A/N - This is another stand-alone story and it takes place before the
episode "Cogenitor". I managed to get myself tangled up in the Temporal
Cold War with this one so hopefully it all makes sense.
DISCLAIMER - I do not own the characters of Enterprise but yes, I do enjoy them.
Reviews are welcome and greatly appreciated!
PIECES IN A GAME
"That was an interception! Hey ref, open your eyes!"
"Sit down, Trip. You're blocking the screen," laughed Captain Jonathan Archer. He reached out and grabbed the arm of his chief engineer and long time friend Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker III and pulled at him. The younger man reluctantly took his seat on the floor again then grabbed a handful of pretzels in frustration. He leaned back against the side of the bed with a grunt.
"Ah, look at that. Both his feet were in-bounds. Clear as day!" he groaned, his mouth full.
Jon chuckled. "Instant replay used to matter years and years ago but not now, Trip. Sorry, but they're not going to change the call."
"But it was an interception, Cap'n. We should have the ball."
Jon reached for a handful of pretzels, enjoying his first night off in over a month. Trip had been working non-stop, too, the endless stream of mishaps involving ships systems monopolizing all his time. Finally they both managed an evening off and Jon didn't hesitate to invite his friend to watch the game. Now he sat back and simply enjoyed the company of the man he considered family. Being around the younger man always helped ease the weight Jon sometimes felt bearing down on his shoulders. Trip just had a way about him.
The two friends continued to watch the football game with Trip occasionally yelling at the referees. Jon sat on the bed next to Porthos, trying to hide his amusement. He always found watching the engineer's reactions much more entertaining than the game but he would never tell his friend that.
Finally, the game ended and Trip stood up and stretched. He leaned over and scratched Porthos' ears affectionately. The little dog sat tall, luxuriating in the attention. Jon watched the Beagle with a smile.
"How are you and T'Pol getting along?" Jon asked after a moment.
The engineer sat on the bed and pulled Porthos onto his lap. He continued scratching the dog's ears.
"It's been a challenge, Cap'n," he began. "This last week we've had to work pretty closely, what with the problem with the long-range sensors and all. I've lost count how many times I've had to apologize to her for losing my temper."
"Well she complimented your work this morning at breakfast," Jon said.
Trip looked at him in surprise. "She did?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face.
Jon nodded, puzzling over the subtle shade of pink his engineer was turning. Trip turned his attention back to the little dog curled up in his lap. The grin, however, remained on his face.
"Well, I'm beat, Cap'n. Think I'll call it a night," Trip finally yawned. "Thanks for the game, I'll see ya in the morning."
Jon walked his friend to the door then slapped him good-naturedly on the back. "Good night, Trip. Next game to come in, I'll make sure your team wins." He closed the door after his friend then turned to Porthos. "Well, boy. Time to get to bed."
Porthos nestled down on the bedspread and rolled on his back, his four legs flailing as he scrubbed his back.
Jon chuckled then scratched the little dog's belly. "Such a good boy," he clucked.
The alarm beeped incessantly and Jon reached out to turn it off. He sat up slowly and scrubbed his hand through his hair, then turned on the lights. He froze. Crewman Daniels stood at the foot of his bed staring down at him.
"Captain, we don't have much time," Daniels began.
"What?"
"You're going to be called to the bridge in a few minutes. A species known as the Zeen will be making demands that you will have no choice but to meet."
"The Zeen?" Jon stammered, shaking his head in confusion. "What demands? What are you talking about?"
"There's no time to explain in full right now, Captain. But know this. They WILL destroy Enterprise if you don't meet their demands."
"What do they want?"
Daniels turned, avoiding the captain's gaze. "They want Commander Tucker, sir."
Jon threw his blankets off and got out of bed. "Trip? What do they want with Trip?"
"I can't explain right now, Captain. The only thing I can tell you is that you must let them take him."
"No," Jon replied forcefully as he moved to stand directly in front of Daniels.
"Captain."
"I said no, Crewman."
"Then Enterprise will be destroyed and the timeline will be altered. Innocent people will die, Captain."
Jon began to pace. "I won't let them have Trip," he said quietly but with conviction.
"I will help you retrieve him, Captain. He's too important to the future to lose."
"I can't."
Daniels grabbed Jon's arm to stop his movement. "I know how you feel about him, sir. In my short time on Enterprise, I grew quite fond of him myself. I promise you I will help you get him back."
"Bridge to Archer." Sub-commander T'Pol's voice filled the room and Jon inhaled sharply. He stared hard at Daniels for several seconds then moved to the comm. pad.
"Archer."
"Captain, your presence is required on the bridge immediately. We have an intruder."
The device hovered about three meters off the bridge floor. Lieutenant Malcolm Reed watched it intently as it floated toward Ensign Travis Mayweather. The young helmsman didn't waver as the basketball sized sphere stopped and hovered just in front of him. Malcolm kept his gaze fixed even as he heard Captain Archer enter the bridge from the turbolift.
"Report, Sub-commander," the captain ordered.
"You are Captain Jonathan Archer?" The metallic voice drew Archer's attention to the sphere. He moved down next to Travis.
"Yes," he replied.
"Captain Archer, where is your chief engineer?"
Malcolm glanced across the bridge to Ensign Hoshi Sato who looked back with an expression of fear. Archer dropped his head momentarily and exhaled. Malcolm thought he looked oddly defeated.
"What do you want with him?" Archer asked, regaining his composure.
"You will bring your chief engineer to the bridge or we will destroy your ship."
"I'll ask you again. What do you want with Commander Tucker?"
A red beam shot out from the sphere, catching Travis in the left arm. The ensign gasped in pain as he grabbed at the wound.
"You will bring your chief engineer to the bridge, Captain Archer. Or we will destroy your ship."
Malcolm watched as the captain hit the communications button on Travis' console. He swallowed the fear he felt rising, certain Archer wasn't going to call Trip.
"Archer to Commander Tucker."
"Tucker here. Go ahead, Cap'n."
"Sir," said Malcolm. He stood up meeting Archer's eyes as the captain turned his head to him.
"Trip. I need you to report to the bridge," Archer continued, his eyes still on his armory officer.
"Captain," Sub-commander T'Pol said. Malcolm looked at her as she, too, rose to her feet.
"On my way," Trip replied then his voice cut out.
Archer said nothing. He moved back to stand directly in front of his chair, his eyes now locked on the sphere.
"Captain," the sub-commander repeated.
"I know what I'm doing," whispered Archer.
TO BE CONTINUED.
DISCLAIMER - I do not own the characters of Enterprise but yes, I do enjoy them.
Reviews are welcome and greatly appreciated!
PIECES IN A GAME
"That was an interception! Hey ref, open your eyes!"
"Sit down, Trip. You're blocking the screen," laughed Captain Jonathan Archer. He reached out and grabbed the arm of his chief engineer and long time friend Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker III and pulled at him. The younger man reluctantly took his seat on the floor again then grabbed a handful of pretzels in frustration. He leaned back against the side of the bed with a grunt.
"Ah, look at that. Both his feet were in-bounds. Clear as day!" he groaned, his mouth full.
Jon chuckled. "Instant replay used to matter years and years ago but not now, Trip. Sorry, but they're not going to change the call."
"But it was an interception, Cap'n. We should have the ball."
Jon reached for a handful of pretzels, enjoying his first night off in over a month. Trip had been working non-stop, too, the endless stream of mishaps involving ships systems monopolizing all his time. Finally they both managed an evening off and Jon didn't hesitate to invite his friend to watch the game. Now he sat back and simply enjoyed the company of the man he considered family. Being around the younger man always helped ease the weight Jon sometimes felt bearing down on his shoulders. Trip just had a way about him.
The two friends continued to watch the football game with Trip occasionally yelling at the referees. Jon sat on the bed next to Porthos, trying to hide his amusement. He always found watching the engineer's reactions much more entertaining than the game but he would never tell his friend that.
Finally, the game ended and Trip stood up and stretched. He leaned over and scratched Porthos' ears affectionately. The little dog sat tall, luxuriating in the attention. Jon watched the Beagle with a smile.
"How are you and T'Pol getting along?" Jon asked after a moment.
The engineer sat on the bed and pulled Porthos onto his lap. He continued scratching the dog's ears.
"It's been a challenge, Cap'n," he began. "This last week we've had to work pretty closely, what with the problem with the long-range sensors and all. I've lost count how many times I've had to apologize to her for losing my temper."
"Well she complimented your work this morning at breakfast," Jon said.
Trip looked at him in surprise. "She did?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face.
Jon nodded, puzzling over the subtle shade of pink his engineer was turning. Trip turned his attention back to the little dog curled up in his lap. The grin, however, remained on his face.
"Well, I'm beat, Cap'n. Think I'll call it a night," Trip finally yawned. "Thanks for the game, I'll see ya in the morning."
Jon walked his friend to the door then slapped him good-naturedly on the back. "Good night, Trip. Next game to come in, I'll make sure your team wins." He closed the door after his friend then turned to Porthos. "Well, boy. Time to get to bed."
Porthos nestled down on the bedspread and rolled on his back, his four legs flailing as he scrubbed his back.
Jon chuckled then scratched the little dog's belly. "Such a good boy," he clucked.
The alarm beeped incessantly and Jon reached out to turn it off. He sat up slowly and scrubbed his hand through his hair, then turned on the lights. He froze. Crewman Daniels stood at the foot of his bed staring down at him.
"Captain, we don't have much time," Daniels began.
"What?"
"You're going to be called to the bridge in a few minutes. A species known as the Zeen will be making demands that you will have no choice but to meet."
"The Zeen?" Jon stammered, shaking his head in confusion. "What demands? What are you talking about?"
"There's no time to explain in full right now, Captain. But know this. They WILL destroy Enterprise if you don't meet their demands."
"What do they want?"
Daniels turned, avoiding the captain's gaze. "They want Commander Tucker, sir."
Jon threw his blankets off and got out of bed. "Trip? What do they want with Trip?"
"I can't explain right now, Captain. The only thing I can tell you is that you must let them take him."
"No," Jon replied forcefully as he moved to stand directly in front of Daniels.
"Captain."
"I said no, Crewman."
"Then Enterprise will be destroyed and the timeline will be altered. Innocent people will die, Captain."
Jon began to pace. "I won't let them have Trip," he said quietly but with conviction.
"I will help you retrieve him, Captain. He's too important to the future to lose."
"I can't."
Daniels grabbed Jon's arm to stop his movement. "I know how you feel about him, sir. In my short time on Enterprise, I grew quite fond of him myself. I promise you I will help you get him back."
"Bridge to Archer." Sub-commander T'Pol's voice filled the room and Jon inhaled sharply. He stared hard at Daniels for several seconds then moved to the comm. pad.
"Archer."
"Captain, your presence is required on the bridge immediately. We have an intruder."
The device hovered about three meters off the bridge floor. Lieutenant Malcolm Reed watched it intently as it floated toward Ensign Travis Mayweather. The young helmsman didn't waver as the basketball sized sphere stopped and hovered just in front of him. Malcolm kept his gaze fixed even as he heard Captain Archer enter the bridge from the turbolift.
"Report, Sub-commander," the captain ordered.
"You are Captain Jonathan Archer?" The metallic voice drew Archer's attention to the sphere. He moved down next to Travis.
"Yes," he replied.
"Captain Archer, where is your chief engineer?"
Malcolm glanced across the bridge to Ensign Hoshi Sato who looked back with an expression of fear. Archer dropped his head momentarily and exhaled. Malcolm thought he looked oddly defeated.
"What do you want with him?" Archer asked, regaining his composure.
"You will bring your chief engineer to the bridge or we will destroy your ship."
"I'll ask you again. What do you want with Commander Tucker?"
A red beam shot out from the sphere, catching Travis in the left arm. The ensign gasped in pain as he grabbed at the wound.
"You will bring your chief engineer to the bridge, Captain Archer. Or we will destroy your ship."
Malcolm watched as the captain hit the communications button on Travis' console. He swallowed the fear he felt rising, certain Archer wasn't going to call Trip.
"Archer to Commander Tucker."
"Tucker here. Go ahead, Cap'n."
"Sir," said Malcolm. He stood up meeting Archer's eyes as the captain turned his head to him.
"Trip. I need you to report to the bridge," Archer continued, his eyes still on his armory officer.
"Captain," Sub-commander T'Pol said. Malcolm looked at her as she, too, rose to her feet.
"On my way," Trip replied then his voice cut out.
Archer said nothing. He moved back to stand directly in front of his chair, his eyes now locked on the sphere.
"Captain," the sub-commander repeated.
"I know what I'm doing," whispered Archer.
TO BE CONTINUED.