Time Heals- Ch. 7

Time Heals All Wounds

By Aeryn Alexander

Rating: PG-13, Romance, Drama
Disclaimer: Fan fiction is for fun, not for profit.

Chapter Seven

Good news

The lateral scanner array, Trip decided, was fried almost beyond belief due to constant use over a period of time so vast that he didn’t even want to make a guess. Most of the ship’s sensors, internal and external, were in the advanced stages of burning out too. The hardware had been kept intact by constant jury-rigging, although he had to admit that they systems had been well maintained too and that Az and Tish were very inventive problem-solvers.

“I presented our request earlier today.” T’Pol informed Trip as he sifted through some spare components from his repair kit.

“How does our situation look?” he asked, glancing up at her from his position near an open conduit.

“It depends. When you move your belongings are you or are you not going to ask Mister Reed to help you?” she questioned neutrally.

“Hot damn! He already approved it?” asked Trip with a loud whoop and a grin that stretched from ear to ear.

“That is correct.” said T’Pol as he scrambled to his feet.

“I thought he’d need to think about it. Or at least make us sweat it out until this crisis is over.” said Trip.

“There is a limited amount of enjoyment to be derived from making a Vulcan sweat anything out.” she said.

“S’pose so, but it sure takes a load off my mind.”

“If your mind is sufficiently unloaded, we should get back to work. These scanners, naturally, will not fix themselves.”

“I know it’s only me being human, but I wish you could let me know somehow that you’re happy about this.”

She blinked solemnly and looked at him with a particularly piercing gaze.

“I will let you know, Trip. Tonight, perhaps.”

Malcolm Reed was walking from the lift toward his quarters after a long and rather predictable shift on the bridge, monitoring the Zedeev, when Commander Tucker came barreling down the corridor from the shuttle bay, nearly running him down.

“Malcolm!” he yelled, seizing the Englishman by the shoulders.

Lieutenant Reed merely gave him a look that said, “My God, man! Are you mad?”

“I need some help, and you are just the guy for the job. You got a minute?” asked Trip, practically dragging him down the hall as Trip continued in the direction he had been going.

“Certainly.” answered Malcolm.

“I’m moving! Switching quarters. We’re consolidating.”

“Us, sir?”

“No, no, no! Not me and you. Me and T’Pol. We’re going to be sharing quarters.” said Trip, lowering his voice slightly.

“You don’t say so?” questioned Malcolm, his eyes widening.

“The hell I don’t! I just need a little bit of help moving my things from one place to the other. T’Pol is still on the Zedeev, calibrating some sensors and what not, but I’m technically off duty and I bet you are too. That’s means you can help me, right?” questioned Trip.

“This isn’t some horrible practical joke, is it, sir?”

“Of course not. We have the captain’s permission.”

“Then I suppose I’d be glad to help.” nodded Malcolm.

“Thanks, and who knows? I might be doing the same thing for you and Hoshi one of these days.” said Trip, slapping Malcolm on the back.

The young lieutenant blushed furiously and coughed, “I hardly think ...”

“Aw, you never know.” laughed Trip as they reached his quarters.

Az, having returned on the same pod as Commander Tucker, found his way back to sickbay with little difficulty. He smiled as he walked through the corridors of the Enterprise. If the stellar cartography data that Tish and he had collected proved to be as valuable as they believed, they could hope to command a ship that rivaled the Enterprise in size one day. It was a day that they were eagerly awaiting.

Stepping into sickbay, he first noted his brother, who was still lying on a biobed, and then Phlox who was feeding something a cage. Az was familiar with some of the specimens in his father’s menagerie, remembering when he had brought some of the creatures home with him at various times.

“Father?” he called.

Phlox turned and smiled as he closed the cage.

“Az.” he said with a nod.

“The ship will be in working condition again in approximately twelve human hours. Will Tish be ready for the journey home by then?” he inquired.

“I believe so, although I would like to send some additional medication for him with you.” Phlox replied.

“Thank you.”

“You are returning to Denobula?”

“That is our goal. We have data and research to present and plans for the future, which is looking increasingly bright.”

“I am glad to hear that. Nothing would please me more than to see the two of you happy.”

“I know that ... now.” said Az.

“I didn’t understand the spirit of exploration until I was much older than you are, Az, until I came aboard this vessel and began serving with these people. Now that I understand that ... Now that I look at you ... I know why you wanted the lives that you two have chosen. Even if I wasn’t a big part of your lives growing up, I still see that part of myself in you and I am ... glad that you discovered it sooner.” Phlox told him.

“So am I, father.” said Az. “If it helps you to understand Tish and me better, then I am very glad that you understand what it means to be an explorer too.”

*************

Continued in Chapter 8 (Conclusion)

Back to Chapter 6

Back to Fan Fiction Main Menu

Have a comment to make about this story? Do so in the Trip Fan Fiction forum at the HoTBBS!