It took three days to get Shuttlepod One into flying condition. A team of engineers had flown down to assist Commander Tucker in getting it working again, as neither he nor Lieutenant Reed wanted to leave it on the planet. The Il'endi weren't bothered by its presence, but they did prefer the Enterprise take it with them. So the engineers worked in shifts to do the basic repairs.The Commander and the Lieutenant had also agreed that neither of them would return to Enterprise until it was finished. When Captain Archer had protested, Trip had replied that he and Malcolm had gotten onto Il'endi via Shuttlepod One and they would leave it the same way. Archer had simply chuckled and added a few more engineers to the rotation.
There was another reason both men wanted to stay on Il'endi. They were both aware these were the last nights they would have in shared quarters. The last nights they could be free in their relationship. Unsure of Starfleet's reaction to their marriage and their mind-bond, they'd decided just to not mention it unless directly asked.
"Commander?"
Trip turned to see his second in command in Engineering, Lieutenant Hess, standing behind him. She smiled at him. "It's good to have you back, Sir."
"Not back just yet, Lieutenant. Not until we get this baby flyin' again." He slapped the side of the shuttle.
Hess smiled. "Well, that should be soon, Sir." She looked around. "So, I'm told you actually went hunting with Lieutenant Reed. Isn't that . . . dangerous? You know how he enjoys explosions and other things like that."
Trip grinned. "Well, if we didn't hunt, we didn't eat, Lieutenant. So, sacrifices were made," he added with a suffering sigh.
Hess laughed. "Well, we are glad to see you back in one piece." She moved off in answer to a crewman's hail and Trip leaned against the side of the shuttlepod. He noticed Hoshi was sitting with some of the Il'endi younglings, clearly in her element as a linguist. T'Pol was speaking with Jo'eli and Ri'vran over near the living caverns. Malcolm was nowhere in sight.
//Where're you hiding?//
//I'm in the kitchen, cleaning kill//
//Ugh. I had to ask.//
//That you did.//
//Shuttle will be ready soon. You ready?//
//Not really.//
//Me either. 'Course, I want to get back to the engines.//
A laugh through the bond. //I admit to wanting to get back to the armory, but it's the lack of privacy that bothers me.//
//I know, darlin'.//
//I like waking up in your arms, you know.//
//We'll figure somethin' out.//
"Trip, how's it going?"
Trip turned to Captain Archer. "Hess says it won't be long."
Archer smiled. "How are you and Malcolm doing on getting ready to get back to Enterprise?"
//I'm packed, you're not.//
//Hush.// "We're doing okay, Cap'n. Just got a few things to finish up. People to say goodbye to."
"Where is Malcolm?" Archer looked around the field where the shuttlepod had been moved to in search of the lieutenant.
"He went out on the hunt today, so he's probably helping to clean the kill."
Archer looked surprised. "He's not helping with the repairs?"
Trip shrugged. "With most of the engineering crew down here, he's kinda redundant on that. So he's helpin' out the Il'endi. Our crew is eating with them at nightmeal, you know."
Archer nodded. "Right. More people, more food needed, which means breaking into the Il'endi stores, and Malcolm's sense of duty won't let him leave them with less food than they need."
Trip nodded "Exactly. Plus, he likes the hunt, so long as there's a reason for it - like gathering food."
//Hunting for sport is boring. Okay, I've got a carcass, let me stuff it and put it on my wall so I can tell all my friends how superior I am to a defenseless critter that died for my vanity.//
Archer smiled. "We don't do a lot of that on Enterprise, I guess."
"Nope. Besides, keeps him out of our hair for when we get near the weapons systems. He gets rather touchy if he thinks we're messin' with them."
A chuckle from the captain. "Well, just make sure he's here when the shuttle is ready to take off."
"Will do, Cap'n."
Archer walked off to join T'Pol, and Trip sighed, shrugging his shoulders into the uniform fabric and adjusting the sleeves. After four months of the sleeveless Il'endi tunics, the long-sleeved jumpsuit felt odd. But when he was working with his staff, he knew image was important. Granted, the longer hair didn't go with the uniform, but he wasn't about to trust anyone down here on the planet to cut it. He'd wait until he was back on ship. At least he and Malcolm had brought their dopp kits with them on the shuttle, so they were able to shave daily. Long hair, Trip could deal with. A beard, well, he tried growing one once, but his face itched so much in the first few days of growing it out, and looked silly, that he'd given up.
//I do envy you, gettin' to stay out of uniform longer.//
//Can I help it if Il'endi clothing is easier to wear when hunting? I at least put on the uniform for nightmeal.// Malcolm responded absently. Trip could feel his concentration on his task.
//You did pack some tunics and pants for off-duty, right?// Trip asked hopefully.
//Of course.//
Smiling to himself, Trip ducked back inside the shuttle to join Lieutenant Hess. She smiled back at him before showing him the padd with the update on the repairs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When Archer had moved on from talking with Jo'eli and Ri'vran, T'Pol turned back to the Il'endi elders.
"I have noticed several Il'endi wear necklaces similar to yours. Do they have significant meaning?" While she had already surmised Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed were lifemates, she wanted confirm this with the Il'endi elders. If questions arose on Enterprise, having answers from the elders already would be helpful.
"They are worn by lifemates. The circles contain their joined blood, showing their lives are joined," replied Ri'vran. He fingered his own lifemate necklace.
T'Pol nodded. "Re'ed and Tu'ker," she began, using the Il'endi version of their names, "also wear the necklaces."
Jo'eli looked sharply at T'Pol. "They, too, are lifemates. We performed the ritual ourselves."
"I meant no offense. I merely wished to confirm my observations."
Jo'eli nodded at T'Pol's apology. "They were already bondmates by the kt'alini, but they became lifemates as well." Jo'eli shook her head. "Te'klina tried to claim Re'ed as a lifemate, but that would not have been a good pairing."
T'Pol raised an eyebrow. "Re'ed and Tu'ker became lifemates to avoid that pairing?"
Ri'vran shook his head. "That may have played a part, but their mating is a true one."
T'Pol nodded. That fit with her observations of the two men. "I do not understand the kt'alini bondmate process."
"Re'ed and Tu'ker were badly injured when we found them. Too injured for the traditional healing medicines. The kt'alini are a lifeform that can heal almost any injury or illness. They live in harmony with us, entering at the top of the ridges and joining with us. We used kt'alini to heal them, and that bonded them to each other."
"Bonded in what way?" T'Pol asked Jo'eli.
"A bondmate can hear the thoughts of the other, speak to the other without speaking. The kt'alini feel the thoughts and send them."
Telepathy, as the Vulcan had suspected. "Can a bondmate hear the thoughts of someone not their bondmate?"
Ri'vran shook his head. "No. The kt'alini are bonded in pairs, and only speak with each other. Thus, the bondmates can only speak with each other. Neither Jo'eli nor I could sense Re'ed or Tu'ker's thoughts, nor could they sense ours."
"The kt'alini will not cause problems for them among their clan, will it?" Jo'eli seemed concerned.
"I do not know," T'Pol replied honestly. "But knowing the truth will help to avoid any unnecessary problems." She nodded at the elders and turned to leave.
"Ti'pol," Jo'eli said, causing the Vulcan woman to turn back to her. "Many many cycles ago, before Ri'vran and I were bondmates, two Il'endi were bonded against their will, much as Tu'ker and Re'ed were. It was an unhappy bonding, and it was decided to remove the kt'alini and perhaps undo the bonding." The Il'endi woman shook her head. "Both bondmates died when the first kt'alini was removed. It has not been tried since."
The warning was clear to T'Pol. Removing the kt'alini from either Commander Tucker or Lieutenant Reed could result in the deaths of both men. The lieutenant had mentioned permanent side effects. This was definitely permanent.
She nodded at the elders. "I understand." They nodded back and she turned to leave, following the path to the living caverns. She needed to process what she had learned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Malcolm appeared by the shuttle just as Hess and Trip were checking the final modifications. He was still out of uniform, brushing his hair out of his eyes to peer into the interior of the pod.
Hess looked up at the lieutenant. "Almost done," she said with a smile.
He nodded. "If so, I'll have to tell Jo'eli and Ri'vran. They wish to celebrate our return to our clan at the nightmeal before we leave."
"Any excuse for a party, huh?" Trip asked.
"Well, we did also bring in three yv'rikan and a half dozen tr'lkans. That in itself is a good reason to celebrate." Hess shook her head. Malcolm looked at her quizzically. "Something wrong, Lieutenant?"
The engineer smiled at him. "Just not used to hearing you talk about hunting for food like it's an every day occurrence, Sir."
Malcolm gave a half smile back. "It has been for the past four months. Even our good Commander here has been out hunting. And he's a rather fair shot, I might add."
Hess looked at her commanding officer in surprise. He shrugged. "I've taken down a yv'rikan or two. Malcolm here bags more than I do."
//Only because I'm used to it, love.// "Only because I'm used to it," he repeated aloud for Hess' benefit.
//I know. And the ship is ready. We can lift off anytime soon. I'd prefer tomorrow morning.//
//Me too.//
Hess let out a whoop as the final check was completed and the engines came online. "That's it! Shuttlepod One is ready to fly!"
As she checked the readings, a smile on her face, Trip and Malcolm looked at each other, both wishing that, in this task at least, Enterprise's highly efficient engineers had not worked to their usual standards.
"Well, I best go inform the elders of that. With the celebration they wish to throw, we'd probably be best taking off tomorrow morning," Malcolm suggested aloud, though Trip had made the initial suggestion.
"I'll inform the Cap'n," Trip said with a nod, reaching for the communication panel. Lieutenant Hess moved toward the hatch. Malcolm moved back and offered her a hand out.
"So, Lieutenant Reed, what are Il'endi parties like?"
"Not as wild as some shore leave parties I've seen on Jupiter Station, but they're amusing. The Il'endi are quite fond of elaborate toasts. Very elaborate," he emphasized. "Best drink a lot before they get started," he warned her as they headed toward Shuttlepod Two.
She laughed as she ducked into the pod. "I'll remember that."
"I'm headed back to the caverns. See you later."
She waved at him as he turned back to the caverns. Halfway there he stopped, stretching and lacing his fingers together behind his neck as he gazed at the complex that had been his home for four months. It was odd, he'd felt more at home on Il'endi than he ever had on Earth. Enterprise had been home to him, and would be home again, but he would miss the simplicity of the Il'endi lifestyle. No Suliban, no Klingons, no political wrangling with Starfleet Command or the Vulcan High Command. Nothing more dangerous than a tl'helic on a mating rampage to deal with - and that was easily avoided. Just the daily routine of life - morning meal, hunts and cleaning the kill, repairing weapons and tending animals, night meal, sentry duties to protect the clan. He often thought this must have how his Anglo-Saxon ancestors had lived, minus the occasional Viking raid. Maybe this love of the simplistic life was in his genes.
//Gettin' sappy on me?//
//Just taking in a last view.//
//I know.// Tucker came up behind Reed, arms crossed over his chest as he, too, gazed at the complex. //Stayin' here would be so easy.//
//It would. And yet. . .// Malcolm dropped his hands to his sides.
//And yet it seems like a cop out to stay here and avoid all the problems we know we're gonna have back on Enterprise, huh?//
//Exactly.//
Tucker sighed. He ached to put his arms around his lifemate, to hold Malcolm to him as they looked upon the complex. He needed the physical connection just as much as the mental and emotional one they already shared. But Lieutenant Hess was nearby, as was the Subcommander and the Captain. None of them would understand the gestures that had become so natural to the two men over the last month of their lives. Instead, Tucker settled on resting his right hand on Malcolm's left shoulder, something he had done before on Enterprise - something that wouldn't seem out of place.
//We should take some pictures before liftoff tomorrow.//
//Won't be the same.//
//No, but it will help. An' I don't think anyone will blame us for wantin' some reminders of this place.//
Reed nodded. "Have you informed the Captain yet?" He switched back to audible speech, trying to break himself of the habit of only thinking at Trip.
"Yep. He's fine with tomorrow. He says he doesn't want to make enemies of the Il'endi. Not that the Il'endi have space travel, but they're friendly enough that Starfleet would like to stay on good terms with them."
"Lovely. We've become inadvertent ambassadors of goodwill."
"Well, at least we get along with the Il'endi better'n Soval does with humans."
Reed laughed out loud at that. "Come on," he said, turning to clap Tucker on the back. "Let's go inform Jo'eli and Ri'vran. I'd like to thank them for all they've done." //And not just saving our lives.//
//No, we owe them more than just our lives, darlin'. I owe them for givin' me my heart.//
//As do I.//
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Malcolm sat on the pallet in their cavern, watching Trip as he packed his belongings into a duffel bag. "Tunics, pants, the bow Ba'tsil gave me, am I forgettin' anything?"
Malcolm glanced around the quarters. "The miniature Shuttlepod that Ha'lina carved for you." Both men were speaking aloud as several of their Enterprise colleagues were touring the complex prior to nightmeal.
"Right! Almost forgot that." Trip went over and picked up the wooden carving. "She's going to make a great engineer someday, with this kind of skill." Trip smiled. He had a soft spot for the Il'endi youngling, who was constantly following him on his repair work for the clan. She carved most of the spare parts for the water distribution system and other machines, and looked up to Trip as an engineer. She wanted to follow in his footsteps as the clan's machine worker. The Il'endi elders encouraged her fascination, as they hadn't had a full time machine worker since the older one had passed away long before Trip and Malcolm had arrived on Il'endi.
"Going to be hard to leave your protégé behind?"
Trip shrugged as he carefully wrapped the carving in a tunic. "Not much else I could teach her without showing her things the Il'endi don't already know. Heck, Ha'lina's already working on ways to improve what they have."
Malcolm smiled. "Nice to have a youngling looking up to you, though."
"I've noticed Te'gris seems to think you're pretty hot stuff."
"Te'gris looks up to any hunter with a modicum of skill."
Trip looked up from his packing. "Now, Mal, Te'gris doesn't follow other hunters around the way he does you - kinda like way Porthos follows the Cap'n. You wouldn't have to repair your own weapons if didn't want to - Te'gris would do it for you."
"I know - which is partially why I don't ask him to. I do enjoy repairing them, and I think every hunter should know how to take care of his own weapons. There won't always be someone else around to do it, or the time to have someone else do it."
Trip chuckled. "Always thinking like a security officer."
"And I suppose they way you make Ha'lina watch as your repair your own tools isn't based on the same principles?" Malcolm asked with a knowing smile.
"All right, so I'd rather do it myself because an engineer needs to know how his tools work just as much as he knows how his machines work."
"Something both Ha'lina and Te'gris are learning."
"They also spend a lot of time together. Think they'll end up as lifemates?"
Malcolm shrugged. "They're still younglings. They've got cycles before they're of age to take a lifemate. Who knows what could happen." A pensive silence filled the cavern. "Still, would be nice to be here, maybe be present at their ritual."
"Yeah," Trip agreed softly. Both men knew that once they lifted off from Il'endi in the morning that would be it. The Il'endi didn't have subspace communication capabilities, and weren't interested in having them. Trip and Malcolm would never know if Te'gris and Ha'lina became lifemates, or bondmates, or both.
//Maybe we could come back, someday.//
//Maybe.// Malcolm didn't sound very hopeful.
A soft noise at the entrance to their cavern made both men turn. Subcommander T'Pol stood there, her hands behind her back.
"Gentlemen. May I enter?"
Malcolm stood and both men nodded at her in permission, both puzzled by her presence. She entered the cavern. "I wished to speak with you about something, and I believed it would be a conversation best not held on Enterprise."
Malcolm and Trip looked at each other, puzzled. "Oh-kay," Trip drawled out. "Is somethin' wrong?"
"I have been speaking with Jo'eli and Ri'vran. They mentioned that the two of you were bondmates through the kt'alini, as well as lifemates. I wished to ask you if this was true."
//We said we wouldn't lie if we were asked straight out.// Trip reminded his lover with an unvoiced sigh.
"Yes, it's true. Commander Tucker and I are bondmates and lifemates. Married, to put a human term to it," Malcolm told the Subcommander.
Trip shot Malcolm a look for being referred to as "Commander" when talking about their marriage.
She nodded. "And the kt'alini allow you to hear the thoughts of each other?"
"Yes, but not anyone else if that's what your wonderin'," Trip replied.
"Is there a problem, Subcommander?" Malcolm asked.
"I am merely trying to determine the extent of the change in your relationship before your return to Enterprise. I do not know what Captain Archer, or Starfleet Command, will think of these developments."
Trip ran a hand through his blond hair. "We know this is not somethin' they're exactly expectin'. We hadn't planned on announcing our status as lifemates, unless directly asked. Some people just don't take well to two guys being in love. I know Vulcans don't exactly see same-sex relationships as logical, but it's between us, what we feel and what we do. We're not planning on being unprofessional on duty, if that's what you're worried about."
"And we know that Dr. Phlox will find the kt'alini the first time he scans us after our arrival on Enterprise. We never planned on trying to hide their presence or their healing ability." Malcolm said.
"Did you plan to tell him about the telepathic bond you two now share as a result of the kt'alini?"
"If directly asked we wouldn't lie to anyone. But . . . this is not the sort of thing we wanted to just announce to the ship, Subcommander. I'm sure you can understand the repercussions that might arise. And yes," Malcolm continued before she could speak, "we also understand that our silence will have other, possibly harsher, repercussions."
//Courts-martial and dishonorable discharge at worse.// Trip thought in an uncharacteristically pessimistic moment.
Malcolm automatically reached out to place a hand on Trip's arm, comforting his lifemate. //We'll face it together, you know.//
Trip turned, forgetting T'Pol was in the room, and placed his other hand over Malcolm's as he looked into the gray eyes. //I know.//
T'Pol watched the two men and came to a decision regarding her own actions and her own reports to Captain Archer and the Vulcan High Command. Captain Archer wanted her general impressions on the fitness of Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed for duty. The High Command wanted to know if either man, having been marooned for four months on a primitive planet, would pose a threat to Enterprise, and by extension Starfleet, Earth, and Vulcan. Now that she had confirmation from both the Il'endi elders and the two men involved that their telepathy was limited to only between themselves, and that they did not intend to outright lie about anything if asked, then they did not pose a threat. In addition, they understood the need for discretion and professionalism on duty. Therefore, they were fit to resume their posts.
"I believe I have the answers I needed. I will respect your wishes in letting you inform the captain and the crew about your status as bondmates and lifemates. Please be aware, however, that I will inform the Captain if the time should arise when he needs to know and neither of you can or will inform him."
"We understand," Trip said to the woman who had taken his place as First Officer on Enterprise. "T'Pol," he called as she turned to leave. She turned back. He smiled at her. "Thank you."
She nodded at the two men. "I will see you at nightmeal."
When she left, Malcolm sat back down on the pallet. "That was a conversation I hadn't planned on having this soon."
Trip nodded in agreement. "I do feel better now that someone on Enterprise knows, well, everything. If something happens . . ."
"If something happens the Subcommander can speak for us."
"Exactly." Trip closed the duffel bag and looked around the cavern. It was bare, as pristine as the day they'd moved into it four months ago. The only sign of their occupancy was the double pallet Malcolm was sitting on.
//Kinda feels like when I moved out of my dorm room at the University of Texas for the last time. Suddenly realizing that so much of your life took place in a room that's just been stripped down to a bed, a desk, and a chair.//
Malcolm smiled. //It is an eerie feeling.// He ran a hand over the rock wall nearest him. //I guess you could say we fell in love in this room.//
//Yeah.// Trip walked over to sit by Malcolm, staring across the room at the two neat piles of clothing on the now-empty clothes chest. Two pairs of Starfleet issue underwear and undershirts, two black shirts, and two red-striped jumpsuits, one with three rank pips and one with only two. Two pairs of socks and boots sat on the floor near the chest. Their uniforms, waiting for the morning to be put on, a symbolic return to their old lives. Though both men had worn the uniform sporadically over the past few days, tomorrow was different - it would be like the day after they'd accepted their commissions all over again. The uniform and all that went with it, from the orders of their superiors to the difference in their ranks, would again rule their lives.
//Worried, love?//
//A little.//
//We'll get by.//
//I know.//
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jonathan Archer held up his glass as Te'klina made a toast to Trip and Malcolm and their abilities on the hunt. The Il'endi huntress went on for several minutes before finishing, finally allowing the others in the cavern to drink from their glasses. Not for the first time this evening, he was glad the Il'endi drink of choice was an unfermented fruit juice, otherwise half his crew would be well into their cups by now. There had been several toasts to both Trip and Malcolm, as well as the rest of the Enterprise crew. In the three days the crew had been working on the planet, they had all made friends with the Il'endi. Jon had even given permission for some to accompany Malcolm and the others on hunts, though the inexperienced members of the crew were not given weapons. That had been Te'klina's decision. If a crewmember complained to Malcolm, he had merely shrugged and said that Te'klina was the Il'endi equivalent of an armory officer, and he deferred to her judgment on her soil. Granted, that was a remark that had Trip in stitches with laughter, knowing how often Malcolm argued with Te'klina over the hunts. Still, it appeased the crewmembers who felt left out.
Sitting back in his chair, relaxed from the food and the festive atmosphere, Jon watched his two formerly missing officers. Both were smiling, talking to some of the Il'endi younglings who were serving a dessert fruit to the adults. As Jon watched, Trip made a remark that had Malcolm and the younglings laughing, and he experienced a pang of jealousy.
He shook his head and stared into the ruby liquid in his glass. He shouldn't be jealous, but he was. Being brutally honest with himself, he was specifically jealous of this new rapport between Trip and Malcolm. The two men had clashed so often on Enterprise, yet were still friends and occasional co-conspirators in things. In spite of that, they'd never been as close as they now seemed, not even after nearly dying on that shuttlepod a while back. They seemed closer than Trip and Jon, who had been friends for nearly a decade. There had been many a night, in the Captain's Mess after T'Pol had left, that Trip had confided in his captain about whatever was bothering him - be it the mission, the engines, the crew, or just something in the engineer's own mind. Granted, the past few nights Trip had been caught up in fixing the shuttlepod and packing, not really having time for anyone, but Archer still couldn't help feeling a little. . . hurt when he saw Malcolm and Trip together.
He supposed this was to be expected. For four months, they had been the only two humans on the planet. While the Il'endi were welcoming and friendly, Archer knew it had to have been tough on the men. They'd had to turn to each other for friendship and shared memories to help get them through. You put two people in that sort of situation and they were bound to either get closer or kill each other. Knowing Trip and Malcolm, the odds were about even between the two choices, so Archer was glad they had grown closer. But he was still jealous.
Trip looked over and noticed the captain watching him and Malcolm. Trip smiled.
//I'm feelin' the need to propose a toast.//
//Let me take a drink first.//
Trip chuckled as Malcolm took a gulp of his sl'vinin juice. When Malcolm was done, Trip stood. Immediately, all the Il'endi and the Enterprise officers feel silent, wondering what the engineer was going to say.
//Join me, darlin'?//
//You start, I'll join.// Malcolm replied, standing up.
Trip looked down into his glass. "Re'ed and I," he began, "have a lot to toast to tonight. We are, without a doubt, the two luckiest men in the known galaxy." He looked back up, raising his glass. "To Sa'vril and Ma'neth," Trip nodded at the healer and her lifemate, "for their skill and dedication to their craft, and for not giving up on two injured sky-strangers."
Malcolm raised his glass. "To Jo'eli and Ri'vran, who accepted us into the clan with no reservations, and having faith that we would return to our own clan, even when Tu'ker and I found it difficult to believe. And to the entire clan, whom we consider our clan."
Trip took up the toast again. "To Te'klina, for many things, but most importantly for not killing Re'ed even though I know he gave her plenty of reasons to do so." A chuckle ran among the Il'endi and the humans as Malcolm scowled at Trip before smiling broadly.
"To Ha'lina and Te'gris," the two Il'endi younglings looked up from their tables in surprise when Malcolm spoke their names, "may they enjoy success in their lifework and happiness in the future."
Trip nodded. "To Ha'lina and Te'gris" he repeated. "And to Captain Archer, the finest man I've ever had the honor of serving under, who would not give up on us being alive, even when others would have."
"And to the crew of the Enterprise, for not letting him give up even if he had wanted to," Malcolm added. He and Trip glanced at each other before ending the toast in unison.
"Life and Health and Harmony to you and yours." They bestowed the traditional Il'endi blessing upon their friends before drinking from their glasses. The blessing was echoed by the clan and the crew before they, too, drank.
When the nightmeal finally ended, the engineers and the rest of the Enterprise crew headed out to the shuttlepods. Malcolm and Trip followed them out to the field, talking and laughing. Archer noticed how relaxed the two men were in the Il'endi garments they had worn for the nightmeal. A subtle reminder of how comfortable they were on Il'endi? Archer shook his head. It was probably just a courtesy to the clan, as the two men had been so welcomed into it. Archer himself had toasted the clan in thanks for taking in his friends.
At the shuttle hatch, Archer turned to Trip and Malcolm. He smiled at them. "I'm expecting to see the two of you on board at 0700. You've been slacking in your duties long enough," he added in a teasing tone.
Trip grinned. "We'll be there, sir."
"I may have to resort to drastic measures to get the Commander up that early, but I promise Dr. Phlox should be able repair any damage," Malcolm added with a smirk.
Trip glared at him. "Just remember, Lieutenant, that at 0700 I can officially start charging you with insubordination again."
Reed cocked an eyebrow. "You do remember, Commander, that I am trained to kill and hide bodies?"
Archer sighed, a smile still on his face. "0700, gentlemen. Try not to kill each other before then, all right?"
"Aye, sir," they both replied. Archer climbed in the shuttle and pulled the hatch to. Malcolm and Trip jogged back to the path to the caverns, getting well out of the range of the shuttle's wake before it took off.
Once the lights of the engines were indistinguishable from the stars, Trip pulled Malcolm into his arms and buried his face in the younger man's hair. //I thought they'd never leave.//
//Me either. I was afraid the Captain would want to stay down here tonight.// Malcolm wrapped his arms around Trip.
//Me too.// Trip kissed his lifemate gently. //Walk me home, lover?//
Malcolm chuckled. //Anytime.//
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Washed, in uniform, and carrying their duffels, Malcolm and Trip made their way out to the field where Shuttlepod One waited for them. It was early, the sun barely rising in a brilliant sky of crimson. They had said their goodbyes to the clan inside the cavern complex, but had declined offers to walk them to the shuttle.
Malcolm stopped halfway there, watching the sunrise, dread prickling his skin.
//Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at morning, sailor take warning.//
Trip turned from where he had opened the hatch. //What's that?//
Malcolm came forward to join him. //Old sea salt. If the sky was red in the morning, it usually meant a storm was on the way.//
Trip frowned. //You're not getting superstitious on me, are you?//
Malcolm shrugged as he climbed into the pod. //I was raised Navy, Trip. There are a lot of superstitions that are too ingrained to shed easily.//
Trip closed the hatch, and stashed their duffels away as Malcolm began the pre-flight check. //You really think a storm is on the way?// Malcolm didn't answer as he checked over the display. //Mal?//
Malcolm sighed. //I don't think there is a storm in terms of rain, love. I'm thinking a different kind of storm. The kind where all hell will break loose when Dr. Phlox discovers the kt'alini.// He sighed. //I wish we knew if they would show up in the regular decon scan or not. If they don't, we might have a bit of a reprieve.//
//Well, I think the first thing I'm going to do is get a haircut, then head to engineering.// Trip came to stand behind Malcolm, watching his lifemate work, marveling at how effortlessly he slipped back into his Armory officer persona.
//Yes, haircut then Bridge.//
//What, not armory?// Trip teased.
//I like to be on the bridge when we leave orbit, Commander, you know that.//
Malcolm started the engines, then turned to Trip. //Ready?//
Trip grabbed Malcolm's shoulder, spun him around in the pilot's chair, and gave him a long, searing kiss. Both men were trembling when Trip finally let go. Both sets of eyes were dark with desire. //Now I'm ready.//
//You are going to make it difficult to pilot this shuttle, you know.//
Trip grinned. //Hey, it's what I'm here for.//
//Just sit down and shut up.//
//Yes, Sir.// Trip gave Malcolm a wink before taking one of the other stations in the shuttlepod.
It wasn't long before they were off the ground and breaking through the atmosphere to space. "Oh wow," Trip said in a reverent whisper. Malcolm merely nodded, just as awed.
This was another reason why both men had wanted to take the shuttle up themselves, with no other crewmembers present. They'd been planet bound for four months, seeing the stars only in the night sky. Now they were back among them, sailing them again as the Il'endi would say, and the panorama was as breathtaking as they remembered. More important to both men was the view of the Enterprise as she gracefully glided toward them. The ship always looked good when they returned from away missions, but now she looked like . . . home.
//How did we ever think we could be happier staying on the planet?// Trip asked.
//I don't know.// Malcolm replied. //God, she is beautiful.//
//Yeah.// Trip leaned forward, craning his neck to see around Malcolm. //Think we can get away with doing a little inspection tour before docking?// he asked with a grin.
As if in answer to the engineer's question, the com beeped. Malcolm activated it. "Shuttlepod One."
Hoshi's amused voice came through the channel. "Shuttlepod One, Captain Archer says that since the two of you are out there, you should perform an outside hull inspection. He'll meet you in launch bay one at 0730 to get the results."
Trip shook his head as Malcolm responded. "Acknowledged, Enterprise. See you at 0730." He rang off the com and turned to Trip. "Yes, I think we can get away with doing an inspection tour."
"One thing I'll say about the Cap'n, he does know his crew."
"No, he just knows you."
Trip smiled. "Nah, he knows both of us would want to see the ship again from the outside before we got back aboard."
"She is impressive."
"An' some of the ventral plating isn't aligned right," Trip said with a frown as he reached for a padd to record that bit. Malcolm smiled as Trip slipped back into Chief Engineer mode, and pointed out other imperfections, the two of them settling quite easily back into their Starfleet roles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jonathan Archer was waiting for them when they came out of decon. The scan hadn't picked up anything unusual, so Dr. Phlox had released them for duty. Neither man was about to look a gift horse in the mouth, so they kept their mouths shuts about the kt'alini.
Archer was holding the data padd with their inspection report. "Gone four months and complaining about our repair jobs, Trip?"
Trip grinned at his captain. "Hey, someone's got to keep this ship in shape. Hess is good, but. . ."
"She's not you, right," Archer nodded. "And Lieutenant, let me know before you head to the armory, because I'd like to be as far away from F deck as possible."
"Sir?"
"Ensign Meyer is good, but I'm sure he hasn't lived up to your standards."
"We'll see, sir," Malcolm replied.
"Ready to get back to work?" Archer turned toward the doorway.
Trip shook his head. "Actually, Sir, Malcolm and I have one thing we need to do before we resume our duties."
Archer turned back. "Oh? What is that?"
"Have our haircut, sir." Malcolm answered.
Archer looked at the two men, then laughed. "All right, I can understand that. Go see Crewman Powers and then I expect you on the Bridge, Lieutenant, and you in Engineering, Commander."
"Yes, Sir." They both replied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Malcolm looked around the armory and gave a satisfied sigh. His officers had been nearly perfect in keeping it in order while he was gone, so he had very little to correct. As it should be. His staff was aware of his standards and specifications in weapons arrangements and safety checks, and Ensign Meyer, Malcolm's temporary replacement, had maintained them. Malcolm was pleased by that, and had already noted it his file where he kept day-to-day observations on crew performance. That way, when it was time for crew evaluations, he could refer to the file for specific instances and have a complete report for the captain.
//You feel happier than a pig in swill.//
//That's a revolting image.//
A pause. //Yeah, it kinda is. Anyway, everythin' up to your standards on the bridge and in the armory?//
//All shipshape and Bristol fashion.//
//Glad someone's area is.// Trip said sourly. Within minutes of their being back on Enterprise, he'd known something was wrong with the warp engine just by listening to it. Crewman Powers, the steward who also served as ship's barber, had threatened to remove Trip's ears with an old fashioned straight razor if the Commander didn't stop fidgeting. Malcolm had laughed at the mutinous expression on Trip's face. When the crewman was finished, Trip had practically bolted from the chair, yelling a 'thanks' over his shoulder. Malcolm and Crewman Powers spent a few minutes laughing before they were sober enough for the crewman to cut Malcolm's hair properly.
//Still having problems?//
//I don't know where they got some of these parts, but none of them are working according to spec.//
Malcolm nodded as the beta shift armory officer reported for duty. //Hang on, love.// he told Trip as he greeted the Crewman and then thanked him for his hard work while Malcolm had been gone. He wished the officer a good night before heading out into the hallway, back to his quarters. //So, none of them are working to Starfleet specs, or your personal preferential specs for your warp engine?//
//Okay, so I'd prefer the parts exceed Starfleet specs.//
//I'm married to a man who is having an affair with a warp engine.// Malcolm sent with cheerful exasperation.
//An' my husband's having an affair with a phase pistol.// Trip shot back.
Malcolm chuckled aloud, glad he was alone in the lift so no one would think he was going crazy. //I could say something to that.//
//Please don't, 'cause Lieutenant Hess is approaching me.//
//Okay.// He could 'hear' what the two were talking about. Hess wanted Trip to join her for dinner in the mess. Malcolm smiled. //Go on, love. I'm just going to head back to my quarters.//
//I wouldn't object to you waitin' in mine when I get back. . .// Trip mental voice held a promise for what he would do if Malcolm were waiting for him.
//We'll see.// It was their first night back, and as much as Malcolm would love to spend it in Trip's arms, it might not be politic to do so.
Malcolm gently raised enough barriers to keep stray thoughts out as he headed back to his quarters. He didn't want to be an inadvertent eavesdropper on engineering discussions. And he was looking forward to getting to sit down with some of the technical manuals that had been released in the past four months.
That hope died when he saw Hoshi at the door to his quarters. "Something I can do for you, Hoshi?"
The young woman turned, smiling. "I was hoping that I could convince you to join me for dinner," she said. There was a gleam in her brown eyes that put Malcolm's inner security officer on alert. She was up to something.
"I was planning on just staying in tonight and catching up on some reading."
She tilted her head to one side. "Come on, you can read weapons journals anytime." Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial tone as she looked around the hall. "I have it on very good authority that Chef made pineapple upside down cake," she said teasingly.
Malcolm's inner warning bells went off. Hoshi was definitely up to something. Add to that Trip's invitation to dine with Lieutenant Hess, instead of the Captain as usual, and expected, after such a long time off ship, and Malcolm realized they had probably planned some sort of celebration in the mess hall.
Inwardly, he cringed at the thought of a surprise party. He really would prefer to stay in his quarters tonight - he was tired from his shift and from the strain of trying to adapt back to the routine Enterprise, and the strain of having to watch his words and actions on the occasions he was around Trip. However, if this was a surprise party, Hoshi was not going to give up. Malcolm would bet a bottle of Andorian Ale that, if necessary, he would receive a last minute dinner invitation from the Captain.
"Well, the journals have waited this long," Malcolm told the linguist with a small smile. "I guess they can wait until after dinner."
"Great!" Hoshi grabbed Malcolm's arm and practically pulled him down the corridor. Malcolm debated on warning Trip, but then decided not to. After all, what good was a surprise party if the guests of honor weren't surprised? At least Trip would be. He tightened the mental barriers and smiled at the Ensign.
Outside the mess hall, they met up with Trip and Lieutenant Hess. Trip raised an eyebrow at Malcolm. "Evenin' Lieutenant, Ensign."
"Evening, Commander." Hoshi replied as Hess hit the stud to open the door. The gentlemen gestured for the ladies to precede them, entering the mess hall seconds behind them.
"WELCOME HOME!"
Both Malcolm and Trip jumped - Trip in surprise and Malcolm from the volume. Then they stared at their shipmates, who were crowded into the room, a big "Welcome Home" banner hanging across the windows and the buffet tables overflowing with food. Captain Archer was in the middle, Porthos at his side. T'Pol was at the edge of the crowd, Travis and Dr. Phlox closer to the middle. Chef was hovering close to the galley door. Everyone was smiling and holding Champagne glasses, and Captain Archer came forward to hand a glass to Trip and Malcolm.
"In the past four months," the captain began, "our ship has suffered a lot of damage. While we were able to repair the physical problems, the damage to her soul was a lot harder to mend. Every crewmember is important to Enterprise, and the loss of one is an immeasurable blow. To lose two members is as crippling as any torpedo from a hostile ship. But we didn't give up, and neither did they. Tonight, we celebrate the healing of Enterprise's soul with the return of Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed." Archer turned to the guests of honor and raised his glass. "Commander Tucker, Lieutenant Reed, welcome home."
The crew echoed the sentiment, and Trip and Malcolm smiled as they all took a drink. The two men allowed themselves to be drawn into the crowd, enjoying the camaraderie and catching up with various crew members. Not to mention the food that Chef had prepared - including the promised pineapple upside down cake. Both Malcolm and Trip made a point to track down Chef and thank him for his efforts, letting him know how much they had missed his food while on Il'endi.
The party lasted several hours, with various crewmembers coming and going so everyone had a chance to come to the party while still maintaining the required number of people on duty. It still ended all too soon for everyone, though, with T'Pol's reminder that most of them there had duty shifts in the morning. Trip and Malcolm started to help Hoshi and Travis clean up, but were shooed out of the hall along with Captain Archer and Porthos. The four took the same lift to B-deck, and walked down the hallways in companionable silence, the captain occasionally calling Porthos when the beagle would stop to sniff at something.
They reached Malcolm's quarters first. "Goodnight, Captain, Commander," he said as he entered his access code.
"'Night Malcolm," Trip said with a smile. "Enjoy sleeping in a real bed. I know I will," he added with a grin.
Archer and Malcolm smiled as well. "I will, Commander," Malcolm replied.
"Goodnight, Malcolm." Archer reached out and clapped the armory officer on the arm. "It's good to have you back. Both of you."
"It's good to be home, sir. Goodnight." Malcolm disappeared into his quarters as Trip and Jon continued on down the corridor. Outside of Trip's cabin, they stopped again.
"You're welcome to stop by for a drink," Jon told his friend.
"I'd love to, Cap'n, but I'm beat. Malcolm and I were up at 0-dark-thirty to get here on time, remember?"
Jon laughed. "I'd forgotten about that. You get some sleep them. Don't want you nodding off over the plasma injectors."
Trip grinned. "Night, Cap'n."
"Goodnight, Trip." Archer turned to head to his quarters, then stopped and turned back to Trip. "Trip," he called.
Trip stuck his head out from inside the still-open door of his cabin. "Yes, sir?"
"It really is good to have you home again," Jon told his best friend.
Trip smiled. "I know, Cap'n. I'm glad to be home again, too."
"Goodnight, Trip," Archer said again as he whistled for Porthos.
"Goodnight, Cap'n." Trip disappeared into his quarters, taking in the familiar sight. Everything was as he had left it, except for the fact that all his laundry was clean. He shook his head, wondering what intrepid soul had braved his laundry hamper, as he kicked off his boots and removed the jumpsuit and shirt. He tossed them in the basket, along with the bright blue undershirt.
Trip had pulled on shorts and was reaching for a regular t-shirt to sleep in when his door chime rang. "Come in," he called, knowing at once who was there. He pulled the shirt over his head and turned to greet his lifemate. Malcolm was still in uniform, but he was pulling the lifemate necklace out from underneath the black shirt. Trip pulled his own out before stepping closer to Malcolm.
//Welcome home, darlin'.// he said he pulled Malcolm to him.
Malcolm wrapped his arms around Trip, knowing his true home was in his lover's arms. //Welcome home, love.//
The Calm Before