A Woman in His Life

Chapter Twenty: Away

By Penmom

Author's Notes -- (1) This piece goes AU pre-Sim. (2) This is for all those folks who wanted a longer chapter, hope this fits the bill. (3) Well, as you well know, soccer is finished and we are now in the thick of YMCA basketball. My 3rd grader's team is undefeated - he rocks and my 4 year old - well, he is running the right way on the court now so we are making progress. (4) Other things, someone asked if I write in real life. Yes, I do but it's not nearly as much fun. (5) Thanks to everybody! Hi to the new folks that just jumped on!

Phlox shakes his head. He was afraid of something like this.

"Captain, I'd ordinarily advise against putting Commander Tucker and Sub Commander T'Pol back on full duty at this time but I appreciate the matter at hand. However, I would recommend that they not be separated as far as duty assignments go. The Vulcan psyche can be quite volatile at this point in the mating cycle. Perhaps in a span of another earth week their endorphin cycles will stabilize but now ---."

Archer interrupts before he can continue, "Sure Doc, we've already covered the risks but compared to what we may be up against I'll take my chances."

"In that case, I can provide them with hyposprays that may alleviate some of the symptoms they may encounter if they are --- unable to --- to have -- - contact as often as necessary."

"I'll ask them to drop by Sick Bay before joining me in my Ready Room."

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Standing in front of the observation window, Archer readies himself to hale both his best friend and his second in command. He is still having a good bit of difficulty wrapping his mind around the whole thing. If things weren't so disastrous at the present time it might just be funny. But in the midst of the expanse, any variable could mean the difference between life or death. His only hope was that perhaps the two would be stronger together than apart and given the strengths of the two already any further gain could tip the balance of power in their favor somewhere on down the line.

He mentally shakes himself before touching the button, reminding himself that it's not as if he's knocking on their door.

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The shrill sound heralding the initiation of the comm link jars them both awake.

A rather awkward sounding greeting follows the sound.

"T'Pol --- ah, Trip? Archer. I need you both in my Ready Room as soon as you can manage. Oh and stop by Sick Bay on the way, Phlox will explain."

The comm link goes back off before either have the chance to respond verbally. For a long second, neither moves. Finally Trip breaks the silence. "Guess the honeymoon's over." He quips as he springs out of bed.

T'Pol rises to stretch her arms over her head, another unbidden smile graces her lips. "Aptly put."

Looking at her like this --- all soft and sleepy --- makes Trip want to do nothing more than crawl back in bed with her but alas duty calls. He turns, finally heedless of his own nudity in her presence and heads for the shower. She notices that he is not returning to his quarters as he has done previously when he has needed something. It feels like a significant shift but she can't afford the time to reflect on its meaning.

Before she can ruminate further, Trip's head pops out from the bathroom door. "If we share the shower, we'll get out quicker." He says with a mischievous gleam in his eye.

Ever the straight man, she provides him with a suitable retort even as she rises to take him up on his offer. "If we share, I have no doubt that time will become an issue."

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In less time than Archer expected, T'Pol and Trip enter the Ready Room. Both seem to be in better physical shape than the last time he saw them almost three days ago, he takes heart in the observation.

T'Pol nods slightly and meets his gaze without difficulty. "Captain."

Trip also seems more at ease, "Jon."

Archer finds himself relaxing at encountering their normal behavior. God knows what he had been expecting? He gestures toward the array of food on the sideboard, "I asked the chief to prepare some breakfast. I thought we could talk privately before the rest of the team comes in."

T'Pol nods and turns to gather her plate with Trip following suit. Soon both are seated in their usual spots across from each other at the Captain's Table.

The familiarity of the situation goes far to ease any awkwardness Jon is feeling. It comes to him that he has missed them. He acknowledges to himself that he has missed them both. He cannot help but feel a little left out. Yes, that is it - left out, like when you're a kid and all the kids get in a club but you. It's closer to that feeling than some sort of male jealously. No, for the time being, the Enterprise is his only mistress and no woman worth her weight - human or otherwise - would be willing to share him with his ship. Somehow the resolution of his feelings, paves the way for Jon to address the most immediate subject.

"It's good to see you both. You realize I wouldn't have called you if I had any choice in the matter."

Trip looks up from his eggs, "Sure thing Cap'n, what's the deal?"

"We are headed for an M class planet, we'll reach orbit in 3 hours' time. Hoshi has picked up some odd signals off the planet. She can't quite make out the language but there's enough there to link it to the Xindi. We need to go down and take a look."

Before he continues he swings in his chair to make eye contact with T'Pol. She's hardly said a word since they entered the room. "T'Pol, I need you to take command while Trip goes down with me and the away team."

Something flickers in T'Pol's eyes, it's so unusual to be confronted with T'Pol being at a lose for words. "If I may Captain, do you have an estimated time for the length of the away mission?"

Jon feels his shoulders tensing - he feared something like this. "If all goes well no more than a few hours."

Before T'Pol can continue, Trip breaks in, drawing his attention. "Jon, it's just right now's not a really great time for either of us. Last night, I practically belted Malcolm. We're just both --- well, at least I'm a little off kilter. It's gettin' better honestly, I'm feelin' fine right now but --- I couldn't tell you how long it'll hold 'til I start feelin'---"

Trip's impassioned plea drops off as he begins to blush. T'Pol picks up where he left off. "Captain, what --- Charles is attempting to explain is that --- as you are aware --- we are both in the midst of a Vulcan mating cycle. When such a cycle runs its appropriate course, the effects in a well-matched pair are quite benign. However, when such a cycle is interrupted due to separation the effects can become troublesome at best."

Jon pulls back a bit from the table as both T'Pol and Trip lean in. This just can't be simple, he thinks to himself. "I understand what you are saying, I have talked to Phlox. He said the hyposprays should help. --- Look, I wouldn't give this order if I could see any other way. Trip, I need an experienced eye of the surface if we find any weapons --- and T'Pol, I need you in command."

Both seem to accept his decision and draw back; however, Trip's face remains flushed. More conversation on the subject is drawn to a close when the doors slide open to admit Malcolm, Hoshi, Travis and several MACO officers.

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From the Captain's chair, the world below seems small and nondescript. T'Pol muses on how her destiny has come to depend on the events now occurring on the little planet. She fights back the nausea that seems to come when she thinks about Trip. If she closes her eyes, she will be immediately submerged within a sea of memory and want. Thankfully, the hypospray has helped but she will undo the little peace it has given her if she continues on her current path. Straightening her back, she attempts to focus herself on the task at hand.

The away team is to contact the ship at 0800 hours. It is twenty earth minutes until the appointed time. Her mind drifts to a visit to the earth city of Savannah where she saw a statue of a woman looking out toward the sea for her husband --- a man destined never to return. She recalls thinking what a waste of energy ---pining away for someone else while you are alive and present --- how illogical. And now, now she understands the woman and her loss, her hope.

She breathes deeply and reaches out for the tie that binds her to Trip. She thinks of him as Trip although she has yet to let the word pass her lips. Charles, his given name, seems to better reflect her respect of him. She cannot feel his presence. It is illogical for her to even try at this distance but yet she does.

0800 hours - the time comes and goes. 0900 hours - that time come and goes. Her breasts and her heart feel heavy in want of him. 10000 hours and still nothing.

It is 1210 hours before a message comes.

"Sato to Enterprise."

"Enterprise here." T'Pol stands as if this will aid her in receiving the message.

"We split up into two parties to search the compound where the signals were coming from. I don't know what exactly happened but my party was fired upon. MACO Lt. Ross was killed. As ordered, Malcolm --- he fired on the body so that --- that the Xindi would not have access to a human body."

By now, T'Pol hears the distress in Hoshi's voice. As much as she tries, it is difficult not to cry out "Where is Trip!" but she holds her peace and listens.

"Malcolm and I made it back into the forest. There's some kind of dampening field around the whole place; the comms don't work until you are at least two kilometers out of range. It took awhile but we made it to the shuttle. The Captain and Trip didn't meet us as planned and we couldn't rise them. Malcolm has left to return to the compound. He asked that I stay here and hail you."

T'Pol is so quiet that Hoshi responds, calling for her. "T'Pol? T'Pol? Have I lost you?"

T'Pol's voice is quiet as she strives to maintain her outward calm, "I am here. Stay hidden and defend your position as needed. Be ready to take off if needed as well."

She hesitates before continuing, "And Lt.--- Hoshi, Commander Tucker --- what was he doing when you last saw him?"

"It's funny you should ask. He's was complaining about some hypospray that the doctor had given him. He said it wasn't all it was cracked up to be." Again Hoshi meets silence.

"That will be all. Thank you." Again, T'Pol again adds an irregular and unexpected postscript to her communication, "And Hoshi, be safe."

TBA