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"Strike Three"
Rating: PG Stalemate (1) Trip let out a long sigh, staring at the lights above him. He pursed his lips together and began humming. Trip let his eyes droop shut and was almost asleep when the door opened. He looked up at Archer and despite a serious attempt not to smile, he did. Archer didn’t look amused, even when he held out a communicator to Trip. “You two talk,” Archer ordered, “Apologize, forgive, I don’t care, but you’re stopping these stupid pranks now, Trip. I don’t want you or Sherie pulling another prank.” “Yeah, but—” “Do I look like I’m joking?” Archer asked. Trip’s smile melted away. “No.” Archer waved the communicator at Trip. Trip took it from him. “If we figure this out are you gonna let us out of the brig early?” Trip asked. Archer had turned to leave. He looked back down at Trip. “You think hell’s going to freeze over before end of next week?” Archer asked Trip. “No…sir.” “Then what do you think the answer to that question is, Trip?” “No.” Archer stepped out of the cell and shut the door. Trip looked at the communicator in his hand. It beeped and he flicked it open. “Yeah?” Trip asked. “I think we’re in a lot of trouble, sir,” Sherie said. “What ever gave you that idea, Sherie?” “I began to suspect we were in trouble when we were both thrown in the brig for two weeks.” “The water balloons were meant for you. I guess I goofed.” “Yeah.” Sherie let out a long sigh. “Sir—” “Just call me Trip, Sherie.” “Trip, for what it’s worth, this has been fun.” Trip chuckled. “Right down to the red and green showers.” “Perfect for Christmas, but I wouldn’t recommend it on a full time basis.” Trip laughed. “Nor would I. Can I just say, that I was very impressed by your hacking abilities. They are very impressive, Sherie.” “You think so?” “Yes. You have some amazing skills.” “I’ve been impressed with how well you’ve kept up, Trip. I haven’t met anyone that could keep up with me until now.” “I have to say, this has certainly kept me on top of things. I never knew what to expect next.” “Maybe we should get even.” “Get even? I thought we already were.” “I don’t mean to each other. I mean, after all, we didn’t mean to get the Captain and the senators.” “Don’t you mean I?” “It was meant for me. I’ll take half the blame.” “That’s kind of you, Sherie. You know, he’s probably monitoring this conversation, don’t you?” “We can still plot and then change our minds when we get out.” “Who said either of you is getting out until we get back to Earth?” Archer asked them. Trip smiled at the communicator. “Trip, you’re good,” Sherie said. “It was a fifty, fifty chance.” “True. But only a close friend such as yourself would be able to accurately predict our captain’s behavior.” Trip eyes narrowed. He suspected Sherie was up to something. “Thanks,” Trip said. “He is an amazing captain,” Sherie added. “He is an awesome captain,” Trip agreed. “Who else could have gotten us out of all these tight spots over the years with hardly a scrape except for our astounding leader. I am aspiring to be just like him some day.” Trip grinned. Sherie was trying to get them out by buttering up Archer. He decided to play along, even though he knew Archer wasn’t about to change his mind on this. He rarely ever yelled like he had that morning, with the volume continuing to rise until he ordered them to the brig for two weeks. Trip almost laughed remembering how he and Sherie didn’t hesitate to let the security guards lead them out just to get away from Archer. “Did I ever tell you about the time he saved a Bolian from uncertain death?” Trip asked her. “No. Do tell. I enjoy hearing stories of our captain’s heroic and selfless deeds.” “He was amazing. No one else could have made that—” “This isn’t getting either one of you out any earlier,” Archer informed them. “We understand, sir,” Sherie said. “You must do what you must do. After all, the ship is only as good as it’s captain and this the best ship in the galaxy, so we must have the best captain in the galaxy.” “After all, you have to prevent such things from happening in the future,” Trip added. “So we understand that you’ve locked us in these cold, lonely cells with tasteless rations and no human contact for a reason.” “And we accept that we are scum because we have committed such terrible acts of insubordination. We accept our punishment as a sign of your strong and insightful leadership.” # Archer stared at the companel on the arm of the Captain’s chair. He was smiling and nodding his head slightly. Travis, Malcolm and Hoshi snuck glances at him. Archer was still drying from the bombardment of water balloons that had soaked him and the senators when they entered the loading bay. According to Trip and the schedule, Sherie was assigned to work in there alone that day. That was before meeting the alien race and Archer guiding them on a tour of the ship, leading them right into the booby trap set for Sherie. The alien senators left mad, but not as mad as Archer was. None of his crew had ever seen his face so flushed with rage. And in all the years the bridge crew had worked with him, they had never been able to hear Archer yell at anyone through his ready room door like they had that morning. And Archer had stayed that way until he and T’Pol had a late lunch together. Since then he had calmed down considerably, but was still unrelenting about leaving Trip and Sherie in the brig for two weeks. “Boy. They sound really sorry, sir,” Hoshi said. “Don’t you think Travis?” “Very sorry. I mean, listen to that. I think Sherie’s even saying penance now.” Travis nodded. “They are two very sorry individuals, Captain. I think you were wise to throw them in the brig for two weeks. They deserved it.” “Yes, we did,” Trip commented. “And they don’t come any sorrier than us.” “I never should have given them communicators,” Archer muttered to himself as he sat back. “So, tell me again, just what kind of scum are you two?” “Oh we’re not even pond scum, sir,” Sherie said. “We’re like the…the…” “The bacteria that feeds off the fungus that makes the pond scum,” Trip finished for her. “We are that low.” “If there was a life form in this universe that every alien race hated and despised, we would be that life form, sir.” Archer stretched. “Ahhh, well. It’s been a long day and I’m bushed. So, uh, we’ll pick up this conversation tomorrow morning and you two can tell me again just how low you really are. But for now, I’m going to go enjoy a nice, juicy steak and a potato with the works. You two enjoy your cold, tasteless rations. Good-night.” Archer turned off the companel. He laced his fingers together and put his hands behind his head. “You were saying, Travis?” Travis smiled, turning back around. “That you are a wise and perceptive captain to be able to tell they were lying through their teeth.” Archer laughed. “They’re never going to be sorry about this whole thing. Course, off the record, they did keep things lively around here, didn’t they?” Travis smiled. “Oh yeah!” The bridge crew laughed. |
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