Star Trek Coda

Chapter 6: Too early

ENTERPRISE NX-01, 2159

Jonathan Archer walked along the corridors of Enterprise, rubbing his hand along the bulkheads, admiring the beauty of the ship. She was more than a ship. She was a member of his crew – she was home. He had lived an entire life on this ship, it felt like it had been his only life. He had learnt how far humanity can reach, and for that he was grateful. But while he was sad to see the adventure end, he was also tired, so very tired. He had seen too much and fought too long. He wasn't as emotional anymore. He just didn't have it in him. In a way, Captain Archer was ready to accept he had played his part.

Now he stood on the doorstep of one final mission. He reached his ready room and looked out the window as he thought about Jack. His better judgement gave him no reason to trust the boy. Yet, his gut told him he had to. The door blipped, "come in" he said, and T'Pol entered. She was long past a promotion to Captain but had insisted on staying aboard Enterprise. He valued her counsel dearly... and her friendship.

"Starfleet has requested a status update on our guests, what would you like me to tell them? I assume we will continue to Earth as planned for the decommissioning ceremony."

Archer didn't reply immediately, but T'Pol knew what he was thinking, "They have not given us any reason to trust them. It would be most illogical to use alien technology that has miraculously appeared aboard the Enterprise based purely on the word of two strangers."

Archer sighed, "Can I ask you something, hypothetically?"

"Of course."

"Let's say we knew they were telling the truth and were from the future, what would you consider to be logical?"

"The future cannot be mapped or pre-determined. The Vulcan Science Academy has determined this. The very presence of our guests would irreversibly change the course of events regardless. Therefore, no action needs to be taken."

"The Vulcan Science Academy once said time travel was impossible. We learned they were wrong. Assume that their presence isn't enough to change the future, what then?"

T'Pol hesitated a moment, "I am not sure this is a productive line of reasoning Captain. We do not have enough information to take action," she paused, "Humanity clearly has potential the Vulcan High Council never saw, a proven potential to do great things and grow on its own," she hesitated again, "but we stopped you for a reason. You are an impulsive and arrogant people. While you have so far proven yourself, it is very possible, humanity could continue on a very different path. I admire you Jonathan, and I admire this crew, but I see how things can go... differently. Certainly with as small a change as a different Captain on Enterprise."

"Is that logic or a gut feeling?"

"It's instinct, something I have learnt from you - instinct and logic. Humanity could fall like they said. But I do think we lack information, and therefore we should not take action."

Archer looked back out to the stars. He was tired of fighting, but with T'Pol's words he realised something – there was a chance the boys were right, he had a gut feeling they were, and on even a chance they were right, he couldn't risk the future they spoke of. That's where she was wrong.

"I spent more than twenty years fighting the Xindi and the Romulans, exploring strange new worlds, building Starfleet and bringing together a galactic coalition, for what? A better future. I've done my duty."

T'Pol replied, "the Captain Archer I know, wouldn't let simplicities of duty get in the way of protecting what he cares about. I would pose the question, how can you be so sure this coalition you have created will be a force of good, and always remain that way? It will have a tremendous amount of power, it could become corrupt."