Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews, again I appreciate them. Well, here's your next chapter. I hope you like it. Oh and a comment some (who shall remain nameless) asked if the alien ship will have a connection to Trip and T'Pol, well you'll just have to keep reading.
Summary: When T'Pol has trouble controlling her emotions, is that a result of what happened during her abduction? And will Trip start to feel that way too? Also, the alien species they just met, who are they and why would they be interested in learning about the people on Enterprise?
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Chapter Three:
The Taso
**Transporter Room**
An orangey yellow light swirled around three figures standing on the transporter pad. When the light dissipated, it left behind Captain Terion and two others like him.
"Captain Archer, what a pleasure to meet you in person."
"And you." Archer stepped forward and stuck out his hand. When he got three blank faces, he explained what it was, and Terion recuperated.
"Ah, where are my manors? This is my second in command, Commander Xion," he gestured to the right. Xion looked almost forty or so in human's years. He has the natural brown spots along the bottom of his face and across his forehead. He had on the same navy blue uniform as Terion only he had on less pip on his shoulder. He also had suspicion written all over his face; Archer had no dough that Xion would be the one questioning everything and keeping a hawk's eye on everyone.
Terion continued with, "and this is my Chief Medical Officer, Lieutenant Commander Uion." Terion said, gesturing to his left. Uion was shorter and seemed a lot like Trip: wide-eyed and curious. He was dressed in the same uniform as Xion, only a little wrinkled. Once Trip was allowed back on work tomorrow, Archer knew the two would become fast friends.
"This is my Chief of Security, Lieutenant Malcom Reed, and my Communications Officer, Ensign Hoshi Sato." He told them gesturing to each of them.
"Which is your second in command?"
"My second in command who's also my science officer and chief engineer are both off duty until tomorrow. They were injured on a recent away mission." Archer explained.
Terion and Xion shared a look before Uion said, apologetically, too apologetically, "I'm sorry, Captain Archer." Archer nodded, then gestured toward the door and proceeded to give them a tour of the ship.
**Trip's Quarters**
He had been lying in his bed for over a half and hour.
He suddenly wanted some piece and quiet while watching water polo. So now he was laying in his, now quiet, room, for a reason he didn't know, but he did no he was completely relaxed. He wasn't normally relaxed in this type of situation.
He thought about anything and everything; let his emotions from the day, along with the excitement and anticipation of going back to work the next day.
**T'Pol's Quarters**
She had been meditation for around fifteen minutes, allowing herself to be a relaxed as she dared and could.
Her mind was chaos, and no matter what she did to clear it and organize it, another thought just popped up. There were even emotions; emotions she never experienced or could comprehend. When she focused harder on them, she started to feel as if she were lying in bed, thinking.
It was a strange experience. A new thought had come into her mind. It had something to do with being frightened at the sight of seeing someone in so much pain and hunger. Then being in Sickbay and being concerned about the same person again.
It was then she released these thoughts must belong to Trip.
The thought scared her; she was afraid of what that must have meant. And how and what she was going to have to say to him to explain what was going on.
**Trip's Quarters**
He had gotten so relaxed because he had been daydreaming that he was walking down a corridor and about to press the chime when…
The chime went off and he snapped out of it. "Come," Trip yelled to whom ever was out there.
The door opened to revel T'Pol. Trip looked shocked at who was now standing inside his room. The clothing she was wearing also surprised him: a white Vulcan meditation robe. The lighting added to the glistening of her skin.
Trip stood, mouth opened, gapping at her until she finally spoke, "Commander, I must speak with you." Her voice was neutral but her eyes were begging him to allow her to do so.
"Of course. Come in." Trip, swayed by the urgency in her eyes, allowed her to come in. Once she was inside, he offered her a chair; she, of course, declined. So, in stead, he sat in the seat he had just offered her and asked, "What cha want t' talk about?"
T'Pol took a deep breath and started, slowly, with, "You recall this morning, in Sickbay, when you handed me my PADD." Trip nodded before she continued, "You stated that I had asked, yet I had only been thinking of it."
Trip appeared confused by this, having no idea of where this was going. "What are you saying T'Pol? I heard you clearly say that you wanted the PADD." He shook his head then asked, "Are you saying that I'm a telepath all of the sudden?"
"In a manor of speaking."
"Right. What way."
"I… believe we are, some how, telepathically bond," T'Pol stated, candidly.
"'Telepathically bonded'? Wha… how?" Trip stuttered over his words.
"I am… unsure. A bond like this should only be initiated with physical contact."
"What kind of physical contact?" Trip asked. "Not just normal touching, right?"
"No, not something like what happened in the Mess Hall. But a pacific placement of one's hands and fingers." T'Pol informed him, relieving him of some of the fear he had.
"What do you mean by a certain 'placement of one's hands and fingers'?" Trip asked his millionth question; incredibly curious about the telepathic bond they shared.
T'Pol looked at Trip for a moment before stepping closer and kneeling down to be eye level with Trip. Their faces were mere inches apart. She hesitated before placing her hands under his chin and stared into his eyes. "Like this."
He felt like her fingers were on fire and an electric shock went through his entire body as her hands touched him, then, again, when her breath touched his skin. His breathing quickened as he asked, "Why… what are you doing, T'Pol?"
T'Pol looked away; she had no idea what she was doing. T'Pol dropped her hands and stood up quickly. She avoided looking at him and tried to excuse herself, but Trip wouldn't let him.
"T'Pol, wait!" Trip hopped up and grabbed her arm. "T'Pol, what was that all about? Tell me!"
T'Pol looked in his eyes, surprisingly not struggling against his grasp. Her eyes were clouded with a confusion Trip had never in his life ever seen. He let go, perplexed at what he saw, and she walked out of his room.
Trip bowed his head and sighed. Almost disappointed, for what he did not know.
**Bridge**
T'Pol walked onto the bridge to find it bustling with activity. But what caught her eyes was the men she had never seen before, species she's never seen before. One was standing by Hoshi, asking a lot about the human culture, and the other by Malcom, the two chattering on about weapons and such.
T'Pol, after raising an eyebrow at them, strolled purposely toward the Captain. "Captain, I assume I missed something during my time on leave."
Archer smiled, "Yes, yes you did. T'Pol this is Lieutenant Commander Uion," he gestured to the one that just excused himself from communications.
"…r shields are based on a tacyon frequency." T'Pol heard the other say before he noticed her, immediately excused himself and walked over to her.
"And this is Commander Xion." He introduced the one who just walked over. "They are the Taso; we… meet just yesterday, you probably weren't informed because of your… condition." Once the two had excused themselves from where ever they were and walked over, he continued, "Xion, Uion, this is my Science Officer, Sub-Commander T'Pol."
Xion gave an interested yet dubious look at her, while Uion seemed almost apologetic and respectful. T'Pol gave them a nod, uncomfortable by the intensity of Xion stare and interest of it, she walked to her station.
**Taso Ship**
"You saw her?" Captain Terion questioned his subordinates.
"Yes."
"And?" The Captain urged Xion.
"She looked fine, I don't know if it worked." Uion, who had stayed quite until then, said with a defeated voice.
Xion requested fiercely, "We need her in medical confinement. Run tests on her. We'll never know anything for sure until then."
"Well, we can't just take them. They'll notice and know immediately it was us." Uion finally spoke after along pause between the other two.
The two looked at him, shocked by their forgetfulness as to that part of the plan. "Uion has a point. We will just have to wait until the time is right." Captain Terion had the last word and Xion stormed off.
Captain Terion nodded at Uion, signifying he was dismissed, and Uion, looking a little victories, walked out of the room.
**T'Pol's Quarters**
Trip pushed the door chime to T'Pol's quarters. After what had happened last night he knew they needed to talk; he just had waited until after their shifts, giving both of them time to think about it. After the second time he had hit the chime and still had no answer, he knocked on the door, assuming the chime was broken.
"T'Pol?" He asked the metallic door just before it opened.
T'Pol stood inside the door; she was in full uniform and had her usual, ridge stance. Though the strength in her appearance, Trip could, more sense rather than see, that she hadn't slept or eaten since they got out of Sickbay. "Commander."
"T'Pol, we need t' talk…. Can I come in?" T'Pol stepped aside and Trip walked in. He looked extremely embarrassed; if it was the subject or the audience, T'Pol didn't know.
After a minute of the two starring at each other, both growing increasingly uncomfortable, T'Pol broke the silence by saying, "Is there something you wished to speak to me about, Commander?"
Trip looked away, talking in his new surroundings. Sure, he had been in there once or twice before, but he found he was suddenly completely fascinated with anything and everything about her. When he turned back to her, he told her, "I thought you'd know what I came t' talk about." He sighed at her blank look, "Last night, when ya came to my quarters. We were talkin' 'bout… some kinda bond… ah, telepathic bond we share."
T'Pol looked totally shocked, for a Vulcan. "Commander, did I… touch you last night."
"What, you don't remember?" When T'Pol arched her eyebrow, he knew to just answer. "Yea, uh, ya put your hands under my chin."
T'Pol thought about it for a moment; she seemed to be deep in thought. "Commander, may we talk about this at a later time?"
"Yea, you feelin' alright? You don't look so well."
"You are correct, I feel… ill."
"Maybe you should go see Dr. Phlox." Trip took a step closer, then said, "You're sweating. It's not that hot in here." Trip moved even closer, then he put a hand on her forehead. "You're burnin' up." Trip said in a concerned voice.
"Thank-you for your concern. I will take your advise and see Dr. Phlox. Good-bye, Commander." She said in a rushed but sincere voice.
Her checks were flushed and glistened from when the light hit her face. She was gorgeous and he couldn't stop gapping at her. "Commander?"
Trip shook his head to clear his mind. "Right, we'll talk about it later," with that, he walk out.
T'Pol closed her eyes and took a deep breathe. Then she walked into her bathroom. She grabbed a washcloth and ran it under cold water. She dabbed it across her face then on her neck, trying to cool herself. When she looked in the mirror she saw Trip was indeed right. She looked sick and she was, in a way. It had come, just as she knew it would, but now she had dragged Trip down with her.
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Hmm, T'Pol's emotions have gone whacked, she almost kissed Trip, and she's got a fever. So can anyone guess what's up with T'Pol? Or do you still need the next chapter?
*Author smiles wickedly, "I know something you don't know"* (I was told to put that there)
