The Cultural Addition
a
Star Trek: Enterprise - based fan fiction
by: Joycelyn Solo



Summary: An unexpected pregnancy has some interesting consequences for Trip, T'Pol, the Enterprise and the future of Humanity.
Author's note: This story takes place Season Three, so expect general episodic references, but with definite AU qualities.
Disclaimer: Star Trek: Enterprise and associated characters are property of Paramount Pictures. I mean no copyright infringement, this story is for entertainment purposes only.
Special Thanks: To Stub, the best beta this side of the Alpha Quadrant
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Trip/T'Pol Romance; Mystery

Chapter Thirteen - Fear leads to...

Curiosity overrode logic as T'Pol -- despite the captain's protest -- followed Archer and Reed into the Transporter Room.

Though she did not doubt the commander's identification of their unexpected visitor, she found it difficult to believe that Rajiin, the alien slave Archer "rescued" from a trade planet six months ago, would willingly return to Enterprise after assaulting several crewmembers to gather information for the Reptilian Xindi.

The fact that T'Pol had been one of those crewmembers, fueled her need to confront the woman once more. Rajiin had left her unconscious as a result of the method she used to gain entry into the science officer's mind. The sight of Rajiin standing serenely on the transporter platform, however, forced T'Pol to stop short as she remembered the way the woman had smiled moments before forcing her way into first officer's mind. The very sight of Rajiin made T'Pol feel as vulnerable and open as she had months ago in her quarters.

There was little T'Pol could do to stop the icy tendrils of fear that snaked up her spine, her thoughts moving quickly from her own safety to that of her children. If Rajiin was able to overpower her again -- T'Pol would be helpless to protect her son and daughter.

Taking an involuntary step back, T'Pol was surprised to find that Trip had moved from his place behind the control console to stand beside her. Though his focus was on their unexpected guest, T'Pol was aware of his awareness of her. Since discovering their connection through the paternal bond, both she and the engineer had worked very hard to keep their thoughts to themselves.

This was the first instance in quite some time that T'Pol could sense what Trip was feeling. At the moment, he was feeling a lot of anger -- all of it directed at Rajiin -- and some more, something...

"Are you not happy to see me, Jonathon?"

Both Trip and T'Pol were surprised by the familiar way Rajiin addressed the captain, especially considering the compliment of Starfleet and MACO officers surrounding her.

"Why would I be happy to see you?" Archer practically growled, taking a step toward the platform and causing Hayes to move with him in an effort to protect Enterprise's commanding officer. "The last time I saw you, you betrayed my ship and attacked my crew."

The smile Rajiin had worn since materializing minutes before faltered some. "I told you I had no choice," she explained, taking her own step forward and ignoring the phase rifles trained on her every movement. "I thought you would have understood that now."

"I don't understand it anymore now than I did then," the captain answered. His eyes narrowed. "Lucky for me, I have my own choices to make." He turned to Hayes and Lieutenant Reed. "Throw her in the Brig."

- - -

"Stop telling me that you're fine because I'm not going to believe you."

From her position on the meditation mat, T'Pol regarded the Enterprise chief engineer as he lounged in a chair of negligible spinal support he had procured from his cabin. The stubborn Human had refused to leave her side since Rajiin was taken to the Brig and didn't seem to think being "right next door" was close enough for keeping a watchful eye over her.

Though she had not intention of placing herself in the same vulnerable position with Rajiin as she had last time, T'Pol appreciated his efforts in regard to her well-being.

That appreciation, however, only went so far.

"If you would leave me alone long enough to meditate, I can assure you that I will be fine, Commander." In addition to calming her thoughts after the encounter with Rajiin, T'Pol wanted to focus her attention on the apparent strengthening of the connection between herself and the commander. At first, she had thought it a result of her shock at seeing her attacker again, but even as the two senior officers had walked back to their quarters the bond had lingered.

Trip shifted in his seat, adjusting the pillow he had taken from T'Pol's bunk in an effort to make himself more comfortable. "I'm not leaving you alone for one minute while that woman's on board. I don't trust her, even if she is in the Brig with two MACOs watching over her."

"That is understandable," T'Pol agreed, suppressing a shudder as, again, the memory of Rajiin's assault came unbidden to her mind. It had been the second time T'Pol had been violated, had the barriers of her mind stripped away to expose her core. The mental defenses taught to every young Vulcan had been ripped away like tissue paper against the other woman's persistent probe. T'Pol had been helpless to stop her, just as she'd been helpless to stop --

No, she would not think of Tolaris. There was no need to relive those memories any more than it was necessary to recall the weakness Rajiin had forced her to face.

"T'Pol?"

She opened her eyes -- when had she closed them? -- to see a concerned Trip kneeling before her.

"For someone who's supposed to be relaxing, you don't look it," he observed, studying her face. "Not to mention your broadcasting a lot of negativity."

T'Pol took a deep breath, focusing her gaze on Trip's face, locking her eyes with his. "You have noticed as well? The connection?"

"Yeah," he agreed, "The minute you stepped into the Transporter Room, I..." he shook his head, anger welling within him again, "I felt your fear, T'Pol. You've never been afraid of anything and you shouldn't be afraid of her. I won't let her get near you again -- you or our children."

After a moment, T'Pol said softly, "You are mistaken, Commander."

His anger found a new, inward direction, and she sensed the guilt he'd carried since that night he found her unconscious in her quarters. "I know I wasn't there for you before, but I swear I will be this time."

"I was not doubting you. I was merely informing you that I have been afraid before."

Trip looked incredulous. "Of what? You're the most fearless woman I know."

It was her turn to look incredulous. "I have my share of fears, Commander."

"Like what?"

"You."

"Me? How can you be afraid of me? If you had half a mind to, you could break me in half with that superior Vulcan strength you're always bragging about."

"I do not brag."

"Fine, you don't brag. But you still have no reason to be afraid of me."

"I am not afraid of you, Commander, but a lot has happened these past months that have been beyond anything I have ever encountered. The pregnancy. The bond. Your feelings for me."

"You're afraid because I love you?"

"I do not understand your love, Commander. I do not know why you feel this way nor do I know if," she broke off, closing her eyes and fighting for control as it slowly slipped away again. "I do not know if I can return your feelings."

"I told you I don't expect you to feel the same way, T'Pol," Trip reminded, joining her on the mat, his knees bumping hers as he took a similar meditative position. "I can't say that I don't want to be loved by you, or at least the Vulcan equivalent, but for now I'm content to just bask in the glow of your company at every opportunity."

T'Pol studied him for a moment. "Considering the amount of time we are in other's presence, Commander, I believe you are do a lot of basking."

"And I enjoy every minute of it, T'Pol." He grinned. "We could have just spent an hour discussing who-knows-what over lunch and I'll be down in Engineering purging the intake manifolds and think, 'This'd be more fun if T'Pol were here.'"

"My presence would make such a mundane task more enjoyable for you?" she asked, openly curious at the illogical correlation.

"You bet it would."

"Why?"

"'Why' what?"

"Why do you believe yourself to be in love with me?"

Trip stared blankly for a moment, not sure what to say. He'd never been asked to explain why he loved someone before. Granted, his previous relationships hadn't been stellar examples of deep-felt emotional meaning, but his previous girlfriends had simply taken "I love you" at face value.

But loving T'Pol, he didn't know if he could explain it. Not just because she was Vulcan and wasn't familiar with the concept, but because what he felt was so big he didn't know if he fully understood it.

"It's hard to put into words," he finally confessed.

T'Pol was quiet for several moments, the look on her face as intent as the thoughts in her head.

"Perhaps you don't need to put your feelings into words."

He tilted his head, confusion on his face.

"Have you heard of a mind-meld?"

"The Vulcans without logic were all about it, right? Melding?"

At the mention of the V'tosh ka'tur, T'Pol's shoulders stiffened. Before Trip could ask what was wrong, she continued, "That is correct. Traditionally, a meld is performed only among family, trained Healers and bond mates. It is, essentially, a sharing of one's mind with another's. A sharing of thoughts. If you would be so willing, I would attempt to meld with you."

His brow furrowed. "If this is only for couples and families, I'm not sure I follow."

"When the V'tosh ka'tur were aboard, Tolaris introduced me to the concept of bonding outside the normal parameters. Though I did not appreciate his attempts, I believe the bond we already share would allow us to successfully meld."

"That wasn't exactly what I was asking, T'Pol. Why would you want to meld with me?"

"I do not know if I can successfully describe it anymore than you can describe your feelings for me. I just know that it is something I desire to attempt."

"Can I think about it?" At her expression, he rushed to assure her, "This isn't a rejection, T'Pol. It's just...I've never shared my mind with anyone. Well, excluding the bond with you and the kids. I just need to think about it, first."

T'Pol nodded and stood. "Very well. Perhaps you should return to your quarters --"

"Hold on a minute," Trip interrupted. "I didn't say I was going to need much time to think about it."

He reached for her hand and, gently, pulled her back down to a sitting position.

"This isn't going to hurt, right?"

She thought a moment. "I do not think so."

"Well alright, then." He took a deep breath, using the first phase of proper Vulcan meditation to calm his jumbled nerves. "Meld me."

- - -

Elsewhere, the captain of the Enterprise was preparing himself for an encounter of his own.

By his own admission, Jonathon Archer wasn't a very forgiving man. His problem, as he'd been told by his mother once, was that he was quick to trust. If that trust was betrayed, he was quick to anger.

For reasons he still couldn't be sure of, he'd trusted Rajiin. He'd given her free reign of his ship. He'd shared stories with her he hadn't shared with some of his closest friends. He'd felt a connection to the woman; had thought that connection had been reciprocated.

The guilt he felt for allowing her the opportunity to take advantage of his ship -- for placing T'Pol in Sickbay...how he could have been so easily taken in by her...

And he had been taken in by Rajiin. After her "rescue," she'd treated Archer like a hero and he ate it up. It was nice to have someone finally appreciate his efforts, to see the strain this mission put on him. Rajiin had played him from the very beginning, stoking his ego, taking advantage of his vanity.

He had been stupid.

Gaining admittance into the Brig, Archer saw her seated in the Brig, serene despite her surroundings. She was as beautiful as he she'd been the first time he saw her in Zjod's showcase -- and he cursed himself for noticing.

At his entrance into her cell, Rajiin stood and smiled. "I must admit, Jonathon, this isn't the welcome I had expected."

His tone cold, Archer crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall opposite Rajiin. "What kind of welcome did you expect? That I would have shot you on site rather than throw you in the Brig?"

Confusion passed briefly across Rajiin's features. "I do not understand --"

"What's not to understand? I rescued -- or at least, thought I was rescuing -- you, only to have you assault my crew and leave my ship open for attack. I'm still tempted to shoot you, or, at the very least, wring your neck."

Unsure of how seriously to take his threat, Rajiin backed away and resumed her seat on the cell bunk. "I explained that I had no choice then, Jonathon. I thought that by helping you I would have proved that --"

"What do you mean 'helping' us? T'Pol was in Sickbay for two days because of what you did to her. Not to mention the security officers your Xindi friends killed or the bioweapon you helped them design."

"But the Ceidé gave you the cure to the bioweapon," Rajiin protested, her eyes widening at the violent nature of Archer's outburst.

"The Ceidé?" It was Archer's turn to look confused.

"The scientists who gave you the antidote to the Xindi bioweapon. Didn't they tell you I sent them?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. We haven't encountered anyone calling themselves 'Ceid' and we certainly haven't encountered anyone with a cure for the bioweapon."

"But they told me they provided the antidote. I told them to find your ship and help --"

"I don't know what you're playing at, Rajiin," Archer said, cutting off her explanation and taking a step forward. "But I can tell you it's not going to work this time."

"I'm not playing any game, Jonathon." She took a deep breath, looking up at the captain. "After I left your ship and completed my mission for the Xindi, I wanted to help you and your crew. I contacted the Ceidé. They are a race of healers and scientists. I knew that if anyone could find a defense against the bioweapon it would be them. Five months ago, they contacted me and said they'd provided a cure to you."

The lost look in her eyes and the near-plea in her voice forced a small tug in the pit of the Archer's stomach. For all the havoc this woman had wreaked on his ship, he couldn't deny the feelings he still harbored for her; feelings he hadn't felt for anyone in a long time. Perhaps she truly hadn't had a choice. He'd done things in the past several months he wasn't proud. Maybe Rajiin deserved a second chance --

No. He couldn't allow compassion blind him and leave his ship vulnerable. Not again.

No matter his feelings for her, Archer couldn't believe her story to be anything but a lie. No one had contacted them in the seven months since Rajiin first encountered Enterprise. They hadn't encountered any species...

"Did you say five months ago?"

Rajiin nodded slowly, curious how the anger she'd sensed earlier from the Human had been so quickly been replaced with disbelief. "Yes," she answered.

The captain ran a hand over his face, not able to believe where his own thoughts were taking him. "These Ceidé? They wouldn't happen to be advanced geneticists, would they?"

"I suppose that is one of their fields. Their expertise in the medical sciences is far more advanced than anyone's in this region of space. That is why I provided them with a sample of the bioweapon and asked for their help. They are a neutral species and take no part in the various conflicts that surround them." Rajiin studied him. "If they never contacted you, why are you so curious?"

"Five months ago, Commander Tucker and Sub-Commander T'Pol went missing for three days. When they returned, T'Pol was pregnant with half-Human hybrids."

"But that's --" Rajiin's eyes widened. "I noticed T'Pol's condition, but I never thought...Why would they do that?"

"How should I know? You're the one who told them to make contact with us."

"I had asked them to help you, not kidnap your crew and perform strange experiments. You have to believe that was not my intention."

"I don't really have to believe anything you tell me, Rajiin. It's pretty safe to say everything you've ever told me was a lie. Why should I trust you now?"

"You shouldn't trust me. You've no reason to. But I swear the Ceidé were supposed to approach you as allies, not kidnap Commander Tucker or Sub-Commander T'Pol. I am not certain how this happened."

"Let's start at the beginning. Tell me everything you know."