"Four's birthday is coming up in a few days," Tripp said to T'Pol. They were cleaning up the mess that their son created. He was walking and getting into everything. They had to place everything out of his way, or it would be his next toy. Tripp had set down a PADD and Charlie grabbed it and started to play with it and somehow, he deleted everything on the PADD.
"Yes," T'Pol placed a toy in the toy box that they had for him. She was trying to figure out where Tripp was going with it.
"I was thinking that we should do something big for him," Tripp smiled because he got away with calling their son Four.
T'Pol sighed. "Tripp, he is only going to be one and he is not going to remember it."
"But we will remember," Tripp thought that it would be good for them and Charlie. They have been at war with the Romulans for almost a year and needed something to be happy about. "Don't you celebrate birthdays on Vulcan?"
"Not really," T'Pol took a seat on the couch.
Tripp took a seat next to her. He could tell that she was exhausted. "I do want to do something for Charlie's birthday."
T'Pol raised an eyebrow at him because he called their son by his name. "Just keep it simple," She rested her head on his shoulder. Tripp raised his arm and placed it on the back of the couch.
"I was thinking chef could make a cake and we put one candle on it and give him a present or two." Tripp looked at the back window at the stars.
"He has enough toys and that sounds like too sugar for him," T'Pol mumbled.
Tripp glanced down at T'Pol. "Are you okay? You don't seem well." He glanced down at her flat stomach. "Are you pregnant?"
T'Pol glanced up at him. "No, I just tired." Tripp nodded. He knew there was nothing wrong if she was. They both wanted more children, but he thought that they would talk about it before trying again. Tripp wanted this war to be over before they had more kids, but he didn't want to wait too long because he wanted his kids to grow up together like he did with his sister and brother. T'Pol sat up. "I'm going to meditate than go to bed," Tripp watched her get up and headed for their room. He knew to give her a half an hour before making his way to their room.
Tripp glanced around the room to see how they lived. His desk was covered with PADD that he should look at and a project he was working on but haven't found the time to finish it. T'Pol's desk was neat and organized. He knew that Charlie didn't need any more toys, but this was his son's first birthday. He has grown a lot in the last year. He was calling them mama and papa. Tripp loved when he smiled at them because it was all teeth. He wanted to celebrate his son growing up before T'Pol and he knew it his son is going to grow up and be his own man.
He reached for a PADD on the coffee table that he was looking at earlier before it was time to put Charlie to sleep. It was a report about the engines, and he knew that he should stop thinking about his son's birthday and do his job. He needed this report for tomorrow. Tripp sighed and started reading.
Tripp woke to the cries of Charlie. He glanced at T'Pol side of the bed to see that she was already up. Charlie's cries weren't stopping. Tripp sighed, got out of bed, and made his way to his son's room. Tripp picked him up and felt that he needed a change. Tripp changed him before whispering. "Happy Birthday, Charlie," Charlie ran a hand over Tripp's beard and laughed. Charlie liked the feel of Tripp's beard.
"Papa has to work, but this evening we are going to celebrate," Tripp had everything planned.
"Mama," Charlie was asking after his mom.
"Working," Tripp took Charlie into his room so he could change.
"Commander to my ready room," Tripp heard the captain's voice over the comm.
Tripp went over and pressed the comm button. "As soon as Crewman Edgerton comes to watch Charlie, I'll be there right away."
"Bring Charlie with you," Tripp could hear the laughter in the captain's voice.
"Alright," Tripp finished getting dressed.
He carried Charlie with him. Charlie decided that he wanted to play shy today and hid his face in Tripp's shirt. Tripp shook his head because Charlie knew most everyone on the ship. Tripp entered the ready room to find that T'Pol was already there.
Charlie saw his mom. "Mama," He shouted. Charlie reached out for her. T'Pol took him. He buried his head her chest. He gave Jonathan a look with one eye and a smile. It only had Jonathan smiling. Tripp shook his head at how his son was being.
Jonathan turned to Tripp and became serious. "Last night we came to a M-class planet, and it is inhabited. It seems the world is in their industrial revolution. It is not the same as our industrial revolution. It is something that Hoshi called steampunk." Tripp wondered what he was going about. "I would like you and T'Pol to go down there for the day." Jonathan looked at Charlie. "Take Charlie with you. Spend the day as a family." Jonathan stood and made his way around the desk and reached for the package on his desk. "Happy birthday, Charlie," He handed the package to Charlie.
Charlie held the package and didn't know what to do with it. T'Pol shifted Charlie to one side. She started to open the package with him. It was a stuff dog that looked like Porthos. Charlie loved it. He always liked when he got to play with Porthos. T'Pol already told him that they were never getting a dog.
"Your first pet, Charlie," Jonathan smiled.
T'Pol threw Tripp a look and he knew that it was going to be his only pet. Tripp smiled. "Thank you, Cap."
"You're welcome. Good luck today and have fun down there," Jonathan smiled at the family.
Tripp looked at T'Pol to see her in a dress that spoke of them being wealthy. Tripp glanced down at his own his own clothes. He looked like a Victorian gentleman with his clothes. He had top hat and cane. Tripp looked down at Charlie to see that he was a child of wealthy parents.
"Are we ready?" Tripp picked up Charlie. T'Pol nodded. He leaned closer to her. "You look beautiful."
T'Pol had a glen in her eyes that Tripp knew as happiness. She looked him up and down. "You don't look too bad yourself," She reached up and straighten his hat. She made sure that everything was okay with Charlie before they left the shuttle.
As they exited, Tripp leaned down and whispered in T'Pol's ear. "I think you should keep that dress."
Tripp loved the look that she gave him. "It is only logical that you keep your outfit, too," Tripp chest puffed out.
"Yes, my lady love," They both knew what was going to happen tonight.
They entered the city to crowd, and Tripp held on to Charlie. Charlie looked around at all the people. Tripp realized that this was one of the first times that Charlie was on a planet. Yes, they brought him to Vulcan, but they weren't in a city. The noise of the city hit them, and Tripp saw Charlie's bottom lip tremble. Charlie wasn't used to all these noises, and he had the hearing of his mother. T'Pol saw and reached for Charlie. Tripp gave her their son. She started to whisper in his ear and Charlie calm down.
Tripp looked at the people to see that their foreheads were curved into their noses. Their eyes were more to the side than a human. Their hands were the same any humanoid. You could tell the different from the rich and the poor. It reminded Tripp of nineteenth century Earth.
"I didn't think that he wouldn't like all the noise," Tripp watched a couple of kids run in front of them and stopped when they saw them. The kids looked like they seen better days, they could use good bath and new clothes. Tripp knew that they only saw him as a wealthy businessman with his wife and son. They looked him up and down, looking for his purse. Tripp stared them down and spoke. "Don't even think about it," He hissed at them.
The kids laughed before running off. T'Pol had raised an eyebrow at him. Tripp shook his head not to worry about them. "Tripp, are you okay?" She asked.
"Mama," Charlie interrupted them as he pointed out a flying machine that was in the air. To Tripp it looked like a twenty-century blip. There was steam coming off the roof of the blip. There were people waving at the people on the street.
The small family watched as the blip went pass them. Charlie laughed as it went by. His laughter brought out a smile on Tripp's face. Maybe today wasn't going as planned but this was something better to celebrate Charlie first birthday. Tripp smiled at T'Pol. "Yeah, this day just might be better than want I had planned for him," Tripp watched his son's face.
T'Pol looked at their son and knew what Tripp was talking about. Their son was born on a ship and never had the sense of a crowd and not knowing everyone. "I think he is already enjoying this day," T'Pol held on Charlie.
"War! War!" A newsboy was shouting, holding up a newspaper. Tripp traded a look with T'Pol. They had been walking the streets for about an hour, just watching the people and culture. The boy turned to Tripp. "What do you think of this war, sir?" He gave Tripp a look. "Sending young poor boys to war to fill your pockets,"
Tripp glared down at the boy, pulled out a coin, and handed it to the boy. The boy smiled and handed Tripp the paper. The newsboy ran off to his next target. On the front page of the paper was something that Tripp hoped that it said war because he didn't know the langue. Tripp looked at the paper before folding it and putting it away in an inner pocket of his coat.
"Sir, Ma'am, would you like a picture of your family," A photographer stood outside his shop.
Tripp smiled at T'Pol. "Can you have done by the end of the day?" He asked the photographer.
"For you yes," The man was glad to make a sale. They followed him into the shop.
The photographer and his assistant had T'Pol sitting in a chair with Charlie on her lap and Tripp standing behind the chair. The photographer took a couple pictures that had Tripp wondering what thy were using for the camera. It wasn't like the cameras he has seen from the past that were in the nineteenth century from earth.
"We will have the picture of your family ready at the end of day for you and your family," The photographer told Tripp as he paid for the print.
"Thank you," Tripp told the man. The man nodded and watched the family leave.
"I think that we should find food," T'Pol said after they stepped out of shop. "Charlie is going to get cranky soon," Tripp nodded. It had been a few hours since they ate this morning before leaving for this planet.
They found a nice quiet restaurant, asked the waitress what she thought was good and order what she said was good. She brought a bottle for Charlie, it seemed that families came to this restaurant. She also brought two drinks for Tripp and T'Pol. Tripp took a sip first to find that it was a water that was sweet with something. It tasted good. He nodded at T'Pol, and he knew that she would like it. Tripp thought that they might have to buy a jug of this on the way out because it was so good.
The waitress brought their food. Tripp thought that it would mostly be meat and he was going to have to eat most of his and T'Pol's meal, but it wasn't. There was some kind of green leaf wrapped around something a sweet fruit. There was a piece of white fish next to it. Tripp took the first bite and found that it was tasty. He gave a piece to Charlie who loved it. T'Pol seem to enjoy it to. She gave him the piece of fish. The lunch was good, and they left with happy tummies.
They found their way to a park because Charlie was going to need a nap before they did anything else with him. They found a quiet spot in park with a bench. Tripp watched as T'Pol settled with Charlie. They both knew that he was going to sleep better with T'Pol than Tripp. Tripp sat next to his wife as Charlie put up a fuss about taking a nap. T'Pol started to rock him and mumble a Vulcan saying in his ears. It got Charlie to settle, and it put him to sleep. Tripp pulled out the newspaper that he bought earlier.
He tried to make out the words but only caught a few words like the counties that were in the war name. He sighed, folded the paper, and put the paper away for Hoshi to puzzle over when they got back to the ship at the end of the day.
"I think we have to stop at that restaurant before we leave and get a few bottles of that sweet water," Tripp looked around the park.
"It's probably not a good idea," T'Pol whispered back at him.
Tripp smiled at her. "Don't say that you didn't enjoy it."
"I did, but it is not right. We shouldn't have taken that picture," T'Pol glanced down at Charlie to see that he was still sleeping.
Tripp watched a guy with a machine that powered with steam. It reminded Tripp of a hot air balloon on Earth. He had been on one once with his dad. "We did and it will be a great memory of this day with Charlie," T'Pol didn't say anything to that. "I think after his nap, we take a ride on that," Tripp pointed to the flying machine. He saw that the man was offering rides to people.
T'Pol watched the first group of people get on and fly in it. It was back in fifteen minutes. "Alright," She said. Tripp only smiled.
An hour later, they stood in line with a wake Charlie. Tripp watched as Charlie's eyes lit up watching the flying machine fly away and come back. Charlie laughed as it landed. Before they knew it, it was time for them to get on. Tripp paid the man before helping T'Pol on it. He handed Charlie to her before getting on himself. The man got on after him and he started the flying machine. They were in the air before he knew it.
Tripp watched Charlie's face as he watched the city pass him. Tripp before turning to the city and seeing it. "What is that building over there?" Tripp pointed to the big building that was standing out.
The man gave him a confused look before telling Tripp the building. "The government building. You aren't from around here?" He asked.
"No, my wife and I wanted to spend the day here with our son," Tripp reached out and pushed Charlie's hair from his face. Tripp could tell that he was going to go need a cut soon. The man nodded and didn't question when Tripp pointed out another building.
"The city is beautiful," Tripp said after they landed in the park.
"Thank you, sir. Have great day," Tripp nodded and followed T'Pol off the flying machine. He saw a group of boys wanting to go on, but they didn't have enough money. Tripp turned to the man.
"Here is enough to have those boys fly on the machine," Tripp handed him the money. The man went over to the boys and asked if they wanted a ride. The boys thanked him as they jumped on the flying machine. Trip told them to have fun.
"You shouldn't have done that," T'Pol said. "It could change their course in life."
"If it does so, be it. They'll have that memory for the rest of their lives," Tripp took her arm to led her out of the park. "We have changed a lot of people of lives right now just being here."
T'Pol didn't say anything as they entered a shopping district. They started to look in shops to see what they were selling. Tripp saw something that he wondered how they worked, but T'Pol wouldn't let him buy anything.
Tripp saw a shop at the end of the street that had a man lifting a top hat over his head. There was a lot of color in building. Tripp couldn't read what the store was, but with the children coming out with toys he knew it as a toy store.
"Let's take a look in that store," Tripp pointed out the store. T'Pol gave him a look before nodding.
They entered the shop and all they saw was color and all they heard was the laughter of children. The walls had toys on them, there were baskets filled of toys that any child could get. There was a line of people in front of the resister to check out.
"Welcome, to my shop. "I am Mr. Kinkil. How can I help you?" Mr. Kinkil asked.
"We are just looking around," T'Pol said. Mr. Kinkil nodded.
"Let me know if you need anything," He moved away and greeted another customer that came in.
They looked around the shop and Charlie had found something that he wanted and T'Pol was ready to put it back when she saw how Charlie loved it. She sighed and let Tripp buy it for him. Tripp leaned down and whispered in her ear.
"It's his birthday present."
T'Pol only nodded. She saw Charlie let out yawn. He was getting tired, and it was getting late. "I think it is time that we head back," She didn't need to say the last word because Tripp knew what she meant.
They made their way back to their shuttle by stopping and getting a couple of jugs of the sweet water. Tripp knew that T'Pol was letting him have it because they had gotten the toy for Charlie. They also stopped and got the picture of them. Tripp saw how happy they looked in the picture and couldn't be happier.
They got back to the shuttle and put sleeping Charlie in the shuttle. Tripp started the shuttle as T'Pol placed Charlie down on a bench to sleep. She watched him before taking a seat herself. "It was a fun day," She said as they flew away.
"We did. I think that it was a good first birthday for Charlie," Tripp looked around to watch his sleeping son.