Chapter Eleven
Three Weeks Later.
Trip had just finished an inspection in Engineering, something he rarely did, but they had dignitaries coming aboard in just a few hours.
"Everything looks great Anna," he said to Hess as he finished his rounds. "I'm very proud of you. You have become a fine Engineer. You're gonna make a great Chief some day."
"Thank you Sir," she beamed, "I have learned so much from you. You're the best CO I've ever had. And if you don't mind me saying, Sir, I am so proud of you! We all are; proud to be serving under you." Trip smiled a bit. He knew what she was talking about, without actually saying it.
A year ago he had been a basket case. Many wondered if he would ever recover, if he was in fact finished. But he did recover, and he was so different now. Gone was the Trip Tucker who had gotten lost and injured multiple times on away missions. Gone was the loud-mouth, hot-head, who flew off the handle when angry. Gone was the Trip Tucker that had the record for sick bay visits. He was still charming and full of personality; he still endeared people to him and was generally well liked by everyone. But he was no longer the naive, wide-eyed, Chief Engineer full of wonder and often waiting to be rescued due to a mission gone wrong. He was now a serious, deeply respected Commanding Officer; a warrior and a force to be reckoned with.
"Thanks," he said softly. "I appreciate that. There were times when I didn't think I would still be here myself."
"But you are Sir, and I'm so glad you are." Just then Rostov walked up.
"Commander," he said. "Inspection Report, needs your signature." Trip took the padd from Rostov, looked over it and was about to sign off when he noticed something. Under the signature line his name appeared, Commander Charles Tucker III, Chief Engineer, BA252.
"What the hell does BA25, squared mean?" he asked frowning. Rostov and Hess looked at one another. Hess made a face at Rostov. He closed his eyes and looked down as if he had just been busted. He had put the code there in jest, and had shown it to several crew members who got a kick out of it, but had inadver-tently forgotten to remove it before presenting the padd to Trip.
"Well?" Trip asked. Hess straightened up and cleared her throat.
"It means… uh… Bad-Ass, to the 25th power," she said. "That's what everybody calls you, Sir." Trip looked at Hess, then at Rostov.
"Get rid of that," he said, thrusting the padd back to Rostov, "and don't let me see it again!" They watched him go as he left them standing alone.
"To the 25th power," Hess whispered to Rostov. They bumped fists and walked away in different directions.
Captain's Ready Room 1030 hours.
Everyone was dressed in formal dress whites. Captain Archer had ordered them to do so to take pictures for a commercial back home. Although everyone had groaned and moaned about it, they had complied. Now they all sat, tugging on their collars, pulling at the dressy uniforms and looking very uncomfortable. Archer smiled a bit at that, but thought they looked very dapper.
"Captain, we have been able to identify the species that attacked us," T'Pol said. "They are called Xindi. My people are unfamiliar with them, and there is practically no information forthcoming about them.
"Phlox, what were you able to find out from your autopsy of the bodies they left behind?" Archer asked.
"From what I could tell Captain, the aliens were of two different species. One Insectsoid, the other Reptilian. However, they both appear to be Indi, and from what I understand, there are at least three other species of Xindi, the Primates, the Abboreals and the Aquatics. Other than that, I'm afraid I can't be of more help."
"I appreciate all of your hard work," Archer said to Phlox and T'Pol.
"We find out anything about the reason why they attacked us?" Trip asked.
"Not a clue," Malcolm spoke up. "But, you can be assured that it was not a random attack. They were targeting us."
"Just make sure if they show up again, we're ready," Archer replied.
"You can count on it Captain," Reed replied.
"On a different note, Trip you've got some people that really want to show you their thanks and appreciation for what you did in getting the Denobulans and the Betazoids home, last month. The C'Darsians are also very grateful for getting those prisoners returned and the hostages they took back home to their families."
"Just doing my job Sir," Trip replied.
"Actually Commander," Archer replied, you went above and beyond the call of duty. The Denobulans wanted to give you three young women to marry." Everyone laughed, except T'Pol of course. "The Betazoids wanted to grant you a title and Knight you." Trip looked embarrassed.
"Capt'n, please Sir, like I said, just doing my job."
"That's not all, the C'Darsians wanted to give you 50 gold bars of pure latnium."
"Maybe you ought to take that," Hoshi teased. "You never know when you're going to run into a group of Ferengi wanting to make a deal. And as you know, they love gold." Everyone laughed.
"I think you ought to take the women," Travis grinned.
"I concur, whole heartedly," Malcolm teased.
"As do I Commander," Phlox grinned. "Think of it, three healthy, young Denobulan women! You don't know what you're missing!"
"Uggh!" Hoshi said. "You men are all alike…"
"Alright, alright," Archer interrupted. "The point is Trip, you've done exemplary work over the last few months, and we are all very proud of you. Considering, …that's it's been almost a year since you were abducted by the Lisyrians, and everything you went through afterwards. But you fought your way back. You didn't give up, and here you are, right where you belong."
"Here, here!" Travis yelled out. 'Whoop, whoop! Whoop, whoop!" Malcolm, Hoshi and Travis cheered, while Phlox and T'Pol clapped.
"Which brings me to the other reason we're here today," Archer added. "There's someone else who wants to give you something Trip."
"Sir?" he said looked totally confused. "Whadda you mean, they want to give me somethin'? I didn't do what I did to get a present. I don't want anything, from anybody."
"Too bad," Archer said. "Ensign Sato," please escort Commander Tucker to the bridge. Hoshi went over and took Trip's arm. He looked at her like she had two heads.
"Come on," she said through her teeth. Trip sighed and stood up, allowing Hoshi to take his arm. When he stepped out onto the bridge, several other crew members were already there, including his second in command, Lt. Hess and Ensign Rostov. He was even more surprised to see Admiral Forrest on the bridge in the flesh. There were several MACOs there holding their weapons and saluting. Several Admirals were on one side of the screen, on the other was Trip's family.
"Ten Hut!" Major Hayes called out as everyone stood at attention. Hoshi escorted Trip to center of the bridge floor.
"Commander Charles Anthony Tucker, III, it is a privilege and with great honor that I stand here today for this ceremony, Admiral Wallace, began. You have been recommended for and been approved to receive the Medal of Honor for bravery and valor for your actions and leadership during Mission Aphrodite; for demonstrating self-sacrifice, and courage despite extreme peril that you faced including the capture and secure transport of eighteen dangerous criminals; for heroism in helping to ensure the safety of your crew and other Citizens without the loss of a single life after an unprovoked attack from Orion slavers and Rigelian pirates, despite being injured.
Captain Archer stepped up and pinned the medal onto Trip's uniform. He looked stunned.
"Commander Tucker," Admiral Black said stepping up to the front. "It has been recommended and approved that you receive the Cochrane Medal of Excellence for Science and Engineering, for your exceptional work with Cloaking Device and Defensive Shield Technology. Starfleet is extremely fortunate and grateful that you have obtained this technology and that it may be studied and developed for use in our future endeavors."
Captain Archer stepped up and pinned the engineering medal to Trip's uniform.
"Commander Tucker," Admiral Forrest said moving next to Trip, "If this keeps up we'll be here all day," he quipped. Everyone laughed. "It is with great pleasure to inform you that you have been recommended for and approved to receive the Bronze Star, for bravery and valor for actions aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise; for combat skill in defending your colleagues, for expert marksmanship thus deflecting a hostage situation, for exemplary skill, creativity and ingenuity in preventing a warp core breach, ultimately saving the lives of 83 crewmen and 20 delegates". Forrest then stepped forward and pinned the Bronze Star on Trip's uniform.
"Lastly," Forrest said, "and finally," they all laughed again. "It is an honor and a pleasure Commander Tucker, to award you the Gold Bar, the highest award given by Starfleet, recommended and approved by the core of Admirals, for demonstrating strength of courage, particularly in the face of great danger, without regard for your own safety during Mission Aphrodite, aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise while under attack, and the Alcerion Medical Conference hostage situation ensuring the safety of 119 people. Commander Tucker, your heroic acts collectively over the last month, has earned you this honor. Forrest pinned the bar to Trip's uniform and stepped back. He then saluted Trip; everyone else followed suit. Trip saluted back.
"Congratulations Commander," Captain Archer said, smiling as he shook Trip's hand. Everyone cheered, along with his family. His mother and sisters cried. Trip had come such a long way since last year. He had been broken and lost, now here he was receiving medals.
"Speech! Speech!' Everyone shouted. Trip looked at the Screen at the Admirals who had just honored him. He looked at his family. His mother blew him a kiss. Then he looked around the bridge at his colleagues and fellow officers.
"Thank you Sirs," he said to the Admirals. "I just appreciate being given the opportunity to remain on Enterprise and to continue my career after last year's unfortunate events," he said as some looked down, others just nodded.
"Thanks Tuckers, for being there for me when things we're going so great," he said to his family. "Thanks for letting me know that I'll always have a home to come to, no matter what the circumstances are."
"Thanks everybody, bridge crew, my engineering officers. You have all been so great in helping me put things back together. I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for you guys. Thanks for your patience, your understanding and your support."
Then he turned and looked at his Captain, his friend for over ten years. "Thank you Captain," he said, "for not giving up on me and believing in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. I'll never forget that," he said. He then smiled a small smile and lowered his head trying not to become emotional. "Thanks to everyone."
"Alright everybody!" Archer said, rescuing his friend before he broke down. "We still have a ship to run, let's get back to work."
They all said goodbyes, but before his family signed off, Trip looked at his father. Both had tears in their eyes, "Rise Above!" his father said.
"Rise Above!" Trip replied.
No one else knew what that meant, but the two Tucker men did. It was something between them that was unspoken, but known. It had not required words before, it would not ever again. They just both knew; that from out of the ashes, with renewed strength and vitality, uniquely remarkable, vibrant and colorful, with eyes like sapphires, to live through another cycle…the Phoenix, had risen!