Together, they meandered over to a group engaged in what looked like a 3-D
model made of little white sticks.
"I know this game," T'Pol told Archer quietly. "I believe it is called "Cal'toh". It's a Vulcan concentration game, mastered only by those who use logic to their advantage. I've not seen it since before I left Vulcan."
"How does it work?" he whispered to her, causing her to lean closer, which sent Jonathan's heart racing again.
"The players place the pieces in a strategic structural pattern, which when in the correct place, form a three-dimensional geometrical shape."
He only nodded, not wanting to break the two players' silence. He and T'Pol were standing in a group surrounding the players, and had received a few looks.
After what seemed like an eternity, without any change in the shape, T'Pol was losing interest in the game. Jonathan caught her eyes elsewhere when he glanced at her.
"T'Pol."
Her eyes snapped back to his face. "Yes," she whispered in response.
"How can you not be watching this? It's fascinating!" He sounded genuinely interested.
"The player on the left has made a critical error, it is doubtful he will be able to redeem himself. The player on the right does not have the concentration to finish this game. I doubt they will be playing for long."
Though she made an attempt to whisper, it was not her best effort. Suddenly the player on the right stood up angrily.
"That's it, I've had enough! How dare you? I'd like to see you do much better!"
He stood aside, and T'Pol, eyebrow raised for only a moment, took his emptied seat. The other observers grew more interested by the moment. They crowded closer, and Archer, surprised by his Science Officer's boredom with the match, was now directly beside the table, watching with renewed interest.
T'Pol allowed the other player, a blue biped with black eyes, make his move. She took half the time he did and placed her piece with expert care. After only two more moves, she had announced 'Cal'toh'.
"It was fairly simple," she informed the crowd, which had grown to twice its previous size.
More players wanted to take their turns, but were no match for T'Pol. As the night went on, the crowd got bigger and bigger.
As Jonathan stifled a yawn, he put a hand on T'Pol's shoulder. Her last opponent had just stood up from the table and bowed to T'Pol.
"I'm afraid we have a busy day tomorrow." Jonathan told her and the others, who made their disappointment audible. He laughed a little. "I'm sorry," he told them, though he had a sneaking suspicion that T'Pol might have been a little disappointed as well.
Others quickly took over the seats abandoned by T'Pol and her opponent, and the game began again. As they made their way upstairs, Jonathan informed her how impressed he was.
"You were wonderful."
"My opponents were simply untrained. There is no need for celebration." But Jonathan saw something in her eye that made him suspect otherwise. But only he would have caught it.
When they reached her door, Jonathan decided to take a leap.
"Goodnight, fair lady," he told her, smiling as he took her hand and brushed his lips against it. "I'll see you in the morning." With that, he left her standing there.
T'Pol's reaction was startling(to herself). Once again, her pulse sped up and goose bumps formed where his lips had graced her skin. She felt angry at herself, but when she thought of his eyes on hers, the anger faded.
'I'll need to meditate longer tonight,' she told herself.
THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, MORE LATER!!
"I know this game," T'Pol told Archer quietly. "I believe it is called "Cal'toh". It's a Vulcan concentration game, mastered only by those who use logic to their advantage. I've not seen it since before I left Vulcan."
"How does it work?" he whispered to her, causing her to lean closer, which sent Jonathan's heart racing again.
"The players place the pieces in a strategic structural pattern, which when in the correct place, form a three-dimensional geometrical shape."
He only nodded, not wanting to break the two players' silence. He and T'Pol were standing in a group surrounding the players, and had received a few looks.
After what seemed like an eternity, without any change in the shape, T'Pol was losing interest in the game. Jonathan caught her eyes elsewhere when he glanced at her.
"T'Pol."
Her eyes snapped back to his face. "Yes," she whispered in response.
"How can you not be watching this? It's fascinating!" He sounded genuinely interested.
"The player on the left has made a critical error, it is doubtful he will be able to redeem himself. The player on the right does not have the concentration to finish this game. I doubt they will be playing for long."
Though she made an attempt to whisper, it was not her best effort. Suddenly the player on the right stood up angrily.
"That's it, I've had enough! How dare you? I'd like to see you do much better!"
He stood aside, and T'Pol, eyebrow raised for only a moment, took his emptied seat. The other observers grew more interested by the moment. They crowded closer, and Archer, surprised by his Science Officer's boredom with the match, was now directly beside the table, watching with renewed interest.
T'Pol allowed the other player, a blue biped with black eyes, make his move. She took half the time he did and placed her piece with expert care. After only two more moves, she had announced 'Cal'toh'.
"It was fairly simple," she informed the crowd, which had grown to twice its previous size.
More players wanted to take their turns, but were no match for T'Pol. As the night went on, the crowd got bigger and bigger.
As Jonathan stifled a yawn, he put a hand on T'Pol's shoulder. Her last opponent had just stood up from the table and bowed to T'Pol.
"I'm afraid we have a busy day tomorrow." Jonathan told her and the others, who made their disappointment audible. He laughed a little. "I'm sorry," he told them, though he had a sneaking suspicion that T'Pol might have been a little disappointed as well.
Others quickly took over the seats abandoned by T'Pol and her opponent, and the game began again. As they made their way upstairs, Jonathan informed her how impressed he was.
"You were wonderful."
"My opponents were simply untrained. There is no need for celebration." But Jonathan saw something in her eye that made him suspect otherwise. But only he would have caught it.
When they reached her door, Jonathan decided to take a leap.
"Goodnight, fair lady," he told her, smiling as he took her hand and brushed his lips against it. "I'll see you in the morning." With that, he left her standing there.
T'Pol's reaction was startling(to herself). Once again, her pulse sped up and goose bumps formed where his lips had graced her skin. She felt angry at herself, but when she thought of his eyes on hers, the anger faded.
'I'll need to meditate longer tonight,' she told herself.
THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, MORE LATER!!