Faith-Part 19

"FAITH OF THE HEART"
An "Enterprise" story

By Alison M. DOBELL

RATING: PG-13.
ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.
FEEDBACK: Welcomed
EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com
WEBSITE: http://www.carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY": "When members of the crew go suddenly missing, Captain Archer finds the only witness is unable to tell them anything. Lt Reed takes it upon himself to turn detective."
DISCLAIMER: The characters and 'Enterprise' belong to Paramount. No
infringement of copyright is intended.

Part 19

* * * * *

Lietenant Malcolm Reed watched Dr. Phlox carefully. Trip had tried several times to get him to leave but his friend knew if he did that he would not find out what he wanted to know. The more Trip squirmed about it the more determined he became to remain in the cell with him. Something was definitely not right with his friend and Lieutenant Reed had no intention of going anywhere until he found out what it was. Commander Tucker was coaxed into a sitting position. He closed his eyes and let the doctor examine him with a lot less fuss that the lieutenant would have expected. He did not bitch or complain once. That fact alone told him his friend must really be in pain but it did not prepare him for what he was about to witness. The Armoury Officer's eyes widened in shock as the doctor undid the top of Trip's unform and eased it carefully off him to reveal a mixed bag of ugly bruises and numerous cuts. The Commander cracked his eyes open and looked at Lieutenant Reed's stunned expression.

"Looks worse than it is."

"What the bloody hell happened?"

The lieutenant saw a look pass between Trip and the doctor but Dr. Phlox said nothing. Trip sighed and tried to reassure his very suspicious friend. "It's okay, Malcolm, I'll heal."

"How did you get those injuries?"

"The how isn't important."

"What about the who and the why?"

"Off the menu."

"What?"

"It's not important."

Dr. Phlox had unscrewed a jar and was carefully annointing the Commander with a clear gel. Trip closed his eyes and gave a deeper sigh, this time of relief. "That stuff really hits the spot, doc."

"Not as often as..."

Trip's eyes snapped open and he shot the Denobulan a warning glare. Dr. Phlox immediately amended what he had been about to say, all the while tending his wounds with expert care. "I will ensure there is an ample quantity to service your needs, Commander."

Lieutenant Reed frowned. *Service your needs? What did he mean by that? Did he expect Trip to sustain more of these injuries?* "I think you'd better tell me exactly what's been going on, Trip."

"It's like I told ya..."

"It's not important, I know. It's just that I don't believe you." He paused and noticed what looked like bite marks only they could not be. He frowned at the angry contusions around the engineer's nipples and the puckered flesh where something similar to teeth had punctured the skin. He swallowed hard and looked into Trip's eyes. The man was suprisingly calm, his look steady. "Tell me those aren't bite marks?" He said quietly.

"Since when did ya want me to lie to ya, Malcolm?"

He closed his eyes and repressed a shudder. When he opened them again he had only one word. "T'Pol?"

"None of your business."

His friend nodded. That clinched it. It *was* T'Pol. Suddenly he felt very weary. Was this why the Captain had blown a fuse on the bridge? He had certainly spelt out his anger on the subject of fraternisation. Now Lieutenant Reed knew why. How the Captain had found out he did not want to know. "I've never seen the Captain this angry before, Trip."

"He'll get over it."

*Yes, but will you my friend?* thought the lieutenant. He watched as the doctor finished tending to his patient. Trip was about to lie back down and get some much needed sleep but the doctor had other ideas. "Not yet, Commander. Stand up."

"It's okay doc, ya got 'em all."

The doctor gave him a very tight look, his expression stubborn. Trip glanced at the lieutenant. "Do ya mind, Malcolm?"

"Mind what?"

"I could use a little privacy."

"What for?"

Trip rolled his eyes. Dr. Phlox decided to play peacemaker. "I need to have the Commander strip right down, lieutenant. I believe he would feel more comfortable without you watching."

Alarms rang in his head. "Well I'm not going anywhere so if that bothers you just close your eyes."

The stunned look on Trip's face was almost worth defying his friend's wishes. Lieutenant Reed crossed his arms and waited. Trip looked mortified. "Malcolm, ya must have a hundred things to do."

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do and I probably have a hundred more that
are directly or indirectly attributable to your presence here in the brig.
So if you don't mind getting on with it I can get back to work."

Trip's eyes narrowed. "You're not gonna go, are ya?"

His friend shook his head and resisted the urge to give him a self
satisfied smirk. He did not want to get the Chief Engineer's back up any more than he had already. Commander Tucker gave a tiny nod and grit his teeth. He stood slowly, Dr. Phlox reaching out a hand to steady him as he stripped off. Lieutenant Reed's frown deepened. Concern etched into every line on his sensitive face. *Oh my God!* There was not an inch of the engineer's body that had escaped injury of some kind. True. On an individual level they were minor if painful. But the cumulative effect must be excruciating especially the bruising and soreness around his genitalia. He should not really have been staring but he could hardly believe his eyes. Had to look again to convince himself that what he was seeing was real.

"Did the Sub-Commander do that to you?" He asked in a half hushed, half horrified voice.

The Commander glared at him. His tone low and even, just one touch above the warning sound of a sabre rattling for battle. "Ya'd better leave now, Malcolm. Show's over."

Lieutenant Reed just stared at him. Watched Trip wince as the doctor carefully lathed the gel on. Flinching as the cold gel was carefully rubbed around his testicles. In a detached way the lieutenant was surprised that Trip would let the doctor touch him there. But then. Given the extent of his numerous injuries he was probably far too relieved to have them tended than any feelings he might have of embarrassment. Allowing someone to do that to you would kind of remove most people's worst inhibitions. It made his eyes water just imagining what they must have been doing for Trip to sustain injuries that comprehensive.

"Do ya mind?"

The lieutenant managed to raise his eyes and looked into Trip's flushed face. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise."

"That's the way I'd like to keep it."

"I think the Captain should know about this." He said quietly.

As he expected, Trip was very vocal in his disagreement. "Absolutely not! This stays here, between us and no one else."

"Trip..."

"Don't fight me on this, Malcolm. Not if my friendship means anythin' to ya."

His friend looked torn. On the verge of distress. "If the Captain
knew..."

"He'd space T'Pol before we could explain."

The lieutenant gave him a blank look. "Explain?"

Trip sighed. Again. He was beginning to feel like a bag of wind with a hole knocked in it. A rather sore and painful bag of wind. Dr. Phlox had finished with the more intimate injuries and was working his way steadily down Trip's right thigh. "How much do ya know?" He asked wearily.

"Less than I thought." Grumbled the Armoury Officer.

He looked so depressed about it that the Commander managed a smile.
Fortunately his face was clear of any injuries but his neck was not. That was why he had smeared grease and dirt on his neck before going on to the bridge with Sub-Commander T'Pol. He was an engineer after all so a little grease and grime was to be expected. "Vulcans have this thing, a matin' fever, that happens to the males every seven years. It's called the Pon Farr. I have no idea what the hell it means in English, probably Hell Fire. Anyway, the women have somethin' similar called the Pon Frell. When a Vulcan male is caught up in the Pon Farr it triggers the Pon Frell in the female. You could say the only ones in control from that point on are their hormones."

Lieutenant Reed swallowed and tried not to fixate on the pictures that conjured up in his mind.

"The matin' fever is kind of compulsory, Malcolm. Once you're caught up in it ya have to go the distance until the whole thing has run its course."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"It means the urge to mate has to be met until the matin' fever breaks and both partners can relax again. Lead normal lives."

"How long does it last?"

Trip looked at Dr Phlox who was now just finishing up with his ministations. "It depends. It can be weeks, months even, depending on the compatibility of the partners."

"How do they know if they're compatible?"

The Commander just grinned at him. Relieved to get the nod from Dr Phlox telling him he could get dressed. He dressed slowly, careful not to rub the material against his sore skin. Dr Phlox put the gel away and took out a full pot which he handed without a word to the Chief Engineer. Trip gave him a solemn nod. "Thanks."

"I said...."

"I heard ya the first time, Malcolm."

"Well? How did you know?"

"We just did. Helped no doubt by the mind meld."

Lieutenant Reed was beginning to feel as if he had fallen down a rabbit hole. His mind struggling to work out just where he had ended up. "Mind meld?"

"Yeah." A far away look came into Trip's eyes. He could feel T'Pol
reaching out to him. A slow gentle smile curved his lips. He looked wistful and happy, sorrowful and reflective.

"Trip? Are you all right?"

"Hmm?"

"I said, are you all right?"

"Oh yeah, fine. Where was I?"

"The mind meld."

"Yeah, the Vulcan mind meld." He paused to savour his memories. Bright sparkling diamonds that dazzled him on reflection. "It's the most intense thing ya can imagine, Malcolm. To actually *be* inside someone else's mind. To feel their thoughts, to touch them on the deepest level." He shivered slightly but not with the cold. "It's almost more intense that makin' love."

His friend did not know what to say. Trip yawned. Dr Phlox handed him a hypospray. They did not speak, the look they shared said it all. The doctor straightened, his medical bag in his hand. "I will see you again tomorrow, Commander."

Lieutenant Reed was shaken out of his reverie. "It'll have to be cleared first with the Captain."

"Lieutenant, this man is injured. I am the ship's doctor. I do not need the Captain's authority to tend to an injured member of this crew."

The lieutenant felt uncomfortable, embarrassed even. Trip interrupted. "It's okay doc, I'm kind of in quarantine. Persona non gratis. From now on I can only see you with the Cap'n's permission."

Dr Phlox frowned, annoyance beginning to carve out a home on his face. "I will speak to Captain Archer. This is totally unacceptable."

"No, doc, don't do that."

Both men stared at the sudden panic in the Commander's voice. Dr. Phlox shook his head at him in admonishment. "I will not be prevented from doing my duty, Commander."

"Just leave what medication I'm gonna need doc. I'm gonna be here for a while."

Now the doctor's annoyance turned to concern. "How long?"

Trip shrugged, not wanting to alarm him. "A few days."

The lieutenant quickly corrected the estimate. "Captain Archer gave the Commander thirty days in the brig as a punishment."

Dr. Phlox went pale. "That'll kill him!"

"What do you mean, kill him?"

Trip tried to push the doctor towards the door. "He's just being overly dramatic, Malcolm. You know what these Denobulans are like."

"I am *not* being overly dramatic!"

"Please doc, not now."

The doctor opened his mouth to protest then closed it quickly. The Commander was right. This was his decision and he had no right to discuss it with anyone else. He gave the Commander a reluctant nod. "Call me if you need me."

"Thanks, doc."

Lieutenant Reed was about to say something when Trip shook his head. "I'm tired, Malcolm. I haven't slept in days."

The Armoury Officer could feel himself reddening. "I'm sorry, of
course."

"I'm *just* tired, Malcolm. Forget the bruises. A few days rest an' I'll be good as new."

He sounded so sure about it that the lieutenant almost believed him.
Reluctantly he left his friend in the cell. Watched the guard take up his position again then followed the doctor out of the brig. He might have been tempted to believe Trip but for one thing. The look of worry deepening on the good doctor's face.

* * * * *

Captain Archer so wanted to rip into the Sub-Commander. Tear down that wall of indifference and find out exactly what had been going on. Yet the part of him that believed in survival knew when to back off. If he pushed she would push back. Besides. He needed to calm down. He had seen the looks of concern on the face of his bridge officers. He thought instead about the Romulan vessel. "Why did they attack us, Sub-Commander?"

She raised an eyebrow. No trace of emotion on her stony face. "They are Romulans."

"I know that, Sub-Commander." He answered tersely. The Captain paused and made himself take a few long deep breaths before trying again. "What I need to know is, will they attack again?"

She shrugged slightly. "Perhaps. They are unpredictable and
unprincipled."

He remembered something. "What did he mean about us being in Romulan space?"

"I do not know, Captain." T'Pol paused, genuinely perplexed. "This area of space is a corridor. There are no systems here just trade routes."

"So we're in the Romulan trade route, is that it?"

She shook her head. "No, Captain. To my knowledge there are no Romulan bases or settlements in this sector."

He frowned. "Then what was that all about?"

This time she raised both eyebrows as if to shrug it off. "Who knows, Captain? They are after all, Romulans."

"Well, I don't like them."

That surprised her. She quickly masked it but not before the Captain had caught her expression. "That surprises you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Centuries ago the Romulans and Vulcans enjoyed a shared ancestry."

"And now?"

"We avoid each other."

"What happened?"

T'Pol took her time answering him. Travis Mayweather and Ensign Hoshi Sato perked up their ears. "The Romulans left the path of logic. Walked away from the teachings of Surak. They became a more volatile and ill disciplined offshoot. We no longer share the same core values. They despise us for being cautious, we despise them for applauding aggression."

He looked shocked. Leaned forward in his Captain's chair. "Are you
saying the Romulans are Vulcans?"

"I am saying the Romulans come from Vulcan stock. They have not been true Vulcans for centuries."

"Sub-Commander," Said the Captain in a quiet but firm voice. In the charged atmosphere of the bridge his every word was distinctly heard. "What are the Romulans doing here and what do they really want with the
Enterprise?"

* * * * *

Continue to Part 20

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Four of you have made comments

Awesome story! I so love "seeing" Trip and T'Pol together.

Looking forward to reading hopefully a lot more soon :)

oh this story rocks!

I so enjoyed the Brig scene especially when Malcolm says he isn't leaving so Trip should just close his eyes.

Oh Jon you are going to regret your green-eyed behavior.

FINALLY!!! We are getting Romulans.

This tale just gets more intriguing and involving. Thanks! Keep writing.

I worry what you will do when you finish this story. I hope you have many more for us!

Again, WOW, great writing. I almost don't want this to end, I'm enjoying it so much. Keep it coming.