The
Cultural Addition
a Star
Trek: Enterprise - based fan fiction
by: Joycelyn
Solo
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: The great-a beta, Stub.
And everyone who expressed sympathy for my poor, spasm-y back. I'm much better now.
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Trip/T'Pol Romance; Mystery
Chapter Eighteen - The captain's mess
From the look on his chief engineer's face that evening, Jonathon Archer had a feeling dinner was going to be less pleasant than he'd been hoping.
In an effort to mend the fences damaged with the briefing's revelations, Archer had invited Trip to join him in the Captain's Mess. As both Rajiin and T'Pol were busy elsewhere -- Rajiin in Sickbay and T'Pol on the Bridge -- the captain had seen this as an opportunity for the two men to clear the air.
'Mending fences' and 'clearing the air,' Archer thought. Has our friendship resorted to a mix of bad clichés?
As the two men waited for Crewman Pennyworth to deliver their meal, they shared an awkward silence. Archer remembered how he and Trip used to watch water polo for hours together with very little conversation between them. Now, however, the silence was nearly painful in its intensity.
Anxious to remove the vacuum that seemed to encompass his dining room, Archer cleared his throat. "Phlox says you've been looking for opinions on names for the twins."
Trip pulled his attention from the bulkhead behind Archer's head and regarded the captain. "It was just small talk while I was waiting for T'Pol to get dressed," he answered, shrugging. "We haven't had any serious discussion about it."
"Oh," Archer sighed, looking down at the empty place setting before him. If only their food would arrive, it would be a distraction from staring dumbly at each other -- or actively avoiding staring at each other.
"Can I ask you something, Cap'n?" Trip asked.
Archer nodded, grateful Trip was willing to try to talk.
"What the hell is going on?"
At Archer's blank stare, Trip clarified. "You've been distant from the entire crew for months. The only life I've seen from you was when Rajiin -- a woman who betrayed us -- came back aboard and you turn around and give her free reign of the ship. You're being less than forthcoming when it comes to sharing information with your crew. You've --"
"Trip," Archer interrupted. This wasn't how he'd envisioned their dinner conversation going. He'd hoped that if he showed some interest in Trip's life, his friend would do the same and they'd get back on track. He hadn't expected to have a laundry list of his faults read off to him. "This isn't why I invited you to join me."
"I know why you invited me to dinner, Cap'n. I miss our friendship, too, but I'm not just talking about the crew when I say you've been distant. Even T'Pol noticed that we don't hang out like we used to. We made excuses for ya -- we know this mission is taking it's toll -- but your attitude is affecting moral on the ship."
"You think I've been distant the last couple months? What about you? When you're not on duty, you've spent all of your free time with T'Pol."
"Of course I'm spending time with T'Pol. She's carrying my children."
"You think I've forgotten that? Do you think, for one second, I can forget that my first officer is pregnant by my best friend?"
Trip's shoulders straightened. "I thought we were finally past this? How can you still think T'Pol and I --"
"I know you didn't plan this, Trip. I accepted that even before we knew about Rajiin's involvement. But do you know what it's like to have my first officer and best friend so occupied with each other? You're right, this mission is taking it's toll on me -- and the two people I rely on most haven't been around when I've needed them."
Trip was silent, staring in shock at his friend. "Cap'n, I didn't realize..."
"I know you didn't realize it, Trip. You and T'Pol have had a lot to deal with in the past six months. I can appreciate that. But this hasn't been a walk in the park for me, either. Maybe that's why I've welcomed Rajiin back so freely -- she's the first person who's listened to me in a long time. And I am sorry for not telling you about Xindi Prime," Archer's voice dropped, his tone softening. "I really thought you and T'Pol would want to know about the hybrids -- why they'd been created. It might not have been the best decision to keep the knowledge of the Xindi homeworld to myself, but I had thought I was doing the right thing for my friends."
"Is that why we're going to the Ceidé station instead of straight to Xindi Prime?" Trip asked. "Are you trying to make amends with me and T'Pol?"
"Partly," the captain admitted. "We need answers, but we also need allies. Rajiin says the Ceidé have been neutral in the past. Even while the Xindi were tearing each other apart, the Ceidé have aided both sides. If we can convince them that the Xindi are being manipulated, maybe they'd be could help us to stop the weapon and avert all-out war."
"Are you sure this entire thing isn't a ploy to lure us closer to the Xindi homeworld? Are you sure we can trust Rajiin?"
"I trust Rajiin, Trip. She made her mistake in the past, but she deserves a second chance." The captain sighed heavily. "Besides, if she was working with the Xindi, why would they want to lure us to their homeworld? We've spent almost a year searching for it."
Trip leaned back, ignoring the growl of his stomach as it demanded their still-absent dinner. "We're one ship. Against an entire planet, we don't stand much of a chance. If the Xindi wanted to remove us as a threat, that might be one way to do it. If these coordinates are for the homeworld at all."
"You're starting to sound like Malcolm," Archer said accusingly, then allowed his features to soften once more. "I've considered all of that, Trip. We're not going into this blind. Our goal was to find the Xindi homeworld and that's what we're going to do. We'll be on our guard, trap or not trap."
The captain could tell Trip wasn't completely satisfied with that, but he knew his friend well enough that he didn't expect any further arguments from him.
Confirming this, Trip said, "I admit I have no reason to trust Rajiin, not after what she did to T'Pol, but I do trust you. I may not invite Rajiin to the wedding, but I'll try not to object if you want to bring her with you."
"That's all I ask." Archer smiled at his friend, turning his attention to the door at the back of the dining area. "I wonder what's keeping Chef --" The captain spun back around and locked eyes with Trip. "What wedding?"
"Mine and T'Pol's. We want to get married."
Archer stared. He was pretty sure there was an intelligent and appropriate response to his friend's announcement, but he was damned if he knew what that was.
In fact, in his shock-addled brain, he wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to be responding intelligibly to.
Oh, that was right.
What!?
"You want to get married? Do you really think that's a good idea?"
"Considering that we're going to be parents in five months, being married doesn't seem like a bad idea."
Archer frowned. "Is the pregnancy the only reason you want to --"
"No!" Trip denied quickly. "No, of course not. I want to get married because I want to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love."
"Even if the woman you love will probably outlive you by another century?"
Trip paused at that, then countered, "There's a good chance none of us will live to see the end of this mission. If losing Lizzie taught me anything, it's not to waste the time we have."
Archer sighed heavily, wishing for his dinner and this conversation to be over. "I can appreciate that, Trip, I really can. But have you thought about this? What type of reaction you're going to get? Inter-species couples aren't likely to be widely accepted."
"I've never really cared much what others have thought of me and T'Pol's too important for me to start now."
Seeing that his friend was not going to be easily swayed, Archer asked, "I'm assuming T'Pol already agreed?"
An unreadable expression crossed Trip's face. "Not exactly."
"What do you mean 'not exactly'?"
"According to T'Pol," Trip
leaned across the table, his voice dropping to just above a whisper.
"We're already married."
