I don't think I like this chapter. But oh well, you win some, you lose some.

I supposed I should update today. Got it all nice and written up. I won't be back for a while, 'cause I'm going to a Star Trek convention. Yeah! Woohoo!

Maybe Trip will be there.…

*********

"Malcolm, I swear I don't have a son!" Trip paced back and forth outside of the sickbay door. His raves about the composition of the shuttle's hull had been long abandoned after hearing the injured man call him 'dad'. The pilot, Chase, was now having his injuries treated and, also, getting a blood test.

            The armory officer glanced over at the engineer, "It appears that you might, Commander."

            "That guy has got to be in his twenties. I would've had to have been ten when I knocked up some girl." He shook his head as he continued speaking, "I think someone would've noticed a pregnant fourth grader wandering around!"

            "I always heard Americans start sleeping around quite young…" Reed murmured, barely suppressing a snicker.

            Tucker glared daggers at the lieutenant as he started stalking in the other officer's direction. "Don't make me whoop your ass, Malcolm."

            Reed's reply was interrupted by the 'swoosh' of the sickbay doors opening. Doctor Phlox stood at the doorway, motioning the two inside. "I ran a few tests, Commander Tucker, and it appears that this man, is indeed your son."

            "What the hell? That's impossible! I can't beli--"

            "There's more information that might come as even more of a shock to you, Commander," Phlox continued, cutting Trip's protest off. "He is also half Vulcan."

            Trip's eyes widened, staring at the doctor while Reed and Archer stared at him. "Now that is bull shit! I ain't never screwed around with a Vulcan!"

            "I can explain that," The man on the biobed announced, "You haven't had me yet."

            The engineer blinked, even more confused than he was before. "How is that possible? If you're here, then I've obviously had you already."

            Chase Tucker shook his head as a small grin etched across his features. "Well, I suppose you have had me. Just not quite yet. I'm from about thirty years in the future, 2182."

            "Then why are you here?" Trip was falling farther and farther into bewilderment. He had a twenty-seven year old son who was from the future. It was a concept he couldn't quite accept at the moment.

            Lieutenant Reed murmured half-audibly, "It would appear you have a time-traveling son."

            "It sounds kind of absurd, but I suppose I am a time-traveler. Purely by accident though." He sat up as he tried to explain what had happened, "I was on my way back to my ship in a shuttle, when I was attacked by some sort of marauder. All the sudden this…thing opened up in front of me and just sucked me in. The damage to my ship just made the turbulence seem worse and I guess I knocked my head on something. And then I woke up on Enterprise." The man seemed completely truthful in his words, masking the lies he spoke.

            "Ah, can I talk you three in private?" Trip motioned to Reed, Archer and Phlox before quickly moving into the corner. His voice turned into a whisper, "We can't believe him! He's lyin' to us, Cap'n!"

            Archer glanced back at the man on the biobed, shaking his head. "It may be unlikely, Trip, but we have no reason not to believe him. Phlox's tests say he's your son, and I pretty sure there's no way to change your genes."

            "And, might I add," Malcolm interjected, "that the shuttle did show signs of a battle. You yourself saw the scorch marks, Commander."

            Tucker fidgeted, desperate to come up with more to back up his claim. It wasn't very difficult -- the entire circumstance around Chase's appearance were ludicrous. "But how in the world could he travel back in time? And not mention the fact he's half Vulcan. I'm pretty sure that in three years, the Vulcans won't be liking us enough to get hitched to a human!"

            Doctor Phlox chuckled to himself, before saying, "Maybe the two of your weren't married." 

            "Don't even go there. Cap'n, you can't believe that guy! Can't we…send him off on his way or somethin'?"

            "You know I can't do that, Trip. He's staying onboard until we get him back to wherever, or whenever, he came from or until we know he's lying."

            The engineer cursed under his breath, mumbling complaints quietly to himself before he was ushered back to the biobed. The young man was busy examining the various scanners and tinkering around with them. Doctor Phlox obviously wasn't pleased.

            "Did y'know," Chase Tucker said the moment the four returned and waved up a device, "this thing can cause internal bleeding, mental disorders, loss of limbs, and death. It was taken out of medical facilities a decade ago. Started killing thousands of people who came in for minor surgeries…Teeth being pulled, a splinter removed…Hope you didn't use it on me."

            Phlox calmly took the medical apparatus from the young man, setting it back on the table. "Thank you for informing me, Mister Tucker. I assure you, I did not use that on you."

            "Good. Now, have you decided whether you're going to keep me, or just shove me off the ship in an escape pod?"

            Archer glanced at the annoyed engineer beside him before smiling warmly. "I'd like to welcome you aboard the Enterprise, Chase. It seems you're here to stay until we can get you back home."

            Chase smiled, nodding his head. That smiled turned into a cocky grin. "Now, I bet you all have some questions you're dyin' to ask. Fire away."

            The other men in the room glanced at each other, each having a thousand questions themselves. It was Trip that managed to beat them to the punch, though. An almost embarrassed look crossed his face as he asked, "Exactly who was your ma? Should I be looking out for some Vulcan that I'm gonna knock up? Or…ah, were we actually married?"

            "You were married. You probably know her right now, in fact." Chase started speaking, but was cut off by the ship suddenly jerking back and forth. The comm. beeped though, the Sub-Commander's voice coming though from the bridge,

            "Captain, an alien vessel has dropped out of warp. It then proceeded to fire upon us." The ship lurched again, and now it was known what was causing it. Chase jerked up at hearing the voice, listening with an almost eager nature. When she stopped speaking, he sighed, a misty look appearing in his eyes.

            Archer and Reed leapt towards the door, each of them ordering the bridge to fire. Then, the barrage seemed to stop. The ship settled into an eerie sort of serene.

            "Captain, I report that we now cannot fire upon the alien ship."

            "Why not, T'Pol?"

            There was a slight pause, "Because the alien ship is no longer there. It has jumped to warp."

            The Captain and Reed quickly made their way off out of sickbay, leaving Trip behind with the doctor and patient. He was about leave, when he turned towards his supposed son. "You never answered my question. Who's your mom?"

            That seemed to shake Chase from his daze. He forced a weak little smile as he responded, "T'Pol."