Chapter 2
Trip was just about to enter Jon's code into the keypad when Jonny suddenly buried his head into his shoulder.
"What's wrong Jonny?"
"I'm scared"
Came the answer. Trip didn't know what to make of this so he placed Jonny down and knelt in front of him and said
"What are you scared of?"
For a moment the child didn't answer, but then he said in a small voice
"I've never been away from home without my mommy and daddy. Did I do something bad? Are they mad at me to send me away?"
Trip's heart ached and he drew the child close in a hug and said
"No, no they are not mad at you and you did nothing bad..."
He wasn't sure how to proceed but he said
"They just...asked me to watch over you while...while they went on...a vacation."
Trip knew it sounded lame, but he hoped it would satisfy a small child. Jonny looked at him and wiped the tears that had started to flow and said
"They went on a vacation without me?"
He looked like he was going to cry again and Trip scrambled to say
"Well, your daddy wanted you to see a starship and your mommy wanted you to have some fun..."
He looked at the child and saw the idea settling in. Even as a small child it seemed that Jonathan Archer was born to be an explorer. His eyes seemed to brighten as he said
"This is a real starship?"
Trip let out a breath and said
"Yes this is a real starship."
Jonny leaned a little closer to Trip and said
"When I grow up I want to be in Star Fleet and be a captain of a starship. My daddy is working on a very fast engine. He tells me stories of someday being able to go really fast. I want to be able to explore the stars."
He finished with a smile and Trip smiled at him as he said
"I know someday that will all come true and you will get the chance to explore all the wonders your daddy has told you about."
Jonny just hugged him and then Trip stood and holding to Jonny's hand he again went to open the door.
As the door opened and they stepped into the Captain's quarters, a small beagle came running up to them, but stopped short and sat down and, cocking his head, he looked at Jonny. The smell was correct, but the package was all wrong. Porthos was looking at the small boy. He smelled the scent of his master, but he wasn't sure who it was that stood there. Jonny looked at the dog and said
"Oh, is he your dog? I love dogs and have one at home. His name is Flash."
Trip smiled and said
"No he belongs the the Cap'n and his name is Porthos."
At the sound of his name, Porthos came over and began to sniff Jonny. Jonny got down on the deck and allowed the dog to sniff him. After a moment, Porthos had decided it truly was his master even it he was smaller and began licking his face and jumping into his lap. Jonny began laughing and rolling on the floor with the animal, who seemed content to be playing with his master. Trip watched and began to realized he'd seen Jon do this so many times, rolling on the floor playing with Porthos. As the two continued to rough house, he went over the computer and called up to the quartermaster and requested some clothing to be made for Jonny. T'Pol had made the ship-wide announcement so the quartermaster just said that he'd already started on some essentials for the captain. Next he asked for a cot to be brought to the captain's quarters. Jonny was still chasing Porthos around the room and laughing and Trip decided it was time to stop the chase. As Jonny ran past him, he grabbed him up in his arms and said
"Whoa there, enough running"
Trip was smiling at the child, who was giggling and breathless. He had a blush on his cheeks and seemed happy.
"You like Porthos?"
"Oh yes."
Looking at the dog who was standing now at Trip's feet tail wagging happily Trip said
"Well I think he likes you too."
"Flash doesn't play much. Daddy says he's too old to be running, but I still love him. He likes to sleep with me though."
"Well, Porthos loves to play."
Trip said as he reached down and scratched behind the pup's ears, which just made that tail wag more.
At that point the announcer chimed and Trip turned and pushed the opener and said
"Come"
The door opened and a couple of stewards came in with the clothes and cot. Trip got up and helped them set up the cot as Jonny sat on the bed and watched. After they were through, one of the men said
"We heard what happened and..."
Before he could continue, Trip made a sound and the man stopped and said
"Sorry sir..."
He looked at the captain who now was a five year old boy and said
"The quartermaster sent you some things and hopes they fit."
It was plain to Trip that the two men were not at ease with the situation so he said in more of a command tone than he had wanted to
"I'm sure they will be fine... We know this is hard to deal with, but everything will be okay...dismissed."
The two nodded and left the captain's quarters. Trip sighed and wondered if everyone would react to the situation the same way? Captain Archer was really the backbone of the crew and was seen as a pillar of strength and leadership. Now as a small boy, it was going to be hard for the crew to relate to him. He hoped that the senior officers could smooth that with their departments. He knew he was going to speak to his engineering crew as soon as he could about the situation.
He turned to Jonny and said
"Well, are you hungry?"
Jonny nodded and Trip continued
"Well then let's see if these clothes fit and we can go to the mess and see what chef has today, what do you think?"
The boy nodded and then picked up a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Trip came over and helped him get out of the oversized things he had on and helped him dress. The clothes seem to fit well and Trip went into the bathroom and came back out with a brush and began to comb Jonny's hair. It was a lot longer than Jon's and it felt silky soft. Once he was satisfied that the boy looked presentable, He took the brush back into the bathroom and then came back to the main room.
"Can Porthos come too?"
Trip smiled and said
"I think we better leave Porthos here."
At the sad look on Jonny's face he said
"But maybe we can take him for a walk later this afternoon what do you say?"
At the smile that lit up that little face, Trip had to push down a wave of sadness. The smile was pure Jon and he said to himself 'We'll find a way to get you back Jon'
"Come on lets go."
Jonny walked over to him and as they started to the door, Trip felt a small hand tug at his pant-leg. He stopped and looked down at Jonny who said
"Excuse me, but what's your name?"
Trip chucked as he realized this Jon didn't know him.
"Charles Tucker the Third, but you can call me Trip."
Jonny thought a moment then said
"Trip?"
"Yeah...the third...triple...Trip."
It took him only a moment to connect on the reference but then he grinned a large boyish grin and said
"Trip...I like it."
So they left the captain's quarters and headed to the mess hall. When they got there, there was a full compliment of crew members having lunch and the normal din as conversations were carried on. When the doors opened, Trip surveyed the room, making sure no one scared the boy, but he seemed oblivious to the sudden silence that come over the room. He happily skipped in and said a little more loudly than Trip had hoped for
"Hi!"
Jonny went to the first table he spied and began talking excitedly to the people sitting there. Luckily the table contained Travis and Hoshi.
"Did you know we are on a real star ship? My daddy is building a big engine that will go really fast...When I grow up I want to be in Star Fleet and visit all kinds of new places..."
Before he could continue, Trip was next to him and said
"Jonny..."
But Hoshi just smiled at the child and said
"And I'll bet you will be one of the first to be out among the stars too."
At that Jonny's smile lit up the mess hall as he continued
"I want to be a star ship captain and be able to see all the stars my daddy has told me about too."
Trip began looking around and he saw the smiles on the faces of the crew and noticeably relaxed. The smiles were all happy smiles and he did not see anything that would show any contempt to the situation. It was then he realized just how much the crew looked up to the captain. Maybe the crew would be okay with this. He turned his attention back to the table and now Travis was telling Jonny how he had grown up on a ship and was called a boomer. Jonny seemed thrilled at the tale. He was duly impressed that Travis had spent his time in space. Finally Trip said
"Jonny, we need to get lunch now."
He indicated that Jonny was to follow him, but Jonny said
"Can't we eat with Travis and Hoshi?"
He seemed sad that he couldn't stay with his new friends, but Travis said
"We need to be getting back to the bridge...maybe next time we can."
At the mention of the bridge, Jonny looked at Trip and said
"Can we visit the bridge...can we?"
Trip smiled and said
"Maybe. Now lets get something to eat."
He reached out and took the boy's hand and smile at Hoshi and Travis and led the way to the Captain's private mess. He entered the code and the doors swished open. They walked in and again Jonny pulled at his pant leg. Trip looked down at him and saw an amazed look on the boy's face as he said
"Is this all yours?"
He smiled and said
"No, this is the captain's private dining room. Nice huh?"
Jonny looked a little scared as he said in a loud whisper
"Won't he be mad if he finds us here?"
Trip squatted down so he was at eye level with the boy and smiled and said
"Nah, the cap'n is my best friend and he won't mind."
Jonny didn't seem all that sure, but he decided that Trip must be a very good friend for the captain to let him use his private dining room. Trip picked him up and sat him in his usual chair but found that he didn't quite reach to the table.
"Hmm...we need something to boost you up don't we?"
He went to the buzzer and rang for the steward, who came in after a moment.
"Hey, we're gonna need something to boost Jonny up, got anything in stores to help?"
The steward thought for a moment and then said
"I think I know just the thing, be right back sirs."
He turned and disappeared. Trip hadn't missed the reference to Jonny as sir, but Jonny seemed not to notice. That was something else he'd need to address with the crew. He didn't want anything to upset the child. The steward came back with a thick cushion and as Trip raised Jonny the steward placed the cushion on the chair. Trip lowered Jonny back down and he seemed to be at the right height to access things that would be placed on the table. Trip smiled and said
"Just right thanks."
He sat down in his normal seat and said
"What's on the menu today?"
The steward said
"Chef has prepared a nice stir fry with chicken and also we have a vegetarian pasta salad."
Trip said
"I'll have the stir fry and..."
He looked at Jonny and saw a screwed up 'yucky' face and suddenly realized that a five year old would not eat the same things the Captain would.
"Um...what would you like Jonny?"
"I want a cheeseburger and french fries."
Trip looked at the steward and raised his eyebrow much like T'Pol would but the steward just smiled and said
"I'll see if chef can do that."
He left and then after a moment came back and said
"Chef said he could do it, but he also said he'd appreciate advanced notice in the future as to the...likes of..."
He trailed off and Trip said
"Tell chef thank you and I'll get him a list before dinner."
The steward nodded and then went to place their orders. Trip eyed the captain and then said
"So what do you like to eat?"
He knew that Jon's taste were simple but healthy, but wasn't sure what the child would like.
Jonny looked at him and said
"At home mommy makes lots of good stuff."
"Like what?"
Trip had never had the pleasure of meeting Jon's parents as they had already passed on before he had met Jon.
"My mommy makes the best meat loaf and mashed potatoes. And fried chicken and biscuits and for special times we have a roast with all kinds of good vegetables."
"That sounds like good dinners, but what about lunches?"
"Well mommy usually makes me sandwiches."
"What kind?"
"My favorite is peanut butter and jam. Did you know she makes her own jam? She also makes me mac and cheese."
Trip smiled as he had often seen Jon eating a plate of mac and cheese and remembered he'd called it 'comfort food' Well this didn't seem like it would be to much extra work for chef after all. The steward returned with their meals. Trip smiled as he noticed that chef had even included a small bowl of ketchup for Jonny to dip his fries in. They settled in to a good meal and each seemed to enjoy it.
TBC