Engine Trouble… In More Ways Than One!

By: Moonlit Sea

Disclaimer: I don't own Enterprise or the characters all I own is this fic and the character Lt. Karyn Kelly

/-Thoughts-/

Chapter 2 - Realisation.

In the mess hall Trip sat staring out the window, for the first time since Enterprise left earth he couldn't concentrate not even on his precious engines. He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear captain Archer walk in and ask if he was okay.

"TRIP!"

He turned round "Cap'n! Sorry I must have been miles away."

"I'd say so." he sat opposite his friend and looked at him with concern.

"What?"

" I was just wondering when you were going to tell me what's up."

Trip turned back to the window and replied.

"I told ya Cap'n there's nothin wrong."

On the other side of the mess hall Malcolm, Hoshi and Travis were all wondering what was wrong with the commander.

" You know I heard that the Commander's been acting strangely lately," Travis said.

"If he has it's got nothing to do with us." Malcolm said.

"What's up with you?" Travis asked

"Nothings up with me." Malcolm replied.

"Bad day?"

Malcolm just looked at Travis.

"Has anyone seen Karyn today?" Hoshi asked changing the subject to ease the tension between them.

"Not since breakfast this morning why?" Travis answered.

"She was suppose to meet me half an hour ago."

"She's probably just busy Hoshi." Malcolm said who'd stopped looking at Travis and tried to continue with his meal.

Just then Karyn came into the mess hall went straight pass Malcolm, Hoshi and Travis and went straight towards Archer and Trip.

"Commander we need you in engineering… Commander?"

Archer turned to Karyn and asked
"Why didn't you just use the comm. system?"

"We've been trying but got no reply… sir is the Commander all right?"

Archer knew that Trip wasn't really okay but the ship needed him so he replied "Yeah he be down in a minute." he turned back to Trip "Right Trip." making sure he knew he was needed.

"Yeah… I'll be there." he replied while still staring out the window.

Karyn nodded and headed back towards the door when she spotted Hoshi and said, "Sorry Hoshi but I won't be able to meet with you." and with that went back toward engineering without waiting for a reply.

A few minutes later Trip got up and started towards engineering his problems could wait the ship needed it's chief engineer. He started pass Jon but he felt a hand grab his arm and he looked at his friend.

"We'll talk about this later okay."
Trip gave a nod and Jon let his arm go and off he went.
Archer sighed and went to walk out the mess hall when a voice said
"Sir."
He looked round and saw Travis with Malcolm and Hoshi and went towards them.

"Travis."

" Is Commander Tucker okay?"

"What makes you think there's anything wrong?" he knew it a silly question but decided to ask it anyway.

"He's not exactly acting like himself," Hoshi answered.

"I see." he had hoped to sort it out before the whole ship found out but given the ship's size and being how obvious Trip was being he knew it was impossible. " I'm sure he's fine." -even if he won't tell me what's wrong- he added to himself.

/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/

In her quarters Karyn was lying on her bed. The little problem in engineering had taken nearly all her energy but at least it was over now, now she could relax she closed her eyes and tried to relax but there was something that kept her from relaxing something in the back of her mind that was bothering her ever since she had found the commander in the mess hall but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She tried remembering the conversation she had with the captain then it hit her all the time she was talking to the captain the commander kept staring at her through the window.
/-Maybe they're right… maybe the Commander does like me that's why he's been acting strange lately.-/
She then opened her eyes, sat up, put her left hand on her right shoulder and gave it a little squeeze as if to relieve some of the tension in it.
/-No there has to be another reason why the Commander was staring at me-/
She stood up and went towards her mirror then she took out her hair bands and let her hair fall while shaking her head gently.
/-Much better.-/ she thought
And continued to brush her hair. While doing so she saw a PADD on her dresser after she put her brush away, she picked it up and went to sit on her bed. She sat there reading it. It was a letter she got a week or so ago a tear came to her eye as she read it:

To - Lieutenant Karyn Kelly, Enterprise
From - Kian Egan, Florida

Hi Karyn,
How are you? How are things on Enterprise? I'm missing you, are you missing me? I'm afraid I've got some bad news babe; Amanda and Mark have had a… baby! Ha ha I got you there you thought it was bad news didn't you. Sorry babe I just had to do that, you know me. Yep they've had a son and called him Shane Duncan Byrne.

I'm afraid I really do have some bad news for you now though I'm afraid I'm breaking off our engagement Karyn, your probably thinking 'stop joking around Kian' but I'm not joking anymore I'm being serious! Strange as it may sound. Now you're probably wondering why. Well… I've been doing a lot of thinking since Enterprise left earth and who knows when you'll come back, I can't wait forever Karyn. I'm sorry but when you told me you got an offer to work on Enterprise I was hoping you wouldn't take it, that you would stay on earth with me. I know that you're a good engineer and that they wanted the best on that ship but when told me that you had already accepted the offer I tried not to sound to disappointed apparently it worked a little to well! I know I couldn't change your mind but I wish I'd tried.
I'm afraid I have still more bad news to tell you and you'll hate me for telling you this but I thought it would be better that I told you rather than you hearing it from your sister Amanda. Well here goes… I've met someone Karyn, her name is Mary and we've been together for 3 months now, I hope you manage to find someone too, who knows you might find someone on Enterprise or maybe you already have. I know you're probably furious with me right now after I told you that I'm breaking off our engagement and then telling you that I've found someone else all in the same letter. I'll understand if you never want speak to me again but please remember that you'll always be in my heart even if we're not together and with other people.

Love always,
Kian

She could still remember her reaction when she first read the letter she went from being so angry that she wanted to put her fist through the nearest bulkhead to just crying and crying and crying.
She turned everyone away even her good friends Hoshi and Jon. She'd known them ever since she joined Starfleet; they were the first ones to know she got engaged.

She sighed and wiped a tear from her eye. /-Jon needs to know what was wrong with me a week or so ago.-/ she thought. She got up and headed towards his quarters with the letter still in her hand.
Unknown to Karyn, Captain Archer was busy trying to figure out what was wrong with Trip although he had a pretty good idea what was wrong he just needed Trip to confirm it.

"So…" as he tried to get Trip to open up but so far it wasn't working.
He sighed as he said "Trip, I need to know what's wrong I can't help you if you don't tell me"

"I keep telling ya Cap'n there's nothin' wrong"

"Bull." he said sternly "You haven't been acting yourself for a while now and it's starting to affect your work, now I don't want to but if I have to I'll order you to tell me and that's something I don't want to do"
Trip looked at his friend as if to say 'You can't be serious'
Archer looked right back at him to show that he was serious as much as he didn't want to bring his authority into the conversation he had no choice. Trip could be stubborn at times and this was one of those times.

"It's nothin' I can't handle Cap'n."

Jon was about to speak when his door chimed.
"Come in."

"Captain I thought you might…" Karyn started to say then stopped when she saw Trip. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"It's okay Karyn what did you want to see me about?"

"It's nothing that can't wait until tomorrow sir, sorry to disturb you. Captain Commander." and out she went.

"Now what was all that about?" Trip said.
Jon looked at Trip it sounded like he was back to his old self.
" I think you know what's wrong with me you just want me to say it."

"That was kinda the idea." Jon said then smiled. "You might even feel better after saying it."

Trip looked at his captain and friend then smiled.
"You're right I guess." He sighed, "It's Lieutenant Kelly."
He waited for Jon's reply but got none so he continued. "I think… I think…"

"You've fallen for her haven't you."

Trip nodded and Archer sighed.

"Trip…" trying to find the right words "She's engaged."

At that moment it looked like someone had just shot Trip with a phase pistol set on kill.

/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/

Malcolm was reading the latest armoury report while heading towards his quarters occasionally looking up to make sure he didn't bump into anyone. He just rounded the corner when he did bump into someone and they both landed with a thud on the floor.

" I'm terribly sorry."
Malcolm said after getting up and picking the two PADDs lying on the floor.

"That's okay I really should watch where I'm going."
The person looked up and smiled.

It was only then that Malcolm recognise who he had bumped into it was Lieutenant Kelly. She got up and dusted herself down. "I wasn't really concentrating on where I was going."

"Same here." Malcolm said.

Then he handed back her PADD and went on his way and so did Karyn after a little sigh.

/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/

The next day Captain Archer sat in his ready room thinking about what to do about Trip when his door chimed.

"Come in."

"Sir I thought you might want to know what was wrong with me a week or so ago." Karyn said then seeing he was preoccupied asked "Sir are you okay shall I come back later?"

"Yeah I'm fine Karyn."

Karyn handed Jon the PADD in her hand, Jon looked at it then looked a bit confused.

"Malcolm's armoury report?"

"What?" she took the PADD back and looked at it. "How did I get this?"
Then remembered that she'd bumped into Malcolm the previous night and him handing her back one of the PADDs in his hand.

"That means that… oh no!"

"What's wrong?"

" I bumped into Lieutenant Reed yesterday and he must of given me the wrong PADD which means he…ARGH!!!"

Seeing that Karyn was upset Jon got up and went over to her.

"Have a seat." as he gestured to the seat behind them.

"Now what's wrong?"

Karyn sighed "Okay I'll start at the beginning… a week or so ago I got a letter from Kian…"

"…And when he handed me back a PADD it must have been his PADD." she sighed.

"I'm sorry to hear that Kian broke up with you and I'm afraid I might have even more bad news for you…"
He stood up and went towards the window.

"What do you mean?"

Archer sighed and replied, "I found out yesterday that Trip has fallen for you, I also told him you were engaged. So I'd keep outta his way for a few days."

"So they were right," she said to her self.

"Who was right?"

"Hm… oh just a couple of crewmembers but I think avoiding the Commander is going to be a little difficult considering we both work in engineering."

/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/

In the armoury Malcolm was checking the targeting sensors making sure that they were still in alignment, he had finished up in the armoury and made his way to the bridge to see if tactical sensors there matched. He was just out the door when he saw lieutenant Kelly coming towards him.

"Lieutenant." she called out "May I speak with you a moment it's about yesterday."

Malcolm sighed he'd been expecting this after he found out that the PADD he had wasn't his armoury report, although he was actually expecting her to turn up last night asking about it.

"Of course." he replied.

"When we bumped into each other, I believe we switched PADDs."

"Yes, I found out when I got to my quarters, your PADDs there oh by the way I'm sorry!"

" What for?"

"For giving you the wrong PADD."

Karyn laughed a little "That's okay you weren't to know … do you mind if I have it back?"

"Of course not."

" Oh and I believe this belongs to you." handing a PADD to him.

"Thank you."

And they headed off in the direction of Malcolm's quarters.

/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/

In engineering all was not right with Commander Tucker. He was snapping at his staff for not doing even the tiniest of thing right and telling people to 'Mind their own god damn business' whenever they asked if he was all right. He was doing it so much so that someone had actually asked the captain if he could come and talk with the commander!

When Archer walked into engineering Trip was yelling at an ensign. He recognised the ensign as Mark Matsuki.

"Now go and do it properly!"

"Trip."

"Cap'n!" surprised to see Archer in engineering "What are you doing here?"

"Last I knew I was I command of this ship," he said sarcastically.

"You are."

Archer gave a little laugh and smiled "Trip I was been sarcastic."

"Huh?"

"I think we need to talk."

Then T'Pol's voice came over the comm. system.

"Bridge to Captain Archer."

"Archer."

"Captain we're receiving a distress call."

"Source."

"Two light-years away."

"I'll be right up, Archer out."

He then turned to Trip and said
"Take it easy I don't wanna hear that my chief engineer been taken to sickbay because he wouldn't calm down." (A/N my mum's a nurse and according to her if he didn't calm down he could have a heart attack.)

Trip nodded and Archer headed towards the bridge.