Chapter 4: The Wedding
By A. Rhea King
T'Pol stopped in the hall, watching the men and women working. The wall splitting this quarter and the one next to it had been removed and there was a gaping hole that ran between the two quarters revealing the wiring under the floor. The furniture of both quarters had been removed and at the moment sat outside in the hall. Archer had ordered the wall be knocked out of two quarters to make one quarter. T'Pol suspected she knew the reason why but was not going to openly guess.
"Excuse me T'Pol," Trip said, coming down the hall behind her.
T'Pol stepped aside, watching him and another crewman carry a metal beam into the room. The two set it down and Trip walked back to her.
"Can I help 'ya?" Trip asked.
"I was observing."
Trip leaned close to her, "I'll tell ya what it's for if you can keep a secret."
T'Pol didn't reply.
Trip shrugged. "Have it your way." He turned to go back to work.
"I will not release the information without orders," T'Pol replied.
Trip turned, grinning. "It's a wedding present for Malcolm and Vardee from the Captain. Doctor Phlox told him they'd mentioned wanting to have children so he's giving them bigger quarters."
"It is logical for accommodating an increased family size."
Trip laughed. "Yeah. Logical."
"Have you seen Vardee, Commander?"
"Not since this morning but I know she's looking for you. Try her quarters." Trip waved as he turned back to work.
#
Sista looked up when the doorbell of her quarters beeped.
"Come in," Sista said.
The door opened and T'Pol walk in. "I was informed that you have been looking for me."
Sista nodded. She motioned to a chair.
"No thank you," T'Pol replied.
Sista picked up a PADD from her bunk and walked over to T'Pol, showing it to her. "Malcolm say I need this," Sista said, motioning to a word on the PADD.
T'Pol took the PADD and looked at the word. "Bridesmaids."
"Yes. I don't have them," Sista said.
"And what do you wish of me to do about this?"
"You be…" Sista took the PADD and changed the screen. She pointed to it again. "Be this."
T'Pol raised an eyebrow, looking at Sista. "You desire me to be your maid of honor?"
Sista nodded.
"I am unfamiliar with human marriages, Vardee. I would be an inadequate maid of honor."
Sista smiled. "I don't know about human marriage either, T'Pol. Malcolm say I need to arrange this myself and that these people I need." Sista pointed to the PADD. "Malcolm say very honorable to be maid of honor."
"I feel you would be more comfortable with one of the other crew filling this position."
"Why you think that?"
"They are human."
"Why that make feel comfortable?"
"Because they are human."
Sista frowned. "I not human. Why that make me feel more comfortable, T'Pol?"
T'Pol didn't reply.
"You no want do this. I feel it." Sista patted her chest.
"I cannot fill this position, Vardee."
Sista nodded. "Okay. I ask no more."
T'Pol handed Vardee the PADD back. The doorbell beeped.
"Enter," Sista said.
It opened and Archer walked in.
"Hello T'Pol," Archer said.
"Good afternoon Captain. If you will excuse me." T'Pol glanced at Sista and nodded once before leaving.
Sista forced a smile, watching her leave. Archer watched T'Pol leave before looking back at Sista. She was staring at the PADD in her hand looking sad.
"What's wrong?" Archer asked.
Sista looked at him, replying in English. "Just thought. What you want, Jon'than?"
"Just seeing how things are going. How are things going?"
Sista rolled her eyes, smiling. "Crazy! This crazy! Too much do!"
Archer nodded with a smile. "I've heard weddings are like that."
"Thank you for help." Sista held up the PADD.
"Did she say she would?" Archer motioned toward the door.
Sista shook her head. "T'Pol say nishta."
Archer's smile faded. "T'Pol said no?"
Sista nodded. "Find 'nother. Not worry Jon'than."
"I'll ask Trip to talk to her."
Sista shook her head. "Nishta."
"You said you—"
"Nishta." Sista held up her hand. "I ask, it make her feel not happy here." Sista patted her chest. "I not want ask no more. Not important. Maybe ask Hoshi."
"Yeah. Hoshi would like that," Archer said, nodding. He smiled. "I have to go. Let me know if you need anything, okay?"
"Yes." Sista nodded once.
Archer turned and left the room.
#
"Trip," Archer said, walking up to Trip.
"Hm?" Trip asked, not looking away from the screen. "I swear this engine is more temperamental than my grandmother!"
Archer smiled. "I need to ask you a favor."
Trip turned to face Archer. "Sure. What?"
"Go talk T'Pol into being Sista's maid of honor."
Trip turned back to the screen, his humor dissolving.
"What's wrong?" Archer asked.
"Sir…I really don't think T'Pol wants to be involved with this wedding." Trip looked at Archer. "She's been keeping her distance from it for a reason."
"Sista really wants T'Pol to be her maid of honor."
"I know but if T'Pol doesn't want to be, why make her? I mean, she has a right to say no…doesn't she?"
Archer put his hands on his hips. "You're not telling me something, Trip."
"It's just I don't think you should press this one, sir. I mean if T'Pol said no, she has her reasons."
Archer smiled. "Fine. As you were…whatever that was." Archer walked away.
Trip watched him leave the engineering room. He turned back to the monitor, but his mind couldn't focus on the problem at hand anymore. He looked down, debating between asking T'Pol for Archer and minding his own business.
#
T'Pol slowly opened her eyes when the doorbell beeped for the second time.
"Come in," she said.
Trip walked in and sat down on the pillow across the table from T'Pol. T'Pol watched him, watching the thought that was apparent on his face.
When he hadn't spoken after several minutes, T'Pol asked, "What are you thinking, Trip?"
"I gotta problem, T'Pol," Trip said.
T'Pol watched the man look up at her. "Explain."
"Well, see, the Cap'n wants me to talk to you about something and I don't really think I should. I can guess the reason behind your decision but since he doesn't know about—"
"I am assuming that there is a point to this conversation."
"I'm gettin' to it, T'Pol," Trip said. He slouched, looking around her room before looking back at her. "Look, Sista wanted you to be the maid of honor something fierce. I guess she feels like you're a best friend, or somethin'. An' that matters 'cause that's what a maid of honor generally is, or so I was told."
"I do not feel I can adequately fill the position. I explained this to her."
"Knowing you, I'm sure you did, but there isn't anything to adequately fill. When I asked Hoshi what a maid of honor does she said a maid of honor throws the bridal shower, then she's there for the bride for everything else including the tears—whatever that means—and sees the bride off from the church and then helps clean up the mess afterwards."
"I feel a human would better fill the position. A human would be more familiar with the duties this position requires and would be better support for any emotional instability that this event may cause Vardee."
Trip leaned forward. "Is that it or is it about that guy you were supposed to marry?"
T'Pol didn't reply.
Trip leaned back. "You don't have to tell me if you don't wanna, but Vardee considers you a good friend, T'Pol. If Vulcan's view friendships as admirable, then maybe you should tell her the truth." Trip stood. "Just do me a favor. If the Cap'n ever asks, make sure to tell him we talked."
"I will tell him we discussed the matter but that you did not offer a very persuasive argument."
"I didn't come here to offer you a persuasive argument, T'Pol. I just wanted to let you know I understand. All this marriage business has to be bugging you some. And even though we're together, all this marriage stuff must hurt like hell. I'm here if you wanna talk about it. See you tomorrow." Trip stood and left.
T'Pol looked at the candles in front of her. She closed her eyes to attempt returning to meditation, but she kept hearing Trip's words. He had understood her resistance without her saying anything? Were they really so close now that he could understand what she felt without her telling him?
#
Sista scooted out from the access panel, stopping when she found T'Pol standing at her feet.
"Vaita," Sista said.
"Hello. I must ask you a question," T'Pol said in Varlikon.
Sista sat up. "Yes?"
"Why do you desire me to fill the position you requested in your union with Lieutenant Reed?"
Sista smiled, getting to her feet. "You always listen to me and give me good advice when I ask. I know I have lots of human friends, but you are my closest friend. I want you to be this, or I won't have one at all."
T'Pol stared at her for several minutes, perplexed by what the Jit was telling her.
"I feel you're confused and saddened now that I've told you this. Don't worry about it, T'Pol. I was wrong to be so persistent." Sista smiled. "It not important."
"I will fill the position," T'Pol said.
"You don't have to," Sista argued.
"I will be honored to be your maid of honor. Good day." T'Pol turned and walked away.
#
"You're fidgeting with the rings again, sir," Hoshi said.
Malcolm glanced across at her.
"Malcolm, give Trip the rings," Archer ordered.
Malcolm looked up at Archer. Archer was standing behind the pulpit, leaning against the hull that made the back wall of the chapel. Beside him Priest Riley waited patiently. Malcolm relinquished the wedding rings to Trip.
"Where are they?" Malcolm asked, looking toward the door.
"The way you're acting you'd think this was the real thing," Trip teased.
Malcolm glanced at him. "She'll be late for her funeral too, you know."
Everyone laughed. Malcolm relaxed a little, but kept looking at the chapel door.
"You're not showing much faith in your bride-to-be, Lieutenant Reed," Priest Riley joked.
Malcolm smiled. "I've lots of faith in her, just not her punctuality."
The door opened and T'Pol and Sista walked in. Sista was chattered none stop in Varlikon to T'Pol. Malcolm said something to Sista in Varlikon. She smiled at him, replying back. Malcolm shook his head. The two stepped up on the step alongside Hoshi, Ensign Kimball, and Ensign Paris.
"Sorry for late. Quartermaster not let me leave in underwear," Sista said.
The group chuckled.
"Are we all here?" the priest asked.
"Yes," Malcolm said.
"Captain Archer has asked to deliver the vows. Is that alright with the couple?"
Malcolm and Sista nodded.
"All right. Who will be walking the bride in?"
"Uh…me," Trip said.
"Everyone to the back of the room. Let's began rehearsal."
Archer smiled, watching the wedding party walk to the back of the chapel.
"First wedding ceremony, Captain?" Priest Riley asked.
"Yes."
"Nervous?"
"A little."
"Just make sure you have these lines memorized, sir," Priest Riley said.
"I'm going to have to memorize them?" Archer looked at him in horror.
"You may find you have to, Captain." Priest Riley handed the open bible in his hand over to Archer.
Archer took it, finding a smaller book inside the bible with the wedding vows. He looked at Priest Riley, who winked.
"Shhh. Let's let them think we're like magicians, shall we, sir?"
Archer laughed. "I won't tell."
"Very good. Let's began."
Archer nodded once.
#
Malcolm paced the room, hoping it would calm his nervous stomach. The mess hall door opened but he didn't stop pacing. Archer walked into the mess hall, stopping beside a table Ensign Mayweather and another crewman were sitting at. Both men were dressed in dark navy blue Starfleet dress uniforms like Malcolm and himself and were casually playing a game of cards.
"How long has he been like this?" Archer asked.
"Since we got here, sir," Travis answered
Archer looked back at Malcolm. "Lieutenant."
Malcolm stopped pacing, looking at Archer.
"You're wearing a hole in the mess hall floor."
Malcolm glanced at the floor. "Sorry, sir."
"We're ready to begin…are you?"
"Yes, sir. No, sir. I don't know, sir."
Archer laughed, walking up to Malcolm. He laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Relax. And I think if you breath it might be easier to get through the wedding. Something tells me that groom passing out would probably delay things."
"Yes, sir." Malcolm took a deep breath. "I'm trying, sir."
"Let's go."
"Did T'Pol get her dress?" Malcolm asked, even as Archer's hand on his shoulder was guiding him out of the mess hall.
"Yes. Gentlemen, wait outside the chapel for the bridesmaids."
Travis and the other crewman dropped their cards, following the two from the mess hall.
"Do the dresses look alright, sir?"
"She looks fabulous in it. As do Ensigns Sato, Kimball and Paris."
"Did Trip find his dress uniform? He couldn't find it last night, he—"
"Malcolm," Archer looked up, holding Malcolm's gaze with a smiles, "Breathe. That's an order."
"Yes, sir," Malcolm replied.
Archer smiled, turning into the chapel. They walked to the front and Malcolm took his place. Archer walked behind the pulpit to stand alongside Priest Riley.
"Are we ready to begin, sir?" Priest Riley asked Malcolm.
Archer looked down at his Lieutenant. Malcolm reminded him when he was fifteen and his father caught him making out with his girlfriend in the car.
"I don't think we can ask him. Just start," Archer said.
"Begin," Priest Riley said and music began playing. The chapel door opened and Ensigns Travis and Sato started down the aisle, linked arm in arm.
#
Trip ran down the hall, trying desperately to get the top buttons of his uniform buttoned. He came around the corner to find the ceremony had just started. Trip opened his mouth to speak when T'Pol, who had been facing Sista, turned. Trip's words failed him. He had never seen her looking as radiant as she did now. Her satin dress was a light champagne pink that was so light it looked white. Like the wedding gown, it was cut straight across her chest and fell off her shoulders, revealing smooth dark skin. Her hands gripped a small bouquet of white lilies, and somehow they made the picture complete in Trip's mind. Trip tried again to speak, but no words came out.
"Tell her how pretty she look, Trip," Sista ordered Trip.
"You look gorgeous T'Pol," Trip said, finding a smile on his lips when he said it.
T'Pol didn't show any sign of amusement. She stepped forward suddenly, glancing back at Sista who had nudged her in the back.
"Thank you," T'Pol replied.
"You're welcome."
The music in the chapel changed.
"That's our cue." Trip stepped around T'Pol, offering his arm to Sista.
She smiled up at him, sliding her hand around his arm to rest on the inside of his elbow.
The two waited as the bridesmaids and grooms walked ahead of them.
Sista drew a sudden breath. "We go."
Trip looked at the door and the two started walking toward the pulpit at the end of the aisle.