Missing Scenes from Season Three - E2

Spoilers: "E2" and prior episodes in Season 3, and it will probably make little sense without them.

Disclaimer: All things Star Trek belong to CBS/Paramount. "E2" was written by Michael Sussman, and a portion of his original dialogue (which you will recognize as being from a missing scene, if you own the DVD) has been included here.

Author's Note: I included the missing scene dialogue because I think TnT shippers sometimes want to pretend it didn't exist, but I don't find it out of place for Trip at this point. I also find it hard to believe that he never figured out there was a T'Pol on the other ship, and that if he did he wouldn't want to do anything about it. However, I can also imagine why T'Pold (as Rigil Kent amusingly calls her) might have had concerns about a visit from him.

Since T'Pol had made an excuse that made it clear she didn't want to do any of the explaining herself, Jon decided to walk Lorian down to Engineering. He wasn't quite sure what was up with his first officer, but at least it meant he would get to see Trip's reaction.

As they made their way down, he decided a little warning might be in order. "I'm guessing you already know that your father can be a bit plain spoken."

"Yes, I remember," Lorian said, with a tight, not-entirely-Vulcan smile.

This must be a very strange position for him to be in. Jon couldn't begin to imagine how he'd react to the opportunity to suddenly see his long-dead father again, let alone his father as a man much younger than he was ... a man who hadn't even thought of becoming his father yet.

Afflicted by nerves or not, Lorian certainly ducked through the door into engineering with practiced ease.

Jon said, "Trip, this is Lorian, captain of the other Enterprise."

Trip smiled. "I hear you guys got thrown back in time?" Despite his friendly face, his voice betrayed some skepticism, and he shot a quick questioning glance at Jon, so Jon gave him a small confirming nod. Trip stuck his tongue in the side of his mouth while he digested that, then said, "Well, I'm glad to see Enterprise could last that long, especially after what she's been through recently. So you think you can get us up to 6.9?" This time even more skepticism was apparent.

Lorian said, "We believe it is a simple matter of modifying your injector assembly and adding some structural bracing to reinforce hull integrity."

Trip frowned. "I'm not sure how simple that can be, especially right now, but I'm willing to give it a listen."

Archer said, "Lorian is apparently a quite capable engineer, Trip. As you would expect."

Trip raised his eyebrows expectantly. "Because...?"

Jon took a deep breath. "Lorian is your son." He couldn't help a little smirk. "Yours and T'Pol's."

Trip's eyes narrowed. He turned to Lorian. "The cap'n really loves to pull my leg." But he also began a more thorough appraisal of their guest ... an appraisal that quickly settled on Lorian's ears.

"It's no joke, Trip," Jon said. "Phlox confirmed it. I think he takes a bit after your father, don't you?"

Trip was staring hard at Lorian now. "But Humans and Vulcans...."

Lorian said, "Phlox found a way to successfully combine your DNA."

Trip stared silently at Lorian for a moment. Then he said, "You have any brothers and sisters over there?"

"No. Carrying a hybrid child posed something of a health risk for Mother and also required a large share of Enterprise's scarce medical resources. Once you succeeded in having one healthy child together, you decided that would be sufficient."

"Ah." Trip was beginning to look a little dazed now.

Jon clapped Trip on the shoulder and handed him the PADD his great granddaughter had handed him. "We need to make these modifications as soon as possible, Trip, assuming they look okay to you."

"Aye sir," Trip said, and shook his head as if to clear it. "Let me take a look."

x x x

The modifications the other crew had outlined looked reasonable, although Trip thought the simulations they'd run were less comprehensive than he would have preferred. Still, Archer had made his choice and there wasn't much time to dither around looking for potential problems. Besides, if anyone had your best interests at heart, it would presumably be your own descendents, whose existence depended on you being around long enough to have them in the first place.

But would that matter if they were already here in the same timeline with them now?

And if not, wouldn't they actually need to make sure they got sent back in time?

He scowled. Ever since Daniels had first appeared in their lives, Trip had begun to nurse a quiet hatred for temporal physics.

At least Lorian was, indeed, a talented engineer. That was a pleasant thing to notice about one's own son. So was the discovery that he had apparently considered Trip a good dad, if an alarmingly short-lived one.

Trip had to ask. "Maybe you could tell me more about your mother. How the two of us got together."

"She never told me. Mother rarely talked about you. I think it was too painful. She cared for you a great deal."

Trip couldn't help remembering T'Pol's recently repeated insistence that she wasn't interested in anything beyond exploration. He'd gone back to his quarters afterwards and decided that even if she was full of shit, it was still far more shit than any man should ever have to wade through. It hadn't been an easy decision, which perhaps explained the bitterness he was still feeling as he said, "Doesn't seem like we're talking about the same T'Pol."

If anything, Lorian seemed slightly amused. "Your relationship was somewhat contentious. But you were always affectionate towards each other."

Could they really be talking about the same woman? "I just can't see myself married to her. I suppose if we were marooned on a desert island...."

Which, of course, that crew essentially was...

Lorian's reaction suggested that he wasn't entirely comfortable with that remark - who would be, about his own mother? - so Trip decided he'd better refocus on the job at hand. "Sorry," he said. He was an idiot.

Still, as they continued to work together, he couldn't entirely rein in his curiosity. With prodding, Lorian told him some more of what he did know about their wedding from a recording that had been made of it. Trip said, "Your mother must have lived an awfully long time after I died. Did she ever marry again? Did she have a good life?"

Lorian stopped what he was doing and looked at Trip. "No, she never remarried. As a Vulcan she probably wouldn't describe herself as happy, but she seems fairly contented."

"Wait a minute," Trip said. "You just used the present tense. She's over there? Right now? How is that even possible?"

"Vulcans have much longer life spans than Humans. She is quite old, and getting rather fragile."

"I want to see her." Maybe she'd give him the answers he wanted.

Lorian frowned. "She said that would be unwise."

"Why?" Trip demanded.

"She didn't go into detail about it, and I didn't ask. As you might have noticed, we've been quite busy."

Trip scowled. Clearly T'Pol hadn't really changed that much. She was still maddening.

x x x

Make that extremely maddening.

His T'Pol, the one who had so suddenly gone all distant on him, had pissed him off so much with her coldness about their relationship as they worked together in the starboard annex that he'd literally had to walk away. It was either that or scream something unforgiveable at her about it being a cold day in hell before he'd ever waste another moment's thought on her tight Vulcan ass ever again.

And that would have been even ruder than what he did say, as well as a lie. For despite being overwhelmingly busy with the sudden change in plans from modifying the injectors to reconfiguring the impulse manifolds, he'd barely been able to stop brooding about her all day.

Contentious, huh? Maybe they'd actually been at each other's throats the whole time. Kids have a vested interest in thinking their parents are happy, don't they? Maybe Lorian had been oblivious. Maybe that Trip had actually died young because T'Pol had made him so insane that he'd developed a death wish, and suddenly couldn't tell a live plasma conduit from a dead one.

Maybe he should just ignore her wishes and go over there and demand an explanation.

When he had time. If he ever did. He sighed. That was unlikely - unless, of course, they got thrown back in time all over again, at which point he'd no doubt find it all out for himself.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

So do you still check your messages as compulsively as you used to?

Your future (former?) husband

x x x

FR: T'Pol

I do. How are you, future/former husband? Have you finished installing the iso-magnetic collector?

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Running final tests right now. I'll tell you how I am: I'm confused. If we were actually MARRIED for all those years, would you please explain why you don't want to see the conveniently NON-DEAD version of me now?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

We were married for over 22 years. I doubt my younger self would appreciate me giving you a look at me right now. Do you recall a video character you referred to as the "Cryptkeeper"?

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Where's the logic in worrying about what I'll think of your old self if there's no way I'll ever live long enough to see my version of you actually get old? Just how old are you, anyway?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

If she hasn't told you yet, I'm certainly not going to. In all seriousness, Trip, you could lose your enthusiasm for the chase, and I fear you will need it.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Yeah, I'm getting that. So were we happy? Was it worth it?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

Yes.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Just yes? On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy were we?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

9. I'd say 10, but you insisted I watch every Abbott and Costello movie ever made.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Ha. Will you finally admit you have a sense of humor NOW?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

No.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

That figures. So anyway, I like your son. Our son. This is weird. I could have done without the shooting me part.

x x x

FR: T'Pol

Lorian has been under tremendous pressure since we failed to stop the probe. Like all sentient beings, he has weaknesses.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Do you include yourself in that?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

Of course. I always had a weakness for you.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Huh. I guess that's mutual. So...anything you want to give me any tips about?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

Since you have met us, events should unfold quite differently for you even if you do get thrown back in time, which I sincerely hope you will not. Earth still depends on us to save it.

This is not a tip, but I hope that you will live long and prosper, with or without your T'Pol.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Hold on. With or without? Shouldn't you be cheering me on?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

I believe you have the capacity to be happy with many different people. If your T'Pol doesn't become trapped in the past, she might never accept her feelings for you. I would like you to be happy no matter what happens. Human life is all too short.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Are you sure I can't come over?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

Much as I would like to see you, there are what you would call "weird-ass Vulcan" reasons at play, as well as my own vanity. Please trust me on this.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Is there ANYTHING I can do for you?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

If you have an unlaundered t-shirt to spare, I would like to smell my husband again.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Our laundry is still down over here. Unlaundered is REALLY unlaundered. You might pass out.

x x x

FR: T'Pol

I am willing to risk it. Is there anything you would like from me? Please don't ask for underwear. I even smell old, and it's not that easy to replace on this ship.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

Maybe I could wangle you some new stuff. Could you tell HER what you told me?

x x x

FR: T'Pol

I already attempted to lobby on your behalf. Of course, I could be quite stubborn at this point in my life.

x x x

FR: Cdr Tucker

No kidding. Ah, the collector looks good. Gotta go.

x x x

FR: T'Pol

Peace and long life, most beloved.

x x x

He stared at the screen, his mouth hanging open. Should he even attempt to respond to that? For once, he felt more Vulcan about their relationship than she did. He just wasn't prepared to call her his most beloved yet. She'd understand that, wouldn't she?

Or was he breaking his future old widow's heart? He couldn't believe she actually wanted his shirt.

"Trip?" Archer's voice on the comm. was distinctly impatient.

Trip shook himself. "Sorry, sir. Yes, we're good to go."

And then he had plenty of other things to worry about.

And then she was gone.