The Cultural Addition
a
Star Trek: Enterprise - based fan fiction
by: Joycelyn Solo



Summary: An unexpected pregnancy has some interesting consequences for Trip, T'Pol, the Enterprise and the future of Humanity.
Author's note: This story takes place Season Three, so expect general episodic references, but with definite AU qualities.
Disclaimer: Star Trek: Enterprise and associated characters are property of Paramount Pictures. I mean no copyright infringement, this story is for entertainment purposes only.
Special Thanks: To Stub, the wonder beta

Rating: PG-13
Genre: Trip/T'Pol Romance; Mystery

Chapter Twelve - Accentuate the negative

Being chief engineer of Earth's first warp five vessel was an honor Trip Tucker wouldn't give up for the world.

However, being department head of the largest work crew on Enterprise was a headache he'd willingly trade to anyone who wanted it.

Looking over the Engineering work schedule, Trip sighed in frustration as he continued to juggle individual crewmen and shifts. In most any other part of the ship, scheduling was a simple task. Save for the Bridge and Security, most departments were on a nine-to-five schedule. However, with so much riding on the warp core, it was necessary to rotate the schedules so that no crewman could become "burned out" by routine.

As such, Trip was stuck with a scheduling nightmare on a monthly basis.

Leaning against the wall in a relatively quiet corner of Engineering, schedule in hand, he looked up suddenly at a small tingle in the back of his mind. Seconds later, the Engineering doors parted to admit Hoshi and T'Pol.

The two women seemed deep in conversation and showed no notice of his approach. It was only when he was a few feet behind T'Pol as she stood at the communications array that the first officer turned to regard him.

"What the hell are you doing down here?"

Cool as ever -- as far as he could tell, at least -- T'Pol answered, "I am assisting Ensign Sato in an effort to maintain our communications with Starfleet."

"You're supposed to be in your quarters," Trip reminded her.

"I already told you I do not need to rest, Commander. Doctor Phlox has cleared me for duty."

"Light duty," Trip corrected, glaring briefly at Hoshi for bringing T'Pol work to do. "You shouldn't be working in your condition."

T'Pol raised an eyebrow. "Indeed, Commander. Need I remind you that you chose to continue working during your preg --"

"That was different and you know it," he bit out, not wanting the few crewmembers who didn't know about his own maternal experience to hear her. He lowered his voice, "I wasn't nearly as far along as you are. And I hadn't almost miscarried."

Sensing that this conversation really shouldn't include her, Hoshi backed away and said, "I'm going to start re-calibrating the communications array."

Trip watched the linguist leave and noticed that the rest of his crew had stopped their work and were attempting -- without much success -- to look busy while they listened to the exchange. Not wanting to air all his personal affairs to the whole of Engineering, Trip placed his hand at T'Pol's elbow and lead her toward his office.

- - -

After a very loud ten minutes -- though the commander's voice was the only one heard through the closed doors -- the two senior officers emerged from the chief engineer's office.

Commander Tucker, Ana Hess noted, looked less-than-pleased with whatever agreement the two had finally reached. The sub-commander, not surprisingly, gave very little away in her facial expression as she joined Sato at the communications array.

Though she didn't necessarily like to see her commanding officer upset, Ana had to admit it was nice to see the Chief behave in a manner similar to his pre-Xindi self. Ana understood the pain of losing a loved one -- her own sister had died in a training accident two years ago -- but Commander Tucker's grief had transformed him from an easy-going, if somewhat irritable, genius to a shell of automated responses.

His relationship with Sub-Commander T'Pol, though Ana still didn't completely understand it, seemed to be a catalyst for brining life back to him. And, though Ana had no qualms about stepping into his shoes every once in a while to run Engineering, she was glad to have the Chief back.

Even if, at the moment, his attention was divided between the repair list she was showing him and the communications console where Sub-Commander T'Pol had worked with Ensign Sato.

"Commander?" Ana asked, trying to draw his focus back to the PADD she was currently holding out to him.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'?" he bellowed and it took Ana a moment to realize that his ire was directed at T'Pol and not her. The lieutenant watched as Tucker stalked toward the service ladder -- which the sub-commander was about to climb.

Ensign Sato, she noted, made a quick back step to get out of the commander's path.

Oh boy, Ana thought. This isn't going to be good at all.

- - -

"What did I just say?" Trip yelled. "Didn't I just tell you no crawling and climbing in your condition?"

"I could quote your exact words, Commander, but I believe the whole of Engineering has heard enough profanity for today." T'Pol replied, her even tones a contrast to his escalating volume.

"Cute. Real cute." Trip crossed his arms over his chest. "What exactly do you need on the upper level?"

"I am attempting to interface the communications array with main sensors for a stronger signal base. The sensor array is more easily accessed from the upper level."

"And you couldn't have taken the lift? Or Hoshi couldn't have done it for you?"

"I suppose..."

"T'Pol, I'm serious. I don't want you doing anything that's going to endanger you or the twins."

"I do not believe I have placed the twins in any danger with my activities." She placed her foot on the lowest rung of the ladder. "Now, if you will excuse me."

Trip place his hand on her arm. "Don't even think about it."

"Please unhand me, Commander."

"No, Sub-Commander, I don't think I will. I forbid you to climb this ladder -- or any ladder -- or place yourself in any strenuous situation for the next six months."

"You are being wholly irrational."

"Yeah, well, you worked me up pretty badly. I'm not feeling wholly rational."

T'Pol tilted her head slightly. "Do you realize your accent becomes more pronounced when you are agitated?"

"Considering how much you agitate me, I'm not surprised you've noticed." He ran a hand through his hair. "Look, T'Pol, just promise me you'll be careful."

"Commander --"

"Tactical alert. Senior officers to the bridge."

- - -

Rushing to their tactical stations, Hess and Martinez spared a few minutes. "What the hell was that about?"

"I don't know. I think it would have been hilarious if it hadn't been so scary."

"Scary?" Hess asked.

"Yeah," Martinez replied. "The sub-commander and Tucker fighting like that...it reminded me of my parents."

- - -

Captain Archer turned as T'Pol and Hoshi stepped onto the Bridge.

"I thought you were on light duty?" he asked T'Pol.

Rather than answer, T'Pol took her seat at the science console and proceeded to run a scan of the surrounding space. In an effort to draw the captain's attention from the already frustrated Vulcan -- though T'Pol would never admit it and Hoshi would never point it out, but the Vulcan woman was probably only one more stubborn Human male away from snapping a certain engineer's neck -- Hoshi moved to her own station. "What's going on?"

"An unidentified ship has dropped out of warp. One life sign." Malcolm reported from Tactical. "And its brought a gaggle of Xindi ships with it."

"The Xindi vessels do not seem to have detected Enterprise . Electromagnetic interference from the planet seems to be masking our presence," T'Pol reported.

"Let's keep it that way," Archer said, focusing his attention back to the viewscreen.

"Sir," reported Malcolm, "the unidentified ship is in trouble. Life support is failing and structural integrity is almost nil."

"Can we get a transporter lock?" the captain asked, moving toward the tactical console as though his presence would make the procedure possible.

"Not from here, sir. We'll need to move from our position," Malcolm informed him, refusing to allow Archer's hovering to distract him from his duty.

Archer looked back at the viewscreen, watching as the pursuing Xindi vessels fired a volley of plasma bursts at the much smaller and, apparently, outgunned ship. "Travis, hold our position," he finally commanded as an idea came to him. Moving to the center seat, he hit the comm button. "Bridge to Engineering."

"Engineering," came the pleasant tone of Commander Tucker's voice.

"Trip, I need you to get a transporter lock on the pilot of the unidentified ship. When he moves into range, pull him out of there."

"Aye-aye, Cap'n. I'll be in the Transporter Room."

Once the connection was closed, Malcolm asked, "Would it be wise to have a security detail waiting? We don't know who -- or what -- we're bringing aboard."

Archer nodded and reached again for the communicator on the center seat. "Major Hayes, have a team of MACOs in the Transporter Room to receive our new friend."

When Hayes acknowledged, Archer cut the connection and, to himself or the Bridge, "Let's hope that an enemy of the Xindi is a friend of ours."

- - -

Down in the Transporter Room, Trip was busy securing the lock on their soon-to-be-guest when Major Hayes and two of his MACOs arrived. "Lieutenant Reed thought you might need us."

"Good timing," Trip said, initiating the transport sequence. "We're bringing our guest -- for better or worse -- aboard now."

The MACOs watched intently as the transporter affect began, their weapons trained on the shimmer of space as it began to take shape and dissipating to reveal the pilot.

"You!" Trip yelled, the alarm in his voice causing the MACOs to release the safety on their sidearms and move menacingly forward.

The woman on the platform ignored the armed Humans and focused a warm smile on the engineer. "Hello, Commander Tucker."

Trip stared hard at the woman, an appropriate insult or threat forming on his lips just as Archer's voice came over the comm, "Trip? Did you get him?"

"It's not a him, Cap'n. It's Rajiin."