To Have Learned Nothing At All-Ch 19

To Have Learned Nothing At All

By Samantha Quinn

Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

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Chapter 19

Sleep, My Pretty, Sleep

A/N: I have no idea why so much of this is in Archer’s POV. But hey, I thought I was nice to the guy this time around.

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As William Tucker had predicted, Archer was having difficulty with Abagail Kehn. Specifically, he was wishing the person in front of him was a man, so that he could shake her senseless. For what felt like the one millionth time, he not so gently reminded her, “T’Pol is a Vulcan. Why should she be held to some puritanical idea of human morality?” *A morality most humans don’t even believe in,* he added silently.

“Such blatant immorality should be viewed as such in any species,” came the crisp reply.

“What you believe to be ‘blatant’ hasn’t been viewed as such on Earth for over one hundred years.”

“Yes, I am aware of that, Captain. Such a disregard for ethics and values is why APA VI exists. We believe that Earth’s ever increasing desire for advanced technology has affected their ability to care about what is right and wrong.”

It was a circular argument, and one Archer was tired of. “If you hate technology as much as you claim to, then why don’t you want to do anything to help us? T’Pol was captured using technology.”

“So you say. On the other hand, the colonists of APA I are my colleagues and allies. You and your ship, however, embody everything that humanity has done wrong.”

“This ship represents humanity’s greatest achievement.”

The look Kehn gave Archer was a distasteful mixture of animosity and pity. “Progress is worth nothing, Captain Archer, if integrity is lost in the process.”

“And this is your idea of what constitutes integrity?”

“Yes.” The statement was made so matter of fact that it couldn’t even have constituted an argument.

“We have offered you proof that the device is destroying APA I. Would you rather your world be destroyed rather than accept our help?”

“Our planet has commissioned Mr. Tucker and myself to fix the problem, Captain. We will not require your help.”

“But – "

“And further, I do not believe your technological trickery.”

It was perhaps fortunate that Archer was interrupted at that point, as he had no further rebuttals left in him. When the intruder turned out to be William Tucker, however, Archer’s relief was momentarily cut short.

“Captain Archer,” the younger Tucker greeted cheerfully.

*The woman his brother loves is being held captive. How can he be so cheerful?* “Mr. Tucker. I thought you were catching up with Trip.”

“Oh, we’ve caught up enough. Abagail, could you excuse us?”

“Certainly. I’ll be glad to move to my quarters, where there is less. . . technology.” Abagail gave the Command Center one last disdainful look before leaving.

“It sounds like you didn’t have a lot of success with our favorite technophobe, Captain.”

Again, the voice was a little too light than was Archer believed was appropriate. “It depends on your definition of ‘successful.’”

“Oh, I find that hard to believe. Regardless of the definition, I can say with certainty that you didn’t find it with Abagail,” William retorted. As he spoke, William casually lingered by the projections on the main viewing screen.

Despite the irritation that was twisting in Archer’s stomach, the Captain made his best effort to push his own feelings aside. Instead, he attempted to focus on William’s interest, and channel that interest in a more productive manner than he’d managed with Kehn. “The graphics on the screen in front of you are ones we took on APA I.”

“Oh, I have no doubt of that. Rather impressive, don’t you think, Captain?”

“You’re know about it?”

“Of course I do. It’s rather a shame such an impressive piece of technology came from an inferior species, but – "

“That impressive piece of technologydestroying your colony.”

“I reviewed the information with Trip already. It’s easily fixable, Captain.”

“So easily fixable that three of my most trusted Starfleet officers couldn’t figure out a way to stop the destruction it’s causing?”

“I believe the problem lies somewhere between the phrase ‘Starfleet’ and ‘officers.’”

*Okay, he’s not a woman. I could punch him. thought, sadly, Trip probably wouldn’t agree with that course of action. “Did you discuss anything else with Trip?”

“It’s been over three years since I saw my brother, Captain. Our conversation was according lengthy.”

Archer’s patience was wearing thin. “Did that lengthy conversation include anything about T’Pol?”

“Why, yes it did, Captain. In fact, I’ve come to see you specifically to let you know that I’ve spoken to Mayor Lewis, and he’s agreed to let pardon T’Pol for her crimes.”

“Not that I don’t appreciate the change of heart, but what made him change his mind?”

“I’m the only civil engineer the settlements have. Let’s just say that’s quite a bit of leverage.”

“And you were willing to use that leverage. . . just because you’re such a nice guy?” There were far more diplomatic ways of asking his question, but Archer figured no one would ever mistake him for a diplomat, anyway.

“No. As far as I’m concerned, the Vulcan can rot, and so can the rest of her arrogant goody-two-shoes species. I did it for Trip.”

“I’m sure he appreciates it.”

“Come now, Captain, your feelings towards the Vulcans are well-known. I’m certain you feel the same way, deep down.”

“I do not.” Forgetting for a moment that the man in front of him was Trip’s brother, Archer took a step closer. “T’Pol is my friend, and if anything happens to her –"

It was extremely fortuitous for both of them that the Command Center’s doors once again swished open. When Trip entered, all of Archer’s anger dissipated to make room for sympathy. His chief engineer and best friend looked worse than Archer could ever remember seeing him. The redness and puffiness around his eyes were unmistakable signs of something Archer didn’t want to contemplate.

Archer moved from his place in front of William to stand next to Trip. “What’s the matter?”

“T’Pol. . . she’s. . . she’s dead, Captain.”

*Nobody gets left behind.

Though Trip’s voice shook when the statement came out, the pained expression on his face stalled any denial Archer might have uttered. “How do you know?”

“The bond. It’s gone.”

“But – "

“I just finished talking to T’Pol’s mother, Captain. She says that a Vulcan bond is only broken through. . . death.”

*Nobody gets left behind.art of Archer wanted very badly to grieve the passing of the only Vulcan he’d ever truly trusted. He’d lost a friend, and a very close one. The cruel irony of the fact that he’d fought her being assigned to Enterprise tooth and nail was not lost upon him. But one casual glance at Trip’s face told Archer that his own pain needed to take a back seat to the undoubtedly stronger loss his friend was experiencing. Lacking the option to mourn properly, Archer decided to channel that grief into something more productive. Namely, further anger at William Tucker. It was a relatively easy task, and within seconds Archer’s fist made a resounding – and unexpected – crack against the younger Tucker’s nose. “You son of a bitch.”

“What the hell was that for?”

“You knew, didn’t you? You knew all along, and didn’t say a damn thing about it.” It occurred to Archer in the midst of his anger that perhaps punching Trip’s brother might have caused the engineer to have another reason to be upset. A glance back at Trip, however, revealed him to be starring at William with an odd mixture of hope and terror – terror that had nothing to do with Archer’s punch.

“Billy. . . you didn’t know, did you?”

*Of course he did. Why else would the colonists be willing to give T’Pol back to us?* Out of concern for Trip, Archer withheld the thought.

“Trip, you should know better than that. I wasn’t given any indication anything was wrong with T’Pol at all when I contacted the colony.”

*Bullshit.* “We still have another day before we reach the APA I colony. I want you to spend that day in your quarters, Mr. Tucker. Is that clear?”

“Oh, perfectly, Captain. I assume you want the body returned to the ship?”

*Nobody gets left behind.* “Yes. Now get the hell out of my Command Center.”

William Tucker straightened, wiped his nose in an apparent effort to preserve any dignity that he might have, and walked out the door, without so much as a single condolence to his brother.

Left alone in the room with Trip, Archer was again reminded how much their relationship had deteriorated. His mind called up a thousand possibilities of why that had happened – all of them as equally much his fault as T’Pol’s death. *Nobody gets left behind.* “Trip, I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Captain.”

“I should have found a way to bring her back sooner. I’m sorry I couldn’t – and that I let both of you down.” *Nobody gets left behind.*

“You were just following orders.”

It was as equally weak excuse when used by Trip in his defense as it had been two centuries earlier. “Maybe so. . .”

“There is something I need to ask, Captain.”

“Anything.”

“I. . . I promised T’Pol’s mom that we’d bring her home . . . back to Vulcan. I know it’s not your favorite place, but –“

*Nobody gets left behind.* “Consider it done.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

“Trip – if you ever want to talk, my door’s always open, you know that.”

“There’s not really a lot to discuss, Captain.”

“Trip –“

“I really need to get a look at the engines, Captain. With everything that’s happened lately, I’ve been somewhat distracted.”

Archer thought briefly about ordering Trip to rest. After all, it was obvious that Trip was seeking the engine room only as a means of diversion. Given how many hours he’d been away, combined with the ordeal he’d suffered through the past week, the “responsible” action probably would have been to send him to Phlox or his quarters.

But the friend in Archer knew that such an action would be condemning Trip to wallow alone in his pain. If throwing himself into his work would help ease the pain of losing T’Pol even a little, Archer wouldn’t deny his friend that. “Understood. Dismissed, Commander.”

As he watched Trip turn to leave, Archer couldn’t quite shake the nagging feeling that even if T’Pol was dead, the colonists were still giving her up with relative ease. He pushed the feeling aside by telling himself that the colonists’ plans had simply gone awry, and now they were changing tactics to compensate. It was the only thing that made any sense. Why else would they go to such lengths to capture T’Pol, only to let her go so easily?

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The next day, it was Archer and Reed that reclaimed T’Pol’s body via Shuttlepod One. Though Trip wanted to go, Archer refused, feeling like a complete bastard in doing so. Still, Archer the Captain knew that Trip was too emotionally attached to the mission to permit Archer the Friend to allow Trip’s presence on the mission.

Trip met them in the shuttle bay upon their return. It was Trip who gingerly lifted T’Pol’s lifeless body and carried her to sickbay, where Phlox was to perform the autopsy.

After giving the order to Travis to proceed directly to Vulcan, Archer followed silently behind his friend, still thinking that their escape had been entirely too easy.

But he still couldn’t come up with any good . . . logical . . . reason for such a lackadaisical attitude by the colonists. However, merely thinking about the word logic was too much, and Archer suppressed his confusion in favor of the guilt that was gnawing at him instead.

*No one gets left behind.*

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By the time Commander Tucker reached sickbay with T’Pol, Phlox already had the bed and tools he needed to perform the autopsy ready. The more prepared he was, the sooner he could get the started. The sooner he got started, the sooner he would finish. The sooner his duty as ship’s physician was finished, the sooner he could mourn the passing of someone he considered his closest friend on Enterprise. Phlox knew that his grief wouldn’t only be for his own personal loss. No, though his personal pain would be first and foremost, he would also lament the passing of the strongest Vulcan ally humanity had. He’d bemoan the fact that T’Pol would never be able to continue her study of humanity. Phlox would also regret that he would never know whether she and Commander Tucker would have finally stopped their pretense and have formed a more permanent union, if fate hadn’t intervened.

With these morose thoughts in mind, Phlox waited patiently as Commander Tucker gently laid T’Pol down on the bed, his fingers lingering longer than absolutely necessary, and his gaze lingering even longer before he took a step backwards out of Phlox’s way. Behind both of them, the Captain stood, concerned but distant. Throwing them both a sympathetic glance, Phlox remarked as tactfully as possible, “It will probably take some time to get the results from this test. Perhaps the two of you would rather get some rest? I’ll call you as soon as I’ve determined a cause of death.”

“Thanks, Phlox, but I have to be here,” Commander Tucker argued.

“And I want to be here,” the Captain added.

Even in the midst of such glum circumstance, Phlox marveled at the inherent stubbornness of the human species.

Picking up the neuroscanner, Phlox prepared to determine when brain activity had stopped. It was then that he made a delightful discovery.

“Well, gentlemen, I have delightful news for you. T’Pol isn’t dead at all!”

As Phlox turned his cheerful gaze towards the two humans, he saw two equally confused looks. “She certainly does look lifeless, enough. However, she’s merely gone into a Vulcan healing trance.”

“Is she going to be okay?” The question came from Archer. For his part, Trip was still speechless. An understandable reaction, in the Doctor’s viewpoint.

“Well, I can’t guarantee it, but she should be. . . . “ Phlox’s voice trailed off and his cheerful smile morphed back into the frown that had crossed his face moments before as he analyzed the information on his scanner.

“What’s the matter?” This time the question did come from Trip. He sounded more than a little panicked, from Phlox’s point of view.

“I have seen many Vulcan healing trances before during my time in the Interspecies Medical Exchange. The vital signs I’m reading are too low to be considered healthy.”

“Well, do something!”

“Trip, I’m sure Phlox is doing everything he can.”

“Actually, Captain, there’s very little I can do. Any of the stimulants that I would normally prescribe run the risk of interfering with the healing trance. At the moment, it seems that T’Pol has suffered severe neurological damage. The trance is apparently the only thing keeping her alive.”

Archer sighed in disappointment. “Isn’t there anything you can do, Phlox?”

“I’m afraid not, Captain. However, as we are on our way to Vulcan, perhaps the Vulcan healers will be able to help her. I have seen them do some extraordinary things.”

“I hope so. Do whatever you can, Doctor. I’ll be on the bridge.”

After Archer departed, Phlox turned to face the other conscious occupant. “You, Commander Tucker, need to get some rest.”

“I can’t, Doc. There’s no way I can rest –"

“I will provide the sedative if necessary.”

“I need to be next to her, Doc. I almost lost her – hell, I might lose her still. I can’t just go off to my quarters and leave her here, alone.”

“Very well, then. Pull up a bed.”

“A bed?”

“Sickbay seems rather quiet at the moment. You may stay. However, you will be resting during your stay.”

Phlox was true to his word, and Trip soon fell into an uneasy slumber.

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To Be Continued. . . .

Continue to Chapter 20

Return to Chapter 18

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

I really have to stop looking for sneak peeks at ff.n. LOL. Nice job. I really like this story.

Very good. Healing trance... hmmm interesting I kinda thought that was where you where heading. Considering how these people feel about technology, it would never occur to them to scan for brain wave activity. Hopefully there is no lasting damage from her ordeal (assuming that the Vulcan's can awaken her from her trance). I really enjoyed this chapter, and yes... you were very kind to Archer. Maybe we should feel your forehead or something, you're not coming down with anything I hope :)

^^^Nah, I'm okay. Archer was still a crappy Captain for leaving her behind in the first place. ;)

Though the colonists *themselves* never actually claimed she was dead - important distinction for later. :) They just didn't know what was going on - neither did McCoy on TOS originally, if I remember correctly - it was just Trip and T'Lal who came up with the assumption, given the mysterious disappearance of the bond.

Whew, glad to hear you're okay!:) That's right, they never actually said she was dead -- can't wait to see their reaction upon seeing T'Pol again. :) What are they going to do, demand they return her... HA!... yeah right, I'm soooo sure.

Archer, crappy for leaving her behind -- let him wallow in misery LOL!! :D

We can get sneak peaks at ff.net?
Oh, you shouldn't have mentioned this. i have no self control. I'm loving this story!

Excellent, couldn't have stood it if you had killed T'Pol off. So glad Phlox relented and let Trip stay with her. Now to hot foot it to Vulcan to save her. Thanks for a wonderful story, Ali D :~)

Great story! If we're heading off to Vulcan in search of a healer, will we be seeing more of T'Lal? I like T'Pol's mother . . . but I'm not too fond of Billy Tucker! Unless . . . hmm . . . he knew??

Great story! Can't wait to see what happens on the way to Vulcan and when they finally get T'pol home.

Next chapter HURRRY. This is great but the suspense is killing me!!! ACK! Patience is not one of my better virtues!

Great story! You do have a way with words...