Layers of friendship: Trip and Archer

[pdsldl]

Archer didn't really have anyone. All his ties were to those back on Earth and he didn't seem to keep in touch with any of them. There was Erica but duty interfered there until 'Home' and then it seemed to be a matter of need at the time and nothing beyond that. If he lost Trip he was alone as he hadn't formed any closeness with anyone else. T'Pol was a professional friend with a little personal but I could never see it going much beyond that between them, if for no other reason than she was Vulcan and would not let personal come before duty.

[Silverbullet]

When Archer tell sim that he needs Trip Archer is talking to a sepearate Entity. Sim emerged as a seperate being. when he told T-Pol he didn't know if the Feeling were his or Trip's. Sim would not know Engineering. He only had trips memories. If he took Trips place and a problem came up that was not in Trips Memories Sim would not have the knowledge or experience to take care of it. By the time Sim was in Trip's quarters there were two sepearate entities in the clones body, Trip and Sim. The first indication of this was when Sim sid his favorite Pie was Key Lime. Pecan was Trips since he was a boy and up to his Accident. Key Lime was the favorite of the new entity. Archer may have sensed this because he also refused to let Sim Pilot one of the Shuttles although Sim said he had pioleted Shuttle many tiimes before and Archer said something to the effect that Sim just had Trips memories of pooleting Shuttles.

[panyasan]

Boring job, very interesting thread and lot of ideas that I stole shamelessy ended in this little story I wrote just now, telling the story of the friendship between Trip and Archer.

Brothers

Porthos was laying on his cushions on his usual spot in his quarters. It was like nothing had changed and life continued as normal. He knew it wasn't true. Absentminded he stroked his dog, scratched him behind his ears. Porthos's puppy eyes begged for cheese. Phlox had told him time after time that cheese was bad for Porthos, but this time he didn't mind indulging his faithful companion. Not today.

While Porthos was enjoying his special threat, he felt the need to write down his thoughts. “Personal log of captain Jonathan Archer. Today I said goodbye to my best friend.”
He stopped there. His mind raced back to the first time he had met Trip. Growing up as a skinny kid, he never had any friends. He couldn't make any connection with the kids at school and lived for the precious moments with his ever busy father, a man he adored. Then he met Trip. They were both in training for Starfleet, both with the same goal: to get the Humans into space. He soon recognized the brilliant mind looming behind the cheerful face of the Engineer, but Trip never seemed to realize what special genius he was. Instead, in their interaction, Jon found that Trip was admiring him. He never had some one who did or accepted him the way Trip did. He needed it, especially when he became captain. Looking back, the time they spend working on the warp core, building a new ship, was the happiest time of his life. At day, they worked or trained together, in the evening they eat together, had a few drinks, had fun. They did some crazy things back then. He still had to laugh remembering those times.

It all changed when he became captain. Being boss and friend at the same time was a difficult balance to achieve. Still Trip was the only one who he trusted without thinking, whose words, always spoken in kind and accepting him, could change his mind. See things differently. No one else could. Then came the Expanse. He felt the urgency of the mission and the weight upon his shoulder. Instinctively he knew he needed Trip as his sounding board, more then ever. Faced with his possibility of Trips death, he fought to find a way not for him to lose his friend. Ironically, at the same time he became so obsessed, like his father, that he lost his connection to any one who where close to him, especially Trip. Luckily, Erika returned in his life to make him feel a little bit human again.

The year after the Expanse, the old friendship seemed to have wither away. Trip had his own problems, he had his. Still their old bond was strong, tough, not easily to be broken by any circumstances. Jon remembered vividly how despaired he felt when Trip became very ill, how he would give his own life, just to make him better. His old friend. His first and only friend in life. He wouldn't have made it though the years of war with the Romulans that were coming, if he hadn't rely on the man in Engineering, a presence that hold him in many battles. Trip had became more then a friend, he was the brother he never had.

Now this man, his brother, had told him this morning, he would not return to Earth. “We need your skills, Trip,” he pleaded “Earth, Starfleet, think of the work you would accomplish.”

“I spend half my life serving Earth and Starfleet, captain,” Trip had refuted. “My family is more important now. They need me. Doctor Phlox knows a good medical facility on Denobula, so T'Pol and the baby can get all the medical attention they needed.”

“I thought the pregnancy was going well,” he said worried, thinking about T'Pol who's body clearly showed the signs that she was expecting a child. “She seems a bit...” He broke off. How do you tell a man that his wife, the normally calm and collected Vulcan, had been rather emotional lately.

“Cranky, you mean,” Trip laughed. “I think it's good you never married a Vulcan woman.”

Jon gave him a puzzled look.

“You wouldn't stand the mood swings, ” Trip joked.

“You seemed to take it in good spirits,” he replied.

“She has more to deal with then I have. We both really want this baby,” Trip said. His voice cracked up a bit and Jon knew behind Trips smile there was a never told story of grief and pain.

“That's why we are going to that medical facility,” Trip continued. “No matter how well it goes now, it's still a complicated pregnancy. I want to make sure the baby is born safely and after that, I want to spend some quiet time with my wife and family. Building a life together. We need it and we can't have it on Earth.”

They were never been very sentimental, but when he said goodbye to Trip he had to thank him.
“I should be thanking you,” Trip answered. “I heard Starfleet want you to join the election of the president of the Coalition. You would be a hell of a president, Jon.”

He doubted it, but at that moment he decided to accepted the challenge that Starfleet had asked of him. “You would be a hell of a father,” he replied. Then he hugged him and they departed and his world and the ship he returned to, felt empty.

His thoughts were interrupted by a short knock. It was Malcolm. “Captain, we just left the system and heading toward Earth.” He looked at his security officer, also suffering from losing his best friend.

“Do you want a drink, Malcolm?” He had some bourbon stashed away.

“Sir?” Malcolm looked surprised. “I am duty, sir.”

“Your shift ended a hour ago. Take a seat.”

Reluctantly Malcolm did and accepted the glasses with bourbon. Staring at the glass with the brown, shining liquor, he asked “Where do we drink to, sir?”

“To brotherhood,” Jon said.

[Asso]

If threads like this take people to write stories like this, these threads have to be very enjoyed and thanked and... multiplyed.
Panyasan, I really think you should publish this little jewel.

[WarpGirl]

Great Story Panyasan! I put my two-cents in in the Archer Trip friendship thread, but to sum it up I'll just say this...

According to the episode Flight or Fight Archer and Trip met when Trip was 22. And according to their birthdays they're 15 years apart. So Archer was 37. Now the "average" 22 year old is just out of college. Because *the_abomination*, states Trip never went to college I use that to establish that Trip is a genius and Starfleet took him just out of high school and just taught him themselves. We know Trip knew everything there was to know about Henry Archer's work, and that was how he got the Warp 2 engine to work because he could see and fix H. Archer's error. Obviously a young man brilliant at his career both idolized H. Archer and Emory Erikson. And he had the oppertunity to get to know a man that was raised a lot by both of his heroes! Of Course he'd want to be friends with the man. Of course he's going to have hero worship to an extent. I would if I were in his shoes at 22!

Here's the thing the relationship was never one of equals even before Archer became Captain. Archer from the very beginning used Trip to get what he wanted. Now I'm not saying he forced Trip to do anything because he didn't. Trip chose to defy orders and help with that engine, Trip chose to enter into a friendship where he wasn't an equal. I'm certain he knew what he was doing. I'm certain he knew Archer needed praise and adoration and support to be effective in his job, and he was happy to give it. He got many things in return and it was good for both of them in many ways. Trip was a sidekick and for a time it worked pretty well.

However, once Archer was Captain things began to change. I don't think it was because of professional distance though. I think Trip knew that there would be times when rank came before friendship. And I believe he was fine with that. The problem came when Archer used rank to assert friendship. Like in Desert Crossing Trip had no desire to go to the desert. Archer wanted his buddy to come and would not take no for an answer, so he pulled rank made it an order. That's a problem. Another problem was that Archer would use friendship to ignore Trip professionally like in Daedlus. The man has no sense of balance. I think the Cogenator mess showed Trip that he was beginning to grow and he could not be that 22 year old guy anymore. Archer couldn't or wouldn't see the changes, and expected the status quo to remain hence why he was so shocked when Trip left.

Basically I saw that relationship as all about Archer. And for a long time Trip was fine with that, but people grow, they change, and in the end Archer still believes Trip is his no.1 best friend and Trip knows that Archer is not his best friend. I think had the series continued eventually Archer would have to face that reality and it could have led him to cast Trip off personally.

[Silverbullet]

Wg, you are extremely intelligent. Would you hero Worship a person you knew wasn't your intellectual equal and never would be

All Archer had was his Father being the creator of the Warp Drive. Archer was a test Pilot. He was older than Trip by 15 years. Archer was not outstanding. He was a Full Commander But if he had been outstanding at his age he should have been at least a Captain. I have never been able to see any reason for Trip to Hero Worship Archer at al. Trip was a far better man than Archer in may respects. Trip was Brilliant, extremely Loyal, ready to Learn, to meet new Species, to go in to space. He did not question his worth.

Trip could not have been a College dropout. High intelligence is fine but it needs education and training. To be a chief Engineer on a Warp Drive using Warp Theory Trip wouldhave to know at least: Higher Mathematics, Newtownian Physics, Relativity, Quantup Physics and Quantum Menchanis, Warp Drive Theory in addition to knowing the Warp Drive Engines themselves. that would take a lot of College. doubt if Starfleet could give him that typpe of an Education by OJT (On the Job Training)

[WarpGirl]

Well I believe I explained that Trip knew they weren't equals, both when he was the "protogee" and when he outgrew Archer. I also mentioned that when they met he was 22! 22 is still very young and impressionable. Archer does have charaisma and power deserved or not it would be very hard for a 22 year old to think he was not superior. My birthday is on Saturday, and I will be 26. I remember myself at 22 and if I had been Trip I would have had a case of hero worship for Archer knowing I was smarter than him.

And considering Starfleet Academy is on the job training I can see Starfleet making exceptions with Trip. I never said he was a drop out. Please don't say I did.

[Alelou]

SB, you truly are the certified Archer hater on this site.

[WarpGirl]

Well I don't like him either. Although I admit I've been trying to be more tolorent. I also admit that lately I've been seeing Trip as less naieve and saint-like lately. So I made sure to include that he willingly and knowingly gave Archer the friendship he needed until he grew beyond the ability to keep doing it.

[Silverbullet]

Warpgirl I know you did not say Tripwas a college Dropout. I did not mean you. It was said in the Abmination. I was just stating that he had to kow too much and needed to much Education. OJT, isn't all that good. One is expecrted to lern by Experioence and that takes time. Lots of mistakes can happen. Having a solid grounding in Education makes OJT much easier.

Alelou, it isn't that I hate Archer. I like Trip a whole lot beter because I thought the Trip character was a more intersting and appealing one. I always thought that Archer had too many self doubts and mde to many errors.

WG when Iwas 22 I damned sure didn't Hero worship anyone I felt did not deserve it. Perhaps I was too arrogant (maybe a bit dim about it) but I never saw any reason to be jealous of what others had or were capable of. I think that Trip was the same way. As I have said he knew his own worth. That type feels they are equal to anyone. Others may be smarter, richer, more uccessful, better looking, whatever, but not superior.

[pdsldl]

I question the whole hero worship idea. What would make Archer a hero in Trip's eyes. Henry Archer was the engineer not Archer. Archer was a pilot who got promoted to captain. If anything it should have been the other way around because Trip was able to fix his father's engine and get it into space when Archer couldn't. I see a mentoring relationship with Archer teaching him how to get along in Starfleet and a friendship developing. I just never saw more than occasional evidence that it was strong enough to be what I consider a best friend relationship. There was too much, especially in Archer's case, that they didn't know about each other or share with each other.

[WarpGirl]

OK Silverbullet is first... 1. You might not feel Archer deserves Trip's adoration and neither do I. However, I am approaching this from what I imagine Trip to be at 22 years old. I can't take into account your own experiences here. 2. I understand what you mean by on the job training, but again I am approaching this from what I know about Starfleet as created by Gene Rodenberry not what would happen in real life. And there is precedent for taking an incredibly gifted individual and forgoing a "traditional education" I'm not saying Trip never took those courses or learned what he needed to know. I am saying that Starfleet could have easily said "You're too advanced for college, we'll give you everything you need." That's the only explanation I can think of for him being a full Commander, and a potential FO by age 30. Not even Riker moved that fast. Kirk was a fluke of circumstance.

And I disagree with you that Trip didn't consider anyone superior to himself. He is entirely self-sacrificing, not just to T'Pol and Archer but to the greater good. That means he sacrifices even if he doesn't particularly like them. Very Vulcan actually. However he considers many people superior to him as evidenced by his actions for those people, not just the greater good.

pdsldl I appologize I realize I should have explained my meaning with the phrase "hero worship" I suppose I should describe it as in the beginning being close to J. Archer as being close to greatness. But soon he saw J. Archer as great in his own right, as an explorer and leader (I don't share that opinion) but I believe you mentioned that J. Archer had more life experience that Trip. And this is also true. Like I said J. Archer is supposed to have charisma and gravitos a young man like Trip would be a little in awe of such a combination. Again I was approaching this for the mindset of a 22 year old young man, who in my mind was quite ordinary and sheltered before Starfleet.

[justTripn]

Great Story Panyasan! I put my two-cents in in the Archer Trip friendship thread, but to sum it up I'll just say this...

According to the episode Flight or Fight Archer and Trip met when Trip was 22. And according to their birthdays they're 15 years apart. So Archer was 37. Now the "average" 22 year old is just out of college. Because *the_abomination*, states Trip never went to college I use that to establish that Trip is a genius and Starfleet took him just out of high school and just taught him themselves. We know Trip knew everything there was to know about Henry Archer's work, and that was how he got the Warp 2 engine to work because he could see and fix H. Archer's error. Obviously a young man brilliant at his career both idolized H. Archer and Emory Erikson. And he had the oppertunity to get to know a man that was raised a lot by both of his heroes! Of Course he'd want to be friends with the man. Of course he's going to have hero worship to an extent. I would if I were in his shoes at 22!

Here's the thing the relationship was never one of equals even before Archer became Captain. Archer from the very beginning used Trip to get what he wanted. Now I'm not saying he forced Trip to do anything because he didn't. Trip chose to defy orders and help with that engine, Trip chose to enter into a friendship where he wasn't an equal. I'm certain he knew what he was doing. I'm certain he knew Archer needed praise and adoration and support to be effective in his job, and he was happy to give it. He got many things in return and it was good for both of them in many ways. Trip was a sidekick and for a time it worked pretty well.

However, once Archer was Captain things began to change. I don't think it was because of professional distance though. I think Trip knew that there would be times when rank came before friendship. And I believe he was fine with that. The problem came when Archer used rank to assert friendship. Like in Desert Crossing Trip had no desire to go to the desert. Archer wanted his buddy to come and would not take no for an answer, so he pulled rank made it an order. That's a problem. Another problem was that Archer would use friendship to ignore Trip professionally like in Daedlus. The man has no sense of balance. I think the Cogenator mess showed Trip that he was beginning to grow and he could not be that 22 year old guy anymore. Archer couldn't or wouldn't see the changes, and expected the status quo to remain hence why he was so shocked when Trip left.

Basically I saw that relationship as all about Archer. And for a long time Trip was fine with that, but people grow, they change, and in the end Archer still believes Trip is his no.1 best friend and Trip knows that Archer is not his best friend. I think had the series continued eventually Archer would have to face that reality and it could have led him to cast Trip off personally.

WarpGirl, this is brilliant. Yes, I agree wholeheartely.

I have a piece of circumstantial evidence against the theory that there was a profound split between Trip and Archer after Cogenitor, such that Trip resented Archer. My evidence is that Connor at the conventions has said some things that indicate that he as an actor idolizes Scott Bakula and that Trip as a character idolized Archer. Specifically, at one convention someone asked if Trip would want to be a captain one day or remain an chief engineer. Connor answered that he believed that Trip would want to be a captain one day in order to follow in the footsteps of his hero, Captain Archer. When I asked Connor about a supposed souring of the Trip/Archer relationship after season 1 and especially "Cogenitor" Connor looked at me with this look of wary horror like he was addressing a truely obsessed fan, and then he joked "We broke up, but later we got back together." Then he said, "But seriously, about the relationship, Trip and Acher should have had a conversation about T'Pol, because they both obviously liked her. Two guys would have done that. That was a missed opportunity."

I don't see a really profound split between the two, where they ceased to love and respect each other. More a drifting apart as WarpGirl has described. Clearly if Connor believed his character continued to look up to Archer as a hero to the end of the series, then he must have been playing Trip that way, which jives with the impression I got from watching the show.

[WarpGirl]

Thanks jT I have been so busy with my personal life that I'm rusty at this. However I can agree with CT that Trip would always admire and respect J. Archer. But I'm afraid I can't say the same for J. Archer for Trip.

[pdsldl]

Ok WG I can see the what you mean by hero worship and I agree. Trip had aspirations and he and Archer got along well, shared interests, and trusted one another from the beginning Besides AG would have been part of the friendship and he would have only induced Trip to gravitate more towards them for the adventure they presented and as his desire was to go into space and Archer/AG were his best bet for getting there. Not that Trip would have consciously thought that. I see them as close friends and CT is right the writers missed the boat often if they were trying to make them out as best friends and only told us this rather than allowing the friends to talk about their mutual attraction to T'Pol, Trips later involvement with her and why he left Enterprise and then returned. What they intended between the two characters we got in such small, infrequent doses that it made it hard to believe.