**********
GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT
Chapter V
**********
Trip sat on a bench in the palace courtyard, his face turned to the sun. The warm light felt wonderful after having spent a full week indoors, ordered to stay in bed by the First Monarch's physician. Dr. Phlox had come down from the ship immediately after being contacted by the captain. Trip had thought the Denobulan would allow him to go home so he was very disappointed when the ship's doctor had agreed with Dr. Weyn. Although he had spent most of the week sleeping, he still felt like he'd pulled ten consecutive shifts of hard duty in engineering. His body ached, especially his arms and shoulders. That morning, though, both doctors had agreed that he was well enough to get back to Enterprise. Trip smiled and closed his eyes. He was going home.
"Hello, Mr. Tucker."
Trip opened his eyes to find the princess watching him. She sat down on the bench next to him but was careful to leave a large space between them. She had been to see him only a couple times over the week and she had never come alone.
"You're leaving today?" she asked.
"Yeah. I'm just waiting for the cap'n and T'Pol to finish up with your dad. It's nice of him to give us that drilling equipment."
"He feels it's the least he can do to try to make amends."
Trip looked over at Kaitaama. She was still beautiful and exotic but the spirit he'd known was no longer there. He hoped it was just hidden somewhere within her and that one day she'd find it again.
"Are you going to be okay?" he asked quietly.
Kaitaama sighed. "I think so. I start therapy sessions tomorrow so hopefully those will help. It's funny, though. This whole experience has brought my father and I closer together. After my mother died, we drifted apart. He hardly ever told me he loved me. Now he tells me all the time."
Trip pondered her words. "Maybe if you cling to that, it will make everything you went through have some sort of purpose."
"What about you? Are you going to be okay?"
Trip grinned. "Me? Ahhh, I'll be fine. This was nothin'."
"I guess I don't have to worry with the sub-commander there to watch over you."
"T'Pol!?" Trip said in surprise.
The princess nodded her head and smiled warmly. It was the first genuine smile Trip had seen from her over the last week.
"She likes you, you know."
"I annoy the hell out of her! She barely tolerates me!" For some strange reason, Trip felt his face flush.
"You annoy the...hell out of me and I like you," Kaitaama said softly, looking away from him.
Trip had absolutely no response so he just smiled and stared at the ground before him. At that moment, he heard the voice of Captain Archer. The engineer slowly rose to his feet, gritting his teeth against the aches and pains. The two walked the stone pathway toward the palace patio where the captain, T'Pol, and the First Monarch stood chatting.
"You ready to go, Trip?" asked the captain as the engineer approached. "Malcolm should be landing any minute."
Trip nodded, too winded by his little walk to respond verbally. Kaitaama quickly moved to her father's side and clutched his arm. The First Monarch and his daughter walked beside Jon who was carrying the drilling equipment, while T'Pol and Trip followed. They headed to the transport vehicle that waited several meters away. T'Pol held Trip's elbow in support and the engineer smiled down at her in thanks. She acknowledged him with a slight lift of one eyebrow.
When they reached the transport, Trip waved off Kai's attempts at more apologies. He extended his hand in friendship to the First Monarch who took it, a look of relief on his face. While Kai said his good-byes to Jon and T'Pol, Trip turned to Kaitaama. He was surprised when she timidly reached out to embrace him. He held her gently, knowing how hard it was for her to make the gesture. They parted and the princess instantly returned to her father's side. With Jon and T'Pol's help, Trip climbed into the vehicle then they headed to the landing site.
**********
"Good to see you, Commander," greeted Lieutenant Reed. He took the equipment cases from the captain but smiled warmly at Trip before turning to load the cases into the shuttle pod.
"Good to be seen, Malcolm," Trip responded. Jon climbed out of the vehicle then helped his engineer. He noticed that Trip was looking tired. His friend leaned heavily on him as they walked to the shuttle.
T'Pol climbed in first then with Malcolm's help, they both assisted Trip through the shuttle pod hatch. The Vulcan settled the commander on the back bench while the lieutenant took the pilot's chair. Jon climbed in and closed the hatch behind him. He sat down in the chair to Malcolm's right and swiveled around so he could watch Trip. T'Pol had pulled a blanket out of the storage compartment and had put it around the engineer's shoulders. She sat down next to him on the bench.
"Malcolm, make sure Dr. Phlox is waiting in the launchbay when we get back to Enterprise," Jon directed over his shoulder.
"Aye, sir"
The shuttle pod shivered slightly as it was powered up. Within seconds, the little craft was airborne, leaving Krios Prime fading away behind it.
"We'll have you home in no time, Trip," Jon said. His friend nodded then leaned his head back against the wall. Within seconds, he was sound asleep. By the time they entered the launchbay on Enterprise, the engineer's head had slipped down onto T'Pol's shoulder. Jon couldn't help but smile at the sight before him. The slight shudder of the pod landing woke Trip and Jon thought he actually looked embarrassed at the position in which he found himself.
"Oh, uh, sorry Sub-commander," he stammered. Jon had to work hard to stifle a chuckle.
"It is quite alright, Commander," T'Pol responded evenly. The hatch opened and the smiling face of Dr. Phlox appeared.
"Ah, Commander. Welcome home!" he all but chirped.
**********
The next morning, T'Pol was checking in with Lieutenant Anna Hess when Commander Tucker entered engineering. When his crew saw him, they cheered loudly. He waved at them, looking pleased and embarrassed at the same time.
"Commander Tucker, I was unaware you were back on duty," said T'Pol. She joined the engineer where he stood just inside the door.
"Just wanted to see my engine, Sub-commander. Make sure she was still runnin' like a fine oiled machine."
T'Pol still couldn't understand the need for humans to place gender on inanimate objects but she no longer questioned them when they did. She watched Commander Tucker as he took in the sight of the huge warp core before him. He still looked weak and tired, but some brightness had returned to his eyes. When he turned and grinned at her, T'Pol suddenly felt relieved. She couldn't pinpoint exactly when it had happened or how it had happened, but sometime over the last year and a half, the commander had become important to her. She remembered telling the engineer that Vulcans did not get scared but when he had disappeared from the bridge just over a week ago, she wondered if she had felt fear for the first time in her life. She had been concerned for the captain's well-being as well but only as her commanding officer and her friend.
"T'Pol?"
His voice brought her out of her thoughts. He was looking at her, his head tilted slightly to the side.
"Are you with me?"
"I apologize, Commander. What did you say?"
"I was askin' if you wanted to go get some breakfast with me."
"Yes. That would be acceptable."
Emotions were dangerous things, T'Pol reminded herself as they walked out of engineering together. Especially when they involved a certain chief engineer. She knew she was going to have to work hard to control them but as they walked in companionable silence down the corridor, T'Pol allowed herself a moment to revel in their warmth. Then with a pang of regret, the Vulcan buried her feelings and stepped into the mess hall beside her crewmate.
THE END.....FOR NOW
GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT
Chapter V
**********
Trip sat on a bench in the palace courtyard, his face turned to the sun. The warm light felt wonderful after having spent a full week indoors, ordered to stay in bed by the First Monarch's physician. Dr. Phlox had come down from the ship immediately after being contacted by the captain. Trip had thought the Denobulan would allow him to go home so he was very disappointed when the ship's doctor had agreed with Dr. Weyn. Although he had spent most of the week sleeping, he still felt like he'd pulled ten consecutive shifts of hard duty in engineering. His body ached, especially his arms and shoulders. That morning, though, both doctors had agreed that he was well enough to get back to Enterprise. Trip smiled and closed his eyes. He was going home.
"Hello, Mr. Tucker."
Trip opened his eyes to find the princess watching him. She sat down on the bench next to him but was careful to leave a large space between them. She had been to see him only a couple times over the week and she had never come alone.
"You're leaving today?" she asked.
"Yeah. I'm just waiting for the cap'n and T'Pol to finish up with your dad. It's nice of him to give us that drilling equipment."
"He feels it's the least he can do to try to make amends."
Trip looked over at Kaitaama. She was still beautiful and exotic but the spirit he'd known was no longer there. He hoped it was just hidden somewhere within her and that one day she'd find it again.
"Are you going to be okay?" he asked quietly.
Kaitaama sighed. "I think so. I start therapy sessions tomorrow so hopefully those will help. It's funny, though. This whole experience has brought my father and I closer together. After my mother died, we drifted apart. He hardly ever told me he loved me. Now he tells me all the time."
Trip pondered her words. "Maybe if you cling to that, it will make everything you went through have some sort of purpose."
"What about you? Are you going to be okay?"
Trip grinned. "Me? Ahhh, I'll be fine. This was nothin'."
"I guess I don't have to worry with the sub-commander there to watch over you."
"T'Pol!?" Trip said in surprise.
The princess nodded her head and smiled warmly. It was the first genuine smile Trip had seen from her over the last week.
"She likes you, you know."
"I annoy the hell out of her! She barely tolerates me!" For some strange reason, Trip felt his face flush.
"You annoy the...hell out of me and I like you," Kaitaama said softly, looking away from him.
Trip had absolutely no response so he just smiled and stared at the ground before him. At that moment, he heard the voice of Captain Archer. The engineer slowly rose to his feet, gritting his teeth against the aches and pains. The two walked the stone pathway toward the palace patio where the captain, T'Pol, and the First Monarch stood chatting.
"You ready to go, Trip?" asked the captain as the engineer approached. "Malcolm should be landing any minute."
Trip nodded, too winded by his little walk to respond verbally. Kaitaama quickly moved to her father's side and clutched his arm. The First Monarch and his daughter walked beside Jon who was carrying the drilling equipment, while T'Pol and Trip followed. They headed to the transport vehicle that waited several meters away. T'Pol held Trip's elbow in support and the engineer smiled down at her in thanks. She acknowledged him with a slight lift of one eyebrow.
When they reached the transport, Trip waved off Kai's attempts at more apologies. He extended his hand in friendship to the First Monarch who took it, a look of relief on his face. While Kai said his good-byes to Jon and T'Pol, Trip turned to Kaitaama. He was surprised when she timidly reached out to embrace him. He held her gently, knowing how hard it was for her to make the gesture. They parted and the princess instantly returned to her father's side. With Jon and T'Pol's help, Trip climbed into the vehicle then they headed to the landing site.
**********
"Good to see you, Commander," greeted Lieutenant Reed. He took the equipment cases from the captain but smiled warmly at Trip before turning to load the cases into the shuttle pod.
"Good to be seen, Malcolm," Trip responded. Jon climbed out of the vehicle then helped his engineer. He noticed that Trip was looking tired. His friend leaned heavily on him as they walked to the shuttle.
T'Pol climbed in first then with Malcolm's help, they both assisted Trip through the shuttle pod hatch. The Vulcan settled the commander on the back bench while the lieutenant took the pilot's chair. Jon climbed in and closed the hatch behind him. He sat down in the chair to Malcolm's right and swiveled around so he could watch Trip. T'Pol had pulled a blanket out of the storage compartment and had put it around the engineer's shoulders. She sat down next to him on the bench.
"Malcolm, make sure Dr. Phlox is waiting in the launchbay when we get back to Enterprise," Jon directed over his shoulder.
"Aye, sir"
The shuttle pod shivered slightly as it was powered up. Within seconds, the little craft was airborne, leaving Krios Prime fading away behind it.
"We'll have you home in no time, Trip," Jon said. His friend nodded then leaned his head back against the wall. Within seconds, he was sound asleep. By the time they entered the launchbay on Enterprise, the engineer's head had slipped down onto T'Pol's shoulder. Jon couldn't help but smile at the sight before him. The slight shudder of the pod landing woke Trip and Jon thought he actually looked embarrassed at the position in which he found himself.
"Oh, uh, sorry Sub-commander," he stammered. Jon had to work hard to stifle a chuckle.
"It is quite alright, Commander," T'Pol responded evenly. The hatch opened and the smiling face of Dr. Phlox appeared.
"Ah, Commander. Welcome home!" he all but chirped.
**********
The next morning, T'Pol was checking in with Lieutenant Anna Hess when Commander Tucker entered engineering. When his crew saw him, they cheered loudly. He waved at them, looking pleased and embarrassed at the same time.
"Commander Tucker, I was unaware you were back on duty," said T'Pol. She joined the engineer where he stood just inside the door.
"Just wanted to see my engine, Sub-commander. Make sure she was still runnin' like a fine oiled machine."
T'Pol still couldn't understand the need for humans to place gender on inanimate objects but she no longer questioned them when they did. She watched Commander Tucker as he took in the sight of the huge warp core before him. He still looked weak and tired, but some brightness had returned to his eyes. When he turned and grinned at her, T'Pol suddenly felt relieved. She couldn't pinpoint exactly when it had happened or how it had happened, but sometime over the last year and a half, the commander had become important to her. She remembered telling the engineer that Vulcans did not get scared but when he had disappeared from the bridge just over a week ago, she wondered if she had felt fear for the first time in her life. She had been concerned for the captain's well-being as well but only as her commanding officer and her friend.
"T'Pol?"
His voice brought her out of her thoughts. He was looking at her, his head tilted slightly to the side.
"Are you with me?"
"I apologize, Commander. What did you say?"
"I was askin' if you wanted to go get some breakfast with me."
"Yes. That would be acceptable."
Emotions were dangerous things, T'Pol reminded herself as they walked out of engineering together. Especially when they involved a certain chief engineer. She knew she was going to have to work hard to control them but as they walked in companionable silence down the corridor, T'Pol allowed herself a moment to revel in their warmth. Then with a pang of regret, the Vulcan buried her feelings and stepped into the mess hall beside her crewmate.
THE END.....FOR NOW