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Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear - Chapter 4

Author - Rogue
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Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear

By Rogue

Rating: PG
Genre: Romance/Angst
Disclaimer: Mirror, mirror on my door, I'll fall and worship on the floor, Paramount who owns up to the sky so blue, they don't belong to me—so please don't sue!
Spoilers: Through Season 3 and 4, up to and including "Home"
Summary: As T'Pol and Trip try to come to terms with her marriage, tensions on both Earth and Vulcan do their part to complicate the situation on all sides.

A/N: I realize there has been a whole lot of Archer in the last couple of chapters…the Mars stuff was the get Archer out of the way so we can get to the good stuff chapter. Also, this was supposed to be an Endless Hiatus Challenge, but I got carried away with the Mars stuff, and well…my plots get out of hand sometimes and just do their own thing.

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Chapter 4

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U.S.S. Enterprise, NX-01
March 19, 2154

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Malcolm discharged the phaser rifle towards the wall, and Trip scowled. “I hate you, you know.”

Malcolm glanced back over his shoulder. “We’re doing it for your cousin.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you think you could try to actually hit the EPS junction this time? You’re getting a little too close for comfort,” Trip groused.

“Sorry,” Malcolm said. “We have to make it look real.”

Trip glared. “I don’t like this idea. They aren’t criminals and they shouldn’t have to look like they are. Making it look like they shot up the ship and stole a shuttlepod.”

“Take it up with T’Pol,” Malcolm said. “It was her idea. And unless you want to go to prison with your cousin, we better make this work.” He took another shot at the wall, and the lights flickered.

“Way to go, Malcolm,” Trip said. He ran a quick scan of the singed wall panel. “You just scored a direct hit to the power junction for this section.”

“Are you still in a bad mood over what I said the other day?” Malcolm said.

“What?”

The Brit shrugged, raising the phase rifle up to his shoulder again. “Well, you were in a good mood until T’Pol passed through here.”
“I was in a good mood before you started shooting up a deck,” Trip said. He ducked as Malcolm took aim over his head. “What, you’re trying to kill me now?”
“Hardly,” Malcolm said, holding the weapon to his side.

“Just leave me alone,” Trip said, examining the damage above his head. “I don’t understand why everyone wants to talk to me about it.”

“Everyone?” Malcolm said. “I thought the committee had just appointed me.”

Trip didn’t bother to comment on the armoury officer’s remark. “You, Hoshi, the captain. Even Phlox said something to me. Although that was kind of strange.”

“What did he say?”

Trip glanced up from his scanner. “Unlike the rest of you who keep telling me to get over my attitude, Phlox didn’t.”

Malcolm sighed. “But what did he say?”

Trip looked back down at his scanner. “Not to give up. And I don’t intend to. Hit that empty plating next.”

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“Captain?” Hoshi said. “Our Martian friends report that they’re ready to go.”

“Everything taken care of?” Archer asked.

“Aye, sir. They have the codes to open the bay doors,” Malcolm answered.

“Sir? We’re getting a message from Starfleet Command,” Hoshi said.

“Tell our friends to hold off launching,” he said. “Put them through.”

Forrest’s face appeared on the viewscreen. “Jon, how far are you from home?”

“About six hours at Warp 2. Why?”

“It’s hit the fan on Mars. Rebels have stolen vessels and are attempting to blockade ships trying to bring reinforcements to put down the resistance on the ground. We need you to go and disable their ships. We’re already sending every short-range craft we have, but we’re not faring well. Colombia is too far out to be of any help. Get out here as fast as you can—we’re going to need you. Starfleet out.”

Silence fell over the bridge. “Set course for Mars,” Archer said.

“Sir?” Travis said.

“Do it!” Archer ordered. “Have the senior staff and Jack Tucker join me in the command center. Get us going towards Mars, Warp 4.5.”

---

“We have less than an hour before we reach Earth,” Archer said. “I don’t want to fight the Martians. I don’t think they’re doing anything wrong, and I have no intention of firing upon them. It is my intention to assist the Martian resistance forces from the onslaught of Earth forces, but I’m not going to do it without the unanimous support from my senior staff. If one of you disagrees, we call the whole thing off and have an antimatter injector blow, for real this time, and we let them fight it out themselves. It’s up to you. Hoshi”

“Aye, sir.”

“Travis?”

“Aye, sir.”

“Malcolm?”

“Aye, sir.”

“Phlox?”

“Aye, Captain.”

“Trip?”

“Damn straight, aye, sir.”

“T’Pol?”

She raised an eyebrow, and for a moment, he thought she would say no. Her gaze fell upon the Tuckers, standing side by side, and for a moment more, met gazes with Trip. “Aye, Captain.”

He didn’t have time to wonder about her hesitation, only enough to realize that it was probably not a logical action he was about to take, and once gain, it had something to do with Trip that changed her mind. “Lieutenant Reed. Tactical alert.”

---

Flashes of light from phase cannons lit up the display as the commandeered Martian ships held off the small Starfleet vessels that were attempting to break through the perimeter they’d constructed around the planet.

“Sir, we’re being hailed by Starfleet command,” Hoshi said.

“Send a feedback loop through their transmitters and put me through on an open band,” Archer said. “If anybody wants out, now’s your chance.”

“You’re on, Captain,” Hoshi said.

“All Martian vessels, this is Captain Archer, Enterprise. Form up on me.”

“This is a trap!” a voice answered. “A Starfleet trap!”

“This is no trap,” Archer said. “I’m on your side.” He lowered his voice. “Travis, move us between the Starfleet and Martian vessels.”

“Captain, Starfleet is hailing us again, ordering us to stand down,” Hoshi said. “I’m receiving—well, to you too!”

“Hoshi?”

She shook her head. “You don’t want to know.”

“Two Starfleet vessels are approaching. Sir, they’re firing!” Malcolm said. The ship rocked as Malcolm spoke, nearly knocking Archer off his feet.

“Lieutenant, return fire. Disable their engines.”

“Aye, sir,” Malcolm said. “Direct hits. Both ships are disabled.”

“This is Enterprise to all Starfleet vessels. Cease fire and recall your vessels and we’ll see if we can negotiate a ceasefire,” Archer offered. “I’ve no desire to see anyone killed.”

“The Martians much surrender!” a voice came back from the Starfleet side.

“Travis, keep us between them,” Archer said. He raised his voice. “I’ve got an idea on how to make this work and make everyone happy. I’ve got a leader of the Martian resistance on board, and I’m proposing Enterprise as a neutral territory. Or, we can do this the hard way, and we can disable all the Starfleet vessels. Seeing how I’m going to be busted back down to captaining one of those, I’d rather not.”

There was no answer from either side, and Archer spoke up. “I don’t see that you really have much of a choice. We can either sit here and blast one another to smithereens, or we can discuss this like reasonable beings.”

“This is the commander of the Martian forces. All Martian forces disengage, but maintain alert status. Captain Archer, we are willing to negotiate.”

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Chapter 5

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Two folks have made comments

Not that I could see Captain Archer doing this but I really like him making a stand and trying to get a peaceful resolution even though he is flying in the teeth of his orders from Starfleet. My heart aches for Trip though and I really do wonder just how many things have to happen before T'Pol admits that she really belongs with Trip. For the love of Surak, it is the logical thing to do! Ali D :~)

LOL, I'm with Ali on this one! Just admit it T'Pol! You know you want to! Please continue, this is really getting good!