Welcome to WIPpet Wednesday, a weekly blog hop which encourages writers to move WIPs (works-in-progress) to publication by posting excerpts related to the date. It’s hosted by the lovely K.L. Schwengel, maven of bad boys, stock dogs, and flying monkeys! She may be less physically present for a bit, but she’s still our fearless shepherd…or something like that, anyway.
I‘ve got another snippet from The IDIC Romance stories; as part of my Story a Day May challenge. This excerpt comes from “My Flame, My Nectar”‘ the companion story to Sticking Point, told from T’Pol’s POV.
These stories are Star Trek: Enterprise fan fiction, dealing with the inter-species relationship between T’Pol, a Vulcan scientist, and Trip Tucker, the extremely human Chief Engineer…
You can explore any or all of this year’s The IDIC Romance stories, in rough draft form.
Disclaimers:
- Trip, T’Pol, and Star Trek: Enterprise belong to Paramount, even if Paramount has forgotten all about them…I only want to allow them the chance to live the lives they keep insisting on living…
- This is an extrapolated “missing scene” story, detailing some of what might have happened during the months’ long and scarcely shown return to Earth in S2E26 “The Expanse”. Spoilers for that episode; and for S2E7: “The Seventh”.
We last saw Trip drunk in his room, unable to deal with what the attack on Earth might mean, and how far away from his home and family he is. Now, we move to the Mess Hall, where T’Pol was sipping chamomile tea and watching the stars streak by as she dealt with her own unrest. She was interrupted by an extremely intoxicated Chief Engineer who fell through the door and promptly vomited on her boots. Now, she attempts to address the problem, but she’s not sure the stubborn human will allow her to help him.
WIPpet Math:
- Today is May 27, 2015.
- 27 sentences, plain and simple.
“If the Captain becomes aware of your – self-medication – he won’t consider my recommendation that you be returned to duty.” It is only now that I know that I will attempt to convince the Captain, even if it’s necessary to personally supervise Commander Tucker to be certain that he doesn’t revert to his former compulsion to increase the engine’s maximum velocity at any cost.
“Returned to – what? Why would you – ?”
Because you will destroy yourself, if we take away your purpose. Because I can’t bear to see you in this condition, without hope, broken as I once was –
I’m Vulcan. I don’t say those words. Instead, I focus on practical matters. Logically, he can’t remain here. “Commander, do you feel you can stand, if I assist?”
“You asked that already.” He’s frowning, and confused. Lost, perhaps, in his intoxication, and his pain. “Too close. Danm, T’Pol, it was too close.”
I hear the jagged wound of his grief, his fear, his anguish – yes, there are human words for what he feels, and what I felt, when I killed Jossen. Killed a man who might not have been armed – no, T’Pol. It is illogical, and unhelpful, to dwell on your own pain, when the man to whom you are Awakened is in need of tending. I gather my intentions, create purpose.
“I have asked. You haven’t answered.”
His head sinks down on his forearm, and he moans and mutters,“Forgot the question. Brain’s numb – stuck at one-tenth impulse. Slow goin’ – take us months to get home -”
So much pain. Is there anything I can offer him, against such hurt, such uncertainty?
Will Trip let T’Pol help? Does T’Pol have anything to offer that will ease his suffering? Who is Jossen, and why would T’Pol have killed him if he wasn’t armed? Will helping Trip help her to deal with that event?
What will happen next? What form will T’Pol’s “comfort” take?
Well, of course I’m not just going to come out and tell you! You can come back on Sunday, though, and learn a little more…or wait till next week, when we explore the next segment in this story arc – or you can read the original stories in their entirety:
Looking for more WIPpet Snippets? Something less angsty, perhaps? Well, hop along with the little blue froggy; assorted genres, styles, and lengths of WIPpetty lily-pads to choose from, and writers eager to hear from you! =D
