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"Cry Havoc"
By MissAnnThropic
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: None of its mine. I’m just a sad little fangirl that spends her days writing fanfic and watching taped episodes of my favorite shows. :(
Description: The evolution of Trip and T’Pol’s relationship following the events in ‘Harbinger’.
Chapter 6
The captain's mess was hardly built to accommodate so many people at once. It had seemed spacious when Archer, T'Pol, and Trip dined together, but at the prospect of stuffing in five more people brunch arrangements had quickly been moved over to the much more spacious situation room.
Archer sat at one end of the table, Dalin on the other. On Archer's right, proceeding from nearest to farthest, were Trip, T'Pol, and Reed. To his left, in the same procession, was Scott, Douglas, and Hayes. Chef had brought their plates to them but at the moment everyone's meals sat unattended. Everyone's attention, rather, was focused on the opposite crew.
Dalin leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. "I suspect I know the questions foremost on your mind. Why the Ares gives the appearance of being a MACO operation, for starters?"
"That's a good place to start."
Dalin smiled. "Well, as Commander Williams's presence here illustrates, the Ares is not manned entirely by MACOs, but they are the majority. Easily two-thirds of the crew are MACO."
Archer's eyes had cut to Scott for a second. Scott was his own age, a top student at the academy just behind Archer in class ranking; he should be a captain by now. From the trained expression on Scott's face Archer knew what had happened... the Columbia had been slated to be under Scott's command and then this snafu with the MACOs and the Ares had taken his captaincy out from under him.
Dalin continued, "First of all, Captain, I'm burdened with the rather arduous task of informing you that, since the Enterprise's absence from Earth to track down and stop the Xindi, Starfleet Command has undergone some rather extreme administrative changes."
Archer came to full attention and pinned Dalin from across the table with a relentless stare. "What kind of 'changes'?"
"In response to the Xindi threat it became apparent that Starfleet was not properly trained nor equipped for the kind of threats their long-range exploration ships were facing. As you may be aware, the MACO corps comes from a proud tradition dating back to World War III..."
"I'm familiar enough with the MACO military history."
"As you will, then. Starfleet, under pressure to better defend Earth while at the same time making first contact with other species and exploring the galaxy, recognized the necessity to be prepared and proficient in combat, as it seems readily apparent that a number of the species we will encounter will likely be hostile. Because MACO presence aboard the Enterprise seemed to be working so well the Starfleet admiralty contacted the MACO leadership to propose a more permanent meeting of minds.
"Long story short, Captain, is that a special division of the MACO armed forces were absorbed into regular commission with Starfleet. One-quarter of the current highest ranking officials of Starfleet Command are transferred MACO commanders. Our direct orders, in a MACO capacity, come from one Commodore Raleigh, equivalent to your Admiral Forrest, now a fully acknowledged head of Starfleet."
Archer, Reed, and Trip were looking between one another, stunned.
"Are you telling me Starfleet Command has been completely restructured?"
"Indeed it has, Captain, but I assure you for the better."
Archer frowned and his eyes narrowed.
"Oh no, Captain, I meant no disrespect to the Starfleet you knew and served, but now it is a stronger organization, more militarized and far better suited to face threats such as the Xindi."
Archer returned curtly, "Starfleet stood for peaceful exploration and exchange with other races in the universe, not the epitome of brute human force."
"And it still does, Captain, I promise you that. But surely you, on the front lines of the Xindi campaign, can see the value in added defense capabilities."
"I think," Archer fought to keep his tone civil, "that Enterprise has done a damn fair job holding her own without the benefit of your so-called military upgrades."
Dalin nodded. "Point readily acceded, and your crew is to be commended for their work in the expanse. You should not view this as a show of any lack of faith Starfleet has in the Enterprise. Think of this instead as a demonstration of the things Starfleet can accomplish with a stronger military presence aboard their ships. You yourself have reported the benefits drawn from the MACO contingent aboard Enterprise."
Archer looked toward Major Hayes. "I agree that Major Hayes and his men have been, at times, indispensable, but their aide was not expected to be a permanent arrangement. It was my understanding that they would be reassigned as soon as the Xindi were taken care of."
"And what then? After the Xindi, when the next threat to humanity pops up? Doesn't it make more sense for the MACO mentality, the discipline, to be a fixture aboard ships such as ours, Captain? Faced with the unknown, can we afford to be else-wise equipped for hostility?"
From the sidelines as it were, T'Pol spoke. "The Vulcan High Command cannot approve of this action on the part of Starfleet Command."
Dalin's eyes cut to T'Pol and his approachable, amenable while formidable expression darkened just a bit. "No, in fact they don't." His voice held an edge that T'Pol did not flinch from but which made Archer's protective hackles rise. He did not like nor appreciate the tone toward T'Pol that Dalin had adopted.
Apparently, neither did Trip.
"So what, Starfleet just said to hell with the Vulcans? I can't see that. We've been lettin' them dictate our space program for longer than any of us have been alive. Starfleet has conceded to the Vulcans too many times for us to just throw it all out the damn window. Much as a pain in the ass they've been in the past, and as much as I hate to admit it at times, we owe them a lot."
Dalin turned his eyes, less hostile, toward Trip.
"Relations with the Vulcans at the moment are... tenuous at best. Starfleet has no wish to endanger or belittle the support the Vulcan High Command has provided Earth since First Contact, but neither are we prepared to surrender our fates to threats of this magnitude without a fight.
"Your science officer is correct that the Vulcans have protested this militarization of Starfleet, an affront to their peaceful philosophy, despite the fact their ships are well-armed in comparison to Enterprise."
T'Pol said, "Vulcan cruisers utilize such force only when absolutely necessary."
"And what do they think we intend to do?" Dalin flared, "Run amok over the galaxy, shooting anything that moves?"
Archer interceded at once. "This isn't the place to debate the issue. T'Pol is not a member of the Vulcan High Command so any point she has to make on the subject and any rebuttal you throw at her is academic. You'd do well to remember that, Captain."
Dalin's feathers ruffled, it was clear for all to see, but then he simmered without succumbing to an outburst. "Of course, Captain. Truth is that Vulcan High Command has been using the Ares as a sacrificial lamb, espousing it as proof that humans are too aggressive and impetuous to be loose in the galaxy."
"It demonstrates the point regarding human nature that many Vulcan detractors of the aide program with Earth have made, that humanity is not prepared to be members of the galactic community. Their actions were to be expected."
Dalin again gave T'Pol a silent but unfriendly look. Archer took stock of the reactions all around and did not miss that Douglas as well did not seem to like T'Pol much if his expression was any indication.
Archer had to remove the focus off the Vulcans before the topic of conversation was hopelessly derailed.
"I'd like to know why I am only now hearing about any of this. I spoke with Admiral Forrest days ago and he said nothing about this MACO/Starfleet merge. It was also the first I'd heard of the Ares. I don't appreciate being so grossly uninformed."
"I completely understand, and in your position, Captain, I would not be nearly so diplomatic about it. I can only relay to you what I've been told on the matter, that your news black-out has been for the protection of Earth. No one knows exactly what the Xindi are capable of, and Starfleet... as well as the MACO commanders now seated on the ruling council of Starfleet Command, made the decision to afford each of your crewmen plausible deniability. The same reason you were not told about the Ares until she was ready to leave space port." Dalin paused, "Also... Commodore Raleigh felt that learning of the infusion of MACO forces into Starfleet could produce... strife... aboard the Enterprise, discrimination toward the MACO platoon currently in place in case it was seen as an invasion of sorts against Starfleet 'sovereignty' if you like."
Archer looked again toward Hayes then said lowly to Dalin, "I can assure you that my crew would have maintained perfectly professional behavior toward Major Hayes and his people, and I take umbrage at the very insinuation we would resort to such bigotry."
Dalin shrugged blamelessly. "It was not my decision, Captain, it came from higher up. It was believed that no level of distrust between Enterprise and MACO soldiers could be afforded, given the importance of the mission against the Xindi."
"Springing this kind of news on us doesn't help a great deal in that department," Reed commented dryly.
Dalin at last turned to his meal, cold by now. "Perhaps it was mishandled, certainly a topic you should take up with Starfleet Command when Enterprise returns to port. In the meantime, our attention must necessarily turn to more immediate matters at hand. I trust, Captain, Admiral Forrest told you about the transfer of information to take place between Enterprise and Ares?"
"He told me that much, yes. We're ready whenever the Ares is, Captain."
"Excellent, we can begin immediately."
Archer nodded toward Trip to his right. "Engineering will be the area requiring the most extensive changes to equipment and protocol. By Commander Tucker's estimation, with some hard work, you should manage the upgrades in three days."
"We'll have them in place in two," Dalin said with confidence.
Trip gave a small, humoring smirk of doubtfulness.
The two captains laid off the polite bickering and it freed up the others to converse with one another. Hayes and Dalin got into a discussion on tactical drills and hand-to-hand training, some of their comments bordering on reminiscent. During the course of eavesdropping Archer became convinced, by the easy flow of verbal exchange, that the two men knew each other. Douglas and Reed engaged in their own conversation about ship's weapons, comparing Enterprise and Ares, shortly into which Reed became rather anxious to look at the new, vamped up version of the NX that Starfleet had put together. Trip and T'Pol lapsed, for the most part, into combined silence as they ate. Archer got the sense Trip was lending unrequested support to T'Pol in light of the reaction she'd received earlier. Occasionally one or the other would throw their two cents into an ongoing conversation... after a time their reception was predictable. T'Pol, no matter what she said, succeeded mostly in drawing displeased glances from the MACOs from the Ares, in turn apparently prompting Trip's sharp attitude toward their guests. His comments were rarely in a friendly tone, snider than Archer was used to Trip being even on a bad day toward visitors. He bypassed his usual warning glares at the chief engineer and let Trip fight his own political battles. More often than not in this case they were the captain's own sentiments as well. Archer ended up drawing Scott to his left into conversation, discussing with his fellow Starfleet command graduate the changes that had obviously befallen their beloved Starfleet. Everything Archer heard only made him dread the return home more.
It was a stressful, depressing gathering on the whole, and no one was sorry to see it draw to a close.
The first meeting with the Ares had been rockier than anyone on Enterprise, even the largest pessimist, had anticipated. It did not bode well for the next three days.
*****
Enterprise and Ares had moved closer together, locked their respective port and starboard clamps to yoke each to the other, and hard dock airlocks were sealed open to allow for more direct exchange of personnel and material. Within minutes of docking with one another the crews were bleeding back and forth with impunity, from the Ares to the Enterprise and vice versa.
As Archer accompanied Captain Dalin on a tour of the Ares he saw just as many of his own crew in the corridors as he did Dalin's men. It was also clear that the bulk of the crews of both ships were aboard the Ares... if space had allotted for weight discrepancies, the two ships would be listing under the uneven distribution. On their walk Archer and Dalin were always given a respectful berth, for no matter whom they came across one or the other of them was that person's captain.
After the lunch that had gone over like a phase pistol in a Vulcan monastery, Captain Dalin had invited Archer to inspect the Ares in reconciliation. Archer suspected shortly into the tour, however, that a great deal of Dalin's magnanimousness was really pride in his ship.
"It's almost disconcerting," Archer said conversationally as they rounded a corner. "Exact same layout as the Enterprise, but everywhere I turn the details are all wrong." It felt like walking into a dream where his own ship had turned against him, trying to confuse him. Enterprise with rabies.
Dalin chuckled. "The ship was largely complete by the time the Columbia project was scrapped and it was turned into the Ares, no time for major structural changes. All but the outer-most details of the Ares match your ship to the finest measurements in the blueprints. And, of course, the necessary alterations required for the advanced defense systems and weaponry.
"You can see we run a very tight ship," Dalin commented, gesturing to the MACOs and Starfleet grays scuttling about them with admittedly furious attentiveness, more often than not in the company of an Enterprise blue. "We've taken the MACO code of discipline and adapted to the Ares... we felt it fitting considering the nature of the mission we're on. With so many of the crewmen hailing from MACO background and training it was the most familiar system to most of those on ship. You might be interested to learn, Captain, that despite the fact our crew compliment is nearly equal yours, eighty men and women, we technically operate each shift on what would almost amount to a skeleton crew."
"How is that?"
"For all our training, the MACOs are not specialized for space travel. We've traditionally been a ground-combat branch of the armed forces, even in World War III our air support units were limited. We freely acknowledge that. For every main division on board directly related to space we have, generally, a MACO senior officer then a Starfleet specialist directly under them."
Archer nodded thoughtfully. He imagined it was a reduplication of what had happened with Scott Williams. Men and women due a certain rank but relegated to subordinate positions to a MACO who was in their rightful place.
"The MACOs honor the highly skilled training Starfleet puts their cadets through at the academy, and frankly with the rush put on this mission the MACO crash course in space flight that we were given was the digest version at best. We have a Starfleet Academy graduate on duty always in the major areas of expertise, engineering, navigation, sensors. Supervisory and advisory officially, but in practice similar to the way your Vulcan is regarded by the rest of your crew; a superior officer when experience demands it. It will take time for the first battalion of Starfleet MACOs to pass through the rigors of Starfleet Academy."
"I take it Starfleet Command, under this new management, is looking at how to change the course work at the academy too?"
"Naturally. Make no mistake, the essentials will be the same, but courses and requirements will be added to reflect the new combat-ready status Starfleet hopes to attain in all their graduates."
Archer's mood soured at the thought but he held his tongue.
"Actually, Captain Archer," Dalin said as he came to a stop; Archer did likewise to face the MACO. "I wanted to ask you about the MACOs currently stationed aboard Enterprise."
"If you're wondering about their performance, I wasn't exaggerating over lunch when I said they've been a valuable asset to the ship."
"Oh no, I've no doubt of that. I'd like to request the squad assigned to Enterprise transfer to the Ares when our two ships part."
Archer's eyebrows rose.
"This meeting of our two ships has the soul aim of preparing my crew as best as possible for confrontation with the Xindi."
"That and breaking you into space flight, which you yourself have said the MACOs are not trained for."
Dalin smiled thinly. "Quite right, but the primary mission of the Ares is to head off the Xindi threat. I believe it would be in everyone's best interest if the MACO unit that has spent the last few months on the front lines as it were continue aboard the Ares; their experience and knowledge would be invaluable."
Archer was not certain how he felt about begging off members of his crew. Sure, the MACOs weren't Starfleet or original crewmen aboard Enterprise, but over time Archer had come to take responsibility for them as he did his own people.
"Wouldn't that disrupt the command structure? After all, you're a captain, Hayes is a major..."
Dalin chuckled. "Oh, that. That's not a concern. My title of captain is purely functionary, for the sake of conforming to Starfleet command structure and starship protocol. In the MACO corps, Captain, I'm a full colonel. In fact, before Major Hayes and his team were assigned to the Enterprise mission they were all under my command. I authorized them being stationed here."
Archer thought a moment. "I'll leave that decision up to Major Hayes. They have put in as much work as Enterprise and are just as deserving of a few days' respite."
Dalin smiled, almost gloating. "In that case, Captain, I'll be taking them off your hands in a couple days' time. Rest assured, faced with the choice, Major Hayes will jump at the chance to serve."
Archer fought back the frown tugging at his face. "Maybe you're right. I'll speak with the major and my own security officer at the earliest convenience. If you'll excuse me, I should return to Enterprise and check in with my teams."
*****
"Warp four point three? Seriously, that's all this girl will do?" Commander Tucker stood in the engineering section of the NX Ares. Nearly three-quarters of his team from Enterprise were present as well, armed with stacks of PADDs as they set about the myriad upgrades necessary on the Ares, working with the gray-garbed crew to finish the touch-ups as quickly as possible. The room was just as cavernous as the engine room aboard Enterprise, the same dimensions and layout, the warp core encasement the same size as Enterprise's, so naturally, he'd assumed the capabilities were the same.
Obviously, talking to the Ares's chief engineer, he was wrong.
"That's right," MACO Commander Laura Jasmine and official chief engineer replied. The woman was an intimidating person, a perfect compliment to the warship and a credit to her captain to be sure, with her rugged face and short-cut brown hair. One didn't have to see her without her full uniform to know she was well muscled beneath her clothes. From the light in her eyes, the kind of person who spoiled for a fight.
Trip, while acknowledging so many of the similarities in training and bearing, couldn't help but note that Amanda Cole was much more attractive and approachable than this female MACO.
A third person stepped forward then, a man Trip knew from Earth and who was Commander Jasmine's right-hand man... at many times, no doubt, the chief engineer's brain as well. Ethan Garret, Starfleet, and the real chief engineer aboard Ares though not in direct command of the team. Ethan had been a semester behind Trip in the academy in all classes but engineering, in which Ethan was accelerated beyond his classmates into Trip's class. The two had competed against one another on tests; he'd always kept Trip on his toes because the margin by which Trip was better than Ethan was minuscule, by no means guaranteed.
"She was designed to be warp five capable, but when the weapons' upgrades were installed Commodore Raleigh insisted the energy output from the particle reaction be tied directly into the warp core. Even in high warp the weapons are charged with matter/antimatter thermal energy and on constant stand-by."
Trip reacted as though personally affronted. "What? No wonder this ship moves like it's draggin' dead weight, you're leeching from the warp envelope. Didn't anyone explain that to this commodore?"
Jasmine glowered. "The commodore is fully aware of the consequences. Modicums of speed were sacrificed for heightened combat readiness even in warp flight. Ares powers far more weapons arrays than Enterprise, and each of those embankments responds full seconds faster than your vessel's."
Nonplussed by Jasmine's attitude, Ethan continued, "I had the same complaints with Starfleet when I ran through the alterations. Another reason Enterprise is under orders to resume the fight against the Xindi as soon as she's refitted. We're the brawn out here, Trip, but you guys are the speed and brains." Ethan barely smiled at his old classmate, a teasing referral to their academy days.
Trip almost returned the smile when Jasmine grunted.
"Here," Ethan said seriously by way of appeasing the humorless Jasmine, "I'll show you." Ethan proceeded to show Trip the schematics on the warp engine tie-in with the weapons, the test fire results, the engine diagnostics.
By the end, Trip was well on the way to disgusted.
"Ya do realize," he turned again to Jasmine, prepared to fight her, consequences be damned, "that the way ya have this set up, a properly configured phase blast directly to any of your main weapons' arrays will cause a feedback loop that could well fry your warp coils, right there in the heat of battle, right?"
Jasmine almost sneered. "We've run risk analyses and concluded the benefits offered by this system outweighs the risks."
Trip glanced at Ethan and saw the unhappy purse to the other man's lips. No true Starfleet engineer would consider this an acceptable risk, not unless there was absolutely no other way around it. Trip might suggest this kind of solution to Captain Archer if the Enterprise weapons were off-line completely and the only way to power them to fire on the enemy ships banging on their hull would be to tie them into the warp core. Endangering their escape route to fuel a fight that might well be an unmatched battle from the first shot...
Trip opened his mouth to speak when the Ares's comm channel sounded. "Reed to Commander Tucker."
Trip made his way, steaming and without excusing himself, to one of the wall panels and pressed the button. "Tucker here."
"Commander, have you seen what they've done to the weapons' power source on this ship?"
"Yeah, Malcolm, I was just discussing that with the Ares engineerin' staff."
"It's an amazing reaction time boost I'll grant you, but the handicaps it leaves the potential for..."
"Yeah, I know. Look, we'll just have to work around it, because I don't see the engineers," 'MACOs' he privately thought, "down here seein' reason and changin' their parameters. Any of this goin' to affect the upgrades ya were meanin' to make to the Ares tactical systems?"
"No... not that I can tell as yet, anyway. I just had to make sure someone else was seeing this."
"Unfortunately, yes. Tucker out."
Trip turned and headed back toward Jasmine and Ethan. He had to get to work, even if he was going to be gritting his teeth the whole time.
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