"May I suggest," Phlox's stomach hinted with a rather audible growl, "that we move this discussion to the Captain's mess."

Nodding, Archer's eyes flicked to the monitor. Taking the hint, the Doctor transferred the feed to a mobile device. Without another word they retired to a more comfortable environment. After the steward delivered their meals, the Captain stated he was not to be disturbed.

"Trip," T'Pol's eyebrow rose higher than either the Captain or doctor had ever witnessed when requested to continue her explanation now they were alone, "or more accurately, his emotions after uncovering the cogenitor's death became uncontrolled. I could no longer shield my mind from his unintentional invasion or help experiencing my husband's anguish as he walked from your ready room to the turbolift. I did not have to touch Commander Tucker to understand the depth of his emotional suffering. It was at that moment I understood my reasons for remaining on Enterprise. The decision to request permanent assignment from the Vulcan High Command was not so illogical with hindsight."

"Are you telling me," Archer suddenly became incensed, understanding that Vulcans were touch telepaths and thus the reason they didn't like physical contact, "that you and my Chief Engineer, the man who I chose for my First Officer before you took the position, bonded when we took Klaang back to Kronos?"

"I believe the initial bond occurred in Decon after our away mission to Rigal X," T'Pol stated dispassionately. The Captain's question on Vulcan would have been considered extremely rude and disrespectful. As a Human, and her direct superior, Jonathan Archer was required to understand the extent of this situation and how it might affect Enterprise. "Vulcan ships do not use such antiquated technology and touching is considered offensive in our culture."

"Okay," Archer shook his head in disbelief, "I think I'm getting it and that species-specific protocols need to be put in place." Glancing at the doctor, Phlox silently acknowledged this to be his responsibility. "Am I to gather that Trip rubbing decon gel over you," pausing at that mental image, the Captain attempted and failed to stop visualising the pair as they spent time naked and awaiting the ultraviolet light to do its job. There were no partitions in the decon showers. Humans had long since given up such notions of propriety in the line of duty and close quarters on spacefaring vessels. Unfortunately, Jon could envisage the pair arguing throughout the entire process, adding an entirely unique dimension to their enforced intimacy. "Caused the initial bond?" When T'Pol nodded, Archer couldn't contain a slight whistle. "But, that was almost two years ago. How has it taken this long for you to realise this…bond exists?"

T'Pol almost sighed. Forced to speak of such private matters tested her emotional control. "Even amongst Vulcans, a true mating bond occurs in 41.23% of marriages. It has never been attempted with another species. The bond formed with Commander Tucker, should be impossible."

"So, this is completely," trying to find the word, Archer came up with, "unexpected."

"Indeed," T'Pol responded.

"You said a newly married Vulcan couple would live together," Jon worked through the facts as his mind started posing questions.

"The lack of personal space on Enterprise, along with my close working relationship with Commander Tucker, appears to have been sufficient," T'Pol responded.

"Are you and Trip sleeping together?" Jon suddenly demanded. "I seem to recall a conversation in this very room about human mating procedures. I thought Trip's sarcastic comments were just part of his defence mechanism. He asked you about Vulcan, ah, mating practices."

"As I stated, On Vulcan, we mate only once every seven years," the Frist Officer commented.

"And I'll repeat Trip's words," Archer allowed a look of horror to cross his face, "that's a hell of a dry spell, especially for a human male."

"I believe," Phlox interrupted, "the Subcommander is not quite correct. Pon Farr occurs in Vulcan males every seven years, forcing sexual congress. It becomes a biological necessity at this time. A fact borne out by the production of progeny with multiple of seven years between siblings."

"Doctor," T'Pol warned.

"Not all Vulcan's are as, traditional, as the Subcommander," Phlox continued as if not interrupted. "I once treated a Tellerite who claimed to have a Vulcan lover. If my patient was correct, sexual intimacy is possible between the Pon Farr, but not often practiced between spouses. Touch between mate's is preferred, along with Neuropressure."

"Neuropressure?" Archer found his meal unappealing and gave up even attempting to eat by pushing his almost full plate away.

"The Vulcan nervous system is very similar to that of Humans," Phlox lectured. "A mated couple will stimulate each other's neural nodes, in a method similar to massage. I am led to believe it is quite, pleasurable, and can lead to a reduction of sexual tension."

"T'Pol?" Archer turned to his Science Officer.

"Touch increases the opportunity for the mating bond to establish," she answered stoically. "Neuropressue is routinely practiced in the first year of a Vulcan marriage to encourage the bond to develop to it potential."

"Trip's going to have a lot to cope with," Jon shook his head, "when he wakes up."

Suddenly the consequences of this bonding, with respect to Starfleet rules and regulations hit the Captain. "How the hell am I going to explain this to Admiral Green? Not to mention how it will affect the day to day running of Enterprise. You can't be Trip's direct superior, T'Pol, with this between you. Hell, I won't be able to send you on the same away missions. If I know Commander Tucker, once he gets over the shock, he'll want quarters that house both of you. Trip's a traditional guy, where marriage is concerned. If fact, I bet Commander Tucker will insist on a Human marriage ceremony to make this bond legal. This situation has opened a can of worms, T'Pol."

"I am more than aware," her tone took on a particularly frosty mean, "of my mate's thoughts. I can no longer ignore them, any more than my own."

Shocked, Archer would need time to think on that morsel. Returning his attention to the previous conversation, Jon hesitated before posing his question. "Trip's human. He won't go through this Pon Farr."

"It is irrelevant," T'Pol cut the Captain off.

"Not to a human male it's not," Archer stated vehemently. "You can't expect your Human husband to…well…that is…"

"Somethings, Captain," Phlox smirked, "are better left alone. As you are alluding to the Human male sexual drive, I believe Commander Tucker and the Subcommander will find a solution in their own time. However," turning to the Vulcan, the doctor warned, "children may be impossible. Without Pon Farr, the resulting Pon Fell will not occur."

"Pon Fell?" Archer asked, now completely confused.

"The female equivalent," Phlox seemed happy to explain. "Pon Farr triggers ovulation in a Vulcan female."

"Pon fell," the Captain caught on, "and the reason for seven years between Vulcan siblings."

T'Pol's eyebrow simply hit the preverbal roof.

"So, back to marital relations," Archer's attention once again speared the Vulcan. "You're sure this…bonding…is a done deal? Is there any way you and Trip could break it?"

"There have been other indications of our bonding," T'Pol looked anxious as she confessed, "that I missed."

"Such as?" Phlox asked, intrigued by the conversation.

"Do you recall rescuing Princess Kaitaama, First Monarch of the Sovereign Dynasty of Krios Prime?" T'Pol waited for both men to nod. "Did you not wonder why Commander Tucker seemed relieved when rescued?"

"Trip kind of stuck to you like glue," Archer recalled, "until she left Enterprise. The way we found them…"

"My husband told her of our marriage. It seems Commander Tucker's subconscious has been aware of the, attraction, as Humans call it, for some time," T'Pol almost seemed to smirk, not that either of the participants had realised the significance of the event. "It seems Trip found her company less than stimulating."

"I knew even a Human male could not resist an offer of my beloved's rose petal bath," Phlox crowed. "A Denobulain woman secreting pheromones is hard to refuse, Captain. Feezal was most upset with Commander Tucker's coy behaviour. I believe she has never been refused before."

"You would have let my engineer," swallowing hard, Archer had to know, "become intimate with your wife?"

"A Denobulain wife may only carry a child of one of her husbands," Phlox stated easily. "Sexual congress in mating season is confined to the family group for that reason, and often leads to physical harm between the husbands as they fight over a favorite. At all other times," shrugging, the Captain got the message.

So, Archer shook his head, a married Denobulain can have sex with anyone, but bonded Vulcan would harm anyone who so much as touched their mate. And I though first contacts were difficult. It seems cross-species culture is going to become impossible. Not to mention marriage customs. I hope Trip understands what he's gotten himself into this time.

"I must return to Command…Trip," T'pol stated suddenly, rising from the table. Phlox and Archer's eyes found the portable monitor, watching the engineer stirring as the First Officer's orbs glazed over. It appeared her mind was elsewhere. "He is waking and confused. It appears your sedative did not work as anticipated, Doctor."

"How the hell can you tell," Archer demanded, not quite sure he believed in this Vulcan mating bond, even with all the discussion over the last two hours. Trip wasn't even Vulcan, so how could T'Pol bond mentally with a nontelepathic human. Besides, they were always arguing and getting on each other's nerves.

"I am sure you have been forced to sit though one of Trip's 'Star Wars' movie marathons," T'Pol started towards the door, only to be interrupted by the Captain.

"Who could avoid them," Jon huffed, still attempting to intergrade what had been said, "there were only about one hundred of them."

"Eleven," T'Pol corrected, becoming uneasy. "To quote Commander Tucker, the force is strong."

Watching his First Officer walk out the door, Archer turned to Phlox and enquired, "did T'Pol just crack a joke."

"It appears Commander Tucker is finally rubbing off on her, in more ways than one," the Doctor used his enormous smiled before returning to his meal while watching the monitor.

"She must have run," Archer grumbled as T'Pol entered Trip's quarters a few minutes later. Sitting on the side of his bunk, a hand rested lightly on the engineer's shoulder. The look of desolation worn by Tucker suddenly disappeared with the light contact. Not a word was spoken between them, yet Trip's visage calmed considerably. "You going to tell me what's really going on here, Doc? I'm not sure what to think of this mating bond!"

"I believe," Phlox couldn't take his eyes from the monitor, "they are communicating telepathically."

"Could this all be caused by that syndrome," Archer asked as his mind latched onto a convent explanation. "Pa'nar?"

"Undoubtedly," Phlox agreed, "the Pa'nar is partly responsible. The degradation in the Subcommanders neural pathways cannot be repaired and her emotional control will never return to its previous level. I am convinced this bond, which should not be possible, has been brought on by a combination of the Subcommander's inability to repress her emotions and constant contact with Commander Tucker. This damage allowed the bond to be created. Today, after the cogenitor's death, Commander Tucker's grief at its suicide had such a detrimental effect on his mental health, neither could ignore bond any longer. The Subcommander found Mr. Tucker comatose in his quarters. Preforming a mind meld solidified the connexion…"

"Mind meld," Jon almost shouted. "As in the same kind of mental invasion Tolaris forced on T'Pol and caused this Pa'nar syndrome in the first place?" When the doctor nodded, Archer paced in agitation. "She's done that to Trip. And you just let her walk into Trip's quarters. Hasn't he been through enough today?"

"Captain," Phlox's tone forced Jon's attention towards the medic. Pointing to the monitor, Trip and T'Pol sat comfortably, staring into each other's eyes. "The Subcommander aided Commander Tucker avoid a complete mental breakdown. I believe his emotions affected her subliminally forcing this bond to become known to each of them. I am speculating that the Pa'nar has been resolved, while Mr. Tucker's emotions are more manageable due to the Subcommander sharing her ability to repress feelings. It is, in your human vernacular, a win-win situation."

Sighing, Archer looked up at Phlox. "So, are truly they married by Vulcan standards?"

"As I understand it," the Doctor considered carefully, "they are one in mind and spirit. The bond cannot be broken. They will never take another, nor respond well it their mate becomes the object of attention. It would be better not to seperate them for the next year, unless absolutely necessary."

"How the hell am I supposed to report this to Starfleet?" Jon placed his head in his hands. "Or explain how I have a married couple on my ship. They can't be in the same chain of command."

"I should think," Phlox smiled, "there is nothing to report. The Subcommander's logic will supersede any decision or order given to her bondmate. T'Pol will expect Commander Tucker to act logically while they are both on duty. Vulcan spouses often work on the same vessel without issue."

"What about this Pon Farr business," Archer demanded. "How will it affect Trip. He's not Vulcan. Even T'Pol doesn't seem to know much about it."

"Apart from their union being childless," Phlox allowed his face to take on a huge smile, "I believe the Human sexual drive will served the same purpose. Our Frist Officer may well be in for a surprise at how often married humans need to copulate."

"I can't see Trip waiting seven years either," Jon whispered under his breath.