NX-03 Challenger
Outer System
Alpha Centauri

Despite being bonded already, Trip and T'Pol made neuropressue a regular thing. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, they met in the captain's quarters for their regular session.

After learning of T'Pol's one exposure to jazz, Trip made it a regular part of their sessions. While working the neural nodes of one another's feet, Nat King Cole's 'Nature Boy' played in the background.

"You know, T'Pol, "Trip said. "My birthday's coming up in a couple of weeks. I don't suppose you got me anything."

"I did." She said, "It is hidden in the cargo bay."

"Wow. I didn't really expect you to have gotten me anything."

"I have studied North American traditions just as you have Vulcan culture. Something, by the way, I am grateful for."

"So what'd you get me?"

"I bought you a new set of…"

"Whoa." Trip interrupted. "You're not supposed to tell me!"

"Then why did you ask?"

"Well, I dunno. You're supposed to give me a hint or something, I guess."

"Very well. Your present is a superior set of something you already own."

"A superior set of something I own." Trip pondered.

"Something I own." He pondered further.

Trip pondered still more as he switched from one of T'Pol's feet to the other, sensing they were becoming overstimulated. He gave up trying to guess his present.

"That's a good clue." He admitted. "The only thing I can think of that I own in sets are uniforms. I doubt you got me a new uniform or two."

"Not exactly." T'Pol said.

"Aha!" Trip exclaimed. "It's some sort of accessory…wait, no…I don't own any accessories."

Trip was stumped and he knew it. So, he changed the subject.

"Say, I've been meaning to ask you." He said. "As XO of the ship, what do you think about instating movie night on a weekly basis."

"I recall that it improved morale aboard the Enterprise. I see no reason why it would not do the same on this ship."

"I'm thinking about the Lord of the Rings trilogy. There are some really powerful scenes in there."

"Very well. I can offer several Vulcan features for your review as well."

"Vulans make movies? That surprises me, though I guess it probably shouldn't."

"Most Vulcan films are historical reenactments, though there are some that cover the questioning of logic in one's superiors and oneself."

'Now that sounds really interesting. And I think that brings Rex to mind. I'll have to ask him for recommendations, and there's Asha's Vulcan Sunset."

Their feet were done so they moved on to each other's backs and shoulders. Trip went first, applying considerable pressure just so and precisely until T'Pol issued a shuddering sigh. It wasn't a sexual climax per se but it had more or less the same effect, leaving T'Pol as boneless as a jellyfish.

T'Pol returned the favor and, though he didn't achieve the same level of release, it nonetheless proved quite relaxing.

She was nearly complete when the comm chimed.

"Bridge to Captain Tucker."

Trip stood up, patting T'Pol's leg in parting, and answered the comm.

"Go ahead, bridge."

"Captain, the subspace transceiver is away, and we haven't detected anything from the sensor array. We're still scanning for cloaked vessels but nothing on that front either. We're ready to depart on your order, sir."

"I'm on my way, Mitchell."

Limbs were stowed away, and zippers zipped until they both were presentable, then they departed for the lift to the bridge, arriving in short order.

Mitchell stood ready to be relieved but Trip declined.

"It's your crew, Jack." He said. "You lead them."

Jack Mitchell nodded and took his seat in the captain's chair.

"Plot a course for Alpha Centauri IV, engage when ready."

"Course plotted." Jenny Abrams reported from the helm station." Uh…wait, there's something wrong…"

"The warp ready line is breached." Rodriguez said, from engineering. "Somewhere between junctions 23a and 23b."

"That's an easy fix." Trip said. "Just have my toolbelt and a comm waiting for me and I'll have us ready to warp in no time."

"Roger that, Captain." Rodriguez responded.

Trip dashed for the lift, perfectly aware that if the Romulan fleet chose the next while to appear, they were screwed. He rode the lift to deck E, then left the lift to find an engineer holding out his tool belt and a comm at the entrance to the jefferies tube.

Taking his gear in hand, Trip dove into the tube, making his way quickly to junction 23a. Finding the breach was easy, as it smoked and sparked just ahead. Approaching the breach, Trip was immediately shocked,

The line hadn't breached accidently. It had been cut,

Trip spoke into his comm,

"Captain to the bridge.' He said, "Go to alert status. This line's been cut. We have a saboteur onboard."

Mitchell didn't waste time responding.

"Attention. Go to alert status. Report to duty stations and await further orders."

Trip got to work on the breach, patching the wires and sealing the whole thing with electrical foam.

Then the automated system chimed in,

"Attention. Imminent warp core breach. Prepare to abandon ship."

The 23rd tube led straight to engineering, so Trip didn't pause. He shuffled down the tube, hoping to reinstate the antimatter containment before it was too late, causing the ship to explode.

"Captain," Mitchell said over the comm. "If you're heading for engineering I'd think twice. We have a hostage situation down there."

Trip didn't bother answering. Instead he reached and stepped through the jefferies tube hatch in engineering. As engineering was the alert status duty station for the MACO contingent aboard the Challenger, they were all there. All of them aiming phase rifle at the two people near the engineering console.

One was a Vulcan female Trip had never seen before .The other was a MACO sergeant, Sade Serra. The Vulcan was holding a phase pistol to Sade's head.

"Major Coleman," Trip said. "What's the situation?"

"This crazy Vulcan is keeping the engineering staff away from the control console." Coleman said. "I think she's trying to wait out the clock."

Trip stepped forward then.

"Look," He said., speaking to the Vulcan. "All my MACO are crack shots. You've got about five seconds before I order them to fire at your head."

The Vulcan laughed.

Vulcans didn't laugh, so Trip knew he was dealing with a truly unhinged individual.

"Are you the captain?" The Vulcan asked.

"I am." Trip acknowledged.

"Good." The Vulcan said…then aimed and fired at Trip.

That was apparently what Sergeant Serra had been waiting for. She reached up, grabbing the crazy Vulcan's shoulder, then twisted her hip, tossing her over and onto her back on the floor.

The MACO opened fire immediately, practically cutting her to ribbons.

There would be no interrogation. MACO phase rifles did not have a stun setting.

Trip started for the engineering console but was surprised when his knees buckled and he ended up on all fours. Only then did he realize he'd been shot. Before he could do anything about it, his vision faded to black and he fell unconscious to the floor.