A Woman in His Life

Chapter Seventeen: Proverbial Vulcan

By Penmom

Author's Notes -- (1) Since this takes place beyond the present cannon - this is AU. (2) Enjoy - more action from our favorite couple next - (3) Please continue with the feedback and suggestions…I'm listening.

His brain is having trouble assimilating it. Trip was in T'Pol's quarters. The same Trip that hasn't shown up on the last two Bio scans. The male in T'Pol's quarters was most definitely Vulcan. It's a pretty distinctive signature.

The only way to reconcile the facts is to assume that the scans are correct. The male with T'Pol is a Vulcan impersonating Trip, who is clearly not aboard the ship at present. Any way you add it up, it's not pretty.

Prioritizing that the first order of business is to apprehend the imposter, Malcolm moves quickly, launching himself at the intruder with his phaser drawn. The ensuing action is brief and confusing. In a few seconds, T'Pol has kicked the phaser from his hand and the look-alike Trip has him penned to the floor in a steel grip.

The strength of the one handed hold the guy has on his neck confirms once and for all that this isn't Trip. While Trip can take him down any day, this guy is stronger than two men combined. The pressure on his windpipe is making it impossible to breathe and even when the guy lets up to put some kind of weird squeeze on the side of his neck ----

Looking up at T'Pol, Trip announces, "He's out. What did I do t' him anyway?"

As Trip stands, T'Pol kneels and checks Malcolm's pulse before speaking, "He's fine. You applied a prescriptive amount of pressure to a specific nerve leading to his spinal column thus, rendering him unconscious. It is a harmless but useful technique."

Trip shakes his head, if it wasn't for the last --- oh ten hours --- he could get really tense right about now. "So what other tricks do I have up my proverbial Vulcan sleeve?"

He asks the question good-naturedly enough, if just a little sarcastically. T'Pol takes his mood gracefully, feeling sure of his attachment to her. She tailors her response to calm his distress. "Given the skillfulness you have thus far displayed, you may well have acquired several more --- talents. It remains to be seen."

Her matter-of-fact answer along with her veiled praise, surprise him out of his frustration. He had fully expected her to pretend that she had misunderstood his intent. Instead he feels her acceptance and her desire to help him through whatever he is feeling.

Coming to stand at his side, she bends her head close to speak to him in an almost conspiratorial tone. "He will awake in approximately eight to ten minutes, I would suggest that we be on our way."

Trip shrugs as he turns to head toward the turbo lift, "Ya' sure he'll be OK?"

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They have just had time to take a seat at the conference table in sick bay when the Captain is hailed.

"Security to Archer, Security to Archer – I'm afraid we have an intruder on board, Sir. Masquerading as Commander Tucker none the less. I'm not sure what the joker has pulled over on T'Pol but they attacked me outside her quarters."

As soon as Malcolm pauses, T'Pol speaks up. Tilting her head toward the Captain, "If I may, Sir."

Looking uncomfortable, Archer nods in agreement, "Be my guest."

"Security, this is Sub-Commander T'Pol, please stand down. If you would join us in sick bay I would be happy to explain your --- unfortunate encounter."

Incredulously, Malcolm answers, the mistrust in his voice coming across loud and clear, "Will do, Sir."

The minutes awaiting Malcolm's arrival seem to stretch out for all involved. Archer attempts to strike up a conversation with the Doctor to no avail and neither of them makes any attempt to address the two officers sitting opposite them.

T'Pol sits as straight and serene as ever, her eyes forward. Commander Tucker repeatedly shifts in his chair, displaying enough anxiety for them both. When the doors slide open, all release a collective breath.

Once Malcolm enters the room, he wastes no time despite T'Pol's directive that an explanation is forthcoming. Pointing his phaser yet again at Trip, he announces, "I am sure that this man is not Commander Tucker."

Frustrated with Malcolm's heroics Trip rises from the table, deliberately holding his hands out to his sides. "For God's Sake Malcolm, it's me. Can ya' put the gun up before ya' hurt somebody."

Trip's characteristic response plants a seed of doubt in Malcolm's mind. He lowers his Phaser but keeps it out --- just in case.

Suddenly tried, Archer stands taking control of the situation. "Sit down, Malcolm. We were just getting ready to talk about what's going on."

Malcolm takes a seat, but still retorts, "That's just it, Captain, they're not Trip's bio signs."

With this comment, Phlox is drawn into the conversation; "They are now. There have been some --- some alterations in Commander Tucker's neuro-chemical signal but I assure you, he is still one and the same."

As is typical, all at the table look toward Archer for direction. God, he'd rather be out fighting an insect Xindi with his bare hands! "Ahh, yes, so --- well, Malcolm, we're all here because of Trip's bio scan. Something has happened to Trip --- right now a lot of it's still classified."

Hearing this, Trip rolls his eyes – 'a lot of it's still classified.' Still, you gotta give the guy credit for tryin' to keep his promise to give them some time.

With the classified comment an awkward silence descends. Jon looks at the table, Trip taps out a tune with his fingers, Malcolm looks dazed, T'Pol continues to stare straight ahead and Phlox looks as if it's movie night and it's just getting to the good part.

A slight movement on T'Pol's part brings the party's attention to her. Her gaze sweeps her audience before settling on Trip. He ceases his tune and looks up just in time to catch her eye. The two hold eye contact and almost imperceptibly her features seem to soften.

Malcolm finds himself drawing closer to the table to try and catch whatever is passing between the pair when it suddenly occurs to her that they were both in on what just happened to him in the hallway.

T'Pol is preparing to speak when she in interrupted by Malcolm's irate voice. "Neuro-chemical alterations or not, it doesn't change the fact that whoever took me down in Corridor C was not Trip. It couldn't

have been. That guy was as strong as an Ox and he brought me down in a second. I don't mean to brag, Sir, but I'd like to think it would take Trip more than 10 seconds to knock me out."

T'Pol catches Malcolm's eye and something in her expression calms him briefly. "If I may explain."

Trip glances toward her wondering exactly what she is going to explain. Oh it's so simple, 'I incidentally hot-wired Trip's brain and well, we've been doing it like rabbits ever since.' Before she continues, she meets his gaze again and catches his curiosity over what she will choose to say.

"For some time now, Commander Tucker has been training in the ancient art of Vulcan Neuropressure. There have come to be a series of unanticipated, physical side effects from this practice."

Again she looks around the room before continuing, "As Dr. Phlox has explained it, in practicing the art with me, Commander Tucker's brain has conformed its metabolic functions to parallel my own. As with many forms of mediation, the practitioner strives to seek a transcendental state. I theorize that in successfully reaching this state, several physiological changes occurred in Commander Tucker. Thus, rendering his both his physical stamina and bio signs closer to that of a Vulcan."

Phlox smiles and nods earnestly at her comment, "Well put, Sub-Commander. I dare say I couldn't have said it better myself."

Malcolm leans forward with another comment, "OK, I get it - sort of - but what part's classified?"

T'Pol doesn't miss a beat. Gracing Malcolm with a condescending Vulcan stare, she answers. "That part does not concern you at present."

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Still feeling that something is amiss, Malcolm follows up as promised and shifts several specs so that Trip's reading will track him as human even though anyone with half a brain would realize that his bio sign pretty much screams Vulcan male.

After making his programming changes, Malcolm runs another bio scan to make sure it's working. It's working all right but it's curious – Trip's bio sign – Vulcan or Human – is back in T'Pol's quarters – again.

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"So where have you been?" Hoshi asks as Malcolm takes a seat across from her and Travis at the dinner table.

'OK, what to say? As much as he loves gossip, an Officer's order is an Officer's order.' "There was a problem with one of the overlapping arrays, I've been in Sickbay checking sensors the better part of the afternoon."

Malcolm breathes a sigh of relief for the accepting manner in which Travis and Hoshi accept his explanation and soon the conversation moves forward to other mischievous subjects. Just as he takes another bite of roasted chicken, Hoshi gives him a swift kick. Knowing Hoshi, he knows that she wants him to look at whoever just walked through the door.

TBA