Series Title: Star Trek---The Continuing Voyages of the Enterprise

Author: ginamr

Story Title: Winds of Change

Story Number in Series: Five

Story Part/Chapter: One

Season Five

Episode Number in Season: Five

Episode Number in Series: One

Genre: Science Fiction/Angst/Action/Adventure/Mystery

Rating: PG-13

Summary: The winds of time are changing lives in irreversible, unforeseeable ways. The crew of the Enterprise fights to track down a mysterious murderer while keeping the talks for an alliance alive. Will they be able to keep it from falling through?

Possible Spoilers: Broken Bow through Into The Lion's Den, Part Two

Disclaimer: Only new characters and new plots are mine. The original characters belong to Paramount. I receive no monetary reward for my work; my only reward is the joy of creating.

Author's Note: First off, I'd like to dedicate this to a very special friend, Kieran (Ethan) Jay Grantham. Without him, I wouldn't have made it as far as I have with this story. It was his help that helped make this idea a reality.

Hoshi's regained her hearing, yay! And, of course, Erika's back in action! Oh, and the italicized text in quotes is Japanese translated into English since I couldn't find an English-Japanese translator.

And I know I keep changing which canon details I'm including...But I don't think I'm breaking too much from canon...the only thing in These Are The Voyages that's wrong in my universe is that T'Pol has met Trip's parents before and that Trip isn't really dead.

Last Time on Star Trek: Enterprise...Into The Lion's Den, Part Two

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PLAY INTRO

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"The winds of change are always blowing

And every time I stay

The winds of change continue blowing

And they just carry me away."

Willie Nelson, American country western singer

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Earth—Starfleet Headquarters--Airlock 1ANovember 3, 2155

Archer and Trip stepped through the airlock to find Erika waiting for them.

Archer grinned. "Back on your feet already?"

"I'm stubborn. As old-fashioned as it is, crutches was the only way the doctors would let me out of the ward."

"It would have been a shame for you to miss the conference."

Erika grinned. "Quite a shame."

"Will they be putting you back on Columbia after the conference?"

"I'm trying to win Admiral Gardner over to my side on that same topic."

Archer grinned. "With any luck, you'll be back in that Captain's chair in no time...once all parties are satisfied..."

Erika raised an eyebrow. "With the Vulcans alone, a 'logical agreement' could take days. So I wouldn't get your hopes up."

Trip chuckled. "And who knows what the Tellerites and the Andorians will have ta say?"

"I assume the others are in the Main Officer's Lounge?"

Archer nodded. "Having a small rest before the talks begin. Doctor Phlox is still on board finishing up a vaccine for Beta Colony on Altaire Prime and I believe Lieutenant Reed is with Hoshi visiting her parents. Phlox should be joining us shortly. I'm assuming Lieutenant Reed will be along later."

Erika smiled and nodded. "I heard Commander Cross did a splendid job as acting Captain. I'm pleased."

"His record is exemplary and he's a brilliant officer." There was a brief silence.

"Well if ya'll will excuse me, I need ta have a word with T'Pol before the conference starts." He smiled and turned toward Erika. "I'm glad yer back on yer feet, ma'm. I don' suppose ya'd like ta join Jon, T'Pol, and I fer dinner at my parent's new place?"

"I don't want to intrude..."

"Aw, you won' be intrudin'. My parents would love ta have ya there."

Erika smiled. "Then that sounds wonderful, Commander. Thank you."

Trip nodded and turned, headed for the small room where the others were waiting.

"Is there anything you need to do before the conference?"

Erika shook her head. "No, but how about we take a little walk?"

Archer's eyebrows shot up. "You're sure?" he asked.

"Yes...and you can tell me all about your latest mission."

Archer nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

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Earth—Osaka, Japan–Home of Hiroshi and Miyu Sato

"Hello? Is there anyone home?"

"In the back room, little one."

Hoshi gripped Malcolm's hand reassuringly and lead him toward the entertainment parlor. When they entered, Hoshi found her mother and father sitting down for tea.

"Mother, Father."

Hiroshi and Miyu looked toward their daughter and smiled. Miyu stood, hugging her daughter tightly.

"Welcome home, my daughter."

"Who is your friend?"

Hoshi stepped back from her mother and took a deep breath. "This is Malcolm Reed, my fiancé."

Malcolm forced a nervous smile onto his face and gripped Hoshi's hand tightly. "It's an honour to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Sato," Reed said, pronouncing the Japanese just as Hoshi had taught him, bowing slightly. She grinned, squeezing his hand in approval.

Hiroshi's eyebrows shot up. "Hoshi..."

"I have chosen to marry another, Father. I love him."

"What does he have to offer you?"

Hoshi hesitated and then was surprised when Malcolm stepped forward. "Mr. Sato, I don't have an excess of material possessions...but I care for your daughter very much. I can provide her with a comfortable life and the love that she deserves."

"Please, Father."

"Mr. Sato, I have had the pleasure of serving with your daughter for four years. She's the most beautiful, kind, gifted woman I have ever known. Nothing would please me more than to spend the rest of my life with her."

Hiroshi paused for a moment. "You will be staying for dinner?"

"I don't want to intrude..."

"Nonsense, Malcolm. You may join us," Miyu protested.

Reed nodded. "Thank you."

"Dinner will be in an hour."

"I'm going to show Malcolm the gardens."

With this, Hoshi tugged Reed from the room.

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Earth–Moss Point, Mississippi—Home of Charles and Catherine Tucker—1830 hours

The autumn air was bitingly cold, heralding the approach of a bitter winter, a thin layer of snow already sprinkling the road and the scent of pine and ocean water carried on the winds as the SUV loaded down with four people pulled into the driveway of the Tucker home. The three passengers and the driver slid out and approached the front door. Trip reached it first and knocked loudly.

"Mama! Anybody home?"

"I'm comin', honey!" With this, Catherine Tucker emerged through the front door, wiping her hands on her apron. "Trip, honey, it's good ta see ya back home in one piece." She hugged him tightly, planting a kiss on his cheek. She turned to Archer and hugged him as well, grinning from ear to ear. "Jonathan, honey! I haven' seen ya in ages! You're lookin' real good."

"You look as radiant as ever, Catherine."

Catherine blushed. "Ya always were a smooth-talker, darlin'. If I were a good fifteen years younger..."

Trip chuckled. "Now, mama. I don' think his fiancé will appreciate yer teasin'."

Catherine turned to Hernandez who was standing beside Archer. "Ya must be Erika." To Erika's surprise, Catherine hugged her as well. "Trip's told us all about ya."

Erika raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Trip grinned sheepishly. "All good of course, ma'm."

Catherine turned to T'Pol next and looked at her for a moment before hugging her as well. "And ya must be T'Pol. Trip's letters have jus' been chalked full of praise about ya, darlin'."

Trip's cheeks flushed. "Mama..."

"What're ya up ta now, Catherine? Stop embarrassin' the poor boy. He got enough of that when he was a sprout."

"Thanks, pop, but the damage has been done. The fine young gal standing there on crutches is Jon's fiancé, Erika Hernandez..."

"Mighty pleased ta meetcha, ma'm. It's 'bout time that rascal was settlin' down."

"And the young gal ta my left is T'Pol."

Charles nodded. "Heard a lot 'bout ya, darlin'," he said offering a hand.

T'Pol took it and nodded. "Trip has spoken of you as well."

"Are David, Mae, and the kids here yet?" Trip asked.

"I think tha's them pulling up now."

At that precise moment, a pickup came to a halt in the driveway and the doors opened. A little boy with dark hair jumped out and ran toward them screaming "Uncle Trip, Uncle Trip!" A moment later, the little lad collided with Trip, hugging him around his knees.

Trip chuckled and reached down, lifting his nephew into his arms and ruffling his hair. "Hey there, kiddo. How've ya been?"

"Great, Uncle Trip! You'll never guess what happened!"

"What?"

"Mama and Daddy got caught makin' out in the bathroom at the gas station!"

Trip laughed. "'S tha' right?"

"Yeah! The station owner got all red in the face and chased them out!"

"Now, Seth, ya weren't supposed ta tell anyone 'bout that."

The little boy flushed. "But I had ta tell Uncle Trip, Daddy!"

"Still getting inta trouble with tha' slip of a gal of yers, huh Dave?"

"Watch it, Trip. As I recall, you and a certain redhead got inta a fair bit more trouble than David and I ever have."

Trip flushed. "Now Miss Mae, I thought ya weren' gonna tell Dave 'bout that. I might jus' have ta tell him 'bout the time I saw ya and Billy Cook doin' all that kid kissin' behind the barn."

"Tha' was long ago, darlin', and from what Dave tells me, yer still gettin' inta trouble with women. First human male ta get pregnant by an alien female...ya've made the record books in record time."

"Ya jus' don' play fair, Mae. I didn' know tha' stickin' my hands in a glowin' box of rocks was goin' ta get me pregnant."

Trip heard a giggle and looked around Mae's knees to see his 4-year-old niece. "Where's my little Carrie bee? What're ya hidin' fer, darlin'?" Trip set his nephew down and lifted his niece into his arms. "Well, aren' ya jus' the prettiest thing? Gettin' more like yer mama every day."

The little girl giggled again. "Yer pretty, too, Unca Trip."

"Why, thank ya, darlin'! See Mae? Someone thinks I'm pretty."

This earned yet another giggle from the little girl. "Yer silly, Unca Trip."

Trip tossed her up and caught her, giving her a sloppy kiss on each cheek. "Now silly is one thing I can do."

Carrie let out an excited squeal and clapped her hands.

T'Pol watched, her head tilted slightly to the left, and she felt an indescribable contentment in watching Trip and his niece together. She also felt a slight pang as she pictured Elizabeth in Carrie's place. Trip would have made an exemplary father.

"Aren' ya goin' ta introduce us?" asked Mae pointedly.

Trip sighed. "Why couldn' ya'll jus' get here at the same time as everyone else? The poor li'l gal on the crutches is Jon's fiancé, Erika Hernandez and the gal on my left is T'Pol."

"Well, well...looks like both of the remainin' bachelors have found their matches."

"Now, it isn' like tha', Mae. T'Pol 's jus' a friend."

"Mmm-hmm. She isn' goin' ta be 'just a friend' fer long."

David laughed, offering his hand to T'Pol and Erika in turn, both taking it.

"The bundle in yer arms must be Tina."

"Yeah, this is her."

"Me, Unca Twip!"

Trip chuckled. "Yeah, can't forget 'bout li'l Katydid."

He scooped the little girl of three up with one arm and she hugged his neck tightly.

Suddenly, everyone laughed and, puzzled, T'Pol looked down to find Seth hugging her knees.

"Friendly kid," Trip said with a smile.

"So it would seem."

She hesitated for a moment before picking the little boy up. He threw his arms around her neck and she raised an eyebrow when Trip gave her an impish grin.

"Did Uncle Trip show ya my picture?"

"Yes, he did. Did you draw that by yourself?"

Seth grinned proudly. "Yep. I've never seen a Vulcan up this close b'fore though."

"It was very good. After the evening meal would you like to show me how you drew it?"

"Yeah! Then I can draw you another one!"

"That sounds most pleasing."

"Dinner's almost ready." Catherine turned to Trip. "Honey, why don't you and T'Pol set the big table and the kid's table on the back porch? It's awful nice weather and we should enjoy it while it lasts. Winter's goin' ta set in soon then we'll be stuck in the house."

"Alright, mama. I'll show T'Pol where the dishes are."

With this, the two moved toward the kitchen and Trip opened one of the cupboards containing a stack of big plates and little salad plates. He pulled eight of each out and set them on the counter. He then reached into another cupboard and pulled out a stack of paper plates.

"Fer the kids," he explained.

T'Pol nodded and carried all of the plates out to what she assumed was the back porch while Trip grabbed the glasses, the paper cups, and the silverware.

"Your mother is..."

"Eccentric?" T'Pol nodded. "Yeah, she and dad both are a bit eccentric. Kindest people you'll meet though."

"Yes," she agreed. "Your mother is very friendly."

"Mama hugs everybody she meets. Her way of makin' them feel welcome."

T'Pol met his eyes, her lips turning up slightly, but only for a moment. A full-blown grin broke out on Trip's face and he hummed softly as he finished laying out the dishes. To her surprise, T'Pol found that she had unconsciously begun humming the same tune in a higher octave. She looked up to find Trip looking directly at her, a lopsided grin on his face. Through the bond, she sensed his delight.

"I didn' know ya could sing."

"I have never attempted it before."

"Well, you sound mighty good for someone who's never sung before."

T'Pol found herself feeling discomforted, yet pleased by his flattering comment. "Thank you."

He gave her a half grin when he saw the green blush gracing her cheeks. "Yer welcome, darlin'."

Their eyes met and time seemed to stand still around them. They were aware of nothing but each other. He moved toward her and when he reached her, his hands slid slowly and gently up her arms to her shoulders and with the greatest amount of tenderness, he lowered his head to hers. He'd just barely brushed her lips with his when he realized there were voices and that they were coming closer.

He jumped back as though burned and gave her an apologetic look just as the others walked onto the back patio.

"All set?"

Trip nodded. "All set."

T'Pol frowned when she saw Charles bringing out a plate of rather large steaks. "Don' worry, honey. We know you're a vegetarian," Catherine offered, laughing softly.

T'Pol looked at Trip, raising an eyebrow. He held his hands up in a defensive gesture. They've been around long enough, darlin', ta know that all Vulcans are vegetarians…well, most of them anyway. >>

"Better get yerself somethin', darlin', b'fore it's all gone."

Trip pulled out a chair for T'Pol and when she had taken it with a raised eyebrow, he pushed it in before taking his own seat.

"There ya go, son," Charles said, putting a steak on Trip's plate.

Trip hesitated for a moment. "I think I'll pass on the steak, dad. Bad experience with the replicator on board Enterprise."

Catherine frowned. "Are ya feelin' sick, honey?"

"A little, yeah. I think I'm goin' ta eat light tonight and hit the hay early. All that sittin' wore me out. Ya never wanna be in the same room as a dozen species negotiatin'. Makes me tired jus' thinkin' 'bout it."

"Why don' ya just take something in and eat on the couch? That way ya can catch some rest before your big day tomorrow."

"I think I can stay awake long enough ta eat."

T'Pol nodded. "The day has been rather long. I believe after I have finished my meal, I will meditate before I sleep."

"Alrigh', well…eat what ya like then."

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Earth—Osaka, Japan–Home of Hiroshi and Miyu Sato--2030 Hours, Japan time

"So, Malcolm. What do you do on board Enterprise?" Miyu asked conversationally.

"I'm the armory officer. I make sure that the ship is protected against internal and external threats."

"You must be very good at what you do if you have reached Lieutenant."

Reed nodded slightly. "I always do my duty, sir. That's how I've gotten to where I am." He paused. "Until I met your daughter, I put my duty ahead of my personal life. It's different with your daughter, sir. Make no mistake. My duty is important to me; but nothing is more important to me than Hoshi's happiness."

Miyu smiled. "Then you understand why we must be skeptical. We want only the best for our little girl."

Reed grinned. "Yes, I understand completely. You're her parents. You want her to be happy."

"You make her happy?"

"I do all I can to make her happy."

Hiroshi sat his teacup down gently. "Will we be meeting with your family before the wedding?"

Reed frowned. He hadn't thought of that. He'd been estranged from his parents since he'd joined Starfleet. Stuart Reed would no doubt be displeased if Malcolm didn't inform him of his intention to marry, despite how cold he'd always been to his only son.

"I have not been in contact with them for some time, but yes…if you wish we could visit them before the wedding."

Hiroshi grinned. "Good. We shall leave in the late morning."

Though slightly surprised at the rushed departure time, Reed nodded. "I will contact them tonight."

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Earth–Moss Point, Mississippi—Home of Charles and Catherine Tucker—Guest Room—2000 hours, East Coast Time

"You deceived your mother."

Trip blinked at the accusation. "What?"

"You told her you were ill and you caused her to worry."

Trip sighed. "Well, what was I supposed ta tell her? That I could sense through our bond how bad the smell was upsettin' ya and it made me nauseous, too?"

T'Pol paused. "I apologize if my discomfort disrupted your meal. I have tried blocking certain feelings through the bond and it has been ineffective."

He grinned. "Hey, we're both new at this. It's goin' ta take some time ta get used ta blockin' things out."

"Disrobe."

Trip did as she asked and lay down on the bed, sighing softly as she began working the neural nodes along his spine. "Ya know, I think this is jus' what we needed. Ta get away from work fer a while and do somethin' relaxin'. Maybe I'll show ya how ta fish tomorrow." Trip chuckled as he sensed her agitation. "We'll let them go after we catch them. The whole point is ta have fun tryin' ta catch the slippery fellas."

"Perhaps we could do something that requires more physical agility."

Trip's eyebrows shot up. "Such as?"

"In my studies of Human culture, I have come across a game played with a stick and a ball that sounds most fascinating…"

"Baseball?"

"I believe the term used in the database was stick ball. Sit up."

Trip chuckled and sat up to face her. "Same difference. Only stick ball's a little less rules and a bit more fun."

"Isn't competition the reason for Human games?" she asked as she began working the nodes in his broad shoulders.

"We do like ta compete and show off, yeah…but we play sports fer the adrenaline rush and the horseplay, too." He paused. "Sometimes it isn' whether ya win or lose. It's how ya play the game."

"I have not had the fortune to observe a Human game that was not competitive."

Trip grinned. "Well, then…it's 'bout time ya did. If we're not too beat when we get done with the conference, maybe we could play a game with the kids."

She nodded. "That sounds most pleasing."

He paused. "How long's it been since ya've had neuropressure done fer ya?"

"I believe I have not had the procedure performed since your application of it just after Elizabeth's death."

He stood and moved behind her, leaning close to her ear. "Ya look kinda tense, darlin'. What do ya say I perform a bit of tha' magic ya've done fer me on ya tonight? Ya'll feel a lot better fer it in the mornin'."

Again, she nodded. "Perhaps it will allow me to sleep more restfully." She slid the straps of the gown that had been loaned to her by Trip's sister-in-law, Mae, down her shoulders, bunching the material at her waist.

Trip grinned as he pressed hard into the correct nodes. "This was the firs' position ya showed me, remember?"

She sighed. "Yes, I recall. You misinterpreted my actions. You reasoned, incorrectly, that I was offering myself for sexual relations."

His cheeks flushed slightly. "Yeah, I did. Ya were right 'bout neuropressure bein' really intimate. I guess tha's what most Human men usually assume when a gal takes off her shirt fer us and asks us ta touch her somewhere that Humans don' usually let each other touch unless they're real close friends or lovers."

She nodded. "I should have taken the Human interpretation of my actions under advisement before pursuing the avenue that I did."

Trip sighed softly and smiled. "I'm kinda glad tha' ya talked me inta this neuropressure, though. It really helped me ta relax."

"Perhaps we should end the session for the night. We will need our rest for the conference tomorrow."

He nodded. "Yeah. We do have a long day tomorrow."

With this, she stood and strode toward the bedroom door. "Goodnight, Trip."

"Goodnight, darlin'."

With this, T'Pol closed the door slowly and made her way back to the room where she was staying.

TBC