Chapter Four
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jonathan asked Trip once he'd reached the shuttle pod. "Malcolm said he was going to come back and get us... She's not here Trip!" Jonathan was angry at the thought the Trip had ignored his command.
"I know she's not here." Trip spat. "Malcolm wouldn't let me see her and sent me down to get you." He kicked the shuttle. "What's wrong with her?"
"I don't know. The storm's meant we haven't been able to keep contact! She collapsed, that's all Malcolm told me when he took her."
"Anyone told her Dad that we found her?" Trip asked looking at the setting sun, realising that it was a storm rising to replace it, a little earlier than expected. "We're stuck here aren't we? Until this storm passes?" Trip asked pathetically.
"Sorry Trip. We've got a place to stay, it's only going to last a few hours! You going to be ok? It's not that hot." Jonathan began leading him down to the settlement.
"I'm going to have to aren't I? I'm going to kill Malcolm, why'd he have to stay?" Trip winged, blindly following Jonathan. The sandy environment was aggravating him already.
"He must have his reasons Trip!" Jonathan explained, wishing he had got the full story off Malcolm before he'd left. Malcolm must think she needs protecting otherwise he wouldn't take his order of guarding her so literally. Unless it was just a ploy to get Trip of the ship while Madison got whatever treatment she needed. Malcolm was never a man to act irrationally.
"You didn't answer me before, has anyone informed her Father?" Trip followed Jonathan into the first hut. It was larger than the one Madison had taken them to earlier that day, and it was only to accommodate Hoshi, Trip and Jonathan. The people of the planet where safe in there own homes while the storm passed.
"No!" Jonathan placed a hand on Hoshi's shoulder. "You ok?" She was working with the translator, although Jonathan knew she didn't need it he allowed her to take it with her. A sort of security blanket, Jonathan was just hoping she wasn't becoming to independent on it.
"Yes sir! I think I've mastered this language! It's a good thing we get a few more hours here-"
"Not if Madison's dad dies." Trip paced the hut.
"Trip, why do you care? She doesn't!" Jonathan explained.
"That doesn't sound like Madison! She may have hated him, but she defended him to the end! She'd be cut up about this-"
"She's not though, I told you, she's not that little girl any more."
"You never thought she was a little girl. You always said she had the maturity of a Vulcan, you said she was too good for me."
"I was joking Tr-"
"But the man you got it from wasn't. Karl used her mothers death to send her away from me, he was cheating on his wife, everyone thinks Christian's not his but we both know he is... I had her blessing."
"Jesus Christ Trip... Get over yourself. All you had to do was put your foot down, and get that ring on her finger, Karl's affair has nothing to do with you screwing up."
"It says a hell of a lot about his character. He said she'd resigned, that she never wanted to see me again-"
"You've said all this before Trip. But I'm the wrong person to be telling. She sees things differently." Jonathan bit his lip, remembering the transmission he received from Madison two weeks into the journey. He didn't know who to believe; the woman of his mentor, who had never lied in her life, or Trip who knew the difference between White lies and deadly ones. It was one of then, that was for sure.
"I will tell her... When Malcolm lets me see her."
"Sub-Commander... We have a transmission from Earth!" The Ensign at the Com station informed the Vulcan.
"On the screen Ensign!" T'Pol commanded. "I am Sub-Commander T-"
"Where's my daughter?!" The not so sickly looking man questioned.
"We have located her on a Planet. She is safe!" T'Pol mono-toned perched on the Captains chair.
"Transmit the co-ordinates!" The man demanded coldly, he wasn't the same man that Jonathan had greeted at the apartment less than forty-eight hours ago. Perhaps it was part of his condition to alter in strength.
"I can't do that! I do not have the authority-"
"Would you like me to inform Admiral Forrest of you're disobedience!" Karl threatened. T'Pol noticed he was not at home, he was in a ship. Waiting to take off? It looked like the interior of a Vulcan ship.
"You will have to do just that... I do not have the authority to transmit the co-ordinates!"
"You'll be hearing from the admiral!" Karl cut the communication.
"T'Pol to Captain Archer!" Jonathan heard hazily as he opened his communicator.
"Go ahead T'Pol!" Jonathan answered. "Any chance of clearing it up this end?" He asked, both Trip and Hoshi got to work, reaching for a box of equipment.
"A Vulcan ship is bringing Commander James to collect his daughter!" At that the transmission went dead.
"I'm not liking the sound of this!" Trip sighed. "Why's he's coming?"
Trip was in San Francisco. On Earth, two weeks before the departure of Enterprise. He had been summoned to Vice-Admiral James' Office at Starfleet. He was so nervous his hands where shaking. Perhaps he had heard that Madison and himself had set the date; the day they left Earth. He couldn't have thought of a better day. He had just bought her wedding ring and was playing with it in his left hand. He knew it was tradition for them both to pick the ring, but it was her idea to pick each others ring.
The office was large and empty. It's seemed threatening to Trip as he sat in the seat opposite the Vice-Admiral's. Karl was in a lecture, Quantum Physics 101. The only reason Trip was an engineer was to prove him wrong. He always thought he was a nobody, and now with Madison at his side he could rule the stars.
Mid thought Karl came storming in, he picked Trip up from his seat and pinned him against the wall;
"What have you said to my baby?!" He growled. "I'm going to gut you like a fish, you red neck barbarian."
"Excuse me sir?" Trip quivered in his grasp. "We've set the date of our wedding, that's all-"
"Really Charles? Well why then has my Madison left London, resigned her post on Enterprise and gone into hiding?" Trip had no choice but to look into Karl's poisonous green eyes.
"I spoke to her three days ago. She was ecstatic. She was arranging transport home before we left Earth so we could prepare our wedding arrangements."
"I don't believe you. Then again, I never have. The best thing for you to do is take over her position as Chief and pray that Enterprise takes you as far away as possible before I find out what you've done to upset her."
"Maybe I can get in touch-"
"Didn't you hear me? She's gone into hiding! I don't even know where she is. She's not getting in contact until you leave."
"But I love your daughter... I would never hurt her." Trip was heard screaming. Hoshi came to wake him.
"It's only a dream Trip. Wake up." Hoshi shook him lightly.
"Oh Hoshi. What have I done?"
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jonathan asked Trip once he'd reached the shuttle pod. "Malcolm said he was going to come back and get us... She's not here Trip!" Jonathan was angry at the thought the Trip had ignored his command.
"I know she's not here." Trip spat. "Malcolm wouldn't let me see her and sent me down to get you." He kicked the shuttle. "What's wrong with her?"
"I don't know. The storm's meant we haven't been able to keep contact! She collapsed, that's all Malcolm told me when he took her."
"Anyone told her Dad that we found her?" Trip asked looking at the setting sun, realising that it was a storm rising to replace it, a little earlier than expected. "We're stuck here aren't we? Until this storm passes?" Trip asked pathetically.
"Sorry Trip. We've got a place to stay, it's only going to last a few hours! You going to be ok? It's not that hot." Jonathan began leading him down to the settlement.
"I'm going to have to aren't I? I'm going to kill Malcolm, why'd he have to stay?" Trip winged, blindly following Jonathan. The sandy environment was aggravating him already.
"He must have his reasons Trip!" Jonathan explained, wishing he had got the full story off Malcolm before he'd left. Malcolm must think she needs protecting otherwise he wouldn't take his order of guarding her so literally. Unless it was just a ploy to get Trip of the ship while Madison got whatever treatment she needed. Malcolm was never a man to act irrationally.
"You didn't answer me before, has anyone informed her Father?" Trip followed Jonathan into the first hut. It was larger than the one Madison had taken them to earlier that day, and it was only to accommodate Hoshi, Trip and Jonathan. The people of the planet where safe in there own homes while the storm passed.
"No!" Jonathan placed a hand on Hoshi's shoulder. "You ok?" She was working with the translator, although Jonathan knew she didn't need it he allowed her to take it with her. A sort of security blanket, Jonathan was just hoping she wasn't becoming to independent on it.
"Yes sir! I think I've mastered this language! It's a good thing we get a few more hours here-"
"Not if Madison's dad dies." Trip paced the hut.
"Trip, why do you care? She doesn't!" Jonathan explained.
"That doesn't sound like Madison! She may have hated him, but she defended him to the end! She'd be cut up about this-"
"She's not though, I told you, she's not that little girl any more."
"You never thought she was a little girl. You always said she had the maturity of a Vulcan, you said she was too good for me."
"I was joking Tr-"
"But the man you got it from wasn't. Karl used her mothers death to send her away from me, he was cheating on his wife, everyone thinks Christian's not his but we both know he is... I had her blessing."
"Jesus Christ Trip... Get over yourself. All you had to do was put your foot down, and get that ring on her finger, Karl's affair has nothing to do with you screwing up."
"It says a hell of a lot about his character. He said she'd resigned, that she never wanted to see me again-"
"You've said all this before Trip. But I'm the wrong person to be telling. She sees things differently." Jonathan bit his lip, remembering the transmission he received from Madison two weeks into the journey. He didn't know who to believe; the woman of his mentor, who had never lied in her life, or Trip who knew the difference between White lies and deadly ones. It was one of then, that was for sure.
"I will tell her... When Malcolm lets me see her."
"Sub-Commander... We have a transmission from Earth!" The Ensign at the Com station informed the Vulcan.
"On the screen Ensign!" T'Pol commanded. "I am Sub-Commander T-"
"Where's my daughter?!" The not so sickly looking man questioned.
"We have located her on a Planet. She is safe!" T'Pol mono-toned perched on the Captains chair.
"Transmit the co-ordinates!" The man demanded coldly, he wasn't the same man that Jonathan had greeted at the apartment less than forty-eight hours ago. Perhaps it was part of his condition to alter in strength.
"I can't do that! I do not have the authority-"
"Would you like me to inform Admiral Forrest of you're disobedience!" Karl threatened. T'Pol noticed he was not at home, he was in a ship. Waiting to take off? It looked like the interior of a Vulcan ship.
"You will have to do just that... I do not have the authority to transmit the co-ordinates!"
"You'll be hearing from the admiral!" Karl cut the communication.
"T'Pol to Captain Archer!" Jonathan heard hazily as he opened his communicator.
"Go ahead T'Pol!" Jonathan answered. "Any chance of clearing it up this end?" He asked, both Trip and Hoshi got to work, reaching for a box of equipment.
"A Vulcan ship is bringing Commander James to collect his daughter!" At that the transmission went dead.
"I'm not liking the sound of this!" Trip sighed. "Why's he's coming?"
Trip was in San Francisco. On Earth, two weeks before the departure of Enterprise. He had been summoned to Vice-Admiral James' Office at Starfleet. He was so nervous his hands where shaking. Perhaps he had heard that Madison and himself had set the date; the day they left Earth. He couldn't have thought of a better day. He had just bought her wedding ring and was playing with it in his left hand. He knew it was tradition for them both to pick the ring, but it was her idea to pick each others ring.
The office was large and empty. It's seemed threatening to Trip as he sat in the seat opposite the Vice-Admiral's. Karl was in a lecture, Quantum Physics 101. The only reason Trip was an engineer was to prove him wrong. He always thought he was a nobody, and now with Madison at his side he could rule the stars.
Mid thought Karl came storming in, he picked Trip up from his seat and pinned him against the wall;
"What have you said to my baby?!" He growled. "I'm going to gut you like a fish, you red neck barbarian."
"Excuse me sir?" Trip quivered in his grasp. "We've set the date of our wedding, that's all-"
"Really Charles? Well why then has my Madison left London, resigned her post on Enterprise and gone into hiding?" Trip had no choice but to look into Karl's poisonous green eyes.
"I spoke to her three days ago. She was ecstatic. She was arranging transport home before we left Earth so we could prepare our wedding arrangements."
"I don't believe you. Then again, I never have. The best thing for you to do is take over her position as Chief and pray that Enterprise takes you as far away as possible before I find out what you've done to upset her."
"Maybe I can get in touch-"
"Didn't you hear me? She's gone into hiding! I don't even know where she is. She's not getting in contact until you leave."
"But I love your daughter... I would never hurt her." Trip was heard screaming. Hoshi came to wake him.
"It's only a dream Trip. Wake up." Hoshi shook him lightly.
"Oh Hoshi. What have I done?"