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"All Things Aside"
Rating: PG When Did That Happen? (1) Trip looked up, watching Ryce and Ensign Benton walk into the mess hall together. Ryce had his arm wrapped around her waist and she was laughing about whatever he was whispering to her. “She’s going out with him?” Trip muttered. Malcolm was sitting across from him, and turned to watch the couple get their lunch and sit down. He looked back at Trip. “Yes. They’ve been dating for several weeks, Trip.” Trip looked down at his food, stabbing it with his fork in conjunction with a frustrated grimace. “What’s wrong?” Malcolm asked, watching Trip’s face grow darker. “Gotta go,” Trip said. He stood and picked up his half finished lunch. “Trip?” Trip looked at Malcolm. He was watching Trip with open concern. “You’re not…you know…” Malcolm hesitated Trip leaned down, asking, “Not what?” “Jealous of Ryce, are you?” Trip smiled, shaking his head, “Naw. Something just occurred to me, that’s all. See you around.” Trip walked off, not giving Malcolm the chance to question his answer. # Trip was leaning against the wall, tracing a circle on the leg of his pants when Archer cleared the catwalk edge so he could see him. “Trip,” Archer started as he stepped onto the catwalk and walked toward him, “I hope there’s a good reason you wanted me to climb all the way up here to meet you.” Archer sat down, leaning back against the catwalk railing with his legs stretched out in front of him. Trip looked down through the catwalk grating. They were sitting on the top most catwalk of cargo bay five and below the bay was filled with fresh. Trip’s brow furrowed when he thought back to when he and the Jit had retrieved the load. “I’m guessing from the lack of comeback this is a serious talk,” Archer said. “Today at lunch Ryce and Lisa came in and he had his arm around her.” “They’ve been dating for a while. So?” Trip looked at Archer. “When did we stop seeing ‘em as kids and start seeing ‘em as adults?” “Who?” “The Jit.” Archer smiled. “I don’t know. When?” “I’m serious, Jon! I mean…I don’t even remember when it happened.” Trip looked back down at the cargo below. “Do you?” Archer’s smiled faded with the realization Trip was asking him the question for an answer, not baiting the question for a joke. “I don’t know, Trip.” Archer looked down, shrugging his eyebrows. “It just…happened. Feels like it was overnight now that I think about it.” Archer looked back at Trip. “Why?” Trip heaved a heavy sigh, shrugging. “Why’s it bothering you?” “I dunno. It just is. Kinda like, uhm…seeing your best friend dating your sister in public and without you. Ya knew they were dating, even seen ‘em at home, in private, but for some reason this one particular night it looks different. Weird analogy, ain’t it?” Archer smiled. “No. I get it.” Trip looked at Archer. “Made me wonder what’s going on with the Jit back home.” “What do you mean?” “Do they know that they aren’t kids?” “I dunno. Why?” “I was thinking all day today about that.” Trip hugged his knees. “If they don’t know that they ain’t kids, them Jit are probably miserable. Getting crammed in schools or working for squat. Have you ever asked?” “No. Never came to mind.” “You should ask. Just to clear it up if it hasn’t been and all.” Archer nodded. “Next time I talk to Admiral Garner, I’ll do that. Was that all?” Trip nodded. “Yeah, ‘cept I didn’t ask you to meet me here, Jon.” Archer’s brow furrowed. “Yes you did.” “No. I said I was going to be here sorting some stuff out after my shift and if you needed me for anything I’d have a communicator on me.” Archer opened his mouth to argue and then smiled. “The message did say that. I got it in my head you wanted to talk.” Trip smiled. “Maybe you were supposed to hear it wrong. I did need to talk.” Archer laughed. “Sometimes, Trip, you get weird. Just…weird. Know that?” Trip shrugged. “Yeah. You remind me at least every few months; kinda hard to forget.” Archer nodded. “Are you sure that’s all?” Trip looked up at him. “Yeah. I’m just thinking about that. It was weird even for me.” Archer smiled. “I’m heading to supper. Care to join me?” Trip squinted, smiling. He reached in a shoulder bag sitting on the catwalk beside him and produced a wrapped sandwich. “Roast beef and mayo for me.” Trip dug out another sandwich, “And your infamous lettuce, onion and mayo.” Archer laughed. “And you didn’t know I was coming?” “Subconscious will power, I guess.” Archer sat back down, accepting the lettuce, onion and mayo sandwich. He unwrapped a corner and bit off a corner. Trip handed him a thermos of iced tea and a bag of cut carrots and then sat back to start eating his supper. “I think I know when I stopped thinking of them as kids.” “When was that?” “When I watched Brila and Likos dance the night of their wedding anniversary and it dawned on me then that their bodies may look like children, but their souls are years older and who they are is much older.” “Huh.” Trip smiled. “Last time I remembered thinking they were kids was right before Sista took them and the Diedra and made a run to save Enterprise. I wasn’t helping kids then. I was helping crewmen and we were doing it to save them, the Diedra and Enterprise. After that, I can’t recall thinking of them as kids until today. Except for Navta and Eartik, that is.” Archer laughed, swallowing his bite before commenting. “Let’s not talk about Navta.” Trip laughed. “Uh-oh. What she do and how long is she grounded for this time?” Archer laughed, retelling the latest test of patience Navta had issued on him. |
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