Three Months- Pt 3

Three Months Later

By Aquila

Part Three

Rating: R
Disclaimer in Part One.
Timeline: After Expanse, before Season Three – Alternate Universe – I have ignored the Bounty episode - SPOILERS
Summary: Internal threats must be resolved, before Enterprise can withstand external threats.

==

He agreed with the diagnosis. His crew trained for exploration, scientific discovery and peaceful First Contact missions were ill prepared for their current seek-and-destroy mission. The Captain was skeptical about the solution Phlox proposed to alleviate the apprehension of the crew. Unfortunately he had yet to find a better alternative.

“Excuse me, Captain.” Trip stuck his head through the ready room door. “Do ya have a minute?”

Eager for a distraction, he waved the Chief Engineer in. “T’Pol? I didn’t see you. Is this a delegation, Trip?”

“More like an operations team,” he replied wryly.

==

“Watch competition was used over and over again to improve performance and maintain morale,” Colonel Chu kept his voice steady.

The Marine needed to gain the trust of the Lieutenant. Pushing the idea down his throat without time to absorb the concept would be counterproductive.

“Wouldn’t departmental competitions be more effective with our command structure?”

Chu was impressed. Malcolm Reed would have made a good Marine.

==

His chest was heaving again, but from a different kind of exertion. He turned his head to eye his companion. She was in mid stretch, her arms over her head, her back bowed.

Pat Cannington smirked, “The next time I hear someone talking about how good you are with your hands I’m not going to be thinking about your talent for flying, Travis.”

==

“T’Pol told me that you are wrestlin’ with who should be First Officer.”

The Vulcan restrained her eyebrows from lifting in surprise. Charles had found just the right words to broach the subject. He had hidden his hurt at the Captain’s mistrust.

“Do you want the job?” Archer directed the question to Trip.

“Actually, Captain, I think there is a more important question that should be answered before you decide.”

T’Pol was as taken aback as the Captain, but she hid her response better than Archer did. During their discussion, Charles had not mentioned any other questions.

“Go on.”

“If you make me First Officer, who would replace me as Chief Engineer?”

==

“Colonel, why don’t we present the idea to the Captain this way?”

Chu nodded with agreement. Lieutenant Reed was a natural strategist, he thought. His skill will be useful when we fight the Xin’di.

==

“I know I brag about bein’ God’s gift to astro-engineerin’, but...”

“But out here, light years from space repair stations and supply depots – you are.” Archer turned to T’Pol. “Is Trip’s assessment correct? Is there no one on his engineering team capable of filling his shoes, if I make him First Officer?”

T’Pol looked from the face of the man whom she needed to the man who needed her. “Commander Tucker has assembled an excellent engineering team. More than one of them will, one day, become a Chief Engineer of a Starfleet vessel.”

Archer held up his hand, “But right now, we need a maverick capable of conjuring an anti-matter injector from thin air.”

“You were talkin’ about me?” Trip winked at T’Pol. “Cause I don’t recognize the description, Cap’n.”

==

Mrs. Mayweather had taught her sons good manners, but she had not taught him how to gracefully exit a lady’s bed after being seduced. Travis was certain that he had not been the seducer, but that was all that he was certain of.

Ensign Cannington was aware of Mayweather’s agitation. How she handled the next few minutes, she guessed, would make or break their fragile relationship. Maybe that was the reason that their situation was covered by only one regulation in the Starfleet manual – and it wasn’t a supportive one.

When she had begun her seduction of Ensign Travis Mayweather, her only goal had been casual sex with the man she thought was the most handsome on Enterprise. Pat Cannington had wanted casual sex, but she had not wanted to be casual about it. It seemed so simple when she donned her running gear three hours ago.

==

“Commander Tucker, I will make note of your analysis in my report to Starfleet. You have put the good of the ship ahead of personal ambitions. I am grateful for your support and insight.”

T’Pol was amused. Captain Archer always reverted to stiff formality when he felt his emotions were going to overwhelm him. She would draw Charles’ attention to the habit later.

“Thank you, Sir.” Trip was filled with hope that he had begun to repair the damage he had done to their relationship.

“T’Pol, I offer you a field commission of the rank of Commander. I would like you to accept the position of First Officer to be performed in conjunction with your duties as Science Officer. Do you accept, Commander?”

==

The door to the ready-room chirped.

“Enter.” Archer noted the arrival of Lt. Reed and Col. Chu. “You are just in time to join in a toast. T’Pol has accepted a field commission and has agreed to continue as our First Officer.”

“Congratulations, Commander.” Reed stepped across the small room. His first instinct was to shake her hand, but realized just in time she did not like to shake hands. He raised his hand in a salute instead.

“Thank you, Lieutenant.” T’Pol dropped her chin in acknowledgment.

“Colonel, how are your troops?” Archer passed a glass of champagne to the Marine as he asked the question.

“As a matter of fact Captain, the condition of my troops is what brought us here.” Chu waited for Archer to digest the comment.

Archer decided to take an indirect route, “And Lieutenant Reed?”

“Ah yes, Captain,” Reed moved to stand beside Chu. “The Colonel and I have discussed the condition of the Marines. We believe a solution to their morale problem will in fact, solve the ship’s morale problem.”

“Explain yourself, Gentlemen.”

==

“Captain?”

T’Pol, who wanted to put a reassuring hand in his, kept her hands to herself allowing Charles to open the subject as they had discussed. There were only the three of them in the ready room again. Archer had charged the other two with gathering the information required to enact their solution.

“Another glass, Trip?” Archer raised the champagne bottle.

“No, Sir.” Trip was momentarily overcome with nervousness. “T’Pol and I have personal business to discuss with you.”

“Personal business?” Archer looked from one to the other. T’Pol’s face, as always, was unreadable. Trip’s was suffused by mixed emotions, barely contained.

“T’Pol has done me the honour of asking me to become her partner, Sir.” Trip fought the urge to wince. “I have accepted with joy.”

“You don’t mean a study partner or fitness partner, I presume?” Archer tried to cover his hurt with levity, but the feeling of shattered glass grazing the lining of his stomach was almost impossible to ignore.

“You aren’t asking for permission?” Archer asked T’Pol icily.

“Asking permission assumes that we would obey an order to desist.” Her reply stirred the shards in his stomach.

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

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Seven people have made comments

Oh no, you can't stop there! This is really good and I can't wait to see what happens next. I like the way you have also incorporated some action for Travis and some tactical problem solving for Malcolm in this story. Archer's secret passion for T'Pol is handled very well but how will his friendship with Trip go on from here? Very good, keep going - please! Ali D :~)

AHHHH Cliffhanger!! How will Archer react? What will they find in the expanse? I like how Travis has some action there! And Malcolm as well. Nice to see some other characters in the story too. :)

AHHHH Cliffhanger!! How will Archer react? What will they find in the expanse? I like how Travis has some action there! And Malcolm as well. Nice to see some other characters in the story too. :)

Archer's feelings are hurt, what will happen next?

Can't wait!!

HA! Take that Archer! Take that PTB!

Loveitloveitloveitloveitloveit!

Can't wait to see Archer's reaction to Trip & T'Pol!

I almost feel sorry for Archer (I said almost). This has it all - duty, friendship, romance - and I can't wait for chapter 4.

Finally!! Travis gets some action both physically and character-wise. And I love how the fragile relationship between Trip and Archer is come into reality. The fact that T'Pol has chosen Trip to be her partner was done in such a fluid way that I almost forgot that they're not together in the tv show version. Anyways, can't wait what happens!!! What will happen with Archer and Trip's relationship? How will T'Pol deal with two men (figuratively) fighting for her attention when it is apparent she has chosen Trip? How will this affect the Captain' rules?