Chapter 3 takes place just after The Catwalk
In spite of her best efforts, Sub-Commander T'Pol was having much difficulty in controlling her emotions. Earlier in the day, she had snapped at Commander Tucker after she told him to get started on re- aligning the plasma manifolds and he so eloquently suggested she 'blow it out her ass.' While her response wouldn't really be considered emotional to Humans, it most certainly was by Vulcan standards. And while she didn't tell the Captain what had happened, word had spread and he had found out. She had it on good authority that Commander Tucker had gotten in trouble.
At the end of the day, she had so many emotions rolling around in her that the only way to take it out in physical activity. That was how Archer found her half an hour later in the gym.
She held in her hand a long, slender pole that looked, at least to Jonathan, pretty flimsy to be a weapon. But as he watched, she gripped the staff with both hands and began to swing it in fluid motions that made him feel as if he watched a cat instead of his First Officer. The longer he watched, the faster the movements got, and Jonathan got the sense that he was observing an ancient and powerful dance. She twisted and thrust the staff out, then brought it back to her as she high-kicked the air with a force that made him feel sorry for any enemy that crossed her path. Other crew members had started to crowd around, so Jonathan let his presence known, not only to them, but to T'Pol as well. The crew members looked sheepish and hastily left the gym so that their Captain and Sub-Commander could be alone.
"I'm glad I'm on your side," he told her with a smile.
"You need not worry, Captain, I would never use lethal force against you or any of the crew."
"Well, that's, uh, good to know."
She returned to her thrusting and jabbing, and Archer was careful to stay out of her way. He carefully made his way over to a treadmill, and began his jog. After a while of watching her fight an imaginary assailant, he decided to break the silence.
"You know, T'Pol, I would love it if you could teach me that."
"You are not man enough for me to teach you to fight." She did not miss a beat in her exercise.
Archer was appalled. Not to mention angry. "Excuse me?" he asked, with a searing voice as he cut off the treadmill with force.
"I believe you heard me correctly."
"T'Pol, I don't know what the hell your problem is, but-"
"You have failed your first lesson. Rule number one, never fight out of anger or any other emotion." She said this with a superior tone that made him want to shove her out an airlock. Apparently T'Pol had finished her exercise, because she turned to face him with the staff held down. "You cannot win if you let your emotion cloud your abilities. It could be your downfall."
Jonathan sighed. "I guess I walked right into that one."
"Indeed. If you still wish it, I can teach a few techniques, but it takes years to master." She tossed the staff to him, which he caught with ease, but was surprised at the weight of it. "It is a practice staff, filled with lead. Actual fighting staffs are lighter, but still heavy.
"The first thing I will teach you is how to grip the staff. Hold is very important, as you cannot do anything without it."
He interrupted her, "I thought the emotion part was the first lesson," with a smirk.
She simply raised an eyebrow. "Now, one thing you must always remember is to watch your opponent's chest. In doing this, you will always be able to tell which way they will move. The problem most face is how to make their own chest movements more subtle, so that-"
She was cut off by the wall communicator. "Ensign Sato to Captain Archer."
"Go ahead, Ensign."
"We've received a hail from a ship half a light-year away. Request your presence on the bridge."
Jonathan looked at T'Pol. "Be right there. Archer out." He turned to T'Pol. "You had better come with me."
She nodded and they headed off to the bridge.
MORE LATER! LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
In spite of her best efforts, Sub-Commander T'Pol was having much difficulty in controlling her emotions. Earlier in the day, she had snapped at Commander Tucker after she told him to get started on re- aligning the plasma manifolds and he so eloquently suggested she 'blow it out her ass.' While her response wouldn't really be considered emotional to Humans, it most certainly was by Vulcan standards. And while she didn't tell the Captain what had happened, word had spread and he had found out. She had it on good authority that Commander Tucker had gotten in trouble.
At the end of the day, she had so many emotions rolling around in her that the only way to take it out in physical activity. That was how Archer found her half an hour later in the gym.
She held in her hand a long, slender pole that looked, at least to Jonathan, pretty flimsy to be a weapon. But as he watched, she gripped the staff with both hands and began to swing it in fluid motions that made him feel as if he watched a cat instead of his First Officer. The longer he watched, the faster the movements got, and Jonathan got the sense that he was observing an ancient and powerful dance. She twisted and thrust the staff out, then brought it back to her as she high-kicked the air with a force that made him feel sorry for any enemy that crossed her path. Other crew members had started to crowd around, so Jonathan let his presence known, not only to them, but to T'Pol as well. The crew members looked sheepish and hastily left the gym so that their Captain and Sub-Commander could be alone.
"I'm glad I'm on your side," he told her with a smile.
"You need not worry, Captain, I would never use lethal force against you or any of the crew."
"Well, that's, uh, good to know."
She returned to her thrusting and jabbing, and Archer was careful to stay out of her way. He carefully made his way over to a treadmill, and began his jog. After a while of watching her fight an imaginary assailant, he decided to break the silence.
"You know, T'Pol, I would love it if you could teach me that."
"You are not man enough for me to teach you to fight." She did not miss a beat in her exercise.
Archer was appalled. Not to mention angry. "Excuse me?" he asked, with a searing voice as he cut off the treadmill with force.
"I believe you heard me correctly."
"T'Pol, I don't know what the hell your problem is, but-"
"You have failed your first lesson. Rule number one, never fight out of anger or any other emotion." She said this with a superior tone that made him want to shove her out an airlock. Apparently T'Pol had finished her exercise, because she turned to face him with the staff held down. "You cannot win if you let your emotion cloud your abilities. It could be your downfall."
Jonathan sighed. "I guess I walked right into that one."
"Indeed. If you still wish it, I can teach a few techniques, but it takes years to master." She tossed the staff to him, which he caught with ease, but was surprised at the weight of it. "It is a practice staff, filled with lead. Actual fighting staffs are lighter, but still heavy.
"The first thing I will teach you is how to grip the staff. Hold is very important, as you cannot do anything without it."
He interrupted her, "I thought the emotion part was the first lesson," with a smirk.
She simply raised an eyebrow. "Now, one thing you must always remember is to watch your opponent's chest. In doing this, you will always be able to tell which way they will move. The problem most face is how to make their own chest movements more subtle, so that-"
She was cut off by the wall communicator. "Ensign Sato to Captain Archer."
"Go ahead, Ensign."
"We've received a hail from a ship half a light-year away. Request your presence on the bridge."
Jonathan looked at T'Pol. "Be right there. Archer out." He turned to T'Pol. "You had better come with me."
She nodded and they headed off to the bridge.
MORE LATER! LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!