***

2147

Jupiter wheeled overhead, Titan next to it, like giant stones ready to crush the ship.

The last shakedown mission was always tougher than any other, and the warp coils had gotten the workout of their life, especially in the sudden warp and stopping trials of the first week. Archer was inspecting the hull firsthand; Trip had gone directly from the evacuation drills to his repairs on the nacelle housing.

Trip: (( Maybe skipping lunch wasn't such a good idea. ))

Archer was consumed with his work for nearly an hour, until a familiar voice came over the comm.

aunque es falso el aire, siento que respiro

The tune had been humming around Trip's head as he worked, stuck on that one line. Forgetting that the comm was open, he softly sang the words. He barely noticed the ratchet spanner floating away.

(( It's warm in this suit. A little fresh air would be nice. ))

aunque es falso el aire, siento que respiro

Archer grinned as he recognized the line from a song Trip had played over and over on their first road trip together.

Trip: They never give us fresh air up here.

Archer: What did you say, Trip?

Trip: Nothing, sir. (( Jerk! ))

Archer: How about a break? It's been a few hours. These suits won't last forever.

Trip: They last 12 hours.

Archer: Well, we're not testing the suits...

Trip: Give - me - a MINUTE.

Archer looked up, searching for Trip. This was not Trip's voice, not even when he was angry.

aunque es falso el aire, siento que respiro

Archer had remembered what the words meant - although the air is false, I feel I can breathe.

Archer: Trip, what was for lunch today, do you remember?

Trip: How the hell should I know?

He moved quickly to cover the distance from the main body, where he'd been, to Trip. The nacelle housing was closer than it looked, but he couldn't get up much speed. A tiny figure was banging its fist against the side of the nacelle.

Trip: DAMN IT!!

Archer tried to go even faster but the EVA suit had its limits.

Archer: Lieutenant Tucker!

Trip: What do you want?

Archer: Stop hitting my ship.

The tiny figure stopped its banging and the muffled clank (and the swearing) over the comm died out.

aunque es falso el aire...

Trip: They're right. It is fake. It's just a big model and I can't make it fly right.

Archer: Trip, listen to me.

The panic in his voice was still controlled; he knew the steps to take. Get to the stricken crewman. Keep him talking. Prevent him from being a danger to himself or others. Get him inside as fast as possible.

aunque es falso el aire...

Trip: I need to breathe some real air. Somethin' warm and wet off the Gulf. Sea air.

Archer: Trip, can you see me coming?

Trip: Yep. There you are. You run funny.

Archer: Tell me about the last dive you did in the Gulf.

Trip: Already told you. Now get over here and help me get this helmet off.

Archer was going as fast as he could, but he could see Trip's hands already fiddling with the locks on the helmet.

Archer: Tell me about the first night you came to my apartment.

Trip: Huh? Ohhh, heh heh, that's not fit for an open comm channel. They might be listenin'.

Archer's stomach sank. He'd forgotten that Starfleet was very likely recording (if not listening to) all their communications. They had that on file now.

Trip: Surely you didn't forget that first night already?

Archer: Tell me. I'll be right there, Trip.

***

***

2154

Trip: It's late.

T'Pol: It's T'Pol, Commander. There is something we must discuss.

...

The crisp music continued and a candle burned on the table.

T'Pol: I am interrupting your meditation. I will return tomorrow.

Trip: No. No, I, uh, I wasn't meditating, just thinking.

T'Pol: Those can be two very incompatible activities. Meditation requires the mind to be cleared of all thoughts. It is likely that the music is interfering. If you switch it off...
Trip: No. Leave it.

He grabbed her arm impulsively and tightly.

Trip: Please...

He collected himself.

Trip: It helps me, really.

T'Pol: You are aware of the effect the Researcher is having on the crew?

Trip: I've heard he scares some people. So far no one's reported a problem. He's a bit more than I expected, but he's harmless.

T'Pol: Dr. Phlox would differ.

Trip: It's nothing.

T'Pol: The Researcher shared Tabran secrets with you. It is unlike any Tabran behavior we know of. That alone suggests caution would be a logical step.

Trip: It was a hologram. Of his home world. He just trusted me enough to show me.

T'Pol: Why should he trust you with this?

Trip: Maybe he thinks I'm just a trustworthy person.

T'Pol: You were exposed to technology which we do not possess, which he did not inform us he had brought on board, and which has not been tested on humans.

Trip: Now, you're gettin' upset over nothin'. I just had a headache. It was eyestrain, that's all.

T'Pol: The injuries the Tabran inflicted on the Captain were more serious than your headache.

Trip: I just saw him. He's fine too. Nothing wrong with him either.

T'Pol: Why is the Tabran interested in you and the Captain?

Trip: How should I know? Maybe we're just inneresting.

T'Pol: He has focused his time and attention almost exclusively on the two of you.

Trip: He interviews people from every department, every week.

T'Pol: I do not question his work. Yet he spends hours with you and the Captain.

Trip: What do you want me to do about it?

T'Pol: What is it in you that he finds so worthy of research? What is his purpose?

Trip: Maybe you should ask the Captain that.

T'Pol's eyebrow rose.

Trip: When he's ready.

(...)

***

2154

Tegl: What did Archer hope to achieve by inviting me on this mission?

Trip: He just wanted to give you some sightseeing time, I guess. More time to run around?

Tegl: I don't plan to.

(...)

Tegl: We talked about you yesterday. He knows his priorities.

Trip looked at him with a puzzled expression, and glanced over his shoulder at the crewmen, but they were engaged in a conversation and hadn't heard anything.

Trip: His priority is to keep Earth safe from attack again.

Tegl: His true priority is what matters most to him. If he can combine the two in his mind, so much the better.

(...)

Tegl: Why are we landing on the night side?

Trip: It's cooler there, but the sun will rise soon enough. And it's central to a lot of large concentrations of food we can use. I want to see what the caves look like myself -- some ancient alien civilization might have left something behind - Hoshi made me swear to take pictures of any writing I find.
Tegl: There were people here?

Trip: Well, we think so. The caves aren't natural, but there aren't any signs of a civilization either. Could have been a mining operation.

Something cold and black trickled down the inside of Tegl's chest and he fell silent. It was like a memory, but he couldn't get hold of it.

***

2146

Archer awoke with a strong warm arm draped across his chest, and he wondered what had taken hold of him to bring him here - next to a junior officer with a name like "Trip" who knew exactly which buttons to push. Trip moved in his sleep, tightening his hold on Archer and beginning to snore softly. This was the first time love had felt necessary - like a taste of something he could get addicted to.

(( I could make a life with him. Tell Forrest and the others. Get him to move in with me. The NX-01 mission can't fail with Trip on board. ))

Trip: What're you thinkin' about? I can hear you thinkin'.

Archer: You're asleep. You're dreaming.

Trip: I am not. You clench your teeth when you think too hard.

Archer: I was thinking about the ship. It needs a closer inspection.

Trip: Nah, I'm not buyin' that one. You were thinkin' about me.

Archer: Your eyes are closed. What are you, telepathic?

Trip: Just a little trick I learned from our Vulcan buddies.

He had popped up on his elbows to say that, mainly to see Archer's face.

Archer: I didn't know the Vulcans could read minds.

Trip: Oh, sure. They think about me all the time too.

Archer: That explains the expressions they have on their faces.

Trip: Unrequited love.

He grinned and rested his chin on Archer's chest, feeling the laughter.

...

Archer: I was thinking about what we could do today.

Trip: Well, that would be "go to work."

Archer: Besides that. I want a day with you.

Trip: Now don't take things so fast. I think we did it enough to last a week. Or a few days at least.

Archer: I just don't think this should end.

Trip: Well, Mr. Archer, I think you'd better call and ask me out the next time. I can't be throwing myself at you like that every time. People will talk.

Archer: Wanna go out again?

...

Trip: Yeah.

Archer held him until his arms were aching. Trip dozed off again in the embrace.

***

2154

T'Pol: What was your purpose in inviting the Tabran on a routine supply mission?

Archer: You never call him Tegl.

T'Pol: Have you talked to him lately?

Archer: Yes. We established a level of trust.

T'Pol: And is our level of trust still the same?

Archer was surprised by the question, and its emotional inflection.

Archer: T'Pol, I trust you with everything. I share almost every decision with you.

T'Pol: As your first officer, I should know about...Tegl...and why he's focused on you and Commander Tucker.

Archer: We're near the landing point. Can we continue this some other time?

T'Pol stared at Archer's face, looking for a sign of what he was thinking.

(...)

Archer: Looks inviting enough. It's already warming up.

T'Pol: The sun will rise in exactly seven and a half minutes. The high temperature should not exceed 45 degrees.

Archer: Get to work collecting, crewmen!

Reed: We've scanned the area. Still no life signs, Xindi, human or otherwise. Small indigenous animals here and there.

Archer watched Trip land the second shuttlepod.

(...)

Archer: Malcolm, you keep an eye on the surroundings. Trip, why don't you take the Researcher with you when you look for inscriptions. I'm sure he knows a few languages.

T'Pol, see if you can determine what's interfering with the transporter.

As they dispersed, Archer watched his three closest friends carefully. (( T'Pol first? Maybe Malcolm? ))

He decided and headed off.