Regression - Part 2

Regression

by Hoshissis

Disclaimers in Part 1

A/N Many thanks to my beta reader Plumtuckered. I don't know what I would do without you.

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Chapter Three

Captain Archer was seated around his dinning table with Calla after enjoying dinner with his guests.

“Didn’t you enjoy your meal? You don’t seem to have eaten much.”

“It was interesting, Captain, definitely not like I’m used to eating.”

“Since you declined the tour with Toldar and Serena, would you like me to escort you to your quarters so you can get some rest?”

“I’m fine, Captain, thank you for asking. I’d rather stay here and have a chat with you, if you don’t mind.”

“No I don’t mind. What would you like to know?”

“How long have you been exploring?”

“We’ve been out here for three years now, give or take.”

“You must have met some interesting species in that time and made quite a few friends.”

“Yeah, we’ve met our fair share, although not all of them have turned out to be our friends. In fact,” laughed Captain Archer, “If I was being honest with myself, the vast majority of them didn’t.” Then, after quietly pondering the events that had happened over the previous three years, he continued, “I think we were just a little bit naïve about what to expect.” His voice grew quieter as his mind drifted back to their perilous mission they had just finished. “Space is dangerous and no place for the inexperienced –“I’ve had to learn that the hard way.”

“Is this why you have closed yourself off from your friends?” asked Calla.

“Yes,” he replied softly. He didn’t know why he was telling her this; it was as if she had woven a spell which allowed all his inner most feelings that he’d buried deep inside him to tumble out.

“I see the death of all those crewmen and Sim last year has affected you greatly.”

“Yes,” replied Captain Archer ever so softly again. // How the hell did she know about all that? Can she read my mind? //

“Not your mind, Jonathon, I can read all your thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears. I know you hold a deep regret for all of those deaths and that you have constant nightmares of seeing the image of your close friend being placed in the capsule. You feel that if you push him away now, the hurt won’t be as great later.”

“Yes,” whispered Captain Archer.

“We all need our friends, Jonathon. Pushing them away may seem the right thing to do at the moment but the pain will be just as bad later on, maybe even worse. I will help you see this.”

“Why? How?”

“My whole purpose is to help people we sense a need in. My methods are extreme, Jonathon, but they have the desired effect, you’ll see.” Calla then stood up to depart from the room. “Thank you for the meal, Captain, and the talk. If you don’t mind, I will go and rest now.”

As she walked out of the room, Captain Archer sat stunned in his chair trying to piece together what had just happened and what she meant by extreme methods.

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Calla was walking down the corridor when she intercepted T’Pol who was making her way to her quarters.

“Are you having difficulties finding your quarters?” asked T’Pol.

“No, I was just taking a stroll after enjoying a nice meal with the captain. I’m surprised I didn’t see you there.”

“I am partaking in a Vulcan ritual where we purge our body of impurities through fasting.”

“I would have thought that while serving on a human star ship, you would try to fit in more rather than emphasising your alienisms by staying on the outside.”

T’Pol stared straight ahead, as if she was thinking back to past memories. “My previous attempts at exploring my emotions have not gone well; I nearly lost myself and was overwhelmed in the process. It is therefore logical for me to cease this exploration and embrace my own culture.”

“There’s nothing wrong with embracing both logic and emotion, T’Pol. You have friends on board this ship.”

“Vulcan’s do not seek out help. Our emotions are our own and extremely private, it would be inappropriate to involve others.” // Strange // thought T’Pol // Why do I feel so comfortable talking to this stranger over my human counterparts and friends who I have known for years? //

“My species has a way of putting others at ease with themselves. This is important since our goal is to help others, those who we sense a need in. I sense this need in you, T’Pol. You value your friendship with the humans on board this ship but you are afraid that you will be judged for what you allowed to happen when you selfishly allowed yourself to indulge and embrace your feelings.”

“Yes,” whispered T’Pol. It was so strange, as if this woman was staring deep into her katra where she had buried all her inner demons that she had previously awakened; fear, anger, shame and desire.

“Humans are an emotional species, T’Pol. They live, deal and cope with their emotions every day – there’s no better to help you embrace and integrate yours into your life. I will help you see this – my methods are extreme, but they have the desired effect.”

“I don’t understand,” said T’Pol who was suddenly feeling very confused and frightened.

“You will my child, you will,” replied Calla before she walked off down the corridor.

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Later that night Calla walked into the shuttle bay where Trip was working on their ship.

“Commander Tucker, I am surprised to still find you here working.”

“I had nothing else to,” said Trip smiling. “Did you enjoy your meal with the cap’n?”

“Yes thank you, it was……… interesting!”

Trip laughed, “Is that the polite way of saying ya didn’t like it?”

“No certainly not,” chuckled Calla, “I am not used to ingesting food orally that’s all.”

“Ohhhhhhh, how do you normally eat?”

“We usually absorb nutrients and energy from living entities and energies that surround us.”

“Come again!” asked a rather confused Trip.

“It is too hard to explain.”

“So how come there’s food and drink in your ship’s stores?”

“That’s for Toldar and Serena.”

“Don’t they absorb nutrients and energy from living energies as well?”

“I am not the same as them.”

“You’re not from Fabia as well?”

“No.”

“So how come your travelling with them?”

“I sensed a need and came to help, just like I sense that need in you.”

“You came to help repair their ship?”

“No, I came to repair their relationship – I came to help repair them and how they feel about each other. The damage to the ship was how I accomplished this.”

“I don’t understand, are you telling me ya caused all this?” asked Trip. He was growing worried and rather concerned.

“My methods are often extreme but they have the desired effect.”

“You nearly killed them,” replied Trip as he slowly backed up to the comm… He wasn’t sure why but he suddenly felt very uneasy about the whole situation.

“They were never in any danger. We are not evil, Trip. Our duty is to observe different species and help them find their way. At the moment I sense this need in you – a loss that you want to find again, a loss that you need and miss dearly.”

“Stay away from me!” shouted Trip as he reached for the comm.. He suddenly felt like he had been frozen to the spot. He urged his muscles to move forward but it was no use – he couldn’t move.

“I won’t hurt you, Trip, don’t be afraid – I’m here to help,” urged Calla as she slowly pulled his body round towards her. She stared into his eyes and began chanting a hypnotic rhyme. Both were mesmerizing and Trip could feel his inner self being drawn towards her as the music danced throughout his mind. Initially he was frightened by what was happening but he couldn’t look away; it was as if there was an inner voice telling him he must listen to that enchanting, exotic sound and stare into those dazzling depths that beheld a mirage of colours until he was lost.

Soon the soothing sound calmed his fears, overwhelming his senses until he was completely under her spell – nothing mattered anymore, no more worries or fears, just contentment, peace, tranquillity and calmness unlike no other, as if he was being reborn.

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Chapter Four

He was feeling so content lying there in a dreamlike sleep. The only word that came to mind to describe this warm, calm feeling was ‘snuggy’, he thought as he settled down deeper into his pillow, letting out a contented sigh in the process.

Slowly he became aware of a voice.

“Open your eyes, Commander.”

It was kinda faint at first, so it was a while before he realised that he wasn’t dreaming and that the voice was actually talking to him.

“Wake up, Commander.”

Whoever this was, he was determined not to let him carry on dozing, so reluctantly Trip slowly opened his eyes. He thought he was dreaming at first because everything was so strange and different, and there was a weird looking man standing next to him with a huge, goofy smile spread across his face. After blinking a few times, a frightening realisation began to dawn – where was he? This wasn’t his home. Where were his toys, his friends Wally gator and Mickey? Who was this strange man looking down at him? But, more importantly, where were his mom and dad?

“Commander?” replied Phlox in a puzzled voice. He was mystified at Commander Tucker’s reaction upon wakening. He had been expecting some confusion, since Trip had suffered huge mental trauma, but this behaviour was puzzling. Phlox reached for his scanner.

“Where’s my mom?” asked a now very frightened and scared Trip, not liking this at all. As Phlox leaned over with his scanner in an attempt to gauge what the problem was, a petrified Trip decided he was having no more of this and bolted off the bio bed in terror.

“Commander!” shouted Phlox as Trip dove for the doors. Not understanding how to open them, he turned and ran to the other side of the room in the hope of finding another suitable escape route. Unfortunately there was no way out and all the weird creatures making those odd noises in their cages were frightening him all the more. Feeling trapped and very unsure, Trip dove under the nearby table and curled himself up tight into a fetal ball.

Phlox decided that he had to proceed with caution; something was very very wrong with Commander Tucker and it was going to need all his people skills to find out just what that was. Walking slowly to the bench where Trip was hiding, he carefully knelt down so he could coax Trip out.

“Hey there,” he said in a soft gentle voice. “Don’t be frightened, I won’t hurt you – I’m a doctor and we have a promise that says we can’t hurt people.”

Two eyes peeked out from above two knees and glanced across at him.

“I bet you’ve never seen anyone as funny looking as me, have you?”

Trip slowly shook his head at this statement.

“That’s because I’m not from your world. I’ve come from a planet called Denobula, but I’ve been allowed to make my home on your world and help heal people with my medical knowledge.”

Trip continued to watch this weird looking man from his hiding place as Phlox carried on talking about his home and species. He was still very unsure of where he was or what had happened, but this stranger didn’t seem as frightening to him as before. Maybe it was that huge funny smile of his; no one could be bad or evil with a smile that big could they?

“Would you like a drink or something to eat?” asked Phlox, still smiling away. “I imagine you must be quite hungry or thirsty by now.”

Trip was, but he didn’t want to admit this, since he was still quite wary of this stranger.

Phlox could see Trip’s dilemma so he placed a cup of juice and a sandwich down on the floor in front of Trip, and then carried on as before talking about his home and way of life on Denobula.

Gradually Phlox’s jovial nature began to win Trip over, so slowly and carefully he crept out from his hiding place and reached over for the food and drink, all the time not taking his eyes off Phlox.

Phlox smiled at this breakthrough then stood up to refill Trip’s glass and plate with more juice and another couple of sandwiches. Since a line of trust had obviously begun to form, he also returned with a medical tricorder – scans were needed so he could determine the root of the problem. It would be limited with just his hand held scanner at the moment, but he didn’t want to overwhelm Commander Tucker’s emotional control. His behaviour since waking showed that small steps would definitely be needed when dealing with him from now on.

“What’s that?” asked Trip in between mouthfuls of sandwich.

“It’s a tricorder. It lets me look inside you to see if everything is okay. Would you like to look?”

Trip’s curious nature got the better of him as he shuffled forward to take a peek. “Will I see ma sandwich going down to ma stomach?”

“No, I’m sorry,” chuckled Phlox. “I’m afraid it doesn’t show things in quite that much detail.”

Trip just smiled and carried on looking at the scanner with amazement and curiosity written all over his face.

“What’s your name?” asked Doctor Phlox. He already knew of course, but he wanted to gauge the patient’s reaction and memory.

“Trip.”

“That’s a good name, I’m called Phlox.”

“Hi,” smiled Trip. “Nice to meet ya.”

“It’s nice to meet you as well Trip. Can I ask how old you are?”

“Four.”

“Well Trip, now that we know each other, shall we go and sit down on one of those beds?” asked Phlox as he pointed over to the other side of the room. “There’s someone I want to introduce you to. Don’t worry,” he added quickly as a look of fear darted across Trip’s face. “He’s nice, he’s my friend. I’m sure he would love to be yours as well.”

“Okay,” smiled Trip as he nervously grasped Phlox’s hand and stood up, before letting himself be led over to the nearest bio bed where he sat down and finished his meal.

“Phlox to Captain Archer…….”

“Archer……”

“Can you come to sickbay, Captain?”

“Is this about Trip? Is he awake yet?” asked Captain Archer. He had been most concerned when Trip had been found unconscious in shuttle bay one. He’d asked Malcolm to investigate what had happened, but so far no evidence had turned up. He hadn’t wanted to leave sickbay, but Phlox had been adamant that he should go and get some rest, promising to call when Trip awoke.

“I think I would be able to explain better if you got down here Captain….”

“I’ll be right there,” replied Captain Archer in a worried tone. He didn’t know why but a huge feeling of dread took over him; something was very, very wrong with Trip.

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TBC

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A handful of people have made comments

Oooooohhh, this is going to be interesting. I bet Calla reverted Trip to the age of four to bring out the protective interests of his friends. I like it. Nice twist.

This part is very very interesting! Well written and interesting idea. Archer will now be forced to interact with Trip. Keep updating!

Ouch! So that are the "extreme methods"? Poor Trip. I am curious how Archer and T'Pol will react upon a four year old Trip. Please update soon.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
awwwww, cuteness factor 10!
nice twist, hope it forces Archer outta his shell, i h8ed him b4 the expanse now i h8 him more, getting him bk to bing friends with Trip wud b gr8. Update again soon plz!

PLZ!

k i had a theory:

Trip: needs jon's friend ship bk yeh?
Archer: scared of bing Trip's friend?
T'pol scared of emotion?

ok if i understood that bit here goes:
Trip bing '4' needs more attention coz he's a kid.

Archer looks after Trip in a fartherly role and becomes attached to his best m8 again.

T'pol needs to use emotion to understand a child, so she explores it with him.

:D my guess.