Title: The Introduction

Author: CTScan

Rating: K+ (three wittle swear words)

Pairing: Trip/T'Pol, of course

Summary: Captain Archer welcomes the latest addition to the ship's manifest. Warning: Mind your step - It's kinda mushy in here..

Author's Note: Hi, long-time wallflower, first time poster. Thought I'd start off with a syrupy little quickie. It's totally AU (or, well, potentially EU - extended universe - if we pretend Enterprise had continued to sail a congruous course after Terra Prime). I would love to read constructive comments, if you feel so inclined.

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights - wish I did -I've got a list of favorite fanfic authors I would rather entrust with the fates of the crew. Anyway, no infringement intended, just trying to keep life support plugged in.

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It was very early Alpha shift when Doctor Phlox paged Captain Archer to Sickbay.

Archer arrived, looking around for Phlox. Just as it registered with him that the back he spied off to the side belonged to his chief engineer, Commander Tucker turned about slowly. With a bemused grin, Trip quietly greeted him, "Mornin', Cap'n. I got someone I wancha ta meet."

Jon gaped as his eyes traveled from the bundle in Tucker's arms up to Tucker's face and back down to the bundle and he stepped closer. Trip's grin broke full-force into a smile, "Say 'Hello' to Charles Sarel Tucker the Fourth."

"A son?" Jon asked as he leaned in to peer closely at the newest member of his crew.

"Yup." Beamed Trip, "He's got his daddy's eyes and his momma's ears. It's a bit early to tell about the nose, though."

With a wondrous smile of his own, Jon admired the baby more closely, "Damn. He's adorable. The crew's gonna go crazy over him," Jon observed. "How's T'Pol?"

With a nod toward the curtained-off recovery area in the back of Sickbay, Trip answered, "Restin'. Hell, Jon, I don't know how women do it. Labor is a sonofabitch. I don't know that I'd have the stamina to get through it. But she did. Came through like a champ. She's incredible. And so is this little guy."

Moments passed as the friends silently contemplated the sleeping wonder in his father's arms. "Sarel?" Jon asked.

Trip explained, "Yeah, well, T'Pol insists that family traditions are important and we should name him 'Charles the Fourth'to honor his human heritage, but look at those ears. He's gonna need a Vulcan name. 'Sarel' sounds a bit like Charles and adheres to their naming scheme. 'Sides, you know he's gonna end up with a nickname, just like I did."

"Uh, huh. Got anything in mind, yet?"

"Nah. Well, at least not before this mornin'. But since we've been walkin' around gettin' to know each other, I've been thinkin' of callin' him, 'Chip.' You know, 'Charles'…'Trip'…'Chip'…"

"A regular chip of the Old Block, eh?"

"Who you callin' 'old'?"

"You, Poppa Tucker!"