More to Tell, Ch. 3
Sequel to: Confessions
By: Angel
Summary: A Vulcan diplomat onboard Enterprise. What could possibly go wrong?
Archive: Let me know where.
Rating: I guess PG, for now.
Disclaimers: Star Trek and its many incarnations are the property of others and therefore I do not financially benefit from this in any way.
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Commander Tucker recognized the sound of someone climbing into the hatchway. The soft rustle of fabric followed by the scooting noises of crawling had floated to his ears while he attempted another bit of rewiring. He turned to face the interloper as he wondered who dared disobey his order not to be disturbed. When he saw her his grimace turned to a half-smile. He still wasn't used to seeing her in the blue jumpsuit of Starfleet, and secretly missed the more revealing cat suits she had worn previously. She kept focused on the floor as she moved, so he watched as she crawled on all fours along the tube. His eyes started at her shoulders as they cocked up and down with the motion. Next, he admired how her breasts hung down, their weight swaying gently. Finally, his gaze traveled to her hips and buttocks. They moved in a sultry, feline-like way with each movement. For a moment, he forgot that he was upset with her. 'Damn, but I'm the luckiest man in the universe!' he thought before remembering.
T'Pol approached him slowly. When she finally reached him, she maneuvered into a sitting position next to him, close enough to invade his space but far enough away to be considered professional if anyone else should happen to look up the tube and see them. She wasted no time in getting to the point of her visit. "I wish to apologize," she started with her eyes bowed down.
'Yep, definitely the luckiest man in the universe!' he thought. Slyly, he took her hand in his and held it tight. He bent his head down to look her in the eyes. "No, if anyone should apologize it's me. Ya' were right. We did agree ta keep it secret and I shouldn't have tried ta push ya' into something ya're not ready for."
Her characteristic un-smile lit up her eyes. She squeezed his hand in return and responded. "Thank you. Would you like to have lunch with me today?" she asked, effectively lightening the mood.
His smile lit up the small confines of the access tube as he replied, "I'd love ta, darlin', but the Cap'n called down just a few minutes ago and invited me ta join him for lunch. He used his, 'it's not an order, but it can be if you make me say it' tone of voice. He loves ta do that ta me."
A quirk of her slim eyebrow was the only reply the lovely Vulcan allowed. Then, she proceeded to fill Tucker in on the events of the morning and her disinvitation to be part of the greeting party.
"I'll talk ta the Cap'n about it over lunch," Trip offered. "I'm sure I can get him ta see reason."
"It is not necessary. As I told the Captain, I am not offended in any way. And you should not be either. Charles, if something like this bothers you, imagine the reaction of many of our peoples when they learn of our involvement." Her face maintained its usual calm appearance. "Besides, it was not the Captain's idea, it was the Vulcan High Command's." Her voice lowered and he thought he saw a bit of shame in her eyes.
"Hey," he raised her chin with the slightest of touches. "Ya' have nothing ta be ashamed of, T'Pol. No matter what the small-minded people of our worlds may think, ya' and I are not an anomaly. There will be others. They had better learn ta deal with it." He smiled and glanced over her shoulder to peek at the entrance to the access tube. Feeling relatively safe, he leaned in and gave her a small kiss on the forehead.
"Really, Commander," her voice sounded serious, but he could see the amusement in her deep brown eyes. "That is completely inappropriate while on duty. And I am not ashamed of you in any way. "
He smiled at the truth he saw in her features. He thought about the brief kiss again. "Maybe we can continue it later then? Say, my quarters, 2000 hours?" He raised his eyebrows twice quickly, followed by a wink. She simply allowed half a smile to show before making her way back out of the tube.
Trip checked the time on his computer the minute he entered his quarters. "Damn! 1947 hours. T'Pol's gonna be here in 13 minutes, and I'm filthy!" he exclaimed aloud as he headed toward the shower. Eight minutes later, he was washed, dried, and dressed in casual attire as he began lighting candles set on a small table. As he opened a bottle of wine he'd acquired during Enterprise's refit, his door chime sounded.
"Come," he called with a smile in his voice and he turned to the door. "Ya're early," he held two wineglasses aloft, offering one to his guest.
Captain Archer strode into the room before noticing the situation. 'As usual, Jon, you leap before you look,' he admonished himself. "Uh, hey, Trip. I thought that since I had to cancel lunch, maybe we could grab a little dinner before we rendezvous with the Vulcan shuttle." He had the good sense to look embarrassed. "I didn't realize you had plans."
"Oh, what this? No, it's nothin', Cap'n. Really." He stammered, trying to come up with a logical (damn that woman!) explanation. "I, uh..." The door chime buzzed again.
The men looked at each other for what seemed to be hours, but in reality could only have been seconds. 'Now what do I do?' thought Trip. Again the insistent tone echoed through the room.
"Aren't you going to invite them in?" Archer asked, gesturing toward the door.
Shaking his head in resignation, his friend called out, "Come in."
Archer's shock was evident on his face, from the wide eyes to the dropped chin; he looked like a man thrown for a loop. T'Pol stood in the doorway, framed by the brighter light of the corridor. She wore a floor-length gown of shimmering gold material. It billowed around her slight form and flowed with a gossamer grace when she moved to enter the small cabin. The dress was definitely Vulcan in design with roomy sleeves and symbols embroidered down the midline. The Captain's surprise was reflected in her stature, as she squared her shoulders and quickly clasped her hands behind her back. "Captain," she greeted him with a sideways glance to the room's rightful occupant.
He looked back at her and shrugged from behind the Captain, a silly smile playing at his mouth. "Sorry," he mouthed.
"I believe this was for you," the Captain recovered his composure and handed T'Pol the glass of wine Trip had abandoned on the table. He turned back to his engineer momentarily. "We are due to dock with the Vulcan ship in 20 minutes, Commander. Since I can't have my First Officer there, I expect you to help greet our guests." His tone was all business, but his expression was one of pure delight. He left without another word.
"I'm goin' ta have a lot of questions ta answer tomorrow." Trip sighed and took a big gulp of wine.
"Indeed," T'Pol agreed and moved further into the confines of the small room. "What will you say?" She knew that he would never betray her trust, but how would he respond to what would surely be an extensive round of personal questions.
Tucker refilled his glass as he considered it. "I don't know," he finally stated. "I'll come up with something, though." He gave her his soul- shattering smile.
She looked down into her wineglass and seemed to ponder the contents thoroughly. She swirled it gently before saying, "Perhaps you should answer him truthfully."
Wine splattered across the room, straight from Trip's mouth. "What? I thought you didn't want to tell anyone?"
"Well, that was before the Captain saw me walk in here this evening and before he questioned me regarding our relationship this morning. I believe the Captain is aware that there is something going on." Her eyes locked on his and he could see the trepidation. "Logically, we should confide in him as he has probably already deduced the situation." Her voice trembled slightly and he noticed her hand begin to shake ever so slightly.
He moved to her, putting his glass down along the way, and wrapped her in his arms. "I know you're terrified. I'm so proud of ya' for the way you've regained yer control. I don't want to jeopardize that. I'll abide whatever ya' decide."
She buried her face in his chest and felt his body's warmth envelope her. It felt so right to be in his embrace. She wanted to share their happiness as much as he did; she was just still so scared. She was so grateful to have him to help her. It would have been impossible to get back her control without him. She took a deep breath, savoring the scent of his cologne, and reached a decision, "We should inform the Captain of our relationship, but ask him to maintain our privacy, for now." It was a compromise. Again.
He dropped a kiss on her hair and squeezed her tight. "Okay, then. But, for now, I'm afraid I've gotta go meet 'n greet, darlin'." He pulled back slightly to look her in the face.
She met his gaze with one filled with love. It made his heart ache to see so much raw emotion in her eyes, not knowing if she'd ever be able to voice it, even to him. He broke away reluctantly and went to the even smaller bathroom to change into a uniform. When he returned, she had finished her wine and was refilling the glass. "Make yourself at home. Hopefully, I'll be back soon." He headed toward the door, but before it opened he called to her, "I love ya, darlin'." The door closed behind him.
"I love you, too," T'Pol said to the cold metal before finishing her drink.
Captain Archer and Lieutenant Reed were waiting at the airlock when Commander Tucker arrived. "Good evening, sir," Reed nodded toward his friend.
"Hey, Mal," Trip responded while looking at Archer for some sign of what the older man was thinking. He jumped in, "Hello, Cap'n."
A smile pulled at the Captain's features and he had a thousand things he wanted to say to his long-time friend, but his only response was, "Commander," and a tilt of the head.
The shuttle docked with a loud clank followed by a hissing sound as the airlock pressurized. When the control board lit up green, Malcolm punched in the code allowing the heavy door to roll away. He maintained his position at the panel while the Captain and Trip stood at attention to formally greet the visitors.
Three Vulcans, two female and one male, walked through the small passageway of the airlock. The lead female approached the Captain. Her hand extended in greeting, she offered a human handshake. Dumbfounded, Archer paused before taking her small hand in his large one. As they pumped their hands up and down in a firm but polite shake, she said, "Greetings, Captain Archer. I am T'Shar, First Mediator of the Vulcan High Command. These are my assistants: Jesa and Sovid." She indicated first the female and then the male. "I appreciate your generous offer to ferry us to our mission." The handshake had completed and she had quickly followed up by offering her hand to both the Commander and Lt. Reed.
"Greetings. What is your appropriate title, ma'am? Is it simply 'mediator'?" Archer asked for the purposes of protocol.
"Oh, no, Captain. I am simply called Lady T'Shar. I have no need for superfluous titles. They represent an illogical need to gratify one's ego. Except, of course, for when necessary to maintain the proper chain of command." She bowed her head slightly.
Archer smiled broadly. He liked this woman. He wondered what 'Ambassador' Soval would think of her opinion of titles. "Well then, Lady T'Shar, welcome aboard the Enterprise." The small group had moved away from the airlock and was en route to their guests' temporary quarters, an addition made during the recent refit.
"If I may, Captain. Where is Commander T'Pol? I expected that she would meet us." The question revealed no offense, but it did sound a bit strained.
Trip and the Captain exchanged looks; they both wore similar frowns. "My apologies, Lady. I thought it best the Commander not be present this evening. It was my understanding that most of your people were disappointed in her decision to join Starfleet. I didn't want that to be a distraction for you."
The mediator nodded in a knowing way. "You mean, sir, that Ambassador Soval said that I would be offended by her presence. Therefore, you chose to omit her from this encounter."
Another look passed between the men as she continued. "I certainly hope that she has not been ordered to remain in her quarters for the duration of our stay." The Lady had stopped walking and was glaring pointedly at the Captain.
"No, ma'am, of course not. She will be on duty as usual, and her free time is hers to do with as she sees fit, as usual." Trip did not miss the slight glance the Captain afforded him at that, neither did the Lady T'Shar.
Malcolm and the assistants were completely out of the loop, however, having lagged behind carrying suitcases and nearly bumped into the first group when they stopped. The entire party resumed their walk in silence and quickly found themselves outside the guest quarters.
"Lady T'Shar, I'd like to offer all of you a tour of Enterprise," the Captain stated, taking all three of them in with his gaze. "Perhaps, tomorrow morning?"
"Thank you, Captain. That would be acceptable. Now, if you will excuse us, we must meditate before retiring for the night." The Vulcans all entered their rooms, leaving the Enterprise officers alone on deck.
The mess hall bustled with the sounds of the lunch crowd. T'Pol obtained a small salad and a cup of tea while she scanned the room. Her eyes settled on the person she sought. He sat near the windows, his back toward the door. Her approach startled him. "May I join you, Commander?" she asked softly.
Smiling, he gestured for her to sit as he chewed. He swallowed and said, "It's good to see you, Commander." He leaned a little closer and lowered his voice so that only she could hear him before he continued. "I missed ya' when I got back to my quarters last night, and ya' weren't at breakfast either."
She sipped her tea and then spoke around the rim of her cup. "I needed to meditate last night. This morning I was on the bridge while the Captain conducted the tour of the ship."
Hoshi and Travis sat on the opposite side of the mess hall engaged in a little lunchtime gossip, when she looked up and saw the commanders seated across the room. "Does that look a little too intimate to you?" she asked in a conspiratorial tone.
"What? Them? Yeah, right. That'll be the day." He dismissed her with a wave, but secretly he thought she might be right.
Tucker nodded slightly and they continued the meal in relative silence, oblivious to the scrutiny they were being subjected to. After they'd completed their meals and were finishing their drinks T'Pol asked about the Vulcan team. "How did the meeting with the Mediator go last night? Is he anyone you had met before?"
Trip looked sideways at her, a question obvious in his furrowed brow. "He? It's a she and I guess it went okay. Although, she seemed upset that you weren't there."
T'Pol raised her eyebrow at him and tilted her head. "As you well know, 'upset' is a human emotion."
"And as I well know, Vulcans do not experience emotions." His gentle tone implied no disrespect. "Look, darlin'," now his voice dropped again, for only her sensitive Vulcan ears to hear, "if there's one thing I do know, it's that ya'll do have 'em just like the rest of us. And, I've gotten pretty good at readin' Vulcan body language lately." He winked at her.
'Oh my God!' thought Hoshi. 'Did she just blush?' It was hard to tell from sitting behind them, but she swore there was a definite green tinge moving up the back of the First Officer's neck.
Her pulse raced as his breath brushed against the tender skin of her neck. She felt herself begin to flush. It was time to change the heading of this conversation before she lost her control. She took a deep breath to calm her heart rate and then veered the talk back to the guests. "Did you spend much time visiting with them last night?"
Again a questioning look crossed Tucker's face. "Didn't ya' meet 'em this mornin'?"
She shook her head. "No. I thought it best to avoid them as they toured the ship."
"Oh. Well, Lady T'Shar seems nice enough and her assistants didn't say two words last night." He took a large gulp of his rapidly cooling coffee.
T'Pol's head snapped up to meet his gaze. He recognized the fear in her eyes that no one else would see. "Did you say, Lady T'Shar?"
Worry streaked his features as he took in her distress. "What is it, T'Pol? What's wrong?" he whispered.
At just that moment, a regal looking woman approached them from behind. Her voice was strong and clear. She made no attempt to lower her tone, but did not shout either. She stood straight and tall at T'Pol's side when she said, "I would speak with you, daughter."
End Chapter 3
Notes: Remember, the fastest road to the next chapter is paved with lots and lots of feedback!
By: Angel
Summary: A Vulcan diplomat onboard Enterprise. What could possibly go wrong?
Archive: Let me know where.
Rating: I guess PG, for now.
Disclaimers: Star Trek and its many incarnations are the property of others and therefore I do not financially benefit from this in any way.
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
Commander Tucker recognized the sound of someone climbing into the hatchway. The soft rustle of fabric followed by the scooting noises of crawling had floated to his ears while he attempted another bit of rewiring. He turned to face the interloper as he wondered who dared disobey his order not to be disturbed. When he saw her his grimace turned to a half-smile. He still wasn't used to seeing her in the blue jumpsuit of Starfleet, and secretly missed the more revealing cat suits she had worn previously. She kept focused on the floor as she moved, so he watched as she crawled on all fours along the tube. His eyes started at her shoulders as they cocked up and down with the motion. Next, he admired how her breasts hung down, their weight swaying gently. Finally, his gaze traveled to her hips and buttocks. They moved in a sultry, feline-like way with each movement. For a moment, he forgot that he was upset with her. 'Damn, but I'm the luckiest man in the universe!' he thought before remembering.
T'Pol approached him slowly. When she finally reached him, she maneuvered into a sitting position next to him, close enough to invade his space but far enough away to be considered professional if anyone else should happen to look up the tube and see them. She wasted no time in getting to the point of her visit. "I wish to apologize," she started with her eyes bowed down.
'Yep, definitely the luckiest man in the universe!' he thought. Slyly, he took her hand in his and held it tight. He bent his head down to look her in the eyes. "No, if anyone should apologize it's me. Ya' were right. We did agree ta keep it secret and I shouldn't have tried ta push ya' into something ya're not ready for."
Her characteristic un-smile lit up her eyes. She squeezed his hand in return and responded. "Thank you. Would you like to have lunch with me today?" she asked, effectively lightening the mood.
His smile lit up the small confines of the access tube as he replied, "I'd love ta, darlin', but the Cap'n called down just a few minutes ago and invited me ta join him for lunch. He used his, 'it's not an order, but it can be if you make me say it' tone of voice. He loves ta do that ta me."
A quirk of her slim eyebrow was the only reply the lovely Vulcan allowed. Then, she proceeded to fill Tucker in on the events of the morning and her disinvitation to be part of the greeting party.
"I'll talk ta the Cap'n about it over lunch," Trip offered. "I'm sure I can get him ta see reason."
"It is not necessary. As I told the Captain, I am not offended in any way. And you should not be either. Charles, if something like this bothers you, imagine the reaction of many of our peoples when they learn of our involvement." Her face maintained its usual calm appearance. "Besides, it was not the Captain's idea, it was the Vulcan High Command's." Her voice lowered and he thought he saw a bit of shame in her eyes.
"Hey," he raised her chin with the slightest of touches. "Ya' have nothing ta be ashamed of, T'Pol. No matter what the small-minded people of our worlds may think, ya' and I are not an anomaly. There will be others. They had better learn ta deal with it." He smiled and glanced over her shoulder to peek at the entrance to the access tube. Feeling relatively safe, he leaned in and gave her a small kiss on the forehead.
"Really, Commander," her voice sounded serious, but he could see the amusement in her deep brown eyes. "That is completely inappropriate while on duty. And I am not ashamed of you in any way. "
He smiled at the truth he saw in her features. He thought about the brief kiss again. "Maybe we can continue it later then? Say, my quarters, 2000 hours?" He raised his eyebrows twice quickly, followed by a wink. She simply allowed half a smile to show before making her way back out of the tube.
Trip checked the time on his computer the minute he entered his quarters. "Damn! 1947 hours. T'Pol's gonna be here in 13 minutes, and I'm filthy!" he exclaimed aloud as he headed toward the shower. Eight minutes later, he was washed, dried, and dressed in casual attire as he began lighting candles set on a small table. As he opened a bottle of wine he'd acquired during Enterprise's refit, his door chime sounded.
"Come," he called with a smile in his voice and he turned to the door. "Ya're early," he held two wineglasses aloft, offering one to his guest.
Captain Archer strode into the room before noticing the situation. 'As usual, Jon, you leap before you look,' he admonished himself. "Uh, hey, Trip. I thought that since I had to cancel lunch, maybe we could grab a little dinner before we rendezvous with the Vulcan shuttle." He had the good sense to look embarrassed. "I didn't realize you had plans."
"Oh, what this? No, it's nothin', Cap'n. Really." He stammered, trying to come up with a logical (damn that woman!) explanation. "I, uh..." The door chime buzzed again.
The men looked at each other for what seemed to be hours, but in reality could only have been seconds. 'Now what do I do?' thought Trip. Again the insistent tone echoed through the room.
"Aren't you going to invite them in?" Archer asked, gesturing toward the door.
Shaking his head in resignation, his friend called out, "Come in."
Archer's shock was evident on his face, from the wide eyes to the dropped chin; he looked like a man thrown for a loop. T'Pol stood in the doorway, framed by the brighter light of the corridor. She wore a floor-length gown of shimmering gold material. It billowed around her slight form and flowed with a gossamer grace when she moved to enter the small cabin. The dress was definitely Vulcan in design with roomy sleeves and symbols embroidered down the midline. The Captain's surprise was reflected in her stature, as she squared her shoulders and quickly clasped her hands behind her back. "Captain," she greeted him with a sideways glance to the room's rightful occupant.
He looked back at her and shrugged from behind the Captain, a silly smile playing at his mouth. "Sorry," he mouthed.
"I believe this was for you," the Captain recovered his composure and handed T'Pol the glass of wine Trip had abandoned on the table. He turned back to his engineer momentarily. "We are due to dock with the Vulcan ship in 20 minutes, Commander. Since I can't have my First Officer there, I expect you to help greet our guests." His tone was all business, but his expression was one of pure delight. He left without another word.
"I'm goin' ta have a lot of questions ta answer tomorrow." Trip sighed and took a big gulp of wine.
"Indeed," T'Pol agreed and moved further into the confines of the small room. "What will you say?" She knew that he would never betray her trust, but how would he respond to what would surely be an extensive round of personal questions.
Tucker refilled his glass as he considered it. "I don't know," he finally stated. "I'll come up with something, though." He gave her his soul- shattering smile.
She looked down into her wineglass and seemed to ponder the contents thoroughly. She swirled it gently before saying, "Perhaps you should answer him truthfully."
Wine splattered across the room, straight from Trip's mouth. "What? I thought you didn't want to tell anyone?"
"Well, that was before the Captain saw me walk in here this evening and before he questioned me regarding our relationship this morning. I believe the Captain is aware that there is something going on." Her eyes locked on his and he could see the trepidation. "Logically, we should confide in him as he has probably already deduced the situation." Her voice trembled slightly and he noticed her hand begin to shake ever so slightly.
He moved to her, putting his glass down along the way, and wrapped her in his arms. "I know you're terrified. I'm so proud of ya' for the way you've regained yer control. I don't want to jeopardize that. I'll abide whatever ya' decide."
She buried her face in his chest and felt his body's warmth envelope her. It felt so right to be in his embrace. She wanted to share their happiness as much as he did; she was just still so scared. She was so grateful to have him to help her. It would have been impossible to get back her control without him. She took a deep breath, savoring the scent of his cologne, and reached a decision, "We should inform the Captain of our relationship, but ask him to maintain our privacy, for now." It was a compromise. Again.
He dropped a kiss on her hair and squeezed her tight. "Okay, then. But, for now, I'm afraid I've gotta go meet 'n greet, darlin'." He pulled back slightly to look her in the face.
She met his gaze with one filled with love. It made his heart ache to see so much raw emotion in her eyes, not knowing if she'd ever be able to voice it, even to him. He broke away reluctantly and went to the even smaller bathroom to change into a uniform. When he returned, she had finished her wine and was refilling the glass. "Make yourself at home. Hopefully, I'll be back soon." He headed toward the door, but before it opened he called to her, "I love ya, darlin'." The door closed behind him.
"I love you, too," T'Pol said to the cold metal before finishing her drink.
Captain Archer and Lieutenant Reed were waiting at the airlock when Commander Tucker arrived. "Good evening, sir," Reed nodded toward his friend.
"Hey, Mal," Trip responded while looking at Archer for some sign of what the older man was thinking. He jumped in, "Hello, Cap'n."
A smile pulled at the Captain's features and he had a thousand things he wanted to say to his long-time friend, but his only response was, "Commander," and a tilt of the head.
The shuttle docked with a loud clank followed by a hissing sound as the airlock pressurized. When the control board lit up green, Malcolm punched in the code allowing the heavy door to roll away. He maintained his position at the panel while the Captain and Trip stood at attention to formally greet the visitors.
Three Vulcans, two female and one male, walked through the small passageway of the airlock. The lead female approached the Captain. Her hand extended in greeting, she offered a human handshake. Dumbfounded, Archer paused before taking her small hand in his large one. As they pumped their hands up and down in a firm but polite shake, she said, "Greetings, Captain Archer. I am T'Shar, First Mediator of the Vulcan High Command. These are my assistants: Jesa and Sovid." She indicated first the female and then the male. "I appreciate your generous offer to ferry us to our mission." The handshake had completed and she had quickly followed up by offering her hand to both the Commander and Lt. Reed.
"Greetings. What is your appropriate title, ma'am? Is it simply 'mediator'?" Archer asked for the purposes of protocol.
"Oh, no, Captain. I am simply called Lady T'Shar. I have no need for superfluous titles. They represent an illogical need to gratify one's ego. Except, of course, for when necessary to maintain the proper chain of command." She bowed her head slightly.
Archer smiled broadly. He liked this woman. He wondered what 'Ambassador' Soval would think of her opinion of titles. "Well then, Lady T'Shar, welcome aboard the Enterprise." The small group had moved away from the airlock and was en route to their guests' temporary quarters, an addition made during the recent refit.
"If I may, Captain. Where is Commander T'Pol? I expected that she would meet us." The question revealed no offense, but it did sound a bit strained.
Trip and the Captain exchanged looks; they both wore similar frowns. "My apologies, Lady. I thought it best the Commander not be present this evening. It was my understanding that most of your people were disappointed in her decision to join Starfleet. I didn't want that to be a distraction for you."
The mediator nodded in a knowing way. "You mean, sir, that Ambassador Soval said that I would be offended by her presence. Therefore, you chose to omit her from this encounter."
Another look passed between the men as she continued. "I certainly hope that she has not been ordered to remain in her quarters for the duration of our stay." The Lady had stopped walking and was glaring pointedly at the Captain.
"No, ma'am, of course not. She will be on duty as usual, and her free time is hers to do with as she sees fit, as usual." Trip did not miss the slight glance the Captain afforded him at that, neither did the Lady T'Shar.
Malcolm and the assistants were completely out of the loop, however, having lagged behind carrying suitcases and nearly bumped into the first group when they stopped. The entire party resumed their walk in silence and quickly found themselves outside the guest quarters.
"Lady T'Shar, I'd like to offer all of you a tour of Enterprise," the Captain stated, taking all three of them in with his gaze. "Perhaps, tomorrow morning?"
"Thank you, Captain. That would be acceptable. Now, if you will excuse us, we must meditate before retiring for the night." The Vulcans all entered their rooms, leaving the Enterprise officers alone on deck.
The mess hall bustled with the sounds of the lunch crowd. T'Pol obtained a small salad and a cup of tea while she scanned the room. Her eyes settled on the person she sought. He sat near the windows, his back toward the door. Her approach startled him. "May I join you, Commander?" she asked softly.
Smiling, he gestured for her to sit as he chewed. He swallowed and said, "It's good to see you, Commander." He leaned a little closer and lowered his voice so that only she could hear him before he continued. "I missed ya' when I got back to my quarters last night, and ya' weren't at breakfast either."
She sipped her tea and then spoke around the rim of her cup. "I needed to meditate last night. This morning I was on the bridge while the Captain conducted the tour of the ship."
Hoshi and Travis sat on the opposite side of the mess hall engaged in a little lunchtime gossip, when she looked up and saw the commanders seated across the room. "Does that look a little too intimate to you?" she asked in a conspiratorial tone.
"What? Them? Yeah, right. That'll be the day." He dismissed her with a wave, but secretly he thought she might be right.
Tucker nodded slightly and they continued the meal in relative silence, oblivious to the scrutiny they were being subjected to. After they'd completed their meals and were finishing their drinks T'Pol asked about the Vulcan team. "How did the meeting with the Mediator go last night? Is he anyone you had met before?"
Trip looked sideways at her, a question obvious in his furrowed brow. "He? It's a she and I guess it went okay. Although, she seemed upset that you weren't there."
T'Pol raised her eyebrow at him and tilted her head. "As you well know, 'upset' is a human emotion."
"And as I well know, Vulcans do not experience emotions." His gentle tone implied no disrespect. "Look, darlin'," now his voice dropped again, for only her sensitive Vulcan ears to hear, "if there's one thing I do know, it's that ya'll do have 'em just like the rest of us. And, I've gotten pretty good at readin' Vulcan body language lately." He winked at her.
'Oh my God!' thought Hoshi. 'Did she just blush?' It was hard to tell from sitting behind them, but she swore there was a definite green tinge moving up the back of the First Officer's neck.
Her pulse raced as his breath brushed against the tender skin of her neck. She felt herself begin to flush. It was time to change the heading of this conversation before she lost her control. She took a deep breath to calm her heart rate and then veered the talk back to the guests. "Did you spend much time visiting with them last night?"
Again a questioning look crossed Tucker's face. "Didn't ya' meet 'em this mornin'?"
She shook her head. "No. I thought it best to avoid them as they toured the ship."
"Oh. Well, Lady T'Shar seems nice enough and her assistants didn't say two words last night." He took a large gulp of his rapidly cooling coffee.
T'Pol's head snapped up to meet his gaze. He recognized the fear in her eyes that no one else would see. "Did you say, Lady T'Shar?"
Worry streaked his features as he took in her distress. "What is it, T'Pol? What's wrong?" he whispered.
At just that moment, a regal looking woman approached them from behind. Her voice was strong and clear. She made no attempt to lower her tone, but did not shout either. She stood straight and tall at T'Pol's side when she said, "I would speak with you, daughter."
End Chapter 3
Notes: Remember, the fastest road to the next chapter is paved with lots and lots of feedback!