To Boldly Go Once Again - Ch 3

To Boldly Go Once Again

By Eratta

Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Everything that you recognize belongs to Paramount. Everything else is mine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 3

Hoshi Sato smiled to herself as she went about the mundane task of sifting through ship’s communication. Who would have thought that she’d ever be out here again? And now here she was, back again in her seat on the bridge. It amused her to think how different she had become since Enterprise’s very first mission. Gone was the innocence, the wonder of a universe unexplored. She had been more of a linguist then, afraid of space and the situations they somehow always managed to get themselves tangled in. After the Xindi mission, it had taken five years of teaching to realize that she missed being on a starship. This time around, she was as much an officer as a student of languages, no longer claustrophobic, and with an impressive eighty percent firing accuracy listed in her profile.

And she wasn’t the only one to have changed, she noted. Commander Reed had definitely morphed into a new man. In part it was due to a woman named Cathryn, Malcolm’s fiancée of two years. Hoshi had heard much of the fabled woman, who had reportedly won Reed’s heart after kicking his ass in a training session. Hoshi smiled as she pictured the scene. It figured that it would take a woman with the ability to take him down to win Malcolm’s heart.

“Certainly feels strange being back on duty here.” The subject of Hoshi’s musings said absently. “Although I must admit, it was nice to find the armory exactly as I’d left it.”

Lieutenant Sato smiled. “I know how you feel. My earpiece settings are just the way I left them, as are my quarters.”

“It’s too bad this little reunion couldn’t be under happier circumstances, though.” Sighed Reed.

Hoshi nodded. The phrase ‘Temporal Cold War” was synonymous with any number of un-pleasantries. More than anything however, it was especially upsetting that Phlox and Travis were among the missing. And they aren’t the only ones, she thought, reminded of the Vulcan behind her. Or for that matter, the lack of one Vulcan in particular. More than anything, it would have been nice to have T’Pol’s rock-steady presence at her back. Hers was another presence Hoshi hadn’t missed until she was no longer there. In her place was a quiet, unassuming Vulcan civilian named Volen, minding his own business, speaking only when spoken to. He didn’t have T’Pol’s authority, the supreme capability to solve any problem without breaking a sweat.

Hoshi sighed. Things were definitely different this time around.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

That evening, the Captain’s private mess once again held himself, Trip, and a Vulcan.

“I’ve definitely missed the dinners we had here.” Trip said, cutting into his meatloaf with fervor. He glanced at Volen, and seeing no discernable sign of disgust, ventured,

“This doesn’t bother you?”

“I have spent enough time with humans to be accustomed to meat.” He replied, amber eyes curiously regarding the dish.

Trip traded a glance with Archer before going back to his meal.

“This is something we used to do all the time, back on our earliest missions.” Archer explained.

“With T’Pol, I presume?” Volen asked. The casual manner in which he dropped her name made Trip stare at him.

“You know her?” he asked. Archer glanced at Trip. The tone of his question was unusual, but he let it go.

“I have known her for several years.”

“Maybe you could explain?” Archer suggested to Volen. He too wanted to know how exactly his former science officer had known this man.

“We served together as scientists on the Vulcan ship Seleya, which I believe you encountered several years ago.” He began. Archer winced. ‘Encountered’ was not the word he thought of when it came to that particular ship.

“After her transfer, she and I remained in contact. Following my resignation from the High Command, it was she who suggested I go to Earth. I remained there as an independent researcher until Ambassador Soval mentioned you were searching for her.” Volen paused to take a sip of water, gauging the reaction of his companions to his story thus far.

“Do you know where she is?” Archer asked.

Volen replaced his glass carefully before meeting the Commodore’s eyes. “I have not heard from her in nearly three years. In her last letter, she said she was leaving Vulcan.”

“And that was it?” Trip demanded, leaning towards Volen across the table. “No mention of where she was going, or why?”

Volen tilted his head, studying the engineer so frequently mentioned in T’Pol’s letters. “No, she did not reveal any other information. I assume you have also lost contact with her?”

“Definitely more than three years ago, and not for lack of tryin’,” Trip mumbled.

“I’m sure she had her reasons.” Volen said.

Trip pulled his mouth into a small frown, nodding. If there was one thing he knew about her, it was that T’Pol always had a reason for everything she did. If only I knew what the reasons were once in a while, he thought.

“So what exactly made you volunteer to . . . take her place?” asked the captain. It sounded wrong, saying those words. But that was, in fact, what Volen had done.

Volen sat quietly for a moment, formulating his answer as a steward cleared the table. “Her fascination with humans was always something I could understand. She lived aboard this ship for three years, despite ample opportunity to leave. It means she was devoted to you and your missions.”

He paused. “And I, in her absence, am honored to serve in her place.” He finished, gazing straight at the two humans sharing the table. Silence settled over them comfortably; they had found some common ground.

The quiet was interrupted as it had been so many times before; the claxons sounded, resonating through the metal corridors. Archer flew to the comm.

“Archer to the Bridge; status.”

“I don’t know what it is Captain.” Reed called out, reverting for a moment back to Archer’s former rank.

“We’re on our way.” The Commodore responded. As Trip headed down to the engineering deck, Volen and Jonathon raced for the bridge. They arrived before the claxons had been silenced, Malcolm vacating the command chair as they exited the turbolift.

“Report. And put us to tactical alert.” Archer commanded as the infernal sound died away.

“We seem to be venting atmosphere, Commodore.” Volen said from the back of the bridge, hands gliding across the consoles.

“That’s impossible; there aren’t any breaches.” Commander Reed said.

“Polarize the hull-plating Mr. Reed.” Archer said, thinking fast. As soon as he had done so, Malcolm’s face lost a little of its grimness.

“We’re no longer venting atmosphere, sir.”

“But that still doesn’t tell us why we were venting it in the first place.” Archer replied.

“Sir,” Hoshi began, one hand pressed tight against her ear, “I thought I was picking up something a few minutes ago, but dismissed it as background noise. There must be a lot of interference because now I’m just barely picking up an automated beacon.”

Archer rose from his seat, waiting to see which of his officers would identify the species first.”

“Confirmed, sir. It’s a Vulcan beacon.” Volen said.

Archer’s brows rose in surprise. He turned back towards Lt. Sato. “What’s it saying?”

She frowned and pursed her lips. “Some kind of warning, but it’s pretty garbled.”

Archer noticed how Malcolm just barely rolled his eyes. “Nice of them to let us know so early.” He muttered.

The comm. sounded and Tucker’s voice rang throughout the bridge. “I don’t know what you people are doing up there, but that sudden polarization fried about a dozen relays on both the warp and impulse engines.”

Archer frowned. Just a few days in and things are already starting to break. “What do you suggest Mr. Tucker?” he asked, frustration adding a touch of gravel to his voice.

“We’re gonna have to shut off both engines for the time being, sir.” Came Trip’s reply.

Archer pressed his lips together and set his jaw. “Do it. We’ll just have to coast until we can figure this mess out. Archer out.” He then proceeded to walk around the bridge from one consol to another, looking over his officers’ shoulders as they searched for the answers they needed.

“Commodore,” Volen began, “I’m picking up a small colony on the third moon in this system, 0.003 light years off the starboard bow.”

Archer straightened at the news and headed back to his command chair.

“On screen.” He said.

The colony was indeed quite small, about ten modules set up in a half circle compound, the buildings constructed of some kind of reddish alloy. So sturdy and practical. Logical. Archer thought, and was suddenly reminded of color of Vulcan ships.

“It’s Vulcan.” Voren said, confirming Archer’s deduction.

A double beep sounded softly from the Communication consol and all eyes were pinned on Hoshi as she identified it. “It’s from the colony.” She said, looking back towards Archer. He nodded his permission.

The view of the little colony was replaced by a face. A delicately boned face accented by cropped glossy brown hair stared back at them. The expression in her eyes was one they all knew.

They had found T’Pol.

Part 4

Return to Part 2

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!

Nine of you have made comments

I must admit: I HATE; HATE, HATE this cliffhanger!!!! ;-)))) Please continue sooooon (with or without beta.)

Very nice. I like it. I'll email you about the betaing. Never done it before, but I'm an english composition minor, so...

Very good. Hmm, methinks T'Pol and Volen have planned this little 'impromptu' contact between them. Can't wait for the next part, Ali D :~)

Ahh, very good and look who has turned up. Why, it's the ever elusive T'Pol... hmmm interesting. This is picking up quite nicely. Looking forward to your next posting.

Ah, things are heating up. Glad to see T'Pol enter the story (although she was amazingly "present" for someone who wasn't there). Great story -- I'm looking forward to the next chapter!

"If there was one thing he knew about her, it was that T’Pol always had a reason for everything she did. If only I knew what the reasons were once in a while, he thought." Fantastic character insight- nice work.
I agree, this meeting seems planned.
Do we get to find out more about Cathryn?
Can't wait for the next chapter.

Great story!!

Love the plot, cant wait to see where you are going with it.

I have to agree with Alison. There must be a reason that T'Pol could not see or contact Trip. So they waited three or so years planning this very moment. I'm guess I'll have to endure the cliffhanger to find out.

NO! Terrible cliffy! You must hurry and update please! I beg of thee!