Rating: PG
Genres: drama missing scene
Keywords:
This story has been read by 940 people.
This story has been read 1686 times.
This story is number 12 in the series Missing Scenes from Season Two
SPOILERS: The Catwalk
DISCLAIMER: Star Trek belongs to CBS/Paramount, not me. The original episode was written by Mike Sussman and Phyllis Strong.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: At the end of this episode, T'Pol is watching a western with the rest of the crew, and Tucker lets her know she'd be welcome at their regular movie night. This is Tucker for truce, in my book. But what finally brought that on?
One of the many challenges of life in the catwalk was that T'Pol could hear virtually every conversation that didn't overlap sufficiently with another one. The long curved tube they were living in while they rode out the rest of the storm amplified sound waves with dreadful efficiency. She did her best to ignore these conversations, but some were harder to miss than others.
For example, it was impossible not to overhear Commander Tucker's discussion with Captain Archer in the command area while she was sitting on the floor between the two bunks behind them utterly failing to meditate. That precious state of serenity had been eluding her except in the very middle of the night on the extremely rare occasions when everybody was quiet. It didn't help that she had lost one of her ear plugs the very first day they arrived. Since it was impossible for something even that small to just disappear, she rather suspected that Porthos had eaten it.
Tucker said, "Cap'n, Phlox told me to ask you if I could take a nap up here. It's a lot quieter."
"You feeling all right? You got a pretty good dose of radiation."
"Yeah, he treated that. I'm just really tired. And I can't sleep back there, not right now. There's too much going on."
"It's fine with me, but T'Pol's meditating back there right now."
"Oh. Damn."
"I don't see that napping would interfere with meditation so much."
"The smell alone would probably distract her. I'm pretty ripe."
"We're all stinking up the joint. At this point I doubt she'd notice any difference."
"Maybe I should install showers up here when we're done, just in case this ever happens again. At least it would shut Malcolm up."
"How about an officer's latrine while you're at it?"
Tucker laughed. "Good idea. You can't even sit on the toilet for thirty seconds without somebody knocking on the door. Honestly, Cap'n -- I don't generally think of myself as much of an introvert, but if I don't get some time alone soon, I might just murder somebody."
"It's only one more day, Trip. I actually think it's been a nice bonding experience for the crew."
"With all due respect, sir, it's been a nice bonding experience if you can walk around for a little bit 'bonding' with people and then retreat back up here to some relative peace and quiet where you can feel all nice and warm about it without somebody stepping on you."
"You definitely do need some sleep, don't you? Why don't you just go on back?"
"How long has she been at it?"
"I don't know. Fifteen minutes?"
"I'll wait. This can't be easy on her, either. She's not exactly a people person at the best of times."
Archer lowered his voice. "I suggested she should take this opportunity to fraternize with the crew a little. She said it wasn't one of her skills."
Tucker snorted.
"She seems a little more isolated than usual, actually. I used to see you two having a cup of coffee now and then, but that doesn't seem to be happening anymore."
Silence.
"What happened?"
"Nothing happened."
"Seems like after that mission she had to go on for the Vulcans, things just haven't been the same."
Silence.
Archer said, "You do realize that she was under strict instructions to keep the whole thing classified."
"You put me in a bad position there, Cap'n. I had to impersonate a senior officer just to get your damned water polo score. And you left me in command without giving me any idea what the hell was going on."
"Okay, but that was me. Not her."
More silence.
"Why are you still so angry about it?"
"I'm not."
"Trip."
"Maybe I just don't like not being trusted. I'm not angry. I'm just ... not stupid. I admit, I thought she and I were friends, to the extent you can be friends with a Vulcan. I've adjusted my expectations, that's all. Now I just think of her as a colleague. A valued colleague. My behavior has been nothing but professional. I'm sure she prefers it that way, anyway."
"I doubt that."
"Well, that's just the way it's gonna be. You can't order me to be friends with someone, Cap'n."
"No, I can't. But I'm disappointed in you. You've never struck me as someone who would hold a grudge."
"It's not a grudge! It's just recognizing the way things are."
"And you don't strike me as particularly happy about it, either."
"Was there anything else, sir?" Tucker clearly didn't want to discuss the matter any further.
Archer's sigh was heavy. "Why don't you just go on back? Tell her the doctor ordered you to take a nap. He did, didn't he?"
"I can't go back there."
"This is ridiculous, Trip! I want my senior officers to be able to get along. And you're the last person I would expect to be getting in the way of that."
"I'm not the problem!" Trip said hotly.
Any further attempt at meditation would be pointless now. She wasn't sure why having Commander Tucker declare so plainly that he no longer considered her a friend upset her equanimity so thoroughly, but it did. She blew out the little candle Archer had allowed her and swept out of the little vestibule. "Please take your nap, Commander," she said. "I wouldn't want a valued colleague to go without sleep." Then she brushed past him, pushed through the blanket door, and stalked off down the gangway.
She would go find something to do or somebody to fraternize with, no matter how inappropriate a use of her time and skills it might be.
Maybe, once Trip realizes that she heard everything, he'll start to realize that he's hurt her, and put that together with some other things, and make a logical deduction. He's the human; she's not, and none of this comes easily or naturally to her.
Another great chapter and a great missing scene for one of my favourite S2 episodes. I do like the idea of the 'overheard conversation' too, even though I've sure T'Pol would aboslutely insist that she was NOT eavesdropping, LOL. Great stuff.
Read this from my phone a couple of days ago; sorry I'm only getting to commenting on it now.
I like the device of the overheard conversation. And while I, too, was hoping for a really good talk between TnT here, I'm not disappointed that it's all just kind of coming to a head instead--very realistic for where they were with each other in Season Two.
Thanks for doing these! In these final weeks of school, bite-size fics like this are great because I still get in some pleasure reading, but I'm not sucked in for so long that I start deciding that I'm *not* going to do in order to fit them in. ;)
I was hoping for a good conversation between Trip and T'Pol about the mission that made Trip so angry (I am really missing those talks!;)), but given the line of the story the conversation between Trip and Archer fitted much better. Archer isn't really a reflective guy when it comes his actions towards others in season two, so having him clueless is fitting. The fact that he still noticed that T'Pol and Trip are not longer on such friendly terms, is telling in that respect. You could feel the anger and distance (and coldness) toward T'Pol in the conversation, which can only come from a more deeper emotion Trip had been feeling for T'Pol. The same counts for T'Pol. She is shaken without realizing why when Trip declares not to be her friend anymore and her last remark shows she is not only angry, but hurt. Loved her response when she barged out. Now I have read this, I am so curious when went through their mind when they had that conversation about movies, but únfortunately that would not count as missing scene. Eager to see where this is going.
Alelou, uou took this in a totally different direction than in all other stories and it was intriguing. I did not get the impression though that T'Pol, on ovrthearing Archer and Trip's conversation, realized her behaviour was the causee of Trip distancing himself. She stalks off in a very unvulcan huff. This was great, I always appreciate other takes on situations. Thanks for writing
Personally, I think Archer of Season 2 would be unapologetic. He had his reasons for the decisions he made, and maybe they did put Trip in a bad position, but he wouldn't have done it differently so he doesn't really see the point of apologizing. And I think this is so much his modus operandi that Trip has just accepted that, more or less, for years. Whereas from T'Pol it felt like more of a personal repudiation of a different, more equal relationship. He truly hadn't expected her to confide in or rely on Archer and not him.
.
Emotionally disturbing,but good. On the other hand, what there was in that episode NOT EMOTIONALLY DISTURBING? If I have to have a belly-ache, it is that to see all those episodes you wrote about, only one time, on the screen, is more than enough.
But I am a masochist, evidently, or maybe you are a too good writer, so I had to cede to the temptation.
This is quite possibly my favorite of your missing scenes so far. :)
"You put me in a bad position there, Cap'n. I had to impersonate a senior officer just to get your damned water polo score. And you left me in command without giving me any idea what the hell was going on."
"Okay, but that was me. Not her."
More silence.
"Why are you still so angry about it?"
I have to go along with Lady Rainbow -- Archer is totally clueless. Archer knows that Trip is upset with him, not just T'Pol. But it doesn't seem to really register. He gives Trip absolutely no reason to think that he understands that Trip was placed in a bad situiation or offers assurances that he will behave more professionally in the future.
Actually I'm a little disappointed in Trip here, in that he's focusing his anger solely on T'Pol. I know some officers like Wellington (I believe) want to keep everything to themselves until it's time to issue the appropriate orders. But I doubt that Wellington purported to be a personal friend to his subordinates. This scene seems to be another instance of Archer taking and Trip giving. I think Archer is concerned for Trip's welfare, but he seems to be totally oblivious to his "friend's" needs as a man and as an officer.
T'Pol is unsettled by Trip distancing himself. She begins to see the problem she has helped to create. Why can't Archer? And why can't Trip bring himself to hold Archer accountable?
Ah, jT, you're so sweet. I wouldn't count on your little fantasy there coming true, though. And thanks, all.
Robert, I hope to continue into Season 3, but once I hit "Harbinger" I run right into the reality that I already wrote that whole 'Commander Tucker' series of missing scenes for Season 3 and 4. I'm not sure I want to go through all that angst with our heroes again. And I still think of those as my own little vision of canon. I suppose that might change, though.
Well, Alelou, if it makes you feel any better, the reason I "don't care for it" is that I had a slightly different backstory in my head for Trip and T'Pol. But my backstory was based on vauge memories from favorite episodes whereas your Missing Scenes are based on detailed study of the series. So I reluctantly defer to your expertise. And the reason I care so much where a story goes is I feel you are writing something here that is nearly canon. At least it is to your many fans. I fantasize that the Powers That Be learn of your Missing Scenes and invite you to author an official Enterprise book.
:)
Keep up the AWESOME work!
I love your "Missing Scenes", Alelou!
I think Trip had a legitimate beef, though, with both Archer and T'Pol. At least she did attend Movie Night, though, so it looks like they're heading toward at least an understanding.
Archer deserves kudos for being so patient with TnT in the earlier chapters in the series. In this chappie, though, I just want to smack him over the head. :@ You can't FORCE someone to fraternize and make friends. T'Pol (and Malcolm, too. The breakfast in "Minefield"?) is naturally reserved, and trying to do that would make her feel uncomfortable. Archer wants the best for everyone, but he. is. just. clueless. The man needs some lessons in people skills, ASAP.
I enjoy reading Missing Scenes. Wrong. I LOVE reading Missing Scenes.
You are a magician and I can not wait, I can not wait for you to start with
season 3 Missing Scenes and oh boy, oh boy, oh boy season 4 Missing Scenes ;)
I never realized how little sense season 2 made until I read your missing scenes. You should rename them- "Vital Scenes" lol. I love it. These little tidbits fix so much damage that the actual writers of the show did. They're great and I really hope you go all the way to season four.:D
I can just imagine our fastidious Vulcan, carefully keeping each earplug in a sterilised container designed for the purpose, and stowed away in the designated pocket when not in use. How illogically frustrating to find that one has "gone missing" just when it was needed most - and how repugnant the thought of where it is now. I wonder what her reaction will be if it turns up again in a few days time? :p
Archer is still missing the point by a country mile, and shows no remorse at all over his disgraceful behaviour. Just as in the show, he's doing nothing to deserve the friendship we're told he has with Trip. Is this a case of Archer telling Trip they're best friends, and Trip just rolling his eyes and leaving him with his delusion?
I'm glad that T'Pol realizes now that she did lose that friendship, and I hope she misses it. Even a solitary character like a Vulcan has got to feel pretty lonely so far from home. As somebody not used to having a friend, and not even realizing she had one until too late, I don't suppose she had any idea what it took to be a friend. Hopefully now she might start to think about what obligations friendship brings, and why Trip felt she let him down.
I still wish they were closer, and I must admit I much prefer the "missing scenes" where we find they secretly much better friends than we saw on the show, but I think you're gently and sneakily heading in the right direction ... :D
LOL. This scene is like a Rorschach test -- seems like everybody has their own take on it. (And poor jT just plain didn't care for it.)
I would (gently) remind you that Trip offered an olive branch to T'Pol at the end of that episode. You could argue she had made an effort, too, by being there at the movie screening and offering her interpretation. I believe they decided to make peace and move on. I like to think of this scene happening beforehand partly because I think it fits well with Trip's body language while he's watching the movie.
Oh boy Trip certainly upset T'Pol when it came to her overhearing that conversation between Trip& Archer sayin he no longer wanted to be a friend to T'Pol.That Trip was still irked about their top secret mission in theThe Seventh.Still made Trip feel like their problems with trust issues and cconfiding in one another that you can see Trip starting to distance himself from both Archer & T'Pol.
BURN! She's pissed. Trip's in the doghouse for a few eps ;)
You definitely nailed the tone of season 2 - and Archer is being his usual self her. I like that T'Pol is hurt by this but not ready to awknowledge the depth.
Porthos ate it! LOL!
With your missing scenes, I feel sorry for Archer and admire his patience. I would've locked them together somewhere until they settled it one way or another!
I like that Trip got to say his piece and T'Pol heard it. This will go a long way to repairing things between them but Archer really made me angry.
He is disappointed in Trip? I didn't hear him acknowlege that he was sorry for treating Trip like crap. Archer needs to come down off his high horse and repair some damage himself.