Disclaimer: Well, my exams are over at last! I've been going slightly mental over lack of writing but I'm back!!!! Lots of angst etc. in this part: you all have been warned!
The title and parts of poem in this story are taken from Mlaa's "The Call Of Steel." Thanks to my beta, "HopefulNebula" as always, and to "Mlaa" for being kind enough to let me borrow her poem.
The Call Of Steel.
Part 5:- Truth is a Whisper
~ Private person.
Like a brimming bottle,
"The Call of Steel" by Mlaa ~
Beep. "Archer to Commander Tucker. Come in Trip...."
Beep. "Trip, for Gods sake answer!"
Beep. "Trip If you don't come out I'll break the door down!"
Beep. "Come on Trip, talk to me!"
Beep. "Please."
"Jon." The word was so softly spoken that for a split second Archer wasn't sure he heard it. Trip never called him Jon anymore; the word 'Cap'n' had become a treasured nickname between the two. Yet it was Trip who stood by his now open door. Archer regarded his friend. Trip looked terrible. His hair was all messed up and his eyes were blood shot. Archer didn't know for sure but he had a pretty good idea of how much sleep Trip had gotten- None.
"Trip? You okay?" The question was a stupid one, but Archer had no idea what to say.
"I'm fine." Trip answered. Archer gave a short laugh.
"You really don't look it." he replayed, then instantly wished he hadn't as Trip tensed up.
"Look, Cap'n first you told me my Dad's dying, then that's he coming over to Enterprise and THEN you told me to have a holiday until he gets here, so I can't even concentrate on my work now!" Trip's voice had steadily increased in volume until the last words had been a scream. He turned away from Archer and squeezed his eyes shut.
"When will he get here?" Trip asked. Archer looked down at the floor.
"In two hours..." Archer mummerd. He looked everywhere but Trip's face. "The Vulcan ship will be here in two hours."
"Oh." Trip sagged against the door frame unable to process what Archer was saying. His mind went blank and and desperately hunted for something else to say.
"Did you find out who was shooting at us?" He muttered. Archer shook his head.
"They fired on us twice. When we hit then they took off. Haven't been back."
"That's good... Look Cap'n I got to go, I want to get all cleaned up before my dad gets here." Trip said softly. Archer nodded in agreement and Trip walked back into his room, closing the door. Archer frowned, there was something wrong about Trip. He seemed... broken as if something inside of him had just snapped.
"Trip..." he murmured, resting his head against the cool door. "Why won't you tell me what's wrong? Why won't you let me help you?"
Inside Trip's room, Trip sat slumped against the door, listening to Archer. He wanted until Archer had given a sigh then walked off before letting go of a breath he didn't know he had been holding.
"I'm sorry Cap'n... I just can't. You can't help me. Not with this." he pushed himself up and moved over to his shower. His shaking hand reached around the silver knob and turned on
the shower. He turned it hotter and hotter trying to gain some warmth in his numb body.
He let the hot drops cascade down on him. It was quite a while later when Trip first noticed it.
Afterwards had a hard time of remembering when he had first seen the clear drops of water change to a dull red. They rained down on him, staining his skin. Trip gave a small gasp as his eyes flickered around trying to work out where the red color was coming from. He shut his eyes and began to cry letting the red mix with his tear drops giving him the appearance of blood tears. When he opened his eyes again the red was gone, as if it was never there. He turned off the shower with one sudden movement and stared hard at the area. There was not a single spot of red anywhere.
"Archer to Trip." Archer's voice came through the comm shaking his thoughts back to the here and now.
"Yeah Cap'n?" he asked, his voice sounding rough.
"Trip... the Vulcan ship is here. They're sending a shuttle over now. Meet me in docking bay two in five minutes." Archer said then the line went dead. Trip gave a sigh and walked over to his desk intent on picking up a data pad. There on the top of the desk was a snake. Trip paused and blinked hard. He shut his eyes and mentally counted to ten. When he opened them the snake was still there.
"No." he muttered to himself, his voice slightly shaking. He shut his eyes again as by not seeing the snake it meant the snake wasn't there.
When he opened his eyes the snake was gone.
~@~
Archer stood by the doors of docking bay two waiting for Trip.
"Come on..." he muttered to himself. At that moment Trip hurried into view, his hands nervously trying to flatten his hair.
"Cap'n." he said quietly.
"The ships docking now. Come on Trip." Archer said, his voice quiet, unsure of what to say. Trip simply nodded, his vocal cords seemed unable to function properly. They walked into the bay and watched as the doors to the Vulcan shuttle slowly began to open. A male Vulcan walked out and gave Archer and Trip a small bow. Then Charles Tucker came down the ramp. Archer wasn't sure what he was expecting, someone who looked like Trip, with Trip's smile perhaps. Instead he was confronted by a skinny looking man in a wheelchair. He had the same blond hair as Trip's, but it was there that the similarities ended. The man looked up at Trip
and smiled. For some reason Archer's blood ran cold. It hadn't been a pleasant smile, more of a
predator's smile, evil and cold. Archer shook himself.
//Oh come on Jon, get a hold of yourself! This is TRIP'S dad you're thinking about!\\
"Father." Trip said politely.
"Charlie! My boy how are you?" Charles asked. Trip gave a weak smile.
"I'm good, father." Archer watched the extange going on in front of him with a slight frown on his face. This... coldness he was sensing coming from Trip was unnatural. It wasn't like Trip at all to be like this to anyone, least of all his own dad. Charles Tucker gave a thin smile as Trip moved behind him and grasped the handles of his wheelchair. Charles looked at Archer.
"You must be Captain Archer. Charlie has told me so much about you."
"All good I trust." Archer said. Charles laughed, then began to cough. He waved away any attempts of assientce and slowly stopped.
"I apologize Captain, I am not as well as I used to be. May I be taken to my room? I would like to have the chance to catch up with my son and hear what has been going on."
"Of course Mr. Tucker. This way." Archer said, leading them out of the landing bay.
Yet one image remained stuck in his mind no matter how hard he tried to get rid of it. When his dad had been coughing Trip had simply stood there without making the slightest move to help.
~@~
Outside the room they had prepared for Charles Tucker, Archer quickly said his goodbyes and walked off. There was something... off about Charles Tucker II, Archer could feel it in his bones. He walked into his ready room and sat down. With a slight hesitation he turned on his computer and hovered his fingers over the buttons. He pressed down on one and a screen popped up. It showed Trip and his dad sitting opposite each other. Archer gave a small smile, thankful that Malcolm had installed the cameras everywhere.
//What are you doing, Jon?\\ part of him screamed. //Trip's your friend and you're spying on him!\\ The stronger part of him overpowered the voice, determined to find out once and for all what was wrong with Trip. His eyes focused on the drama that was playing out in front of him.
"What's wrong, Charlie?" asked Charles. Trip shock his head and looked away. The older man narrowed his eyes.
"I asked you a question boy! And when I ask I expect an answer!" He roared. Trip flinched.
"Nothing's wrong... sir." he said dully. Charles smiled.
"Good. No more of that father nonsense. Call me sir."
"Yes Sir." Archer watched this all with growing horror. Something was very wrong here.
"Now... why haven't you called?" Trip stared at the... thing in front of him, the thing that made his life a living hell. Something inside of him broke as he looked at his father.
"I never called because of you... Sir." he spat out. Charles looked at him in a rage.
"Slince boy! I will have respect from you!" The man's voice dropped as he glared at his son. "or else you will have to have another... lesson." Trip froze and started at his father in fear. The older man gave a smirk and pressed home his advantage.
"That's right. Another lesson seems to be in order here." he hissed. Trip shut his eyes.
"No. I'll... I'll tell the cap'n." Charles burst out laughing.
"You really think he cares? He won't believe you. After all you're just a dirty whore. Why would anyone believe you?"
Archer turned the computer off, his mind frozen.
//A dirty whore ? B-but how would his dad know unless... no... no, no one would do that to there own son... would they?\\
TBC...
There you have it, please read and review!
Trip the Cyber-Lamb: Okay, Raven, A cyber-Lamb is my little pet lamb who lives in cyber-land (and just my head.) He's very cute!!
Till next time,
Sethoz-Chan.
The title and parts of poem in this story are taken from Mlaa's "The Call Of Steel." Thanks to my beta, "HopefulNebula" as always, and to "Mlaa" for being kind enough to let me borrow her poem.
The Call Of Steel.
Part 5:- Truth is a Whisper
~ Private person.
Like a brimming bottle,
"The Call of Steel" by Mlaa ~
Beep. "Archer to Commander Tucker. Come in Trip...."
Beep. "Trip, for Gods sake answer!"
Beep. "Trip If you don't come out I'll break the door down!"
Beep. "Come on Trip, talk to me!"
Beep. "Please."
"Jon." The word was so softly spoken that for a split second Archer wasn't sure he heard it. Trip never called him Jon anymore; the word 'Cap'n' had become a treasured nickname between the two. Yet it was Trip who stood by his now open door. Archer regarded his friend. Trip looked terrible. His hair was all messed up and his eyes were blood shot. Archer didn't know for sure but he had a pretty good idea of how much sleep Trip had gotten- None.
"Trip? You okay?" The question was a stupid one, but Archer had no idea what to say.
"I'm fine." Trip answered. Archer gave a short laugh.
"You really don't look it." he replayed, then instantly wished he hadn't as Trip tensed up.
"Look, Cap'n first you told me my Dad's dying, then that's he coming over to Enterprise and THEN you told me to have a holiday until he gets here, so I can't even concentrate on my work now!" Trip's voice had steadily increased in volume until the last words had been a scream. He turned away from Archer and squeezed his eyes shut.
"When will he get here?" Trip asked. Archer looked down at the floor.
"In two hours..." Archer mummerd. He looked everywhere but Trip's face. "The Vulcan ship will be here in two hours."
"Oh." Trip sagged against the door frame unable to process what Archer was saying. His mind went blank and and desperately hunted for something else to say.
"Did you find out who was shooting at us?" He muttered. Archer shook his head.
"They fired on us twice. When we hit then they took off. Haven't been back."
"That's good... Look Cap'n I got to go, I want to get all cleaned up before my dad gets here." Trip said softly. Archer nodded in agreement and Trip walked back into his room, closing the door. Archer frowned, there was something wrong about Trip. He seemed... broken as if something inside of him had just snapped.
"Trip..." he murmured, resting his head against the cool door. "Why won't you tell me what's wrong? Why won't you let me help you?"
Inside Trip's room, Trip sat slumped against the door, listening to Archer. He wanted until Archer had given a sigh then walked off before letting go of a breath he didn't know he had been holding.
"I'm sorry Cap'n... I just can't. You can't help me. Not with this." he pushed himself up and moved over to his shower. His shaking hand reached around the silver knob and turned on
the shower. He turned it hotter and hotter trying to gain some warmth in his numb body.
He let the hot drops cascade down on him. It was quite a while later when Trip first noticed it.
Afterwards had a hard time of remembering when he had first seen the clear drops of water change to a dull red. They rained down on him, staining his skin. Trip gave a small gasp as his eyes flickered around trying to work out where the red color was coming from. He shut his eyes and began to cry letting the red mix with his tear drops giving him the appearance of blood tears. When he opened his eyes again the red was gone, as if it was never there. He turned off the shower with one sudden movement and stared hard at the area. There was not a single spot of red anywhere.
"Archer to Trip." Archer's voice came through the comm shaking his thoughts back to the here and now.
"Yeah Cap'n?" he asked, his voice sounding rough.
"Trip... the Vulcan ship is here. They're sending a shuttle over now. Meet me in docking bay two in five minutes." Archer said then the line went dead. Trip gave a sigh and walked over to his desk intent on picking up a data pad. There on the top of the desk was a snake. Trip paused and blinked hard. He shut his eyes and mentally counted to ten. When he opened them the snake was still there.
"No." he muttered to himself, his voice slightly shaking. He shut his eyes again as by not seeing the snake it meant the snake wasn't there.
When he opened his eyes the snake was gone.
~@~
Archer stood by the doors of docking bay two waiting for Trip.
"Come on..." he muttered to himself. At that moment Trip hurried into view, his hands nervously trying to flatten his hair.
"Cap'n." he said quietly.
"The ships docking now. Come on Trip." Archer said, his voice quiet, unsure of what to say. Trip simply nodded, his vocal cords seemed unable to function properly. They walked into the bay and watched as the doors to the Vulcan shuttle slowly began to open. A male Vulcan walked out and gave Archer and Trip a small bow. Then Charles Tucker came down the ramp. Archer wasn't sure what he was expecting, someone who looked like Trip, with Trip's smile perhaps. Instead he was confronted by a skinny looking man in a wheelchair. He had the same blond hair as Trip's, but it was there that the similarities ended. The man looked up at Trip
and smiled. For some reason Archer's blood ran cold. It hadn't been a pleasant smile, more of a
predator's smile, evil and cold. Archer shook himself.
//Oh come on Jon, get a hold of yourself! This is TRIP'S dad you're thinking about!\\
"Father." Trip said politely.
"Charlie! My boy how are you?" Charles asked. Trip gave a weak smile.
"I'm good, father." Archer watched the extange going on in front of him with a slight frown on his face. This... coldness he was sensing coming from Trip was unnatural. It wasn't like Trip at all to be like this to anyone, least of all his own dad. Charles Tucker gave a thin smile as Trip moved behind him and grasped the handles of his wheelchair. Charles looked at Archer.
"You must be Captain Archer. Charlie has told me so much about you."
"All good I trust." Archer said. Charles laughed, then began to cough. He waved away any attempts of assientce and slowly stopped.
"I apologize Captain, I am not as well as I used to be. May I be taken to my room? I would like to have the chance to catch up with my son and hear what has been going on."
"Of course Mr. Tucker. This way." Archer said, leading them out of the landing bay.
Yet one image remained stuck in his mind no matter how hard he tried to get rid of it. When his dad had been coughing Trip had simply stood there without making the slightest move to help.
~@~
Outside the room they had prepared for Charles Tucker, Archer quickly said his goodbyes and walked off. There was something... off about Charles Tucker II, Archer could feel it in his bones. He walked into his ready room and sat down. With a slight hesitation he turned on his computer and hovered his fingers over the buttons. He pressed down on one and a screen popped up. It showed Trip and his dad sitting opposite each other. Archer gave a small smile, thankful that Malcolm had installed the cameras everywhere.
//What are you doing, Jon?\\ part of him screamed. //Trip's your friend and you're spying on him!\\ The stronger part of him overpowered the voice, determined to find out once and for all what was wrong with Trip. His eyes focused on the drama that was playing out in front of him.
"What's wrong, Charlie?" asked Charles. Trip shock his head and looked away. The older man narrowed his eyes.
"I asked you a question boy! And when I ask I expect an answer!" He roared. Trip flinched.
"Nothing's wrong... sir." he said dully. Charles smiled.
"Good. No more of that father nonsense. Call me sir."
"Yes Sir." Archer watched this all with growing horror. Something was very wrong here.
"Now... why haven't you called?" Trip stared at the... thing in front of him, the thing that made his life a living hell. Something inside of him broke as he looked at his father.
"I never called because of you... Sir." he spat out. Charles looked at him in a rage.
"Slince boy! I will have respect from you!" The man's voice dropped as he glared at his son. "or else you will have to have another... lesson." Trip froze and started at his father in fear. The older man gave a smirk and pressed home his advantage.
"That's right. Another lesson seems to be in order here." he hissed. Trip shut his eyes.
"No. I'll... I'll tell the cap'n." Charles burst out laughing.
"You really think he cares? He won't believe you. After all you're just a dirty whore. Why would anyone believe you?"
Archer turned the computer off, his mind frozen.
//A dirty whore ? B-but how would his dad know unless... no... no, no one would do that to there own son... would they?\\
TBC...
There you have it, please read and review!
Trip the Cyber-Lamb: Okay, Raven, A cyber-Lamb is my little pet lamb who lives in cyber-land (and just my head.) He's very cute!!
Till next time,
Sethoz-Chan.