Star Trek Enterprise Bk. 03 - The War Ch. 04

It didn't take long for the guns of war to start firing, beginning with the Battle of Andoria followed swiftly by the Invasion of Capory and the Mission to Aeihk'aeleir Shipyard where MACO's and crewmen from various Starfleet ships managed to 'acquire' parts to repair their various damaged vessels and in some cases improve them. These enhancements came in handy as the Earth vessels swiftly found themselves once more in the heat of combat during the Second Battle of Berengaria, the Battle of Algernon.

Given what they had to work with as an armada, neither the Coalition of Planets, nor even Earth's own leadership had imagined them lasting more than a month. No one had expected the fleet to still be limping forward after six months. No doubt the Romulans were equally surprised by the humans' fighting spirit and tenacity. They had assumed it would be easy. The humans were new to interstellar space and their technology inferior. They had never imagined there would be any allies to help them. This was inconceivable, but there was still time to crush Earth and they were confident it would happen.

During those short months so many lives were lost and not just human, but on all sides including Andorian and Romulan. For a moment it seemed that there was finally a respite and everyone could regroup and complete any necessary repairs and plan strategies, but before things could truly calm down two of Starfleet's ships were ambushed in the Onias Sector and obliterated. Hearing of the losses Archer was beside himself and kept asking the same question: Why? Why were the Romulans doing this? If there were answers, he couldn't find them and his attention was quickly diverted away as they soon found themselves meeting the enemy for the second time at Altair VI, while light years away the Intrepid found themselves in the heat of battle at Tau Ceti IV. Both ships would escape but not unscathed.

For Jonathan Archer this seemed the longest and hardest year of his life. Never had he felt so alone or isolated and he was not the only one. The optimism with which so many new Starfleet crew and MACO's had started out with, quickly disappeared into the deep desire for all hostilities to end. Despite having an engine seemingly held together with duct tape, superglue and a little WD40 to keep the moving parts moving, Captain Archer couldn't believe they were still going. Thank God some inventions had never lost their usefulness. There were moments when he and his crew came so close to death that he almost wondered if there wasn't a higher power looking out for them, like the Bible story of Joshua and the day the sun stood still.

The unavoidable skirmishes and outright combat were more than enough to keep him in a constant state of stress and sleeplessness. Fortunately coffee never went out of style. There were other pursuits that helped relieve the captain's stress, such as watching a water polo game with Trip, or engaging in a game of racquetball with either his chief engineer or even T'Pol (the latter was a bit more entertaining since she was still learning the nuances of the game). Sometimes he simply sat quietly and read a good book, allowing his mind to wander off to other places and adventures not so embroiled in fighting. The one thing that probably would have done him the most good was the one thing he could not pursue while on board the NX-01 and that was Lt. D'Arcy.

Her presence had helped to carry him through the Xindi conflict with little more than her occasional word of encouragement and a gentle gaze that had reminded him that all was not lost. As long as he could see her then he knew there was hope for the future. Once or twice Archer had hoped to find an opportunity where he could talk to her in private, but there never seemed to be any time. Rules were rules and they had agreed to keep things as low-key as possible while on ship so there would be no hint of gossip getting back to Starfleet.

What Archer hadn't anticipated was a different sort of shipboard chatter taking root and reaching his ears. Normally he ignored idle gossip because he knew that it never amounted to anything and there were far more important things for him to focus on. This time he found it difficult because it seemed that an unexpected friendship had sprouted between Lt. D'Arcy and Maj. Forrest. Rather than follow the captain's warning and steer clear of the lieutenant, Nathan had accepted the challenge and made his presence known on the day they embarked with many apologies for his past behavior and the hope that they could start their acquaintance over again. Danaë was naturally skeptical and was hesitant to believe he had truly seen the light.

It wasn't until she ran into him at the gym and subtly mentioned her doubts while finishing up a run on the treadmill that her perceptions got challenged. Hearing her snide remarks he immediately returned verbal fire. Before long the verbal sparring turned into a physical one and each one giving as good as they got. The two went back and forth with each landing blows and dropping each other on their asses while being careful not to truly injure one another. Eventually it came to an end when the lieutenant managed to knock the wind out of the major using a move she had once learned from Worf on her father's ship. After that they called a truce that swiftly became friends. Soon they were regularly sharing at least one meal together in the mess hall or working out together once or twice a week. The shipboard rumors circulated faster than warp speed and in no time at all they had reached Archer's ears.

Like Maj. Hayes during the Xindi conflict, Nathan instituted daily drills on board the Enterprise to ensure crew readiness for whatever kind of conflict they faced. The captain didn't usually participate, nor was he required to, but he couldn't help feeling the urge to go and look in on things during his off-duty hours. At the very least he wanted to see how the major and lieutenant interacted. He didn't believe he was jealous and had no intention of behaving like a neanderthal. Danaë was not his property nor a prize to be won. She was beautiful, strong and intelligent and capable of choosing who she wanted. Nor would she appreciate it if he tried to interfere.

If she happened to be attracted to the spoiled, pampered son of his friend, the late admiral, then so be it. Although he firmly believed that if there was anything between the lieutenant and major (and that was a big if) it would never last. There were simply too many differences between them. Still, if she truly liked Nathan, then Archer told himself that he would do the honorable thing and step aside. It was the only mature and sensible thing to do, so why did the thought bother him so much? Perhaps it was because the major had one advantage that he did not have, his affections could be out in the open since they were not in the same branch of service, and equal in rank. Whatever the reason it bothered him, he decided it was best to push it aside. First he wanted to get to know if the rumors were true and his best opportunity to do that was to observe them during drills.

It was while orbiting the planet of Deneva that an opportunity showed itself. The NX-01 along with eleven other Starfleet vessels were getting repairs, upgrades, refits and reloaded with supplies. The Denevan's were sympathetic and offered supplies and aid in any capacity they could. With them were another twenty Andorian, Tellarite and even Vulcan vessels so for the moment they felt safe from any possible attack. The sudden inclusion of the Vulcan's gave Archer a measure of hope, since until that moment their support had been luke-warm at best. Perhaps this was a sign of a greater alliance between them. The vast majority of the ships took up positions together on one side of the planet while the Vulcan ships moved to the otherside over a colony of Denevans. It was the chance to breathe and relax that they had been waiting for. There was only one cargo bay with enough room for training and Archer, dressed in his off hours sweats and t-shirt, calmly but confidently went down there only to observe and see how things were going.

Most of the other crew members were just leaving when the captain walked in, but Lt. D'Arcy was still there chatting with the major. Watching them interact, he started to wonder if the rumors weren't correct after-all. He saw her lightly brush her hand against Nathan's arm and the way she laughed. The captain even heard her say she would see him later for enchiladas in the mess hall. When she went to leave the bay, Danaë, glanced up at Archer, a look of sad wistfulness on her face as she softly nodded her head and greeted him with a proper 'captain'. Oh, to not have to hide their feelings anymore! He wanted to say something back but he only managed to return the nod before watching her leave.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." The captain said, looking over at the major. He had actually known him for years, but until now he had never really paid that much attention. A man of about thirty-eight or thirty nine, he was well muscled, with striking blue eyes, short sandy blond hair that was neatly combed and had a soft spoken but straightforward and commanding voice. It was no small wonder the troops under him were quick to listen.

"Of course not, we just finished up practicing drills." the major answered, then gave a quick good-bye to the last couple of crewmen

"That's too bad, I was hoping to get in some practice."

"If you like, sir, I would be happy to work with you one-on-one."

"That would be great."

The two men took up fighting stances then took a few good natured swipes at each other without making any contact. Both skillfully dodged the half-hearted blows and even laughed at how well-matched they were. Neither of them seemed to be taking the training seriously. Nathan knew better than to outshine the captain and Archer was doing his best to keep things light and friendly. When they did manage to land a blow there was little to no force behind it and the men simply laughed it off giving each other friendly verbal jabs. No doubt that was what the major believed he was doing when he inadvertently shifted the conversation with a single name drop.

"According to Lt. D'Arcy you're supposed to be a fierce fighter. I'm not sure I'm seeing it, captain," Nathan laughed.

"Perhaps she exaggerates," he answered, putting his fists up before his face defensively. "Rumor has it you and the lieutenant have been spending quite a bit of time together." he punctuated this comment with sweep of the major's legs landing Nathan on his back.

"W-we've talked from time to time, " the major responded, catching his breath. "She's an amazing woman." Unaware of the shift in tone, Nathan's fist made contact with the captain's stomach, but there was little to no power behind it. Swinging his other fist, Archer blocked it and punched back, striking his opponent full force in the jaw.

"Yes she is." The jovial look that had once graced the captain's face was now gone, and Nathan took notice as he flexed his jaw to make sure it was indeed still there. He had no idea what had caused this sudden change, but he was not about to take a beating, even from his own captain. As he once more brought his fists into a ready position in front of his face, Archer continued his query, but this time without the false pleasantries. "Seems to me that two of you have very little in common so what exactly do you two find to talk about?"

"Oh, we've exchanged a few words." With that Nathan managed to fake out the captain with one hand then drill him in the stomach with a hard uppercut while bringing his other fist around knocking him squarely in the jaw busting his lip open.

"A-according t-to... the grapevine," Archer gasped trying to get his breath back. Good God was the major's fists made of pure granite? "It's more than... a few words."

"Grapevines have been known to exaggerate." the major corrected. This was true enough and the captain was more than a little aware of that, but often there was at least a tiny crumb of truth beneath the layers of crap. "The lieutenant and I appreciate each other. We've both had to fight our way out from under our father's shadows to distinguish ourselves."

"She's told you about her father and her background?" This was surprising since only a select few knew that she was from the future. There were only three people that truly believed she was and that was Archer, Phlox and T'Pol, although the latter had fought against such a notion for quite some time. That she would tell Major Forrest was also significant because it seemed to the captain that it would go against the notion of protecting the timeline.

"Not exactly, but she's told me enough that I gather he had a leadership role in whatever profession he was in. She's not exactly a woman given to talking about herself or socializing. In time she'll warm up to me, at least I hope so. She's a very attractive woman." At this the captain swung his right fist and was readily blocked by Nathan. Undeterred he brought his other fist around with a growl, connecting with his opponent's side. The major came back swinging a right and a left into Archer's face and knocking him backwards "Why are you so interested in what the lieutenant and I do in our off time anyway? From what I've heard, you and her don't exactly get along, but her talent for engineering and technology makes her invaluable to you so you keep her assigned to the NX-01."

"Whether or not... the lieutenant and I... get along," Archer managed to say in between head shakes as he tried to make sure his lower jaw was still connected to the rest of his face. "Is of no concern to you."

"You're right it's not, likewise my relationship with her is none of yours." Nathan stood there watching slowly rise back up to his full height. He assumed that the sparring was over and finished saying his piece. "I realize a good captain tries to protect their crew, but I think she is old enough to make her own decisions. You're not her father or her boyfriend, and you are most definitely not her husband -"

With the sound of that last syllable, Archer dove at Nathan, catching him around the waist and slamming him onto ground and flat on his back with a thud and started punching. What had started out as a seemingly good natured drill exercise between the men quickly dissolved into a brawl between two men who refused to lose to the other. Major Forrest didn't even understand why Archer seemed so determined to hand him his ass. Basic rules of hand to hand combat didn't even seem to apply as things got more out of hand.

They kicked and gouged at each other, bruised and drew blood. Nathan even resorted to biting at least once just to get the captain off of him. Back and forth the fight went on with both parties landing blows and no one getting the upper hand. In one move Nathan managed to catch Archer by the arm and toss him over his shoulder, only to have the captain once more swing his legs out from under him. Before the major could get to his feet, Archer scrambled on top of him and was poised to strike another blow, but he never made contact as a voice rang out over the comm system.

"Bridge to Captain Archer." At this, he calmly rose, his breathing still labored from all the exertion, and walked over and pressed the switch on the wall.

"Archer here," He answered, wiping the blood from his lip with his knuckles.

"The supply ship Leka requests permission to dock at our port side."

"I'm on my way,"The captain responded. He turned around to see his rival slowly picking himself off the floor while holding his side. He had landed at least one good punch there and was gratified to see it had at least some lasting effect. "A fresh shipment of supplies just arrived. I want you to supervise as it's unloaded, brought in and stored in the bays." At the command, Nathan's eyes grew wide as he thought of how long that was going to take. "Do you have a problem with that, major?"

"Of course not sir," he responded. A momentary look of disappointment flashed across his face, but he quickly recovered and stood at attention.

"You didn't have plans did you?" He already knew the answer, but couldn't resist bringing it up.

"I-I was supposed to meet with Lt. D'Arcy for enchiladas, but we can just grab a late snack, sir."

"Ah, I see. Well, once all the fresh supplies have been brought into the bay I want everything on that side of the room moved over to the other side and vice versa." He might have let it go right there, but he heard Nathan mumble something about seeing her tomorrow. "Oh major, I would keep your calendar open. There are at least two dozen more cargo bays on this ship."

In that moment reality fully lit up Nathan's mind like a light bulb in pitch blackness. It was Danaë. This entire thing had been about Danaë. He had never even seen the two standing in the same space for more than a few seconds, except at the celebration banquet that was held after their return from the Xindi conflict. At the time he hadn't really given it any thought, but now he recalled the way they had danced together, the way they had looked at each other in a completely different light. The two had shown a talent for subterfuge that was second to none. He might not have ever guessed were it not for the captain making it uncomfortably clear that he needed to step back from her.

For a moment he considered putting this incident in his report and letting Starfleet know of his suspicions regarding the nature of Lt. D'Arcy and Captain. Archer's 'working' relationship. It would certainly be an excellent revenge for his superior officer's overreach of authority. It wouldn't take much to start an investigation either. A trip to sickbay and telling Dr. Phlox exactly how he got these injuries would be enough. It was certainly an idea, but the better angels of his nature wouldn't allow him to. Something in his gut told him that he needed to be the loser in this battle. Such an investigation would not only hurt the captain, but the lieutenant as well and he had no reason to hurt her or damage her career. For now he would let it go, but if the captain decided to continue his campaign against him then he could always revisit the idea.

Heading down to the airlock on port side, Archer was not thinking about the danger he had just placed his career in or Danaë's. His mind was solely on the task at hand which was signing off on the delivery of cargo and greeting the freighter's captain. It was an easy enough task even if the captain of the Leka did wince at Archer's bruised and battered face. When he was done, he went straight down to engineering and began to look for Lt. D'Arcy. Finally seeing her took quite a while since she was lodged inside a long narrow access tube repairing a portion of nacelle and it took time to work her way out. This job was often given to her because of her small stature. When she was finally free of the tube she was surprised to see that the captain was the one asking for her, and even more surprised to see the condition of his face. When she had seen him a short while ago after drills he had not been so... battered.

"Lieutenant, it occurred to me that you have been on my ship for the last four years and the only one of my officers that has not joined me for a meal in the captain's mess. Please join me, T'Pol and Trip this evening when your shift is over." It was a simple request and yet for a moment Danaë couldn't help but look behind her believing that he had to be asking someone else. Nope, it was her. This was bizarre. They had a firm understanding that they would never do this so she was completely confused.

"I - I appreciate the invitation, but I'm actually meeting Maj. Forrest for dinner. Perhaps another time?" she really didn't mean for this to be a question, but this whole thing seemed so damned irregular.