Kathy Rose - There are five parts in total, so we are halfway there.

Triptacular - "Woodshed"... Haven't heard that term in a long while. Made my day lol.

volley and tripaholic - I was trying to get across that Archer was reminding himself that it was his job to deal with Trip, rather than that he was terribly angry, and that he is just as frustrated and annoyed with T'Pol, and to some extent himself. Guess that didn't come across as well as I hoped it had. I did have Archer's meeting with T'Pol, but I couldn't get it to work so I took it out. Perhaps I should have left it in.

Thanks for all the reviews. It is really useful to see lots of different opinions.

Notes: Thanks to MisterB for advice on "Archer-speak"

This has been the most difficult chapter to write, simply because I could find no point of reference in Season One for Archer dealing with anything like this. So I looked at him overall, and came to the conclusion that he can get angry when he needs to, and that he tries to deal with things on level relating to what has happened, even if he doesn't always get it right. Also, I noticed that often when Archer is making a point to someone, he is making it to himself as well. So, throwing all this into the mix, I came up with this...

Responsibilities...

Part Three - Responsibilities

It was less than five minutes later when a rather nervous and tense looking Chief Engineer arrived in the doorway of Archer's ready room. He was now standing at attention in front of the small desk, not daring to make eye contact with the Captain as Archer looked over the Sub-Commander's report once again. Archer mused briefly that Trip had never been good at keeping how he felt from his face, but he pushed the thought away as quickly as it had arrived, forcing himself to press on and concentrate on the job in hand.

Archer stood and began to perform his usual pace around the small room, as was his habit when faced with a difficult situation. He referred to the PADD as he spoke, keeping his voice stern but level, and Trip's posture stiffened even more.

"T'Pol tells me that when she gave the order to prepare to leave orbit, you countermanded that order. Is that true?"

"Well, yes, Captain. It is…"

"She also tells me, that when she tried to give the order again, you had engineering standby to vent the Warp Nacelles, in order to physically prevent the ship from leaving. Is that also true?

"Yes Sir."

"Would you care to explain your actions to me?"

Archer was looking at Trip with an almost incredulous expression on his face, studying the man closely. Trip seemed to be about to say some thing, but then changed his mind and closed his mouth again and lowered his gaze slightly.

"Commander?"

"I'm sorry sir."

Archer felt his anger raise up a notch. He was in front of the desk and toe to toe with the Commander in an instant.

"I didn't ask you if you were sorry! I asked you to explain your actions!" Archer ground out. Trip's head snapped up and he flinched at the look of anger he saw in Archer's eyes.

"Now answer the question!" Archer practically hissed.

A myriad of emotions seemed to cross Trip's face, until he apparently made a decision. He looked at Archer, and swallowed hard before answering.

"Well, Captain. We all thought she was going to go and leave you on that planet, when we didn't know what had happened to you. I couldn't let her throw away our chance of bringing you back to Enterprise."

"She was in command. You had an obligation to follow her orders!"

Defiance rose up in Trip before he could clamp it down.

"She was making the wrong decision sir! Or at least… I thought she was. I couldn't let her do that!" It sounded hollow, even to him. Archer called him on it.

"So you decided that leaving Enterprise with no means of escape, and risking the lives of 82 crewmen, by venting the Nacelles in the middle of a battle was a better decision?"

"Captain…? I…" Trip protested, trying to defend himself, but really at a loss for what to say.

"She was in command, Trip," Archer repeated over Trip's protest. He was pacing again, anger still evident in his voice. "Your duty was to follow her orders and assist her in carrying out the objectives of the mission, whatever they happened to be at the time. We need T'Pol on this mission; no matter what you or I may think of the Vulcans or the way they do things. I can't afford to have my senior officers fighting like children when there is a decision to be made!"

The hard tone in his voice allowed no argument from Trip and he fell silent, once again unable to meet Archer's glare, his gaze flicking from his boots to one corner of Archer's ceiling, and shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"What's going on with you Trip?" Archer demanded. "I know you and T'Pol have had your differences, but I thought you'd got past that. I thought you had been working together long enough to respect her and trust her decisions?"

"I don't know sir." Trip said quietly, his gaze lowered to the deck.

Archer stopped pacing again and studied the engineer intently. He allowed the last reserves of his anger to bleed away from him. 'Almost over.'

"Maybe you need to think about your actions before you make them, instead of just worrying about them afterwards. I don't want to be having this conversation again with you in a few months time. I understand how you feel about this but there are bigger things to consider now Trip. We're out here, amongst the stars, the first humans to see some of these things, and there is bound to be times when we both have to learn to let go and leave some things behind. You have to leave behind your attitude and knuckle down when T'Pol is in command. She's got more experience than any of us Trip. I need to be able to trust that you'll follow her orders – its what I want you to do…"

Archer's tone was gentler now, quieter. It surprised Trip and he risked a glance at the Captain's face. It still held its stern expression, but there was something in the man's eyes that made Trip realise that Archer was speaking to him as his friend now, as well as his Captain, and he finally allowed himself to relax slightly. Archer held Trip's gaze for a long moment as silent understanding passed between them.

"Do you understand me Commander?"

"Yes Sir, Captain, I understand."

Archer continued to regard Trip silently, wanting to be sure that he had got through to him. When he was reassured he quietly said, "Then that's all I have to say. Dismissed Commander."

After Trip had left the room, his gait lighter than when he had entered it, though his gaze was still lowered, Archer found himself wondering just how long it would be before he had to have this conversation with his impulsive young friend again.

Shaking his head as if to shake away the thought, he turned to the viewport, and the veil of elongated stars.

Please Read & Review