This is a sequel to my earlier story "Finally Home." You should really read that one before starting this story. Otherwise, this will make no sense.

Any words in italics represent Trip's thoughts, in the first person.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters presented in this story, this is pure fiction.

Eternal

I jolted awake at the sound of gunfire. What the hell? Immediately my thoughts went to T'Pol. Where was she? What happened? Was she okay?

"T'POL, WHERE ARE YOU!?"

I couldn't control the suffocating fear that was building up in my chest. This was the moment I began to notice our perfect little world was about to fall apart almost as though it never existed.

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Chapter 2:

T'Pol entered the turbolift. The stray thought briefly crossed her mind that she had forgotten to meditate. No matter, she would perform her duties all the same. The turbolift stopped, and T'Pol stepped onto the bridge. The Captain, who was standing behind his chair talking to and Ensign, instantly greeted her.

"Good morning, Commander."

"Good morning, sir."

"I didn't realize you wore jewelry," he commented, pointing at her new engagement ring. In the rush to leave her cabin this morning, she forgot to take it off. She quickly slid the ring off and hid it in her jumpsuit.

"You know, Commander, if I didn't know any better, I would say that was Trip's engagement ring you were wearing."

"Then it is good you do not know better," T'Pol commented as she walked to her station and began to work.

Jon took the hint and returned to his conversation with the Ensign.

The rest of her morning was uneventful. It seemed too good to be true.

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Trip was in his office in Engineering when he heard the blast. It sounded like a bomb exploding. Almost immediately, a ringing in his ears started. He quickly dropped the pads he was working on and rushed to see what had happened.

The first things he noticed were the charred floors, the unending noise, and the stench of burning flesh.

"What the hell happened, Anna" he shouted over the blaring alarms! As he ran towards fallen crew members, Anna did her best to fill him in.

"There was an explosion, sir, inside the computer chamber!"

"Well, gee, ya think?"

"Commander, my friends were in there…" Anna began to tear up. It was hard for Trip to keep a calm expression when he could hear so many sobs and screams from all around. "Do you… do you think they're all right…?" Anna dropped her head in her hands and began to cry.

Trip stared into the room where the explosion had just taken place then shifted his gaze to look straight at her with an expression of sorrow. He didn't want to look at the burnt, lifeless laying inside the computer chamber. He couldn't speak. Who could have done this to them? He needed answers. He needed to stay calm, for everyone. He had to get everyone out of Engineering; he couldn't trust that it was safe.

"Anna! Anna, please look at me." Anna lifted her head, tears still dripping down the corners of her cheeks, and looked straight into Trip's eyes. "Anna," Trip said softly, "I need you to help me find everyone so we can safely get them out of this room. It's not safe. You need to focus or else more people could die. Can you do it?"

Sniffling, Anna nodded her head in agreement. Trip and Anna began rounding everyone up. He counted 15 out of 21 people accounted for… That meant six had lost their life in the explosion. Damn this job. Who could do this to us? He wanted answers.

"Trip, Trip, what happened?" He could briefly make out the voice of the Captain from a nearby com. He went to answer the call, but was crippled with a wave of dizziness. Before he knew what was happening, he collapsed on the floor.

The day had started so pleasantly, but, before lunch had even come, fate had stuck again, and it had transformed the life of Trip Tucker into another living hell.

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Thanks for still reading! Now that its summer, I hope to have more time to post updates.