Commander Charles Tucker III stood in the Engine Room of the NX-01 Enterprise surveying his latest fine tuning of the warp engines. As Lt. Commander Kelby and Lieutenant Hess stood by his side waiting for further orders, Trip checked the intermix formula as well as dilithium crystal configuration. A satisfied sigh escaped him.
"I think we'll be able to handle Warp 5.2 now," he grinned.
Lieutenant Hess smiled. She had a crush on the Chief Engineer. Of Course, she tried to hide this fact, especially since he was her superior officer. But most of the crew in Engineering knew, except Trip.
"Should we ask the captain if we can push the engines as a test?" asked Kelby.
"I'll head up to the Bridge and talk to the captain to see if he's willing," said Trip.
With his PADD in his hand, he turned to leave then he looked at his XO and Hess. He gave them a big smile.
"Good work, Bill, and you too, Liz. Spread the word among engineering that everyone did good work," he said then he headed for the pneumatic doors, which swooshed open, and headed for the Bridge.
Archer sat on the edge of his captain's chair with a PADD in his head reviewing status reports from each of his department heads. As usual he sat as if he wanted to he pacing more than sitting. At the Science Station T'Pol, his Executive Officer, sat running scans of the area of space they were exploring. At the Comm Station Ensign Hoshi Sato updated the universal translator, while at the Ops Station Lieutenant Malcolm Reed ran weapons simulations. At the Helm Ensign Travis Mayweather piloted the Enterprise with his usually ease and expertise.
Trip entered the Bridge, which immediately drew the attention of Commander T'Pol. She looked up from her scans to stare at her former lover. Even though they shared a Vulcan mating bond, they had agreed to end their relationship because of the many obstacles and difficulties a mating between a Human and a Vulcan brought about. Yes, she still loved him, as he stirred feeling within her that she thought impossible to stir, but logic dictated that their relationship should end. Her hope was the once physical relationship ended and distance was maintained between them that their bond, their tel, would weaken and eventually dissolve.
Trip noticed T'Pol and nodded his head towards her. He still loved her and resented that she broke off their relationship, but there was little he could do to change her mind. She was in charge of their relationship not him, which angered him. Their contact now was professional, except for the twice weekly lessons she gave him in strengthen his mental shields in order to block their bond. Trip hoped that their friendship would reassert itself in time, but for now he accepted the distance and Vulcan coolness she offered him, even though part of him resented it.
He walked over to the captain's chair. Archer smiled at his Chief Engineer and friend. Sitting back in his chair he crossed his legs and put the PADD down.
"What brings you up to the Bridge, Trip?" he asked.
"Been working on the Warp Engines," grinned Trip. "Cap'n, I think we can push it to warp 5.2."
"How long can we sustain it?" Archer asked.
"An hour maybe hour and half," Trip said. "But we'll be able to sustain warp 5 indefinitely."
"Trip, you're a miracle worker," Archer smiled.
"With some changes and suggestions, I believe warp 7 is in our future," Trip stated.
"You forward those changes and suggestions to Starfleet Command?" asked Archer.
"I sent them to Admiral Jefferies since he's in charge of Fleet Maintenance and Expansion," grinned Trip.
"Jefferies," chuckled Archer. "He always wanted you to remain in development, especially after you got the warp 2.5 engine to work."
"I hope he takes my suggestions and changes seriously. I honestly think warp7 is within our grasp," said Trip.
"Trip, I've always said that you are the best engineer in Starfleet," smiled Archer.
Running her scans, T'Pol noticed an anomaly which suddenly turned into a medium size starship, which then opened fire on them. Acting as quickly as possible she barked an order.
"Polarize hull plating," she yelled.
Without hesitation Malcolm Reed did as he was ordered, but the disruptor cannon fire more than rocked the Enterprise. Everyone on the Bridge was tossed about like a ragdoll. Trip found himself lying on the deck with Hoshi on top of him, while Archer held onto his captain's chair arm rests keeping him in his chair. Unfortunately, the next disruptor cannon fire did even more damage to the Enterprise than anticipated. A beam from the ceiling dislodged and fell on the captain's chair pinning Archer, while the Science and Engineering Stations exploded from feedback. The Engineering Station was unmanned so no one was injured there as it exploded, but T'Pol was hit with a combination of electrical charge and concussive force sending her almost to the Ops Station where she lay unconscious on the deck. Her skin took on a greenish hue that said she was seriously injured.
Trip got up off the deck and wiped some blood out of his eyes. There was a cut on his forehead. He then noticed Archer trapped and unconscious and then noticed T'Pol's condition. With the Captain and XO out of commission he was in charge. He helped Hoshi up, who ran to her station then he barked orders.
"Travis, take evasive maneuvers now. Malcolm, fire whatever weapons you have available to you," he barked.
"At what, Commander," snapped Malcolm. "The ship has disappeared."
"Bullshit. It's still out there," stated Trip. "Lay down a barrage covering a section of space. Maybe we'll get lucky then I want you to keep scanning for the damned starship. It must be cloaked."
"Aye, aye, sir," replied Malcolm.
"Hoshi, get me Engineering," he ordered.
"Yes, sir," she replied and contacted engineering. She put it on the box since Trip had no access to the captain's chair. "You have, Engineering, Commander."
"Kelby," Kelby identified himself.
"Status, Commander," Trip ordered.
"Warp engines damaged. We still have impulse engines. It's a mess down here, sir," said Kelby.
Trip wanted to rush off to Engineering, but he knew he needed to stay on the Bridge.
"Kelby, you are in charge down there. Give me full impulse and get those warp engines on-line ASAP," he ordered then he added. "I know you can do this, Bill."
"Yes, sir," Kelby said with pride then he got to work.
"The damned ship just appeared off our bow," Malcolm stated.
"Fire at it, Malcolm," said Trip. He walked up to the Helm and looked over Travis' shoulder at his instruments. There was a crab nebula 1000 kilometers away from them. He recognized it as a crab nebula from its blue and red color. T'Pol once mentioned that a crab nebula produce enough radiation to obscure scans. The radiation the nebula emitted would hide them from sensors but it would also endanger the crew if the hull plating was below 20 percent.
"Malcolm, what is the hull plating at?" he asked.
"Sixty percent," he answered then fired the three phase cannons that they had at the now visible starship.
"Travis, best speed to the crab nebula. Go straight line no evasive moves. The nebula will hide us if we get into it," he ordered.
"Yes, sir," said Travis.
The Enterprise made best speed it could towards the crab nebula. As it did the Romulan Bird of Prey fired again. Once again, the ship was rocked and massive damage done. Trip hit the deck again, but he got up quickly this time. Once again he wiped blood from his eyes.
"Malcolm, hull plating status?" he called out.
"Forty percent," he answered.
"Entering crab nebula," stated Travis.
Trip felt his insides untighten. They were now hidden from the damned starship that attacked them. He placed his hand on Travis' shoulder.
"Good job. Move us deeper into the nebula then come to a full stop," he said.
"Aye, aye, sir," replied Travis.
"Commander," Malcolm called for Trip's attention.
Trip looked over at him.
"Our hull plating is at 38 percent and holding," Malcolm told him.
"Good. Lieutenant Reed, get me status reports. Also, contact Engineering, get a status report and tell them we need a DC team up here right away," said Trip.
"Yes, sir," said Malcom.
"Hoshi," Trip called to her as he stared from T'Pol's prone body to Archer trapped body.
"Yes, sir," she replied.
"Call Sickbay and tell Phlox we need medical support on the Bridge immediately. Tell him the captain and XO are down," he said.
"Yes, sir," she said.
Trip looked around the Bridge. It was a mess. He could only imagine what the rest of the ship looked like. This was the second time he took command of the Enterprise and both times the ship took a beating. Maybe it was best if he stayed in Engineering.
Trip sat in the remains of the captain chair. Besides two hull breaches and some damage to the port nacelle, the ship was in better condition than it deserved to be. T'Pol's quick order saved them from greater disaster. Looking down at the PADD in his hand which held a status report from Sickbay, Trip sighed. Out of a crew of 86 Phlox reported 26 dead, 17 seriously injured and in need of further treatment, and 22 treated and returned to duty. According to Phlox, Captain Archer's left arm was crushed and needed amputation. Once they returned to Earth he would be fitted for a fully functional prosthetic arm. He also suffered damage to his spine which would need a further operation. As for T'Pol, she had placed herself in a Vulcan healing trance. According to Phlox she suffered from internal damage and a few electrical burns. A Vulcan healer would be waiting for them on their return.
"Commander," Hoshi interrupted his review of Sickbay.
Trip looked up and responded, "Yes, Ensign Sato."
"I have Admiral Gardner for you," she said.
Trip stood up and nodded, "I'll take in in Captain Archer's Ready Room."
He walked into the Ready Room, sat down at Archer's desk and turned on the small viewscreen on the desk. A concerned looking Admiral Gardner, the Chief of Ops, stared back at Trip.
"Commander Tucker," he said in a voice that was filled with mixed emotions, "we got all your status reports and reports of the attack, including the scans of the ship by Commander T'Pol. Fleet Admiral Mifune and Chief of Staff Admiral Roddenberry both asked me to forward their kudos on using the nebula to hide the Enterprise."
Gardner was not a fan of Trip. He thought the commander too impulsive, too undisciplined. Trip could tell that Gardner didn't agree with Mifune and Roddenberry.
"The scans are being studied and shared with the Andorians, Tellarites, and Vulcans. We hope to find out who attacked us," said Gardner. "How is Captain Archer?"
"He'll need a prosthetic arm and a spine operation," said Trip.
"And Commander T'Pol?"
"She is in a Vulcan healing trance. I believe a Vulcan healer will be needed for her."
The two Starfleet Officers fell into silence for a few moments then Gardner broke the silence.
"How long will it take you to get back to Earth?" Gardner asked.
"We are attempting to restore warp drive. If we are successful, the best we'll be able to manage is warp 3.5. That means 6 days once we have warp," stated Trip.
"Well, I might as well get this over with then," sighed Gardner. "Fleet Admiral Mifune has approved an immediate battlefield promotion for you to captain. You are now Captain Tucker and in command of the Enterprise until you return to Earth. I'll forward your orders once we are done talking."
"But I'm an engineer not a ship's captain," said Trip.
"Mifune thinks you have what it takes to be a starship captain and if we are at war we will need them," snapped Gardner.
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," said Trip.
"Also, Admiral Jefferies told me that he agrees with your changes and suggestions of the NX Starships. Refits have already begun on the Challenge, Excalibur, Discovery, Constellation, and Atlantis, even though they weren't completed. Any further NX will be built from the beginning to these specs. We are putting a rush on their completions, as it looks like we have a war on our hands. We have also made a deal with the Andorians. We are providing them with transporter technology and they are providing us with shields. The Enterprise and Columbia will be refitted," Gardner told him.
"We'll need more ships than that," said Trip.
"We have fifty Daedalus Class starships being refitted with weapons and engine upgrades and President Samuel has okayed the building of seventy more, as well as the refitting of the Intrepid Class starships. There are now seventy of them in service and another forty pulled out of mothballs. The Marshall Class is being taken out of mothballs and refitted, also. That gives us another sixty-three ships. The Intrepid is a light cruiser, the Marshall a destroyer, and the Daedalus a heavy cruiser. That's two hundred and ninety-three starships. They will make up the majority of our fleet. The NX after the refit will be our battleship and our most potent starship," explained Gardner.
"That's a helluva lot of work," sighed Trip.
"Jupiter Station, Mars, Iowa shipyards, and the shipyards at Proxima Colony are going twenty-four hours seven days a week. President Samuel fears Earth is in jeopardy. He won't have another Xindi incident," Gardner stated. "Get the Enterprise back here as soon as you can. Gardner out."
Trip sat there in a state of shock. He was now Captain Tucker and United Earth and Starfleet were gearing up for a war. In some ways he understood the effect the Xindi War had on Earth. Millions died with the Xindi attack. His baby sister died. Trip shook his head. He needed warp speed and an XO. The XO would have to come first. He pressed the comm button on the desk.
"Yes, sir," said Hoshi.
"Ensign, have Lieutenant Reed come to the Ready Room," he said.
"Yes, sir," she said.
Trip sat and waited until he heard the Ready Room buzzer rang.
"Enter," he called out.
A tired and dirty uniformed Malcolm entered the Ready Room. The man had been working his ass off to get the phase cannons working better and the torpedo tubes cleared and working.
"Yes, sir," said Malcolm.
"I just spoke to Admiral Gardner, Malcom," Trip said softly. "Earth is preparing for war."
"As well earth should," said Malcolm. "An invisible ship almost ended us."
"It has to be some kind of cloaking device. I read about them in journals. We are nowhere close to developing one, but it appears that someone has," Trip said.
"This someone is violent and doesn't like us, mate," said Malcolm.
"Yeah," agreed Trip. "Admiral Gardner has placed me in command of the Enterprise and Fleet Admiral Mifune has approved my promotion to captain."
"Congratulations, Trip," smiled Malcolm. "I know the conditions under which you've gotten your promotion are a cock up but you deserve the promotion."
"I need an XO until we get to Earth. That's you," said Trip.
"Me? XO?"
"Yeah, Mal, you," smiled Trip.
"I'm honored, Captain Tucker," said Malcolm.
Before Trip could say anything else, the Ready Room buzzer rang again.
"Enter," barked Trip.
A filthy looking Lt. Commander Kelby entered the Ready Room. His uniform had stains and a few rips. The left arm of the uniform was cut away and his arm was wrapped. Trip looked at his now Chief Engineer and felt guilty. Kelby was doing his job and he was doing Jon's.
"Kelby, what happened to your arm?" he asked.
"Plasma burns, sir," answered Kelby.
"Damn it," sighed Trip. "How many did we lose in Engineering?"
"Three dead. I left Hess in charge with Rostov backing her up while I came up here to report to you about our warp capability," stated Kelby.
"Whose dead?" asked Trip.
"Ansara, Diaz, and Cravens. Plasma conduits blew. It wasn't pretty," said Kelby in a voice that told Trip everything he needed to know.
Trip handpicked his Engineering crew. He knew them well, so it hurt to hear that three were now dead.
"Okay, warp capability?" asked Trip.
"We'll have warp 3.6 in four hours," said Kelby.
"Well done, Chief," said Trip.
"Chief?" Kelby looked at him as if Trip had lost his mind.
"You're my chief engineer until we get back to Earth. With Captain Archer and Commander T'Pol in Sickbay I'm in command," said Trip.
"No offense but I'm glad you're in command with Captain Archer and Commander T'Pol out of service. The crew trusts you," said Kelby.
"Let's hope that trust isn't misplaced," said Trip. He stood up. "Well, gentlemen, let's get back to work."
Trip stood beside T'Pol's unconscious body. Several rooms had been set up for bed ridden injured crew, but Archer and T'Pol remained in the beds in Sickbay. Since no one was watching, Trip took her hand in his. As usual her hand was cold since the Enterprise's temperature was set for Humans to feel comfortable not Vulcans.
"Her vitals improve when you are near her, Captain Tucker," said Phlox. "That's fascinating."
Trip let go of her hand and turned to look at Phlox. The Denobulan physician offered him a sad smile instead of his usual smile which took up most of his face.
"We are two days from Earth, Phlox," Trip stated.
"Good. Some of my patients need attention at Starfleet medical in order to heal," said Phlox. "I can't help them with what I have in this Sickbay."
"I know, Doc. We need better medical facilities on starships."
"I agree."
"Can I see Captain Archer?" asked Trip.
"He's sedated but he can talk," said Phlox. "You have my permission to see him."
"Thanks, Doc."
Slipping through the curtain that gave T'Pol privacy, Trip walked over and then slipped through the curtain hiding Jon. He entered and saw Jonathan Archer with his bed in a seated position trying to read a PADD holding it with his right hand, as his left arm was now gone.
"Shouldn't you be resting?" Trip smiled.
"We took a beating, Trip," said Archer.
"I know, Jon," Trip agreed softly.
"You made the right decision heading into the nebula. Good decision," said Archer.
Trip didn't respond but watched as Archer put the PADD down then he looked up at his friend. For a moment they stared at each other not mentioning the obvious fact that Archer lost his arm and was in pain from his back injury.
"So, you're a captain now," Archer smiled. "Congratulations. Too bad we can't have a proper wetting-down for you."
"I wish it was under better circumstances," said Trip.
"They give you a ship yet?" asked Archer.
"No. All I've been told is get Enterprise back to Earth so it can be repaired and refitted," said Trip.
"Refitted? You know anything about that?" asked Archer.
"Jefferies took my changes and suggestions to heart, so I have some idea," grinned Trip.
"Okay, tell me what changes will be made to my ship," said Archer.
"Besides the saucer hull the ship will be expanded with what I call an engineering hull. This allows for the warp engines to get more room and upgrades. Also, we go from 3 phase cannons and 6 torpedo tubes to 12 pulsed phase cannons and 8 torpedo tubes, 4 forward and 4 aft. We'll have an expanded Ready Room and Situation Room. We go from two shuttles to 4 and the crew increases from 86 to 200," explained Trip.
"Impressive," smiled Archer. "Anything else?"
"Warp 7 capability once we get the kinks out and shields. Defensive shields. The Andorians traded us shield tech for transporter tech," Trip told his captain.
"Very impressive," said Archer. "Next time we come up against that phantom starship we'll have a fighting chance."
"Hopefully, better than a fighting chance," added Trip.
There was a moment of silence between the two friends, two captains. Once they were back on Earth, too many crew members needed operations and rehab and far too many needed funerals and memorials.
"Thank you for saving my ship, Trip," said Archer.
"It's my ship, too, Jon."
Archer nodded in appreciation.
"How's T'Pol?" asked Archer.
"In a Vulcan healing trance. Phlox says she needs a Vulcan doctor but she'll be fine eventually. I believe the electrical shock did some synaptic damage that can only be cured by a Vulcan doc," answered Trip.
"She better be okay. I'll need my XO," said Archer.
Trip didn't respond to Archer's remark. He just realized what being made captain meant. No longer would he be on the Enterprise; no longer would he see T'Pol every day. Even with the distance between them now, Trip couldn't help still being in love with her. Maybe it was the bond and maybe with physical distance that bond will cease. The thought saddened him.
"I recommend Kelby as your chief engineer. He's done some great work for me," said Trip changing the subject.
"I'll keep that in mind," said Archer. "Well, you better get back to work, Captain Tucker. I bet you have a lot to do."