Admiral Forrest sat at his desk. Three hours before Enterprise was due to arrive, Jonathan had explained to him that Karl James's body was found on Riser while his engineer and armoury officer were on the planet. Quite ironic, Forrest thought to himself. Of all the places to dump a body it's the planet two crew members decide to spend time on. Vulcan's were always stupid. Forrest thought to himself. Perhaps it wasn't Karl, maybe he'd faked his death and was living a new life. All the better for him. Madison was dead, Karl was dead. His reputation was safe. Just then his intercom buzzed.
"Yes Keri?" Forrest answered shortly. He hated when his concentration was broken.
"There's someone here to speak to you." The calm, soothing voice echoed over the com.
"Who is it?" Forrest question. He could he a shuffle and a familuar voice came over the speaker.
"An old friend." The voice goaded. He knew who it was. He didn't think it could be her. He was sure it couldn't be her.
"Shall I send her in?" Keri asked hesitantly.
"Ye-Yes!" Forrest sat up straight in his chair, as the slender silhouette appeared behind the glass mottled door.
"Aw dear me. You look like you've seen a ghost!" Madison spat. "My father wasn't dieing was he?"
"No."
"Then why the hell did you look for me?" Madison was waiting with baited breath.
"We thought when you escaped, you were on your way to inform Starfleet-" Forrest laughed. "Couldn't have you ruin what I've spent years building up now could I!"
"You selfish son of a bitch." A tear ran down her face. "Why me? Why not one of your daughters? Your son? Why me?"
"Your father wanted to start a new life, he couldn't with you on his tail!" Forrest. "I never wanted you on that ship, if you hadn't have kicked up such a fuss. You would never have even trained." He stood up defensively. "Girls are not engineers Madison, but how would it have looked if we has refused you a place on the ship?
"And sending you to London didn't work. That stupid Charles Tucker kept the idea in your head. So what else were we to do? Kill you?"
"You'll wish you have now!" Madison revealed an open communicator. "Get all that Hoshi?"
"Yes." Hoshi answered immediately.
"How'd you know I was involved?" Forrest asked sitting back down. Not prepared to let her get away with anything.
"Jack Forrest, my mentor. You wouldn't have let my dad get away with this. If you were the man I thought you were. You would have had Enterprise looking for me the day I got taken away. I waited for you to save me. I lost hope, in my dad, in Trip in Jonathan. But all the time I thought you'd send Enterprise to save me. And you didn't, I guess after a while someone put it through that I was missing. You could follow it through, even if you wanted to, you knew I'd have worked it out by then. So you destroyed the request." Madison's vision had gone blurry with tears. So much she hadn't noticed Forrest get out of his chair and approach her. "I came to you." She continued, thinking he was coming over to console her. "I asked to speak to my dad, to stop him from sending me away. You promised you'd never let anyone harm me-" His hands had came about her neck and lifted her off her seat.
Instantly Jonathan, Trip, Malcolm and a Starfleet judge arrived in the office. Jonathan hadn't believed Madison until he's heard Forrest by his own admission. Malcolm had wrestled Forrest to the ground.
"You are hear by detained for slavery and abuse of a federal position, for the destruction of legal documents and for the attack upon Miss Madison James." The Starfleet official read Forrest's rights.
"Hope you burn in hell Jack." Madison rubbed her neck as Trip eased her down onto a chair. Malcolm was leading Forrest out in order to give Jonathan and Trip time alone with there old friend. He looked at her one last time, she hadn't even noticed his presence. Goodbye Madison. He resolved that no matter how much his heart was breaking it would be best to stay on board Enterprise. Perhaps in time, she would return.
"Sure I can't change your mind Madi?" Jonathan asked. "I'm sure I could find a job for you on Enterprise."
"No. My place is here. For now at least. I want to make sure someone honest get Admiral." Madison closed her hand around Trip's. "I'm sorry what I've put you through. I'm sorry my dad isn't the man you thought he was."
"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." Jonathan couched down in front of her. "I'm going to have to go sort some stuff out." He kissed her forehead fondly. "I'll be back to see you later. Trip?"
"Yea!" Trip answered half listening, while drawing himself a chair next to Madison's. Jonathan decided to leave them alone and speak to Trip later. he closed the door behind him.
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Two hours into Enterprise's journey back into space, Malcolm was relieved of duty. He decided to take a shower and then attempt to relax While letting the warm, soothing water run down his entire, aching body his mind wandered into unpleasant memories. Flash backs to his life before and during his time with Madison. He tried to picture what his life would be like now, without her. His salt tears mingled with the water that was evaporating.
The pneumatic hiss of the door disturbed his thoughts. He quickly wrapped a towel round his waist, he'd reached the end of his tether.
"I thought we agreed you were going to knock-" Malcolm came storming out of the bathroom.
"Shall I go back out and knock?" Madison asked dropping her bags on the floor. "Please tell me your not going to faint?" She questioned as he turned pale. "You didn't say goodbye!" Madison explained.
"What made you change your mind?" Malcolm asked as she walked nearer. Placing herself in his arms.
"You!" Ok, so it was sort of the truth. That's all he needed to here, he kissed her as if it was the first time. Everything melted away and for once Malcolm was glad Trip had over ridden his doors access code.........
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.......................
"Your going to Enterprise." Trip explained with no room for argument. Not that Madison wasn't going to try.
"Trip. There's nothing there for me. I can't be with Malcolm while I know it hurts you."
"Madison, I lost my hand so you two could be together. I've got to stay on Earth for a few months while they find a donor."
"Only the best for you ay Trip." Madison tried to stop herself from crying. "I'd gladly give up my hand."
"It wouldn't suit you/me" They said together.
"We were good together weren't we?" Trip asked finally. "You have no regrets?"
"Never in a million years-"
"Then do this for me. When I get back, we share the load." Trip reasoned. "The position is yours by right."
"But what about making sure the Admiral-"
"I'll sort it. No excuses. Go get yourself a uniform-" Trip was stopped because Madison had kissed him and stood up. She was about to leave when Trip stopped her. "1985."
"What?"
"Code to get into Malcolm's room. And if your not married by the time I get back there'll be hell to pay!" Trip laughed. He'd finally let go, she was Malcolm's now. The problem was, who did he support when they got into a fight. And more importantly, how could he survive six months without T'Pol.
********************************************************
Trip felt strange watching Enterprise leave from HQ. He felt as if he'd left a part of him there. He was confident that when he returned he'd feel whole again.
"Yes Keri?" Forrest answered shortly. He hated when his concentration was broken.
"There's someone here to speak to you." The calm, soothing voice echoed over the com.
"Who is it?" Forrest question. He could he a shuffle and a familuar voice came over the speaker.
"An old friend." The voice goaded. He knew who it was. He didn't think it could be her. He was sure it couldn't be her.
"Shall I send her in?" Keri asked hesitantly.
"Ye-Yes!" Forrest sat up straight in his chair, as the slender silhouette appeared behind the glass mottled door.
"Aw dear me. You look like you've seen a ghost!" Madison spat. "My father wasn't dieing was he?"
"No."
"Then why the hell did you look for me?" Madison was waiting with baited breath.
"We thought when you escaped, you were on your way to inform Starfleet-" Forrest laughed. "Couldn't have you ruin what I've spent years building up now could I!"
"You selfish son of a bitch." A tear ran down her face. "Why me? Why not one of your daughters? Your son? Why me?"
"Your father wanted to start a new life, he couldn't with you on his tail!" Forrest. "I never wanted you on that ship, if you hadn't have kicked up such a fuss. You would never have even trained." He stood up defensively. "Girls are not engineers Madison, but how would it have looked if we has refused you a place on the ship?
"And sending you to London didn't work. That stupid Charles Tucker kept the idea in your head. So what else were we to do? Kill you?"
"You'll wish you have now!" Madison revealed an open communicator. "Get all that Hoshi?"
"Yes." Hoshi answered immediately.
"How'd you know I was involved?" Forrest asked sitting back down. Not prepared to let her get away with anything.
"Jack Forrest, my mentor. You wouldn't have let my dad get away with this. If you were the man I thought you were. You would have had Enterprise looking for me the day I got taken away. I waited for you to save me. I lost hope, in my dad, in Trip in Jonathan. But all the time I thought you'd send Enterprise to save me. And you didn't, I guess after a while someone put it through that I was missing. You could follow it through, even if you wanted to, you knew I'd have worked it out by then. So you destroyed the request." Madison's vision had gone blurry with tears. So much she hadn't noticed Forrest get out of his chair and approach her. "I came to you." She continued, thinking he was coming over to console her. "I asked to speak to my dad, to stop him from sending me away. You promised you'd never let anyone harm me-" His hands had came about her neck and lifted her off her seat.
Instantly Jonathan, Trip, Malcolm and a Starfleet judge arrived in the office. Jonathan hadn't believed Madison until he's heard Forrest by his own admission. Malcolm had wrestled Forrest to the ground.
"You are hear by detained for slavery and abuse of a federal position, for the destruction of legal documents and for the attack upon Miss Madison James." The Starfleet official read Forrest's rights.
"Hope you burn in hell Jack." Madison rubbed her neck as Trip eased her down onto a chair. Malcolm was leading Forrest out in order to give Jonathan and Trip time alone with there old friend. He looked at her one last time, she hadn't even noticed his presence. Goodbye Madison. He resolved that no matter how much his heart was breaking it would be best to stay on board Enterprise. Perhaps in time, she would return.
"Sure I can't change your mind Madi?" Jonathan asked. "I'm sure I could find a job for you on Enterprise."
"No. My place is here. For now at least. I want to make sure someone honest get Admiral." Madison closed her hand around Trip's. "I'm sorry what I've put you through. I'm sorry my dad isn't the man you thought he was."
"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." Jonathan couched down in front of her. "I'm going to have to go sort some stuff out." He kissed her forehead fondly. "I'll be back to see you later. Trip?"
"Yea!" Trip answered half listening, while drawing himself a chair next to Madison's. Jonathan decided to leave them alone and speak to Trip later. he closed the door behind him.
**********************************************************
Two hours into Enterprise's journey back into space, Malcolm was relieved of duty. He decided to take a shower and then attempt to relax While letting the warm, soothing water run down his entire, aching body his mind wandered into unpleasant memories. Flash backs to his life before and during his time with Madison. He tried to picture what his life would be like now, without her. His salt tears mingled with the water that was evaporating.
The pneumatic hiss of the door disturbed his thoughts. He quickly wrapped a towel round his waist, he'd reached the end of his tether.
"I thought we agreed you were going to knock-" Malcolm came storming out of the bathroom.
"Shall I go back out and knock?" Madison asked dropping her bags on the floor. "Please tell me your not going to faint?" She questioned as he turned pale. "You didn't say goodbye!" Madison explained.
"What made you change your mind?" Malcolm asked as she walked nearer. Placing herself in his arms.
"You!" Ok, so it was sort of the truth. That's all he needed to here, he kissed her as if it was the first time. Everything melted away and for once Malcolm was glad Trip had over ridden his doors access code.........
**********************************************************
.......................
"Your going to Enterprise." Trip explained with no room for argument. Not that Madison wasn't going to try.
"Trip. There's nothing there for me. I can't be with Malcolm while I know it hurts you."
"Madison, I lost my hand so you two could be together. I've got to stay on Earth for a few months while they find a donor."
"Only the best for you ay Trip." Madison tried to stop herself from crying. "I'd gladly give up my hand."
"It wouldn't suit you/me" They said together.
"We were good together weren't we?" Trip asked finally. "You have no regrets?"
"Never in a million years-"
"Then do this for me. When I get back, we share the load." Trip reasoned. "The position is yours by right."
"But what about making sure the Admiral-"
"I'll sort it. No excuses. Go get yourself a uniform-" Trip was stopped because Madison had kissed him and stood up. She was about to leave when Trip stopped her. "1985."
"What?"
"Code to get into Malcolm's room. And if your not married by the time I get back there'll be hell to pay!" Trip laughed. He'd finally let go, she was Malcolm's now. The problem was, who did he support when they got into a fight. And more importantly, how could he survive six months without T'Pol.
********************************************************
Trip felt strange watching Enterprise leave from HQ. He felt as if he'd left a part of him there. He was confident that when he returned he'd feel whole again.