Hado Venceres Tradición

Hado Venceres Tradición
(Fate Versus Tradition)

By A. Rhea King

A story continuing the universe created by the author in the first season of "Enterprise."

Rating: PG, Drama, Romance
Summary: When Trip proposes to T’Pol, he thought that the worst that could happen was her saying no. He was wrong.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Paramount.

PART ONE (Chapters 1-3)

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

Chapter 1

T’Pol walked into Trip’s quarters and sat three PADDs down on his unmade bunk. Her gaze traveled to the pile of clean clothes sitting in a heap at the end and then around the rest of Trip’s clean, neat quarters. T’Pol sat down on the bed and folded the clothes. She ran her hands over them as she folded, allowing memories to play in her mind. She picked up the uniforms and shirts and walked to the closet, hanging them in an orderly row. She returned for the folded pants, underwear and socks and walked back to the wardrobe, kneeling in front of the drawers to put them away in tidy stacks. Her hand brushed something solid at the back of the underwear drawer and she sat the stack in her hand on the floor. T’Pol pushed the underwear aside, revealing a small box. T’Pol picked it up and opened it, staring at the gold and fire ruby ring in the box.

Trip turned away from his closet with a handful of clothes, which T’Pol took from him and took to the bunk. She pulled the hangers out and folded and packed them in his duffel bag.

“I can do that, T’Pol. You don’t have to,” Trip said, walking up behind her.

“I don’t mind.”

Trip leaned over, kissed her cheek and smiled when she looked at him. “In that case, I appreciate it. Thank you.”

T’Pol nodded her head slightly.

“Wish you were going,” Trip said as he disappeared into his bathroom. “We’re being put up in this resort type of place. They’re real nice. It’s a nice change.”

“You have an adequate away team. I have duties here that must be attended to.”

“Don’t you wish you were going?” Trip asked.

Trip reappeared in the door, carrying his shaving kit. T’Pol looked back at him.

“I have gathered all the data on the planet that I need to. I feel it is frivolous to go to the surface.”

“It’s fun to go exploring.” Trip smiled at her.

T’Pol sighed, turning to leave. Trip grabbed her arm, pulling her to him. T’Pol turned her head so he couldn’t kiss her lips. Trip frowned, gently pushing her hair away from her eyes.

“What I do?” Trip asked her.

T’Pol pulled away from him. She walked to his wardrobe and crouched, pulling the drawer open. She pulled the ring box out and held it up as she stood.

“Who is this ring for?” she asked.

Trip’s whole body wilted. He walked over, taking the box from her and opening it. He took out the ring, turning it so that light refracted on the ruby, illuminating the inside.

“It’s a wedding ring,” Trip said quietly.

“I asked who it was for. I am aware of what it is. Who asked you to keep it and why?”

Trip looked at her, staring at her face for a long time before speaking. He dropped to one knee in front of her, holding the ring up to her. “T’Pol, ya wanna marry me?”

T’Pol stared at him.

Trip took her left hand and slid the ring on her finger. “Will you marry me, T’Pol?”

“When were you going to propose?”
“I didn’t have this planned. Please marry me.”

T’Pol looked down at the ring. “Vulcan’s do not wear jewelry to symbolize marriage.”

“Humans do. If you want something simpler, then I’ll get it for your. But I want to marry you. I love you. Please marry me.”

T’Pol, stunned by her answer, looked at him and her stern face relaxed. “The ring will suffice. I will marry you.”

Trip stared at her for several seconds. He slowly rose to his feet.

“You will?” Trip whispered.

“Yes.”

Trip pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips to hers.

“I love you, T’Pol!” Trip hugged her.

T’Pol closed her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder. She had no memory of her father holding her mother so joyously and it made the moment all that more important to her. T’Pol tightened her arms around Trip.

Archer handed a case to Malcolm and turned, stopping before he ran into Trip.

“Can I talk to ya now?” Trip asked him.

“Trip, you guys are already overdue. It’s going to have to wait.”

“It can’t. I have to tell you before I go, Cap’n.”

Archer smiled. “Just tell me. It’s only you, Malcolm and me. What is it?”

“I proposed to T’Pol last night,” Trip beamed, “and she said yes.”

Malcolm dropped the case he was moving on his foot. “AH!” Malcolm yanked his foot back, sitting down on one of the shuttle pod benches.

Archer stared at Trip in astounded silence.

Trip’s smile slowly began to loose intensity when neither Archer nor Malcolm said anything. He looked at Malcolm. He was sitting on a bench, holding his injured foot.

“Don’t either of you say anything all at once or anything,” Trip grumbled.

“Congratulations,” Malcolm said finally between greeted teeth, “And I would say that more exuberantly if my foot wasn’t killing me!”

“Thanks. Are you mad, Cap’n?”

“Are you sure about this?” Archer asked.

“No.” Trip shook his head. “But I love ‘er.”

“She’s…well…”

“She’s a Vulcan. That’s what it is, isn’t it?”

“Well…yeah.”

Trip turned and walked away without another word.

“Trip. Trip, wait,” Archer said, but Trip didn’t stop walking.

Archer sighed, looking at the floor. He heard Malcolm get up and start stacking cases again. Archer looked at him.

“It doesn’t bother you that he wants to marry her?” Archer asked Malcolm.

“No, sir.”

Archer looked away.

“Should it, sir?”

Archer looked back at Malcolm. Malcolm was watching him.

“She’s his senior officer.”

“Technically, she’s not. She’s not Starfleet. And why would it bother? I’m married to an alien woman and I have two adorable children.”

“But…she’s Vulcan. He doesn’t even like Vulcans.”

Malcolm’s brow furrowed. “Commander Tucker has never expressed a definitive dislike toward Vulcans, Captain, unlike you.”

“Me?”

Malcolm smiled a little. “I mean no offense, sir, but from the first day I met you I have been quite aware of your opinions and views on the Vulcans.

To my knowledge, Commander Tucker has never shared your views in the eight years that I’ve known him. And furthermore, he loves T’Pol.”

Archer looked out the hatch door.

“May I ask you a personal question, Captain?”

“I’m afraid of what you’re going to ask, but go ahead.”

“Are you upset because of who and what his fiancée is or is there something else that bothers you about this news?”

“Such as?”

“He never told anyone he was going to ask her. For a moment there I was slightly perturbed at him because I thought we closer friends than that. I do intend on asking him about that at a more appropriate time.”

Archer turned away from Malcolm without replying to his question. Malcolm went back to work, finished and left the shuttle pod. Archer sat down at the navigation console, pretending to be looking over the landing procedures while he waited for Trip. He heard someone come in and looked up. Trip sat down in the pilot’s seat and started pre-launch procedures. Archer stood and walked to the helm, looking out into the shuttle bay.

“Everything checking out?” Archer asked, looking at the controls.

“Mm-hm,” Trip answered.

“Trip…I’m sorry. I was surprised. I wasn’t expecting it. I’m happy for you both.”

“But she’s a Vulcan,” Trip bit.

“That’s not it.”

“Then what is it?” Trip looked up at Archer.

“I was surprised.”

“You said that.”

“That’s it. I was surprised. I thought you’d have at least told me you were thinking about asking her before the actual proposal. We are best friends, after all.”

“I’ve had the ring for about two weeks, and I hadn’t planned on proposing last night. It came as a surprise to me too.”

“In that case I forgive you.”

Trip looked up at him. “But it’s not the Vulcan part?”

“I’ve adjusted to T’Pol. She’s not like other Vulcans and I’m sure you’re probably to blame for some of that.”

Trip smiled. “Not really. She came broken, by Vulcan terms.”

Archer chuckled. “Have you two told both of your parents yet?”

“I sent my folks a letter about it last night, as soon as she left my quarters. She sent hers this morning. They should know by tomorrow.” Trip patted the controls.

“She doesn’t think they’ll approve.”

“She believes they’ll estrange her.”

“Did she mention if that bothered her?”

“She said she wasn’t concerned, but she said she no longer has a desire to return to Vulcan. That surprised the hell out of me.” Trip looked up at Archer. “I guess us humans have rubbed off on her some.”

“Her Vulcan has rubbed off on us some, too.”

Trip smiled. “Is that why I agreed to getting married the fifteenth of April next year?”

“Logical,” Archer joked.

Trip laughed. “Very logical.”

“I went over the navigation information and landing procedures,” Archer told Trip. “Everything’s set on the navigation terminal as soon as Malcolm gets back. We’ll see you at the rendezvous in three days. No detours, okay?”

“Aye, sir.”

Trip watched Archer leave the shuttle pod and then turned back prepping the shuttle pod for launch.

Archer watched the alien ship as they drew nearer. It was venting reactor coolant and smoke into space and there was extensive scoring from phase canon hits.

“I’m not receiving any reply to our hails,” Hoshi said, looking back at Archer.

“I am not detecting any bio signs, Captain,” T’Pol reported.

Archer’s eyes widened slightly. “With that hole, I’m not surprised.”

Everyone looked at the view screen. There was the hole the size of a shuttle pod in the side of the vessel.

“They must have just been attacked,” Malcolm remarked.

Archer looked at T’Pol. “Ever seen a ship like that?”

“No, Captain.”

Archer looked at the screen.

“Take an away team and check it out, T’Pol. Hoshi, go with and figure out their language. I want to send a message to their people and let them know it’s here.”

Hoshi and T’Pol left the bridge. Archer sat back down in his chair, staring at the ship for a few more minutes before returning to his work.

Archer heard Hoshi’s companel beep and walked over to it. He put the earpiece in his ear and tapped the console.

“Enterprise.”

“Jon?” Admiral Forrest said.

“Yes, sir.”

“Answering your own phone these days?” Forrest joked.

Archer chuckled. “I sent Hoshi off ship and haven’t called for Shipper yet.”

“Jon, I need to talk to you. We should probably talk in your ready room.”

“All right. Just a moment, sir.” Archer transferred the communicate to his ready room terminal and trotted into the room.

Even though Archer’s back was to her when she entered, T’Pol could tell Archer was upset from his rigid composure and the way he had his hands clamped tightly together behind his back. The ready room door closed but he didn’t turn or speak. T’Pol slid her arms behind her back and stood at attention while she waited.

“You and Trip have a problem, T’Pol,” Archer said in a low, quiet voice.

“This has to do with our engagement, doesn’t it?” T’Pol asked.

Archer turned, leaning against the port window. “Yes. It does.

Apparently your parents weren’t displeased enough to estrange you. The High Command is demanding you return immediately to Vulcan for reassignment. They are sending a science vessel to rendezvous with us in three days.”

“Was this also Starfleet’s orders?”

“No. Starfleet is refusing to get involved, but not for lack of the High Command trying to pressure them into it. Because Starfleet is taking a neutral position I can’t interfere.”

T’Pol looked down. She looked up when Archer laid his hand on her arm.

“I can’t do anything, officially, but as your friend I’m going to try to find a way out of this for both of you. You are part of this crew and I don’t want to loose you.”

“I need time to meditate before Charles returns.”

“Take today off. Doctor Phlox and I leave in the morning to meet with the Gelas. Unfortunately, life still goes on despite this.”

“Yes. Life does.” T’Pol turned away and left.

Archer turned back to the port window, closing his eyes.

Chapter 2

“Sub-Commander, there is a ship approaching at high warp and hailing us,” Hoshi reported.

T’Pol looked up from her console. “In Vulcan?” T’Pol asked in a dark voice.

Hoshi looked back at T’Pol before answering. “No. It’s a Wartay vessel. The aliens of the derelict ship we found.”

“On screen,” T’Pol said as she rose and walked around to stand in front of the Captain’s chair.

The alien appeared on the view screen. He had slits where a human’s nose would have been and green and black stripes across his face and hands. He was dressed in dark green clothes and had a mohawk of matching strips of hair.

T’Pol opened her mouth to greet the alien but the Wartay cut T’Pol off, snarling, “You have committed an act of war against the Wartay. You will be destroyed.”

“What act of war ha—?” T’Pol began but the alien was already gone.

“They’re charging weapons, Sub-Commander,” the officer manning weapons reported.

“Polarize shielding. Go to Tactical alert.”

“Should I return fire?”

“No. Lieutenant Sato, hail them.”

Enterprise shuddered from a phaser blast. The alien appeared on the view screen again.

“Why are you attacking us?” T’Pol asked.

“You sent us a message regarding one of our ships that you found.”

“We didn’t attack that ship,” T’Pol said, “We made that clear in the message we sent.”

“You sent the message and left the wreckage before the barter ship arrived. That is an act of war against us. Do you wish to barter now?”

“No. We did—”

“FIRE!” the alien ordered.

T’Pol fell back into the Captain’s chair when Enterprise was hit again. She pushed herself back onto her feet.

“We didn’t send the message so we could barter. We sent it so you would know where your ship was.”

“I have heard eno—”

“However, we haven’t had time to determine our requests for a barter deal.” T’Pol continued. “If you cease firing we will draw up our request and open negotiations. We were unaware that bartering was expected.”

The alien held up his hand, sitting back. “Very well. You have fifteen minutes.” The alien disappeared from the view screen.

“Do any of you know how to barter?” T’Pol asked the crewmen. “I am unable to barter.”

“I’ll try,” Hoshi offered.

“Have you ever bartered before?”

“No, but I watched my father do it all the time.”

“Sista can barter,” Travis said, looking back at T’Pol.

“Lieutenant, call Vardee to the bridge,” T’Pol told Hoshi.
Hoshi turned and called Sista to the bridge. Sista walked off the lift, smiling at T’Pol as she approached.

“What is needed?” Sista asked.

“You are skilled at bartering?”

“Yes.”

“Apparently it is an act of war not to stay at a Wartay wreckage to barter and to refuse bartering. I’m not sure how the law works, but they’ll fire on us again if we don’t barter.” T’Pol motioned to the view monitor. “I would appreciate it if you would perform this task.”

Sista walked around in front of helm. “Hail them, Hoshi. Run Varlikon translator. So I don’t get us blown up.” Sista winked at Hoshi.

Hoshi smiled, sending the hail.

The alien appeared on the view screen. “Are you prepared to barter?”

“I would like to know the purpose of the vessel,” Sista said.

“It was a war vessel.”

“And what are you asking for in exchange?”

“We have received our barter; the message to alert us to the coordinates of the wreckage. There was no barter offer in it.”

“Our apologies. I require a brief of the expectations for this barter.”

“You are allowed to barter for currency or anything you found of value on the ship. We reserve the right to refuse all or some of your barter request.”

“Very good. I must have a consultation period with Sub-Commander T’Pol.” Sista glanced at T’Pol. “Will you grant a consultation period?”

“Ten minutes.”

“Vardee out.” Sista looked at T’Pol when the screen went black. “Who was on the away team?”

“Myself, Commander Tucker, Lieutenants Reed and Sato, and Doctor Phlox,” T’Pol answered.

Sista looked at Hoshi. “You’re the only one aboard, Hoshi. Do you recall anything that intrigued the others?”

Hoshi smiled. “The entire ship!”

“While we could barter for that, I don’t think it would be accepted. Anything else?”

“Malcolm was fascinated with their missiles and cannons. He was going on about how advance they were. And the tractor beam. Trip found these colored rods about this wide and this long,” Hoshi showed the measurements with her hands. “He didn’t know what they were, but he was fascinated by them. Doctor Phlox was intrigued by everything in the Sickbay.”

“And you?”

“I just wanted to come home.”

Sista glanced at T’Pol, loosing her smile. Hoshi looked at T’Pol, but to her eyes there was no change in the Vulcan’s somber demeanor.

“Let’s hail them and strike a barter, shall we?” Sista told Hoshi.

Hoshi laughed.

Sista turned back to the view monitor and the alien reappeared.

“We valued it at forty,” Sista informed him.

He smirked again. “That was a war ship. It was worth twice that.”

Vardee shot T’Pol a fake impressed look. “In that case we ask for forty-five percent.”

“That is not worth our time!”

“Very well. We saw a technology on the ship that looked like a rod about this long and this wide.” Sista showed the alien the measurements with her hands. “And colored different colors. What is this technology called? What is it used for?”

“Those are isolinear rods. Data is stored on them.”

“We ask five-five percent, and the following technologies: isolinear rod, medical and tractor beam.”

“We will agree to exchange medical and isolinear technology. We will not exchange the tractor beam technology.”

“Then we will take sixty percent and the isolinear rod technology.”

“Fifty percent,” the Wartay replied.

“Sixty.”

He sat back, appearing to be thinking. “Wait.” The screen went back to a view of space.

The bridge was silent while they waited.

“They’re hailing us again,” Hoshi said.

“Okay,” Sista told her.

The alien appeared again. “Forty percent, isolinear rod and tractor beam technology,” he said.

“Fifty percent and the technologies.”

“We will not agree.”

"We will not change our mind.”

“Forty percent plus the technologies…that’s over the price of the ship.”

“Hardly! We could return and salvage the technology ourselves. It is our right. We made claim on it by alerting you.”

“Then why haven’t you taken it?”

Sista pulled her hands behind her back and put on a smug look. “Because you’ve just let us know that we could.”

The alien sat back. “Forty-three percent and the technologies.”

“Forty-five and both technologies.”

He made a growling sound. “Fine! Fine. Forty-five percent and both technologies. We will prepare the latinum and beam it to you. Designate a location.”

“The bridge will do. And the technologies?”

“We are preparing the information now. Pleasure doing business,” the alien disappeared.

Sista turned to T’Pol. “Was that appropriate?”

T’Pol nodded once.

“They’re ready to transport, Sub-Commander,” Hoshi said.

“Tell them to proceed.”

In front of the helm ten cases appeared, each case one-meter long and one and a half meters deep. Two PADDs appeared on the floor beside the cases. T’Pol walked to the cases, looking them over. She looked back at Sista.
“How much currency did your barter for?”

“Forty-five percent of one hundred and eighty million bars of latinum,” Sista replied, “Eighty-one million bars of latinum.”

“Yes.”

T’Pol looked at the crates. “Lieutenant Sato, call a couple crewmen to the bridge to have this moved to the Captain’s quarters for now.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

T’Pol turned back to Sista. “Thank you for your assistance, Vardee.”
Sista nodded, offering her a smile as she left. T’Pol returned to her station, going to work without another word. Hoshi’s console beeped and she turned back to it.

“It’s Captain Archer, Sub-Commander. They just came into communication range.”

“Put him on.”

“Sensors just detected a ship going to warp. What’s happening?” Archer asked on the bridge COM.

“We offended the Wartay. I can explain in detail when you return.”

“Okay. Have there been any other surprises? Any early visitors?”

“No, Captain. The Vulcan’s have not contacted us or arrived early.”

“Good. We’ll be there in a half hour. Travis, be ready to head to the rendezvous spot to pick up Trip and Malcolm as soon as we’re secured.”

“Aye, sir,” Travis said.

T’Pol returned to her work without a word.

Chapter 3

Archer walked into the shuttle bay, looking around the area. He didn’t see Trip, but T’Pol had said he’d be here. Archer checked both shuttle pods. Archer stepped out and looked up. Trip was sitting on the topmost catwalk with his back against the railing. It was dark enough up there that Archer could she little more than Trip’s skin.

Archer walked over to a ladder and climbed to the catwalk. He stepped on and walked over to Trip. Archer sat down, facing Trip as he leaned back against the railing. Archer didn’t say anything, waiting for Trip to acknowledge his presence instead.

“What do you want?” Trip growled.

“You two didn’t come up with anything?” Archer asked.

Trip barely shook his head.

“What if you took a shuttle pod or the Diedra?”

“Irrational and desperate. T’Pol wouldn’t hear of it. She also said that would end both of our careers and make us fugitives. She’s right. You wouldn’t, and couldn’t, report that you’d given us permission to go. I wouldn’t ask you to do that anyway.”

“Maybe she could come back after she’s been to Vulcan.”

“Not likely.”

“Why not?”

“They would make sure to keep us far apart until she was married or one of us was dead. Whichever happened first.”

“What if she tried to appeal?”

“She said her parents would override it.”

“There has to be something you can do.”

“I’m wide open to suggestions, Jon. I haven’t come up with anything. Everything I have is illogical or illegal or irrational or impulsive. And as much as I hate it, she’s right about every single one. Sometimes that Vulcan logic of her’s really drives me up a wall.”

“Have you asked her to marry you?”

Trip looked at him with open disapproval. “If you hadn’t noticed, Jon, that’s what started this whole thing.”

“I meant now. Today. Before the Vulcans get here. They won’t be here for another forty minutes. That’s plenty of time.”

“That’s impulsive.”

“No it’s not.” Archer leaned forward, his hands becoming animated as he defended his idea. “You two were going to get married anyway, Trip. Regardless of whether it’s twelve minutes or twelve months, the decision had already been made. If you were to get married now, that would put a whole new spin on things. And I bet that if you two were married when they got here, she’d be left along by the High Command and allowed to remain on Enterprise. With us.”

“She won’t go for it, Jon.” Trip looked back down.

“Did you already suggest this to her?”

“No.”

“Did it even cross your mind?”

“A couple times.”

“Then why didn’t you ask her? She may be open to the idea. She may say something like, ‘As we have already committed to marry, I agree it would not be impulsive. The implications the union would cause may counteract my parent’s objection and superceded High Command’s orders.’ Does that sound like something your fiancé would say?”

Trip slowly looked up at Archer. Archer couldn’t keep a straight face any more.

“You already suggested it to her?” Trip asked.

“I did.”

“She said yes?”

“She said yes.”

Trip jumped up. “We’re gonna have to hurry.”

Archer whipped a communicator out of his pocket. “The groom is convinced,” Archer said.

The bay doors opened below them. Priest Riley, T’Pol, Malcolm, Travis, Sista and Hoshi rushed in and took their places between the shuttles. Archer looked down at them.

“I’ll have to forgo the best man status, Trip.” Archer looked up at Trip. “I’m under orders to remain neutral.”

“Thank you, Jon.”

“Hurry up! Get down there and say I do!”

Trip hurried down. Archer slowly made his way down, watching the ceremony at a distance.

Archer lifted his chin as the docking hatch opened. Behind him Trip and T’Pol stood at attention. To Archer’s right Hoshi wore a stern look, holding a PADD in her hands. Malcolm stood next to her, holding his hands clasped in front of him. Three Vulcans exited the science vessel and made their way toward them.

“I am Captain Torak. We have come for T’Pol,” the Vulcan leading the three said, stopping in front of Archer.

“I have been informed. Hoshi,” Archer said.

Hoshi stepped forward, holding out the PADD in her hand. Captain Torak took the PADD from her, glanced at it and then looked at Archer.

“What is this?”

“A marriage license. Seems the couple wed twenty minutes ago, prior to you contacting me. I was unable to prevent it. I apologize for delaying you, but I have to contact the High Command and Starfleet and await their decision on the matter. If you like, I can make accommodations aboard Enterprise until you and I both receive word.”

“Or, if you would rather,” Trip started. He placed his hand on the small of T’Pol’s back, protectively moving her closer to him. “My wife and I will come aboard and we can began our trip back to Vulcan. I’m sure you won’t mind returning should they change their mind, right?”

Captain Torak looked down at T’Pol. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“She can’t comment,” Hoshi said.

Captain Torak looked at Hoshi. “Excuse me?”

“Your laws forbid a mate to disobey their mate’s wishes if their mate formally asks them to allow him or her to handle a matter.”

“And I’d hate for T’Pol to dishonor your customs by going against what your records indicate is a crucial law,” Trip said. “Is it crucial, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I asked her to remain silent,” Trip said. His face hardened when Captain Torak looked at him. “I don’t want there to be any confusion about how this matter’s gonna be handled. You can appreciate that, being how Vulcans aren’t real keen on wasting time.”

Captain Torak looked back at Archer. “You knew about this and you did not prevent it.”

“Look at the license. It happened twenty minutes ago. I was in a shuttle pod bay at the time. How could I possibly have known about a wedding happening?”

“You had to witness the wedding,” Captain Torak looked at the license, “Your signature…”

Archer waited for him to look back up. “My signature what?”

“Where is your signature? This is not a valid license.”

“It is very valid,” Archer said.

“Your signature is not here.”

“Oh. I can clear that up,” Hoshi said, smiling. “You were expecting it to have a senior officer’s signature, I’m assuming, since it is your custom to have either a senior officer or parent witness a wedding. See,” Hoshi wrinkled her nose, “that’s where you’re getting this marriage confused with a typical Vulcan wedding. They were married in a Presbyterian Baptist ceremony and that ceremony, as well as many other human wedding ceremonies, does not require anyone of relation or superior authority, short of the priest conducting the ceremony, to sign it. It does, however, require two witnesses of legal voting age. You’ll see that I am one witness, and that Lieutenant Reed,” Hoshi motioned to him, “was the other. We both were, and still are, off duty, but Captain Archer thought it was best we be present when you arrived to help clear this matter up. He suspected that there may be some confusion involved.”

“We will not leave until we receive orders from High Command,” Captain Torak said.

Archer tilted and nodded his head once. The three Vulcans turned and went back onto their ship. Archer reached out and closed the docking door. He reached out and pulled Hoshi into a hug.

“I always knew there was a reason I kept your around, Hoshi.”

Hoshi smiled up at him. “I’m not just another pretty face, Captain.”

Archer turned.

“Well, now we wait. Keep your finger crossed. As soon as I get an answer, the entire ship will know. So, go enjoy the rest of your day you two. Once this is cleared up, you’ll be cleared to leave for your honeymoon.”

Trip slid his hand into T’Pol’s, the two walking away from the group.

“What do you think they’ll say, sir?” Malcolm asked.

“I don’t know,” Archer said. “I’m not going to guess.”

Trip stared at the darkness above the bed, his hand idly playing with T’Pol’s hair. Her head rested on his chest and one hand rested on his shoulder, occasionally caressing his skin with her fingers.

“What’s taking so long?” Trip whispered.

T’Pol closed her eyes. “Get some sleep.”

“I want an answer.”

“Sleep, husband.”

Trip smiled. “Say that again.”

“Husband.”

Trip kissed her head. “I love that word.”

T’Pol pulled closer to him. “Get some sleep, Charles. It will make the waiting take less time.”

Trip didn’t reply. She was right. She usually was.

“Charles.”

“Hm?”
“I love you.”
Trip wrapped his arms around her. He faded off to sleep; unaware that T’Pol spent the entire night awake and anxious.

“Can I have your attention,” Archer said across the ship’s COM. “We’ve just heard back from the Vulcan High Command.”

Trip stopped working and stood up straight. The crew around him fell silent, waiting for Archer to continue.

Archer looked up at Hoshi. She was watching him, her face telling her anticipating the worst. Archer smiled, reached out and patted her arm. Hoshi smiled and relaxed.

“The High Command has withdrawn their request to have her return to Vulcan, so Mrs. Charles Tucker is not leaving us. She’s staying with us until we get back to Earth and then God only knows where the poor woman will get drug by her husband. Admiral Forrest has issued a letter to the High Command and her parents stating she has asylum because of her marriage to Lieutenant-Commander Tucker. That’ll be all.”

Hoshi smiled, ending the transmission.

Archer looked at T’Pol. “Well, that’s cleared up. Better go find that husband of yours and get down to the shuttle bay. You two have a honeymoon to get to.”
“Thank you, Captain.”

Archer walked to his chair and sat down. He glanced at the lift door, checking to make sure T’Pol had left.

Archer tapped the companel on his chair arm. “Archer to Reed.”

“Yes, sir.”

“They gone yet?”

“Another five minutes, sir.”

“Did Lieutenant Hess finish the blueprints?”

“Yes, sir. I must say she did quite well considering the area she had to work with.”

“Get started as soon as they’ve left. I’ll be down after the shift ends to help. Archer out.”

“You know Captain,” Hoshi said, leaning on the railing, “by the time we get back to Earth this ship isn’t going to look anything like the ship that left port.”

“I know,” Archer chuckled, standing. “I’ll be in my ready room,” Archer announced before departing the bridge.

Four Days Later

Trip smiled. He felt Hoshi’s hand on his arm, guiding him through the halls. He could hear Archer walking on his other side.

“This is unnecessary,” T’Pol protested.

“Matter of opinion,” Archer said.

“It’s a surprise, T’Pol,” Amy said.

T’Pol felt the child’s hand squeeze her own and discreetly squeezed the girl’s hand in response.

“We would be surprised regardless of the blind folds,” T’Pol stated.

“T’Pol, you’re not indulging your Captain here,” Archer joked.

“I have indulged you plenty of times.”

Trip heard someone cough and turned his head. “Are there people here?”

“Yes. Stop,” Hoshi said, pulling Trip to a stop.

“How many people?” Trip heard a door open and Hoshi let him again.
“Oh. The entire crew. Okay, there are four steps.”

Trip let her lead him down the steps and four more paces before stopping.

“Okay, don’t move,” Hoshi said, moving away.

“Okay, now you two can look,” Archer said.

Trip pulled off his blindfold and was stunned. They were in what had been the F deck observation room. It had been converted into quarters. The quarters had been designed so that it stepped up to a window seat ran the length of the observation windows that hadn’t been built over to make the upstairs rooms. On either side a staircase swept up to a walkway on the second level that looked back down into the living area and led to three doors. Under the walkway T’Pol’s meditation table and sacred relics had been set up and placed almost exactly the same as they had been in her quarters.

“We didn’t know where you wanted your meditation stuff,” Hoshi told T’Pol, “so we put it down here for now. There’s three bedrooms and we moved you into the room there on the end and Amy picked the middle room next to yours.”

“Who designed these quarters?” T’Pol asked.

“Lieutenant Hess.”

“She did an amazing job!” Trip commented.

“Maybe a crib will have to go in that third room,” Malcolm said.

Trip laughed, looking at him.

“This is a surprise,” T’Pol said.

“It really is. Thanks, guys.” Trip smiled when the crew clapped for them.

“Congratulations,” Hoshi said, hugging Trip.

She stepped back, hesitated and then hugged T’Pol. T’Pol returned the hug.

“We appreciate the quarters,” T’Pol said, looking at Archer. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. You two have the next two days off to get settled. Come on everyone.”

Archer ushered the crew out. Trip held his smile until the door closed, leaving the two alone in their new quarters. He let his head fall back, closing his eyes a moment and then looked down when Amy. She smiled at him.

“How’s the Amster?”

“Good, Tripster.”

“Have you behaved yourself?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“I’m gonna check on you, you know.” Trip swept her up into a bear hug. “Missed you squirt.”

Amy hugged him back and then squirmed out of his arms. She flung her arms around T’Pol’s waist, hugging her tight. Trip laid his hand on T’Pol’s shoulder.

“I think you were missed, honey,” Trip said.

“It appears so, however, I would like to sleep. May I do so?” T’Pol asked Amy.

Amy smiled up at her, nodding. “But we can have breakfast in the morning?”

“Yes. We will have breakfast in the morning. Be back after dinner.”

“Okay, T’Pol. Bye!” Amy ran out of the quarters.

Trip laid his hands on T’Pol’s shoulder, kissing her forehead. “I’m beat. Next honeymoon, I’m choosing the location.”

“We did not need to go hiking.”

Trip looked down at her. “It was fun. I’m just tired.”

T’Pol turned her head slightly. “Perhaps you should rest also.”

Trip pulled her to him, hugging her.

“I’ll rest when I’m dead. I’m going to go look upstairs.” Trip let her go and trotted up the stairs.

When he disappeared into a room, she closed her eyes, drawing a shaky breath.

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

Continue to Part Two

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!

One person has made comments

It's a great start to a story. I love the interaction of T'pol and her family, and T'pol and Trip. Please, keep it coming, but where's the rest, as it cut off mid-word.