Welcome back to another chapter of "Love Between Worlds." There isn't much business to mention before the chapter. I just have one minor note: I forgot to add the fact that this is an Alternate Universe to the description. That has since been updated. Beyond that, there isn't much to say. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Dear Mom and Dad,
I am now back on Enterprise. I just made it back a few hours ago. I cannot discuss the details of our mission, but it is of great importance. I wanted to let you know that I am much better than I was. I'm not quite as 'love sick' as I was before. I'll tell ya, sometimes I wish that I didn't have emotions. It would make the job a hell of a lot easier.
Just in case you're wondering: T'Pol is back on the ship, too. She seems to be her old self. I've been trying to keep my distance from her, but it's proving to be harder than I thought. I found myself coming up with excuses to talk to her. Or running like a coward. It's pretty sad. A little while ago, I asked her about her honeymoon with Koss. Honestly, I didn't want to know the answer. I just wanted to talk to her. Be supportive and all that. Yeah, I know, I'm not over her. Not sure that I ever will be. But I'm trying. I'm trying to be friendly. I'm trying to be professional. Just not doing that great at it.
While I was away, they made some nice improvements to the ship. It seems that they took the ideas that Captain Archer and myself suggested to heart. That's great. I'm glad that someone is listening, finally. Anyway, I need to get back to work. I will contact you as soon as I can.
- Trip
Charles Tucker the third headed towards Engineering after finishing his letter. That's where his engine was. She needed his attention as soon as possible. They were traveling at warp towards where the augments took the Klingon Bird of Prey. He could always tell when a ship was at warp. Even if he was not looking at the window. There was a distinctive way the ship pulsed that told you the speed. Right now, they were heading at warp 4 to 4.5. The engine was running hot but nowhere near overload. He preferred not to go past 4.5 unless it was necessary. The engine had a tendency to fly apart at those speeds. That would not do. Of course, the Captain would inevitably demand that we go that fast. So he had to be ready to put out any fires that came up. It was one of the joys of working for Starfleet. The ship was going to end up in battle. That's where the Chief Engineer had to be on his toes. It was going to get hectic very soon.
His prediction came true pretty quickly. The ship ended up in battle with the Orions. Which tried to rip his ship apart. As quickly as the battle started, it ended. Unfortunately, two of his people were taken along with T'Pol. Something that didn't sit well with Tucker. He was angry at the Orions and worried about her. He did not know what was happening. He felt some pain that he had no idea where it came from. But as quickly as it showed up, it was gone. If they are hurting her, I'll . . . He thought as he tried to focus on his duties.
The Captain managed to get information out of that slimy Soong. Which got us T'Pol's location. Trip was the one assigned to transport him and the Captain down to the station. He made a point to let him know where he stood with him.
"You wander off more than a step or two, we'll bring you right back here." He reminded Soong.
Soong stopped going on the transport and turned to face Trip. He smiled coldly as he said, "You don't like me, do you, Commander Tucker?"
He kept his face blank and voice flat as he said, "No, I don't."
Soong carried on as if this were a normal conversation. "You probably blame me for what happened to your vulcan . . . friend." Soong made his relationship with T'Pol sound dirty. Suggesting that he knew about Tucker's and T'Pol's lovemaking. Which only served to piss off Tucker more. He wanted to clean that bastard's clock.
The Captain stopped the conversation in its tracks before Tucker did anything stupid. He did not take kindly to insulting her honor. It was probably what the jerk wanted. He did not intend to give it to him. So, he said nothing after the Captain gave his orders. He did not want him to see him seethe.
Tucker followed the Captain's order. He got his people on the engines. Making sure that they were ready to jump to warp at a moment's notice. Since he was in command, he could not personally ensure that his ship was ready to go. So he left Kelby in Engineering with the task. Along with assigning another one of his people to man the transporter console. He reached down deep inside himself for focus and calm. Both T'Pol and the Captain needed him. Along with everyone else on the ship. He hated sitting in the big chair, but it was necessary. He had to be ready.
Finally, the call that he was waiting for came in. The Captain had found all the missing members of the crew, including T'Pol. He was somewhat relieved, but they were not out of danger yet. He had to be ready. He had no idea why the Captain wanted him to send so much Titanium Cobalt. As an engineer, he did not like depleting necessary supplies so quickly. Who knew when they would be back to Earth to resupply. But he trusted the Captain, and he would follow his orders. He would send the Metal to the surface as ordered.
Due to their efforts, they were able to save one of the crewmates and obtain the device that prevented Tucker from just beaming up T'Pol. Trip spent his energy taking apart the device and seeing what made it tick. Hell was going to freeze over before he let the Orions keep her. Hang on T'Pol, I'm going to save you. It didn't take him long to figure out how this crude but effective device worked. He found the off switch. He smiled as he turned it on and off. Now that he knew what the code was, it was time to get her back. He ran back to the bridge and sent the code to the Captain. Then he waited and waited. Finally, he got the call. It was safe to start beaming their people back. He gave the order, and within minutes, he had everyone aboard except for the Captain and Soong. He wasn't going to leave orbit without them.
Hoshi tried to find Soong but that SOB was one step ahead of him. His transponder had gone silent. She couldn't even find his biosigns. So, he waited for the Captain. He wouldn't let him go. Neither would Tucker. Monsters like that needed to be put in cages. So he waited. Made sure that there were several Makos waiting for Soong at the transporter room. He checked in with his Engineering to make sure that they were ready to go to Maximum Warp at a moment's notice. Then the call came in. The Captain found him, and they were ready to transport.
"Malcolm, bring them up." He ordered. "Travis, once the Captain is aboard, break orbit. Maximum Impulse. Then once we're clear, get us out here, Maximum Warp."
He hated giving the order to push his engines past the speed where they were comfortable holding. But he knew that they would hold, and his people would keep it together. He would keep the ship together long enough to return command to Captain Archer. Tucker hated playing Captain. He was happy to return the reins. Besides, he worried about his engines and T'Pol. He wanted to make sure that they were okay. He couldn't do that from the bridge. He was responsible for everyone's safety. He couldn't afford to waste time worrying about things out of his control. For now, he would wait for the Captain to return. Then he would go see T'Pol. Make sure that she was alright, then head to his engine. He had a lot of work to do. He just needed to get off the damn bridge!
Trip raced down to sickbay as soon as he was relieved of command. T'Pol was among the crewmembers being treated in sickbay. Unlike the others, she was sitting up and reading something on a pad. It looked suspiciously like work. Which is what she was not supposed to be doing right now. It was so like her. She couldn't stop working - not even for a second. He decided to go over and have a talk with her. He may not succeed in getting her to rest, but he was sure as hell going to try.
"You're supposed to be resting." He told her.
"Doctor Phlox said that I could return to my duties this afternoon."
"I'm glad that they got that thing off with no problems."
She gave him a strange look that suggested that things were not okay. "There's a slight ringing in my left ear. But it should dissipate over time."
"Good. " He said softly. He wanted to say more, but found that he had no words. So, he just said. "I'll let you get back to that." Then started to leave.
"Vulcans don't have honeymoons," T'Pol said, stopping Trip in his tracks. He had completely forgotten about the honeymoon thing. It seemed a million years ago. "After the ceremony, I went to Mount Seleya to meditate." She added in the last moment, "Alone."
Trip had no idea why she made a point to tell him that she was alone. She ended their relationship by marrying someone else. Yes, he still loved her. He suspected that he always would. But this is not necessary. She was free to do what she wanted, without him.
"It's none of my business anyway." He said in a hushed tone. Then everything went boom. This conversation was over. He had work to do. He had to go back to engineering immediately. He couldn't waste any more time on personal matters.
"I've gotta go. Please, stay here." Trip told her before rushing out of sickbay. He knew that he was wasting his breath, but he had to try. Vulcans had an annoying habit of not knowing what was best for them. But he couldn't do much about that. He could argue with her until he was blue in the face. It wouldn't matter. T'Pol was an adult. She could handle herself. Besides, he had to focus on the job at hand. The Captain needed him.
The encounter ended quickly, the Orions were driven off. Then the arguments took Soong. Tucker had a mess to clean up, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. He didn't speak with T'Pol for quite a while afterward. It was only after they returned from Soong's old hideout did he saw her again. She was looking good. Not too worse for wear. Alas, he was not able to speak with her on his own. It felt good to be near her, but this was a briefing. He could not do what he wanted to do. It all had to be strictly professional.
Trip had a lot to deal with in engineering so he didn't speak to T'Pol for a long time once again. When the Captain went down to the station, Trucker needed to go to the bridge. Which in theory, meant that he could speak with T'Pol, but that was not the time. They needed to focus on their jobs to make sure that the Captain made it out alive. So, he kept their conversation strictly professional. Something Trip found somewhat annoying right now. She was very distracting. He wanted to talk about what happened on Vulcan. He wanted to tell her how he felt. But he couldn't. She was not his anymore. And that smarted more than anything else. But he would do his job. Whatever personal feelings he had, he could not allow that to affect his duties. He had a job to do.
Which they sucked at. They couldn't stop Soong or his augments. They were barely able to save the Captain. The station was a mess. Two people died. It was a humiliating display of their abilities. They had to correct that mistake. So, he buried himself in work in Engineering and tried to keep his personal conversations with T'Pol to a minimum. At least for now. It worked about as great as everything else in the last few days. Like shit. He ended up getting stuck working closely with T'Pol to enhance their sensors to try and pick up the bird of prey. She was so close to him that it was very hard to stay focused. He decided to keep the conversation down to a minimum. Which also worked terribly. Since T'Pol seemed desperate to speak with him.
"How are your parents?" She asked suddenly.
He was taken aback by that. "They're fine. They moved into a new house in Mississippi. It's not like the old place in Panama City, but it's pretty nice. Why do you ask?"
"You haven't spoken about them recently. In fact, you've said very little since I've returned from Vulcan."
"There hasn't been a lot of time to catch up." He told her flatly.
She didn't seem to like that answer as she got way too close for comfort. "You also haven't joined us at the Captain's table since we left Earth."
Trip really didn't like this conversation. T'Pol, you broke my heart into tiny pieces. What do you expect? He thought before demanding, "What are you trying to say?"
"You've been avoiding me." T'Pol accused him.
"Well, maybe I have. But you have got to admit, it's a little awkward. I mean, you're married. I know you did it to help your mother, but it's gonna take me a little time to adjust." If I ever adjust. He thought. T'Pol, I still love you. I think I always will. It's hard for me not to be with you in the way that I want to be. It's killing me. But I understand why you did it. I just wish that it hadn't happened.
"I'm still adjusting to it myself." She confirmed.
"This is gonna sound strange, but, um . . ." Trip struggled to find the right words. He wanted to be supportive. To be who she needed him to be right now. But it was so very hard to say anything positive about what happened on Vulcan. "As though it was watching you go through with the ceremony. I was proud of you for what you did."
His words were greeted with silence. Feeling defeated, he said, "Yeah, I guess it's probably for the best."
"What do you mean?" T'Pol asked, confused.
He looked back at her. "Come on. It's not like we would have made an ideal couple. A vulcan and a human? Romeo and Juliet probably stood a better chance."
I'm such a fool. Why would I think that this could ever work? She can't ever love me the way I love her. We would be rejected by humans and vulcans. It was doomed to fail from the start.
They found what they were looking for, and the conversation stopped. They had work to do. Maybe now he could get away. He could go to the safety of engineering, and she could go to the bridge. Things sucked enough as is. They didn't need to rub salt into the wound. They could stop talking about how much of an idiot he is. He already knew. He wished that he wasn't love-sick, but it was what it was. Talking about it now wasn't going to help. It was going to break him down. Something that he could ill afford. He had to be professional. He had to focus, or people were going to die. If she wanted to talk about this later, maybe he would consider it. When the mission was over and things didn't smart so much.
Hours later, they recaptured Soong again. Now, the bastard was actually cooperating with them. Not that Tucker trusted him at all. He doubted that he truly 'saw the light.' Since they had no other options and the Captain had ordered it, both he and T'Pol were working with him. That didn't mean that he trusted the devil or liked him at all.
"How long can we sustain warp 5?" Soong asked.
"As long as the Captain wants it. Or until we blow up. Whichever comes first." Trucker said flatly.
Soong ignored his comment and ordered. "Adjust the scanning Frequency - 15 Megahertz." T'Pol did as he said wordlessly. While she was working he decided to chat with T'Pol like they were friends. Which served only to piss off Trip further. "Sorry about that business with the Orions. Hope you weren't permanently injured."
Tucker cut him off. "Why don't you stay focused on what you're doing?"
Soong responded in an insulting voice. "OOH, someone's a little protective of Commander T'Pol."
Trip so wanted to clean his clock. He said, "I just don't like you very much."
For her part, T'Pol continued to ignore both Soong and Trip. She proceeded as if they weren't fighting. She reported on what she found. "It's a ship, but it's not a bird of prey." She went to comm. "Captain Archer to the Bridge."
The conversation ended as they had work to do. He would not speak to T'Pol until several days later, after they returned Soong to custody. He had his job to do, she had hers. Their paths did not cross. Which took great effort from Tucker to maintain. This was getting tiring. He couldn't avoid her forever. He was going to have to find a way to be friends and keep it professional. He just didn't know how to do that.