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War and Peace - Ch 4

Author - Energy4TripnT’Pol
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War and Peace

By Energy4TripnT’Pol

Rating: PG
Disclaimer: ~ an episode of “Star Trek: Enterprise”: $ on Paramount’s budget. Getting Trip and T’Pol together: priceless for us desperate fanfic writers. So no, I’m not making money and Paramount owns the series and all the characters involved (mostly).~
Genre: Of course romance, slight angst, some mystery, just a hint of everything else . . .
Summary: Archer and company arrive on a planet with traces of Xindi technology. But when Archer encounters a temporal anomaly and meets a Trip Tucker from the future, he learns about a future that two of his friends could have. Meanwhile, Archer is so busy in the anomaly that in orbit, Enterprise has 3.5 hours to leave before a Xindi vessel arrives.
Archiving: No archiving, please.
Note: This story takes place during the 3rd season of “Enterprise” before “Similitude” and “Harbinger” (in other words, before any ideas of Trip and T’Pol’s romance excepting neuro-pressure). I wrote this before I even knew about the episode “North Star”, so forgive me if anything seems like copycatting. ‘The Captain’s Table’ idea is from the omnipedia about each of the series captains, yet another idea I borrowed. Enjoy!

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Summary to date: First off, I want to apologize to all the Trip/T’Polers that have read this story and have been waiting for Chapter Four. Unforeseen circumstances are annoying, aren’t they?

So here is what has happened to refresh your memory: While in the Expanse during the battle with the Xindi, Enterprise discovered a planet that had Xindi signatures around it. The senior staff (without Phlox and with Major Hayes) goes to investigate. But while Archer and Hoshi are checking out “Main Street” in what looks like an old Western town, Archer suddenly disappears.

Unbeknownst to Hoshi and the others, Archer was transported into a place known as the Captain’s Table. (If you’ve ever read the books published about it, you should understand.) While inside, Archer meets an old friend from the future – Trip Tucker, who by his time is a captain and has gone through other changes. Tradition has it at the Captain’s Table that the drinks are free if a story accompanies them. But Archer suggests that Trip tell a story. And when Archer hears it . . . you’ll see if you read this story!

On Enterprise, the crew is frantically trying to figure out what happened to the captain, but while he has all the time in the world, the crew doesn’t: a Xindi vessel is en route for the planet and they only have three hours to figure out how to get him out.

So that’s pretty much what has happened, but if I’ve utterly confused you, feel free to reference the first three chapters of “War and Peace.” I was originally motivated to make it longer, but due to less free time and a writer’s block, Chapter Four will the last installment . . . unless I discover a way to spin-off a new story from this!

Enjoy!

Energy

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CHAPTER 4

Trip Tucker sat back in a chair in Engineering, knowing that sometime soon T’Pol would likely be in his presence, berating him. Compared to the rest of the crew, it seemed that he had accomplished nothing in trying to rescue the captain. Despite that onboard Archer was the closest thing that Trip had to a best friend, Engineering looking like it had before they even arrived at this planet and it made him wish that he didn’t know T’Pol as well as he did.

Yet, they were also friends and he did. As the door on the main deck was pushed open, Trip ran a hand through his hair and prepared himself for the worst. A feminine voice asked a crewman, “Where is Commander Tucker?”

The traitor said, “Upstairs,” pointing to the ladder.

T’Pol ascended the stairs and found Trip with his back to her, on purpose. “Commander, have you made any progress?” she asked, knowing full-well that he hadn’t.

Trip smiled, and then turned around to face her. “Ya really want me to say it, don’t ya?”

T’Pol was still looking at him, yet her face was full of despair. “I don’t wish to publicly humiliate you. I only wanted an update.”

“Ya coulda called,” Trip said sarcastically. He turned around and walked to another console. “Engines are at 89%. Give me half an hour and you will have 100% plus backup power.”

He turned around and T’Pol actually looked surprised. She opened her mouth to say something, but Trip, assuming it was a backlash remark, cut her off and gave her one of his own. “So if you’ll excuse me, I still have work to do and I don’t need any distractions.”

It didn’t work; T’Pol glared at him and Trip felt himself shuddering. She glanced behind him to an empty space and he had a fair idea of what was coming to him. The words were classic, yet they sounded brand new coming out of her mouth. She directed him over. “Commander, are you all right?”

Trip glanced behind her out into Engineering; she diverted his gaze back to her. “Commander?”

“I’m fine, it’s just . . . I guess I’m just worried about the captain and I really didn’t’ want you coming down here and biting my head off.”

T’Pol put a hand on his shoulder. Quietly, she said, “You’ve accomplished your work. We’re all worried for the captain. And I apologize if I came off as scolding. It wasn’t my intention.”

It struck Trip in a different manner; three years ago, when she first came aboard Enterprise, she wouldn’t have given any thought of apologizing. Then again, she had no reason to; Trip had given a comment about taking a shower. He dismissed it. “It’s okay. I started it. It’s just we have no idea what is happening with Captain Archer.”

“May I propose something? According to our latest scans, the monsoon has stopped. Perhaps we can take a shuttlepod down and ascertain Captain Archer’s condition. Is Lieutenant Hess capable of finishing engine repairs?”

Trip nodded. “Give me five minutes and I’ll meet you in the launch bay.”

“Ten minutes,” T’Pol bargained, “and it will give me enough time to check the latest scans.”

Trip agreed, and then motioned for her to move first. T’Pol descended down the stairs and Trip went on the railing to find Hess, but as soon as each one was out of eyeshot of the other they paused. There was something going on, and neither of them could place it.

They continued their work until the met again in the launch bay. The flight plan was agreed upon; they would fly low and scan for other lifesigns, and once it was determined that it was clear, Trip would set the shuttlepod down as close to “Main Street” as he could. They would personally try to find Captain Archer.

The only thing that Trip hoped for was that there would be three bodies when they left the planet and not two lifesigns.

*****

Archer literally couldn’t believe his ears when Trip neared the finish of his story. He and T’Pol had been conducting neuro-pressure sessions to help him sleep after Lizzie’s death. After the Xindi mess was over T’Pol invited Trip to visit Vulcan with her, unbeknownst to her that he ex-fiancée was waiting on her.

Trip, being the gentleman he was, went ahead and declared his love for T’Pol at the wedding, and then after a duel to the death between him and Koss he spared the Vulcan’s life. T’Pol was disowned by people on Vulcan afterwards. But Trip and T’Pol married, attempted to have children, and then after two miscarriages onboard Enterprise, she finally gave birth to a girl. They named her Elizabeth T’Les, after Trip’s sister and T’Pol’s mother.

When Trip was eventually promoted to captain, T’Pol and their child went with him. Archer ended up losing his chief engineer and science officer, and then Trip resigned from Starfleet during a mid-life crisis.

Archer held up his hand and stopped his future friend. “So, let me get all this straight. You are married to T’Pol?”

Trip nodded.

“You have a kid. And when we jump back into the story, you’re gonna tell me how you got back into Starfleet.”

“It was T’Pol. Jon, I owe her my life on more than one account. One year, on the anniversary of the Xindi attack, I jumped into the Gulf of Mexico from Florida and tried swimming as far as I could. If T’Pol hadn’t been in Spacedock when Lizzie called, I probably would have succeeded in drowning myself.”

“I take it T’Pol owes you her life too?”

“Actually, she does. Oh, if she finds out I ever said a word about this, she’ll kill me. Um, when a Vulcan goes into pon farr,” he said, lowering the inflections, “unless they mate their brain goes into a hormonal overload of sorts and it’s fatal.”

“Blackmail,” Archer said, giving a notion of what he might do when he returned to the ship.

Tucker frowned at his former captain. “I’m serious. Besides, it hasn’t happened in your timeline. Anyhow, every seven years, you and I had some fights. One year, I was stuck on some planet we were visiting and she went.”

Archer leaned back in his chair. “Now this I want to hear.”

Trip sighed, and then reached for his drink. “I’m not so sure I should tell you.”

“Can’t be all that bad,” Archer said, smiling faintly.

“Let’s just say no one on Enterprise had ever been happier to see me,” Trip said, summarizing the story.

“You’re no fun since you got older.”

“Nah, I still am. But I’ll tell you, finding out what being in your shoes was like – it gives me a whole new level of respect for you, all the times on Enterprise that you were stuck between a rock and a hard place,” Trip said, almost in slight awe. He waved his hand in the air. “But I learned a lot from you – including how to be serious.”

Suddenly, Trip seemed like he went to a completely different place – at least, that’s what it looked like to Archer. He reached across the table and gently shook Trip’s arm. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Trip replied with a jolt. “Just thinking about what’s happened to everybody, and how it would’ve turned out different if it hadn’t been for you – or Enterprise,” he added with a bit of pride.

Archer laughed. Trip was still as attached to Engineering as he ever was.

“Ah, anyhoo,” Trip intoned.

Archer wanted to hear the rest of the story about Trip and T’Pol’s marriage and how it turned out after the incident, but he could tell from looking at Trip that he would save the story for another time. Things between married people by all accounts should be private, including the amusing accounts of the pon farr.

So Archer let it go.

*****

Trip piloted the shuttlepod down to the abandoned town; behind him, T’Pol was deathly silent.

“Ya know, you could say something,” he said suddenly. “It’s a bit creepy to be flying with someone and not even know they’re present.”

“You saw me board the shuttlepod. You know I am present.”

“C’mon, that’s not what I mean and you know it,” Trip said, turning his head to meet her gaze. He sighed, and then turned back. “You heard from you mother lately?”

“No.” Trip wondered if broaching the subject of family was wise until she added, “But it is not surprising considering the communications difficulties that we have faced.”

“Hmm.”

“And you?”

“Ah, Mom and Dad are doin’ okay. It’s hard losin’ a daughter, but they’ve pulled through.” Trip found it increasingly hard to think of his family and know that Lizzie was no longer included; a tear came to the edge of his eye, and as he tried to wink it back he sniffled.

He sensed movement behind him. T’Pol sat down in the seat directly behind him to his right and laid a hand on his shoulder. “You will pull through as well,” she said consolingly, and Trip nodded.

The pod shuddered. “We’ve broken through the atmosphere.”

“Any sign of the captain?”

Trip looked over his sensors. “Still pickin’ up that signal Hoshi found, but nothing else.”

“Set us down, Commander.”

Trip nodded and engaged the thrusters, gently lowering the pod down closer to the Main Street. T’Pol, being closer, opened the side hatch and found her way out. Following behind her, Trip asked, “So you wanna take one side of the street and I’ll talk the other?”

“On the contrary, I believe it would be wiser to stay together.”

Trip found no reason to disagree.

*****

“So how did you get back in Starfleet?”

Trip was roused out of his slight alcohol-induced weariness by Archer’s question. “Huh?”

“After your mid-life crisis, you were going to tell me how you got back into Starfleet.”

“Oh, sorry. Anyhow, T’Pol pulled some strings. And she sat down and had a long talk with me,” Trip recanted, smiling at one aspect of the “discussion.”

Archer saw his face and decided he didn’t want to know. “And you got your ship back.”

“Still running smooth, just like it’s brand new.”

“And you wouldn’t have anything to do with that, would you?”

“Might not be the chief engineer, but I can still take care of it.”

“And take care of your family, too.”

Trip looked Archer seriously in the eyes. “When T’Pol and I told people we’d gotten married, they thought we were nuts. And some still do. But if it hadn’t been for her, and for me realizing that I needed her, not just to get through losing Lizzie but for my whole life . . .” Trip glanced to the table-top, and then back to Archer. “I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without her, Jon. I love her.”

Archer sobered up. “I know you do, Trip. I can tell.”

The two men reflected in silence over everything until Cap came marching over from the bar. “You better see this,” he said, handing the captain a padd.

It took Archer a minute to organize the information. “When did you find this out?”

“Just now. Captain, it’s imperative that you leave now.”

“What’s goin’ on?”

“There’s a Xindi ship approaching the system. Enterprise won’t leave without me. I’ve gotta go.”

Trip nodded his head, almost regretfully. But then Archer stuck his hand out. “Thanks for the memories.”

Trip laughed. “You take care, Captain.”

“Something tells me I will. Cap,” he said, nodding at the barkeeper.

Cap nodded back at him. “Safe journey, Jonathan Archer.”

Archer stood up, glanced between the two men, and then stepped back to his time.

*****

The tricorder began whining fiercely. “Life sign in the saloon,” Trip cried. “Captain!”

He ran over to the entrance; T’Pol followed him and saw Jonathan Archer. He was unscathed, standing alone in the room, gazing fondly at the two officers that had found him.

“Trip, T’Pol. I am so glad to see the two of you.”

“Good to see ya too, Captain. We’ve gotta go. We’ll fill you in on the way back.”

Archer knew what they were going to say. He knew what was going to happen – and what wasn’t, he noted as he felt the padd in his pocket. He knew what was going to be found. He knew about the possible future that his two best friends could have.

And just knowing that made the universe a more restful place.

THE END



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Seven people have made comments

I'll be the first to comment. Glad to see you back and I enjoyed this. Had to go back and start from the beginning. Have to say, I rather prefer your future history for Trip & T'Pol to what we got! Great work and hope to see more from you...

Glad you decided to finish this. Well done. I love the Capatin's Table stories so this was a real treat! Thank you.

I haven't read any of the Captain's Table stories, but if they're anything like like this I'll have to check them out. Interesting story - I really enjoyed it. Any more up your sleeve? I'd love to meet future T'Pol . . . .

Very nicely done, thanks. Are there any more Captains Table stories around here or are they books?

Definitely have to bug the library to pick up some Captain's Table books. They never seem to have them when I'm there. *pout* Totally loved this, well done! :)

Great Story! Ya know, I'm thinking something similar to this would have made a much better "finale." :-)

Hello, thanx for your comments. I'm glad I finally finished tis story too! I would love to keep writing more, but I so rarelyget to check this to see your ideas. But I'll take them into consideration. Maybe there'll be a story solely about that "wonderful" timeline about Trip 'n' T'Pol 10 years in the future, where the Capt. Trip came from . . . In the meantime, thanx!
Energy