Would TnT have kept their relationship to themselves?

[Aikiweezie]

Good conversation! I think it's been established that Malcolm knows based on his conversation with Trip on the Romulan drone. Trip needs someone to confide in someone and Archer isn't the man. He can trust Malcolm. I think Hoshi would figure it out based on their used of language, physical cues, etc. As far as Archer goes, I think they would take great pains to keep it off the table with him, although he has to know something. I can't accept that he had no idea that something was going on between them, either currently or in the past. I don't think the crew at large would know for sure but rumors would be flying on a regular basis. I think that they will "come out" at some point but as to exactly when, I couldn't say. I also think they would refuse to be separated at length for any reason and would take other assignments inorder to do so.

[Aquarius]

I'm handling the fraternization thing a little differently, as will become evident in "B&K". A lot of what happens will be influenced/inspired by NASA.

[honeybee]

I know that in RL, there was at least one married couple who were both NASA astronauts. They met, fell in love and married during the long training. NASA was very supportive of them. The couple went on a shuttle mission together, but it was made clear that there was no sex during the mission.

I think it's no accident that various fic writers have addressed the "coming out" issues - and what they would entail because the show was canceled before they got to explore those very interesting issues.

[Aquarius]

Actually, they weren't so supportive. There had been discussion about scrubbing the mission over it and everything, but the almighty buck won out. While it wasn't specifically against the rules, the astronauts in question were told that they were supposed to "know better."

[Silverbullet]

Kniw better? What does that have to do with Love? Sure they should have known better but Love raised its lovely head. "Love will Out." I Would have no problem with a husband and wife going into Space alone just the two of them. Might even encourage a little Sex for "Science" always wonder what Sex woud be like in weightlessness. "Catch Me" would have a whole new meaning.

[honeybee]

Really, Aquarius? Because I specifically remember that it was portrayed otherwise in the article I read. Probably NASA doing a little damage control, so as not to look like unromantic tools. I do believe that you're information was probably correct, though and I what I read was PR.

[Aquarius]

Knowing better doesn't have anything to do with love. It has to do with an unofficial stance that married couples aren't supposed to be assigned to the same shuttle mission. The couple in question weren't married when they were first selected for the mission, but that changed through the course of training. If they'd waited until the mission was over that might've been a different thing, but as there was no official rule against it, they went for it and got in trouble.

[Aquarius]

Really, Aquarius? Because I specifically remember that it was portrayed otherwise in the article I read. Probably NASA doing a little damage control, so as not to look like unromantic tools. I do believe that you're information was probably correct, though and I what I read was PR.

According to a History Channel thing I was watching on this very subject, NASA wasn't very happy. It would make sense that they would put a different public face on things than what went on behind the scenes. They're not going to do anything to make themselves look bad. Other astronauts were interviewed for the show and they corroborated this--to the extent they could on TV any way. The "knowing better" thing was actually a quote from one of them.

[Aikiweezie]

Really, Aquarius? Because I specifically remember that it was portrayed otherwise in the article I read. Probably NASA doing a little damage control, so as not to look like unromantic tools. I do believe that you're information was probably correct, though and I what I read was PR.

According to a History Channel thing I was watching on this very subject, NASA wasn't very happy. It would make sense that they would put a different public face on things than what went on behind the scenes. They're not going to do anything to make themselves look bad. Other astronauts were interviewed for the show and they corroborated this--to the extent they could on TV any way. The "knowing better" thing was actually a quote from one of them.

Trip & T'Pol should have known better, too, but these things happen. I am sure that Starfleet would have a big PR mess to clean up if their relationship became public knowledge. And we don't really know what anyone was told about the baby, do we? Was their speculation that they had her the old fashioned way? Why were they chosen as parents? Would they be subject to discipline, etc.

[honeybee]

I probably read the article in The Houston Chronicle, which of course never says anything bad about NASA as far as I know.

But I actually disagree that TnT should have known better. If people are going to be on a Starship for years, romantic pair offs are going to happen. Who would go on a years long mission if they had to be celibate and/or not have a romantic life? It would limit recruitment.

Certainly, having crew date each other makes more sense than encouraging the crew to date locals, though the latter makes for good story.

But I would guess in RL, married couples would be encouraged - as stable relationships probably could benefit morale.

TnT, of course, had the twin issues of interspecies relationships and Vulcan diplomacy to contend with - making their relationship a can of worms, which is why I think they would have tried to keep it quiet.

[Aquarius]

NASA is actually wrestling with this very issue in terms of contemplating missions to Mars.

[Silverbullet]

If NASA has a mission to Mars married couples would be more stable. Howver, all on board would need a spouse. a lone single guy would have a hard time.

TNT, since they would be the first Vulcan/Human couple there wouldn't be any precedent on how to handle it. Cusom and Tradition would come in to effect and clash. Being a Pioneer is always dangerous and TnT would be Pioneers in respect to Vulcan/Human couples. But Pioneers are always courageous. Cannot go into the unknown if one is afraid. TnT would have the courage to become a couple and meet whatever face on together.

[pdsldl]

A lot happens when I go to sleep. What happened to Starfleet rules in other Star Trek series? Kirk was led by his biological urges and slept with whomever he wanted whenever he wanted. Deaana and Worf then Deanna and Riker and B'Lanna and can't think of his name and others and there didn't seem to be rules at least that they talked about. I just can't see sending people out into space for lengthy periods of time and expecting them to know better. Also if Starfleet does have rules it seems to me T'Pol might have used that as a reason for pushing Trip away or at least mentioned it to him as a reason not to pursue a relationship but it never came up.


I tend to believe TnT would have been private without hiding but when I come up against Captain Archer and his friendship with Trip that was implied more than shown, especially during and after the expanse. Archer was the captain and Earth diplomat so what problems could he see with the Vulcans, the Coalition and eventually the Federation and command decisions if his two senior officers were romantically involved. He might have given T'Pol the benefit of a doubt although her behavior in the expanse was questionable and unexplained (might he attribute it to her being involved with Trip) and he's shown himself to be harsh with Trip about his tendency to be reactive and overly-emotional and not think things through.

[Asso]

A lot happens when I go to sleep. What happened to Starfleet rules in other Star Trek series? Kirk was led by his biological urges and slept with whomever he wanted whenever he wanted. Deaana and Worf then Deanna and Riker and B'Lanna and can't think of his name and others and there didn't seem to be rules at least that they talked about. I just can't see sending people out into space for lengthy periods of time and expecting them to know better. Also if Starfleet does have rules it seems to me T'Pol might have used that as a reason for pushing Trip away or at least mentioned it to him as a reason not to pursue a relationship but it never came up.


I tend to believe TnT would have been private without hiding but when I come up against Captain Archer and his friendship with Trip that was implied more than shown, especially during and after the expanse. Archer was the captain and Earth diplomat so what problems could he see with the Vulcans, the Coalition and eventually the Federation and command decisions if his two senior officers were romantically involved. He might have given T'Pol the benefit of a doubt although her behavior in the expanse was questionable and unexplained (might he attribute it to her being involved with Trip) and he's shown himself to be harsh with Trip about his tendency to be reactive and overly-emotional and not think things through.

Well said.

[Silverbullet]

I believed that Trip did think things through and saw deeped than others. He was intelligent and compassionate a good mixture. I believe that T-Pol was worth the world to him and he would be willing to risk anything for her and to be with her for life even his career.

I can see Trip being cautious enough to keep what he and T-Pol had under warps to protect her. Her happiness would be the most important thing to him and he would protect that happiness at the cost of his own if necessary. She probably felt the same way about him. As he said a few time they made a "Hell of a team" they would be stronger together as a couple.