Miscommunication

by Ragua

Disclaimer: Paramount owns all. I'm just borrowing.

A/N: All Vulcan terminology courtesy of the Vulcan Language Institute


Chapter 5

Once upon a time, thought Jonathan Archer, I would have had some idea what was going on aboard my own ship. Since the Xindi mission, however, an invisible barrier had developed between captain and crew—even his senior officers. Up til now, this had not been much of a problem. His bridge crew kept track of the moods and morale on Enterprise, and they updated the captain as needed. Recently, however, the bridge crew had become the problem.

Archer knew he sometimes had the sensitivity of a brick in his dealings with others, but he would have to be completely clueless not to notice that there was something going on with his senior officers. Tension on the bridge and at staffings was so thick that you could cut it with the proverbial knife.

Trip was most definitely involved in whatever was going on. Archer had known the man long enough to recognize that his friend's behavior lately was uncharacteristic. The normally chatty Chief Engineer had become a virtual hermit, speaking only when spoken to and then in monosyllables. He had also been making excuses to avoid dining in the Captain's Mess and had sequestered himself in Engineering for nearly a week.

Archer had seen the engineer pout before, but never to this extent. His friend must be seriously hurt or angry about something, but the captain had been unable to find out the reason why. Any time Archer tried to get information from him, Trip either deflected his questions or clammed up.

Most likely T'Pol was involved somehow. The captain had been dwelling on the interaction between his two most senior officers for some time. Trip was obviously smitten, but T'Pol was harder to read. Archer suspected some partiality on the Vulcan's part, though, because she did not seem averse to spending time with the engineer. Or at least, she had been willing to spend time with Trip up until a week ago. Now, they did not interact at all unless absolutely necessary.

They must have had a fight of some sort, Archer decided. Maybe it was for the best. The captain had been wondering what to do about the possible relationship between his First Officer and his Chief Engineer. Now, he might not have to deal with all the complications brought about by that damned non-fraternization rule. Still, he felt sorry for his friends. Heartbreak was never easy, particularly when you were essentially trapped in a metal box hurtling through space with the object of your affection.

Archer frowned. A lovers' spat between Trip and T'Pol didn't explain the very strange behavior of Malcolm and Hoshi, though.

Well, Archer thought, Malcolm's always been strange. The captain wondered, as he often did, whether that was because Malcolm was British, a Security Officer, or just quirky by nature. Maybe it was a combination of the three.

This morning, for example, the Armory Officer had showed up for duty with a vicious welt on his left cheek. When Archer suggested that Malcolm have Phlox look at it, the Armory Officer begged off. Better to keep the bruise, Malcolm had responded. It would serve as a reminder that he needed to be better prepared for an unexpected attack in the future.

Archer shook his head now, as he had shaken his head that morning. How the hell did you prepare for the unexpected? You had to expect something in order to prepare for it!! He would never understand Malcolm.

Hoshi, however, he had thought he understood, but now he wondered. She had been surprisingly snarky lately. The sweet little Hoshi he knew seemed to have disappeared. And this morning, if the captain hadn't known her better, he would have said that she was hung over. But Hoshi didn't drink.

Did she?

The door COMM distracted the captain from pondering the vagaries of his senior staff. he called. To his relief, it was the person he had sent for.

Travis, come on in, Archer encouraged his helmsman.

Maybe now he would get some answers.

##########

Hoshi Sato lay face down on her bunk. How she had managed to make it through the day without killing herself or someone else she would never know. Even when she realized, as the day progressed, that Lieutenant Reed had decided not to make an issue of their altercation, she had not relaxed. If anything, the thought that she might owe the Armory Officer a favor for letting her off the hook made her even crankier.

When she had snapped at the captain, she thought she had had it. Not only had Jonathan Archer been surprised, but Reed—and even T'Pol—had seemed shocked as well. After that, she had periodically caught Reed eyeballing her in trepidation for the remainder of their shift.

That's right, she thought vindictively, no more mild-mannered Hoshi, you bastards. I'm a woman on the edge. Fear me!

Luckily for her, the captain had brushed off her unprofessional behavior. Hoshi decided she'd better get a decent night's sleep before she started organizing a full-fledged mutiny against all the superior officers who seemed determined to make her life a living hell.

##########

Trip sat at his desk wondering what to do about the situation of his erstwhile language tutor. He had ignored her message this morning, thinking that it would only be more nagging for him to come clean. Reading it now, however, he felt nothing but guilt.

I assaulted Malcolm and now I'm going to be kicked out of Starfleet and thrown in jail and it's all your fault! the message wailed. Or at least, that's what he thought it said. The text was pretty incoherent, particularly for the usually articulate linguist.

Geez, what had happened? He checked the log. The message had been sent sometime after midnight, but his conversation with the Communications Officer had ended around 9:30. Obviously Hoshi had sat up for quite a while worrying. Still, no one in Engineering had said anything today about the Communications Officer kicking the Armory Officer's ass—despite his concern, Trip grinned evilly at the mental image—nor had anyone mentioned an arrest or anything of the kind. It had been a fairly normal boring day.

Trip checked the rest of his messages. There was another more recent missive from Hoshi. He opened it. Unlike her first message, this one was very clear.

No arrest. No court martial. No charges. No mention, even. But if you don't straighten this situation out, I'm going to do the same to you regardless of the consequences!

The engineer sighed and shook his head. Hoshi sure was pissed off. But then, she had every right to be. She didn't deserve all this. He'd better set the record straight. A scowl creased his features. He'd talk to T'Pol tomorrow.

In Vulcan.

##########

Jonathan Archer gazed at his helmsman, appalled, but doing his best to hide it.

Let me get this straight, Travis. The fact of the matter is—

Oooh, sir! Mayweather interrupted, holding up his hands as if to stop his runaway captain. I never said anything about facts! You asked what I knew, and I said I could only tell you what I heard through the ship's grapevine!

He's like a lawyer issuing an official disclaimer, Archer thought wearily.

Okay, then, according to sources, the captain restated melodramatically, making air quotations with his fingers, there is or was some sort of relationship between the First Officer and the Chief Engineer.

Travis confirmed. It's pretty obvious. I figured even you noticed that, Captain.

I did, Archer concurred, hiding a smile at the unintentional insult. These same sources, he went on, noticed that suddenly said Chief Engineer began spending a great deal of time with the Communications Officer. A...relationship was assumed to be taking place there as well?

Yes, sir, Travis confirmed. Although I don't see it myself, the ensign frowned. It seems out of character. For both of them. Then he shrugged. But stranger things have happened.

Agreed. Now, the sources assume that a confrontation of some sort took place between two or three of those involved in this...situation, Archer continued, leading to the current state of...unrest present among the senior officers.

Travis nodded agreement with his captain's conclusion.

So where and how does Lieutenant Reed figure into all of this? Archer asked. Because unless my scanners are completely out of whack, he's involved somehow, as well.

Travis agreed with this assessment. Don't know, Captain. But he is pretty good friends with Hoshi, and he's Commander Tucker's best friend, too. Travis frowned. Or, at least, he was.

Kinda like me, Jonathan Archer thought sadly.

Maybe they had words about the...situation as well? Travis presented his theory, unaware of the inner turmoil his innocent comment had caused his commanding officer.

Archer agreed.

The two sat in silence for a few moments, Archer pensive, Mayweather nervous. Um, sir, Travis ventured finally. When his captain looked up from his thoughts, the helmsman continued. You aren't going to tell anyone where you got this information, are you? I feel kinda like a paid snitch. He grinned uneasily, hoping his captain would not take offense.

Archer smiled. Don't worry, Travis. I protect my sources.

The statement didn't comfort Travis. It sounded like this might be an ongoing assignment! Sir? Will we be doing this, he gestured back and forth between them, again? Cause it's kinda...wrong.

The captain sighed. I agree, Ensign. But how else am I supposed to keep up with what's going on between people on my ship? As captain, I'm not exactly in the gossip loop! Travis had no answer to that, so Archer continued. My only alternative is lurking around, hiding in corners, and eavesdropping. Archer paused, enjoying the shocked look on the helmsman's face. That's not just wrong, it's undignified, Archer stated sanctimoniously. Then he grinned. And kinda pathetic, too.

Travis returned the grin.

If it makes you feel any better, Travis, Archer went on, consider it intelligence work. Travis looked thoughtful for a moment. That kind of thing looks great on your record!

At this, a look of horror crossed Mayweather's face. Uh, sir, with all due respect, I think this...assignment isn't something I'd want on my record!

Archer sighed. Either he was terrible at making jokes, or the kid had no sense of humor whatsoever. Understood, Ensign.

##########

Malcolm Reed sat alone in his darkened quarters, sipping his whiskey morosely. He pressed the glass to his sore cheek Hoshi packed a lot of power in that tiny frame. In spite of being on the receiving end of her fist, he was impressed. And more than a little turned on. What other martial talents could she be hiding?

But of course, she wanted Trip. So did T'Pol. They all wanted Trip. What was it about that bloody bastard? And why couldn't he be satisfied with one woman? The Xyrillian engineer, that Kriosian princess, Corporal Cole, even T'Pol of the beautiful bum, for God's sake! And now Hoshi. Why did he have to have them all? Why couldn't he just choose one and stay with her?

No wonder his future self had died a bitter old bachelor on that other Enterprise in the Expanse. All the women were pining for the ruddy Chief Engineer.

His best friend.

Well, Malcolm thought despondently. Not so much any more.

He downed his glass and sighed.

##########

T'Pol sat staring at the candle, once again unsuccessful in her attempts at meditation. She simply could not center herself. The doubt that crept up on her in the last few days would not allow it.

She gave up attempting to focus on the candle flame and gazed about her quarters. They seemed so empty without his presence. It had been comforting to have him there. Her mind went back to the first time she had ever invited him into her living area.

She had needed advice, and he was the only one aware of the details of her situation, and therefore the logical choice. T'Pol frowned, remembering her irritation upon learning that the human had read one of her private messages. Her frown deepened, recalling exactly how she had learned of the transgression.

He had come to her and admitted it.

T'Pol remembered how—despite her anger at the invasion of her privacy—she had been impressed with his integrity and the straightforward manner in which he accepted responsibility for his actions. He was not a man who engaged in dishonesty or subterfuge.

Had she been unjust in her treatment of Commander Tucker?

Regardless of their differences, she finally admitted to herself, they must discuss their situation. It was beginning to affect the crew. Lieutenant Reed was behaving more oddly than was usual, and if her emotional outbursts on the bridge today were any indication, Lieutenant Sato was obviously under some kind of stress as well.

Yes, thought T'Pol. Tomorrow I will approach Mr. Tucker so that we may resolve our differences.

##########

As soon as his young helmsman left, the captain abandoned any and all semblance of professionalism. He dropped his head in his hands and groaned. This was why Starfleet had a non-fraternization rule!

Not that it made a bit of difference. This entire fiasco had taken place in spite of the rule. A lot of good the damned thing did!

There was no doubt in Archer's mind that the rumors of an affair between Hoshi and Trip were false. Trip had always been annoyingly innocent in his relationships. He certainly conducted himself with some very old-fashioned notions with respect to male-female interaction. It never would have crossed the engineer's mind to cheat on a woman or play one side against another. Nor, in his naiveté, would it occur to Trip that certain actions could be construed as such.

Trip just did not get seriously involved with a woman unless he was in love. His friend didn't have it in him to be...seeing...two women at once. And he was in love with T'Pol. Of that Archer had no doubt. Did T'Pol love Trip? Maybe.

The captain sighed. Not surprisingly, Trip had screwed it up somehow, and poor Hoshi had gotten stuck in the middle. Archer felt like he had time-traveled back to adolescence.

Maybe I should just slip T'Pol a PADD with a note on it, like we used to do in Study Hall, he thought. Trip likes you. Do you like him? Check one—yes' or

And how the hell had Malcolm got thrown into the mix? He had to be involved. That bruise on his face had definitely come from someone's hand. Archer suspected Trip, but he knew Malcolm would feel honorbound to keep the details to himself. But just what were the details? Was Malcolm jealous? And if so, over whom?

T'Pol? Hoshi? Trip?!?!

I'm not the captain of a Starship, Archer groaned out loud. I'm the principal of a middle school!

Then the COMM beeped, summoning the captain to the bridge. Archer never thought he would be so happy to face an interstellar emergency.