DISCLAIMER: It's Paramount's galaxy.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: A/TP. What Archer does to make up with T'Pol in the episode "Acquisition"
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PAYBACK
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Captain Jonathan Archer breathed a sigh of relief as T'Pol finally entered the launch bay.
For the past several hours, four aliens had been in the process of taking anything and everything they could find of value from Enterprise while most of the crew lay unconscious. When the riches didn't pan out as they expected, the aliens had revived Archer in the hopes he would reveal the location of any other valuables. Eventually they forced him to load the stolen goods onto their ship. Only Trip had not been subdued, having been in decontamination, and he was able to awaken T'Pol as well. The aliens' sole motivation appeared to be the accumulation of material wealth, and so the three Enterprise officers had concocted a plan where Trip led the aliens to Enterprise's supposed vault and T'Pol, whom the aliens didn't know was conscious, waited to ambush them.
"Did it work?" Archer asked. Unfortunately, he had ended up manacled to a bar near the launch bay's doorway and wasn't part of the trap. He was getting a bit antsy. If he had thought about it, since T'Pol was now back, it was obvious that the plan must have been successful.
"Perfectly," T'Pol replied and stepped up to him slowly. She remained expressionless and didn't appear in any hurry to release him.
Archer hesitated a moment and then held out his wrists to remind T'Pol he was still cuffed. "Do you have the key?"
T'Pol's dark brown eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Not that interesting. No sense of humor. Always complaining." She repeated the words the Captain had used to supposedly describe her to the aliens earlier. His motive, of course, had been to divert their attention away from T'Pol. It had all been part of the ruse, not only to dissuade them from taking her to a slave market, but also the aliens didn't know she was awake at that point. He wasn't about to say what he really thought of her.
Archer shifted uncomfortably. "I'll make it up to you," he finally managed.
"How?"
She wasn't going to let this go, was she? What sort of thing would she want anyway? Then another thought occurred to him, consistent with their recent interactions with the aliens. "Five bars of gold?" he said with a smile.
T'Pol wasn't buying it, and if Archer didn't know better, she seemed to be enjoying his predicament.
"Open these things, Sub-Commander. That's an order."
Was that a satisfied smirk on her face? In the past nine months, he had come to appreciate his science officer more and more, and even considered her a friend. Who would have thought his closest and most trusted colleague on the crew would be a Vulcan? Apparently now mollified, she reached over and inserted the key to release him. He would have to think of something better than the non-existent precious metal bars for his payback.
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The next morning, T'Pol entered the Captain's private mess. Archer was already seated, but rose when she entered, as he was apt to do. There were only two places set. "Won't Commander Tucker be joining us this morning?" she inquired.
Archer shook his head. "I don't think Trip slept last night. He's still working overtime getting the ship back in shape. It's amazing the disruption those four caused."
"Regardless, we all need sleep. I've noted a slight drop in crew efficiency, and Commander Tucker should set an example for his subordinates."
Archer nodded and they both sat.
Apparently the steward had been waiting just inside the galley, for he immediately entered and placed a bowl in front of T'Pol. "Plomeek broth," she commented. Beside it was placed a small stack of what appeared to be slices of bread along with traditional Vulcan utensils.
Archer nodded enthusiastically. He was pleased at the slight question in her tone and took it to be her equivalent of surprise. "I took the liberty of contacting your mother last night to get the family recipe," he replied. The steward returned and placed Archer's meal down as well.
"You called Vulcan?"
"The time difference worked out such that I caught her just as she was leaving class. Chef was appreciative and worked on it this morning. He hopes it's now up to your specifications." Archer gestured towards the bread and added, "There's also the pa'ash bread with the traditional lipau and snauk. Your mother said it is one of your favorites."
T'Pol raised an eyebrow. "I find that highly unlikely."
Archer shrugged. "Well, I think she specifically said you often had it."
T'Pol picked up her spoon to take a sip of the broth. Before it reached her lips, however, she noticed that Jonathan also had a bowl of Plomeek broth and was about to sample some himself. "You're not having your typical breakfast."
"I thought I'd give your mother's Plomeek broth a try," he replied innocently. After taking a sip, he smiled and nodded approvingly. Bland, as he had always heard, but with an ever so slight tang as well. "You have sampled various Earth cuisine and beverages. It's about time I expanded my horizons as well."
T'Pol sampled the broth, and then licked her lips once. "Satisfactory," she commented. Not as enthusiastic as Archer would have hoped, but a glowing endorsement given the typical range of T'Pol's statements. He would have to thank Chef.
Jonathan took another sip, and then remembered one last thing. "Oh, I almost forgot." He moved over to the comm and pressed one of the buttons. The room was then filled with a soft melody from a stringed instrument accompanied by percussion. An ethereal mix of arpeggios with underlying deep long notes.
T'Pol paused for a moment as she listened and then cocked her head towards Jonathan. "T'Mar's Seasons, the original recording in Raal if I'm not mistaken."
"That's right. You suggested it the other day and I found it in the ship's database."
"Is this because I finally watched that water ballet match with you?"
Jonathan cringed. "Water polo," he corrected. That had been an interesting evening. "And no, not at all. Last night I decided to take your advice and try to relax some more. I think the Vulcan lute is growing on me." As his First Officer, she was just looking after his well-being, but had gone as far as suggesting various meditation techniques. The stress of being the first deep-space Starfleet captain.
T'Pol took another sip of broth and nodded slowly. She seemed to now understand. "Not as uninteresting as you thought. And I suppose you don't really think I'm always complaining either."
Jonathan smiled back. "And yes, you possess a subtle, yet effective, sense of humor," he added.
"There is no reason to insult me sir," T'Pol replied, although again it was clear to Jonathan this was yet another example of said humor. He was getting more adept at detecting her hidden emotions. She looked at Jonathan for a long moment. "I believe it's time I introduce you to Surak's teachings. Vulcan culture is having a positive effect on you."
They ate for a short time letting T'Mar's melody fill the room. "Am I forgiven?" Jonathan eventually inquired.
"Of course Captain," T'Pol replied easily "Your efforts at reconciliation were unnecessary, although appreciated."
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THE END
Author's Note: So I rewatched the first season of Star Trek Enterprise and into the second season. I hadn't liked this particular episode before, but this time around it was okay enough. I especially enjoyed the interchange between T'Pol and Archer (the first part of this story), and wondered exactly what Archer did to make it up to her (my thoughts in the second part). In a few episodes after this, V'Lar comments that she sensed a bond of friendship between Archer and T'Pol (which was/is my favorite aspect of ST:ENT, and I imagine much went on behind the scenes), and in a couple episodes after that, T'Pol does give Archer a book entitled "The Teachings of Surak – complete and unabridged" to help him relax