Wow...on to Rajiin already...yeah...this IS GOING TO BE FUN!

Rajiin-REVISED!

"She's attractive."

Trip turned at Malcolm's voice and raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Rajiin!" Malcolm stressed as he leaned against the wall. "I can see why the captain fancies her."

Trip shrugged, not overly concerned with their guest. Other than the tour the captain had given her of Engineering, he hadn't seen her around. Apparently she was too preoccupied with the captain.

"Don't you care? There's beautiful alien aboard, Trip." Trip shrugged as Malcolm grew exasperated. "Don't you even want to hit on her?"

Trip turned, frustrated that the subject had not been dropped and that Mal wouldn't let him get back to work. "Why would I wanna hit on her?"

Malcolm smiled. "It's what you do. A hot alien comes on board, you hit on them and get laid or pregnant or something like that. It's your thing."

Trip felt anger wash over him, tainted by a touch of embarrassment. "Not always."

Malcolm nodded. "Yes, always. It is a matter of public debate as to why you didn't do the same with T'Pol. After all, she's definitely ho-..."

"Shut up, Malcolm!"

Malcolm put his hands up in surrender. "Yessir!"

Trip rubbed his stiff neck and looked down. "I'm sorry I yelled."

Malcolm grinned, well aware that he had been deliberately baiting the Commander. By now, it was well circulated that Trip was receiving calls from a certain Vulcan, and if Hoshi was to be believed (which she was) then putting quite a few calls in to said Vulcan as well. Trip and T'Pol were notorious for their "arguments" and many wondered with the new evidence if there'd been more going on than either had let on. Trip reaction to Malcolm's description of T'Pol told Malcolm all he needed to know. Not that he'd tell anyone else...Malcolm Reed was no gossip...he'd only tell Hoshi...she could be trusted...

"How's the trellium thing going?"

Trip sighed. Yes, let's discuss the source of my head ache. "Badly. I can' get the damn stuff to stabilize...it keeps explodin'! I'm beginnin' to think the damn formula is a dud." Trip wished that they'd never got the damn formula from the chemist on that alien bazaar. Now the captain was determined to insulate the ship in trellium-D and Trip just didn't have the capabilities to do that. How he was going to explain that to the Captain was going to be extremely difficult.

"What's the matter with the formula?"

"Nothin' much, 'cept that it's impossible to get the two requirements for temp and mass to the level they need to be. At the temp needed to synthesize trellium, the mass multiplies, but we need it to stay at the same place. I can' figure out a way to..."

Malcolm laughed. "Trip...way over my head."

"Sorry, look...I need the temp..."

"Trip...don't even try to explain...you engineers talk a language I don't speak," Malcolm said seriously, then taking a glance at his watch noticed that he was late for dinner with Hoshi. "Look, maybe you can try to explain it to me later?"

Trip nodded and watched as Malcolm bounded out of engineering and into the hall. He let himself smile to himself before going back to work with the calculations. He'd only been at it a couple minutes when someone tapped him on his shoulder.

"Yeah?" He said, not turning around, figuring it to be someone on his team with a small problem.

"Commander?"

Trip whirled around and found Corporal Amanda Cole a foot away, "Corporal? What are you doin' in engineerin'?"

"Nothing...I just wanted to see if you're going to the movie tonight?" Corporal Cole said with an inviting smile. Since the MACOs had joined the crew, she had been after Trip to participate in some "extraordinary" activities after hours. So far, Trip's answer had been no every time, but that didn't deter her.

"Nah...got too much work to do."

Disappointment showed clearly on her face. "Oh...well, if you need a...companion for next week, I'm available."

Yeah, I got that.

"Okay, thanks...bye..." Trip turned and walked into his office, though the work that needed done was still out in main engineering. Waiting until he was sure she was gone, Trip collected a couple PADDs and headed to his quarters. What was Corporal Cole doing asking him out? Wasn't that against some kind of regulation? Couldn't he be thrown in the brig? Did the woman have no consideration for his career?

Strange that you mention that! His subconscious gloated. Just last night you were having a very naughty dream about a certain Vulcan member of Starfleet...where was your career then?

"Not on my mind..." Trip murmured aloud.

No, it was in your-...

"Shut up!" Trip yelled out loud, startling a security ensign into dropping his phaser as he patrolled. "Sorry," Trip grinned sheepishly as he hurried into his quarters and threw himself in bed. He was exhausted. Between running in and out of the small room he'd chosen to try to make the "explosive" trellium in and the meetings with Malcolm and Corporal Cole he was overwhelmed and in need of sleep.

Even as his eyes began to close, however, an alert at his door was jerking him awake. "What?" he asked groggily.

"Commander? Am I interrupting something?" A female voice called out. For a second Trip thought it was T'Pol, but then remembered that she was gone. Then he thought maybe it was Corporal Cole, coming to see if he'd changed his mind about the movie. Couldn't be her, though, her voice was deeper than this one. Finally Trip got up and opened the door.

A beautiful, blonde alien stood on the other side. She smiled and slithered into his quarters. Trip instantly felt ill at ease. There was something about the woman that gave him the creeps. "Rajiin, right?"

"Yes...your quarters are smaller than the captains..." Rajiin mused as she seated herself on his rumpled bed.

Trip raised his eyebrows at Rajiin's mention of quarters. When did the cap'n's quarters get on the official tour route? Trip grinned at the question and Rajiin mistakenly thought it was for her.

"I wish you to...tell me more of Enterprise."

"I'm sure the cap'n told you everything there's to know, darlin'."

"Yes, he told me much, but I want you..." Rajiin let that hang in the air. "...to tell me more."

Trip shifted uncomfortably and watched as Rajiin rose and began to walk towards him with a particular gleam in her eyes that he recognized from the time Phlox's predatory wife had been on board. Rajiin was hitting on him! Not that Trip wasn't flattered, but Rajiin was obviously, ahem, "involved" with the captain.

As she cornered him against the wall and ran her hand down his cheek, Trip contemplated letting her do what she clearly wanted. There was no one on board, excusing Corporal Cole, who had shown interest in him like that for a long time. It wouldn't hurt anybody...and Rajiin was very attractive...her blonde curls looked so soft...as did her curves as she leaned against him...all he ever wanted to do was be with Rajiin...forever...

"BLEEP!"

The comm. on Trip's desk blared, breaking whatever hold Rajiin had placed on Trip. Not that he noticed. In a second he was out of her grip and answering the call. When T'Pol's face came on screen, he wasn't sure whether to thank god, or cry.

"Trip? Are you alright? You're breathing heavily." She looked cool and calm...until she noticed the barely clad woman behind him. Then she became positively glacial. "Have I interrupted something?"

Trip jolted as he realized that Rajiin was still there. "No...she was just leaving." Trip gave Rajiin a meaningful glance but she didn't leave. She leaned against the wall and studied his face and that of the strange woman in the screen.

T'Pol cocked her head and for once, Trip had no idea what was going on in her head. "Nevertheless, I'll call when it's more convenient for you." Her voice was cool, so much so that Trip was surprised he wasn't shivering. Before he could say anything she had disconnected though, and left him with a curious Rajiin to deal with.

"Who was that?"

"That was Sub-...T'Pol. She used to be this ship's science officer," Trip sat down in his seat and sighed. T'Pol was pissed at him. What was with the females in his life today? Were they all trying to drive him crazy?

"You care for her."

Trip scoffed. "Nah. She's just someone I used to work with."

"No. You care for her and she cares for you."

Trip looked over his shoulder at Rajiin and was suddenly uncomfortable. Seconds ago they'd been about to jump each other, and now they were calmly discussing his love life...not that he had one. "Why do you say that?"

"She was upset at seeing me here. Only a woman who cared about you would have cared."

Trip smiled. "She likes me."

Rajiin pushed off the wall and approached Trip, who stared at the screen in thought and didn't notice. "Yes...back to my point though."

Trip turned to ask what she was talking about, but suddenly he felt light headed. Rajiin was running her hands down his head, his chest, his legs, and back up. As she did so, some kind of light was coming from her hands. Trip felt...happy. Like there was nothing better in the world. Then she touched her hands to his head, and he fell asleep.

Rajiin smiled. When he woke up, he would remember nothing of what he had done. He would only remember fighting with T'Pol and falling asleep at his desk. Laying Trip's head on the desk, Rajiin hurried to return to the captain's side. They must not be suspicious of her. She had a mission to accomplish.

T'Pol was not upset. She was completely in control of her mind and body, but after disconnecting with Commander Tucker, T'Pol was not in a good mood. Having the most discomforting presence in her work life walk into her office seconds later did not help.

Lieutenant Michaels smiled at Commander T'Pol, but it turned out to be more of a gritting of his teeth. He had made his opinion of T'Pol very clear from the beginning of this project...and it wasn't favorable. "Here are the reports you asked for."

T'Pol gestured for him to sit down while she perused the reports. He stood at the door. T'Pol ignored him and started to skim the reports.

"Why didn't you make the adjustments I suggested?"

"I didn't think they'd work," he said sardonically.

"I am your superior, Lieutenant," T'Pol began, but was interrupted.

"Listen, Vulcan. I do not take orders from Starfleet's newest side show attraction. You're here for entertainment value...no one expects you to work. Why don't you go put a bikini on and parade for the cameras so I can get to work?" Michaels sneered at T'Pol.

T'Pol felt uncomfortable with the situation, but wasn't going to back down. She stood and stared down the man in front of her. "I am here to work. Starfleet treats me no better or worse than you-..."

"What's the matter, Commander?" Michaels laughed. "I hurt your feelings? Oh, wait! You don't have any! Come on...you wanna hit me? I thought the Vulcans were pacifists?" He taunted T'Pol until she was sorely tempted to do as he said.

T'Pol rounded her desk and approached the bigot in front of her. "Bear in mind, Lieutenant, that I am no longer with the Vulcan High Command. There is no need for me to be a pacifist now. I am also ten times stronger than you." T'Pol stepped close, and let her anger fill her face. She was taller than the Lieutenant Commander by three inches, so she stood an imposing figure over him. "It might not be such a good idea to provoke me."

Michaels sneered but T'Pol could smell his fear. "What are you going to do, Vulcan?"

T'Pol admits it...she lost control for a minute...and punched her fist through the wall... "Do not tempt me, Lieutenant. Make the adjustments I told you to and take the day off. When you return tomorrow it better be with a better attitude, or I will be reporting you. Have I made myself clear?"

Michaels nodded, and easing along the wall, opened the door and left. T'Pol stood shaking for several minutes before calming down. This had not been the first incident of trouble and would not be the last. She should have reported him and been done with it, but a girl does get tired of playing the tattle tell. This incident probably affirmed all his fears about aliens, and T'Pol felt shame at losing control for a few precious minutes.

She had no clue as to why she had lost control though. It was unsettling to not be in control, and she didn't see how humans could do it constantly. T'Pol looked at her hand and saw that it was bleeding lightly. Using her good hand, she pressed the button for her assistant and waited until the small human girl had hurried in.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I have injured myself. Would you being the dermal regenerator?"

The assistant hurried off and T'Pol settled herself back into her seat. Why had she reacted the way she had? She had been putting up with Michaels' comments all week and not been affected like she had today, but just seconds ago she had felt like she wanted to rip out his throat and feed him to a wild animal.

As her assistant, Nancy, started to heal her hand, T'Pol had a sudden insight. Using one hand, she drew up her medical records and entered a quick search.

"Well..." T'Pol said quietly. "That is interesting." It appeared that T'Pol had entered the year of her Pon Farr...

Okay, so I revised and changed a lot...I hope everyone goes back and reads it again...mainly the revisions came in the T'Pol segments and the first chapters so...yeah...

I changed it from three months to a year for T'Pol's Pon Farr...I felt I needed more time...

I hope we all like the new way of it...And yes...THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE CANON! Tell me if I need to tweak things some more...