Chapter 7- Sunset Prayers

Archer turned back to T'Pol. She was as nervous as she had ever looked before. Most would probably be unable to tell her moods, but he could see everything in her eyes; he could tell what she was feeling.

"It's okay," he whispered.

She looked at him curiously.

"I didn't mind it. It was just different and I didn't know what had happened," he explained. In all actuality, he really hadn't minded the images that had seeped into his own thoughts -- far from it actually. Now, knowing that those images, those erotic images, had been created in T'Pol's mind and had been mixed with his own, only heightened his excitement.

"I should have been able to contain my own thoughts, but for some reason, I didn't wish to anymore. It was becoming more work than ever," T'Pol said quietly.

Archer smiled at her, and enveloping her hand in his, raised it to his lips, brushing his lips across her knuckles.

Her breath shuddered and he felt a slight tremble run through her body. Mentally smiling to himself, he reached over and pulled her into his arms.

She stiffened for a split second, and then melted into his embrace.

"Will that happen every time we kiss?" Archer asked.

"I'm uncertain. Perhaps it was just a one-time thing, the connection heightened because it was a new feeling. I'm not sure whether we will ever be able to read each other's thoughts when we ... if we embrace again."

"Well, I for one would like to find out," he smiled down at her raised eyebrow.

"I would as well, Jonathan, however I believe that it would be best if we started back toward the camp," she said, standing.

"You're probably right. They are probably wondering where we are."

He stood and grabbed his bag.

"Before we go to the camp, let's go towards the mountains first. I want to see what they look like up close," he grinned.

She nodded and followed as he walked away.





Hoshi laughed as Cutler and Ensign Dew chattered about a prank that Mayweather had pulled on Phlox a few days before. She looked around the small camp and noticed that most of the crew had taken off to explore the planet. There were only about 5 or 6 people mulling around the site.

She rose from her seat and walked over to her bag. Reaching in, she pulled out a PADD that had the syntax from a new language they had come across. Korellians: that was the name of the species. Running her eyes over the unfamiliar symbols, she soon became absorbed in what she was studying.

Language had always been a love of hers. She enjoyed finding languages that she didn't know, and then unlocking the puzzle pieces to find out how to read it and what it said. So far, she hadn't come across a language that she couldn't figure out, some just took her longer than others.

A sudden outburst of giggles from Ensign Dew brought her out of her reverie. She instantly noticed that the sun was starting to set, and then realized that the hiking group had returned. She smiled. Looking around, she saw Trip talking to Ensign Dew. Hoshi's smile faded.

The ensign laughed and touched Trip's arm with one hand, while the other twirled her dark auburn hair around a delicate finger. Her porcelain features were lit up by the small fire that someone had started, and she looked beautiful. All of Trip's focus was on the lovely ensign.

Hoshi sighed and looked back down at her PADD. She should have known that there wasn't anything between her and Trip, at least not on his side.



The sky was ablaze with dark purple, blue, green, orange, pink, and yellow as the sun set down towards the horizon. To the East, a few stars dotted the dark purple sky, their light fighting the alien atmosphere in a battle to reach the surface.

Archer looked back towards the mountains in front of him, a stark contrast to the clear plateau he was on now. Clouds had formed halfway up the smaller mountain, and with the direction the wind was blowing, he knew the clouds, and subsequent rain, were headed their way.

He looked back at T'Pol and smiled. She looked so beautiful with the sunset to one side, and the darkness to the other. The fiery sky burnt around her, forming an ethereal halo outlining her body.

Her eyes met his, and he swallowed. Ever since their escapade in the pool, he couldn't get his mind off of what it was like to kiss her lips. He only hoped that she had been thinking the same thing.

Taking a step toward her, he heard thunder clap over head. He turned his eyes upward, noticing the clouds from the mountain had snuck up on them faster than he had thought possible. His eyes blinked involuntarily as he felt the first pitter patter of rain beat down. The storm wouldn't be too heavy.

He looked back at T'Pol and noticed her face was turned towards the heavens as well.

"I love the rain," he said.

She turned her head in his direction and nodded.

"I too find it very relaxing and refreshing. It doesn't rain much on my home world, but I found, while living on the compound, that the rain tended to calm me."

He smiled. She had never voluntarily offered information to him about her past. He could only hope this wouldn't be the only time.

The rain came down more forcefully now, and he was thankful that it was warm rain. He didn't want either of them to catch a cold. Do Vulcan's catch colds?

He stood in the rain letting it wash his face. Taking a chance, he looked over at T'Pol.

She stood with her arms straight out at her sides, her palms facing upwards. Her head was tilted all the way back, and in the faint light, he could see her eyes were closed, her lashes falling onto her cheeks.

She looked for all the world like she was praying to a deity.

Her hair was matted to her head, little rivulets of water running down the sides, and over her pointed ears.

God, she was gorgeous. How had he never seen just how stunning she was before? Yes, he had known she was beautiful, but not to this degree.

Suddenly, all he wished to do was gather her up into his arms, and never let her go.

Continued in Chapter 8