Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long, I've been working hard on my other story and we just had final exams at my Uni. Hopefully the chapters will keep coming at a regular pace.
Chapter 8: The New Guy
Trip walked through the now familiar halls of the Warp 7 Complex and turned down the corridor leading to Hess' office. She had a second desk pulled in and a human office chair just for him. His name placard had come in three days ago and the door was already adorned with his temporary title. He was still Investigator Voras but he was also Assistant Director of Warp Theory Voras. T'Pau pulled some strings and had him put in place. He was in charge of staff as well as reviewed all relevant research coming out of the Science Academy, Starfleet R&D, and the Warp Facility itself. Hess handled logistics, Trip handled application. Just like on Enterprise they worked well together.
His new position allowed him to monitor every aspect of the facility to root out whoever was causing problems for the research team. So far he had eliminated the entire fabrications department, as well as service staff. He was still taking a look at a couple of the janitorial workers, you could never be too careful and people in that department went everywhere unnoticed. You never questioned the presence of a janitor. He had even been undercover as one before. He was pretty sure that none of the Andorian workers were responsible and chalked the arrival of the new Andorian worker and the change in readings as a smoke screen. Whoever was doing this wanted him to think it was an Andorian.
He arrived at his new office and keyed in the access code, the door was unlocked. Hess must be here already. He opened to door and was greeted by the sight of an empty office. He slowly walked in and secured the door behind him, making sure the lock activated. The desks were both in the same level of disarray they had been the previous night. The smell of the day old cup of coffee sitting on Hess' desk filled the air. The trash bin had not yet been emptied, which wasn't unusual considering no one besides himself and Hess should be able to enter the office. Both data terminals were powered down and none of the data sticks were missing from the container on his desk.
Nothing seemed out of place, and yet…. I know I locked that door. The only way for it to be unlocked is if someone is inside and hasn't activated the lock. Someone has either rewired the door or…. or someone is still in here. But where? Trip slowly walked around the room taking in every detail. The position of the chairs behind the desks, the Vulcan duvek-kastik plant in the corner, the air vent in the center of the room, and the door leading out into the corridor. Unless the person in question was Suliban, which was not possible, or the person in question possessed some form of personal cloaking device, they must have used the air vent. Trip looked up and checked the air vent. It didn't have any signs of tampering but that didn't mean anything.
The Night Before...
Janet stood nervously outside of the house. It wasn't like she didn't know the people she was having dinner with. She had known both of them for years, considered them family. She wasn't nervous about saying something stupid, or forgetting her manners. No, she was nervous for an entirely other reason. A supremely silly reason. She was nervous because tonight she was going to have dinner with her "brother" Trip and she was going to tell him that she was dating someone. Normally she wouldn't be nervous, but this was Trip. He was protective and she knew that if Trip didn't approve of who she dated then she wouldn't be dating him for very long. She took a deep breath trying to settle her nerves.
"Come on Janet, get a hold of yourself." Another few seconds passed without her moving. "For crying out loud, knock on the door!" She slowly raised a fist to the door and knocked three times. The door opened into the cool home and a smiling Trip greeted her.
"Janet! We were beginning to think you forgot about dinner. Come on in! It's gotta be ten degrees cooler in the house." He swept his arm to the side gesturing her in. She stepped in with more bravery than she felt. It was nice and cool inside. The living room was littered with evidence of its occupants. Engineering journals and spare parts were cluttered on a small coffee table in the corner next to a cushion. Science journals and various PADDS were on the coffee table directly in front of the sofa and a bouncer stood next to it. The smells of food and the sounds of baby talk drifted from the direction of the kitchen.
Trip began walking in the direction calling over his shoulder. "How about a glass of iced tea?"
Janet slowly followed him, taking the time to see everything. She answered absentmindedly. "Sounds good boss."
Trip peeked his head out of the doorway into the kitchen to look at her. "Janet, you're a guest in my house and we hold the same position. Drop the 'boss' and just call me Trip. Also, call T'Pol by her name too. No ranks. Okay?" He smiled a winning smile at her.
She looked at him and smiled back. No ranks, that meant it was about family. It did little to settle her nerves but she couldn't help but laugh. "Sure thing, Trip." She followed him into the kitchen and accepted the glass of tea he offered her. "Hello T'Pol. How are you?"
T'Pol turned from the stove where she appeared to be putting the finishing touches on a pecan pie and raised an eyebrow. She looked amused so Janet assumed it was good. "I have been well. It is remarkable how much energy is needed to care for an infant. Tuck is especially energetic, a trait he inherited from his father. No doubt." T'Pol settled a glare at Trip who raised his hands in mock surrender. Janet laughed. "I have also been recording lectures and sending them to Starfleet Academy. They were not pleased with my decision to have a child and relocate to Vulcan so soon after accepting a position as an instructor. However, even during my maternity leave I was able to lecture and send in the recordings and even answer questions via the forum so they have little to find fault in the way things are. How have you been Janet? We have not spoken since..." She allowed the sentence to remain unfinished as both women looked over to Trip who was currently bouncing Tuck on his hip and tickling him.
She finished the sentence for her. "Trip's death." Janet sighed. "I know but I just couldn't bare the idea of looking at people who reminded me of Trip. It was like losing a big brother. In fact, I pretty much avoided everyone from before until I was offered the position on Vulcan. That's when I ran into an old friend."
"What old friend?" Trip was standing next to them, Tuck held on his left shoulder trying to pull Trip's ears.
Here goes nothing."You remember Kov?" Trip and T'Pol both nodded. Tuck was still struggling to reach his father's ear. "Well he is one of the engineers on the project. He is in charge of all of the Vulcan staff. You know that of course because he answers directly to you." Trip nodded.
"What's your point?" Trip raised an eyebrow that perfectly mirrored T'Pol's. Janet had an errant thought about how similar spouses become and wondered if they had even noticed how many of each others habits they had picked up.
"Well Kov was the first person I spoke to after the funeral who knew you. We got to talking about old times and our various experience. We shared dinner after work a few nights a week. And..." Janet had to stop, the grin growing on Trip's face was both encouraging and annoying.
"And... you're dating?" He smiled. "Janet, are you and Kov dating?"
"Yes. I didn't know what you'd think." She brushed her blonde hair behind her shoulder nervously and avoided eye contact. When she heard the unmistakable sound of Trip laughing she raised her green eyes to meet his blue.
"What would I think about two of my favorite engineers dating?" He chuckled and Tuck joined in filling the room with the sound of baby laughter. He triumphantly yanked on Trip's ear earning a good-natured glare from his father and a word of warning from his mother. Tuck just laughed again. "Janet, I think it's great. As long as you're happy and you treat each other well I wish you both the best." He smiled at her and it felt like an iceberg had just melted. The worry and the nervousness left her and she felt lighter despite the increased gravity on Vulcan.
"I was worried. I just, a lot of people find inter-species relationships taboo." She laughed. "Look who I'm talking to." She laughed again.
T'Pol raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. Perhaps we should have been the last couple you suspected of bigotry." She placed a reassuring hand on Janet's arm, it was the first time T'Pol had ever touched her. It surprised her but somehow through that brief contact she knew that T'Pol was happy for her. "Now, Trip return Tuck to his high chair and grab his food from the stasis unit. Janet, you may take a seat, the lasagna is done. It is time for dinner."
Trip obediently did as she said with a sarcastic, "yes dear." Janet smiled and took a seat on the side of the table. Tuck was looking at her with big blue eyes. She smiled at him and he immediately smiled back, bouncing up and down in his seat. Trip returned with a jar of green baby food and a sippy cup of water. He took his seat and began spooning food into Tuck's mouth who obediently ate every spoonful. T'Pol laid the lasagna down and the adults ate in amiable silence occasionally broken by the sounds of a happy baby.
Dinner was done and Tuck was in bed. Janet and Trip were sitting in the living room drinking tea and catching up while T'Pol made sure their sehlat was fed.
"So, why did they pick you to be a spy? No offense Trip but you aren't exactly James Bond."
Trip smiled sadly. "Yeah, I know. They recruited me after I did my little stunt with the Columbia and the Enterprise. The one on the wire. They liked my leadership style and the fact that I was willing to risk my life for the greater good. Stopping a war between Vulcan and Andoria helped my case too. After baby Elizabeth they began training me on our shore leave. A coupla times they sent me on recon. while I was on Enterprise. Malcolm was my partner, that's why we always went on away missions together. They needed someone with engineering expertise. I can take just about anything apart and put it back together. That's why I was recruited officially. They needed me to gain intel on alien technology and potentially sabotage weapons that could be used against the Federation. My training also included interrogation techniques, survival training, combat piloting, a bunch of stuff you need to survive in the big bad universe. Things I never want my son to have to learn." Trip sighed and ran a hand across the back of his neck. "The only reason I'm even answerin' your question is because T'Pau gave you clearance. You're basically one of us now."
Janet frowned. "One of us?"
"Spies. You're being trusted with dangerous information. That makes you an asset. We can always use you later."
"Do I need to be worried?"
"No, we'll keep you safe." Trip responded firmly. "I promise you that."
Trip was still looking at the air vent when he heard Hess at the door. She quickly entered her code and came into the office. He held a finger over his mouth letting her know to stay quiet. She nodded. The door closed behind her and she locked it. Trip pointed to the air vent and mouthed the word "intruder." Hess nodded and pulled a phase pistol out of her desk drawer. Trip raised an eyebrow at her and she just shrugged before handing it to him. She pulled out another and took a position near the door. He nodded to her and fired at the air vent.
The vent grate fell to the ground with a satisfying thud. Following the grate was the body of someone neither expected to see. The 'New Guy', though he was hardly new. Subaltern Vrey struggled to his feet and held both hand up in surrender.
"Subaltern Vrey, you have trespassed in a restricted area. What do you say for yourself?" Trip asked in Vulcan.
Vrey turned to him and stood up straighter. "Forgive me sir, I was simply curious about the newest warp calculations. I regret that my lapse in control and my overwhelming impatience clouded my judgement."
Trip considered him for a moment before responding. "Lying is unbecoming Vrey. Please explain your true reason for being here as well as the logic behind hiding in an air vent."
Vrey simply stood there silently for a moment before deciding to speak. "Assistant Director Voras, I was present two days ago when you were scratched by a piece of scrap metal on the development floor. This is not an unusual occurrence in engineering nor is it noteworthy. However, before you could cover your abrasion I saw that it was not green blood but red blood that spilled from your wound. I became intrigued and decided to observe you for further evidence of you origins and true intentions here. I can only assume that you are human, disguised as a Vulcan, but I have yet to determine why. Perhaps you can enlighten me? To answer your second demand, I was hiding in the air vent in order to observe you more closely. Today is my day off so you would not notice my absence. I did not trust camera's because, if you were to find them, you could manipulate the footage or destroy them."
Janet had been silent the whole time just listening to Vrey explain himself but she couldn't handle it any longer. "Subaltern, wouldn't it have been more logical to ask myself or Voras to explain what you saw?"
"You could have lied."
"Yes, but we could also have told you the truth."
Vrey considered this and dipped his head in acknowledgement. "My logic was flawed, forgive me."
Trip sighed and put the phase pistol in his desk drawer, Hess did the same. "Have a seat Subaltern." Vrey complied and Trip perched himself on the edge of his desk, a decidedly un-Vulcan posture. "You should have come to me with your suspicions. As it is, I cannot tell you more than what I will tell you now. If you continue to investigate me, you will be putting your life, my life, and the lives of our families in danger. I am not Vulcan but I do work for the Vulcan government. T'Pau has arranged all of this. That is all you need to know. You are not in any danger here nor will you be if you do as I have said. Understood."
"Yes Director. I will do as you say." Vrey responded immediately.
Thank God for Vulcans and their logic. "Good, dismissed." Vrey exited leaving Trip and Janet alone. "Damn, it's only 0845 and it's already been a long day."
Janet sighed and sat behind her desk. "Maybe we should shut the place down for the day? Do a full security sweep?"
"No, it'll make the people we're lookin' for nervous. Besides, I trust Vrey, he's young and made a foolish decision, but that's it." Trip walked around his desk and sat down heavily in his chair. "Let's get to work. Warp 7 isn't just going to happen you know." Janet just shook her head and chuckled.