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"Wallflowers" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG CHAPTER 6 Archer didn’t look away from space when the doorbell of his quarters rang. “Come in,” he said. The person entered. “You wanted to see me?” Trip said. “Yeah,” Archer said, “Have a seat.” Trip walked over to a chair and sat down, watching Archer. “I received word from Starfleet about these children this morning,” Archer said. He looked down at the windowsill. “I’d really hoped they’d tell me what I should do.” “They didn’t...did they, sir?” “Trip, I don’t usually ask you to do this, but I really need you to put the officer in the back for a bit. I need my best friend right now.” Trip smiled. “Okay, Jon. Since you asked for him, I’ll smack that officer around and keep him quiet, okay?” Archer chuckled, nodding. His smile waned. “I was told that since I’m the captain, I had to make the decision. Admiral Garner said that since neither he nor any one else from command is here, they can’t tell what my crew wants or how attached my crew has become to children. He said it wasn’t a very heated topic, most felt that since there are transporters in hostile space with children that they could accept that we had children on board. They’ll support any decision I make. That’s the extent of their decision making on this matter.” Trip nodded, waiting for Archer to continue. When it was clear Archer wasn’t going to he spoke up. “So what’s your decision, Jon?” Archer shook his head. “I don’t have one. “I thought you wanted them off the ship? Isn’t that what you’ve been ranting about since they were found on board?” “Yes and no. And now that I know Starfleet has no opinion either way, I really don’t have a decision, Trip. This...complicates everything. And the fact that it was brought up that they don’t know how attached my crew is to the children or what my crew wants, made me realize I’ve overlooked probably the largest part of this. My crew. I just assumed they...I just assumed.” “There’s a saying about assumption, Jon.” Trip said, half grinning. Archer smiled when he turned to face Trip. “Yeah. I know. I look like an ass right now I’m sure.” Archer sat down in his desk chair. “Trip, the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind that my crew may actually want these kids to stay on board. So help me out here, Trip.” “What do you want me to do?” “What has the crew been telling you Trip?” Archer threw up his arms in frustration. “The kids sort of fell into our lives and I...” Archer rubbed his hands along the desk. “All of it. Good, bad...I need to know what they’re saying, Trip.” Trip frowned. He moved to the chair beside the desk. “It’s not good, Jon.” “Tell me.” “There’s a few, probably five or six, that don’t want ’em here. The rest of the crew has darn near threatened mutiny if you dump those kids somewhere. They’ve made a lot of compensations for ‘em and I think some are feeling that parental thing.” “Parental thing?” “You know. They have kids back home and they feel like they need to take care of any kid they come across.” Archer chuckled. “The parental thing. So...most feel like we should keep them on board, huh?” “Yeah.” Archer looked back out at space. “I guess we’d better make room for them then.” “I’d say that would be a good choice, Jon.” “We’ll need space for a classroom. They have to go to school. I’m going to need to find someone to be a teacher. I need Hoshi on the bridge.” Trip smiled when Archer looked at him. “And Navta?” “What about her?” “When she’s better, you going to confine her to her quarters and school?” Archer smiled, shaking his head. “No. Just have to find a way to keep her off the bridge. I don’t think meeting alien races and having them see a child on the bridge would elicit much faith in us.” “Probably not.” Trip laughed. Archer stood. “Better go announce it to the ship.” “Yes, sir.” Trip stood up. The two walked to Archer’s quarter’s door. “Trip,” Archer said. Trip turned. “I know you wouldn’t be so willing to agree to any of this if one of them didn’t have you wrapped around their finger. Which one is it?” Trip smiled. “Sista. You really should take a look at her schematics.” “We’ll see.” The two men walked onto the bridge together. Archer walked to stand in front of his chair and Trip sat down behind the engineering console. “Hoshi...I have a ship wide announcement,” Archer said. Hoshi opened the ship COM and nodded once to Archer. “This is your captain speaking,” Archer said. “For the last two weeks we’ve had some guests aboard our ship, as you all know.” Hoshi looked down, hiding her disappointment in how she thought this message was going to end. “Several people have inquired about my plans on what I intend on doing for our guests. Well, for now they are going to remain aboard Enterprise. We will have to make room for them. They will go to school as our children do. I know that several of you have been sharing bunks with some of them and I’m going to leave it up to you and the children to decide if you would like to continue this arrangement. This is going to be a large adjustment for everyone on board, but we’ve already made a lot of adjustments. I believe we can make this one too. Archer out.” Archer stood for a few minutes, staring at the view monitor. “T’Pol, take the bridge.” “Yes, Captain.” T’Pol stood up and moved to the captain’s chair. Archer looked at Trip. “Bring the schematics to my quarters tomorrow morning. I expect them to be thorough and complete.” Trip smiled. “Aye, Cap’n.” # Archer stopped just inside the Sickbay doors. Doctor Phlox turned from what he was doing. “Have you come to visit?” he asked with a smile. “Yeah. How is she?” “She’s still not feeling quite right, but she’s getting better.” Archer smiled, walking around to Navta’s bed. Archer laid his hand on her arm, waking her. She looked up at him and smiled, saying, “K’pan sila disda.” “Have you learned their language yet, doc?” Archer asked. Doctor Phlox waked up, saying, “Yes. She said captain is my friend.” Archer smiled. “I can always use another friend,” Archer told Navta. He looked up at Doctor Phlox, “Would you mind translating a story for me? She’d probably like it better if she understood it.” “I would be happy to.” Doctor Phlox held his hands in front of him with a smile. Archer pulled a stool up to the bed and sat down, taking Navta’s hand in his own. “Once upon a time, there was a poor girl that lived with her two step sisters and wicked step-mother...” Archer smiled as Doctor Phlox start to translate the words. Navta smiled back, so Archer continued his rendition of Cinderella.
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