A NEW BEGINNING

part 1

"For Pete's sake, Mr Tucker, I know! You told us a hundred times already," Reed snapped rolling his eyes.

"But who would have known?" Trip shrieked.

"Take a grip at yourself, commander," teased Archer. "T'Pol has a dry sense of humour, we all knew that, didn't we?"

"Yeah." The elated engineer paused. "But forgin' my accent?!"

"Not her finest moment, I reckon," said Phlox.

"We're leaving dock, Ma'am," acknowledged the helmsman to Hoshi.

Archer nodded and put a light hand on the back of his chair. Hoshi's smile widened.

"Thank you, Mr Mayweather. Hoshi, please, send a message to Ambassador Soval. Tell him that with his continuing support, we are on the brink of achieving great things towards a much awaited alliance. And now, Ma'am, take us out there!"

T'Pol was reading carefully reports after reports which had poured into the Enterprise database ever since the events on Terra Prime had taken place.

Even after several thorough debriefings, she was still unsure of Reed's commitment to the coalition of planets and to Enterprise. More so, she was worried that Section 31 sweeping away all relevant intel under the rug makes her poor findings on New Berlin useless.

She sighed softly and tried to concentrate on her work. Her back was aching, her eyes were sore and red from all the tears she had shed and she was feeling helpless.

She shivered, took a sip of herbal tea before focusing again on the endless task at end.

If she was to be positive about the terrible events, she felt nonetheless relieved. Earth had found itself unexpectedly a great leader, even if no one knew it just yet. In the right time, in the right place, Jonathan Archer will eventually turn out to be their most valuable asset.

Maybe one day…

She sat the cup on her desk and focused on her screen, scrolling for evidence of a larger isolationist scheme. She only hoped that meanwhile, Earth was not nursing new isolationist terrorist cells, ready to launch desperate attacks on alien embassies.

"Very good, Mr Tucker! As you would put it, you're good to go."

Phlox was standing boldly in front of Trip, catching his accidental reflection in the numerous glass cabinets of sickbay, a mix of utter mystery and confidence. He could shed some weight though before going back to his lovely wives and to Denobula. Well, that was the prospect of another lifetime so he got his attention back to Tucker.

Very distressed young man, he thought. His concern for T'Pol was beginning to be quite a problem and he knew only of one solution.

"I know! That's not the reason I came to sickbay for, doc!" the engineer protested.

"Indeed, commander. You came because you were ordered to. I requested everybody on board to get a full check up and you would be my last patient for the day."

"Phlox, ye know what I mean," Trip drawled.

Phlox stared blankly, took a deep breath and sat on the nearest stool.

"Commander," he knew there was no way he could postpone this explanation any longer, "I do not trust cloning as being the best solution to your present problems." He waved a dismissive hand to kill Trip's possible protestation. "You of all people should understand why. Cloning will never be the solution as far as I'm concerned." Phlox paused and crossed his hands on his lap. With a perceptible trouble, he continued. "T'Pol is a very attractive young woman. You do understand that she is almost 70 according to human standards and that her experience as a Vulcan is light years away from your common understanding."

"Phlox!"

"I mean it Mr Tucker. You would eventually find yourself in a lot of trouble if you ever fancy a life with T'Pol," the doctor put on his most serious face.

He could see that Trip was devastated and ready for anything to erase the traumatic experience.

"Nevertheless, in this matter, I must have to recommend extreme caution. In the current state of research, there's absolutely nothing that proves that interspecies breeding is impossible."

Trip relaxed and set a foot onto the floor leaning expectantly towards the physician.

"I shall run some more tests and if any are conclusive, as I think they will, we can safely bet that you and your mate will soon enough be in the position to replace young Lizzy."

Trip went from shy pinkish to bright red, his body temperature rising to new levels, his heart pounding. "T'Pol is not my mate!" he protested unsure of any righteous attitude he could foster at the moment.

Phlox went on anyway, a widening smile on his broad face. "Maybe not yet, but by any means, if I can be of assistance, I can provide you with a large range of techniques unknown from you to achieve such a goal."

Trip almost fainted at the proposition. This sounded like a dead end. He was not even sure of the solution Phlox was debating to his profit. Denobulan breeding techniques? He pictured Phlox with his family and shut his mind to the images that were insidiously invaded his head.

"That will be all. You're fit for duty Mr Tucker, what can I say? You can go back to wherever you have to go back," said Phlox, the same unnerving smile plastered on his face. "One last thing though."

Trip stopped on his way out, stood still in the doorway, still shaken by the news.

"Of course, I suggest that you get intimate with the Commander as many times as you both please. The sooner, the better. The natural way is often the most convenient and efficient way to achieve one's goal in the breeding process."

Trip took a left turn out of sickbay at full speed, his legs weak and his jaws clenched. His eyes crossed the eyes of ensigns Philips and Horst and he started running for dear life.

tbc