The Man in Her Life

Chapter Two Cowardly Comfort

By Penmom

(1) Thanks to everyone who has emailed and reviewed. To answer several questions about posting at The House of Tucker. I love the site T/T'P site too but they chose not to post A Woman in His Life previously, so I imagine they will pass on this one too. They felt like my style wasn't quite what they usually hosted. Feel free to archive if you wish - just let me know where.

(2) Goin' on vacation - be back next week. Same bat time - same bat channel.

He was still bleary eyed when they got to the bridge. He hadn't bothered to lobby for stopping by the mess for coffee. He didn't need to be telepathic to see that she wanted to get here and see what was going on.

And just as he had accepted the changes that their relationship had brought, she had as well. In their own ways, they were both nomads - strangers in their own lands, subjects of speculation and conjecture – some of which wasn't so benign. It had struck him as humorous that the reactions from their very different families were so remarkably similar. All in all it was a good thing that they had married aboard Enterprise. This bucket of bolts was home – at least for the foreseeable future.

"You are uncharacteristically quiet, as I said you did not need to accompany me." Her voice rouses him from his thoughts and he moves a tad closer to her. She is uncomfortable with physical affection in public but hey, his mama always said that only tacky girls hung all over you in public. Still, she finds his nearness soothing.

The Ensign enters in the necessary coordinates and Vulcan Symbol for their home world Space Exploration Council pops on the small screen at the comm desk for several seconds. And the time, the figure of a stately, middle age Vulcan woman appears. She looks --- well, Trip thinks she looks formidable.

Before he can finish his thought, he feels T'Pol confirming his hasty opinion. Focusing inward, he is able to access some of T'Pol's knowledge of this woman.

"T'Pol." When she speaks, her voice is almost flat in its neutrality but still Trip can't help but pick up an underlying tone of censorship. Hell, he's probably just bein' paranoid. Well, OK, no --- he isn't being paranoid as he senses T'Pol's praise of his intuitiveness.

(((((((((((

T'Pol stands straight as she faces the small camera that will beam her image back to Vulcan. It is quite rare for the Vulcan High Command to use this form of communication especially since her resignation. For a second she feels a bit ill at ease with her appearance, seeing herself through her kinsman's eyes. The Enterprise Uniform, her longer, more feminine hair --- she did not need to imagine what the woman's opinion was.

Knowing this, she also knows that whatever has brought the Vulcan High Command to her door cannot be good.

With a slight nod of respect, she answers, "Greetings, Commissioner Bach'Tal. May the Enterprise be of service to you?" She intentionally chooses the whole of Enterprise over her singular self, finding cowardly comfort in her association - an association by choice rather than birth.

Never one to be verbose, the Vulcan High Commissioner over Scientific Outposts, Bach'Tal speaks quickly only allowing for the briefest of explanations.

"You are familiar with the Vulcan Outpost on TerraZed 4 in the Zearon system. It is a small colony of geologists and other scientists. There are several promising minerals indigenous to the planet. One in particular, LS12, is of interest. The leader of the team researching LS12, a Dr. Kochi, was found dead earlier today. The death was quite suspicious. Given Enterprise's current position, we are requesting your assistance in visiting the colony to support the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Kochi's death."

She tries to assimilate both the words in Bach'Tal's communication, as well as, the unsaid messages. She is suddenly quite thankful for Trip's presence just out of the line of the camera, such areas were more of his expertise. Her years of discipline cloak any sign of surprise or trepidation.

"I will need to confer with Captain Archer. I will contact you no later than 0900 hours." She offers no respectful words of closing, but ends the exchange with her reply. With that, the screen goes blank.

Unbidden, Trip's critique comes to her - There ya' go Darlin', give her as good as ya' get. What did she do without him?

Turning to look at his beloved face, it is still hard to believe that he is hers in mind and body. After this rude awakening, his sleepy face warms her. She would like nothing better than to curl back around is warm body for the remainder of the night.

Picking up on her inclination, his mouth curls into what she now knows is a smirk. Before Trip, she had no idea of the multiple shades of smiles that could grace a human face.

He stands there patiently awaiting her movement. Suddenly they both are aware that they hold the attention of the entire third shift bridge crew. Her face undergoes a subtle shift and she's suddenly all business. She speaks as she moves off of the bridge, "Commander, I would suggest that we not disturb the Captain with this appeal until our morning staff meeting."

He doesn't answer her until the turbo lift doors close. As she turns to him, she notes that the slight smirk has now progressed to a certain mischievous twinkle in his eyes. Fighting off a yawn, he drawls, "So Mrs. Tucker how do you suppose we pass the time until the 0800 staff meeting?"

TBC