Chapter Two

Walking along the corridor, Trip debated whether he should check the database to see if Archer had returned yet or just turn up at his ready room. He decided on the latter as he wasn't that far from his quarters anyway.

Having buzzed the door comm., he heard a quiet "Archer!" from inside. Not waiting to be invited, since Archer had never minded him popping in for unscheduled drinks and a chat before, he pressed the door panel and walked inside. "Have a good time back on Earth?" he asked as he bounded in, not realizing that Archer already had company with him. "Sorry," said Trip pulling up, feeling slightly embarrassed at his lack of manners. "I didn't know you had guests. I'll come back later," he said, turning round.

"Don't be silly," said Archer, indicating for Trip to sit down. "I was going to give you a call and introduce you anyway." "Trip … this is my mom, Sally. Mom, this is Charles Tucker III," he said, adding emphasis onto Trip's grand title, which he loved teasing him about.

"Pleased ta meet ya," smiled Trip, leaning over to shake her hand. "Call me Trip."

"Pleased to meet you … Trip," smiled Sally.

"I thought I ordered you to take time off and enjoy yourself," said Jon, as he offered both of them a cup of coffee.

"I am enjoying myself …" replied Trip in a put on indignant manner. "You know by now that I like nothing better than tinkering with ma engines." Archer just rolled his eyes and smiled at this typical Trip response.

"So did ya have fun during ya vacation?" asked Trip.

"Depends what you mean by fun," replied Archer. "If you mean fun in the sense of 'wild parties', then no, but if you mean fun as in 'relaxing and enjoying the company of family, then yes," replied Archer, smiling at his mother.

"Have you had a chance to visit your family as well, Trip?" asked Sally, enjoying the company of this nice young man who Jon seemed to be good friends with.

"No … not yet," answered Trip, suddenly looking somber as he slowly sipped his mug of coffee. Sally looked like she was going to enquire further, but a glance at Jon who was silently indicating to her to drop the subject, changed her mind.

"I've got something that you're going to find really interesting," said Archer to Trip, changing the mood that was beginning to descend in the room and managing to pique Trips interest. "It seems that Starfleet have unearthed some old things that belonged to dad which he'd stored away when the Warp Five Project took off about 30 years ago. We were just about to go through it. Do you want to join us?"

"If your mother doesn't mind me intruding on something that personal?" asked Trip, looking at Sally for assurance.

"I don't mind, Trip. If I was being honest, I was never part of this dream," said Sally, indicating that she was referring to Enterprise, "I could never understand the devotion he put into finishing this project, especially when it kept him away from his family."

Archer patted his mom's hand, "Come on, all that's in the past. Let's see what's in there." It had been tough on both of them while he was growing up. He had only been young, but he had seen how the project, which his mom had referred to as Henry's whale, tore his parents apart till they finally divorced just before his tenth birthday. Jon had gone to live with his mother, as the complex was finally finished and the project was starting up. His dad didn't have the time needed to care for a small child, but he managed to fit in loads of special days where they could spend time together, building models, walking on the beach, flying toy starships etc. Jon had resented his mother at the time because he thought that she was intentionally keeping him away from his father due to not having the passion that he and his dad had over his work. Visits to the complex and his father over the years though, showed him this wasn't the case, as he watched his father wrestle with the stress and strain of not receiving any help from the Vulcans, then struggle with a genetic degenerative disease which sadly laid claim over to him and took his life far too early.

--------------------------------------------

Ten minutes later, Archer was shaking his head and laughing at the sight of Trip being rendered speechless as he gazed at one of Henry's old note books longingly. Trip was such a geek when it came to things like that, but it was one of his qualities that just endeared you to him.

"Wow, I can't believe I'm holding his actual note book where he wrote all his notes for the plans and designs for this engine …," said Trip in awe as he flipped through the book taking everything in.

"It loses its appeal when you have someone drag it around everywhere they go, writing and scribbling notes into the early hours," smiled Sally. Gazing at Trip, she was taken back at how alike he was to Henry in his mannerisms. Hopefully he'd meet a young woman with a strong head on her shoulders who would be able to take all of that within her stride, otherwise he was destined for a lonely future, as Sally had found out herself after the divorce. She was glad that Jon had made a good life for himself but it didn't look like that he was going to settle down anytime soon – he had too much of Henry's quest for exploration in him. "Looks like I'll have to scratch that grandchild off my list," she thought as she watched the two good friends laughing as they looked through fellow geek's memoirs.

"There's some photos as well," said Archer, pulling out a small bundle.

"I wonder if there's one of Zephran Cochran," asked Trip. "Your dad did work with him for a while before he went missing, didn't he?"

"Yes, about six months," replied Jon as he examined the pictures before passing them to Trip to have a look at. "I think Zephran's on this one here," he said, handing a picture to Trip. "It says on the back that it's a group shot of everyone involved with the Warp 5 complex just before the project took off." After a few minutes, "Trip, what's the matter …?" he asked at his friend's extremely surprised and puzzled look.

"My mom never told me that she was involved in Starfleet or that she knew Henry Archer or Zephrane Cochrane."

"What do you mean?" asked Archer.

"She's in this photo, there, standing right next to your dad," explained Trip, pointing to an image of a young woman. "She a lot younger, but it's definitely her."

"Strange! I wonder why she'd keep something like that to herself?" muttered Jon quietly as he glanced first at Trip's puzzled expression, then at his mother who had gone extremely pale and looked lost in thought.

"Strange indeed …" answered Sally softly, looking at Trip as a range of emotions filtered across her face, as if old memories were suddenly flooding back.

------------------------------------------------------------