changes designed for Enterprise. We have limited resources in manpower and supplies so if any changes went forward without authorization it could jeopardize the crew and Enterprise. Understand?"
"Loud and clear Sir," Trip replied. "If that's all I have a few things that need doin' before breakfast. Tell ya what, I'll meet you in the Captain's mess at 7:30 and we can eat breakfast together."
"Don't be late Trip, I hate cold eggs." With that Archer turned and walked out of engineering.
Damn, this is going to be hard to pull off without him finding out, Trip mused. I sure hope T'pol is in a good mood this morning, what am I thinking I wouldn't be able to tell whether she is or not. With a shrug of his shoulders he headed for the gym where he knew T'pol would be. She had told him she liked to exercise while it was still quiet. 5:00am on Enterprise is almost like walking through a cemetery.
He entered the gym and headed straight for the treadmill T'pol was running on. "Mornin' Sub-commander. When you're finished I'd like to talk to you."
T'pol's eyebrow arched up and she looked at him skeptically. Whatever the commander wanted to say was most likely going to stretch her ability to control her emotions. "I'll be finished in five minutes, then I will be going to my quarters to take a shower and meditate before breakfast, so tell me what you need or it will have to wait until we meet for breakfast."
"T'pol it'll take more than five minutes to explain, and the Cap'm can't know anything about it." He looked at her daring her to quote regulations on the importance of the captain knowing what was happening on his ship at all times.
"Very well Commander I can grant you ten minutes," and with that she shut off the treadmill grabbed a towel and came to stand directly in front of the commander. "Well," she said coldly.
"Lighten up T'pol I need your help with some figures. I need you to double check what I've got and tell me if they're accurate. I've been workin' on this thing for three months and before I can put it together I need to know if it'll work."
"Fine Commander, but why don't you want the captain to know about this?"
"Because it's a surprise for him. He's been bugging me for a year to try and figure a way to get more speed out of the engines and I think I've finally figured it out. I don't want him to know about it in case I'm wrong."
"You are afraid of showing failure in front of the captain, a typical human reaction. Give me the equations you've worked out and I will review them. Now if you will excuse me your ten minutes are up."
"Yes ma'am, sorry I took up so much of your precious meditation time," Trip replied sarcastically. Turning on his heel he went to the door and after opening it bowed and waved T'pol through the door.
It was quiet in engineering only a skeleton crew remained, quietly checking readings here and there to make sure the engines continued to run efficiently. All of the senior officers were still tucked in their beds fast asleep considering it was 4:30am, except one.
Leaning back in his chair he dropped his feet to the floor from the desktop where they had been resting and stretched his arms over his head letting out a yawn. Lightly he ran his fingers through his blonde hair making it stand on end, his face showing evidence of his sleepless night. His attention was drawn to the blinking lights on the panels surrounding his desk. A slight smile played around his lips as he surveyed his domain, everything was in perfect working order just the way he wanted it. His eyes went to his desk and he reached over and picked up the PADD he had been working on. All the calculations were there and to his knowledge accurate. He'd been working on this project for three months and it was finally ready to be tested. All the sleep-deprived nights were going to be worth the look on the Captain's face when he delivered his surprise. The quiet whoosh of the door to engineering sliding open alerted him to someone's entrance. Swiftly he pocketed the PADD and stood up to see who it was.
Captain Archer walked in heading directly for Trip's station. A frown marred his face when he saw the Commander. "Commander, what are you doing here so early, or should I guess by the way you look that you haven't seen the inside of your quarters in awhile?"
A flush of red crept up Trip's face and he grinned sheepishly at the Captain. "Well Sir, I was in the middle of somethin' and time just got away from me." Tilting his head at an angle and with a shit-eating grin on his face he said, "I promise I'll be fresh and able to perform my numerous important duties after a quick shower and somethin' to eat. By the way, what are you doin' here this early, shouldn't you still be sleepin' beauty?"
Archer relaxed and chuckled at the remark. "What I'm doing here is trying to find out what my Chief Engineer is up to. For the past several months you've been preoccupied with something and I'm tired of waiting for you to tell me what it is, so would you care to let your Cap'm in on the big secret?"
Trip looked at the floor and heaving a weighty sigh replied in a quiet voice, "I'm sorry Sir, I can't tell you anything about what I'm doin' right now." Looking up he saw the Captain's demeanor change from friendly to authoritarian and his eyes turn to an intense fixed gray, "Commander," Archer said coldly, "as Captain of this vessel I am to be informed of all projects. I've given you some slack because engineering is your baby but I expected you to inform myself or T'pol of your activities."
Trip spread his hands out in front and said defensively, "Cap'm I'm not trying to keep you in the dark, it's just.. Well it's a surprise for someone on the ship and if I let you or anyone else know about it it could get back to this person and spoil it."
"Sorry Trip," the captain said apologetically, "I didn't realize it was a personal project, the dedication you've shown regarding this project had me thinking it was for the ship. You haven't shown up for a meal in the Captains mess for two weeks and every time I suggest nine ball you say you have other commitments." Smiling he whispered, "I was beginning to think you were avoiding T'pol or me because one of us had a bad case of halitosis."
Trip's laughter echoed throughout the room, several crewmembers turned to stare at the Commander and Captain then smiling to themselves they returned to their duties.
"Seriously Trip, I know I don't have to tell you I'm to be informed of any changes designed for Enterprise. We have limited resources in manpower and supplies so if any changes went forward without authorization it could jeopardize the crew and Enterprise. Understand?"
"Loud and clear Sir," Trip replied. "If that's all I have a few things that need doin' before breakfast. Tell ya what, I'll meet you in the Captain's mess at 7:30 and we can eat breakfast together."
"Don't be late Trip, I hate cold eggs." With that Archer turned and walked out of engineering.
Damn, this is going to be hard to pull off without him finding out, Trip mused. I sure hope T'pol is in a good mood this morning, what am I thinking I wouldn't be able to tell whether she is or not. With a shrug of his shoulders he headed for the gym where he knew T'pol would be. She had told him she liked to exercise while it was still quiet. 5:00am on Enterprise is almost like walking through a cemetery.
He entered the gym and headed straight for the treadmill T'pol was running on. "Mornin' Sub-commander. When you're finished I'd like to talk to you."
T'pol's eyebrow arched up and she looked at him skeptically. Whatever the commander wanted to say was most likely going to stretch her ability to control her emotions. "I'll be finished in five minutes, then I will be going to my quarters to take a shower and meditate before breakfast, so tell me what you need or it will have to wait until we meet for breakfast."
"T'pol it'll take more than five minutes to explain, and the Cap'm can't know anything about it." He looked at her daring her to quote regulations on the importance of the captain knowing what was happening on his ship at all times.
"Very well Commander I can grant you ten minutes," and with that she shut off the treadmill grabbed a towel and came to stand directly in front of the commander. "Well," she said coldly.
"Lighten up T'pol I need your help with some figures. I need you to double check what I've got and tell me if they're accurate. I've been workin' on this thing for three months and before I can put it together I need to know if it'll work."
"Fine Commander, but why don't you want the captain to know about this?"
"Because it's a surprise for him. He's been bugging me for a year to try and figure a way to get more speed out of the engines and I think I've finally figured it out. I don't want him to know about it in case I'm wrong."
"You are afraid of showing failure in front of the captain, a typical human reaction. Give me the equations you've worked out and I will review them. Now if you will excuse me your ten minutes are up."
"Yes ma'am, sorry I took up so much of your precious meditation time," Trip replied sarcastically. Turning on his heel he went to the door and after opening it bowed and waved T'pol through the door.