— Chapter 11 —
T'Pol should have been happy now, she really should have been happy… her mate's hands roamed freely over her body, his lips were locked to hers and doing a wonderful job of sparking a fire, and T'Pol's body naturally responded, yet she couldn't relax into it right now. They had to talk…
"Trip," said T'Pol, cupping the man's face, and gently lifting his face. "Trip, we need to talk."
"Are you kidding me? You want to talk now?!"
"Yes, I am sorry."
Trip growled, rolled on his back, and said, "This better be good, T'Pol. Go."
T'Pol spun onto her side, and laid a hand on Trip's chest, then kissed his chin, and said, "I am sorry, my timing on this night is off, but I have to get this off my chest. I need to tell you something about you, about me, about us."
"You want to talk about the Bond," said Trip. "I can feel your apprehension… and now your wonder."
"You know?! How?"
"T'Pol, I've spent the past five years in various stages of shipboard confinement with hundreds of Vulcans," said Trip. "I've seen your people enter pon'farr and assumed that said Vulcans were exhibiting the symptoms of Affliction, but I was educated by other Vulcans on the true nature of what I was viewing, and I learned about the Bond in the process… Not that I needed any of that to figure it out what's happening with us — about ten days ago I began getting feedback when I think of you — I mean I feel your emotions, I see what you're doing, where you are, things like that."
"Yet you didn't say anything."
"I thought to wait 'till you brought it up," said Trip. "Figured you'd talk of it when you were ready."
"I am ready. How do you feel about all this, Trip? The Bond. Our Bond."
"I think I'm all right with it, T'Pol," said Trip, turning his head to look at T'Pol, with a grin on his face. "In fact, I'm more than all right. You?"
"Obviously," said T'Pol, "else a Bond would not have sprung between us. There's so much to talk about, but I'm not ready for any of that tonight. I had planned this night's talking points only so far as they covered our Bond… and you have thrown me off balance. You seem to do that a lot."
"Ah… sorry, I guess."
"Do not apologize, Trip. My thoughts are scrambled now. We will talk of it some more tomorrow," said T'Pol. "I trust that you are not going to make a big emotional scene over this matter tonight?"
"That would be in bad taste, wouldn't it? Vulcan mores and such."
"Indeed," said T'Pol, looking speculatively at Trip. "Still, we should do something to acknowledge a milestone in our relationship."
"What do you suggest?"
"Well, you could do your dirty little business atop me, and then we could have Chef fix us something special, something with coconut and chocolate," said T'Pol.
"Or we could just go straight for the chocolate and coconut," said Trip. "That sounds pretty good right about now."
"No, no," said T'Pol, running her hands over Trip's bare chest. "You should have your sport, Trip."
"But—"
"I said no, Trip. We should continue what we started, before I interrupted our momentum. It is only right."
"Just say it."
"Say what?" said T'Pol.
"Say that you want some loving," said Trip, putting hands on T'Pol.
"Fine, fine, I want some loving," said T'Pol, "but we do not need to make a big production of it if you are tired, Trip."
"I disagree, T'Pol," said Trip. "Acknowledging the existence of a Bond should be smothered in pleasure, and accompanied by the most perverse of physical acts, T'Pol."
"Oh my," said T'Pol. "You don't mean—"
"Oh, but I do," said Trip. "We're performing the Tellarite Maneuver tonight."
Three of the five Andorian Bands, Udullon, Se'shel'n and Merr'maj waited at the appointed place, waited for the two Wings of Imperial Guards which would supplement their numbers and their strength in preparation for the joint attack on Hegemony space, for unlike the other Federated Bands, the Andorian Bands served completely at the pleasure of the Andorian Emperor.
Sure enough, just minutes before the appointed hour, three hundred Andorian military vessels of various classes warped in next to the Bands, and moments later, a comm stream was transmitted from a Guards' ship, to the Andorian Bands.
Each Band's commander answered the hail, to view the image of the Andorian commander leading these Wings: his uniform marked him as an Imperial Guard, yet even if the man had worn sackcloth, his identity would have been apparent, for his hard face was marked by a well earned arrogance that was unmistakable.
"Thy'lek Shran," said the Andorian. "I'm here to assume command of your ships and your men, in the Emperor's name."
"We serve the Emperor's will, Commander. Where you lead, we follow," said Ifzrel, commander of Merr'maj and the most senior captain among the Andorian Bands, not the least disturbed at Shran's assumption of authority - the Guards were the best of the best, an extension of the Emperor's will.
"…and so," said Malcolm, winding down his presentation before the members of the High Council, "we offer this information to the High Council, in the hope that it might guide your warriors to glory, and victory, against the Gorn."
A few dozen Klingons grunted their agreement with the Human's sentiment, for though this meeting with the High Council was an informal one, four dozen warriors were still in attendance.
K'mpec, head of the High Council and one of five High Councilors, held up his hand, and silence fell.
"We appreciate this information, Captain Reed," said K'mpec, "and I will tell you that the Gorn press us hard. If your information is valuable, we will not forget your aid. We will study your data now, and get back to you soon. Until then we invite you to accept our hospitality, after which time we will wish to speak with you again."
"Respectfully," said Malcolm, baiting the hook, "duty calls me elsewhere. A joint attack on Hegemony space will soon take place, and my honor will not allow me to hang back while my comrades fight and die against the Gorn."
"A joint attack you say?" said councilor Kell. "Who are the actors?"
"Eight Federated Bands, two Wings of Andorian Imperial Guards, and a number of the Tholians," said Malcolm, hoping that the Tholians would indeed join the attack. "The details of the upcoming attack are in the data packet I've presented to the High Council."
"That is interesting," said councilor Gi'ral. "You will accept our hospitality until we study your information, Captain Reed, for it is possible that the Klingon Empire may wish to join that attack, and your council would be valuable in dealing with the Bands."
"Yes, High Councilor," said Malcolm, quite pleased, for his ship alone would provide only a marginal benefit in war, but bringing the Klingons in… well, that would accomplish a touch more.
"Good. Until then, Ajan will see you to your needs," said K'mpec, glancing to his left, where a fetching Klingon female stepped from the ranks, and saluted Reed, before coming to take a place by his side. "We will call for you in time, Captain Reed."
"I apologize for my tardiness," said T'Pol, as she stepped up to a lunch table.
"I just got here myself, T'Pol," said Alice, for since the physical exam she'd given T'Pol, she and the Vulcan had begun spending time together… which wasn't all that surprising, come to think of it, for other than Captain Tucker, T'Pol seemed to be a loner and perhaps even a loner craved company now and then. "Sit down and tell me what's new."
They chatted for a bit about ship's business, then spent some time speaking of Captain Tucker, for T'Pol hoped that Alice might elucidate some of intricacies of Human relationships.
"Hmmm," said Alice, having just fielded an odd question from T'Pol. "Ok, I can see why you might think that about us, but it's not the case. If you want to understand Human relationships, romantic movies are required viewing. A must."
"A must?" said T'Pol.
"Yes," said Alice. "Tell you what. Let's have a movie night. Come by my quarters after your shift and we'll watch and old movie together. Frankie and Johnny, with Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer. Watch that movie, and you'll understand romantic Human relationships. Guaranteed."
"Very well," said T'Pol. "May I bring something from the mess hall when I come? I understand that snacks are mandatory for all viewing experiences."
That question caught Alice just as she'd raised a pewter flask to her lips, and Alice took a swallow of Andorian ale, before offering the flask to T'Pol. The Vulcan passed.
"Sure," said Alice. "Bring a couple of slices of Chef's blueberry cheesecake, and a couple of iced coffees."
"Very well," said T'Pol. "And you say that I will find this movie enlightening?"
"Guaranteed," said Alice.
"You are certain that you do not want to rest a bit now, Captain Reed?" said Ajan, just as the two were about to enter the gym located atop the roof of the building in which Malcolm had just had his meeting with the High Council.
"I'm positive, Ajan," said Malcolm. "I'm a bit high strung, and I adhere to a regular exercise regimen."
"Admirable," said the Klingon, stepping through the door and then aside, holding the door open for Qo'noS' honored quest.
"Thank you," said Malcolm. "So are you a member of the High Councils' staff?"
"Imperial Navy, though my father is a senior administrative assistant to High Councilor K'mpec," said Ajan. "I'm assigned as your liaison for practical reasons. Might do my career a bit of good, to be seen by the High Council, now and then."
Malcolm murmured something which might have passed for agreement, but he said nothing.
"Here we are," said Ajan leading the way into the large gym.
"Nice setup," said Malcolm, glancing around the giant room: machines, free weights, a mat covered area for combat sports, a variety of striking bags… "Very nice."
"Come this way," said Ajan. "You need some appropriate workout clothing."
Ten minutes later, Malcolm returned to the gym in some type of spandex type outfit, which compared quite favorably with one of T'Pol's catsuits… Malcolm was mortified. Still, when in Rome, or on Qo'noS.
"So what is your pleasure, Captain?" said Ajan.
Malcolm turned to see that the approaching Kligon had also changed into a similar outfit, and though Ajan was small for a Klingon, just barely Malcolm's height, the curves revealed by that outfit were quite fetching. A lovely package all around given her glossy black eyes, a facial structure both delicately rendered and strongly built, no doubt, and that ridged Klingon forehead which gave Ajan something of a cobra's mien: but a sexy cobra!
"I think I'll start off on the mat, and go from there, Ajan."
The Klingon nodded, and said, "I don't suppose you'd care to spar with me?"
"Sure," said Malcolm.
They warmed up for a few minutes, then Human and Klingon faced each other, Malcolm curious to sample a Klingon martial art firsthand.
"Go," said Ajan, and she and Reed approached each other cautiously, for each read in the other's stance and movements, the readiness of a trained combatant.
"Still," thought Ajan a bit despondently, "it won't be a real test. The Human will hold back because he's fighting a female."
And Ajan continued thinking in that vein for another four seconds, until Reed rushed and struck Ajan with a front kick that doubled the Klingon over, a kick which the Human followed with a punch that took the Klingon to the floor. Ajan looked up at the man, grinning now, despite a bloody lip, and then she took her feet.
"You didn't hold back!" said Ajan, quite pleased.
"I assumed that holding back would have been an insult to a Klingon warrior," said Malcolm.
"It would have been an insult," said Ajan, looking approvingly at the Human. "Now let's go."
They went back and forth for the next two hours, gaining advantage and suffering setback in turn, and by the end of it they both looked as bruised, cut and battered as if they'd tangled with a bobcat.
"Enough," said Malcolm. "We go any longer, I'm going to kill you, Ajan."
"Ha!" said Ajan.
"No, it's true," said Malcolm. "You're huffing like a locomotive."
Ajan laughed though she'd never seen a 'locomotive' huff, but she took the man's meaning, and said, "Liar!"
"All right, you win," said Malcolm. "Now, how about a shower and some lunch? Nothing living though, and nothing that ever crawled."
"Weakling," said Ajan, in a good natured taunt.
"So what style of combat were you using with only marginal efficiency against me, Ajan?"
Ajan snorted, and said, "Mok'bara, fool."
"Well, hopefully your people cook better than they fight," said Malcolm.
"Are you certain that you are Human," said Ajan, studying Malcolm closely, "and not Tellarite?"