THE GAMES

Disclaimer#1    Paramount owns the characters of the series Enterprise, I've just

                        borrowed them for a while, and I promise to give them back…

Disclaimer#2    No profit is being made from this story.

Archive            Yes, please just let me know where.

Characters        All of the regulars.

A/N                 script inside '' and in italics indicates a person's thoughts.

                        As I haven't seen season two yet, this is purely fiction for fun.

Summary          A planet's hatred of all things Vulcan spells trouble for the away team.

CHAPTER ONE

Trip Tucker stopped to catch his breath, sweat stinging his eyes, his chest heaving in an attempt to take in enough air for his tortured lungs. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take, but he refused to be beaten.

"Trip, take it easy, you're pushing yourself too hard."

Trip looked at Captain Jonathan Archer, his best friend of nearly ten years, and shook his head.

"Gotta keep goin'…you know how important it is to get fit after injury. Doc says "get plenty of exercise" an' I'm takin' him seriously. You go on back to the bridge, Cap'n; I'll just be another while here. I'm ok, honest."

Jon sighed in frustration at his stubborn chief Engineer, but he knew he wouldn't convince Trip to stop before he was ready. Trip seemed to attract injury and trouble like honey pots and bees, and he was once again pushing himself in the ship's gym, striving for full fitness.

"Ok, but if you're still here when my shift ends in an hour, I'll confine you to your quarters. Dr Phlox didn't mean for you to end up back in sickbay."

Trip ducked his head in acknowledgement and gave his friend a cheeky grin.

"I'm through with sickbay; ya can take my name off that bed. From now on, I'm stayin' behind Malcolm. Any trouble's lookin' for me'll find him instead. He's the Armoury officer; let him take some flak for a change."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Enterprise was in standard orbit around Solan, an M-class planet. The ship's mission was to make first contact with new worlds, and Jon still felt a frisson of excitement every time they arrived somewhere new.

The senior bridge crew and Dr Phlox all stood around the central console in the situation room.

"What does the Vulcan database have on Solan, Sub-Commander?" Jon addressed his second in command.

T'Pol drew herself up straight, hands clasped behind her back. "The Solanese race was a very violent people, Captain. They were physically very strong and there was little, if any sense of right or wrong."

"You said "were"; does that mean they've changed?"

"Several attempts to aid their transition to a civilised society were made by the Vulcan High Command, but were rejected. However, according to more recent reports, their lawlessness has abated."

Trip had been listening to the spiel, and could contain his impudence no longer. "Sounds a lot like Vulcan used to be."

T'Pol swung round to face the engineer, a steely look in her dark eyes. "Vulcan is not proud of its violent past, Commander Tucker, but thanks to Surak, we came through our Time of Enlightment. We no longer allow our emotions to govern our actions."

"Makes ya feel all warm an' superior to everyone else, though, doesn't it?"

"That would be an emotional response, Commander." She thought she'd got the last say.

"Oh, yeah, right, I forgot…no emotions." 'I don't think!'

Jon listened to the banter between his two senior officers. Trip never seemed to tire of trying to annoy the young Vulcan, but mostly, of late, they tolerated each other quite well.

"Ok people, time out. So, back to Solan. Are they civilised enough for us to risk making contact?"

"I would caution against it, Captain." T'Pol felt the human need to rush into situations against advice would be their undoing.

"We'll just say hello, and take it slowly from there. Hoshi, open a hail."

Ensign Sato moved gracefully across to the Communications station and sent the greeting in the language they'd found in the database. An immediate response returned.

"On screen," Jon ordered, taking his seat as his officers moved to their posts.

He could feel the atmosphere tingling with anticipation as the link was opened. This was what they had signed up for, why they were out here, and light years from home.

"I'm Jonathan Archer, Captain of the earth Starship Enterprise. We're explorers and bring greetings from our people to yours." 

The Universal Translator transferred his English to Solanese, and they waited, watching. The alien on screen pressed a few buttons in front of him, and when he replied, it came through in English.

"Captain Jonathan Archer, you and your crew are all most welcome to Solan. I am Chancellor Ardl. I will send you the landing co-ordinates for our capital city. Please come and visit. We have much to share with you. I have just one request: please ask your young Vulcan friend to remain on board your vessel."

TBC