Chapter 3
I The awakening
Now it was T'Pol's turn to wake up on an examining table. She was wearing only a sheet, it was a little chilly in the room and she had a pounding headache. For a moment she looked at the bright lights above and then closed her eyes again. Memories from the Vulcan ship came flooding back. Her behavior was horribly, insanely, unacceptable. T'Pol did not want to face anyone, especially Archer. She almost killed him. Of course it was the Trilllium D, she thought, but somehow she could not stop this flood of feelings. Feelings??? Odd feelings that she could not control. The violent urges were gone. The paranoia was gone. Her mind was working well, but laboring under a host of varied emotions she was having difficulty separating or even naming. Embarassment and regret were pretty clear. She hoped she had not injured Captain Archer. She hoped that confidence in her mental fitness had not been diminished. But there was more. Emotions in her immediate consciousness that begged for attention. These were not completely new, but the intensity of it and how they would not be buried was like an electric current running along her skull. Love, friendship, need, want, desire, passion, pining. What is pining? She thought. She must have read it in a human dictionary. All she could focus on, no matter how hard she tried, was the image of Trip's face in her mind.
Doctor Phlox pulled aside the curtain, "That's a much more quiet awakening than the last one, Sub-Commander."
What else could I have done? T'Pol thought . "I sincerely hope I did not cause any further disturbances, Doctor."
"Just some nightmares, nothing more," Phlox began to examine her. "Your neural pathways are healing well. However, there are some minute changes throughout. It's quite interesting, actually, I've never seen this sort of change in...well there's the Trilanta, who normally undergo a synaptic evolution during adolescence..."
"Doctor." T'Pol cut him off. "I am sorry to interrupt. What minute changes?" T'pol thought she already knew what they were.
"Well, I have compared your brain and all it's synaptic pathways before and after your exposure to Trillium-D. Wait, let me show you." Phlox hit a button and the examining table did a slow 360 degree turn so that T'Pol was now looking at the wall behind the examining table. Phlox punched a few buttons and 2 different brain scan images were shown on a video screen. "The synapses have all healed quite nicely, but not in exactly the same patterns as before. Mainly in the area of your brain related to positive emotions. There are also unusual levels of various triptan and endorphin chemicals. Not dangerous, but not quite right for a Vulcan." Phlox paused and looked at T'Pol seriously, noting that there was almost an expression of panic on her face. "No, you have not become human, however, there are now striking similarities. I am sure it will be confusing in the beginning. You may choose to increase your meditation. I would take things very slowly for the next couple of weeks. I have already asked Captain Archer that you not resume your duties for seven days and that your working hours are limited for the next month after."
T'Pol barely heard what Phlox was saying. She felt like she needed a hug and tears rolled down her face. She wasn't sure if the tears were from the shock or even the fact that she felt that she needed a hug. Phlox put an arm on her shoulder. "Sub-Commander," he said. "I'm sorry."
"Knock-knock?" Trip Tucker's voice was heard from outside the curtain.
"You may enter." T'Pol said as she tried to wipe the water drops from her face.
"Awww.I wanted to be here when you woke up. I was damn near bent permanently from sittin' in that chair," Trip motioned to the chair next to the examining table.
"The Commander was here almost every moment he wasn't working." Phlox pointed out.
"How long have I been.asleep?" T'Pol thought it couldn't have been more than 48 hours.
"Nine days, 3 hours and about 30 minutes." Trip looked at a clock on one of the video screens.
Another tear ran down her face. Trip reached forward with his hand and brushed it off of her cheek. She closed her eyes at his touch and smiled.
II Recovery
The 3 months were a blur. Trip would go to engineering, work his shift (usually a long and boring one) and then immediately go to T'Pol's quarters. She was always waiting for him. She was always ready to meditate. They were still both recovering from near death and needed all the meditation they could get. They talked for hours. But that's all. She had gone through changes, he knew, but he was growing very impatient. She had ceased removing her shirt for the rare times he practiced neuropressure on her. Trip understood that she knew the effect it had on him. For the moment, he would let it go. He was just so happy to be with her. To feel her breath on his back, the silkiness of her long fingers...
'Stop.' He thought to himself as he walked. THAT line of thought certainly wasn't helping. Trip focused on how lucky he was to have her even alive after away her mission to Earth's past. They never even told him where they were going. 'Damn. Damn. It will take some security team to stop me from holding on to her if she tries that again.'
He kept thinking as he walked and nearly plowed over an ensign in his path. "I'm sorry." He mumbled and picked up the ensign's data padd that got knocked to the floor.
His thoughts continued to wander. They were both lucky to be alive and so much had happened. He had odd thoughts that she was hiding something. It could be in regard to Sim. It could be something else. He couldn't put a finger on it.
Trip looked up and he was at T'Pol's quarters.
III Ghost in the Machine
In the dim Command Center, his fingers worked over the controls feverishly. He had created a program that would block the main computer and other prying eyes from his activities, but he couldn't keep anyone from coming in the room and seeing him.
He improved and tweaked as many weapons and defense systems as possible, but he knew he had little time. He also left behind some data that would be, at least a beginning, to solving the problem with using Trillium-D. He had no doubt it would be found and interpreted by the sharp minds in control of this vessel. He also had to be very careful. Any misstep, too much or not enough information, could disrupt the timeline. He wished that he could more clearly see what he had done here, but his own future was never certain. He knew he could leave a hint that the Andorians could be helpful, but nothing more.
A minor security prompt beeped from the console and the computer's voice filled the room, "Security access code please." Spock knew it was a minor problem, his voice and serial number was enough, but it meant the computer was finding him.
" Spock S179-276 SP." He said quickly.
"Security authorization accepted." The computer answered.
Spock hit a few more buttons and saved his work. Suddenly, he heard the woosh of an opening door.
Spock turned to face Malcolm Reed. Malcolm drew a weapon quickly. But not fast enough. Spock hit a button n his belt and he was gone.
Reed hit the comm on the wall "Reed to bridge. Intruder alert."
IV Explanation
T'pol was roused from her meditation by the alarm going off. Her comm. panel was beeping as well as the door to her quarters.
First she hit the comm panel. "T'Pol here."
"Report to the bridge." Archer started but his voice was drowned out by the computer. "All personnel to battlestations. Intruder alert."
She had not responded to the door, but it opened anyway, he must have overrided the code.
"Thank God you're ok." Trip stood in the doorway.
"I need to change. " T'pol answered.
"So change." Trip stepped in and the door closed behind him. He knew he shouldn't have done that, but stood there anyway.
With no time to protest, T'pol slipped out of her pajamas and into a uniform in an efficient manner.
Trip was hyptnotized, watching her and still taken off-guard by the alarm sounds. He watched as T'Pol removed those damnable turquoise pajamas, which he knew she wore nothing under. Looked at as much of her body as he could as she reached for a clean uniform from a drawer. He had seen some of her body, but not all of it. It was just like in his dreams. The moment was much too short. He moved aside to let her out and they both made their way to the Bridge.
They entered the turbo lift and T'Pol spoke, "I know who the intruder was." She looked at the floor as she spoke and Trip felt a wall drop in her mind. Trip's mind could almost see something. He saw a cave, but not what was in it. He definitely felt something. Something he did not like.
The turbo lift doors opened. They both stepped onto the Bridge, which was a flurry of activity.
"Captain, I'm not detecting any intruder of any type." Ensign Mayweather turned in his chair to face Archer.
"Confirmed." Lieuteniant Reed turned from his station. "I was not imagining things, Captain. My team is undergoing a deck to deck search."
"That won't be necessary." T'Pol said with an uncharacteristic high and breaking voice.
All activity stopped.
"Do you have something to tell me?" Archer asked T'Pol.
V Confession
Archer, T'Pol and Trip sat in the Ready Room. The alarm had now been silenced. T'Pol had Recounted some of her meeting with Spock. She had left much out. She left out the intimacy. She recounted comments on the war and time. She described how she had seen Spock in the Command Center in her meditation.
"Well, thanks for keeping me up to speed." Archer said sarcastically. "You are well aware that information of that type, even if seen in your meditation, is critical to this mission."
"I am. However, I was not sure if this communication was real or a creation of my own mind." T'Pol folded her hands in her lap.
Trip bristled at the word communication. 'Damn. She is hiding something.' He thought.
"Well, your silence was almost a danger to this ship." Archer dropped a fist on his desk and looked pointedly at T'Pol.
"I assure you, Captain, I am now cognizant of my error and will not repeat it."
"However," Archer said " At least we know we aren't being attacked. Please keep me informed of any further communications with the Ambassador, no matter where they take place."
"Understood Sir." T'Pol kept Archer's gaze but had difficulty not looking down. She was feeling.shame. A fully new experience.
"Jon, think you can tell Malcolm to call off the dogs now?" Trip asked.
V Confession
Back in T'Pol's quarters, she and Trip sat uneasily.
"Ok, T'Pol. I know I don't have any claim on you. I don't want to invade your privacy. I don't want to act like a jerk. But I'm about to." Trip waited for her response.
T'Pol was silent.
"Well, I see I'm gonna have to do this all by myself." Trip threw his hands up. "You left out a lot when you talked to the capn', didn't you?" Trip said very quietly and looked away from her.
"I did. " T'Pol said.
Trip sighed and finally looked at her, "Did you sleep with him?"
"If I am following your meaning, in a sense, I did." Again, shame, and she folded her hands. How she hated this emotion.
Trip stoop up, looked at the low meditation table to their right and kicked it over. Candles went flying, but nothing broke.
"Charles.you don't understand." T'Pol's voice was choking.
"Oh, I understand. I really understand. I'm okay for a little flirting. I'm okay for a little playing around, but I'm not a Vulcan. I'm not good enough." Trip's eyes were wide. "How could I have ever thought a relationship I touched could be real?"
"I know it's difficult to undersand, but he did this for us." T'Pol was wringing her hands.
"For us? That's a funny kind of gesture. I wonder what he would do for Christmas!" Trip pulled his hands through his hair.
"The expanse is reversing my pon farr treatment. I might have killed you. He could absorb it. He directed me to continue my relationship with you." T'Pol was still looking down. Still afraid to look up. "He said you and I were critical to the success of everything."
"Are you in love with him?" Trip demanded.
"What?" T'Pol almost didn't comprehend the question.
Pausing in between each word, Trip said "Are you in love with him?"
Finally able to look up, T'Pol looked at Trip with tears and said, "I am in love with you.".
Trip sat down heavily in a chair. "My God woman, what am I going to do with you?"
"I would understand if you wished to end our relationship. I am aware that a human male may not be able to continue after such an event." T'Pol now had tears running down her face.
Trip stood up and approached where she sat. He put his hand on her face and tilted it up to look at him. "Darlin', this human male can't continue without you. Please don't cry."
T'Pol leaned in when he kissed her. There was a sudden wind and a chill in the air. Trip ran his hand through her hair. T'Pol could feel thoughts and emotions and electric running through synapses that did not belong to her. Her mind fell into Trip's. She could sense candles and a cave and an altar. However, there were no onlookers, they were alone.
To be continued.
I The awakening
Now it was T'Pol's turn to wake up on an examining table. She was wearing only a sheet, it was a little chilly in the room and she had a pounding headache. For a moment she looked at the bright lights above and then closed her eyes again. Memories from the Vulcan ship came flooding back. Her behavior was horribly, insanely, unacceptable. T'Pol did not want to face anyone, especially Archer. She almost killed him. Of course it was the Trilllium D, she thought, but somehow she could not stop this flood of feelings. Feelings??? Odd feelings that she could not control. The violent urges were gone. The paranoia was gone. Her mind was working well, but laboring under a host of varied emotions she was having difficulty separating or even naming. Embarassment and regret were pretty clear. She hoped she had not injured Captain Archer. She hoped that confidence in her mental fitness had not been diminished. But there was more. Emotions in her immediate consciousness that begged for attention. These were not completely new, but the intensity of it and how they would not be buried was like an electric current running along her skull. Love, friendship, need, want, desire, passion, pining. What is pining? She thought. She must have read it in a human dictionary. All she could focus on, no matter how hard she tried, was the image of Trip's face in her mind.
Doctor Phlox pulled aside the curtain, "That's a much more quiet awakening than the last one, Sub-Commander."
What else could I have done? T'Pol thought . "I sincerely hope I did not cause any further disturbances, Doctor."
"Just some nightmares, nothing more," Phlox began to examine her. "Your neural pathways are healing well. However, there are some minute changes throughout. It's quite interesting, actually, I've never seen this sort of change in...well there's the Trilanta, who normally undergo a synaptic evolution during adolescence..."
"Doctor." T'Pol cut him off. "I am sorry to interrupt. What minute changes?" T'pol thought she already knew what they were.
"Well, I have compared your brain and all it's synaptic pathways before and after your exposure to Trillium-D. Wait, let me show you." Phlox hit a button and the examining table did a slow 360 degree turn so that T'Pol was now looking at the wall behind the examining table. Phlox punched a few buttons and 2 different brain scan images were shown on a video screen. "The synapses have all healed quite nicely, but not in exactly the same patterns as before. Mainly in the area of your brain related to positive emotions. There are also unusual levels of various triptan and endorphin chemicals. Not dangerous, but not quite right for a Vulcan." Phlox paused and looked at T'Pol seriously, noting that there was almost an expression of panic on her face. "No, you have not become human, however, there are now striking similarities. I am sure it will be confusing in the beginning. You may choose to increase your meditation. I would take things very slowly for the next couple of weeks. I have already asked Captain Archer that you not resume your duties for seven days and that your working hours are limited for the next month after."
T'Pol barely heard what Phlox was saying. She felt like she needed a hug and tears rolled down her face. She wasn't sure if the tears were from the shock or even the fact that she felt that she needed a hug. Phlox put an arm on her shoulder. "Sub-Commander," he said. "I'm sorry."
"Knock-knock?" Trip Tucker's voice was heard from outside the curtain.
"You may enter." T'Pol said as she tried to wipe the water drops from her face.
"Awww.I wanted to be here when you woke up. I was damn near bent permanently from sittin' in that chair," Trip motioned to the chair next to the examining table.
"The Commander was here almost every moment he wasn't working." Phlox pointed out.
"How long have I been.asleep?" T'Pol thought it couldn't have been more than 48 hours.
"Nine days, 3 hours and about 30 minutes." Trip looked at a clock on one of the video screens.
Another tear ran down her face. Trip reached forward with his hand and brushed it off of her cheek. She closed her eyes at his touch and smiled.
II Recovery
The 3 months were a blur. Trip would go to engineering, work his shift (usually a long and boring one) and then immediately go to T'Pol's quarters. She was always waiting for him. She was always ready to meditate. They were still both recovering from near death and needed all the meditation they could get. They talked for hours. But that's all. She had gone through changes, he knew, but he was growing very impatient. She had ceased removing her shirt for the rare times he practiced neuropressure on her. Trip understood that she knew the effect it had on him. For the moment, he would let it go. He was just so happy to be with her. To feel her breath on his back, the silkiness of her long fingers...
'Stop.' He thought to himself as he walked. THAT line of thought certainly wasn't helping. Trip focused on how lucky he was to have her even alive after away her mission to Earth's past. They never even told him where they were going. 'Damn. Damn. It will take some security team to stop me from holding on to her if she tries that again.'
He kept thinking as he walked and nearly plowed over an ensign in his path. "I'm sorry." He mumbled and picked up the ensign's data padd that got knocked to the floor.
His thoughts continued to wander. They were both lucky to be alive and so much had happened. He had odd thoughts that she was hiding something. It could be in regard to Sim. It could be something else. He couldn't put a finger on it.
Trip looked up and he was at T'Pol's quarters.
III Ghost in the Machine
In the dim Command Center, his fingers worked over the controls feverishly. He had created a program that would block the main computer and other prying eyes from his activities, but he couldn't keep anyone from coming in the room and seeing him.
He improved and tweaked as many weapons and defense systems as possible, but he knew he had little time. He also left behind some data that would be, at least a beginning, to solving the problem with using Trillium-D. He had no doubt it would be found and interpreted by the sharp minds in control of this vessel. He also had to be very careful. Any misstep, too much or not enough information, could disrupt the timeline. He wished that he could more clearly see what he had done here, but his own future was never certain. He knew he could leave a hint that the Andorians could be helpful, but nothing more.
A minor security prompt beeped from the console and the computer's voice filled the room, "Security access code please." Spock knew it was a minor problem, his voice and serial number was enough, but it meant the computer was finding him.
" Spock S179-276 SP." He said quickly.
"Security authorization accepted." The computer answered.
Spock hit a few more buttons and saved his work. Suddenly, he heard the woosh of an opening door.
Spock turned to face Malcolm Reed. Malcolm drew a weapon quickly. But not fast enough. Spock hit a button n his belt and he was gone.
Reed hit the comm on the wall "Reed to bridge. Intruder alert."
IV Explanation
T'pol was roused from her meditation by the alarm going off. Her comm. panel was beeping as well as the door to her quarters.
First she hit the comm panel. "T'Pol here."
"Report to the bridge." Archer started but his voice was drowned out by the computer. "All personnel to battlestations. Intruder alert."
She had not responded to the door, but it opened anyway, he must have overrided the code.
"Thank God you're ok." Trip stood in the doorway.
"I need to change. " T'pol answered.
"So change." Trip stepped in and the door closed behind him. He knew he shouldn't have done that, but stood there anyway.
With no time to protest, T'pol slipped out of her pajamas and into a uniform in an efficient manner.
Trip was hyptnotized, watching her and still taken off-guard by the alarm sounds. He watched as T'Pol removed those damnable turquoise pajamas, which he knew she wore nothing under. Looked at as much of her body as he could as she reached for a clean uniform from a drawer. He had seen some of her body, but not all of it. It was just like in his dreams. The moment was much too short. He moved aside to let her out and they both made their way to the Bridge.
They entered the turbo lift and T'Pol spoke, "I know who the intruder was." She looked at the floor as she spoke and Trip felt a wall drop in her mind. Trip's mind could almost see something. He saw a cave, but not what was in it. He definitely felt something. Something he did not like.
The turbo lift doors opened. They both stepped onto the Bridge, which was a flurry of activity.
"Captain, I'm not detecting any intruder of any type." Ensign Mayweather turned in his chair to face Archer.
"Confirmed." Lieuteniant Reed turned from his station. "I was not imagining things, Captain. My team is undergoing a deck to deck search."
"That won't be necessary." T'Pol said with an uncharacteristic high and breaking voice.
All activity stopped.
"Do you have something to tell me?" Archer asked T'Pol.
V Confession
Archer, T'Pol and Trip sat in the Ready Room. The alarm had now been silenced. T'Pol had Recounted some of her meeting with Spock. She had left much out. She left out the intimacy. She recounted comments on the war and time. She described how she had seen Spock in the Command Center in her meditation.
"Well, thanks for keeping me up to speed." Archer said sarcastically. "You are well aware that information of that type, even if seen in your meditation, is critical to this mission."
"I am. However, I was not sure if this communication was real or a creation of my own mind." T'Pol folded her hands in her lap.
Trip bristled at the word communication. 'Damn. She is hiding something.' He thought.
"Well, your silence was almost a danger to this ship." Archer dropped a fist on his desk and looked pointedly at T'Pol.
"I assure you, Captain, I am now cognizant of my error and will not repeat it."
"However," Archer said " At least we know we aren't being attacked. Please keep me informed of any further communications with the Ambassador, no matter where they take place."
"Understood Sir." T'Pol kept Archer's gaze but had difficulty not looking down. She was feeling.shame. A fully new experience.
"Jon, think you can tell Malcolm to call off the dogs now?" Trip asked.
V Confession
Back in T'Pol's quarters, she and Trip sat uneasily.
"Ok, T'Pol. I know I don't have any claim on you. I don't want to invade your privacy. I don't want to act like a jerk. But I'm about to." Trip waited for her response.
T'Pol was silent.
"Well, I see I'm gonna have to do this all by myself." Trip threw his hands up. "You left out a lot when you talked to the capn', didn't you?" Trip said very quietly and looked away from her.
"I did. " T'Pol said.
Trip sighed and finally looked at her, "Did you sleep with him?"
"If I am following your meaning, in a sense, I did." Again, shame, and she folded her hands. How she hated this emotion.
Trip stoop up, looked at the low meditation table to their right and kicked it over. Candles went flying, but nothing broke.
"Charles.you don't understand." T'Pol's voice was choking.
"Oh, I understand. I really understand. I'm okay for a little flirting. I'm okay for a little playing around, but I'm not a Vulcan. I'm not good enough." Trip's eyes were wide. "How could I have ever thought a relationship I touched could be real?"
"I know it's difficult to undersand, but he did this for us." T'Pol was wringing her hands.
"For us? That's a funny kind of gesture. I wonder what he would do for Christmas!" Trip pulled his hands through his hair.
"The expanse is reversing my pon farr treatment. I might have killed you. He could absorb it. He directed me to continue my relationship with you." T'Pol was still looking down. Still afraid to look up. "He said you and I were critical to the success of everything."
"Are you in love with him?" Trip demanded.
"What?" T'Pol almost didn't comprehend the question.
Pausing in between each word, Trip said "Are you in love with him?"
Finally able to look up, T'Pol looked at Trip with tears and said, "I am in love with you.".
Trip sat down heavily in a chair. "My God woman, what am I going to do with you?"
"I would understand if you wished to end our relationship. I am aware that a human male may not be able to continue after such an event." T'Pol now had tears running down her face.
Trip stood up and approached where she sat. He put his hand on her face and tilted it up to look at him. "Darlin', this human male can't continue without you. Please don't cry."
T'Pol leaned in when he kissed her. There was a sudden wind and a chill in the air. Trip ran his hand through her hair. T'Pol could feel thoughts and emotions and electric running through synapses that did not belong to her. Her mind fell into Trip's. She could sense candles and a cave and an altar. However, there were no onlookers, they were alone.
To be continued.