Regression - Part 6

Regression

by Hoshissis

Disclaimers in Part 1

*******

Chapter Eleven

Captain Archer was sitting in his ready room talking to Admiral Forrest on the com, while the others were waiting anxiously in the mess hall waiting for news. Trip, oblivious to all the concern, was helping Chef in the Galley to make sandwiches and biscuits. He was having a whale of a time, up to his arms in flour and cookie dough, while grinning like a Cheshire cat since Chef had let him wear his apron and big white cooking hat.

“I didn’t think it would be too long before you got in touch,” said Admiral Forrest to Archer’s concerned face.

“Is it true? You’ve recalled Trip and sent a Vulcan ship to pick him up?”

“I’m sorry Jon, but a star ship is no place for Commander Tucker in his present condition. He needs to be with people who can look after him properly.”

“He needs to be with me,” replied Jon cutting in, “Not some cold faceless stranger.”

“Jon, it’s not some backward 19th Century institution we’re sending him to. He’s still Starfleet no matter what and we always look after our own. These people are specially trained…”

“They may be specially trained,” replied Archer cutting him off again, “But they still are strangers nevertheless. Trip knows us, we’re his family. We are perfectly capable of taking care of him.”

“That’s not what I heard. Didn’t he injure himself recently falling off a ladder?”

Captain Archer gave a worried glance, surprised that this titbit had been leaked out. “That was an accident, Admiral, one which we have been careful to prevent from happening again.”

“Can you be 100% certain that it won’t, Jon?”

There was a quiet pause as Captain Archer sat back and took this in. Despite all the extra precautions he had placed into effect, he could not with all honesty say that it wouldn’t.

“I thought not,” Forrest replied quietly. He knew this was difficult but it had to be said. “I’ve known him just as long as you Jon and surprisingly, I care about him, too. He’s been an outstanding officer and an excellent friend to you and AG, but we have to be honest with ourselves, it’s dangerous up there. Putting aside for the moment the repercussions we would have to face back here for allowing a man with his disability to remain on a star ship; could you seriously live with yourself if anything happened to him as a consequence from staying up there?”

“No,” replied a dejected Archer.

“I’m sorry Jon but the recall stands. A Vulcan ship will arrive to pick him up in about eleven hours.”

“Well you’ll have to inform them that they will be transferring two passengers back, Admiral, because I’m going with him.”

“Let’s not be hasty now, Jon and make any rash decisions that you might regret later.”

“I’m not being rash or hasty, Admiral. Trip needs someone that he can trust; he’s not going to get that from strangers.”

“What about your father’s dream, your dream? You’d be throwing all that away.”

“Maybe, but it’s not much of a dream when you’ve not got a friend to share it with.”

“I hope you know what you’re letting yourself in for Jon.”

“He needs me Admiral and I need him. We’ll be fine.”

Admiral Forrest nodded his head. He didn’t agree with Jon’s decision but he could understand it. “If you need anything Jon, anything at all, give me a call. You’ve still got a lot of friends here who you can get support from. Good luck Jon.”

“Thanks Admiral,” replied Captain Archer quietly as he signed off. “Oh well I’d better go and tell everyone the good news,” he said sarcastically as he looked at Porthos. Then with a teasing smile on his face, “I expect you to be packed by the time I get back.”

Porthos just looked up from his cushion and wagged his tail.

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As Captain Archer walked into the mess hall, all eager eyes anxiously turned in his direction.

“Captain?” said Malcolm and Hoshi with questioning looks on their faces.

Captain Archer shook his head, indicating that the communication hadn’t revealed good news.

“They’re still recalling him then?” asked Malcolm.

“Yes, apparently it’s too dangerous up here for someone with his disability and it wouldn’t look good in regards to public image,” replied Captain Archer in a bitter tone.

“That’s just bull,” replied Travis, in an annoyed tone of voice. “If anything, we Boomers have proved that point wrong.”

“You may be right Travis,” answered Archer, “But Boomers don’t have to answer to military regulations. Starfleet does and in their eyes, Commander Tucker is no longer capable of fulfilling his post or position.”

“What’s going to happen to him?” asked a concerned Hoshi.

“I’m going to take care of him back on Earth.”

Everyone looked at Captain Archer, shocked at this new development.

“Sir?” queried a confused Malcolm.

“He needs me; I won’t abandon him to some institution to be looked after by strangers. I wouldn’t do that to a family member, let alone a friend. He’s always been there for me in the past, now the tables have turned. I’ll be there for him as long as he needs me.”

Everyone wished Captain Archer good luck, offering promises of help and support. T’Pol looked on in silence, showing no sign of emotion on the outside, but inside she was totally torn up over the prospect of losing both of her close friends.

“T’Pol,” said Captain Archer, “I hereby inform you that you are now acting captain of Enterprise. Good luck with your mission.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

“Well folks, thanks for your good wishes. I’d better go and relieve Chef of Trip and get him ready for departure.”

With sad looks on their faces, everyone drifted out back to their positions.

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Later that evening, Archer was in his ready room with Trip and Porthos waiting for the comm. call to let him know that the Vulcan ship had arrived. There was a heavy feeling in his heart with regards to leaving the ship he had worked so hard to captain and ‘his family’ they had all forged together out here. Despite this sad feeling, he knew deep down that he was doing the right thing - Trip was family and meant everything to him. He wasn’t going to let him down now when he needed him the most.

“Sato to Captain Archer……..”

Archer stood up and pressed the comm. on the wall, “Archer here.”

“Sir, the Vulcan ship has arrived and they wish to send a shuttle craft to collect you and Commander Tucker,” said Hoshi in a sad tone.

“Thanks Hoshi, tell them to proceed. I’ll meet them in the docking bay.”

“Are you ready Trip?” asked Archer, holding out his hand for Trip to take.

Trip nodded his head, stood up and grasped Archer’s hand. He wasn’t sure what was happening but he knew he was safe if Captain Archer was there to look after him.

With Porthos leading the way they walked out of Archer’s ready room, then stopped suddenly in shock. The whole crew had turned out to say goodbye, lining the walls from his ready room all the way to the launch bay. With tears in his eyes, Captain Archer carried on, nodding his head in appreciation and thanks to what his crew had done for them.

At the launch bay doors, Malcolm and T’Pol were waiting for them both. Captain Archer gave T’Pol a questioning look, since she was holding a large duffle bag and case. “Is there something I should know, T’Pol?” asked Captain Archer as he looked towards the bag.

“I have decided to join you in your venture.”

“I gave you an order, T’Pol. You are now in charge.”

“You gave that order after you had resigned, so technically speaking, I wasn’t under your command and don’t have to follow your order,” replied T’Pol in full Vulcan manner. “You are the one who asked me to retain my position as first officer after I resigned my position from the Vulcan High Command, even though I was technically a civilian. Since Starfleet Regulations don’t allow civilians to captain their star ships, that position falls logically to Lieutenant Reed.”

“What about Enterprise, your career?” argued Archer. “I can’t ask you to give all that up? Anyway it doesn’t sound like anything a logical Vulcan would do.”

“You didn’t ask,” replied T’Pol in a sarcastic tone as she guided Trip through the door. “It was my decision. Trip needs me as well as you. With regards to not being logical, Captain, I must point out your error. Loyalty is a strong aspect that Vulcans hold dearly. While I am merely following my beliefs, serving among humans these past three years has also taught me that one doesn’t give up on one’s friends. It has taken me a while, but I believe I have found the right balance that suits me. ”

“I really appreciate your offer, T’Pol, but what are you going to do?” asked Archer.

“I have a lot of contacts that could help,” replied T’Pol, then with a slight teasing tone, “You are only human, Captain, you can’t expect to do everything yourself.”

Captain Archer thought over everything she had said and relented to her offer; he knew when he was beaten. T’Pol could be just as stubborn as Trip when she made up her mind about something.

“I think you’d better tell the Vulcans that they will have another passenger,” replied Captain Archer as he turned to look at Malcolm.

“Yes, sir, I have to go and initiate docking procedures, so I’ll let them know.”

Malcolm turned and walked up the stairs into the control room, while Captain Archer who was holding Porthos and T’Pol and Trip were waiting downstairs in the launch bay.

Controls indicated that there was a seal, so Malcolm pressed the switch for the bay doors to open. Suddenly a red light started flashing and a loud siren commenced. Both signals indicated that there was something wrong with the seal and that the launch bay was losing oxygen fast.

“Captain, get out of there!” shouted Malcolm as he ran to the door separating the control room and launch bay. It wouldn’t open. He tried pressing the comm. to let the crew outside know that there was a problem. Nothing happened; the comm. was dead.

“Captain!” shouted Malcolm as he frantically banged on the control room door.

Captain Archer knew something was wrong, long before he heard Malcolm’s frantic shouts and knocking from inside the control room. His breathing was becoming hard and laboured, his vision started to blur and his limbs felt like lead weights. // There’s something wrong with the seal and we’re losing oxygen fast. //

“Trip……. get…..him…out of….. here,” gasped Captain Archer as he looked over at T’Pol, who didn’t seem as badly effected. Trip though was suffering just as bad and looked absolutely petrified. T’Pol pulled him towards the door but it was sealed shut tight; the lock also didn’t seem to be working. As T’Pol’s vision slowly began to blur, she could see the crew on the outside desperately trying to open the door and rescue their stricken officers. As she collapsed on the floor, gasping for sheer life, she blacked out thinking back over all her memories of the past three years that she had experienced with the two brave unconscious men next to her...

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Chapter Twelve - Epilogue

With a heavy aching head, Captain Archer slowly opened his eyes to a familiar scene - Enterprise’s sickbay. Had they been rescued in time? The last thing he could remember was passing out from lack of oxygen. // Trip // he thought, as he looked around frantically for his friend.

“Don’t worry, Captain,” came a familiar female voice, “Ahh T’Pol, I see you are with us as well.”

“Calla, what the hell is going on and where in hell’s name did you appear from?” demanded Captain Archer, surprised to see Calla standing next to his bio bed.

“It’s good to see you too, Captain Archer.”

“Captain Archer has a point. Where have you been? Why can’t anyone else see you and what have you done with Commander Tucker?” asked T’Pol, butting into the conversation.

“Straight to the point as usual, T’Pol. That’s what I love about Vulcans,” laughed Calla. “To answer your questions, I haven’t been anywhere but here all the time. No one else can see me because I don’t wish them to and I haven’t done anything to Commander Tucker.”

“What do you mean, you’ve been here all the time?” asked a curious T’Pol.

“It’s a little hard to explain and beyond even your highly advanced Vulcan comprehension I’m afraid. Nevertheless I don’t walk away from those who I help until my work has finished.”

“Help?” shouted Archer, “How on earth can you call turning Trip into a man with a mind of a 4 year old, helping him?”

“I warned you that my methods were extreme, Captain, but as usual all things have worked out well. It brought you all closer and reconnected you again, didn’t it? You learnt to value your friendship with others and T’Pol found that she could combine her Vulcan nature while serving with a human crew. Trip on the other hand wanted his friendship back with both of you. I would say everyone got what they wanted in the end.”

“You had no right to meddle in other people’s lives,” replied Captain Archer angrily.

“Please don’t compare me to those people, Captain. I find that quite insulting.”

“Compare you to who?” asked Captain Archer, looking confused.

“Q….. we may be related, but that is as far as the similarities go. I believe in helping people with their problems, they’re the ones who meddle.”

“Q……. what the hell is a Q?” asked Captain Archer, as much to himself than anyone else.

“I believe that’s a letter from your alphabet, if I’m not mistaken,” came the voice of Doctor Phlox.

“Phlox!” cried Archer, as he and T’Pol looked up quickly to see Doctor Phlox walking through the sickbay door. “Where did you come from and where the hell did Calla disappear to?”

“I thought we’d discussed previously that there is no such person called Calla,” said Phlox as he picked up his medical tricorder and walked up to the two of them.

“I think I need to lie down, I’m not feeling well..” replied Captain Archer, as he laid himself back down. “This is just too damn confusing…”

“You’ll be okay Captain, you’re just feeling some slight after effects of oxygen deprivation.”

“Where is Commander Tucker?” asked T’Pol, who was also wearing a slight confused look on her face.

“He woke up a few hours earlier. I ordered him to go to the mess hall to get some food and drink, since he has refused to leave your sides all morning.”

“And you left him there? What if he burns himself on a hot drink or food?” queried T’Pol.

“I’m sure Commander Tucker is quite old enough and capable of getting himself a hot drink and meal, Sub Commander.”

“Doc, he has the mentality of a four year old,” replied Captain Archer, sitting back up.

“Excuse me Captain, but I think you are mistaken. Apart from a slight headache, Commander Tucker is in the best of health.”

“You mean he’s fine?” asked T’Pol, in a relieved tone of voice.

“Yes,” replied Phlox, curious as to why both T’Pol and Captain Archer thought there was something wrong with Commander Tucker. “Why would you think otherwise?” asked Phlox as he examined them again with his medical tricorder.

“Don’t ask me, just add it to my ‘what the hell is going on’ list,” replied Archer as he laid back down again.

“It sounds as if you were experiencing a hallucination brought on by the lack of oxygen you experienced,” explained Phlox.

“That would seem a logical conclusion Doctor,” replied T’Pol, “If both of us hadn’t experienced the same hallucination. How do you explain that?”

“I’m sure I’ll be able to come up with something…… eventually,” smiled Doctor Phlox. “Why don’t you two go and join Commander Tucker and get something to eat and drink? I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you.”

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“Do you believe it was a hallucination, Captain?” asked T’Pol as they walked towards the mess hall.

“I don’t know what to think anymore. She seemed so real but how can it be when nothing happened?”

“Even though I have my doubts that a being would be capable of having powers like that, she was correct when she stated I had found a balance in my life that has been lacking recently.”

“Yeah I know what you mean. I never realised how much I had missed my friendship with Trip until it was gone. We may lose each other eventually, it’s a given since no one can predict what is going to happen tomorrow, next week or next year, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make the most of what we have got now with each other,” smiled captain Archer as they walked into the mess hall and spied Trip sitting quietly in the corner.

“Got any of that pie left?” asked Captain Archer as he walked up to Trip.

“Captain,” smiled Trip, “It’s great to see you looking back to normal.”

“I think we both can say the same thing for you,” replied Archer as he glanced at T’Pol, each sharing a look of gratitude about their friend.

“Do you remember what happened? My mind is a complete blank. I asked Malcolm and he muttered something about a breach in the launch bay while we were inside it. Though I can’t figure out for the life of me what we were doing inside there, since there is no nearby planet or ship,” remarked Trip, looking slightly puzzled. “I even asked Malcolm why we were in there, but he didn’t seem to know.”

“No we’re still a little hazy on some details” replied Captain Archer as he and T’Pol sat down next to him.

Then after a few moments of silence, Trip pushed his plate to one side and stood up, “Well I think I should be going.”

“Why don’t we go back to my ready room for a beer and a movie? It’s been a while since we had a laugh,” offered Captain Archer, feeling the need to reach out to his friend.

“Ahhhh I don’t know, Captain. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“How about a game of pool?” asked Archer, not willing to give in.

“Not tonight, some other time maybe.”

“Well that’s it then. There’s only one thing left to do.”

“What?” replied Trip looking puzzled.

“Be irritating!” replied Captain Archer with an evil smile on his face. “There are 99 bottles of beer in my fridge, 99 bottles of beer.”

“You can’t be serious, Captain.”

“You get one out and pass it around, 98 bottles of beer in my fridge.”

“Captain!”

“98 bottles of beer in my fridge, 98 bottles of beer, you get one out and pass it around, 97 bottles of beer in my fridge. 97 bottles……”

“Commander….. I suggest you give in. It doesn’t look like he is going to stop and I don’t think my ears can take any more of this harsh treatment,” pleaded T’Pol in a teasing voice

“All right you win. We’ll grab one of those beers and watch a movie. Just please no more singing.”

Captain Archer smiled as they all stood up to depart.

“And you,” said Trip pointing to T’Pol, “Don’t think you’re getting away. You encouraged him so you’re gonna join us as well.”

“Vulcans don’t drink beer, Commander.”

“How about a compromise then, a glass of mint tea instead?”

“That would be acceptable, Commander. Although I will choose the movie,” replied T’Pol as she walked out of the door.

Trip and Captain Archer each threw the other a look of horror // God what have we let ourselves in for //.

The End

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A handful of people have made comments

Very nice. I like it, I like it alot. But I wished it has ended and kept on with Trip's memories intact of his ordeal along with everone's memories and how all responded afterwards. Hope to see alot more of your work.

YEY, Trippy's ok!!! ¬¬Soooo.... u got any more woks in the line up?

And i agree, wuda been kool if Trip kept his memories too.

Neway, gr8 story, loved it all the way :)

Well, I just found this one and agree that it's great! It would have made a wonderful epi for OMT. Can you just imagine Conner playing a 4 year old???!!!!

hehehehehe., I love it! Esepcially the songs, so long as I can't hear them. What a happy ending! I'm still grining, brillaint!

What a great story! Hoshissis, you're a genius! Wonderful premise; I love stories that have an element of fun and teasing between Trip and his friends. That was great.

Also, I'm with janec on a comment above, "Can you just imagine Connor playing a 4-year-old?" OMG, how adorable would that be?!?! LOL!