Title: Happy Birthday Cap'n
Authors: Tim Ruben & Braycat
Feedback: timruben@writeme.com & braycat@yahoo.com
Rating: PG-13
Paramount owns Enterprise, and all of the characters. I'm just borrowing them for awhile.
Summary: It's Archer's birthday and he's feeling his age.
*********
Enterprise's mess hall was filled with the sounds of chatter and laughter as a number of the crew gathered to celebrate the first anniversary since their departure from Earth. Captain Jonathan Archer smiled to himself as he looked around. This is just what his crew needed, a chance to lay back and have some fun. Even T'Pol seemed to be enjoying herself... well, maybe enjoying was too strong a word, but she did seem interested in all the activity taking place around her. At the far end of the room he could make out Commander Charles Tucker. As usual Tucker ended up being the center of attention at any festive occasion that drew more than five people and today a good number of the crew had clustered around the engineer to listen while he told them some story about his heroic actions, or something close to that.
"Great party isn't it, Captain." Hoshi said as she handed her captain a glass of champagne.
"It sure is. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves." Jon said, thanking her for the bubbly, then he really looked at the young woman standing next to him. She was wearing a simple white oxford shirt with a long flowing silver dress. "Everyone except you, that is."
"Sir?" The ensign didn't get what the captain was talking about at all.
"Hoshi, no offense but shouldn't you be out there having fun, instead of hanging around your old captain?"
"Well the truth is you looked a little bored sir, so I thought I'd try and spice things up...." Hoshi stopped mid-sentence. "That didn't sound right, what I meant to say is..."
"I think I know what you're saying." Jon took a sip of champagne. "I'm fine Hoshi, go on and have some fun." He could see Lt. Reed standing a few meters away. "Why don't you go dance with Malcolm?"
Hoshi smiled, thanked the captain, then left to join Reed. Truth be known Archer wasn't bored, he was depressed. Today was more then just the anniversary of Enterprise's launch, today was his birthday. Normally he enjoyed his celebrating the day of his birth. Back on Earth he and Trip would get together and hit the town, but since they were so far from home he had nothing to do, which was making him think. Where the hell had time gone? It seemed like yesterday he was a young man, able to go where he wanted, when he wanted. Now that he was older he was bound by so many rules and regulations. Not to mention all the pressure he was under. He was the first starship captain leading his crew across unknown space, day after day and the demographic of the crew made him feel out of place. They were so young. T'Pol was clearly older, but Vulcan's age so damn slow that she looked like a woman who was only in her twenties. No, Jon was clearly the eldest member of the crew and that very fact made him feel old, unwanted and used up.
Enough was enough. Jon decided that he wasn't going to sit around here moping, he could do that just as well in his cabin. Archer put down his glass and headed towards the exit, but before he could make his escape Ensign Mayweather hailed him. "Hey, Captain, where you off to?"
"My quarters. I think the champagne is getting to me."
"It's a little early, isn't it? The party's just getting into full swing, sir."
"I know Travis, but I really am tired."
"Well, you've got to at least try some of Chef's cake before you leave."
Archer knew he wasn't going to get off easy. Now that he'd been caught he knew it would look bad if he left now. As always Jon had to set an example for his crew, so he pushed his depression aside and made it look like a piece of Chef's cake was the one thing that he'd always wanted. Besides, he had to admit that he was a little hungry. "All right, Travis. Let's give it a try."
Mayweather flashed his wide, innocent boomer smile. "Great, sir."
Then the helmsman led his captain over to the food table but when they arrived Jon couldn't see a cake. "Travis, where..."
Archer's voice suddenly sounded loud and it took him a second before he realized that it was because the rest of the room had gone silent. Everyone was looking expectantly at the kitchen doors and a few seconds later Trip entered, carrying a large cake covered with candles. The quiet was then shattered by dozens of voices singing "Happy Birthday" to their captain.
When the song was over the crowd burst into a round of applause and Hoshi latched a hold of Archer's arm, positioning him right in front of the cake. "Come on captain, blow out the candles."
Trip laughed. "If he has the lung power, that is." Archer forced a smile on his face and blew out the candles with one breath. Everyone applauded at his prowess and even Tucker was impressed. "Well Cap'n, not bad for an old man."
Jon tried his best to ignore the comment. Old man, indeed. "Who's idea was this?" he asked, even though he was pretty sure that he knew the answer.
Sure enough Trip smiled. "That would be me." Tucker pointed to his own chest, then he gestured to all the other people in the room. "But I couldn't have done it without everyone. This crew can actually keep a secret when it needs to."
"I should have known." Archer turned 360 degrees and made eye contact with every crew member in sight. "You all have made this a birthday to remember. Thank you very much."
Everyone preened under the praise and their looks of support were making Archer feel just a tad bit better, then Mayweather had to go an spoil it all. "So, Captain, just how old are you anyway?"
"Old enough to be your father," an unidentified voice floated up from the behind the captain and this caused an embarrassed titter to flow through the crowd
Hoshi even giggled out loud. "Ouch, put down."
"Ignore them, Cap'n." Trip handed Archer a knife. "Well, cut the cake already I'm starving and with those old hands it's gonna take you a couple of days to get through all those layers."
The crew laughed again and Archer forced himself to fake another smile. The rational part of Jon's mind knew that he was taking the good natured banter more seriously than he should. The crew was just yanking on his chain, that's all. Still, the words hurt just a little. The captain decided that he was being silly, so he put a squelch on the rest of his pride and concentrated on what he was doing. Archer cut the cake and put the first piece on Trip's plate. "There you go."
"Thanks Cap'n and happy birthday."
"Thank you, Trip." Jon handed the knife to Hoshi, allowing her to distribute the rest of the pieces, then he walked to the far corner of the room to sit and watch his crew party. For most of the last year he had felt this way, close to them, yet still remote. He knew as captain he had to keep an emotional distance from his staff, but it was hard. Jon rubbed his eyes, it was taking everything he had to stay awake.
Sub-Commander T'Pol calmly moved away from the group, heading for the captain.
Archer smiled. "T'Pol."
"Good evening, Captain."
She sat down next to him. "Captain, this is most illogical."
"What is?"
"Your birthday celebration. On Vulcan we do not celebrate such things."
Archer laughed. "I wish I was on Vulcan right now."
T'Pol raised a brow. "I thought you would be enjoying this."
"I should be." He paused. "I guess at a certain point in a man's life, he isn't in the mood to celebrate the fact he is getting older." Why was he telling T'Pol this.
"Vulcan's consider aging a normal part of existence. In fact the elderly play an important part in Vulcan society."
"I'm not elderly T'Pol, I only feel that way."
"I did not mean to imply that you were, sir."
"I know, I'm sorry. Look, I'm really tired. I think I'm going to hit the sack. Good night, T'Pol."
Archer left his first officer's side and while he headed for the door he checked the time. It was a little after ten. Jon sighed. He remembered the time when he was able to stay out all night and report for duty by six in the morning, not needing any sleep. Now if he wasn't in bed by eleven, he couldn't function the next day. "Snap out of it." He was only forty-five, sure a hundred years ago that was considered middle aged but not anymore, yet that fact wasn't helping.
For the second time that night Archer's attempt to escape failed. "Jon!" A voice called. The captain sighed and turned to see Trip standing behind him. The engineer's face was a display of concern. "Where ya goin'?"
"I thought I'd try and get some sleep."
"Party pooper!"
"Trip, I'm not in the mood."
"Oh come on!" He paused allowing a smile to form on his face. "There are presents."
"I don't want any gifts and if you don't mind I'd like to go to my quarters where it's quiet."
"What's your problem?" Trip whispered, not wanting the rest of the crew to hear. "You've been down in the dumps all day. Why?"
"I just don't feel like celebrating anything." For the first time in his life Jon turned his back on his friend and finally made it through the mess hall doors.
He didn't get far though. Tucker was right behind him. "That's it, just walk away. Forget about all the people who busted their asses to give you a party to remember." Seeing that his argument wasn't working, Tucker scooted around Archer, ending up facing his captain and blocking his path. "You know it's your duty to keep the troop's morale up..."
"I know my duties Trip. The crew is having a great time in there without me. Now, I really want to be alone."
"You want to spend your birthday alone in your quarters with only Porthos for company? I don't think so. Come back to the party."
"No! Now just leave me alone!"
Archer stormed down the corridor leaving a bewildered engineer in his wake. What the hell was that all about? Tucker couldn't recall Jon ever acting this way. Something must be going on. Something he missed. Trip re-ran what just happened in his mind determined to discover what was eating his captain, but when he finally figured out the cause he just couldn't believe it. Shaking his head, Trip ran to catch up with his friend.
"Tell me you're not outa sorts cause you think your old!" Tucker's voice halted Archer in his tracks. The captain had to fight to contain his feelings but when he turned to face Tucker the engineer saw that his guess was right on the money. "You know we were only kiddin' about your age."
Archer looked up and down the corridor but was relieved to discover that they were alone. Most of the crew was either on duty or at the party so Jon was free to bare his soul to his best friend. "I know, but kidding or not, the fact of the matter is that I'm the oldest person on board this ship." Archer started to pace out his frustration. "Hell most of this crew isn't more than half my age. I'm ancient compared to them."
"That's ridiculous!" Never in his wildest dreams could Tucker ever imagine having this particular conversation with Jonathan Archer of all people. "Come on, Jon. I can't believe your doubtin' yourself about this. Those kids haven't put you out to pasture, they worship every move you make. You're a legend to them."
"Great." Archer increased his pacing. "That's what I've always wanted, to be old enough to be a legend. You're helping a lot, Tucker."
"That wasn't what I meant and you know it." Trip sighed, realizing that he wasn't getting through to his friend at all. "They don't think that you're a dried up dinosaur, every member of this crew respects the hell out of you."
Oh if only that were true. Archer wanted desperately to believe it, but he just didn't dare. "That's bull and you know it, Trip. Now you listen to me...."
Whatever Archer intended to say was lost forever because suddenly the ship was rocked hard with the recoil of weapons fire. Their argument instantly forgotten, the captain ran for the comm unit on the wall, demanding a report from the bridge.
"Sir, we're under attack." A shaken young voice of the lieutenant who currently held the watch answered back. "I think it's those unknown aliens again sir."
Archer and Tucker shared a look. It was only a few months ago when they had their last encounter with their "silent enemy" and they had barely driven them off. It looked like this was going to be round two. Archer cleared his mind of all extraneous thoughts and went into full captain mode. "Stand by, Lieutenant." Then Archer switched the comm to a ship wide page. "All hands man your battle stations. All senior staff to the bridge." With that the captain took off running. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Tucker smiled a small smile at seeing the old Archer back. Then the engineer wiped the grin off of his face, knowing that Archer would neither appreciate it or understand and hurried to catch up with his captain.
When they reached the bridge they saw that their old nemesis had indeed returned. The young lieutenant gratefully gave up the command chair to Archer as the senior staff took their posts. "Any response to our hails?"
Hoshi, looking out of place in her pretty party dress, was professional as ever in her answer. "No, sir. Just like last time."
"Hmmm." Archer was the picture of calm as he turned to his armory officer. "I assume that you've polarized the hull plating?"
"Aye, sir." Reed replied, pleased that his captain had such confidence in him. "And deployed the phase cannons and loaded the torpedo tubes."
"I thought you might have." The captain smiled before turning to the view screen to face his enemy. "Well, my friend," Jon muttered to the marauder. "Are we going to play another round of stare down, or are you actually going to do something this time?"
The ship must have heard him because Reed instantly called out a warning. "They're powering up weapons!"
After a year in deep space Archer had learned enough to amend his friendly first contact policy. "Well, we're not going to give them the benefit of the doubt this time." Jon told his crew. "Fire all weapons!"
Reed pushed the button before the words finished leaving Archer's lips, then the crew leaned forward, eager to see what kind of wallop their armaments had. Unfortunately the result wasn't as satisfactory as it was during their last encounter. The torpedoes exploded before reaching the marauders hull and the phase shots seemed to have no impact at all. "Damn."
T'Pol's scans told the final story. "Apparently the aliens have increased the efficiency of their shielding by fifty percent. It is unlikely that our weapons will have any further effect upon their vessel."
Before the bridge crew could fully comprehend this news, the enemy fired on them. Enterprise lurched with the impact and the roar of imploding metal told Archer that his ship had been hit hard. Trip rushed to his engineering station and a few quick scans told the whole story. "We've taken a hit on E deck, section seventeen. The starboard hull's caved in and we've got one compartment open to space." Archer felt a chill. Trip knew what his captain was thinking and hurried to reassure him. "That was just a storage compartment, Cap'n. Nobody was inside."
Archer breathed a sigh of relief but he knew the reprieve wouldn't last long. Reed knew it too. "We're a sitting duck, here."
"What are we going to do, sir?" Mayweather may have tried to sound professional but he couldn't help it when a small tremor slipped out of his voice. The situation just looked too dire.
Archer could see the fear in Travis' eyes. In all their eyes. 'They're all so young,' Jon thought. He knew most of his crew was scared to death right now. They thought they were going to die because they couldn't see a way out. They couldn't, but Archer could. "T'Pol, didn't we just pass a solar system."
"Yes, but there was no life evident on any of the eleven planetoid's. Therefore we would be unable to acquire any assistance there."
"I wasn't thinking of asking for help." Archer said as he moved toward Mayweather's side. "Lay in a course for the nearest planet, Travis."
"Aye, sir." Mayweather didn't have the foggiest notion what Archer was planning to do, but he followed his captain's orders without question and pointed Enterprise directly at the closest world.
"Our friends are following." Reed smartly reported.
"Are they getting ready to fire again?"
Reed checked his readout. "It doesn't appear so, Captain."
Trip laughed a small, little laugh. "Maybe they're wonderin' what you're gonna do."
Hoshi let out a little whisper. "They aren't the only ones."
She may have been whispering, but Archer picked up on it. "Did you say something, Ensign?"
"No, sir." Embarrassed at being caught, Hoshi turned her attention back to her console.
"Sir." Reed called their attention back to the matter at hand. "I've come up with a theory regarding the marauder's armament."
"Oh?" Archer wondered if Reed had finally come up with it.
"If you recall this enemy has always been nearby before firing upon us. While I believe that their weapons are superior to ours, they must have a limited range.
Archer was pleased. Reed had indeed found the answer, but only part of it. His armory officer was coming along.
Unaware of her captain's musings, Hoshi latched onto that ray of hope. "Maybe we can out run them."
"That's highly unlikely, Ensign." The calm voice of Vulcan reason pointed out. "Sensors have clocked the enemy ship at warp seven. It is impossible for Enterprise to evade this particular foe."
Archer saw that the combined hearts of most of his bridge crew plummeted at the pronouncement and Jon tried to give their spirits a boost. "Never the less, Travis, why don't you speed things up just a little bit."
"Sir?" Mayweather was horrified. "We're too close. If we don't slow down now we'll never get into orbit."
"Who said anything about going into orbit, Ensign."
That little comment sent a burst of disquiet flowing throughout the room. "What?" "Not go into orbit?" "The man's mad!"
Archer heard all the mutters of disbelief and sympathized with his team's dismay. If Enterprise continued on this track she would crash headfirst into the planet, if the ship didn't burn up in the atmosphere first. Archer may have understood his crew's distress, but he refused to change his plan. "Hold your course, Travis. That's an order."
"Aye, sir." Only years of instinctive obedience from growing up on a boomer ship allowed him to obey that obviously insane command. In fact, only the discipline of a very fine crew kept them from believing that their captain was totally deranged.
Everyone in the room was nervous, except for three people. T'Pol wouldn't know what nerves were if they hit her, but she did allow a small smidgen of concern to show at this apparently reckless course of action. Jonathan Archer was a rock. Lunatic or not, he had come up with a strategy and was going to follow it to the end. The only other crew member who was calm turned out to be Trip Tucker. Not only was the engineer not afraid, he was down right amused. In the nine years he'd been serving with Jonathan Archer he had never seen his captain anywhere near that deep end so Enterprise's near-suicidal plunge must be just a part of some wild plot that the captain had hatched up to get them out of this mess, The engineer couldn't wait to see how things turned out.
He didn't have to wait long. Enterprise began to buffet as she entered the planet's atmosphere. "The temperature of the hull is heating up." T'Pol reported. "Forty degrees Celsius. Fifty."
"Malcolm," Archer asked, never taking his eyes from Mayweather's readouts. "Are our friends still with us?"
"Yes, sir."
"The hull temperature is now seventy five degrees Celsius."
The crew could begin to feel the heat now and the shuddering of the ship began to increase. "Sir." Mayweather's voice broke a little. "Shouldn't we begin to pull up?"
Archer was firm. "Hold your course, Ensign."
Hoshi couldn't stand it anymore. She had to speak up. "But Captain...."
"Hold your course!" Archer didn't raise his voice, but his tone held a solid ring of command. Despite their fears the crew continued to obey.
"Hull temperature is now one hundred degrees Celsius." T'Pol's continual reports added a layer of fear over the extremely nervous crew. "One hundred, ten."
Trip didn't want to add to the current aura of gloom, but he couldn't keep this quiet. "We're startin' to lose integrity in the secondary hull."
"Hold your course!" Archer was firm. "Malcolm?"
The armory officer knew what the captain was asking. "They're right behind us, sir."
The air inside the ship began to heat up. "The temperature's too much for the environmental system." Trip reported. "Inside air temperature is up to forty degrees, Celsius."
"Hold your course."
"Captain." Reed called out. "The secondary hull's beginning to buckle!"
"Hold your course."
"Hull temperature is now at one hundred thirty degrees."
Mayweather, more than any of them, knew just how dire that particular news was. "Captain, the ship's melting out from under us."
"Hang on just another few seconds." Archer's eyes were glued to the readout's, as if he were waiting for some magic number. The ship lurched from side to side and the hull actually began to moan under the pressure. Reed was sure that this was it. Hoshi just closed her eyes, while Mayweather mentally told his parent's goodbye.
"Pull up!" Travis was so surprised at the order that it took him a second to comply, then he was pulling Enterprise's nose up as hard as he could.
"Trip!" Tucker didn't need Archer's order to tell him to add more power or they were never gonna get out of there. "I'm givin' her all she's got, Cap'n."
"I hope it will be enough." Hoshi whispered.
"It will be enough." Archer's determination never wavered, even when the buffeting became almost unbearable and it looked like Enterprise was going to break into tiny pieces.
"The ship's tearing apart!" Malcolm shouted their doom and at the same time Mayweather announced their salvation.
"The nose, it's coming up."
Every set of eyes on the bridge looked forward and they each confirmed the event. Enterprise had begun to pull out of her dive and the ship was indeed on her way out of the atmosphere.
Archer turned to Reed. "What about our friends?"
Reed projected the rear display on the view screen and all could see the fate of their enemy. Intent on following Enterprise in order to destroy them, their attacker didn't notice that they were too deep into the atmosphere. The marauder frantically tried to pull out of it's dive, but to no avail. After a few seconds of struggling, the friction became too much and the ship exploded in a huge fireball.
The bridge crew sat in a stunned silence as Enterprise finally cleared empty space. Only then did Archer allow himself the luxury of sitting down. "Trip?"
Tucker checked his readings. "Aw, the damage isn't too bad, Cap'n. A couple of singed bulkheads here and there." Tucker smiled at Archer. "Nothing that we can't fix right up."
Archer smiled back. "Glad to hear it."
As the captain relaxed in his chair he heard a quiet muttering come from his right. "He did it." A incredulous British voice whispered. "The son of a gun actually did it."
"A 'course he did, Lieutenant." The southern drawl didn't even pretend to be quiet. "You've always gotta trust in the old man. He knows what he's doin'."
Archer sent a dagger glare to Tucker at the old man comment, but then he heard the sighs of relief around him. Now his youngsters weren't looking at him like he was a broken down relic from the past, they were looking at him like he was a larger than life hero. He was their rock when they faced a suddenly uncertain future and now they knew that Jonathan Archer was a man they could always count on "because" of his experience, not in spite of it. Old man, huh? Jon knew he would have hated being called that only an hour ago, but right now being the old man was okay with him.
Tucker, seeing that his "old" friend had made peace with himself got to his feet. "Well, I'd best be startin' in on those repairs." Tucker stopped short before entering the turbolift and turned back to his captain. "Oh, by the way..." The questionable look on Archer's face made Trip smile, and despite his unwavering confidence in the man, Tucker was real glad that he was still alive and able to tell his friend exactly what he was thinking. "Happy birthday, Cap'n."
Finis
Authors: Tim Ruben & Braycat
Feedback: timruben@writeme.com & braycat@yahoo.com
Rating: PG-13
Paramount owns Enterprise, and all of the characters. I'm just borrowing them for awhile.
Summary: It's Archer's birthday and he's feeling his age.
*********
Enterprise's mess hall was filled with the sounds of chatter and laughter as a number of the crew gathered to celebrate the first anniversary since their departure from Earth. Captain Jonathan Archer smiled to himself as he looked around. This is just what his crew needed, a chance to lay back and have some fun. Even T'Pol seemed to be enjoying herself... well, maybe enjoying was too strong a word, but she did seem interested in all the activity taking place around her. At the far end of the room he could make out Commander Charles Tucker. As usual Tucker ended up being the center of attention at any festive occasion that drew more than five people and today a good number of the crew had clustered around the engineer to listen while he told them some story about his heroic actions, or something close to that.
"Great party isn't it, Captain." Hoshi said as she handed her captain a glass of champagne.
"It sure is. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves." Jon said, thanking her for the bubbly, then he really looked at the young woman standing next to him. She was wearing a simple white oxford shirt with a long flowing silver dress. "Everyone except you, that is."
"Sir?" The ensign didn't get what the captain was talking about at all.
"Hoshi, no offense but shouldn't you be out there having fun, instead of hanging around your old captain?"
"Well the truth is you looked a little bored sir, so I thought I'd try and spice things up...." Hoshi stopped mid-sentence. "That didn't sound right, what I meant to say is..."
"I think I know what you're saying." Jon took a sip of champagne. "I'm fine Hoshi, go on and have some fun." He could see Lt. Reed standing a few meters away. "Why don't you go dance with Malcolm?"
Hoshi smiled, thanked the captain, then left to join Reed. Truth be known Archer wasn't bored, he was depressed. Today was more then just the anniversary of Enterprise's launch, today was his birthday. Normally he enjoyed his celebrating the day of his birth. Back on Earth he and Trip would get together and hit the town, but since they were so far from home he had nothing to do, which was making him think. Where the hell had time gone? It seemed like yesterday he was a young man, able to go where he wanted, when he wanted. Now that he was older he was bound by so many rules and regulations. Not to mention all the pressure he was under. He was the first starship captain leading his crew across unknown space, day after day and the demographic of the crew made him feel out of place. They were so young. T'Pol was clearly older, but Vulcan's age so damn slow that she looked like a woman who was only in her twenties. No, Jon was clearly the eldest member of the crew and that very fact made him feel old, unwanted and used up.
Enough was enough. Jon decided that he wasn't going to sit around here moping, he could do that just as well in his cabin. Archer put down his glass and headed towards the exit, but before he could make his escape Ensign Mayweather hailed him. "Hey, Captain, where you off to?"
"My quarters. I think the champagne is getting to me."
"It's a little early, isn't it? The party's just getting into full swing, sir."
"I know Travis, but I really am tired."
"Well, you've got to at least try some of Chef's cake before you leave."
Archer knew he wasn't going to get off easy. Now that he'd been caught he knew it would look bad if he left now. As always Jon had to set an example for his crew, so he pushed his depression aside and made it look like a piece of Chef's cake was the one thing that he'd always wanted. Besides, he had to admit that he was a little hungry. "All right, Travis. Let's give it a try."
Mayweather flashed his wide, innocent boomer smile. "Great, sir."
Then the helmsman led his captain over to the food table but when they arrived Jon couldn't see a cake. "Travis, where..."
Archer's voice suddenly sounded loud and it took him a second before he realized that it was because the rest of the room had gone silent. Everyone was looking expectantly at the kitchen doors and a few seconds later Trip entered, carrying a large cake covered with candles. The quiet was then shattered by dozens of voices singing "Happy Birthday" to their captain.
When the song was over the crowd burst into a round of applause and Hoshi latched a hold of Archer's arm, positioning him right in front of the cake. "Come on captain, blow out the candles."
Trip laughed. "If he has the lung power, that is." Archer forced a smile on his face and blew out the candles with one breath. Everyone applauded at his prowess and even Tucker was impressed. "Well Cap'n, not bad for an old man."
Jon tried his best to ignore the comment. Old man, indeed. "Who's idea was this?" he asked, even though he was pretty sure that he knew the answer.
Sure enough Trip smiled. "That would be me." Tucker pointed to his own chest, then he gestured to all the other people in the room. "But I couldn't have done it without everyone. This crew can actually keep a secret when it needs to."
"I should have known." Archer turned 360 degrees and made eye contact with every crew member in sight. "You all have made this a birthday to remember. Thank you very much."
Everyone preened under the praise and their looks of support were making Archer feel just a tad bit better, then Mayweather had to go an spoil it all. "So, Captain, just how old are you anyway?"
"Old enough to be your father," an unidentified voice floated up from the behind the captain and this caused an embarrassed titter to flow through the crowd
Hoshi even giggled out loud. "Ouch, put down."
"Ignore them, Cap'n." Trip handed Archer a knife. "Well, cut the cake already I'm starving and with those old hands it's gonna take you a couple of days to get through all those layers."
The crew laughed again and Archer forced himself to fake another smile. The rational part of Jon's mind knew that he was taking the good natured banter more seriously than he should. The crew was just yanking on his chain, that's all. Still, the words hurt just a little. The captain decided that he was being silly, so he put a squelch on the rest of his pride and concentrated on what he was doing. Archer cut the cake and put the first piece on Trip's plate. "There you go."
"Thanks Cap'n and happy birthday."
"Thank you, Trip." Jon handed the knife to Hoshi, allowing her to distribute the rest of the pieces, then he walked to the far corner of the room to sit and watch his crew party. For most of the last year he had felt this way, close to them, yet still remote. He knew as captain he had to keep an emotional distance from his staff, but it was hard. Jon rubbed his eyes, it was taking everything he had to stay awake.
Sub-Commander T'Pol calmly moved away from the group, heading for the captain.
Archer smiled. "T'Pol."
"Good evening, Captain."
She sat down next to him. "Captain, this is most illogical."
"What is?"
"Your birthday celebration. On Vulcan we do not celebrate such things."
Archer laughed. "I wish I was on Vulcan right now."
T'Pol raised a brow. "I thought you would be enjoying this."
"I should be." He paused. "I guess at a certain point in a man's life, he isn't in the mood to celebrate the fact he is getting older." Why was he telling T'Pol this.
"Vulcan's consider aging a normal part of existence. In fact the elderly play an important part in Vulcan society."
"I'm not elderly T'Pol, I only feel that way."
"I did not mean to imply that you were, sir."
"I know, I'm sorry. Look, I'm really tired. I think I'm going to hit the sack. Good night, T'Pol."
Archer left his first officer's side and while he headed for the door he checked the time. It was a little after ten. Jon sighed. He remembered the time when he was able to stay out all night and report for duty by six in the morning, not needing any sleep. Now if he wasn't in bed by eleven, he couldn't function the next day. "Snap out of it." He was only forty-five, sure a hundred years ago that was considered middle aged but not anymore, yet that fact wasn't helping.
For the second time that night Archer's attempt to escape failed. "Jon!" A voice called. The captain sighed and turned to see Trip standing behind him. The engineer's face was a display of concern. "Where ya goin'?"
"I thought I'd try and get some sleep."
"Party pooper!"
"Trip, I'm not in the mood."
"Oh come on!" He paused allowing a smile to form on his face. "There are presents."
"I don't want any gifts and if you don't mind I'd like to go to my quarters where it's quiet."
"What's your problem?" Trip whispered, not wanting the rest of the crew to hear. "You've been down in the dumps all day. Why?"
"I just don't feel like celebrating anything." For the first time in his life Jon turned his back on his friend and finally made it through the mess hall doors.
He didn't get far though. Tucker was right behind him. "That's it, just walk away. Forget about all the people who busted their asses to give you a party to remember." Seeing that his argument wasn't working, Tucker scooted around Archer, ending up facing his captain and blocking his path. "You know it's your duty to keep the troop's morale up..."
"I know my duties Trip. The crew is having a great time in there without me. Now, I really want to be alone."
"You want to spend your birthday alone in your quarters with only Porthos for company? I don't think so. Come back to the party."
"No! Now just leave me alone!"
Archer stormed down the corridor leaving a bewildered engineer in his wake. What the hell was that all about? Tucker couldn't recall Jon ever acting this way. Something must be going on. Something he missed. Trip re-ran what just happened in his mind determined to discover what was eating his captain, but when he finally figured out the cause he just couldn't believe it. Shaking his head, Trip ran to catch up with his friend.
"Tell me you're not outa sorts cause you think your old!" Tucker's voice halted Archer in his tracks. The captain had to fight to contain his feelings but when he turned to face Tucker the engineer saw that his guess was right on the money. "You know we were only kiddin' about your age."
Archer looked up and down the corridor but was relieved to discover that they were alone. Most of the crew was either on duty or at the party so Jon was free to bare his soul to his best friend. "I know, but kidding or not, the fact of the matter is that I'm the oldest person on board this ship." Archer started to pace out his frustration. "Hell most of this crew isn't more than half my age. I'm ancient compared to them."
"That's ridiculous!" Never in his wildest dreams could Tucker ever imagine having this particular conversation with Jonathan Archer of all people. "Come on, Jon. I can't believe your doubtin' yourself about this. Those kids haven't put you out to pasture, they worship every move you make. You're a legend to them."
"Great." Archer increased his pacing. "That's what I've always wanted, to be old enough to be a legend. You're helping a lot, Tucker."
"That wasn't what I meant and you know it." Trip sighed, realizing that he wasn't getting through to his friend at all. "They don't think that you're a dried up dinosaur, every member of this crew respects the hell out of you."
Oh if only that were true. Archer wanted desperately to believe it, but he just didn't dare. "That's bull and you know it, Trip. Now you listen to me...."
Whatever Archer intended to say was lost forever because suddenly the ship was rocked hard with the recoil of weapons fire. Their argument instantly forgotten, the captain ran for the comm unit on the wall, demanding a report from the bridge.
"Sir, we're under attack." A shaken young voice of the lieutenant who currently held the watch answered back. "I think it's those unknown aliens again sir."
Archer and Tucker shared a look. It was only a few months ago when they had their last encounter with their "silent enemy" and they had barely driven them off. It looked like this was going to be round two. Archer cleared his mind of all extraneous thoughts and went into full captain mode. "Stand by, Lieutenant." Then Archer switched the comm to a ship wide page. "All hands man your battle stations. All senior staff to the bridge." With that the captain took off running. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Tucker smiled a small smile at seeing the old Archer back. Then the engineer wiped the grin off of his face, knowing that Archer would neither appreciate it or understand and hurried to catch up with his captain.
When they reached the bridge they saw that their old nemesis had indeed returned. The young lieutenant gratefully gave up the command chair to Archer as the senior staff took their posts. "Any response to our hails?"
Hoshi, looking out of place in her pretty party dress, was professional as ever in her answer. "No, sir. Just like last time."
"Hmmm." Archer was the picture of calm as he turned to his armory officer. "I assume that you've polarized the hull plating?"
"Aye, sir." Reed replied, pleased that his captain had such confidence in him. "And deployed the phase cannons and loaded the torpedo tubes."
"I thought you might have." The captain smiled before turning to the view screen to face his enemy. "Well, my friend," Jon muttered to the marauder. "Are we going to play another round of stare down, or are you actually going to do something this time?"
The ship must have heard him because Reed instantly called out a warning. "They're powering up weapons!"
After a year in deep space Archer had learned enough to amend his friendly first contact policy. "Well, we're not going to give them the benefit of the doubt this time." Jon told his crew. "Fire all weapons!"
Reed pushed the button before the words finished leaving Archer's lips, then the crew leaned forward, eager to see what kind of wallop their armaments had. Unfortunately the result wasn't as satisfactory as it was during their last encounter. The torpedoes exploded before reaching the marauders hull and the phase shots seemed to have no impact at all. "Damn."
T'Pol's scans told the final story. "Apparently the aliens have increased the efficiency of their shielding by fifty percent. It is unlikely that our weapons will have any further effect upon their vessel."
Before the bridge crew could fully comprehend this news, the enemy fired on them. Enterprise lurched with the impact and the roar of imploding metal told Archer that his ship had been hit hard. Trip rushed to his engineering station and a few quick scans told the whole story. "We've taken a hit on E deck, section seventeen. The starboard hull's caved in and we've got one compartment open to space." Archer felt a chill. Trip knew what his captain was thinking and hurried to reassure him. "That was just a storage compartment, Cap'n. Nobody was inside."
Archer breathed a sigh of relief but he knew the reprieve wouldn't last long. Reed knew it too. "We're a sitting duck, here."
"What are we going to do, sir?" Mayweather may have tried to sound professional but he couldn't help it when a small tremor slipped out of his voice. The situation just looked too dire.
Archer could see the fear in Travis' eyes. In all their eyes. 'They're all so young,' Jon thought. He knew most of his crew was scared to death right now. They thought they were going to die because they couldn't see a way out. They couldn't, but Archer could. "T'Pol, didn't we just pass a solar system."
"Yes, but there was no life evident on any of the eleven planetoid's. Therefore we would be unable to acquire any assistance there."
"I wasn't thinking of asking for help." Archer said as he moved toward Mayweather's side. "Lay in a course for the nearest planet, Travis."
"Aye, sir." Mayweather didn't have the foggiest notion what Archer was planning to do, but he followed his captain's orders without question and pointed Enterprise directly at the closest world.
"Our friends are following." Reed smartly reported.
"Are they getting ready to fire again?"
Reed checked his readout. "It doesn't appear so, Captain."
Trip laughed a small, little laugh. "Maybe they're wonderin' what you're gonna do."
Hoshi let out a little whisper. "They aren't the only ones."
She may have been whispering, but Archer picked up on it. "Did you say something, Ensign?"
"No, sir." Embarrassed at being caught, Hoshi turned her attention back to her console.
"Sir." Reed called their attention back to the matter at hand. "I've come up with a theory regarding the marauder's armament."
"Oh?" Archer wondered if Reed had finally come up with it.
"If you recall this enemy has always been nearby before firing upon us. While I believe that their weapons are superior to ours, they must have a limited range.
Archer was pleased. Reed had indeed found the answer, but only part of it. His armory officer was coming along.
Unaware of her captain's musings, Hoshi latched onto that ray of hope. "Maybe we can out run them."
"That's highly unlikely, Ensign." The calm voice of Vulcan reason pointed out. "Sensors have clocked the enemy ship at warp seven. It is impossible for Enterprise to evade this particular foe."
Archer saw that the combined hearts of most of his bridge crew plummeted at the pronouncement and Jon tried to give their spirits a boost. "Never the less, Travis, why don't you speed things up just a little bit."
"Sir?" Mayweather was horrified. "We're too close. If we don't slow down now we'll never get into orbit."
"Who said anything about going into orbit, Ensign."
That little comment sent a burst of disquiet flowing throughout the room. "What?" "Not go into orbit?" "The man's mad!"
Archer heard all the mutters of disbelief and sympathized with his team's dismay. If Enterprise continued on this track she would crash headfirst into the planet, if the ship didn't burn up in the atmosphere first. Archer may have understood his crew's distress, but he refused to change his plan. "Hold your course, Travis. That's an order."
"Aye, sir." Only years of instinctive obedience from growing up on a boomer ship allowed him to obey that obviously insane command. In fact, only the discipline of a very fine crew kept them from believing that their captain was totally deranged.
Everyone in the room was nervous, except for three people. T'Pol wouldn't know what nerves were if they hit her, but she did allow a small smidgen of concern to show at this apparently reckless course of action. Jonathan Archer was a rock. Lunatic or not, he had come up with a strategy and was going to follow it to the end. The only other crew member who was calm turned out to be Trip Tucker. Not only was the engineer not afraid, he was down right amused. In the nine years he'd been serving with Jonathan Archer he had never seen his captain anywhere near that deep end so Enterprise's near-suicidal plunge must be just a part of some wild plot that the captain had hatched up to get them out of this mess, The engineer couldn't wait to see how things turned out.
He didn't have to wait long. Enterprise began to buffet as she entered the planet's atmosphere. "The temperature of the hull is heating up." T'Pol reported. "Forty degrees Celsius. Fifty."
"Malcolm," Archer asked, never taking his eyes from Mayweather's readouts. "Are our friends still with us?"
"Yes, sir."
"The hull temperature is now seventy five degrees Celsius."
The crew could begin to feel the heat now and the shuddering of the ship began to increase. "Sir." Mayweather's voice broke a little. "Shouldn't we begin to pull up?"
Archer was firm. "Hold your course, Ensign."
Hoshi couldn't stand it anymore. She had to speak up. "But Captain...."
"Hold your course!" Archer didn't raise his voice, but his tone held a solid ring of command. Despite their fears the crew continued to obey.
"Hull temperature is now one hundred degrees Celsius." T'Pol's continual reports added a layer of fear over the extremely nervous crew. "One hundred, ten."
Trip didn't want to add to the current aura of gloom, but he couldn't keep this quiet. "We're startin' to lose integrity in the secondary hull."
"Hold your course!" Archer was firm. "Malcolm?"
The armory officer knew what the captain was asking. "They're right behind us, sir."
The air inside the ship began to heat up. "The temperature's too much for the environmental system." Trip reported. "Inside air temperature is up to forty degrees, Celsius."
"Hold your course."
"Captain." Reed called out. "The secondary hull's beginning to buckle!"
"Hold your course."
"Hull temperature is now at one hundred thirty degrees."
Mayweather, more than any of them, knew just how dire that particular news was. "Captain, the ship's melting out from under us."
"Hang on just another few seconds." Archer's eyes were glued to the readout's, as if he were waiting for some magic number. The ship lurched from side to side and the hull actually began to moan under the pressure. Reed was sure that this was it. Hoshi just closed her eyes, while Mayweather mentally told his parent's goodbye.
"Pull up!" Travis was so surprised at the order that it took him a second to comply, then he was pulling Enterprise's nose up as hard as he could.
"Trip!" Tucker didn't need Archer's order to tell him to add more power or they were never gonna get out of there. "I'm givin' her all she's got, Cap'n."
"I hope it will be enough." Hoshi whispered.
"It will be enough." Archer's determination never wavered, even when the buffeting became almost unbearable and it looked like Enterprise was going to break into tiny pieces.
"The ship's tearing apart!" Malcolm shouted their doom and at the same time Mayweather announced their salvation.
"The nose, it's coming up."
Every set of eyes on the bridge looked forward and they each confirmed the event. Enterprise had begun to pull out of her dive and the ship was indeed on her way out of the atmosphere.
Archer turned to Reed. "What about our friends?"
Reed projected the rear display on the view screen and all could see the fate of their enemy. Intent on following Enterprise in order to destroy them, their attacker didn't notice that they were too deep into the atmosphere. The marauder frantically tried to pull out of it's dive, but to no avail. After a few seconds of struggling, the friction became too much and the ship exploded in a huge fireball.
The bridge crew sat in a stunned silence as Enterprise finally cleared empty space. Only then did Archer allow himself the luxury of sitting down. "Trip?"
Tucker checked his readings. "Aw, the damage isn't too bad, Cap'n. A couple of singed bulkheads here and there." Tucker smiled at Archer. "Nothing that we can't fix right up."
Archer smiled back. "Glad to hear it."
As the captain relaxed in his chair he heard a quiet muttering come from his right. "He did it." A incredulous British voice whispered. "The son of a gun actually did it."
"A 'course he did, Lieutenant." The southern drawl didn't even pretend to be quiet. "You've always gotta trust in the old man. He knows what he's doin'."
Archer sent a dagger glare to Tucker at the old man comment, but then he heard the sighs of relief around him. Now his youngsters weren't looking at him like he was a broken down relic from the past, they were looking at him like he was a larger than life hero. He was their rock when they faced a suddenly uncertain future and now they knew that Jonathan Archer was a man they could always count on "because" of his experience, not in spite of it. Old man, huh? Jon knew he would have hated being called that only an hour ago, but right now being the old man was okay with him.
Tucker, seeing that his "old" friend had made peace with himself got to his feet. "Well, I'd best be startin' in on those repairs." Tucker stopped short before entering the turbolift and turned back to his captain. "Oh, by the way..." The questionable look on Archer's face made Trip smile, and despite his unwavering confidence in the man, Tucker was real glad that he was still alive and able to tell his friend exactly what he was thinking. "Happy birthday, Cap'n."
Finis