This is my first Enterprise fan fiction.
Warning: I am not a life-long Star Trek fan and I don't remember a lot of Enterprise episodes so I may have written some silly things.
Time Frame: The story is set in the future after the Xindi war has been fought and won.
Disclaimer: The Star Trek Enterprise characters do not belong to me. Neither do the song lyrics contained herein.
This chapter has had minor edits from the first posted version.
Admiral Forrest's screened image covered half the forward wall in conference room seven. "So what you're saying, sir, is that you want me to kiss up to this news crew." Jonathan Archer, captain of the Star Fleet vessel Enterprise and former hotshot test pilot, had to chuckle. The things he was asked to do for his planet.
"Kiss up figuratively or literally, your choice, Jon, but keep it from the crew. They'll need to look as natural as possible. Channel 188's been burning Star Fleet in effigy and we don't want to give them any fuel for the bonfire." Forrest looked embarrassed. "Please, Jon. We need this here at home. I've been taking a ton of flak over the whole Xindi thing."
Archer sighed. The people back on Earth didn't remember the Xindi attack. When the Enterprise returned to Earth after the final battle in the deformed time/space hell of the Natella star cluster, they'd found Florida and the Caribbean unmarked, Trip Tucker's sister alive and Star Fleet wondering where the hell the Enterprise had gone for almost a year.
The entire Xindi planet had been canceled. It had never been.
Headquarters had only believed Archer's Xindi story after the Enterprise had downloaded countless images, star maps, personal and ship logs, and ten different groundbreaking discoveries in weaponry, shielding, and energy control.
To some -- those who believed Archer -- he was the greatest hero that had ever lived. Others thought he'd gone witch hunting without a license or even a witch. Star Fleet and Admiral Forrest had stood behind him all the way, and Archer had been able to keep both his reputation and his command. But it had cost them a lot in the public opinion polls.
"Okay, I'll do it," Archer told his boss. "I owe you one."
On to chapter 2!