Children of Enterprise
Estellio
Rating: Pg-13 (T)
Summary: When Archer is kidnapped by unknown aliens and the Enterprise is dead in the water, it seems like there is no hope for rescue but there's more to this than meets the eye and it could have something to do with the child in T'pol's arms.
A/N: This chapter is very dodgy. Might 'beta's Aka two friends of mine who read this a minute ago had...conflicting thoughts. One hated it so much she tried to talk me out of posting it, the other thought it was fantastic and very thought provoking. Wasn't sure if that was what I was going for but neh. I don't know if this is really impartial anymore but flip it. Also, there is a swear word which I'm not taking out on principle! It's a very Brirish / Irish word.
Tata: Hurray! (Dances) I'm so proud. It's all been about getting your stamp of typo approval!Hope this one is as good but I didn't have time to beta properly so...neh!Only two more chapters to go, hurray!
Gammara:Okay, I know you're probably American and they're 6 hours ahead of us so a week has passed but it doens't count cause I'm Irish! And even though it's know half past twelve I started this thing a quarter to. Damn Kev talking to me on msn and being all distracting. Hmm...anywho...this is an extra long chapter just to make up for the half an hour. This chapter Iwas a bit iffy about posting cause it's kinda contriversial ...Oh, typoright there but I coudn't be bothered looking up the spelling, so trouble is a mild term to say the least. Big confrontation. Glad you liked the kiss, I got an aww in my local interent café for it, plus, I don't see Lorian as an eloquent (another typo) kind of guy in the first place. Also, what does rubber meets the road mean? That's an expression I've never heard before (Now there's a goad for a review if ever I heard one)
IOIOIO
The ship rocked slightly as Travis navigated the dangerous currents that were threatening to tear Enterprise apart. It had been almost an hour and they were still here, that was a good sign, but Malcolm knew it was hard going on Travis and that if they didn't get a signal from Rialta or any indication it was safe…they might have to pull out anyway, into the unknown dangers that awaited them. He snuck a glance to the readout that told him hull integrity and grimaced. The polarisation had helped at first but that had long since fallen to the eddies and now they were down to forty percent hull integrity. Surely Scaron couldn't still be looking. Surely Rialta had drawn him away by now…Surely... Damn. Too many uncertainties and no Captain to make the decision. Malcolm was a good tactician, he was a good officer and a damn fine Security Chief if he may say so himself but the uncertainties of command were just too much. How did he know whether or not his decision was the right one, how did he know whether or not his decision would get everyone on board killed? He had taken command before and they had gotten out fine, Archer had seen them through this far…but when had any of them faced anything like this? Sure, they played the ol' time travelling mad men game before but that was in the past where they had the advantage. Nazi vs. Starfleet, that was a bit of a no brainer. Crazy, futuristic, Romulans vs. Starfleet 23rd Century…Things got a little bit more complicated. They were relying on a woman who they didn't even know, they couldn't even trust, who was probably what got them into this mess in the first place. It was her ship that dragged them into the null, her who took Archer, her orders that had Enterprise disabled and her that had left them out here to fend for themselves. He glanced at the readout again. Thirty Eight flashed up in bright yellow letters and he knew it was now or never.
"Travis." He said, looking up at the dark skinned pilot. "Take us out. What ever way is easiest for you. Try and keep the ship in one piece and get ready to jump to warp." There was defeat in his voice, he knew it, but he really didn't see any other choice. They could get inevitably torn apart here or they could chance their arm out there. He wasn't a gambling man by nature but every now and again Lady Luck forced your hand and with all his cards on the table he just had to wait and see what the other players of this dangerous game threw down.
IOIOIO
Lorian and Rialta first encountered a scout, hanging behind some asteroids outside the Traduit, presumable waiting for Enterprise to make her move. Rialta knew Enterprise couldn't last forever in a nebula like that, they'd be lucky if she lasted over an hour, but they had to take this one ship at a time. Whittle down Scaron's numbers and lead the rest away. Her ship was tough and fast, their best chance to save both Archer and Enterprise but there were Warships out there and all she had was a scout.
"I have a lock." Lorian said, his eyes intent on the barely intelligible display. Rialta was going to fly the ship and he'd fire, that's the plan they had worked out, well, screamed at each other, on the fifteen minute trip back to the space Scaron occupied. "Firing." Three silvery stars streaked away from the underside of her ship, Scaron's scout moved instantly, slipping between the rocks. The first torpedo hit an asteroid and blew it to dust while the other two wove their way around the meteorites. The scout didn't stand a chance, being only 25th Century, and the second and third torpedo vaporised it. Lorian could see by the grimace on Rialta's face she hadn't enjoyed it. She never served on a Starship before, she had never had to kill.
"Picking up two more scouts making a perimeter of the nebula." Lorian said, watching Rialta adjust course to match. He saw Rialta sway in her chair and his heart leapt. Arguing would be pointless but it wasn't helping for him to see her like this. They had to end this quickly and get her the medical aid she needed.
"I'll streak in between them then loop back. This is open space, they get one torpedo each." She said, noticing the simple 26th century designs of Klingon Scout ships. Hardy but not very manoeuvrable.
"Aye, aye, Captain." Lorian joked, looking over to see her smile faintly. It pained him to see her like this. Soon, he promised himself, he'd make her better soon.
Their ship slipped out from behind the asteroid and flew between the two scouts. Instantly they reacted, turning to face the ship as it looped up and flew, upside down, over the other ships. Two torpedoes streaked away and destroyed both scouts on impact. The ship shuddered and Lorian heard Rialta swear in a rather unladylike fashion as a warbird came into view, 28th century and twice as powerful as they were. If Rialta had been at full health then he'd have no doubt she'd have some sarcastic or witty comment at the ready to ease the tension or make light of the situation but as it were, she was having difficulty breathing. The ship wove in and out of the nebula's gasses, through the small asteroid belt and some fancy flying later they managed to dodge most of the warbird's fire.
"FIRE BACK!" Rialta shouted, working hard to stray one step ahead of the warship.
"I AM!" Lorian shouted, "I'M JUST MISSING!"
"HOW CAN YOU MISS! THEY'RE GUIDED TORPEDOES!"
"WELL I'M MISSING!" He waited till he got a lock and fired, this time the torpedo did hit but the ship's shield held.
"Uhoh." He heard Rialta breath beside him. "Figured out while the missiles are missing." The display jumped up and a cold sickness roiled in Lorian's stomach. The torpedoes had missed because there was a bigger target in front of them. Scaron's warbird loomed in front of them. 29th Century technology and a hell of a lot of fire power aimed directly at them.
"Oh dear." Rialta breathed. "Hold on to your ears, Lorian." The ship rocked violently as it was peppered with phaser and torpedo fire. She pulled the ship beck behind the meteorites but they were soon vaporised by the fearsome warbird on their tail.
"We'll have to go into the nebula." Lorian said, firing at the two ships on their tail.
"Are you crazy? They'll be able to track us in there and the currents will make out flight path too predictable."
"I thought this was 29th century technology." Lorian teased, smirking over at her. Knowing she'd never drop a challenge like that.
"It is! Doesn't mean I can defy the laws of Physics with it!"
"You Time Travel, don't you?"
"Shut up!" She snapped. "Fine, your death sentence." The ship dipped into the swirling turquoise hues of the nebula, the two larger ships behind them.
"Shields are failing." Lorian said, "And you're almost out of torpedoes."
"Use the phasers more then!" She barked, concentrating on getting them through this in one piece. Both Lorian and Rialta gasped as Enterprise loomed out of the swirling mists in front of them. Torpedoes, for all the good they'd do, streaking away in a blizzard of amber light.
"TURN ABOUT!" Lorian shouted. "TURN ABOUT!"
"I AM! FIRE DAMMIT! FIRE! I'M NOT GOING TO LET THEM KAMIKAZE RUN!" She shouted back, slipping the ship around in a manoeuvre that would have brought a tear of pride to any seals eye. She peppered the warbird that was firing on Enterprise with torpedoes, these ones hitting because of the block Enterprise was between Scaron's bigger, meaner ship. The shields collapsed and Enterprises Torpedoes finally began to take effect against the ablative armour the other ship had. Rialta broke away from that one, and Lorian let loose the last contingent of torpedoes she had, powering up the phasers which would be useless against the larger ships in the long run but every hit counted. A yellow blip on their screen signalled the destruction of a ship and at Rialta's smile Lorian let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't Enterprise. That ship streaked over above them, letting loose its own contingent of torpedoes against the large ship.
"MALCOLM! FECK OFF!" Rialta shouted. "THIS ISN'T YOUR BATTLE! THIS IS SUICIDE!" At first Lorian thought Rialta was speaking from adrenaline but when Malcolm's voice came over the Comm. Lorian realised she had opened up communications.
"We're not leaving you to face that thing alone."
"Malcolm! Remember our talk while I was delirious outside sickbay?" There was silence from the other end. "NOW GO! If not for me, for mom!" He said nothing but Enterprise broke away. "I'm sorry Lorian." Rialta said, smiling weakly at him and reaching out to grasp his hand. "I had to."
"I understand, I did the same for my parents." Rialta pulled away and plotted a course into the nebula, Scaron broke pursuit once he ascertained Archer was not on board. With their shields down Scaron's sensors easily swept the ship and his hatred for Rialta didn't mean he'd forsake his mission. They were safe for now.
"I'm sorry Lorian." She breathed, her hands braced against the console. "I can't fight it anymore…I…" She slumped against the console and Lorian leapt up, movinh her into a sitting position and pulling up an eyelid. Her eyes flickered madly as if in REM and her skin was scalding and clammy to the touch.
"And I'm sorry too, I can't let you die." Lorian cast a glance to the display then back to Rialta. The ship wouldn't let them get into danger and Archer would be fine for another few hours…they had time… He placed his hands on either side of her face and chanted words he swore he'd never speak again.
"My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts."
IOIOIO
T'pol and Trip walked side by side across the waist high green grass running along side a ravine. Beautiful flowers crested each side of the gorge and Lizzie played happily amidst them under the watchful eye of her father.
"The resemblance is uncanny." Trip said quietly. "She's a lovely kid, you must be proud." T'pol remained silent for a moment and Trip thought she wasn't gong to answer when she spoke.
"She's not mine. I have no children." T'pol said, watching Lizzie chase a creature not unlike a butterfly but with glassy wings. "She is a different T'pol's. Like…a sisters."
"Cute niece then." He joked, smiling over at T'pol. "John seems to get on well with her."
"Indeed." Was T'pol's only reply as she turned away, walking along the lip of the ravine and looking down into it. It was sandy down below, so different from the verdant grazing lands up above and she could see small animals going about their business in the deep creased walls. "We could be here a while." She said, almost idly as she watched a Lemur like being emerge, blinking tiredly, from a crevice in the ravine wall.
"Yeah, we should really have brought ration packs or…something." Trip laughed, watching the Lemur, which he named Bev for the sake of it, scuttle down the wall and across the ravine floor. "I'm sure Rialta'll be back and we can take her and Lorian out for dinner. Never know, they might finally get talking. A little wine'll loosen anyone's tongue."
"What are you talking about?" T'pol asked, arching an eyebrow, totally clueless.
"Lorian has the hots for Rialta but wont tell her. Now if ya ask me I think she likes him too but then again, as his dad, my opinion is a little bias." He said, grinning as Bev climbed up a rock and began to look around as if missing something.
"The hots?"
"He wants to mate with her, T'pol." Trip said bluntly, glancing over as Lizzie began to scream with delight. Archer had picked her up beneath the arms and was swinging her around him much to the little girls delight.
"I…see. Why is this any of our concern?"
"He's our boy, that's why. Gotta make sure our boy's mating with the right girls now."
"He's not our boy. He is a different Trip and T'pol's."
"Any DNA test'll tell you he's a Tucker and a T'pol. He's our son. We may not have raised him but he's ours. Same way Lizzie's yours and…Johns." Something about the way he said the last part must have sent off warning bells in T'pol's mind and she stopped walking, turning to face him.
"You disapprove?"
"What? Of what?"
"Lizzie. Of Captain Archer and myself? Of the life our future counterparts led." Trip paused, looking distinctly uncomfortable.
"Nah, T'pol, I don't disapprove. If it makes you and John happy I can't fault it but there's no denying the fact I've feelings for you. I'd rather it was you and me. Can't make it any plainer than that. Maybe circumstances arose in that timeline that brought you together and drove us apart but right now, in this timeline, in this place I think that you and I have a lot more going for us. I mean…Hell…I don't know what I mean. I care about you T'pol, I'd even go so far as to say I love you and you can't deny you have feelings for me too. Don't try and deny it on the basis of your ears."
"If by basing it on my ears you are referring to my Vulcan heritage then no, I wont use that against you. Vulcans do have feelings, we just suppress and control them. In fact, Vulcan emotions are far stronger than human emotions." She turned away, looking out over the gorge. The lemur was gone off the rock and she couldn't locate it anywhere. Probably gone back to its hole.
"And?" Trip prompted, coming up behind her.
"I don't know what I feel. I'm not used to dealing with emotions." T'pol said tersely and Trip could tell he was treading dangerous grounds. "I do care about you. You are a good friend, a good Engineer and in your absence I miss you…"
"But…" Trip asked softly, standing so close he could feel the heat off her body.
"I feel the same about Archer. Perhaps because we have not copulated I do not express it in the same way. It is more of a friendship but apart from the sex I feel the same way about both of you…" Trip stared at her horrified.
"So what your saying is…If you were sleeping with Captain Archer then there'd be no difference."
"Yes." She said quietly, not expecting the rage Trip focused on her at that small concession.
"Damn T'pol! That's cold, even fer you!" He said, close to a shout with his Southern burr strengthening with anger.
"You asked for the truth, Commander, I gave it to you."
"Well then…thank you very much Commander T'pol but I seem to remember it was you who jumped ME!" He growled, poking himself in the chest. "You didn't strip off in front of Archer."
"Doing so would be inappropriate, he is my commanding officer." She said, putting as much ice into those words as she could. Trip's words had struck a blow she was all too eager to return.
"So what, it was a question of rank? If Malcolm hadn't been your subordinate then you'd have jumped him, huh?"
"Considering English males reputations perhaps he would have been a better subject." Trip looked murderous, almost ready to strike.
"Damn you," He hissed. "Have you no shame?"
"You started this!" She hissed back. "It was your emotions that influenced me. I thought you cared about me and when you turned your affections towards Amanda Cole I had to get them back."
"So this is about insecurities? Damn you T'pol. I love you! Don't you feel anything!" T'pol looked away, what could she say. It was true, she did have feelings for him and there was no denying it but after what was said she couldn't face them…even now.
"Charles." She said, using his given name as she knew the impact it would have. "I do care about you. I will not lie. If anything were to happen to you I'd grieve, perhaps more so than I would the others. That's not to say I don't care about Captain Archer also. I do not understand this rivalry between you two over me. He has no romantic intentions towards me, he stated so before."
"What? I can see how you'd drop that into conversation. 'Hey T'pol, I don't fancy you'."
"Don't be so obtuse. I have no wish to discuss this matter further."
"Fine!" Trip snapped, turning away. "Dammit, all you ever seem to do is hide your emotions. Push people away. But I guess that's all Vulcans are good for." Trip stalked off leaving T'pol standing alone.
"You alright?" Archer was at her elbow a few moments later. His keen blue eyes regarding her with an understanding she hadn't seen before.
"Commander Tucker and I have had a disagreement, that is all." She said, turning away to watch Lizzie who was sitting in the grass, plucking the petals of a giant red flower.
"Want me to talk with him?" Archer asked, his hand sliding up her arm, sending shivers down her spine.
"I do not think that is wise. It is you we were fighting over." Archer smiled though his eyes held no trace of amusement.
"Should I be flattered?" T'pol looked away, her face showing her distress but something told Archer she didn't want his comfort now and to back off.
"Watch Lizzie. She's been asking after you." He said, running a comforting hand over her back. "She looks tired, I think she should take a nap. I can't convince her, maybe you can. After all, that's what mothers are for." Archer was hoping for a sarcastic comment like 'dictating your sleeping time?' to show T'pol was alright but she just walked towards Lizzie in silence leaving him standing with his hand in mid air. He turned and jogged after Trip who was stalking away like a panther with a thorn in its paw. A dangerous combination. "Trip, what the hell went on between you and T'pol?"
"Nothing." Trip snapped, hardly looking over at him as they set up a gently sloping hill.
"It was obviously something, T'pol's upset, you're upset and I'm clueless."
"Do you have feelings for T'pol." Trip asked suddenly, stopping mid stride and turning to face Archer. That wasn't what he was expecting and he was left gaping for a few moments.
"What?"
"Do you have feelings for T'pol, John? Yes or no."
"She's a Vulcan, Trip." He laughed, pointing out the obvious.
"So? Do you have feelings for her?"
"She's a good friend, a good science officer…"
"That's not what I meant. Do you have feelings for her?" Trip asked again, this time more forceful and Archer couldn't' bring himself to lie.
"Yes."
"Then why'd you tell her you didn't?" Trip asked, anger tingeing his voice.
"What? I never told her I…Tension…Sexual tension. We talked about that and we agreed nothing would happen but that was years ago."
"Vulcans have good memories." Was all Trip said before he set off again. Archer had to run to keep up with him.
"Nothing is going on between the two of us." Archer said hurriedly when he caught up. "I swear."
"Do you want there to be something? Do you want her?"
"She's my subordinate, Trip. I'd no more start something with T'pol than I would Hoshi." Archer said, dismissing the idea immediately.
"She wont always be. You'll get admiralty someday or she'll transfer off or get a promotion. What about then?"
"T'pol doesn't care about me any more than a friend, she cares about you, Trip."
"No. We're just friends who have sex." Trip said sourly.
"Come on Trip." Archer said, grabbing his friend by the shoulder. "T'pol didn't mean it like that and you know it. She's not too eloquent with words, you know that, and she's a Vulcan. She can no more communicate her emotions than a baby can and I don't think T'pol is the kind to go screaming and soiling herself, do you?" Archer was hoping the surreal imagery would break through to Trip's sense of humour but the Engineer stood there dourly. "Trip. T'pol cares about you a hell of a lot more than me or Malcolm." For some reason Trip winced but Archer pushed on. "Don't forget that. When you moved to Columbia she was in a foul mood. Plus there's that bond you two share. That brings the two of you closer than any two humans can ever get. She does care about you, maybe even loves you, she's been known to surprise." Trip looked up and shook his head.
"I don't know, I just don't know. I love her John, really, I do but I don't know if she feels the same."
"Can anyone ever tell what a Vulcan feels?" Archer asked, smiling encouragingly. "I don't even think she can. Between the Trillium, Pan'nar and Kir'shar all her emotional beliefs have been turned on their head and to top it all she was stuck with the emotional crew of Enterprise. That'd be hard for anyone. Maybe she went to you because she was confused and needed someone but remember Trip, she chose you because she feels more for you then anyone else on the crew."
"No, she chose me cause we were the same rank." Trip snorted, his anger ebbing.
"Don't be stupid, Trip. If that was the case she would have turned to another Vulcan as soon as we were on Vulcan. She turned to you because of that special bond you share." Trip seemed to grimace at those words. "I've never seen two people more mismatched who just seem to be able to make it work. I wont deny I care for T'pol but I don't love her Trip, not like you do." Trip stood silently before his Captain and friend for a long time, staring out over the view the small crest afforded. The watched some strange, Oryx like creatures grazing docilely for a while till before Trip began to stroll.
"It's a nice planet." He said softly. "Why can't we visit more planets like these?" Archer chuckled and slapped a hand on his shoulder, falling into step beside him. "I said some awful things."
"I think it was Oscar Wilde who said, 'you always hurt the ones you love.'" Archer said softly, looking back towards where they had left T'pol and Lizzie. The small rise had hidden them but somehow he knew the T'pol wasn't having any more luck getting Lizzie to nap than he had. The Oryx dusted the fields as far as the eye could see. Archer estimated there was over two hundred of them and realised with so many grazing animals, there had to be predators.
"Rialta said this planet didn't have any life on it, didn't she?"
"Musta dropped us off on the wrong planet or something." Trip said, not really paying attention to what Archer was saying, so caught up was he in the frolicking bucks that were making their way towards them. When they had first landed all they had seen for miles around was grass with no animals, so many Oryx hidden behind one crest made him think about what else could be hidden in the tall grass.
"Trip, I think we should head back to T'pol. I have an uneasy feeling."
"They'll be fine. They can always shout if they need help and T'pol has a tricorder with her. I saw her scanning the surroundings when we first landed. She'll take care of herself." Trip rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around, the bucks now playing happily a few feet away. "How long d'ya think we've been here anyway?" He asked, watching as one of the bucks head butted the other in the side and began to bray, standing over it.
"Roughly five, maybe six hours. Why?" Archer said, watching the buck prance away and leaving its fallen comrade behind. The other buck struggled for a while but seemed unable to get up. Archer approached it carefully so as not to startle it and then gently placed its hands beneath its side and helped it back onto its feet. It stood there, blinking at him a moment then it made a curious bleating sound, not unlike a sheep, and pranced away. "What was that Trip?" He turned to face his Engineer who was looking after the buck with some interest.
"Sun's setting. We should get shelter. We don't have any ration packs…." Archer looked after the young buck horrified.
"We can't…eat…one. I mean really Trip!"
"Come on, John. We're going to be here a while. Maybe a very long while, we need sustenance." Archer ran a hand through his hair which he was beginning to think was in serious need of a hair cut. He watched as a bull male began to size them up after being circled by the braying and bleating bucks.
"You're right but do you have a phaser?"
"Good point…I suppose we could make spears!" Archer laughed and indicated around them at the almost featureless landscape.
"Out of what?"
"Good point. I suppose we can kill it with dry Vulcan wit then!" Both Trip and Archer laughed as they made their way back towards T'pol. A strange noise caught their attention and they turned back towards the Oryx. Archer half expected to see the bull male charging them but what he saw instead made his blood run cold. A burning star was streaking through the atmosphere, leaving a tail of yellow flame in its wake and you didn't have to be a space Captain to recognise it was a ship.
"Rialta?" Archer gasped, watching it make their way straight for them.
"Enterprise?" Trip said worriedly, watching as it came closer and closer. "That's gonna land real close…we better start running." Trip said urgently, tugging on Archer sleeve. He stood transfixed by the sight a moment then began running back towards T'pol. The impact threw them off their feet and Archer looked back in time to see a giant tsunami of dirt making its way towards them. He threw his hands over his head and prayed to any deity willing to listen.