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"Storm Within" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG CHAPTER 3 T’Pol stood when the lift door opened, turning to face Archer. “Why is Commander Tucker remaining?” she demanded. “He chose to.” Archer sat down in his chair. “Travis, put us back on course.” “We’re leaving him?” Hoshi asked. “Sir--” “ENSIGN!” Archer snapped. The bridge was silent, the crew staring wide-eyed at Archer. “Travis, you have your orders.” Travis glanced at Hoshi. He leaned over the controls and turned Enterprise around. T’Pol looked up at the view screen, watching the planet slide from view. When it was gone she left the bridge. # Trip walked into the bunker, setting a shovel by the door. He walked over to a table where a Dawue was passing out plates of food. Trip took one, smiling at her. “Thank you,” she said. “For what?” “Staying and helping. Thank you.” Trip nodded. “Your welcome.” He walked over to a bunk and sat down, wolfing down the food. He sat his plate and fork aside and laid down. For a few minutes he stared at the wall. It was his second day on the planet and today the reality that Archer really abandoned him was sinking in. Trip didn’t have time to think on it or feel sorry for himself. He fell asleep shortly after thinking, ‘I guess the Archer I know died when the weapon exploded.’ # Archer ate alone in the Captain’s mess, trying not to look at the opposite end of the table. He glanced at the door when it opened, watching T’Pol walk in. She sat down quietly across from him, setting a PADD on the table. “You’re late.” T’Pol sighed, looking at the PADD. She looked up when a crewman walked in with a bowl of vegetables. “Thank you, Ensign, but you can take it back. I won’t be long.” He stopped, staring at her. Archer looked up. “Leave us, Ensign,” T’Pol ordered The man quickly obeyed. T’Pol and Archer stared at each other for a long, silent moment. “Has something happened?” Archer finally asked. “Yes. It has.” T’Pol stood and walked around to Archer’s side. She handed him the PADD. “What’s this?” “My resignation. When we dock with the Persarian station tomorrow I will be departing.” Archer took the PADD, staring at it. “Why?” “Trip did the right thing to want to help aliens in need and three years ago, you would have been on that planet alongside him, helping him. I do not feel that I can continue working under a stranger that disregards the position he’s earned like you are. Good night, sir.” T’Pol turned, tapping the door control. “He chose to stay and resign, T’Pol. I didn’t ask him to.” T’Pol stopped in the door. She turned and Archer was surprised to see an emotion in her look: pity. “The Archer I used to know would know why that remark is so inaccurate.” And then she walked away. Archer stared at his plate, his appetite gone. # Trip jogged into a room full of computers. “Someone needed to see me?” he asked the Dawue by the door “Over here,” Garuc said, waving Trip over. Trip trotted over to him, watching him bring up a satellite image. He pointed at the hurricane. “That looks huge. Must be good cameras up there.” Garuc looked up at Trip. “It’s the same camera, Trip. It’s grown that much since you last saw it. And this.” He pointed at the eye. “If it’s widening is that bad?” Trip didn’t hear the question. His mouth had gone dry with the first comment. “They aren’t supposed to grow that much, that fast,” Trip gasped. “Your science officer said herself that this isn’t Earth. We don’t know what they will do here. And with the atmosphere machines turned off, this may be the environment this planet has always had.” “You’re right, she’s right. I just--” Trip looked at Garuc. “When did she say that?” “Right before you came in.” “Right be-- Were you contacted by Enterprise?” “No, Trip,” T’Pol said behind him. Trip turned, staring at T’Pol. “Is Enterprise back?” he asked. “No. Whatever matter caused you and Captain Archer to stop speaking his kept him quite angry with you. I came to help you.” Trip smiled, hugging her. She leaned against him, hugging him tight. There was a light tremble in her touch. He looked into her eyes. “We’ll be alright, T’Pol. Just a little wind and rain.” “Do not jest about this, Trip.” Trip laid his hand on her cheek. “Okay. I won’t. Why don’t you stay here in the command center? They could really use your help keeping on top of all the readings.” She nodded. Trip kissed her forehead. “It’s just a little wind and rain, honey. And we’ll survive it.” “I believe you.” Trip turned, hurrying out of the building. T’Pol walked over to Garuc and sat down in the chair beside him. “Do you have a barometric reading?” “It’s dropped another twenty points.” T’Pol drew a breath. Trip’s confidence was all she had to go on right now. # Archer stared at the ceiling, his mind blank but anything but calm. His head rolled to the side and he stared at the PADDs that were stacked on his desk. They were all resignations effective at the next available planet or space station. Archer sat up on the edge of his bed, closing his eyes for a moment. All he kept seeing was the last conversation with Trip. He had been completely disrespectful, something he never would have done three years ago. Three years ago. That’s when everything changed, didn’t it? And now they were all different. Trip had kept saying that to him, dropping hints about it, but he hadn’t listened. And now, sitting on his desk, were forty-three more resignations, over half his crew. Archer stood and walked over to his desk. He picked up Hoshi’s PADD, tapping the controls at the bottom. It lit up and he stared at the letter: Attention Captain J. Archer: I am submitting this conditional request of resignation from Starfleet and as an officer on Enterprise. Your recent decision to strand Commander Tucker on a planet with a potentially killer hurricane headed inland has made me question if I care to further serve under you and if I can trust your decisions as a captain and a fellow human being. In the event you decide to return to assist Commander Tucker, I would like to remain in Starfleet and under your commander. Commander Tucker did the right thing by staying to help those left behind. So should we. Ensign Hoshi Sato They all read much the same. The person he was now was clearly not a person any of his crew was willing to serve under. The harshness of the reality was cold in his chest. Archer reached out and tapped the com panel on his desk. “Archer to Travis.” “Go ahead, sir.” Travis sounded angry. He had since Archer had made him leave Trip. “Come about and take ups back to Dawue at warp five.” “Aye, aye, sir!” Travis happily replied. Archer smiled, but the smile went deep. Somewhere in his mind a door unlocked, and something old peeked into the hall. # T’Pol woke when a hand gently shook her shoulder. She opened her eyes, looking up into a face shaded by a raincoat hood. And then her eyes drifted to the Enterprise patch on the shoulder. She sat up and the person’s head turned toward the light. T’Pol stared at Archer. “Where’s Trip?” he asked. “He won’t go back with you,” T’Pol said. “The hurricane is two days away and they haven’t gotten everyone into shelters yet.” “I didn’t come to ask him to leave. I brought crew to help them. Where is he?” “To check on the sandbags along a river. There is a convalescent home that they can’t move people out, but he believes it’s structurally secure enough if they can keep the river from flooding.” “It’s been raining a while, hasn’t it?” “Yes. And the winds are increasing. Why have you returned, Captain?” Archer smiled. “I thought it was Jonathan?” “Why?” Archer stood. “Because my best friend and crew shoved a mirror in front of my face, and the person in it is not a nice person.” T’Pol held out her hand. Archer took it and she gently squeezed his. “Keep him safe, please. And even if you have to stun him, bring him back before landfall.” “I promise.” T’Pol laid down on her side, staring at the empty cot beside her. |
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