Ambush (8)

Malcolm looked around when someone reached out and snatched his arm. He stumbled into the joint hall; surprised to find Sherie was the person that had grabbed him.

"My advice to you, sir, is not to use the sleeping back with the green zipper. And make sure no one else but Trip uses it. Just a suggestion, sir."

"Malcolm," Archer called from down the hall.

"I'll make note of it, Ensign." Malcolm ran to catch up with Trip and Archer.

#

"Up and at 'em," Archer said.

"Just ten more minutes," Trip murmured.

"Come on. We got work to do. Get up! Archer ordered.

Trip looked over at Archer. He was already dressed and putting on his boots. "We should go fishing."

Archer shot a smirk at Trip. "Get up."

Trip reached up and pulled on the zipper. It didn't budge. Trip tugged on it several times.

"Get up, Trip," Archer ordered.

Trip let his head drop back. "I can't."

Archer zipped up his uniform and knelt on one knee. "Why not?"

"The zipper is stuck," Trip looked at Archer. "Oddly enough."

Archer knelt down beside him and tired to pull the zipper loose. It wouldn't budge. He leaned closer, seeing a clear shiny substance surrounding the top of the zipper. He sat back, smirking.

"This has been glued shut. Looks like thread lock glue too. The kind that only sets after the teeth or grooves connect. Too bad this isn't a regular sleeping bag, Trip, you could just wiggle right out of it."

"I am gonna get so even with her."

Archer stood up. "You get to sleep in after all, Trip. C-ya!"

"No, Cap'n. Cap'n!" Trip called, watching Archer leave the tent. "CAP'N!" Archer didn't return. "ARCHER! JONATHAN ARCHER!"

Archer stood outside laughing. Malcolm was sitting on the ground laughing with Ensign Cutler leaning against him holding her stomach from her own laughter.

"You were right. She did something. Thread lock glue," Archer told Malcolm.

"What do you propose we do now?"

"We need to get up that mountain before noon. Best get to hiking."

"You're going to leave him like that, are you?" Malcolm asked.

"Ensign Johnson had a good view when I brought it up with her. These two are the ones choosing to keep this going. If they want to keep it going, we should really let them kill each other. He'll figure some way out of it. Let's go."

Behind them Trip yelled, "I AM DISOWNING YOU AS MY FRIEND JONATHAN ARCHER!"

The three didn't stop walking.

To My Sunshine (9)

T'Pol looked at her door when the doorbell beeped. She stood, turning to face it.

"Come in."

Trip walked in with his hands held behind his back.

"Hello," Trip said, smiling at her.

"Good evening."

"Everything go well with the scientists?"

"Yes. Everything did. Did you enjoy visiting the city?" T'Pol asked.

"It was nice. Real nice aliens." Trip walked up to her, standing close. "Close your eyes."

T'Pol didn't obey.

Trip's grin turned boyish. "Will you pretty please close your eyes for me, Miss T'Pol?"

T'Pol obeyed with an irritated sigh.

"Hold out your hand."

T'Pol held her hand out and she felt Trip fasten something around her wrist. T'Pol opened her eyes, staring at the fine gold chain decorated with tiny rubies he'd fastened around her wrist.

"I thought…" Trip reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, doesn't matter what I thought. Just decided you needed it."

T'Pol lifted her wrist, turning the bracelet around it.

Trip grinned. "You always said that of all the gems out there, fire rubies were your favorite. Course, you gave me all sorts of practical reasons, but—"

"I didn't think that you would remember something so trivial."

"I have my moments, T'Pol," Trip said, and then added quietly. "Besides, nothing you like is trivial to me."

T'Pol looked up into Trip's eyes. Yes. Trip had some glorious moments that even she, a Vulcan, was surprised by.

"I love you." Trip leaned forward and gently kissed her cheek. "Good-night."

Trip turned. He stopped, looking back when T'Pol grabbed his hand.

"Thank you for remembering," T'Pol said, and then smiled.

Trip smiled. He moved back to her, laying his hand on her neck. "I love that free sunshine."

Trip leaned down and kissed her lips. He smiled when he looked in her eyes, running his thumb across her lips. He let his fingers drift gently across her cheek and then left. T'Pol looked at her bracelet, watching the shards of red light the rubies cast on her skin. She turned and sat down in front of her monitor to return to reading letters.