These Are the Voyages?

FIX the FINALE CHALLENGE Fic

These Are the Voyages?

By Ann Norman

Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, it all belongs to Paramount. No infringement intended.
Summary: Leaving the events of the finale as they were, this story seeks to deal with T’Pol’s response.

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“You can go straight to Hell!” Implausible as its sounds, these were the last works of Charles Tucker III to three alien outlaws before purposefully connecting two incompatible relay cables and blowing up everyone in the room—according to a new drama to be released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the launch of Enterprise.

Though less real to her than her own memories of Trip and that day, the new holoplay came close enough to the truth to be eerie.

T’Pol remembered the burns, the aftermath, but had never allowed herself to consider the “incident” itself. Now she was forced to. Her opinion was requested on the historical accuracy of the new fictional account of the Enterprise’s last fateful mission. She raised her chin and steadied her nerves. She’d do it for Trip—and posterity.

Trip’s lungs had been thermalized by the explosion. When he came to, it was hard for him to speak. By the time she caught up with everyone in sick bay, Trip was dead. The captain had pieced together what happened from the evidence. No one really knew what Trip had said to set a trap. He had been alone with his richly deserving victims.

Tip had died a hero; that much was clear. But how and why would remain a mystery.

Her earliest memories of Trip were at those movie nights on Enterprise. She’d come because of his prodding. Some pre-World War III hero or villain would be on the screen about to obliterate his enemy, when, for no good reason, he’d stop to explain himself—giving his rival’s accomplice a chance to appear out of nowhere with a weapon. It never made much sense, as T’Pol was always quick to point out. Trip would sigh, “Yeah, so what?” If she persisted, he’d concede with a lopsided grin.

So, Trip knew better. He was too smart to have warned his victims of their impending doom—as much as he might be tempted.

“You can go straight to Hell!” Illogical, unlikely, yet . . . He’d suppressed his darkest emotions like a Vulcan. For Trip it was always about Elizabeth—first the one, then the other. Perhaps, those feelings just rushed to the surface in a moment of high stress. He was certainly thinking of Shran’s daughter as he died—maybe he thought of his own. He wanted vengeance for unforgivable injustice. The line was, in any case . . . appropriate.

Where did they get the holophotos to make this thing? They must have come from the crew’s personnel files at Starfleet. If so, the files hadn’t been regularly updated. Everyone looked a least half a decade too young. Trip’s character looked good—too good. Like a MACO straight out of boot camp. If truth be told, he eventually lost that trim, sharp profile. He never lost that swagger.

Conveniently, the holodrama had T’Pol saying good-bye to Trip the day before his death. That would have been satisfying. Instead she treasured this memory: She and Trip—not baby-faced Trip; that older, weathered Trip--had been recalibrating the plasma array when they both realized this would be their last recalibration ever--on Enterprise or anywhere else. “Hand me that inducer,” Trip had said, turning towards her with a sudden startled look. She met and held his gaze, without moving for the inducer. An acknowledgement—of sorts. After a moment, which is still frozen and fresh after fifteen years, he took her gently by the shoulder and reached for the instrument himself. And that was it.

In the holodrama, they had promised to never lose touch. In real life they had also made such a pledge, not as the holodrama placed it, the day before Trip’s death, but years before, at their final “breakup.” So a final goodbye was less necessary than the drama implied. As they prepared to leave Enterprise they were still bound by history and unfinished business.

They had united around their desire to have a (second) child. Her mind drifted back to the short period they had been together. A time when they communicated, not with looks, but with actual words—and lots of them. After all, there was a lot to negotiate—beginning with the compromise between Human and Vulcan expectations of sex and its frequency.

Their “romance” been blown all out of proportion. The tragic death of their cloned and kidnapped baby had thrown them into the public spotlight. People came to think of their relationship as a test of the possibility of interspecies union—as some kind of lesson for all time. I wasn’t like that. Their bond had fallen apart over technicalities—not eternal truths.

Only Phlox knew all they had been through. His confidential assessment of their genetic compatibility changed monthly, sometimes weekly, as he continued to research the issue. Yes they were compatible, if the cloning process was just right. No, a new incompatibility had come to light, but he’d find a work around. Yes, it’s almost time to go ahead. Maybe it would be best to wait.

Their hopes soared and crashed repeatedly. Trip felt it all, his emotions unmodulated by Vulcan discipline. Then, when it was too much, he resorted to typical human male detachment. “It’s not like you were ever pregnant,” he had said to her, the last time she came to break the news of another setback. He was ready to concede defeat, but T’Pol was not. If only a technological breakthrough had come sooner, they might still be together.

Thankfully the public didn’t seem to know, or care, about the “affair.” (That’s how Trip had labeled it.) It was common knowledge that they moved on to new relationships—relationships not acknowledged in the holodrama. For instance T’Pol had made it through her subsequent pon far with no “help” from Trip—the details remain a blur. Trip became intimate with a human female associate while on leave in San Francisco. Trip had been the first to break their pact. He apologized, then became moody and irritable. (He wasn’t perfect, whatever the holodrama would have the fans believe) When she suggested they just forget what had happened, he had shouted at her: “We’re not Denobulans.” It was over. And after all his tears, part of her was relieved to be rid of him.

While, part of her would have held on forever.

There was one glaring flaw in the holodrama. Though it would be too awkward to ask them to fix it. They showed her character sniffing Trip’s empty uniform after the accident, then folding it slowly and placing it in a suitcase. Only a Vulcan would catch the mistake. Humans forget their odor is strong and unpleasant. T'Pol would not purposely sniff a clean uniform hoping to smell her friend one last time. On the other hand, the scene is touching. Maybe the character just wants to rub her face on the fabric, to cling to some scrap of DNA.

That would be historically accurate.

Because, even as Trip’s body lay in sickbay, she had still wanted that baby—she pictured a Vulcan five-year old with a ski jump nose. A child that could continue their journey into the future.

And yes, Trip really had squandered his last breaths reminding Archer to please finish his speech. Why not? They’d told him he’d be O.K. He’d played like he’d be O.K.

T’Pol knew because she had questioned Archer at length, selfishly hoping to glean some scrap or word meant for her—permission to go ahead with a plan made years ago.

But Trip hadn’t been preparing for death. “He w-winked at me as we closed him inside the hyperbolic chamber” Archer reported that night, as he paced in circles in her room.

When they had separated, Trip had surprised her by suggesting they should still have that baby, if and when the techniques ever materialized. “We can’t raise a kid here on this ship, but I’ll bet my folks would help out, if we asked them.” It was a half-baked idea, but it was generous, and she wasn’t in a position to argue.

Yes, as the holodrama implies, Archer did stay up that whole night after Trip died, writing his speech for the conference.

Archer was a mess. So T’Pol suggested he recycle earlier speeches given to smaller audiences. No one would remember. So that’s what they did. Archer had hit the notes that always resonate: Not alone. Exploration. The final frontier. What binds us together.

As for “costs” and “sacrifice,” they would be mentioned in passing; but this speech was not about Trip.

Trip’s day came two days later. The writers of the holodrama must have had spies at the funeral (or records of it) because a lot of the dialogue about Trip seems to have been lifted from the eulogies.

When it was her turn she had said, “Other people have said Trip had a difficult accent. It’s not true. I always understood him. Trip invited me to spend time with humans and helped me learn to respect to human emotion. I believe however long I live, I will miss him.”

That evening after the funeral, Phlox approached her and said, “I just realized I have a message for you, from Trip.”

“But . . .?” T’Pol protested, confused. She gathered her thoughts and started again. “Trip said something to you before he went in the chamber?”

“No, no.” Phlox gave a nervous laugh, “Not at all. He left a will. It’s back at sick bay”

When the screen popped on, there was Trip. In the video recording, he is half sitting on a countertop in sick bay, not looking in the camera and laughing with someone out of view. Soon he turns towards his audience. “O.K.,” he starts, “This is really embarrassing, but O.K. Seems Phlox, here, is worried I’m gonna die.” (As if that were the craziest thing in the world) “I don’t expect that will happen, but if it does, here’s the—ah—genetic material.” He holds a canister up and waggles it back and forth. “If some other girlfriend wants some—well, T’Pol, you’re first in line. Seriously, I know you’ll do the right thing.” The recorded Trip looks straight at her only briefly, before he jumps off the counter to the ground. “I’m outta here,” he announces to the person off camera.

When the screen popped off, T’Pol turned, stunned, to Phlox, who looked quite pleased with himself. For the second time in her life, she wanted to throw her arms around someone and plant a kiss. On this second occasion, she chose the safer course, “Thank you, doctor, for everything.”

Phlox just shrugged, explaining, “I just wanted to ensure my research wouldn’t go to waste. After all this work, I feel like it’s my baby too.”

T’Pol’s thoughts returned to the present, where she found herself sitting at a desk holding a holovisor in two hands. The computer in front of her beckoned. She was ready give an answer on the merits of the holoplay.

She touched a quick-link address. A kitchen appeared on the screen, an old lady soon appeared, Trip’s mom.

“Oh it's you, child!” The woman gushed on seeing T’Pol, “I been meaning to call you. Been feeling so blue lately. Sure is good seeing your face.”

“I viewed the holodrama.” T’Pol stated.

“Yeah, what’d you think?”

“It’s . . . unsettling.”

“That it is, child. I had to put it aside. Seeing what happened, I can’t help but blame myself. Charles took too many chances with his life. Little Charlie used to idolize them test pilots! I should have smacked him upside the head the first time he took his soupped-up bike and ran it off a ramp.”

“That probably wouldn’t have been effective,” T’Pol answered, trying to imagine a different version of Trip--one who didn’t live to break the next warp speed record. After a moment she added, “I think the holodrama is a competent historical reconstruction of the events. Future generations will have a fairly good picture of Charles and his sacrifice. It will be real for them.”

“I want to show it to little Chucky when he’s older.” The older woman said softly.

“But not yet.” T’Pol cautioned. “You say, he still doesn’t know he’s . . . special?”

“He still don’t know he’s mixed. You better believe he knows he’s special.”

“Ms. Tucker, I will never be able to properly express my appreciation . . .”

“Oh, it ain’t nothing. The boy’s a handful, but he keeps me going. Y’all live long and prosper!”

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!

A whole mess of folks have made comments

Very well written and an interesting perspective. I have a lot of sympathy for writers who try to make sense of the series as it was broadcast. Your story leaves 'canon' as is, but fills in a lot of wholes.

Very, very good - and sad!

How to live with canon! You did well. And it leaves us upbeat after tragedy: the underlying spirit of hope which makes Star Trek so special.

Very well-written, Ann. Sometimes it's hard to write a story that follows canon (especially the drek we were served in the finale) and not upset the people who didn't like what the series writers did with their favorite characters (like practically everyone who reads or posts on this site). I know... I tried. I truly hate to think of Trip as dead, and although it would be logical for both of them to move on to other relationships if they weren't able to make their relationship work, something in me just cringes at the idea of Trip being able to have a relationship with someone else while still being bonded to T'Pol. Your story is very realistic. I suppose I just prefer fairy tales. Thanks for your contribution. It's sweet that at least they have a son. Gonna go cry now. - : ((

You really kept the feel of the episode with this story.

I loved how you made both of them and their relationship real (and not perfect) -- especially Trip. I find alot of fanfics make characters into superhumans; perfect in every way. I love flawed characters. They're so much more interesting. Wonderful job! Thank you.

Had to go cry first. I haven't watched that episode again. Somehow in my mind it just didn't happen.

If I could get beyond that, I would say that your story was very true to the events. I particularly liked the fact that T'Pol did want to have his baby, that he hoped she would, too.
Thanks for a nice ending.

Mary

really nice! love it!

I didn't like it. For me, fixing the finale means writing a new finale, not recycling the stupid ideas B&B put in TATV.
For me, the so-called finale is one big piece of bull and should be kicked out of the register.

Hi, its me, the author. I kind of agree with the above post, now that I've read "And Having Writ . . ." by T'Leela. For me that's the new cannon--what really happened. Hats off to you, T'Leela--absolutely perfect. In my own defense, I can only say, I wrote this in one week, immediately after the episode, before I even heard about this contest. I was thinking of another contest where you have to stick to the cannon (and presumably the intentions of the writers of the cannon). My concern was to at least give Trip's family a baby. I feel so bad for Trip's mom--to loose both children. Also I did want to make it real and sometimes shit happens. Some of these characters are based on real people. All of it feels very real to me. Heartbreaking. I am also angry with the series writers for killing Trip. Completely unneccessary and upsetting. Thanks to those of you who managed to resurrect him.

sorry, I didn't care for it either. While I agree with another poster that some fanfic writers make the characters too flawless, I find it very difficult to accept this ending. It infuriates me that B&B killed off Trip for no other purpose than shock value. For me, "fix the finale" means being more creative and respectful of the characters and ST than B& B were. While this is well written and your style is good, I did not enjoy it. For me, Trip lives!

Interesting story and very well-written. I like that you left T'Pol struggling to make sense of Trip's death and that as an author you haven't provided a facile explanation. I think I would have appreciated your story more if I hadn't spent the past year immersed in TnT stories and fanon (versus canon!), and if I hadn't come to it with the expectation that a Fix the Finale story would have Trip "up and breathin'" at the end!

Really well written. You have a talent.

I don't usually like to say anything negative in reviews, because I do know how tough it is to write a fanfic... But, this just hurt too much.

I understand that characters can be flawed... But it gets tough for me to see relationships fall apart all the time, like it's not possible anymore for anyone to live happily ever after. I mean, what's the point? But I digress...

You stuck to the canon, and you have a real talent for writing. I hope that your next fic will be more uplifting, though!! (And I do hope that you will write more!)

Well Ill say this,,, it was a very well written fic,,,,,,,,,, But the idea that TnT would just naturaly fall apart,,, an the part that really bugs the shit out of me the most,, Probably cause I identify with Trip quite a bit,, is him goin away for a short leave an just hookin up with some random women he meets,, that is so out of character for Trip,, he just has never come accross as a gy to cheat on a women,,,I would of liked this story if Tnt had stayed together an had a family or hadnt just as long as they were together in the end,, then ya could of still had Trip leave is DNA for T'pol in his "Will",,, But them breakin up an him cheatin on her,,, Its just to hard to grasp,,,,,,,,,,,,, Sorry cant give a better review,, but that whole notion of Trip cheatin on T'pol really ticks me off,, sorry.

Remember T'Pol apparently has a very causal attitude toward sex. Remember the appauling "exploring human sexuality" conversation that floored Trip. The thought of T'Pol's more casual attitude in the back of his mind, plus the implied problems they were having--cross-species sex, the baby thing not working out--could have led to a one-time incident with another women. Which, as the story implies, he felt guilty about, cryed about, couldn't forgive himself for. And remember Trip had some serous fliration with a MACO that was about to get hot and heavy (yes it was) when T'Pol suddenly disrobed in front of him. I sure that poor, dumped woman has a completely different impression of Trip than us Trip-T'Pol fans.

Ann, it’s your story and your choices are yours, but… in response to your response to Mitchell:

Trip’s still-just-a-flirtation with Amanda PRIOR to his involvement with T'Pol hardly constitutes cheating on anybody. He was not in a relationship with Amanda and Amanda’s own remarks to T'Pol reinforce that. His refusal to get involved with Phlox’s wife Feezal and even T'Pol after her marriage to Koss (Trip had been on shore leave with her, after all) indicate someone with strong morals and ethics. You took that away from him and turned him into your everyday run-of-the-mill adulterer. I thought B&B were disrespectful to the character in TATV, but your story finishes the job.

Your argument that T'Pol has a casual attitude toward sex doesn’t really hold either, since we’ve had repeated examples of her jealously over Trip’s interactions with other women. We’re supposed to believe Trip didn’t think deep down she’d really care that much?

I hated TATV. ONE reason was because it negated Trip and T’Pol’s romance which as a viewer, I felt a vested interest in seeing to its culmination. I felt like I was being led to see this couple as trailblazers who would break down barriers and force people to see what true unity and IDIC was really all about. When TATV reverted them back to ‘just friends’ I felt cheated out of a landmark relationship. It is hard to be first, but we’d watched these two for years and were convinced, especially after Terra Prime, that they would make it. TATV took that away. You took it away even more by not even having them friends.

Yes, you gave them a child together and I understand that desire. I’d told my husband at the time that TATV aired, it would have been more poignant if they’d let T'Pol be pregnant, then you would at least feel like there would be a Charles the IV legacy, so I understand wanting to give them a child. But when I finished this story, I didn’t think, “Oh that’s so sweet, at least they had a child.” I thought, “Why the hell did they bother?” I really felt like they didn’t give a crap about each other by the time Trip died and I wondered why they hadn’t just had children with other people.

I read your comment earlier about basing this on real people and that it was very real to you because of that. I think the problem I have is that I don’t want Trip and T'Pol to be like real people – like my neighbors who fight all the time, or my best friend’s ex-husband who never visits his kid, or my parents who split because of infidelity – I get enough of that with real life. Like Startraveller said, at some point you want to think some couples can make it and if they can’t make it in fiction, then where the hell can they make it?

This was your story and if it made you feel better about TATV; about Trip’s pointless death; about his and T’Pol’s severed relationship; if it was cathartic for you, then that’s great, but your story ties in VERY closely to an episode that a lot of people already feel wasn’t very respectful to the characters, so… and yes, your summary does say it leaves events as they were in the episode, but would deal with T'Pol’s response. I still thought, somehow, it was going to make it better.

And I apologize for the long-windedness. God, I don't seem to be able to do it any other way. (Uggghhh!)

You are far more eloquent than I, Trisuns5! I have to agree with everything you said.

You are correct that the last episode was disrespectful of the characters; that they should have been together. I wrote this story for a different contest that used different guidelines. The canon says they weren't togehter at the end. I had to explain why, while establishing that they, in fact, had had a deep, extended relationship at some point that went beyond the dumb, unmotivated one-night-stand and breakup established in the show. So this was my plausible explanation. (I still think its totally plausible--look what happened to all the Next Generation couples except, finally, Diana and Riker) Remember All Good Things in which we learn that Picard and Crusher had married AND divorced? Are they bad people? Believe me, I am as unhappy as you about the way they jerked the Trip character around, throughing him from one tragedy into another and T'Pol's brush-off was one senseless part of it. This isn't a fix-the-episode story. I thought it was until I read some real fixes here. Its an improve-the-episode story. But I appreciate all the feedback and am enjoying this new experience. I am new to the whole fan fiction thing. I only came across your site last weekend and am having a great time.

Ann,

Thanks for the compliment...it means a lot to me.
I think a lot of the more negative commentary stems from the trauma of Tuckerites from TATV. It was a real body blow, and a fic that reopens that wound is truly difficult for us.

That doesn't detract from the quality of your writing, or your story. Both are superb.

If you're new to the place, welcome! I recommend Hopeful Romantic and Ludjin as two great authors to start with...but there are so many other fantastic writers, it's just a starting point... (psst, I also have a longer, Action! Hero! Trip finale-fix in progress, called Tempus Fugit, in the archive...)

Wow, it T'Leela, my hero! I will definately follow those leads you mentioned. I was just thinking as I came in here (to work), that your story should be scene 1 in the first Enterprise movie. Its possible--Firefly is back in movie form! So there's always hope.

An interesting premise, T'Pol having the baby even with Trip gone. I wasn't a huge fan of the way you portrayed their relationship, but *meh*, it was still a good read! :)

jako loša zadnja epizoda ove u hrvatskoj jako popularne serije