Tomorrow is Yesterday - Chapter 4

Tomorrow is Yesterday

By Mctrip7

Rating: PG-13, a little cussin’
Genre: Suspense, Angst
Archive: Trip/Archer
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Paramount and will not be sold.
Summary: A beginning

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Chapter 4

Kirk was waiting for Trip when he got back to Engineering. “How did things go? Have they learned any more?”

Trip was a little annoyed at the questions, but he told Kirk about his crewmen. Ty wasn’t surprised; however, when Trip mentioned the shadowing possibility, he readily agreed. Said he had seen that before.

“Hugo would know all about that. He showed me how to do it once when we were trying to lose some marauders.”

“How’d you work it?” Trip wanted to know.

“First you set down a heavy ion signal by opening the valve slightly. Then when you get far enough ahead, you lighten up, then close the valve completely, cut the engines and drift. There’s enough momentum to carry the residue forward, even though the ship has moved away. The manifold valve is only closed about fifteen seconds, so there’s no damage to the core.”

“Then doublin’ back we could probably find where the ion trail got heavy and go from there.” Trip hit the comm button. “Cap’n, Kirk says Hugo would know all about shadowing. We need to double back.”

“Already done, Trip. Let me talk to Kirk.”

“Kirk here, Capt’n. By making a wide circle to the point of the rise in ion residue, you
probably could pick up the shuttle’s trail. Sometimes it’s hard to find, though.

“Thanks for your input, Ty. We need that shuttle,” Archer said as he closed the connection.

As they resumed course, Kirk told Trip he would do a systems check and immediately went about it.

“What the . .! I thought I said not to touch anythin’.” Trip’s frustration was mounting. “Damn!” As he watched Kirk, he couldn’t help but see how careful the older man was.
He was following Trip’s routine to a “T”; even though Trip hadn’t planned to do this check until day after tomorrow. Now the schedule was all off.

Counting to ten, all Tucker said was “You did a good job, Ty. Next time check with me, though. We gotta keep on schedule”

Later that evening T’Pol was meditating in her quarters when the door buzzer sounded. She was expecting Commander Tucker for his neuropressure session; so she said “Come in.”

A very harried and disheveled-looking Trip entered.

“You won’t believe what kind of a day I’ve had! This man is driving me crazy. He can’t keep his hands off the machinery!”

“Commander, please take a seat and we’ll begin.”

“Do you know that he set up a systems’ check without even asking?”

“Commander, please remove your shirt”

Trip got one arm out of it and then continued. “He’s really a nice old guy, but . . .”

“Trip, your shirt!”

“Yesterday, he was trying to pull up come schematics and he locked up the computer. Imagine!”

T’Pol was now pulling his shirt, trying to get it over his head. “You’re going to have to focus on the exercise at hand.”

Trip looked at her questioningly. “Huh? Have you heard anything I’ve said? I have a real problem in Engineering. I’m so frustrated and the Capt’n says ‘work it out.’”

“Focus, Trip. Focus.” She took a step toward him and brushed her lips against his. “You’ve got to concentrate.”

Those expressive eyebrows went up and those subtle lips parted slightly. “I’m focused, I’m concentrating! Did you do what I just thought you did?”

“I did get your attention, didn’t I?”

“Undivided,” he grinned.

“Now lie down on the mat so we can continue. It will relieve the tension you are feeling.”

“I know what else would help, too.”

Trying to ignore him, T’Pol placed her hands on his waist and said “Breathe . . . again, again. You’re not relaxing. Try again. Have you reached a solution to your problem?”

Trip was totally distracted now. “What problem?”

“Mr. Kirk, in Engineering. Trip breathe slowly. Use the techniques I taught you. We have a long way to go.” All the response she got from him was a kind of groan.

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On the Bridge, Malcolm was keeping a close eye on his monitor. “Captain, how close do you want us to get to their ship? They’ve assumed orbit around that small planet, Rigel IV. How are we going to surprise them?” He was ready to load the forward cannons.

“Last night I had a long conversation with Ty,” Archer informed him. “He thinks the big ship belongs to the Orion smugglers. They have a full crew and according to him they are a nasty bunch, they take no prisoners. Their ship is small enough, though, that they can outmaneuver us and they have a whole bag of tricks. Let’s stay just out of their sensor range until we come up with a plan. Any suggestions? I’d like to get that shuttlepod back if we can.”

“Cap’n, how ‘bout Malcolm and I checking out the local watering holes?” suggested Tucker. “Maybe we can pick up something. Find out if the shuttlepod is docked there.” Trip was ready to focus on something else. “Will you keep an eye on Engineering for me?”

“All right, Trip, give Mr. Kirk something to keep him busy. We’ll move in closer. Get in and get out. Don’t tangle with the Rigelians. There’ll be plenty of time for that.”

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Trip selected a patch of even terrain located just outside a fairly large settlement to beam into. He and Malcolm changed to some old and worn clothes, so they wouldn’t attract any more attention than necessary. When they materialized on the surface, Malcolm commented, “Why do I have to have holes in my shoes?”

“The same reason that I have holes in my jacket and a rope for a belt,” Trip let him know.
“We’ve got to look like we’re workers.”

“I already look like a worker in this outfit, without the holes in my shoes. I can feel every pebble.” mumbled Malcolm.

“C’mon, we gotta get movin’. We’re about a half mile from the town and there’s not too much cover. See if you can spot Hugo, first. We don’t want him recognizing us and taking off before we get some information.”

“I’ll probably be limping by then; so I will attract all kinds of attention!” Malcolm continued mumbling.

“Look, Mal, I’ll change shoes with you if it will make you happy. I think your feet are bigger than mine; so they’ll be nice and cozy in my shoes.” Trip couldn’t resist.

“Oh, forget it. Just keep walking or we’ll be too late.” Malcolm snapped back.

Trip cuffed him on the arm saying “That’s the spirit. Let’s go get ‘em.” Both men shared a grimace and moved out.

As they entered the local bar, no one appeared to notice. They took a table near the door and looked for Hugo. No sign of him or any of the Rigelians. “Maybe this isn’t their hangout.”

“Or maybe they just left.” Malcolm added as he scoured the room, noticing several people exiting through a door at the very back of the bar. “What do you suppose is back there, Trip?”

“Why don’t we just saunter over and have a look, Mal.”

As they reached the door, it opened and two Rigelians ambled out, one ahead of the other. As the first one passed, he turned back and slammed his fist into Malcolm’s middle doubling him over while the one behind him caught Trip in the ribs and with a right to the jaw, knocked him out cold. Malcolm came up fighting but he was no match for the two aliens.

“Take ‘em back to Nilien,” the second alien told the bartender. “ He’ll find out who they are and where they came from.” To his comrade he said, “Come on, we’ve got to get Hugo’s ship ready.”

“Have they heard from Jim yet?” the taller alien wanted to know. No response.
“Found two strangers casin’ the bar, Boss. Can’t be up to any good. Looked like they were getting’ ready to head back here.”

“Any ID on them,” Klor? They look like guys from the mine. Rough ‘em up some and throw ‘em out! We’ve got work to do. We leave orbit at 1400 hours. Our contact tells us there’s ‘good pickins’ approaching our lair. Seems a really big starship is headed this way. Lots and lots of spare parts!” Nillin gave a hearty laugh and a thumbs up.

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TBC

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One person has made comments

Whoa... really nice! I can't wait to see more of this!