PART 10
When Meditation Fails
© Xeen - May 2005
This story is the 10th and last instalment of The Enterprise incident series.
This stuff takes place before The Expanse and has not been beta'd and therefore subject to change.
I doubt that you can read this one as a stand alone though…
As usual, Trek ain't mine; I'm just playing with the characters.
"Archer to Tucker!"
"Aye Sir," Trip responded instantly, pressing the com on the wall of his quarters. What a night! First the party then his fight with Hoshi because of a stupid pattern on her kimono and now the Captain calling for him in the middle of C shift…
"Please report immediately to my ready room!"
It was yet six hours before he was on duty but it was not Jon's way to call that late for nothing. Feeling somewhat concerned about his engines, he opened his mouth to ask what was wrong but decided against it. Jon sounded pretty upset already.
"On my way, sir. Tucker out," he said instead and slipped in his crumpled uniform. He had no time to retrieve a clean one from the re-sequencer. Bah! That was not as if he was going to come across anyone on the ship at this time of night, he thought, giving his sleeves a rapid look in the mirror before rushing to the turbolift and up to the bridge.
Next time, he shall think twice… or thrice or a hundred times more before letting his inborn hopeless southern romantic nature get in the way of logic.
The fact that a young and brilliant officer would have a Vulcan as his superior officer on the maiden voyage of the first flag ship from Earth was barely one in a zillion.
The chance for an officer from Earth to spend three days down on Strillia for a well deserved shore leave was not even a remote option only a year back.
The opportunity that this young brilliant southern officer would have had to miraculously stumble upon a stock of aromatic candles leftover by a Ferengi trader was close to the absolute zero.
So what the hell was he thinking when he bought that stock on an irrepressible impulse, that, he could not tell. Maybe, the brilliant officer could have imagined that this would be what a young Asian person he knew would do, knowing that this particular Vulcan first officer was running dangerously low on her own candle stock.
Yup, exactly.
Next time this afore mentioned brilliant officer should pathetically attempt to act as a perfect gentleman and should think of offering the aforesaid candles with no special intention but being nice to a Vulcan lady, please, feel free lock him up in the brig along with the candles and lose the key, for crying out loud!
Trip glanced up to the Denobulan and winced.
"How was I supposed to know that?" he protested slackly, feeling like a slimy bug under the doctor's scrutiny.
"Maybe you should have come to me first. I would have gladly performed a thorough analysis," the doctor said overtly mocking him.
"So much for the surprise," Trip whispered between his teeth, "… well, doc, it's not like these Vulcans haven't been around for a while…" he trailed, "it's a miracle that they are even still around!" he realized out loud.
"I cannot discuss doctor-patient information with you, commander."
Trip could not say whether the physician was joking or not. His face was undecipherable.
The captain rapped absently on his desk and gave another worried look to T'Pol, who was resting on his coach.
"Doctor, you sure she'll be all right?" asked Trip in a low voice.
"One hundred percent, commander. I gave her quite a strong dose of anti-allergic serum and she should not even remember what happened in the first place. Tomorrow will prove to be quite interesting from the crew point of view though," he added with glee.
"How come we did not find out about those allergies before?" Trip exploded. "It's been a while since I gave those candles to her. Shouldn't we have noticed something?" he asked, facing his fellow officers. Even to his ears, that was really close to desperation.
Hoshi blushed and made every effort to avoid to lock eyes with him.
Travis suddenly found the floor the most interesting thing to watch in the entire room, Phlox fiddled with his medical PADD and Reed tried to turn into a wax museum tactical officer.
Oh oh…
It sounded like he was not the only one guilty on this one, he thought with relief.
"Not a big deal, anyway," he finally said, thinking he could at least grasp five hours of good sleep before going back to thinking over the unpleasant episode or rather do as if nothing ever happened and eradicate it from his memories, "she sang a few songs, made an ass of herself and what? She won't be the first one!"
He was not going to be court-martialed over a bunch of cinnamon and honey candles. Let's cut the crap and kiss the all thing good night for Pete's sake!
"That is my first officer you are referring to, commander," Archer said with a fierce look. Guilt was painted all over his face.
This one is as responsible as the rest of us and Phlox's merely trying to lay that on me. Fine, why not? Tomorrow is another day.
He wiggled and made a poor attempt at apologizing but Hoshi silenced him with a hush. He winked back thanks at her and was rewarded by a vigorous nod, a frown and a distant look. She was still mad at him but she was trying to pass something along. His guess was that there was something more than music at stake.
"Would you like me to arrange for the sub-commander to be transferred to sickbay, captain?" asked Phlox after what seemed an endless silence. The captain, completely oblivious of their presence, had resumed his absent minded rapping.
The doctor cleared his throat with no success.
Travis and Hoshi looked more than ever like two Academy ensigns caught in some forbidden action by their commanding officer.
Reed straightened his position, clasping his hands in his back, waiting for the inevitable reprimand. The captain had not been briefed after "his" incident with T'Pol and he was ready to take the blame for what happened to her.
"No doctor, she will stay here. I will watch her for the rest of the night. You're dismissed. You are all dismissed."
Archer seemed tired and vulnerable, like his world had been knocked over. The perfect antithesis of the captain Trip had made a point at observing these past few days,
Reed seemed disappointed but quietly left the captain's ready room. Hoshi and Travis exchanged meaningful glances and followed his lead.
Phlox seemed reluctant but he complied with a nod. "I want to see her in sickbay first thing in the morning, captain,"
Archer nodded absently. "You will, doc."
The door hissed open and he left.
Trip swayed from one foot to the other. "Something you would like to discuss with me Jon?" he tried.
"Please, sit."
He sat on the chair facing both T'Pol who was now fast asleep and breathing heavily because of sedation and his long time friend. And he waited. He bit the inside of his cheeks to keep quiet and was on the verge of bursting out into questions when Jon said something very softly. And he missed it.
"Sorry?"
"I said I knew her."
"Is that some kind of a riddle, cap'n, 'cause I could use some sleep right now."
"I knew her Trip. Way before we left docks… before I even saw her in Starfleet Command."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Archer sighed deeply and rested against his armchair. He closed his eyes, collecting his thoughts. "I knew her. Back in the 602 days. Remember the mysterious woman I talked you about?"
Trip gasped. Jon had spent hours elaborating on that woman. The lady from the jazz club, the one who always sat in the dark corner and ordered beers she never touched.
T'Pol? No way.
He could not even begin to imagine what Jon must have gone through when she had been assigned to Enterprise. Something like "go to jail, go directly to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect 200 dollars".
There she was, the woman of his dreams, and not only was she a Vulcan, she was coming in the way of his dream. For once, Trip was out of words.
Archer was back to introspection mode, as still as a statue. T'Pol moaned and Trip started at the sound of her husky voice. Archer turned to grey.
"Don't blame yourself, Jon," Trip finally said, "what were the odds, anyway? 'ah say yah gonna be fine. Yah both gonna be fine," he added with an intended drawl.
He clasped his hands on his knees and winced.
Archer did not move.
Trip stood up. "I guess I'll be on my way, ring me if yah need anythin'."
Archer nodded absently.
Trip punched the lock and strode outside.
"Trip."
"Cap'n…"
"Thank you."
"Anytime, cap'n."
THE END
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