Chapter 14-
---Captain's Starlog, Supplemental: By the time myself and the rest of the landing party returned aboard Enterprise, Dr. Phlox had completed his examination of Commander Tucker. The doctor was well underway with cosmetically erasing the deep bruises left on the commander's person by Treianna. He said the pain and discomfort would last at least a week. Leaving the doctor to his work, I and the others turned in for a much needed night's sleep.---
Archer entered sickbay and saw Phlox busy feeding his little creatures. Phlox looked up and smiled at the captain.
"Good morning, Captain. Did you sleep well?"
Archer nodded. "Comfortably. Thank you for the knock out shot. And the medical opinion."
"Educated opinion, Captain." Phlox corrected with a smile. "No need to keep second guessing me. Your behavior around Treianna was not characteristic. She affected your judgement, I believe."
Phlox saw the captain look toward the drape that covered the bio bed in the corner.
"He's awake." Phlox told him. "He's finishing his breakfast."
"So, I guess you asked him?" Archer asked, hesitantly.
"I did." Phlox scrunched his mouth up. "As we surmised, it was not consensual, Captain."
Archer let out the breath he was holding in absent-mindedly. "What did he say?"
"Nothing. I asked him and he shook his head no." Phlox started to lead the captain toward the bed. "He hasn't verbally responded much at all. When he does, it's one word or two at the most. I was hoping you could get him to talk. I did tell him what I could about why Treianna might have done what she did."
Archer proceeded through the drape, leaving Phlox to go back to his critters.
Trip sat very high up in the bed. Jon saw that there were a couple of rather fluffy pillows underneath him. He looked well, on the outside.
Draining his orange juice, Trip put the glass back on the tray and pushed the arm away. He looked up at Jon.
"Morning." Jon greeted him.
"When can I get out of here?" Trip asked.
"I don't know." Jon shrugged his shoulders. "I can ask..."
"Naw." Trip waved his hand. "I think the doc said somethin' about this afternoon. I wasn't really payin' attention. So, guess I asked for this."
"What?" Jon asked in confusion.
"Well, I wanted to go to the festival. Serves me right, I guess."
Jon turned and started to pace around the bed. Trip was, no doubt, angry and confused. Maybe even a little embarrassed. Now Jon needed to say his peace.
"I know this is awkward." Jon finally said. "So, let me just tell you what I think."
Trip rolled his eyes and hung his head, letting out an annoyed sigh.
"Not what you should think, Trip." Jon emphasized. "What I think. We're going to come up against diverse cultures..."
"Don't ya mean perverse?" Trip cracked, sarcastically.
"Okay, forget it." Jon turned and started to leave.
"Wait," Trip pleaded. "Don't go. Please?" Jon turned around and looked at his friend. "I'm sorry."
"No, I'm sorry." Jon replied. "That's what I'm trying to say. I should've been more alert and pulled rank, like you said before."
"It's not your fault." Trip said, quietly.
"Let me finish." Jon said, equally as quiet. "I was kind of under her spell, too. I didn't realize it until I started thinking over how I treated you in her presence. I talked to the doc and he thinks that's what happened."
There was a thoughtful pause. "What about the diverse cultures?" Trip asked.
"We're not going to understand what makes some worlds embrace certain ways of life. That's a given." Jon began. "And trying to, will only drive us mad. You asked Treianna if how you felt ever mattered to her. I have to ask. Does that matter to you?"
"I don't know." Trip laid his head back on the pillow. "Part of me kept thinking she cared a little about me. Even after she..." He sighed, remembering their union the day before. "I think I liked her at first. She was what I came on this mission for. To learn about other worlds, people. And she was interested in getting to know me. Or so I thought."
"You were seduced by a very mysterious and exotic woman, Trip. Because of those pheromones."
"Makes me feel pretty stupid, though." Trip looked at Jon now.
"Shouldn't." Jon replied. "Marisetta said the council was meeting to remove Treianna from her position. Her transition took a turn to the extreme, Trip."
"Doc told me." Trip mumbled, picking at the bed sheet.
"So, you think you're going to be all right?"
"Yeah," Trip sighed. "I guess so. Eventually."
"Well, if you need a shoulder, you know where to come." Jon smiled at him.
"Thanks. I'm sure I will. And if I need the voice of logic and unemotional wisdom, there's always our resident Vulcan." Trip smirked.
"Well..." Jon squinted at him. "Normally I'd agree with you." Off of Trip's frown, Jon pulled up a chair. "Let me tell you about her mean right hook."
THE END
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Much appreciation for the reviews. I'm so sorry for the typos and grammar slips, but my eyes do get tired late at night. The last two chapters had been written, so this is to Sue--GREAT THINKING AHEAD!-- Hope I didn't disappoint any of you. Next one will not have any sexual situations, but plenty of Trip angst! Thanks again to all!
---Captain's Starlog, Supplemental: By the time myself and the rest of the landing party returned aboard Enterprise, Dr. Phlox had completed his examination of Commander Tucker. The doctor was well underway with cosmetically erasing the deep bruises left on the commander's person by Treianna. He said the pain and discomfort would last at least a week. Leaving the doctor to his work, I and the others turned in for a much needed night's sleep.---
Archer entered sickbay and saw Phlox busy feeding his little creatures. Phlox looked up and smiled at the captain.
"Good morning, Captain. Did you sleep well?"
Archer nodded. "Comfortably. Thank you for the knock out shot. And the medical opinion."
"Educated opinion, Captain." Phlox corrected with a smile. "No need to keep second guessing me. Your behavior around Treianna was not characteristic. She affected your judgement, I believe."
Phlox saw the captain look toward the drape that covered the bio bed in the corner.
"He's awake." Phlox told him. "He's finishing his breakfast."
"So, I guess you asked him?" Archer asked, hesitantly.
"I did." Phlox scrunched his mouth up. "As we surmised, it was not consensual, Captain."
Archer let out the breath he was holding in absent-mindedly. "What did he say?"
"Nothing. I asked him and he shook his head no." Phlox started to lead the captain toward the bed. "He hasn't verbally responded much at all. When he does, it's one word or two at the most. I was hoping you could get him to talk. I did tell him what I could about why Treianna might have done what she did."
Archer proceeded through the drape, leaving Phlox to go back to his critters.
Trip sat very high up in the bed. Jon saw that there were a couple of rather fluffy pillows underneath him. He looked well, on the outside.
Draining his orange juice, Trip put the glass back on the tray and pushed the arm away. He looked up at Jon.
"Morning." Jon greeted him.
"When can I get out of here?" Trip asked.
"I don't know." Jon shrugged his shoulders. "I can ask..."
"Naw." Trip waved his hand. "I think the doc said somethin' about this afternoon. I wasn't really payin' attention. So, guess I asked for this."
"What?" Jon asked in confusion.
"Well, I wanted to go to the festival. Serves me right, I guess."
Jon turned and started to pace around the bed. Trip was, no doubt, angry and confused. Maybe even a little embarrassed. Now Jon needed to say his peace.
"I know this is awkward." Jon finally said. "So, let me just tell you what I think."
Trip rolled his eyes and hung his head, letting out an annoyed sigh.
"Not what you should think, Trip." Jon emphasized. "What I think. We're going to come up against diverse cultures..."
"Don't ya mean perverse?" Trip cracked, sarcastically.
"Okay, forget it." Jon turned and started to leave.
"Wait," Trip pleaded. "Don't go. Please?" Jon turned around and looked at his friend. "I'm sorry."
"No, I'm sorry." Jon replied. "That's what I'm trying to say. I should've been more alert and pulled rank, like you said before."
"It's not your fault." Trip said, quietly.
"Let me finish." Jon said, equally as quiet. "I was kind of under her spell, too. I didn't realize it until I started thinking over how I treated you in her presence. I talked to the doc and he thinks that's what happened."
There was a thoughtful pause. "What about the diverse cultures?" Trip asked.
"We're not going to understand what makes some worlds embrace certain ways of life. That's a given." Jon began. "And trying to, will only drive us mad. You asked Treianna if how you felt ever mattered to her. I have to ask. Does that matter to you?"
"I don't know." Trip laid his head back on the pillow. "Part of me kept thinking she cared a little about me. Even after she..." He sighed, remembering their union the day before. "I think I liked her at first. She was what I came on this mission for. To learn about other worlds, people. And she was interested in getting to know me. Or so I thought."
"You were seduced by a very mysterious and exotic woman, Trip. Because of those pheromones."
"Makes me feel pretty stupid, though." Trip looked at Jon now.
"Shouldn't." Jon replied. "Marisetta said the council was meeting to remove Treianna from her position. Her transition took a turn to the extreme, Trip."
"Doc told me." Trip mumbled, picking at the bed sheet.
"So, you think you're going to be all right?"
"Yeah," Trip sighed. "I guess so. Eventually."
"Well, if you need a shoulder, you know where to come." Jon smiled at him.
"Thanks. I'm sure I will. And if I need the voice of logic and unemotional wisdom, there's always our resident Vulcan." Trip smirked.
"Well..." Jon squinted at him. "Normally I'd agree with you." Off of Trip's frown, Jon pulled up a chair. "Let me tell you about her mean right hook."
THE END
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Much appreciation for the reviews. I'm so sorry for the typos and grammar slips, but my eyes do get tired late at night. The last two chapters had been written, so this is to Sue--GREAT THINKING AHEAD!-- Hope I didn't disappoint any of you. Next one will not have any sexual situations, but plenty of Trip angst! Thanks again to all!