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Sins of the Father - Chapters 10 and 11

Author - Hoshissis
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Sins of the Father

by Hoshissis

Rating: PG-13
Genre: Friendship/angst

~~~

Chapter 10

Trip tried to put it to the back of his mind during dinner with Captain Archer and T’Pol later that night, but a little niggling feeling was determined to remain and plague him. At least “Captain Archer is acting a bit more normal,” he thought as he tucked into his lasagne. “I just wish he stop looking at me weird-like though,” as he spied Archer glance his way yet again. “It’s a good job I’m not paranoid like Malcolm, or I’d think he was in on the same thing that Aunt Lilith is hiding.”

“Sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye to ya mom,” said Trip.

“She won’t mind,” replied Archer. Then quickly changing the subject, “Chef’s outdone himself again.”

“Yeah,” said Trip. “Sure glad Brass didn’t manage to entice him away to run their new restaurant back at Headquarters. Although saying that, I’m pretty sure you had a hand in there somewhere.”

“You know me too well,” chuckled Archer before the sound of the comm. interrupted him.

Leaning over to press the button, “Archer …”

“Sorry to bother you, Sir,” said Hoshi, “but there’s a comm. message for Commander Tucker from his mother …”

“I’ll take it in ma quarters,” Trip replied, throwing T’Pol a worried glance as he stood up and walked out.

After about five minutes, “Is there something on your mind, Captain?” asked T’Pol as silence descended upon the room after Trip’s departure.

“No, why do you ask?”

“You seem a bit upset.”

“I’m fine …” replied Archer, a bit abruptly. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to call this a night. I’ve got some reports I want to finish. Goodnight, T’Pol,” he said as he stood up to leave.

“Goodnight, Captain,” replied T’Pol, wondering why a comm. message to Trip from his family would suddenly invoke an emotional reaction in Captain Archer.

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Trip walked into his quarters and sat down at his monitor before pressing a button for Hoshi to put the call through. From the niggling feeling that had been bothering him all evening, he’d half expected this call as his Great Aunt was very close to his mom.

“Hi Mom,” said Trip as the image of his mother came on screen.

“Trip … you’re looking pale, are you feeling okay, eating well?”

“Mom … I’m fine,” replied Trip.

“Can’t a mother be worried about her son,” smiled Susan Tucker, “especially after I have a worrying phone call from Aunt Lilith expressing concern for you.”

Trip rolled his eyes at this, “I was just asking her some questions, that’s all. There’s nothing for anyone to be concerned about.”

“Don’t lie to me, Trip … I know my boy … and I know when something’s wrong and bothering him.”

“Lying!” exclaimed Trip, feeling a rush of anger swell deep inside of him. “That’s rich considering how you’ve been lying to me for the past 15 years …”

“I haven’t lied to you. Whatever makes you think that?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that you used to work for Starfleet … that you used to work alongside Henry Archer?”

Susan paled at his sudden question. After a few minutes, she replied, “I didn’t think it was worth mentioning, considering how I didn’t actually work for them … I only designed the complex--”

“You didn’t think it was worth mentioning … even though I’m Chief Engineer of the engine that Henry Archer designed and that I work alongside his actual son?”

“Trip … it was a long time ago. I didn’t feel you would be interested,” Susan replied in an elusive tone, not wanting to look her son in the eye or elaborate on any of the facts further.

“You didn’t once think I would be interested?” questioned Trip, quite angrily, beginning to feel deja vu over his mother’s evasive stance.

“Yes. I’m sorry if that disappoints you, but I was a young, naïve stupid girl filled with lots of silly hopes and ideals,” replied Susan becoming just as emotional as her son. “Frankly, it’s something I’d like to forget.”

“What aren’t you telling me?” puzzled Trip after a few minutes. An outburst like that was definitely out of character for his mom. It only furthered in his mind the notion that he wasn’t being told everything and that somehow his disease was involved.

“Trip … please … you’re being silly--”

“Now who’s lying? You know, I’m going go before I say something I’m gonna regret. Because at the moment, I’m having major doubts believing anything you’ve said to me,” replied Trip, standing up and reaching over to switch off the comm.

“Trip … don’t you--” was all Susan could say before Trip cut the connection.

Trying to rein in the trembling in his hands and focus his raging emotions, he turned round and left to expend his excess energy in the gym.

-----------------------------------------

He soon regretted this decision when he was forced to walk into Sickbay an hour later cradling his wrist.

Phlox walked up and started examining him with his medical scanner. After a few minutes he put his scanner aside and looked up at Trip with a scolding look. “Torn ligaments, may I ask how this occurred, Commander?”

“I was lifting some weights in the gym, Doc,” answered Trip sheepishly. He knew he’d been silly to carry on with the lifting regime when the trembling in his hand had increased each time he raised the weight. But he’d been so damn frustrated after his call from his mom, he just wanted to feel normal again.

“Did you have any symptoms before you went to the gym?” asked Phlox, knowing full well that this was the case. The shamefaced look from Trip just confirmed it.

Phlox didn’t say anything. He just turned round to collect some medical supplies and set about treating his patient’s injury. Trip knew from Phlox’s whole demeanour that he was in the dog house and that Phlox was really angry.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I was just so damn frustrated after a call from my mom and Aunt that I just wanted to get on with ma life like before. I won’t be that stupid again … I promise.”

“You need to talk to someone about this, Commander,” said Phlox sternly, albeit in a slightly softer tone than before. “You have to realize that you are going to have to change certain aspects of your lifestyle to accommodate your illness. I can try and maintain some kind of normality for you at the moment by keeping your symptoms at bay with medication … but you have to work with me on this and keep me informed at all times.”

“I appreciate that, Doc, and I promise I will,” replied Trip. “I’ve already found someone to talk to about it. T’Pol …” he said, to Phlox’s enquiring look. “But then I think you probably suspected that would happen,” said Trip, to Phlox’s sheepish smile when he heard T’Pol’s name mentioned.

“I’m glad you took some of my advice to heart,” smiled Phlox as he finished wrapping up Trip’s hand. “You might need surgery to repair the damage, but I won’t know until the swelling goes down. I should be able to tell tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Doc,” said Trip as he climbed off the bio bed.

“You said you were frustrated after a call from your family? Would you like to talk about it?” asked Phlox.

“Not much to say at the moment,” replied Trip. “I just get the feeling that they are keeping something from me. This disease is genetic, isn’t it,” asked Trip at Phlox’s enquiring look.

“Yes,” answered Phlox, having an idea of where this was going.

“So why isn’t there any record of anyone suffering from it previously in ma family? Each time I made enquiries, all I get is vague and elusive answers, as if there were some big family secret being kept from me. Something ma mom said in her recent comm. message just makes me suspect that even more. No one will actually talk to me,” said Trip sadly.

“I sorry you’re feeling like that, Commander,” replied Phlox as he thought about his own disagreement with his son Yaris. “With a disease like this though, you are going to need support from your family even more. Don’t shut them out. Why don’t you confide in Captain Archer?” Phlox asked. “I’m sure he can help you through this.”

“I’ll think about it, Doc,” answered Trip, not catching on to Phlox’s double-edged meaning in his question. “Thanks.”

------------------------------------------------

Chapter Eleven

Thankfully Phlox didn’t think surgery was necessary when he re-examined Trip’s wrist the next morning, so Trip went back to work in Engineering with the promise that he wouldn’t overdo things. Getting into his normal routine in Engineering helped a little bit, but he was still feeling extremely stressed in regards to his family, which wasn’t helping with his symptoms. Despite an injection from Phlox earlier, he could feel another headache coming on and he was having trouble trying to stop his hand from trembling. In fact he was focusing so hard on maintaining a tight grip on his PADD that he didn’t hear Captain Archer enter Engineering and walk up behind.

Archer had been a little annoyed earlier at the mention of Trip’s mom, but he was determined not to let her actions spoil his friendship with Trip … his younger brother. “Wow,” he thought, just the sound of that was weird. He always felt there was a special connection between the two; from the day that Trip stepped in and defended their dad’s work, to the split-eating grin on both of their faces when he asked Trip to be his Chief Engineer on Enterprise. Now he knew why.

Entering Engineering and seeing the tense, stressed person sitting in his ‘office’, Archer decided that it was his duty ‘as a big brother’ and his captain to help him relax and wind down.

“Busy?” he asked, making Trip jump out of his skin.

“No,” replied Trip, “an do ya mind not doing that?”

“Doing what?” asked Archer with a slight laugh.

“Sneaking up on someone, that’s what.”

“I didn’t sneak. If you weren’t so focused on your work you would have noticed that. What’ve you done to your hand?”

“Had a slight accident in the gym, that’s all. Nothing to worry about. Anyway, what do ya want me for?” Trip asked, trying to steer the conversation away.

“Just thought I’d see if you want to grab a break and watch that last batch of matches that Forrest sent me, which we never got round too.”

“Capt’n, I--”

“Shall I make it an order, Commander?” interrupted Archer. “We depart soon and I want my Chief Engineer to be at his best. You’re looking far too stressed at the moment,” he said, indicated with his head for Trip to follow him back to his quarters.

Realizing that he didn’t have much choice in the matter, Trip sighed, put his PADD down on the desk to finish reading later and followed him out. Anyway he wondered if the matches the Capt’n was talking about were the ones that he’d secretly watched before, then he knew he was going to at least have some fun teasing because he already knew just how badly Stanford sucked.

-------------------------------------------

Four hours later, feeling a lot more relaxed, Trip laughed again as Captain Archer threw another handful of pretzels at the monitor in disgust.

“You’re enjoying this far too much.”

“Now why would I enjoy myself seeing you get mad at Stanford losing again,” asked Trip with a ‘duh’ expression, chuckling as Archer threw him a dirty look, while also throwing another handful of pretzels his way.

“If I didn’t know any better I’d think that you’ve seen these before,” he said, to Trip’s feigned look of disgust, as the comm. buzzed.

“Archer.”

“Sorry to disturb you, Sirs,” said Hoshi, “but there is a visitor to see Commander Tucker.”

“Visitor?” Trip asked, wondering who would come up to Enterprise to see him.

“He’s at the docking hatch, Sir. Shall I get someone to escort him to your quarters?”

“No, Hoshi,” replied Archer. “We’ll go and meet him.”

Wondering also who it could be, Archer follow Trip out of the room towards the Docking hatch.

-------------------------------------------

Opening the Docking Bay hatch, there to the surprise of both Trip and Archer, stood Charles Tucker II.

“Dad! What are you doing here?”

“Waiting to be invited on board,” he smirked, before walking towards Trip and greeting him with a huge hug. “Can’t the old man come and visit his son on his return from a dangerous mission?”

“I was glad ya did, it’s good to see ya,” said Trip, hugging him back. Then, standing back to introduce his dad to his Captain, “Dad, this is Captain Jonathan Archer. Capt’n, this is ma dad, Charles Tucker II.”

“Jonathan …”

“Mr Tucker …”

“I was gonna visit,” said Trip, wondering what the special occasion was for his father to come all the way up to Enterprise, “but I though mom wanted some space … you know with Lizzie …”

“It does concern your mother, although that’s not why I’m here,” explained Mr Tucker as they walked back along the corridor, glancing casually at Captain Archer as if to indicate that what he had to say was private.

“Ahhh……!” exclaimed Trip, catching on. “Captain, if ya don’t mind, I think me and my Dad need to talk …”

“Don’t mind at all,” answered Archer. He was curious as to what had prompted this surprise visit but he didn’t want to get in the way, as he could tell whatever it was, it personal. “It was good to see you Mr. Tucker. Maybe we could all have dinner later?”

“I’ll look forward to it, Captain Archer,” replied Trip’s dad, as Captain Archer left them to it. “Please, call me Charlie. Mr. Tucker sounds too formal.”

“Charlie it is,” smiled Archer, before turning round and walking back to his ready room.

“Soooooo….!” Exclaimed Trip, “I take it you’ve come all this way to spank ma bottom for upsetting mom earlier.”

“It did cross ma mind,” replied Mr Tucker, throwing his son a glare. “Don’t disrespect ya ma again like that son, ever.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to. I was just a little upset. It seems like people at the moment are forever dancing around me as if they’re trying to avoid telling me something.”

“That’s part of the reason I’ve come to see you, Trip” said Mr. Tucker. “It’s time we talked and I gave you some long overdue answers to those questions.”

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Continue to Chapters 12 and 13

Return to Chapters 8 and 9

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Three people have made comments

I've been following this here and at ff.net. The idea that Archer and Trip really are brothers is very intriguing. Can't wait to see Trip's reaction when he finds out! How will he take it? Will affect his working relationship with Archer?

More! Please?????

AH! What a cliffhanger. I really can't wait to see where you go with this. It's a great story and I'll be looking out for the next installment. Great work!

Great story! Hope to see more soon