DISCLAIMER: Paramount owns the rights to all things in the universe of Star Trek. No monetary gains will come from my borrowing the Enterprise branch for this short jaunt.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a "teaser", so it is intended to be short. No, this is not an AU, and there is a good explanation for the behaviors of both Archer and Trip. So, keep that in mind and enjoy!
"BETRAYALS"
Chapter 1-
"I don't expect any of you will have a problem with pulling double duty so we can get these repairs for Davanj and his people completed." Captain Jonathan Archer said, presiding over the briefing in the situation room.
All of the senior bridge crew were present and nodded or reverently answered verbally affirmatively to their captain's remark. All except Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker III, who just pursed his lips and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.
"Commander, is there a problem?" Archer firmly directed toward Tucker.
"That atmospheric regulator is bein' held together by duct tape an' chewin' gum." Tucker said. "Not to mention it's a little more advanced than what we're used to. Pullin' double duty isn't gonna do any good, least of all for my crew. Do ya really think that's such a good idea?"
Archer looked as if he was mustering all he could to control himself. He leaned on the table in front of him and looked Tucker square in the eyes. "That's what I just said, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir, but..." Tucker started.
"But nothing." Archer clenched his jaw.
"Whatever." Tucker mumbled breathily.
"You all have your orders. Commander, my ready room. Now." Archer turned and heavily walked away.
Tucker looked after Archer as if he was equally as disgusted with the captain. As the others exchanged uneasy glances and moved off, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed moved next to Tucker.
"You better get going." Reed suggested. "You asked for this, you know?"
Tucker just waved a hand at the armory officer as if it was no big deal and followed after the captain.
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Archer was standing in the middle of the room, with his back to the door, when Tucker entered and stopped within a few feet from the captain.
"I think you're getting a little too mouthy in front of the crew, Commander." Archer said.
Tucker was about to respond when Archer wheeled around and slapped, backhanded, Tucker across the left cheek. Trip's head snapped back up quickly as he stared, wide-eyed, at Archer in utter disbelief.
Archer was glaring back at Tucker with raw anger, his breathing pronounced with his shoulders rising and falling.
"I don't ever want to hear you speak to me that way again in front of the crew, or not. Is that understood?" Archer advanced further, cutting the space between the two men down to mere inches.
Trip stared up at Jonathan Archer unable to breathe. He and Jon had been edgey since they left the planet's surface the previous night, after dinner with Davanj and his family. Both had been less than tolerant of the other, but this was way over the top.
Jon was livid. How could he have ever allowed Trip to be so flippant around the crew? He should've nipped this in the bud a long time ago. Now, since it had gone this far, it was time for drastic measures. Archer raised his hand again and slapped Trip, open-handed this time, so hard the younger man staggered sideways.
"I didn't hear you, Commander. Did you not understand me?" Archer asked evenly.
Trip swallowed hard and remained looking down at the floor. "N--no, sir."
"Look at me." Archer's tone was as if he was talking to a five year old. "Then did I make myself clear?"
Trip's head quickly came up to look at his captain. "Yes, sir."
Archer walked to the comm panel and pushed the button. "Archer to the bridge."
"Bridge here, Captain." T'Pol's voice said.
"Commander Tucker is relieved of his duties for the rest of the day and confined to his quarters until 0800 hours tomorrow. Is that understood?" Archer told her.
There was a very uneasy pause.
"Yes, sir." T'Pol answered.
Archer turned back toward Tucker. "Dismissed."
Trip slowly turned toward the door and stopped in front of it. He squared his shoulders trying to gather his composure before having to walk across the bridge to the turbolift. He took a deep breath and pushed the button.
TO BE CONTINUED
----------
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a "teaser", so it is intended to be short. No, this is not an AU, and there is a good explanation for the behaviors of both Archer and Trip. So, keep that in mind and enjoy!
"BETRAYALS"
Chapter 1-
"I don't expect any of you will have a problem with pulling double duty so we can get these repairs for Davanj and his people completed." Captain Jonathan Archer said, presiding over the briefing in the situation room.
All of the senior bridge crew were present and nodded or reverently answered verbally affirmatively to their captain's remark. All except Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker III, who just pursed his lips and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.
"Commander, is there a problem?" Archer firmly directed toward Tucker.
"That atmospheric regulator is bein' held together by duct tape an' chewin' gum." Tucker said. "Not to mention it's a little more advanced than what we're used to. Pullin' double duty isn't gonna do any good, least of all for my crew. Do ya really think that's such a good idea?"
Archer looked as if he was mustering all he could to control himself. He leaned on the table in front of him and looked Tucker square in the eyes. "That's what I just said, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir, but..." Tucker started.
"But nothing." Archer clenched his jaw.
"Whatever." Tucker mumbled breathily.
"You all have your orders. Commander, my ready room. Now." Archer turned and heavily walked away.
Tucker looked after Archer as if he was equally as disgusted with the captain. As the others exchanged uneasy glances and moved off, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed moved next to Tucker.
"You better get going." Reed suggested. "You asked for this, you know?"
Tucker just waved a hand at the armory officer as if it was no big deal and followed after the captain.
----------
Archer was standing in the middle of the room, with his back to the door, when Tucker entered and stopped within a few feet from the captain.
"I think you're getting a little too mouthy in front of the crew, Commander." Archer said.
Tucker was about to respond when Archer wheeled around and slapped, backhanded, Tucker across the left cheek. Trip's head snapped back up quickly as he stared, wide-eyed, at Archer in utter disbelief.
Archer was glaring back at Tucker with raw anger, his breathing pronounced with his shoulders rising and falling.
"I don't ever want to hear you speak to me that way again in front of the crew, or not. Is that understood?" Archer advanced further, cutting the space between the two men down to mere inches.
Trip stared up at Jonathan Archer unable to breathe. He and Jon had been edgey since they left the planet's surface the previous night, after dinner with Davanj and his family. Both had been less than tolerant of the other, but this was way over the top.
Jon was livid. How could he have ever allowed Trip to be so flippant around the crew? He should've nipped this in the bud a long time ago. Now, since it had gone this far, it was time for drastic measures. Archer raised his hand again and slapped Trip, open-handed this time, so hard the younger man staggered sideways.
"I didn't hear you, Commander. Did you not understand me?" Archer asked evenly.
Trip swallowed hard and remained looking down at the floor. "N--no, sir."
"Look at me." Archer's tone was as if he was talking to a five year old. "Then did I make myself clear?"
Trip's head quickly came up to look at his captain. "Yes, sir."
Archer walked to the comm panel and pushed the button. "Archer to the bridge."
"Bridge here, Captain." T'Pol's voice said.
"Commander Tucker is relieved of his duties for the rest of the day and confined to his quarters until 0800 hours tomorrow. Is that understood?" Archer told her.
There was a very uneasy pause.
"Yes, sir." T'Pol answered.
Archer turned back toward Tucker. "Dismissed."
Trip slowly turned toward the door and stopped in front of it. He squared his shoulders trying to gather his composure before having to walk across the bridge to the turbolift. He took a deep breath and pushed the button.
TO BE CONTINUED
----------