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"Arms Wide Open" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG CHAPTER 1 Archer walked into the living quarters of their temporary apartment, watching Trip stand. From the grin Trip was wearing, Archer knew he was about to be hit with something. “What do you want Trip?” Archer asked, sinking into a comfortable, overstuffed chair. Trip sat down across from him, leaning forward. “I went off with Kale today to look over some of the stuff at their power plant. Well, he told me about this lake up in the mountains that is the best fishing spot around.” Trip’s grin widened as he continued to speak. “He said there was a spot about a quarter mile from it that was perfect to land a shuttle pod and we got all the work done at the plant today. It wasn’t really all that much. Some converters needed cleaned and coils re-polarized. He didn’t realize you could clean ‘em. And you said we’d be here for a week while you and the president talked about things, right?” Trip didn’t wait for an answer. “So I was wondering if I could take the shuttle pod up there, maybe tomorrow, and spend a couple of days fishing.” Archer was laughing before Trip finished, enjoying his friend’s child-like excitement after spending a day in a room full of men and raised voices. “Can I go too?” Archer asked. Trip shrugged. “I don’t know. Can you?” “No. I heard someone say this is the harvest season though and I’d assume that means it’s fall. It’s gotta be cold up there at night.” “We have thermal sleeping bags in the shuttle. Good to sixty below.” Archer laughed again. “You have to ask Hoshi if she wants to go. I think she’s bored. They only have three languages here and she’s already learned all of them. And ask Sista too. She looked bored too.” “I’ll ask. Ya still gonna let me go if they say no?” “Yes. Only for two days and then come back. Report in at night in case things change.” Trip grinned. “Yes, dad.” Archer laughed and sighed. “I wish I could go. Have you eaten?” “No. Kale invited us for supper. I told him I’d bring you when you got back.” “Let’s go,” Archer got back on his feet. “Course...” Trip trailed off, waiting for Archer to look back at him, “Taking two women on a fishing trip sorta gives me the impression you hate me,” Trip laughed, standing up. “And one pregnant. You must really hate me.” “I’m getting even for being left behind,” Archer joked as he led the way out of the room # “I’ll carry that,” Hoshi said, reaching for Sista’s bag. “I can carry. Pregnant. Not broken,” Sista said, pulling the bag away. Hoshi smiled, walking past Sista into the shuttle pod. Sista followed her and put her bag next to Hoshi’s. “Almost ready, ladies?” Trip asked, turning the pilot’s seat so he could see her. “Ready,” Hoshi answered. “Get the hatch, Hoshi.” “Hatch gotten,” Sista said, turning. She stopped, staring at Malcolm who was standing in the shuttle pod hatch. “No,” Malcolm said. Trip and Hoshi both turned. “What?” Sista asked. “I said no. You are not going,” Malcolm said. “I am going,” Sista said, motion back to her bag. “See bag? Packed. Going.” “No you’re not! I am your husband and I forbid you to go camping!” Sista’s eyes narrowed. Hoshi quickly sat down in the co-pilot’s seat and turned to face the window so Malcolm wouldn’t see her mouth ‘Shouldn’t have said that.’ Trip turned in his seat too, trying not to laugh. Both knew what was coming next. “I am going,” Sista tersely stated. “No you’re no--” “I not broken, Malcolm! I pregnant! Women across galaxy and in other galaxies get pregnant, have babies, all time! I no different! I spend time with friends away from ship and crew and you! Mostly you!” Malcolm’s lips pressed into a thin line for a moment. He stepped up to Sista. “Vardee, for once will you just listen to me. Please. Come back to Enterprise me. There will be other chances to go camping after the babies are born.” “I will have babies then. I want to go while babies still here.” Vardee pointed to her swollen stomach. “I go and you nishta stop me! Understood?” Malcolm made an angry sound, his hands coming up as if he wanted to strangle his wife. “Vardee...sometimes you can be so damn stubborn! Fine. Go!” Malcolm turned, walking off. “I love you!” Sista called sweetly after him. “Yeah, yeah!” Malcolm called back to her. Sista was grinning when Trip and Hoshi turned around. She looked sidelong at Trip. “Take note, Trip? Wife always right,” Sista slapped her hand against the door control and eased herself into the other seat. “I’m never marrying after watching you two.” The three laughed. “We ready,” Sista said. “Now, you’re sure you wanna go?” Trip looked back at Sista. “Go. Please. Before Malcolm get K’pan to change mind.” Trip chuckled. He turned and launched the shuttle. # Trip woke slowly for the first time in a few years and opened his eyes to find it pitch black. He touched his eyes to make sure they were open. Trip lay still in his sleeping bag, listening to the silence and letting his thoughts entertain him for the time. Somewhere in the distance a bird started chirping and like a wave the forest slowly came alive with morning birds singing. Trip lifted his hand up and could make out a dim outline. With a content sigh he crawled out of his sleeping bag and dressed in the dark. Trip walked down to the lake and splashed water on his face. The coldness of it sent a shiver down his spine. Trip looked up at the fading stars above him, wondering where in that blackness Enterprise was hanging. Trip sat down, resting his arms on his knees and listening to the woods around him. He looked up at the sky that was getting brighter by the minute, chasing away a sky of unfamiliar constellations. “Good morning,” a voice said from the darkness and then Sista emerged from it. She slowly eased herself down beside him, putting her hands on her belly. “Everything all right?” Trip asked. “Mm. Yes. Children stretching. Not used to mum sleeping on hard ground,” Sista quietly laughed. Trip smiled, looking up at the sky again. It was brighter now and a deep crimson red trimmed with orange to gold to black. Trip quietly chuckled. “What?” Sista asked. “I’m just remembering a saying of my grandpa’s.” “What he say?” “Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky at morn’, sailors take warn.” “What that mean?” Trip looked down at the lake. “It means that if the sky is red at night then it’s just a pretty sunset. If there’s a red sunrise in the morning, then that means there’s going to be bad weather.” “Old way to predict weather?” Trip smiled. “On Earth. And even then it wasn’t always right.” Sista was smiling when Trip looked at her. “Want breakfast?” “You cooking?” “No. You cooking. Don’t fix eggs,” Sista patted her stomach. “They may decide to keep me in tent all morning if you do.” “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” “Yes. Just little sick. Doctor Phlox say not to worry about other times I sick. You know what silly thing Doctor Phlox once tell me?” “Hm?” “He say I should talk to you about having baby. Say you may be able to tell me about it. He’s funny sometimes. What would you know?” Trip was glad it wasn’t very light yet when he felt his cheeks grow warm. “Because I’ve been pregnant twice,” Trip muttered. Sista stared at him. “You man.” “It was an alien pregnancy.” “But...you man.” “They were aliens.” Sista laughed. Trip looked away, feeling his face get hotter. “I sorry. That mean,” Sista said suddenly. Trip looked at her, seeing she was quickly pushing her humor away in response to the embarrassment he was feeling. “It is funny...to everyone else it’s funny.” “We no talk about.” “It’s okay. I think of anyone on the ship you’re the only one that can understand what I went through. It was embarrassing. But, I guess I know some of what you’re going through. With the first one did I get awful morning sickness. I thought I was going to die a couple times. I was glad to get it out.” “You deliver it?” “No. Both times the babies were removed surgically.” “Ohhh. Hm. Well, then you be sympathetic and I no talk about again, yes?” “Yeah.” “Hoshi and you going for hike today?” “Yeah. And you’re not coming.” “If I hadn’t planned on staying I would be mad at you,” Sista teased. Trip smiled. “You can’t be mad at me.” “I can.” “No. I’m not married to you. You can’t be mad at me.” Sista smacked his shoulder. “I no like you. You sit by lake and stay hungry,” Sista struggled to her feet. She put one hand on her back and the other on her stomach. “I thought I was cooking breakfast,” Trip said, looking at Sista with a serious expression. “Fine. I go eat rations in shuttle. No want eat with mean person like you.” Trip laughed. “Just for that I’m cooking eggs.” “I really go eat in shuttle pod then.” Trip jumped to his feet, leaning toward her. “Scrambled. With cheese and onions and mushrooms.” Sista gasped. “That mean! You know I like egg that way.” “Yeah. But you just said you can’t eat eggs.” “I can eat egg.” Trip laughed, throwing up his hands. “Make up my mind for me, Sista!” Sista sidled up to him. “You no cook egg, I make coffee, we bet how long Hoshi stay sleep.” Trip smiled. “Deal.” Sista started walking toward camp. She turned when she noticed Trip wasn’t following. He was watching the sky again. Sista smiled, heading toward the camp again. # Sista stirred, hearing the communicator beep. She reached out and picked it up. “Yes?” Sista muttered into the closed communicator. Sista looked at it when she didn’t get a response. She opened it and repeated her greeting. “I am attempting to reach Commander Tucker,” T’Pol said. “Do you know where he is?” “He and Hoshi on hike still. Left communicators with me.” “How long will they be away for?” “They back before dark.” “That will not be adequate.” Sista sat up. “What wrong?” “There is a storm approaching from a north-eastern direction. I have contacted a meteorologist on the surface and the storm is predicted to pass in a day, but it will be very strong when it hits the site you are camped at.” “I cannot contact them, T’Pol.” “There is a cabin at the north end of the lake. The owner has agreed to let you three take refuge in it until the storm has passed. Perhaps you should move the supplies into the cabin in case they return late.” “Okay. I have Trip contact you when he get back, yes?” “Yes. T’Pol out.” Sista sighed, looking around the tent. With a heavier sigh she got up and set out to find the cabin. |
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