"Nuggets" by A. Rhea King Rating: PG Disclaimer: Don't own the, CBS/Paramount does. Summary: Long ago, on a planet somewhere else, Trip adopted a pet chicken and named her Nuggets. The fowl has caused ship wide havoc, befriended Porthos, and saved the ship from certain doom ... And in the end, she gets the last word. AUTHOR'S NOTE: These are the Nugget stories missing from the Tweens Chapter 8 : Fare Thee Well Trip crawled under the warp drive and laid down on his back. He pulled tools from pockets and started working. His mind wandered as he hummed a song he’d been listening to before he had breakfast. “Trip,” he heard Archer call. “Under here,” Trip answered. The person didn’t speak for a moment. “What’cha need?” Trip asked. “Trip, I have to talk to you. I need you to come out here.” Trip lowered his hands. He recognized the voice as Archer’s now and he’d heard that tone before, but he couldn’t quite place it. It wasn’t anger – he knew that tone all too well. “Just a sec. I have to put this cover back on.” “No. Leave it. I’m sending Billy in to finish it. He says he knows what you’re doing.” “Cap’n, I--” “Trip, it’s about Nuggets.” Trip hurried out from under the engine. He stood up, seeing Archer standing a few feet away. Archer’s skin was splotchy and his eyes were puffed up. He had come back to Enterprise a week earlier and barely conscious with an illness that left Archer in a fevered delirium for nearly a week. He had been released to restricted duty yesterday, but Trip thought he should have been in Sickbay for a couple more days. He still looked weak and was bracing himself against the engine. Trip walked up to him. “What did Nuggets do now? She didn’t get out of her cage again, did she?” “No. She caught the virus.” “What virus?” “The one I brought back.” Trip smiled, thinking this was a joke. Archer didn’t return and Trip’s faded. “But... She’s a chicken. You’re human. How’d she catch your virus?” Archer looked down. “Phlox said I carried two strains back and he thought they were only harmful to humans. But he was wrong and it spread to several of his animals, mostly the fowl.” Archer looked up at Trip. His eyes were watery from the virus, so Trip didn’t realize he was actually crying when a several tears ran down his face. Archer looked up at Trip. “I’m so sorry. If I’d known... If we’d known, Trip--“ Trip spun, running out of Engineering. Archer turned, leaning against the hull. He suddenly noticed several crewmen watching him and walked out of Engineering. # The temple doors opened allowing sunlight to invade the darkness and sanctity of the interior. But none of the Vulcan’s looked back at the Vulcan entering. The priest giving the sermon stopped and so did the newcomer. He bowed his head and with the others, recited the expected prayer. Nearly two hundred Vulcans were kneeling on pillows in the temple, their bodies at rigid attention. The Vulcan started walking along the side of the room, looking over the sea of faces. He spotted the one he was looking for and made his way through the Vulcans. T’Pol followed the sermon in her prayer book. She heard a movement and looked up. She saw the Vulcan walking toward her. The Vulcan leaned over her, whispering. The two stood and exited the room together. Ambassador Saval was waiting outside with two attendants. He wore traditional robes and as usual, looked very upset with her. “Did you not tell Captain Archer you were going to be participating in the cha’vahk?” “Yes. He was aware of this.” “Then why is he sending you messages?” As if by magic, a PADD he’d had tucked in his sleeve appeared in Saval’s hand. He thrust it at T’Pol. She took it and read the message. For a split second her emotionless mask nearly slipped off. She handed the PADD back to Saval and started down the stairs. “T’Pol.” She stopped and turned. “I must go. A member of the crew is dying, someone I am very close to.” “Captain Archer?” T’Pol’s eyes narrowed. “Why would you ask me that, Ambassador?” “Rumors have spread you are having an intimate relationship with him.” “The rumors are unsupported and it is not he who is ill.” T’Pol turned to hurry off. “Who is it then? Who is crewman Nuggets? That doesn’t even sound like a human name.” She turned back. “She is a guest that has been with us for a little over nine months. Her kind can easily contract diseases from humans and the virus Captain Archer contracted on Gajux has infected her. Doctor Phlox is unable to cure her of it and she is dying. Excuse me.” T’Pol turned, hurrying down the stairs. “Then she’s not human?” T’Pol didn’t turn back or answer. # Trip heard the doors of Sickbay open and Phlox talk quietly with whoever entered. There had been others come and speak quietly with Phlox today. They all left just as quietly, as if loud noises would disturb someone. Trip looked around when a hand lay softly on his arm. T’Pol watched his eyes and he saw concern and sorrow in hers, even though her face reflected none of it. She looked down at Nuggets. “She is in pain,” T’Pol said. “Yeah. But we had to wait for you.” “She said this, did she?” Trip smiled, looking down at Nuggets. “In her own way.” T’Pol tenderly lifted the bird into her arms. She pressed her cheek against the bird’s neck, hugging her tight, but gentle. “She has been a good pet.” Trip reached out, petting Nuggets’ head when her eyes drifted open. “Yeah.” “I will miss her too.” T’Pol looked up at Trip. He nodded. “Now we must let her go, Trip,” T’Pol said in a low, almost commanding, tone. “Now we can. Now that you’re here.” T’Pol gently placed Nuggets’ back on the bed. She looked back at Phlox and nodded once. T’Pol moved close to Trip, both of them petting the bird. Phlox walked up with a hypospray in hand, reaching to inject her. “This isn’t going to hurt her, is it?” Trip asked. “No. She will fall asleep and her heart will stop.” Phlox injected the bird and moved back. The chicken inhaled and exhaled her last breath. Trip’s jaw tensed. He turned and left Sickbay. T’Pol dropped her hand from Nuggets. “Dispose of her as he requested, Doctor.” “I will.” T’Pol turned and followed him. # Space with its thousands of diamonds enveloped Enterprise. Through a torpedo tube, a small metal box was jettisoned. Enterprise turned and jumped to warp. The small box floated away, the top turning toward the light of a distant sun. Inscribed on the box was the epitaph: Nuggets. Beloved pet and ship mascot. Back to Chapter 7 This series continues in Hado Venceres Tradición The next Tweens story is By Your Side

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