Title: Short Accounts

Author: kalita

Fandom: Enterprise

Pairing: Archer/Trip

Archive: Entslash. Kalita's fanfic Others by permission

Rating: PG

Spoilers: "Cold Front"

Website: http://www.dreamwater.net/kalkasar/nc13

Summary: Based on a snippet from Cold Front that gave me a plot bunny.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this story, they were born in other creative minds, but they keep intruding into mine, so what's a girl to do? I don't make any money from this; it is just a labour of love for me, and them.

Short Accounts
by kalita

"I don't want to discuss this any further right now, Trip." Jonathan Archer regarded his young lover for a moment. They'd been bickering for the past half hour, and the captain was tired of trying to make Charlie see his point. "Besides, we don't have time."

"Fine." Trip got up from the table and moved towards the bathroom. "Maybe you'll have more time to listen to my ideas later." He sounded, and looked angrier than Jon had seen him in a long time.

The captain sighed. "Trip..." he began.

"No, Jon, just leave it! Like you said, we don't have time for this. Go to work." To drive home his point, Trip shut the bathroom door firmly in Jon's face.

With a slight shrug, the captain turned and walked to the door, pausing to give Porthos' ears a scratch before he left. He smiled as the little dog, nuzzled into his hand, seeking the customary treat of cheese. "You still haven't forgotten, have you boy?" Jon carded the soft ears of his pet
between his fingers. "But you're not having any cheese. I'm sorry."

It had seemed like a simple thing to Jon when Malcolm approached him with a request for more resources to be given over to the ships weapon systems. Jon could see the tactical officer's point. The weapons were important, and they couldn't afford the constant problems the targeting sensors were giving them. Malcolm seemed to think that routing more power to them would alleviate the problem.

When Jon agreed to take up the matter with Charles, he didn't anticipate that the Engineer would resent it.

"You mean, you and Malcolm cooked this up between you and didn't bother to include me in your discussions?" Trip scowled. "You know what? I'm getting sick of that Pom sneakin around behind my back! Doesn't he have the guts, or the courtesy to come to me himself? Why does he have to hide behind your uniform, Jon?"

"Whoa there!" Jon held up a hand to stay Trip's angry tirade. "That's not how it is at all." He looked Trip in the eyes. "You know I don't play those kind of games, Charlie. Malcolm mentioned his idea to me, and I told him I'd see what you think."

"Well, I'm telling you what I think. I think the whole damned idea stinks. I can't spare the resources, and I sure don't have the space and time to be messin' with guns while I am trying to get the warp drive back up to speed."

The captain sighed as he made his way onto the bridge, he would just have to try again later. Maybe Trip would see things more clearly once he got the engines repaired, and found out who had been responsible for saving the ship from the antimatter cascade.

~~*~~

Trip stormed into Engineering. Jon had taken him at his word and left before he finished his shower. Unreasonably, that pissed him off.

Some part of him knew he was being unreasonable, but his more vocal, stubborn pride was not hearing any of that. The engineer truly was sick of the way Malcolm smarmed up to Jon. If he were completely honest with himself, Trip would acknowledge that he was jealous, and had been for several weeks.

Ever since Terra Nova, Jon had acted with an air of solicitousness towards the armory officer that fairly rankled with his young lover.

"Malcolm this, Malcolm that..." Trip muttered. "I've had it up to here with Malcolm Reed!"

"Sir?" An ensign turned from his work to look at Trip.

"Nothing," Trip said. "What're you doing standing around here? Get on with it." He watched as the young man took off to find something else to do and then shook his head. {I'd better get a hold of myself,} he thought, {or I'm gonna chew someone's head off before lunch.}

Time passed quickly, while Trip occupied himself with the engines, forcing his mind to stay away from the argument with Jon, and he had almost forgotten it completely when the captain commed him.

"Tucker here," Trip responded.

"Trip, meet me in my quarters," the captain said. "Bring those diagnostic reports with you, I thought we might look them over and get something to eat."

"Aye captain," Trip closed the channel and turned to retrieve the reports. He smiled. He'd known that Jon would not allow the rift between them to continue too long.

~~*~~

Jonathan Archer strode along the hallway towards his quarters. He was looking forward to seeing Trip, taking the man in his arms, and kissing him, hard, demanding. He needed to let his lover know he realized just how close they'd come to losing each other forever that day, and the last thing he would have heard Trip say was a description of their impending deaths in an antimatter cascade.

Jon swallowed at the memory. All of them knew when Trip said those words that they only had seconds to live. Seconds in which they didn't even have time to look for or touch a loved one. Seconds in which there was no opportunity to speak of feelings. In an instant, everything they were, and all that they loved would be obliterated.

{And even when I went down there after the cascade, we couldn't keep from fighting.} Jon sighed as he remembered the exchange.

// "It seems to me, you've got a hero who's a little reluctant about taking credit. Talk to them again," Jon said, ignoring Trips shake of the head. "Whoever did this deserves a commendation."

"I'm telling you, sir, I don't think it was any of my people, They woulda said something." Irritation was evident in Trip's tone, and Jon had an overwhelming urge to take the slim younger man in his arms and kiss away the smouldering resentment he saw in the depths of his eyes. He kept his mind on duty with an effort, glancing around to see if anyone else had heard the
exchange.

"Keep it on the level, Trip," he said softly, "You know the rules."

"Yeah, I know the rules, and I'm getting a little tired of 'em!" Trip's blue eyes flashed with anger. "Especially when you get to talking down to me like you did just then. I think I know my staff -- sir. At least give me that much credit!" //

"Sir, I need to speak with you?" A young officer came out of a doorway and caught up to Jon, cutting across his thoughts. It was Daniels, a crewman who was often assigned to bring the captain his meals.

"Why don't you talk to one of my Bridge officers," he suggested. "I'm a little busy right now."

"It's important." Daniels kept pace with him.

"I'm sorry, Daniels." A slight edge of annoyance touched Jon's voice, "I've got my hands full."

"It's about the Suliban sir."

That brought him up short. 'Suliban' was a word Jon couldn't afford to dismiss.

"What about them?"

~~*~~

In Jon's quarters, Trip reached for Porthos' bowl and a bag of dried dog food, tipping some of the kibble into the metal dish and setting it in front of the resident pooch.

"Here ya go, feller," he said softly. "Sorry it's a little late, the cap'n's had other things to think about." Porthos licked Trip's hand before turning his attention to the bowl.

The engineer straightened and went to wash up, his mind slowly readjusting after the stress of the morning. He cleansed his hands, and splashed cold water on his face, before picking up a comb and running it through his blonde hair.

As he moved back through to the living area, the door chimes rang, and he called for the steward to enter, accepting the small trolley with two covered trays on top, and stowing it in a small alcove designed for the purpose

That done, he moved to the table, wondering what was keeping Jon.

Porthos finished his food and came to thrust his muzzle into Trip's hand, whining softly and Trip fondled the silky ears of the little dog.

After a moment, he got up and took the dog's bowl off the floor. He rinsed it and stowed it back on top of the cabinet where Jon kept it. He knew that Jon liked his quarters to be tidy at all times, because he never knew when one of his crewmen would want to speak with him there.

Trip rubbed at his face, weariness was catching him up. It had been a long day, and didn't look like getting any easier. He had hoped for a chance to talk with Jon even for a moment, but with the ship swarming with pilgrims, and the problems with the engines, that chance had not eventuated. He sighed and shook his head, thinking about how close he had come to dying that day without ever having smoothed things over with his lover.

The engineer sighed. It was taking Jon a hell of a long time to make their dinner date. He was about to take one of the trays and start eating when a call signal sounded in the cabin.

"Archer to Tucker. Trip, meet T'pol and I in my ready room immediately."

"On my way, Cap'n," Trip responded and then headed out the door. {Something big must have come up for Jon to call a senior staff meeting,} Trip thought. He wondered if perhaps the captain had found out who decoupled that plasma junction. He sure hoped so, it was bugging him to death not knowing who had been messing with his engines, even though that person's actions had saved all their lives, he would feel a lot better knowing who did it.

He was half way to Jon's ready room when he saw a familiar, slight figure approaching him along the hall. Trip almost broke his stride as a wave of jealous anger assailed him. He took a deep breath and kept walking, hoping that Malcolm would not want to stop and pass the time of day with him. He didn't know if he could trust himself to be civil.

As luck would have it, Malcolm chose that moment to look up, and their eyes met.

"Good afternoon, Commander,"

"Afternoon," Trip kept his answer short, making as though to pass the other man.

"Did the Captain speak with you about my request?" Malcolm didn't seem to be in any hurry to move on and Trip suppressed an exasperated sigh.

"Yes, he mentioned it." Trip frowned, "But I don't have time right now to talk it over with you, I've got a meeting with the captain." He paused, "Don't you have somewhere you should be?"

"I had to go to the armory briefly," Malcolm replied, his dark eyes studying Trip's face carefully. "The starboard targeting sensor was out again." He sighed. "I really would appreciate an answer on my request soon, sir."

"I'm sure you would." Trip kept his voice even with an effort. "I'll let you know as soon as I have time." He took a half step past the lieutenant. "Excuse me."

"Commander?" Malcolm laid a hand on Trip's arm, halting him. "I don't know what I have done to upset you, but, if you'd care to tell me, perhaps we can resolve the matter?"

Trip looked down at Malcolm's hand on his arm, and then met the Lieutenant's eyes. "You haven't done anything, Lieutenant," he said, "Now, if you don't mind, I have a lot to do."

"Yes, sir." Malcolm let go of his arm, and moved away along the hall.

When trip arrived, the captain and T'pol were already waiting for him. Jon offered him a glass of brandy and Trip accepted. This must be something major for the captain to allow alcohol on duty.

As he moved about, getting glasses and the brandy, Jon briefly described his meeting with Daniels.

"He says he was sent from the future to prevent Silik from changing history," Jon said as he poured the rich red liquid into glasses. He glanced at T'Pol. "Are you sure you won't have a glass?"

"I'm sure."

As Jon handed a glass of the brandy to Trip, their eyes met for a moment, and Trip smiled.

"The Vulcan Science Directorate has studied the question of time travel in great detail. They see no reason to believe it exists, or that it can exist," T'Pol said.

Trip listened to the captain and science officer argue back and forth about Daniels. He was beginning to think that T'Pol was right, this guy might have shown off some fancy technology, but that didn't really mean anything. There was technology and plenty out here that none of them had ever seen before. Daniels could just as well be an alien from the present with some kind of
agenda to halt, or delay Enterprise's mission.

"Until Daniels can offer you some concrete proof, I would remain very sceptical," T'pol said and Trip nodded his agreement.

Daniels hadn't really proved much, and if Silik had saved Enterprise Trip was more inclined to bet his ass on the Suliban than on some cockamamie story about temporal observatories.

"I'm telling you," Jon insisted, "He pressed a button on that device and the whole room changed!"

"On the Xyrillian ship," Trip interjected, "I was in a holographic chamber where I could have sworn I was in a boat at sea. If what Daniels says is true, Silik saved Enterprise. Maybe we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth?"

"If there's even a possibility that this cold war exists, we can't ignore Daniels' request," Jon told him.

Trip had to admit the captain had a point. One of the first rules they were expected to follow out here was to respond to requests for assistance. He nodded and was about to speak, but Hoshi reporting that the transport shipwas ready to dock interrupted him.

Jon turned to T'Pol. "We don't have time to debate this any longer," he said. "I want you to help Daniels.

That was the end of that, the captain had given an order, and Trip was not inclined to challenge it. He got up and moved out of the ready room, with the Vulcan science officer at his side. They didn't speak much as they made their way to engineering. Trip preferred not to air any opinion either way, and T'Pol, typical of her race, remained silent, employing the Vulcan economy of speech.

Daniels was waiting for them in engineering and handed Trip a padd with specifications for his equipment on it. Trip looked it over. "I think we can manage that," he said, moving away to start working on setting up the relays Daniels wanted.

Part of his mind still dwelled on the lost opportunity to talk with Jon. He didn't know when he might get another chance now. There was the possibility of several hours work ahead of him. Setting up the equipment was one thing, but there was no guarantee that they would even find Silik when it was done. Who knew if the Suliban was even still on the ship?

An hour passed in quiet industry as Trip focussed all of his attention on the task in hand. When he was ready, he called Daniels up to look at his work.

~~*~~

It seemed to Trip when he looked back on the events of that afternoon later, that everything had taken on a surreal flavour. One moment, he was talking and joking with Daniels in engineering, making some quip about the pool they ran in engineering each day as to how far the ship would travel; and the next, he was thrown into a heart pounding and tense series of events that left him gasping and disoriented.

The Suliban, Silik, murdered Daniels before his eyes and when he attempted to report it to Jon he received no response.

Trip would never forget the cold tendrils of fear that gripped his heart when silence greeted his repeated calls to Archer. He could only stand, staring in horrified silence at the com panel.

It was T'Pol who stepped in and tapped a query into the computer console, stating quietly, "He is in his quarters."

In a daze, he followed the Vulcan sub commander to Jon's cabin, meeting the doctor there to find to his relief, Jon was alive, only stunned by Silik.

When Jon decided to go after Silik, it was all that Trip could do not to grab him and hold him back. {Let Malcolm look for the Suliban, it's his job...}

Now, he leaned against a bulkhead in Engineering, feeling the pulse beats of the warp drive vibrate through his slight frame. Wondering where Jon was, and what was happening. The captain had not reported in for several minutes, and the longer time drew on, the more Trip feared for his lover, and the heavier his heart grew.

{I should never have let him go. I shouldn't have given him that device. I should have kept him here with me. He's the Captain; he's not supposed to go chasing through the ship after intruders.} "Come on, Jonnie. Where are you? Be alright, please be alright."

"Trip," The captain's voice gasped over the com link. "I...I need you!"

Trip pushed himself away from the bulkhead with a strangled sob. He'd never heard his lover's voice sound that way. "Where are you?" His heart began to race, something was desperately wrong; he could sense it.

"Cargo bay two." The reply was breathless, shaky.

Trip didn't waste a moment telling Jon he was on his way. There was no need. He fairly ran out of Engineering, calling to someone to take over for him as he slammed the hatch behind him.

As he went, Trip's mind ran through a catalogue of possibilities. Jon was hurt, maybe dying, and if he didn't hurry up, he was going to lose the man he loved without ever having a chance to make up for his stupid, stubborn pride.

Charlie burst into the cargo bay as though a hundred furies pursued him; he paused, looking around frantically. "Jon!"

"Here." The voice was weak, but steadier than before, and Trip turned to see his lover sitting on the floor, eyes closed as he leaned his head against the wall.

"Oh god!" Trip was at Jon's side in an instant. "Are you OK? What happened?" His eyes took in the pallor, the shaking hands, and the way Jon's chest heaved furiously as the captain fought for air. He caught hold of one of Jon 's hands and gripped it tight. "Jon?"

"Silik," the captain managed. "Depressurized the hold...I...I almost was..."

Trip closed his eyes and pulled Jon close. "OK...it's OK...shh!"

Their lips met in a blind, passion filled kiss as Trip sought to assure himself that the older man was truly alright, he held Jon's mouth captive until a mild coughing fit from the captain caused him to pull away. "I'm calling the doctor."

"No!" Jon pulled the younger man back down beside him. "Not yet. Just - stay here with me for a minute." He studied Trip's face, seeming to devour every feature, as though committing it to memory. "Need, to talk."

"OK." Trip sat down on the floor, but put one arm around Jonathan, pulling the older man against his shoulder. "Take it easy, don't rush."

Archer nodded, and remained silent for several minutes, just concentrating on breathing. Trip could feel the tremors that ran through the other man's body and he drew him closer, protectively. "God, Jon, I'm sorry for...everything. I've been an idiot."

"These few days haven't been easy on...any of us." Jon said quietly. "My timing is...lousy."

"Nah," Trip said, "I'm just a jealous fool, Jonnie, and that's a fact."

"Jealous?" Captain Archer pushed himself away from Trip a little, so that he could look into the younger man's eyes. "Jealous of what?"

"Of who," Trip replied. "It's stupid, I know, but I've been jealous of Malcolm." The engineer made a rueful face. "Since Terra Nova," he said.

"Malcolm? Why?"

Trip took a deep breath and lifted a hand to gently caress his lover's face. "You seemed to be paying him an awful lot of attention since then. Everything he says to you, I hear about. I see you two talking and there seems to be a special bond between you," he shook his head. "I dunno I just...well, I was getting tired of it, and then yesterday when you raised the subject of the weapons...I guess it was just the last straw."

"I had no idea you felt that way." Jon said softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that I was making such a huge issue out of it. I guess I felt guilty, for leaving him there with the Novans, for him being hurt. I felt I needed to make it up to him." The captain looked into Trip's eyes. "That's as deep as it went, though, Trip. I don't have any feelings for Malcolm."

"I believe you." Trip let his breath out on a sigh and kissed Jonathan briefly. "I can't believe how stupid and stubborn I've been. The fight this morning, and then again in engineering-- You'd think I woulda learned after that antimatter cascade not to keep it going." He bowed his head. "I nearly lost you twice today, and both times it would have been on bad terms."

"We all do and say things we don't mean when we're angry, Charlie." The captain touched his lover's cheek with a shaking hand. "It's human nature."

"Yeah but we can't afford that out here. It's too risky. I would never have forgiven myself if you died today, and my last words to you were filled with anger and resentment."

"Well, we're going to have to make sure from now on that we keep short accounts with each other, huh?"

"Yeah, you're right." Trip looked into Jonathan's eyes. "Short accounts." He kissed his lover again. "Now, you're gonna see Phlox, and I won't take no for an answer."

The End.