Chapter 8

Sovek awoke disorientated and with a pounding headache. His hand immediately came up to his chest and he felt around for where he was shot. His chest felt slightly bruised but that was all. 'Must have been a stun weapon' he murmured to himself, he looked around the rest of the room; he managed to make out two more shapes lying sprawled on the ground, "T'pol", he gasped as he moved over to her; he felt for a pulse and found a strong heartbeat. Her eyes fluttered open and locked with his.

"Are you injured?" he asked sincerely.

She did not respond instead she took in her surroundings. She looked over to where Trip lay and quickly moved over to him.

"T'pol I asked if you were injured." her father said, repeating the question.

"I am fine." was her very human response as she checked Trip's breathing and heartbeat, he was safe but the effect of the stun weapon was more severe on him. He was human and therefore not as strong as a Vulcan was. He would need more time to recover. She sat down next to him and stroked his face, pushing a lock of messy blond hair off his forehead. Her father was confused by the action.

"Do you know who shot us?" T'pol asked, addressing her father and breaking the silence.

"I do not, however I believe that they were not in fact Tellarites."

"Indeed."

"T'pol, we have not talked since my return. I wish to know whether you accept my reason for misleading you."

"It was the only logical thing to do." T'pol stated.

"That is not what I asked. Could you forgive me for what I have done? It was never my intention to… hurt you."

T'pol thought back to what Trip had said. 'You've got a chance many people would do anything for; you've got your dad back.' T'pol could not argue with this logic, she was thankful her father had returned, despite how it had come about.

"I forgive you."

The words left her mouth before she had time to consider what she was saying. If she had to admit it though she had spoken the truth.

Sovek's features softened somewhat.

"You don't know what that means to me T'pol. I wish to know what has occurred to you in the time that I have been away."

"There is over forty years to inform you about."

Sovek looked around the cell they were being kept in. The 'room' appeared to have only one door- there was no other way out. The door also appeared to have no handle or locking mechanism on the side they were being kept on. It must only be able to be opened on the other side Sovek theorised.

"It appears we will not be going anywhere for some time." he responded eyebrow raised. T'pol couldn't argue with this.

"Before you begin, tell me of your mother, is she well?" Sovek's innocent comment elicited a change in T'pol's features, one that many wouldn't have recognised, except to those that knew the Vulcan closely. Despite the fact that he hadn't seen her in so long he was still attuned to her facial expressions.

"Mother died last year, she was killed during our search of the Kir'sha'ra ." T'pol responded solemnly.

Sovek was quiet for some time, processing what he had just heard. He didn't know what he had expected, hearing about his wife's death though was near the end of the list. A part of him had always hoped he would return, be with T'Les again. All of his problems solved and able to return to the life he had before. He knew it was illogical but he couldn't help it. He felt the torrents of emotion welling up inside. He put the news to the back of his mind, he couldn't become emotional now. Not in this situation, he would deal with the revelation later.

"Tell me what has occurred since I left." Sovek spoke again, his voice quiet and pitched with emotion.

T'pol did as instructed and began recounting the simplified version of what had occurred in the last four decades. It had surprised him how much she had been through. He resented the fact that he had missed so much. About two hours later when T'pol was just about to start discussing her assignment to Enterprise Trip began to stir.

A groan escaped his lips followed by a string of curses. "One mission, one mission that's all I ask for where I don't get captured or kidnapped." Trip started to rant as he sat up. He stopped as a wave of pain and nausea hit him, he grabbed his head in response.

"T'pol are you ok?" he asked.

"I am fine." she assured him and continued "The pain should subside soon."

"Good. It feels like I just got run over by a shuttle pod." he replied. T'pol raised an amused eyebrow at his comment.

Sovek watched their interaction with interest. They both showed concern for each other. The commander especially, that did not make sense to the older Vulcan. He had gotten the impression that the only person Tucker cared about was himself. Yet he was more worried about T'pol and how she was than himself.

"Where are we?" Trip asked

"It seems we are in a cell on the Tellarite vessel." she responded

"Enterprise knows where we are. They'll get us back." Trip said, trying to reassure himself more than anything.

As Trip finished talking the door to their cell opened, it's hinges creaking. A figure stepped forward, their face hidden behind a mask and a gun pointed directly at the three.

"Come with me Vulcan." The masked figure spoke, their voice distorted.

Sovek stepped forward, about to follow. "Not you, the female." the voice said again, this time indicating to T'pol.

"You want someone take me." Trip snarled, standing in a protective stance in front of T'pol. All of this earned him was a knock on the side of his head from the base of the gun, which their captor held. Trip attempted to stand up again.

"Trip, stop. I will be alright." T'pol stated, her finger's making brief contact with Trip's hand, with that she was led away. The Door banged shut behind her and the cell was plunged into silence.

Trip moved over to the door, his hands searching for any hidden catch, anything that would get the door open.

"Your efforts are futile Tucker." Sovek stated

"I don't see you doing anything to help. I mean she's only you daughter it's not like she matters". That sarcastic comment from Tucker hit a nerve with the already emotional Vulcan. Sovek thrust Trip against the wall.

"I am her father, I care about her welfare. However I am unsure as to why you are concerned, perhaps if some thing happens to my daughter you would be left without any one on the ship with which to break fraternization rules. Did all the other women on the ship turn you down commander?"

Trip frowned in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Do not play innocent with me commander, I have seen you with my daughter. Visiting her quarters late at night, sometimes not even fully clothed. Leaving her quarters early in the morning so as to not get caught. I know your type Tucker. Your actions on previous missions prove what you are like. The incident with the princess, the time when you became pregnant. I don't know how you tricked T'pol or why she is worried with your well-being."

A look of realisation came over Trip's face. From an observer it would have looked very suspicious. Him turning up at T'pol's quarters at all hours, and as for the previous missions he had been very reckless back then. The Xindi incident had stopped that and in many ways made him grow up.

"It's not what you think." Sovek didn't relax his grip on Trip even slightly.

"I'm in love with her."

Sovek frowned "You lie."

"No! Lying would be saying that I don't think about her constantly. That I don't wonder what's she's thinking about, or what she's doing. And that I'm not so completely and absolutely in love with her that last year I had to transfer to another ship because I couldn't stand not being with her!" Trip shouted, twisting out of Sovek's grip and walking over to the other side of the cell.

Sovek was actually speechless, could what the young engineer said be true? What reason would he have to lie?

"She was having nightmares." Trip said a few moments later.

Sovek looked confused. "That's why I was at her quarters, she was scared. I was just trying to protect her." Trip finished.

Sovek took a few moments to consider what the Commander had said. The Vulcan was embarrassed to admit that his emotions had overtaken his logic. He thought he had found a balance but he apparently hadn't. He jumped to conclusions without properly analysing the facts. He let emotions dictate his actions, that was one of the reason's Vulcan's strived to suppress emotions, perhaps they were right to do so.

"I apologise Commander… It seems I misjudged you." Sovek said sympathetically

"I would have probably done the same. But to be honest I don't really give a crap about that right now, we need to get T'pol and get out of here. " Trip replied.

The two searched the sparse room, they found nothing. Sovek even tried to knock down the door but his efforts proved unsuccessful. Trip sank to the floor and held his head in his hands. He closed his eyes and tried in vain to reach out with their bond to try to sense her, he had never attempted to contact her before and didn't really know what he was doing, he couldn't sense her. He kept telling himself it was because the bond wasn't strong enough or that she was too far away. He was terrified to think of the other reason why he couldn't reach her. He didn't allow himself to think anything other than that they would all make it out of here alive, he needed to stay positive. He needed to believe T'pol was still alive!

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