Disclaimer first – I don´t any of the Star Trek – Enterprise characters and this is not to earn any money or something, but just for fun!
This is my first Enterprise fanfic and it´s inspired by a scene I just discovered by accident while watching "The Expanse" last night. It´s declared a deleted scene where he meets mysterious Becky, a character I didn´t know about before, at a restaurant on Earth and it gets quickly quite obvious that there is some kind of a not too serious, but nevertheless quite intimate relationship/friendship between them, regarding Archer´s job a quite handy idea. And as I just liked the way he got back from deep space after months, kissing the woman as if he had only been gone to buy cigarettes – so I decided to take this as a start J I might simply have missed further episode about this Becky character so far, but I haven´t seen all episodes so far anyway – so maybe I´ll get enlightened soon *g*
Kayla meeting the other important woman in Jonathan Archer´s life, T´Pol, and the rest of the crew coming up next!
Enjoy reading – reviews are VERY welcome!
„The planet is uninhabited as we have been told. The atmosphere is suitable for humans. There shouldn't occur any problems."
Jonathan Archer lent back in his chair and nodded. T´Pol finished her briefing on the short expedition they were heading for. Accompanying a team of scientists to an uninhabited planet close to the Vulcan territory promised to be just the nice and quiet trip they could use after the last few weeks. That had probably been on Admiral Forrester´s mind as well.
"Mr. Tucker informed me that we have already finished loading the provisions and spare parts, and that all crew members are back on board", she added.
"Sounds good. When will the research party arrive ?"
"In about half an hour. You want to welcome them on board in personal ?"
He nodded. "I will. I already talked to their leader, Dr. Garet. She told me that this planet we´re going to is quite beautiful and that the environment isn´t dangerous. This should give us the chance to get some fresh air and some shore leave. I think we need this."
T´Pol only nodded agreement.
"If there´s nothing else, captain…."
He smiled. "There´s only one thing. I want you to get some rest, too."
She was up to answer to that, but he interrupted her. "It´s an order, T´Pol."
She raised her eyebrows in that typical way he had gotten used to.
"In this case", she only said and pushed the button that would open the door for her to return to the bridge.
* * *
"I really don´t see why you accepted this job! Assistant! You´d deserve your own team of specialists!" Kayla rolled her eyes. "Stop telling me off for this, Debra, will you ? It´s just the right thing to get back on track and it´s a field I worked on in my early days with Starfleet. It´s fine!"
"I don´t understand you!" Debra insisted. "You´re selling yourself short, I tell you!"
The two women looked up when a member of the space station´s personnel approached them.
"Dr. Garet asked me to inform you that the team is getting ready to leave, Dr. Gaddison."
Kayla smiled to the man. "Thanks for informing me." He only nodded to her and left. She turned only hesitantly to Debra.
"The Enterprise ?" her friend and colleague barked. "So this is not about the job or any research, isn´t it ?"
Kayla sighed, a smile playing around the corners of her mouth.
"This is about Archer ?!" Debra slammed her palms to the table in front of them.
Keyla got up. "I´ll have to go and get my stuff. Thanks for lunch!"
"You didn´t tell me on purpose!" Debra accused her.
Kayla smiled. "You´re right. Though I didn´t hope to really succeed in keeping it a secret that long!"
"Good Lord, girl, you should really know better by now!"
The blonde scientist rolled her eyes. "I´m a grownup, Debra!"
"You´re a fool!" the friend snarled.
"Are you going to say goodbye or are you going to continue yelling at me ?"
Debra grimaced, still looking angry. "Get your ass to your quarters. I am gonna help you with your stuff!"
Kayla smiled, leaving the cafeteria and heading to her quarters. From her point of view, there was nothing to know better about regarding Enterprises´s captain. There was just never enough to know about him for her.
* * *
"This will be very interesting, captain!" Phlox had been talking all the way down to the airlock. He was obviously looking forward to work together with the team of scientists they were up to welcome, and not only as it was led by a Denobulan couple. He had worked with the human scientist joining them back on Earth, too, and couldn´t wait to renew the friendship. Lieutenant Reed threw his captain an amused look behind the doctor´s back.
The bulkhead finally opened. The team´s leader, Dr. Farise Garet, stepped forward, smiling to Archer and his crew mates.
"Dr. Garet!" Jon Archer took a step forward and they shook hands. "Welcome to Enterprise!"
"Thank you, Captain!" The Denobulan´s smile grew wider. "It´s a pleasure and, from what my esteemed colleague here told me", she added, nodding to Phlox, "an honour as well!" She turned. "Allow me to introduce you the rest of my team." She gestured towards the Denobulan male accompanying her. "My partner and husband, Dr. Esek", she said with another smile. The Denobulan nodded to all of them.
Archer realized in surprise that the woman next to the Denobulans was obviously an Andorian. "Dr. Isara Gan´wah", she introduced the tall blue skinned scientist. "She´s an exobiologist." She gestured to the Vulcan male. "Dr. Morak – he´s our expert for geology." She smiled again to Archer. "And it´s an outstanding pleasure to introduce my first human colleague, Dr. Morales, and his assistant."
Archer and Morales nodded to each other. Morales took a step aside to reveal the person standing right behind him. "My assistant, Dr. Gaddison", he added, gesturing towards Kayla. She nodded to the captain and his staff, the smile on her face getting mischievous while she watched the captain struggling to regain control over his features.
"Kayla ?" Jonathan asked, stunned.
She winked at him. "Jon."
Still trying to overcome the surprise, Jon Archer made an inviting gesture. "Well, I suggest we´ll show you all to your quarters first, and we can meet in about half an hour at the conference room for an initial talk. We will leave the station in fifteen minutes."
Dr. Garet nodded. "I agree, Captain." She glanced over to her Andorian and human colleagues. "Some members of my team are also very keen on being given a tour around your ship, if possible."
Archer grinned, throwing Tucka proud look. "It´s my pleasure!"
* * *
The scientists were led to their quarters and Archer saw for the Denobulan pair and the humans to it himself. Dr. Morales turned to him and Kayla when they turned to leave. "You prepared a separate quarter for Dr. Gaddison ?" he asked, pretending surprise.
His words had the effect he had planned on. Both Archer and Kayla turned to him in surprise.
"Just joking", he said with a grin, raising his hands in a defending gesture.
Kayla shook her head. "He´s got a weird sense of humour sometimes", she told the captain, shaking her head. „Well, your room is just across the corridor", Archer commented with a smile.
"I´ll see you later then!" Morales waved to them and they finally left.
* * *
As soon as the cabin´s door had closed behind them, Kayla dropped her bag and sank into his embrace. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she took a deep breath.
„You should have told me", he told her reproachfully, not loosening his embrace.
She took her time to answer him, enjoying the feeling of him that close to her.
"I know", she told him finally, leaning back a little to watch him. "Don´t be mad at me. I couldn´t other than take this chance!"
He opened his mouth to contradict, but she put her index finger over his lips. "Don´t!" she demanded lowly. "You would only have tried to reason me out of it, wouldn´t you."
He watched her for a moment, looking thoughtful and concerned. Then, instead of answering, he bent forward and kissed her. She ran her fingers through his hair, responding to his kiss. The moment alone was enough to make up for all the discomfort she had been through to get here.
"You should have stayed at home to recover!" he told her the moment they parted.
"Oh shut up, Captain!" she told him. "I got plenty of time to recover, and my injuries weren´t that bad."
"You could have been killed!" He cupped her face in his hands and she closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying his touch.
"Would have been quite frustrating if I had gotten killed in a rather unspectacular plane crash while you´re cheating death out here every minute!" She smiled. "You´ll end up famous one day!"
"For what ?" he asked. "Having put a price to my head by the Klingons ? Picking every possible fight with the Vulcans ? Riskink my crew and my ship ?" He eyed her up and she hoped that her appearance would finally put an end to his concern. "I am so sorry that I couldn´t be there", he whispered, pulling her closer again.
"Fool", she whispered back. He had told her that at least twice in every letter and message for the last months. "You had better things to do. And if the mountain won't come to Mohammed…"
She squealed softly when he lifted her up easily. "Good Lord!" she whispered.
"I missed you", he told her. "And you should have told me you´re coming."
"I don´t want you to be mad at me", she answered lowly. "And I knew you would be."
Her words made him chuckle. "Seems you´re gonna need to make amends for that!"
She lent in on him to kiss him again. "I promise", she whispered with a promising smile. "And now put me back to my feet, Captain!"
"Why should I ?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
Her smile widened.
"`Cause I wanna see humanity´s first warp five ship start!"