Tripp and T'Pol traded a look before jumping out of bed. They got dress as quickly as possible before ending their honeymoon with a kiss. Tripp and T'Pol made their way to the bridge to find Captain Archer standing in front of the captain's chair, looking at the view screen. On the screen was a green ship that looked like a bird. Captain Archer turned to Tripp and T'Pol. "Sorry to cut your honeymoon early. T'Pol, have you seen this ship before?"
Tripp looked at his wife's face to see that it was gone white. "It is a bird of prey," She said in soft voice. Tripp and Jonathan traded a look before their ship was fired on. T'Pol went to her station.
"I'll be in Engineering," Tripp said as he ran from the bridge.
Jonathan turned to Hoshi. "Try hailing them."
Hoshi did as he asked. "Nothing, sir."
They were hit again. "Malcom put us on security alert and fire when ready."
"Already," Malcom shot a torpedo at the bird of prey. The torpedo hit a wing.
Jonathan looked at T'Pol. "Do we know how this ship works?"
"No, sir. We never had the chance to get close enough." T'Pol looked at the screen one more time. She never thought that she would see a bird of prey. She hopes that they don't realize that there is a Vulcan on the ship.
Jonathan nodded. "Where are our shields at?"
"Sixty-two percent," Malcom said.
The ship shook with another hit. "They got one of our wrap nacelles," T'Pol shouted over all the noise.
Jonathan paced for a second. "Malcom, hit them with everything we have. Travis get is the hell out of here as fast as you can."
Travis turned the ship around and Malcom shot everything they had. On their way out they saw the ship blow up with escape pods leaving the ship. Once they were out of the damage area and no other ship was coming after them. Jonathan nodded at T'Pol, and they went to his ready room. Jonathan paced his ready room.
"Who the hell were they?" He shouted.
"The Romulans," T'Pol said.
"Are we too close to their territory?" Jonathan asked.
"No, sir. I don't why they attacked us," T'Pol said.
"I have to contact Starfleet. Go down to Engineering to see what needs to be fixed," Jonathan sat at his chair with a sigh. T'Pol nodded and left the captain.
T'Pol made her way down to engineering. She opened the door to see that crewmembers were running around. Trip was at the warp engine, yelling at someone to do something. T'Pol made her way up to him. "Commander," T'Pol said. "How are things looking?"
Tripp turned to his wife. He felt a gentle calming in his head. Tripp took a breath. "We are dead in the water unless we find away to fix our warp engine. So whoever they were can come back and kill us," T'Pol could feel that he was worried about her and the baby. "I have to go to the wrap nacelles and see what is wrong," He moved passed T'Pol.
T'Pol followed him out of engineering. "Tripp, be careful," Tripp nodded. He glanced around the corridor to see if anyone was around. He saw that no one was there and leaned down and kissed his wife.
He smiled. T'Pol saw that it didn't reach his eyes. "I'll be home for dinner," Tripp kissed her one more time before walking away.
Tripp put on an EV suit before going up to the wrap nacelles to see what can be fixed. He didn't see much damage on the inside. He was going to have to go to outside to see what the problem was. He pressed the button to the commutation system.
"Captain Archer," Tripp called the captain.
"Captain, here," Archer responded.
"I have to go outside to see the damage," Tripp said.
"Alright, take someone with you," Archer said.
"Alright," Tripp got of the com.
"I don't know why you need me," Malcom said.
"Cap told me to take someone with me," Tripp smiled at his friend. "You said we don't spend enough time with each other."
"I meant hanging out or something, not climbing along the ship," Malcom mumbled.
Tripp laughed until he saw what needed to be fix. "Captain, I'm going to need a team of engineers out here to fix the damage."
"How long is it going to take?" Captain Archer asked.
"If we work around the clock, we should have it done in a couple of days," Tripp told the captain.
"Alright, get started," The captain ended the conversation.
"Let's head back, Malcom," Tripp turned to his friend to see that he was looking at the hole.
He could tell that Malcom was studying the whole of a tactical standpoint. Tripp stood there and helped him where he could. When both men were satisfied with everything, they went back in the ship.
T'Pol knew where to find her husband. He was in the EV suit room with some of his people. "Commander, a word."
Tripp smiled at his crew. "Go on and get started. I'll be there in a second." The couple watched the team leave. Tripp turned to his wife to find her arms crossed and there were no emotions in her eyes. His smile faltered.
"Tripp, when was the last time you ate or slept?" T'Pol asked. She knew it wasn't with her because she barely saw him in the last thirty-six hours.
"I had a twenty-minute nap in my office about an hour ago and someone me gave a sandwich about the same time."
Tripp could feel how frustrated T'Pol was with him. "Are you trying to put yourself in an early grave?"
"No, I'm trying not to put us all in an early grave," Tripp hissed. He glanced down at her stomach before meeting her eyes again.
T'Pol took a breath before speaking again. "So, you would rather die than meet your child," She had to control her emotions, or she was going to say something she was going to regret.
"Yes," He shouted. "I want them to live and have a life." Tripp took a breath before speaking again. "I'm sorry. I just want to get out of this place before we get attacked again by the Romulans."
"I do, too, but you need to rest if you want to be your best for your team. Come and sleep, if there is an emergency someone will come and let you know," T'Pol held out her hand for him to take.
"But, what if," Tripp started.
"Tripp," T'Pol warned. "I will order you to sleep if need to be."
Tripped sighed. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to win. If he didn't follow her now, he had a feeling that she would drag him to their room so he could sleep.
He took her hand and let her lead the way home. Behind their closed door, T'Pol helped him get undressed and into their bed. "Tripp, I don't want a few days with you I want a lifetime. I want to watch our children grow up and have families if their own. I want you to tell our grandchildren the story about how their human grandfather won the heart of their Vulcan grandmother. I want to grow old with you," T'Pol kissed his lips. "Sleep, husband." Tripp was asleep before T'Pol left the room.
"Senior staff to the conference room," Captain Archer called through the com system.
Tripp met his wife in the conference room. He wondered if Jonathan told her before he was going to tell the rest of the crew. Tripp could read her face and knew that she didn't know what the hell was going on either. They took seats and waited for the others to show up. Jonathan sat down in his chair for about two seconds before he stood again and started pacing. Tripp traded a look with T'Pol.
"Everything alright?" Tripp asked his friend. Jonathan threw him a look.
When the doctor was the last one to take a seat. Jonathan looked around the room to each one of his senior staff. "I heard back from Starfleet. There have been other attacks on Starfleet ships. They are worried that it might lead to War with Romulans. We are hoping that we can solve this peacefully. The President of Earth does not want a war, but Starfleet thinks that there might be a war with them. We are to prepare for both. We will be in charge of leading the other ships since we have seen the most battles.
Jonathan took a breath. "I know this isn't what you wanted, but we will be in war before we know it," He looked at each one of them. "I need to make sure that are ready at moment notice," Jonathan turned to Malcom. "Make sure all weapons and men are ready for battle," Jonathan turned to Phlox. "Make sure you have every medical tool and equipment you are going to need," Phlox nodded before Jonathan turned to Tripp. "I need my engines to run like they never ran before," Tripp nodded. "Hoshi, I'm going to need you to break any and every code you hear about the Romulans," Hoshi nodded. "T'Pol, I going to need everything you got on these people, so we know how to fight them." T'Pol nodded. "Travis, you need to practice getting out of close calls. I don't need another wrap nacelle broke and we are sitting ducks." Jonathan took another breath. "I know none of you sign up for war, but it will find us. We need to be ready."
Everyone nodded and started to talk about what they needed done. Who was going to help who and long will it take them to be ready for the war that would be coming?
Tripp paced his quarters. He realized how small it was. He didn't know how they were going to bring a baby in this. He hoped that T'Pol would go for his idea about this and he wouldn't have to look at the three unused quarters for them. He didn't know how they made it work for year. At first it was only a uniform or a PADD here and there. His things in the shower. It was when T'Pol cleaned out a locker for him to use that he started bringing more things here. He still had things at his quarters.
The doors opened and T'Pol entered, and Tripp could tell that she tired after the meeting she had with the captain. Tripp could feel that she happy to see him. T'Pol made her way over to him and kissed him.
"I thought you would still be in engineering," T'Pol pulled back.
Tripp ran a hand through his hair and sighed. T'Pol raised one eyebrow at him. "I have been thinking about something."
T'Pol backed away from him. "What?" She knew that he was holding something back because he was blocking some of his thoughts from her.
"With a war with the Romulans coming. I was thinking," Tripp took a breath. "That it might be better that you were on Earth and not here. I know that I would feel better knowing that you and our baby were safe on Earth. We could find a place in San Francisco for you, or you can stay with my parents."
"I see," T'Pol crossed her arms. "I can see the logic in it."
Tripp was surprised by her words. "You do. So, does that mean you are going to do it?" There was a happiness in voice.
"Oh, no," Tripp thought that if T'Pol would play on her face, he would see anger. "We didn't marry just to be apart again. If I'm alone on Earth, you won't see your child growing inside of me or being born. If a war wasn't just around the corner, we could still be attacked."
"I know, but I'm going to worry about you and our child," Tripp said.
"You don't think that I'm not going to worry about you if I'm on Earth. That I might never see you again or that our child will know what amazing man that their father was." T'Pol placed her hands on his chest. "I'm staying right here with you," She leaned up and kissed him. "Who else is going to make sure that you take care of yourself." Her lips tilted up.
Tripp leaned down towards her ear. "I think I need to take care of you right now," He kissed her behind her ear.