Author's Note:
1. I watched Star Trek: The Next Generation when I was in elementary and middle school. As a result, some of the episodes I liked most are the ones adults at the time didn't like much. One of my absolute favorites is Season 6, Episode 7 called "Rascals." I won't spoil it here by restating the plot. I thought it would be a fun writing exercise to try to recreate the spirit of that story with the Enterprise cast I love so much. This isn't a scene-for-scene recreation of that, but its bones are the same. It's very different from my last story. Shorter and lighter, I hope.
2. This is set in a hypothetical season 5 or 6. Trip & T'Pol are a bonded couple (although this not a TnT story per se). Whether or not you like "These are the Voyages" (Enterprise finale, set several years after the last regular episode of season 4), shouldn't matter; this happens before the events of that episode.
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Chapter One: "I Believe the Children are our Future"
"I can't believe you didn't join me, Trip. Or any of you! The sunsets over the southern mountain range were incredible!" Captain Jonathan Archer couldn't contain his glee as he recounted his climbing adventures in their all-too-brief stay on Chezel IV, a Class-M planet they'd encountered a few weeks earlier.
Archer, Commander Tucker, Lieutenant Reed, and Ensign Sato were on their way back to Enterprise after a brief stay on the planet. It was a cultural exchange of sorts with another friendly, warp-capable species who had similar views to their own.
"Climbin' isn't my thing, Captain," Trip Tucker drawled, sprawling lazily back into his seat on the shuttlepod. He was tucked into the corner of the bench along the back wall. "But I gotta say, those Chezelians know their stuff. Mar'Kess talked so fast I could barely keep up."
Malcolm Reed looked Trip over with a critical eye. "I hope you didn't share too much of our technology with them, Commander," he said stiffly.
"Keep your shirt on, Lieutenant," Trip said, catching the gleam in Hoshi's eye as she put up her hand to cover her smile. Trip grinned when Malcolm predictably stiffened at the much-hated phrase. "We were there for cultural exchange, remember?"
Archer broke in from the pilot's chair where he was adjusting their course. "We agreed to an exchange of ideas and unclassified technology, Malcolm." Archer pressed a few buttons, setting the ship up for the rest of their long journey. When he was finished, he swiveled the chair backwards and turned back to look at his tactical officer, setting his face in his most authoritarian expression. "I hope you were forthcoming with Mr. Fyr'Kess," he added sternly.
It was Trip's turn to hide his grin. He knew Jon well, and he was teasing Malcolm, too. Malcolm just couldn't see it.
It didn't seem like Malcolm could get any more rigid, but his spine straightened perceptibly further. "I shared our basic protocols, Sir," he said.
"And what did you learn in exchange?" Archer prodded.
Malcolm glared at his captain as much as he dared—which wasn't much—and answered. "The Chezelians have very interesting ideas about leadership, Sir. I was most impressed to discover that they do not allow their commanding officers to go on away missions."
Archer raised an eyebrow. Like he would ever allow that kind of nonsense on Enterprise. "Why not?"
"They believe that the possibility of unforeseen dangers is too great a risk to jeopardize command."
"Who is on their away teams, then?" Hoshi asked, curious.
"It's made up of the first officer, one other senior officer whose expertise is needed, and two or three other crewmembers. And at least two security team members who have full authority over the entire party in matters of security." Malcolm lifted his chin. "A very prudent practice, I must say."
"Yeah, but not very fun," Archer said, reaching out and slapping him on the shoulder. "Lighten up, Malcolm."
"But sir—"
"Relax, Lieutenant. I'll read your report. I'm sure there are other good things you learned from the Chezelians that we can use to beef up our security."
Archer turned away, giving an irritated Malcolm some time to compose himself. "So, Hoshi, how was your time with Fae'Zell?"
Hoshi had spent four days with the head of Chezel IV's linguistics and communications bureau. The Chezelians had developed a universal translator far more advanced than the one Hoshi was currently working on.
"It was incredible, Sir," Hoshi said, her eyes shining with excitement. "Fae'Zell couldn't share the program with me, but he did explain their design theory, and I have so many ideas for upgrading our UT. By the time I'm done with it, you'll never even realize the other species doesn't speak Earth Standard."
"What's with the plants?" Trip said, nodding at the box of plants Hoshi held on her lap. They were abundant, overflowing their small containers. "Didn't think they had too much to do with language."
Hoshi blushed. "Fae'Zell wanted to thank me for my help. I mentioned a few ideas to him as well that he found useful."
Archer leaned forward and peered at the plants in their pots. "They're pretty."
Hoshi smiled, blushing. "Not just that. All of them have healing properties. I'm giving them to Phlox."
"I'm sure he'll be ecstatic," Trip said.
"And you, Trip?" Archer asked his engineer. "What did the Chezelian engineer have to share?"
Trip grinned again. "A lot of great ideas, but the best one was a suggestion that will increase the efficiency of our warp reactor by 20%. That'll save us a fair bit of fuel along the way."
The console behind Archer beeped, and he swiveled back around to check the view screen. "Enterprise is 20 minutes ahead, at the rendezvous point as planned."
"Think they got anything from those asteroids?" Trip asked.
Archer sighed. "I hope so. Those Ferengi we met last month drove a hard bargain. Nearly cleared us out of any platinum and osmium we had left."
"We had no choice, sir," Malcolm interjected. "We needed those parts. We were vulnerable."
They'd been in a not-so-friendly system when they'd been attacked by a team of pirates who'd stolen their warp coil and made off without Enterprise being able to follow. Two days at impulse and they'd encountered a Ferengi vessel who was more than ready to bargain—but they had a high price. Both platinum and osmium were precious, and Archer hadn't wanted to give up their small supply. But as Malcolm said, they'd had no choice.
"I know," Archer sighed. "I still hate that we couldn't track down those pirates."
"I wouldn't be surprised if the Ferengi orchestrated the entire scheme," Malcolm said.
"I wouldn't either, Captain," Hoshi said. "When a few of them were onboard making the exchange, I heard them mention that they couldn't believe Daemon Loriss got away with this again."
"I hate getting played," Archer muttered. He rolled his eyes. "Next time—"
"Enterprise to Shuttlepod One."
Hoshi turned to the communications console reaching over her plants to answer the hail. "Shuttlepod One here."
"We've received a distress call from the new Terran colony on Alpha V." T'Pol's steady voice relayed over the comm.
"Their status?" Archer asked.
"Unknown. However, the distress call was automated, so it is logical to assume that their distress is great. Otherwise they would have taken the time to deliver a more detailed situation report."
"Understood," Archer said. "Have Travis lay in a course for Alpha V and go to warp as soon as we're onboard."
"Yes, Captain," T'Pol said. "Enterprise out."
"How many people are on that colony?" Malcolm asked.
"I think 10,000," Trip answered. "My parents wrote me about it—one of my cousins was on the first transport ship."
"Hopefully we can get there in time to help," Archer said. "We're not that far—"
Archer suddenly lurched to the side. The shuttlepod had begun pitching wildly, and Archer immediately righted himself and turned to the helm, checking the readouts.
"We've entered some kind of energy field."
Trip accessed the panel nearest him. "Looks like it's surrounding us. I can't see a path out."
"Hull integrity down to 60%," Malcolm reported.
"All power to hull plating," Archer ordered. "Increasing speed—maybe we can get out of this. Hoshi—contact Enterprise."
Out the windows, the black background of space lit up with lighting-like streaks of white, turning the inside of the shuttlepod into a kind of strobe-light funhouse.
"I can't get through, sir," Hoshi said. "There's something blocking the transmission."
"Too much interference, Cap'n," Trip said. "The readings are incredible. Never seen anything like this—"
His eyes snapped upwards, watching those white lightning streaks snake across the ceiling and down the walls in fiery trails. He jerked back as one intersected with his console and passed through without incident.
"Damn it!" Archer said, furiously adjusting the helm controls without any change.
"We can't hold this for long, Captain," Malcolm said grimly. "Hull integrity down to 20%."
The shuttlepod jerked suddenly to starboard and Archer nearly slid off his seat again.
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"Report, Ensign." Commander T'Pol's voice was steady but urgent.
"The field is small, but it has them completely surrounded," Ensign Ford responded from the science station. "The readings are crazy—I've never seen anything like this."
T'Pol turned to the crewman at communications. "Can you reach them?"
"I can't," the crewman said. "I'm trying, but there's some kind of interference."
"Their hull integrity is weakening, Commander," Ensign Baird said from tactical. "They're not going to last much longer."
"We could try the transporter," Mayweather said from the helm. "I think I can get a lock."
"Go," T'Pol said, and Travis bolted for the turbolift.
It was a tense few minutes until T'Pol heard Travis over the comm. "Ready, commander."
"You have a lock?"
"Yes," Travis reported. "Hoshi and Trip, ready for transport."
"Do it," T'Pol ordered.
"Transporting now…wait—mass has dropped 40%! I may have lost one of them!"
T'Pol waited another few seconds. "Report, Ensign!"
"I…I have them, commander. Sort of…"
"Can you lock onto Mr. Reed and the captain?"
"Yes, ma'am, but—"
"Hull breech imminent, commander!" Baird reported.
"Now, Ensign!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
T'Pol turned to Baird. "You have the bridge."
Five minutes later she was in the corridor approaching the transporter.
"All four aboard, commander," Travis said. His voice was shaky and his eyes were wider than she'd ever seen.
"What's wrong with you, Travis? We're fine!"
The unfamiliar voice, thick with a southern drawl, came from behind Travis. T'Pol stepped to the side and moved forward, her eyes widening at the sight.
Four humans stood in front of her. Three males and one female. But they were not the crewmates she remembered.
"Wait, what?" The one on the far left said, and T'Pol looked down into blue eyes that belonged to her mate. "When'd you get so tall?" He said, bewildered.
He turned back to the others. The four of them were looking at each other, gaping. The female let out a shocked gasp. One of the other males was sputtering, "But—Travis! What? I don't—"
The one T'Pol deduced was Archer raised one of his hands and looked at it. It was much smaller than he was used to. "Oh my god," he said in a voice much higher than it had been just minutes before on the comm. He scanned the other three again with incredulity and growing trepidation.
"We're children!"
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A/N: Chapter title comes from the Whitney Houston song "Greatest Love of All." Some Lyrics:
I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be