The mood was one of excitement over the next few days. Hoshi had
finally convinced Trip to be her partner, and Travis was moving ahead quite
nicely with a friendly merchant from the nearby planet of Ro'klry. Even
the Doctor had made his presence know as he could be seen practicing his
moves with Ensign Cutler. Overall, everyone seemed to be enjoying
themselves.
Everyone, that is, except Jonathan and T'Pol. Although, one could argue that Hoshi was more uncomfortable than both of them, for she had mistakenly offered her assistance in teaching T'Pol how to Tango. She felt as if she was giving a lesson in patience than anything else. Her biggest obstacle? Getting T'Pol and Jonathan to stop arguing over how much body contact was allowed.
"Look, T'Pol, this isn't hard. It's called a Tango. The moves can be a little different, I admit, but this, this is ridiculous."
"I agreed to your offer because I felt it was an opportunity to learn. This dance seems more like an opportunity to sustain inappropriate contact with another individual."
Jonathan was becoming very irritated with her. "It's part of the dance! And this wouldn't be so difficult if you would let me lead!"
"If I could trust you, I might be able to do so."
"Trust me? You can't trust me? I assure you, Sub-Commander, that I have no ulterior motives."
Hoshi had had enough. "That's it, you two! Enough! Now I want this to stop. Sub-Commander, the whole idea of the dance is a sensual suggestion of what could be. This is especially true with the Spanish dances. The point of the dance is physical contact. It tells a story. You want to be seductive without being trashy. But there will be no story telling if I can't get you two to trust each other. Can you, for my sake at least, pretend?"
They nodded.
"Now, Captain, the Tango takes a strong lead, so I need to know you're up to it."
He simply glared at her and said, "Hoshi, I know how to Tango."
"Right, well, I'll take that as a yes. Sub-Commander, your part is one of a follower. You have got to let the Captain lead you, or else your performance will be a joke."
T'Pol simply raised her chin slightly and told Hoshi (very pointedly) she would be fine letting the captain lead.
"Right, now, T'Pol, your left hand goes around the captain's right shoulder. Uh huh, that's it, and your right hand goes in his left hand. Now, Captain, take your position. Good, now for the dance. Remember, the Tango is a sensual and tantalizing hint. First move, T'Pol you would step back with your right foot, while Jonathan steps forward...." She went on, and while T'Pol still seemed uneasy about the close proximity of Archer, she was a fast learner. By the night of the dance contest, she was ready. They had taught T'Pol to Tango.
* * *
A brightly lit outer patio was used for the dance show. The masked and costumed couples milled around the outer edges of the floor, socializing and enjoying themselves. Some had strayed out onto the dance floor itself and were taking the time before the show started as a last- minute practice. The planet's Red Giant had set already and the whole place seemed to be lit by fireflies, an ingenious trick of fiber-optics. The affect on mood was remarkable, giving all parties in attendance a fairy land feeling. Most everyone at the Dancing Nacelle had turned out, and the crowd only seemed to get bigger as the night waned on. But two not in attendance, at least not yet, were Captain Jonathan Archer and Sub- Commander T'Pol.
While one was adjusting the feather in his cap, the other realized just what she had gotten herself into. The effect the provocative dance had taken on her was uncomfortable to say the least. As a Vulcan, this idea was unacceptable. As a subordinate, it was unacceptable. As a senior officer, it was unacceptable. But as a woman, as a woman, it felt oh so right. His arms around her, his body against her, his eyes searing into hers was so natural.
T'Pol closed her eyes and shook her head a little. She could not allow this feeling to take over her cool, rational mind. She would not allow it. She knew she could trust Archer to be a gentleman, however, she was not sure how well she could trust herself in his arms, with her leg wrapped around his hip. Again, she shook her head. 'Enough,' she told herself. T'Pol cleared her mind and took one last look at herself in the full-length mirror. While it pained her to see herself in such a, as humans would say, sexy and revealing costume, she felt truly feminine in it. She felt powerful, and that feeling made her scold herself once more. "Illogical," she muttered to herself. "Illogical."
THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF IT, PLEASE!!!!
Everyone, that is, except Jonathan and T'Pol. Although, one could argue that Hoshi was more uncomfortable than both of them, for she had mistakenly offered her assistance in teaching T'Pol how to Tango. She felt as if she was giving a lesson in patience than anything else. Her biggest obstacle? Getting T'Pol and Jonathan to stop arguing over how much body contact was allowed.
"Look, T'Pol, this isn't hard. It's called a Tango. The moves can be a little different, I admit, but this, this is ridiculous."
"I agreed to your offer because I felt it was an opportunity to learn. This dance seems more like an opportunity to sustain inappropriate contact with another individual."
Jonathan was becoming very irritated with her. "It's part of the dance! And this wouldn't be so difficult if you would let me lead!"
"If I could trust you, I might be able to do so."
"Trust me? You can't trust me? I assure you, Sub-Commander, that I have no ulterior motives."
Hoshi had had enough. "That's it, you two! Enough! Now I want this to stop. Sub-Commander, the whole idea of the dance is a sensual suggestion of what could be. This is especially true with the Spanish dances. The point of the dance is physical contact. It tells a story. You want to be seductive without being trashy. But there will be no story telling if I can't get you two to trust each other. Can you, for my sake at least, pretend?"
They nodded.
"Now, Captain, the Tango takes a strong lead, so I need to know you're up to it."
He simply glared at her and said, "Hoshi, I know how to Tango."
"Right, well, I'll take that as a yes. Sub-Commander, your part is one of a follower. You have got to let the Captain lead you, or else your performance will be a joke."
T'Pol simply raised her chin slightly and told Hoshi (very pointedly) she would be fine letting the captain lead.
"Right, now, T'Pol, your left hand goes around the captain's right shoulder. Uh huh, that's it, and your right hand goes in his left hand. Now, Captain, take your position. Good, now for the dance. Remember, the Tango is a sensual and tantalizing hint. First move, T'Pol you would step back with your right foot, while Jonathan steps forward...." She went on, and while T'Pol still seemed uneasy about the close proximity of Archer, she was a fast learner. By the night of the dance contest, she was ready. They had taught T'Pol to Tango.
* * *
A brightly lit outer patio was used for the dance show. The masked and costumed couples milled around the outer edges of the floor, socializing and enjoying themselves. Some had strayed out onto the dance floor itself and were taking the time before the show started as a last- minute practice. The planet's Red Giant had set already and the whole place seemed to be lit by fireflies, an ingenious trick of fiber-optics. The affect on mood was remarkable, giving all parties in attendance a fairy land feeling. Most everyone at the Dancing Nacelle had turned out, and the crowd only seemed to get bigger as the night waned on. But two not in attendance, at least not yet, were Captain Jonathan Archer and Sub- Commander T'Pol.
While one was adjusting the feather in his cap, the other realized just what she had gotten herself into. The effect the provocative dance had taken on her was uncomfortable to say the least. As a Vulcan, this idea was unacceptable. As a subordinate, it was unacceptable. As a senior officer, it was unacceptable. But as a woman, as a woman, it felt oh so right. His arms around her, his body against her, his eyes searing into hers was so natural.
T'Pol closed her eyes and shook her head a little. She could not allow this feeling to take over her cool, rational mind. She would not allow it. She knew she could trust Archer to be a gentleman, however, she was not sure how well she could trust herself in his arms, with her leg wrapped around his hip. Again, she shook her head. 'Enough,' she told herself. T'Pol cleared her mind and took one last look at herself in the full-length mirror. While it pained her to see herself in such a, as humans would say, sexy and revealing costume, she felt truly feminine in it. She felt powerful, and that feeling made her scold herself once more. "Illogical," she muttered to herself. "Illogical."
THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF IT, PLEASE!!!!