Chapter 12

It wasn't so easy for Archer working side by side with T'Pol.
Tension was still there, and even if he tried hard to take their relationship back to a strictly professional level, his heart was aching.
Niki was taking care of his free time, organizing basket games or other entertainments, sometimes involving Trip and other crewmembers and he was glad to leave it to her. At least he didn't have time to think about T'Pol; he didn't want to.
T'Pol wasn't feeling better ... it was difficult to admit that his coldness was affecting her. Hours of meditation weren't effective enough and her emotions -in his presence- were too close to the surface.
She hadn't even noticed that Trip was watching her, more than before. Malcolm had put a flea in his ear and he wanted to find out how much truth there was in his statements.

It was late at night and T'Pol was sitting alone in the mess-hall, sipping camomil tea.
"May I?" was Trip's voice.
"Please" she nodded.
Trip sat down, feeling awkward: "We haven't talked much recently. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine."
"How is your ... husband?"
T'Pol raised an eyebrow: "I assume he's fine, too."
"You "assume" ..." he repeated.
"I didn't meet Koss, since my last visit to Vulcan. We exchange messages, occasionally. These were our agreements." she said dryly.
"You have to admit it's a strange marriage."
"I married him to fulfil my family obligations."
"I'm aware of that. I was there, you remember?"
"Yes."
"Look ... maybe it's not my business, but you don't seem so "fine" as you pretend, T'Pol." he sighed.
"This is your opinion."
"You've lost weight."
"I'm not particularly hungry." she said, averting her eyes from him.
"And ... you seem edgy, when you're on the bridge."
"Vulcans don't experience irritability."
Trip was losing his temper, but he insisted: "What about your argument with the Captain?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Com'on T'Pol ... the tension between you two is so thick that you could cut it with a knife!"
She lowered her eyes: "It's ... personal."
"Personal." he said, sarcastically. "We were friends, once. You could confide in me, if you need someone to talk."
She got up: "I should rest. I have the first shift tomorrow."
He grabbed her hand: "T'Pol ... I know I shouldn't tell you this ... but I miss you."
T'Pol stared at Trip for a long moment. She couldn't deny that her time with him had been ... pleasant. She still felt some kind of affection for him, but not in the same way he felt for her.
She removed her hand from his: "You're right, Commander. You shouldn't tell me."
She left the mess-hall, leaving Trip more confused than before.

Archer was in his ready room, checking some reports.
The door chimed.
"Come in!"
Niki entered: "Captain, you wanted to see me?"
"Have a seat."
Niki sat down, quietly.
"I understand your tests are almost completed."
"Yes, Captain. I assume you've read my reports." she answered.
Archer nodded. "Starfleet is highly satisfied with the results of your tests."
"I'm glad to know that." she smiled.
"And they appreciated the way you acted when that unknown species attacked us. You saved my life, too. I'm ... very grateful for what you did."
"It was my duty ... and a pleasure, too."
Archer gazed at her for a moment.
"I'll get to the point, Niki. I was thinking ... what if I ask to Starfleet for you to become a regular crewmember of Enterprise?"
Niki had a surprised and satisfied look at the same time. "Well ... I would be pleased."
"No problem staying in outer space and exploring the "cold" stars?" he teased her.
She chuckled: "No, Captain. But ... your crew is in full force, which task would you assign to me?"
"Travis Mayweather asked for a leave of absence ... for a few months. His family has some problems. I would be glad if you could undertake his job and ... considering your rank and your skill ... take a more active part in our mission."
"I'm flattered by your proposal, Captain, I'm glad to accept it."
Archer smiled: "I don't know if Starfleet will be glad as well, they could deny my request."
"That's possible." she nodded.
"Until I get an official reply from them, I would appreciate if we could keep this between us."
"As you wish, Captain." she got up. "Thanks for giving me your confidence."
"Thanks for accepting. Dismissed."

Niki was in her quarters, thinking.
"Congratulations, Niki." said Daniels.
"It was time you showed up."
"Now you're a member of this crew."
"Not yet. Starfleet could refuse." she sighed.
"They will not. Archer will convince them."
"How much time before ... you know."
"The timeline keeps fluctuating ... it could be a matter of days ... or weeks."
"What if I fail?"
"You can't. There's too much at stake!"
"I must admit ... I'm afraid." she said in a low voice.
"Of dying? That's a possibility, Niki, I told you since the beginning."
"I know."
"You're an Augment. You're exceptionally strong ... and smart. You have good chances!"
"I hope so."
"Your good chances could increase if you wouldn't let your personal feelings interfere."
"Too late, Daniels." she said ironically.
"So ... you're in love with him."
"He's the real reason why I accepted this mission ten years ago."
"How can this be possible? You didn't even know him!"
"You showed me his life! It was like if I was ... there! You let me see his joy when Enterprise left spacedock for the first time ... you let me see his desperation in the Expanse ... his courage ... his strength of character! How could I be unmoved by that?"
"I showed you a lot of things ... not only Archer's life."
Niki remained silent.
Daniels sighed: "I can't stay longer, nobody knows I'm here. I'm doing all this without permission."
"I'm aware of that."
"I don't know if I'll see you again ... but I wish you good luck."
"Thanks."

The morning after Niki was running further tests with the second shuttle.
She was running the engines at high speed and firing the fake targets that Malcolm had launched for her, when an alarm buzzed on Niki's control board.
Malcolm noticed something strange on his scanners and hailed her:
"Enterprise to Shuttle Two."
"Parker here."
"Is everything ok there?"
"I have some hull vibrations, but I think I can manage."
"I recommend you reduce speed immediately."
"Negative, Malcolm, I need to put engines under stress for my tests."
Another alarm buzzed.
"Shuttle Two, the hull integrity might be compromised. Reduce speed, now!"
"Don't worry, Malcolm. I can make it. Parker out."

"Bridge to Captain Archer."
Archer was in his ready room.
"Go ahead."
"I suggest you come here, Sir."
He reached Malcolm.
"What's happening?"
"I'm scanning strange vibrations in the shuttle's hull, she has lost 3 percent integrity but she doesn't want to reduce speed."
Archer furrowed his brow looking at Malcolm's instruments.
He looked at Hoshi: "Hail her."
"Archer to Shuttle Two."
"Parker here."
"Lt. Reed has detected hull vibrations, you have to reduce speed."
"With all due respect, Captain, I'm perfectly in a position to manage the situation, there's only 3 targets left."
Malcolm said: "She has lost 5 percent integrity."
"Shuttle Two, reduce speed. That's an order!" he raised his voice.
"But, Captain ..."
"Come back to Enterprise immediately. Test is over!"
"Aye, Sir."
Archer left the bridge in anger.

Trip opened the launch bay door and heared Archer's and Niki's voices. They were argueing.
He hid to watch them without being noticed.
Archer was pacing and Niki was trying to follow him to explain:
"Captain, I could finish the test without problems, I was trained for this!"
"Another couple of minutes at that speed and the shuttle could explode!"
"That hull can bear a loss of 10 percent integrity without problems, look at the specs!"
"I don't give a damn about your specs, I gave you an order!"
Niki snorted: "My job is push these shuttles to the limit, why don't you let me do it?"
"Your job is obeying my orders, not debate them!"
Niki lost his temper: "WILL YOU PLEASE ... STOP ... PACING!"
Archer stiffened: "What?"
"I'm becoming sea-sick, will you stand still and listen to me, Sir?"
Archer stared at her. Her eyes blazed ... he thought for a moment that she was even more charming when she was angry. But he pushed away that thought.
She handed him a PADD.
"This is the test schedule I got from Starfleet." she said in a low voice.
He examined the data: "Here is shown that the shuttle can bear that amount of stress and even more without any danger ... and that you had to test it to the limit ... the vibrations were to be expected."
"That's what I was trying to explain, Sir."
Archer nodded.
"It's evident I was wrong ... but I was really worried for your safety."
"I know, Sir."
"You have to understand that, no matter if I'm right or wrong, you have to obey my orders. Have I made myself clear?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Dismissed."
She was going to leave launch bay, when Archer told her:
"Really I was making you sea-sick?"
"Just a little, Sir." she gave half a smile and went away.
As the launch bay door closed, Archer heared someone laughing.
Trip appeared, almost choking with laughter.
"She's hard to get on with, Cap'n." he said.
"Com'on Trip ..." he snorted.
Trip patted him on the back and together they left launch bay.