J. B. Tilton/Page 6
TWO
"Captain Spencer," said Archer, greeting his counterpart, "welcome aboard the Enterprise."
"Terry, please," said Spencer. "I feel like I already know you, John. May I call you John?"
"Certainly," said Archer. "Let me introduce my crew. This is Sub-Commander T'Pol, my science officer, Commander Trip Tucker, my chief engineer, and Dr. Phlox, ships' doctor."
"A pleasure to meet you all," said Spencer. "Now, let me introduce my crew. This is Commander Thomas Marks, my first officer, Commander Craig Lavene, my chief engineer, and Dr. Peter Links, my chief medical officer. And I believe you already know my chief science officer."
Spencer stepped aside and a woman exited the shuttle. She was about Archers' age and had blonde hair that was starting to turn just slightly gray. Unlike the rest of the crew, she didn't wear a Star Fleet uniform. Instead, she wore the uniform of the United Earth Science Command.
"Amanda?" questioned Archer in surprise.
"Hello, John," said the woman, smiling. "When Terry told me it was the Enterprise out here, I just had to come see you. Of course, it didn't take much prodding on my part to get him to alter course. He's always wanted to see the only warp five capable ship in the fleet."
"You know her, Cap'n?" asked Trip.
"Yes, I do," answered Archer. "We knew each other when I was a cadet at Star Fleet Academy. In fact, we even dated for a while. But that was quite a long time ago."
"Please don't remind me," joked Amanda. "It's hard enough to conceal my true age as it is."
"Interesting, Captain Spencer," said T'Pol. "Your crew addresses you by your first name. That's somewhat unusually, especially for a Star Fleet vessel."
"Not as a rule they don't, Sub-Commander," said Spencer. "But Amanda is a special exception to the crew. You see, in addition to being my science officer, she's also my wife."
"Interesting," said T'Pol.
"Your wife?" questioned Archer.
"Seventeen years now," said Amanda. "Don't be jealous, John. You had your chance."
"You're still not holding a grudge over that, are you?" asked Archer.
"Of course now," laughed Amanda. "It's ancient history."
"Grudge, sir?" questioned Trip.
"Well, as Amanda explains it," said Spencer, "she wanted to get married. But John was more devoted to his Star Fleet career. So they eventually parted ways."
"As I said, ancient history," said Amanda. "Now, John, I believe you promised a tour of this magnificent ship."
"Yes, I did," said Archer. "Commander Lavene, Trip has agreed to give you a full tour of engineering. Dr. Links, I'm sure Dr. Phlox will be glad to show you around sickbay."
"Phlox and I have already met," said Links, "when he was on Earth. Good to see you again, Phlox."
"A pleasure, Peter," said Phlox. "I have some wonderful new discoveries to show you. Particularly a slug-like creature we discovered on a remote planet some distance from here. It has the most remarkable anesthetic properties I've ever seen."
"Great," said Links. "Can't wait to see it. Sounds like a spiders' venom we discovered on a system we investigated a couple of months ago. Its fangs are coated in it and the victim doesn't even feel the bite."
"Fascinating," said Phlox. "No sensation at all? Not even the sensation of the venom on the skin?"
"Absolutely none," said Links. "Its' potency is like nothing I've ever seen."
"That's amazing," said Trip as the two physicians wandered away, lost in their conversation.
"What's that?" asked Archer.
"Someone as interested in Phlox's inane chatter as much as he is," replied Trip.
"Does your doctor go on at great lengths about the most insignificant things, too?" asked Spencer. "I usually have to cut Peter off in mid-sentence just to get a sentence in edgewise."
"Well," said Archer, "let's start the tour on the bridge, shall we?"
