Checkups
Sickbay was usually quite busy. With many crewman aboard the Enterprise, someone was always hurt or in some form of pain. Today though, Doctor Phlox had no patients and he was grateful for the time he had with his pets.
After feeding them, Doctor Phlox discovered Sub-Commander T'Pol standing just inside the door.
"Can I help you Sub-Commander?" Doctor Phlox smiled in his Denobulan way.
"I'm not sure." T'Pol's troubled expression made it clear to the doctor that something was wrong and ushered her to sit down. When sitting, T'Pol continued. "I've been experiencing… emotions. I should be able to control them, to keep them repressed, but lately it's been harder, to say the least. I've tried meditation, but everything has seemed a bit blurry since a few nights ago. I wondered if there was something wrong with me internally." T'Pol shifted uncomfortably. If she could avoid it, she didn't want to bring up Trip.
"What kind of emotions?" The doctor inquired.
"Well, non stop thinking about one particular pers… thing, feelings of excitement, nervousness and ultimately… passion." T'Pol finished awkwardly. She knew the doctor would keep this confidential, but she still felt uneasily about telling him. Doctor Phlox had been listening intently while the Sub-Commander had explained her so-called symptoms.
"Let me ask you, Sub-Commander," Doctor Phlox tried to put this as gently as possible. "How you been doing anything different lately? With anyone in particular?" T'Pol visibly flinched as another flash of her encounter with Trip last night and the night before swam through here mind. It was official. She couldn't escape it. Trip had gotten under her skin and into her mind. The scary part was that she didn't seem to mind.
"Well," T'Pol started slowly. "Commander Tucker and I have seemed to strengthen our relationship." T'Pol half-lied.
"In what way?" The doctor pushed.
"Doctor, is this relevant?" T'Pol replied stiffly.
"I think so. If this newfound relationship with Mr. Tucker is the only thing that has really changed, then it's possible that that's what's causing your emotional outlets."
"Is there any way to stop them?" T'Pol asked.
"I'm afraid the only way to stop them completely is to stop this infatuation with Commander Tucker." Doctor Phlox said quite finally. T'Pol tried to think this through with a lot of concentration. T'Pol looked at him intensely and then pushed her irrational mind away. She had to keep all possibilities open.
"There must be another way." T'Pol said almost to herself.
Phlox sighed. "Can I offer my advice, Sub-Commander?"
"Please do." T'Pol answered.
"Experiencing these emotions may be somewhat strange and uncomfortable for you, but if you're also experiencing this time with Mr. Tucker that you seem to like as well, then could you live to work with them?" The Doctor inquired.
"It is not Vulcan custom." T'Pol raised her voice slightly. Realisation hit her when she knew that her emotions were uncovering themselves more and more. There was no reason for her to lose her control when the doctor made his inquiry, but it happened. It proved that even when she wasn't around Trip, it was happening and it seemed to only progress.
Doctor Phlox was a little shocked by T'Pol's small, but definitely human emotion based outburst. "Is a Vulcan state of mind worth losing Mr. Tucker? I think that's the choice you have to make."
"Can't I have both?" T'Pol almost whined.
"You can't have a logical mind in love I'm afraid." The doctor chuckled.
"Could you just check me up with the tricorder? Just to put my mind at ease." T'Pol asked, regaining her professional tone.
"Of course." The doctor almost sighed. Getting up he went into his office, he returned a second later he returned with the tricorder. T'Pol stood up and he ran the tricorder a few centimetres in front of T'Pol.
"Everything seems normal." The doctor concluded. "I think you just have a lot on your mind, that's all."
"Thank you doctor." T'Pol said before leaving.
"My pleasure." The Doctor said.
As T'Pol walked out of Sickbay, Phlox thought, Good thing I'm not a gossip.
