—Chapter 17—
Five days after the kal-if-fee ritual, and two days after Trip's private meeting with Koss, Trip and T'Pol returned to the grounds of the Vor'esh Temple to be Bound to each other according to Vulcan custom, with ties cultural, legal, and most importantly, psychic, and although Trip was nervous about the last, he'd risked the chance to be chopped into mince meat in order to keep T'Pol for himself, and so reasoned that adjusting to the psychic bonds would be a breeze compared to the act of facing Koss in combat.
Given that the last time he was here Trip was strictly focused on the kal-if-fee challenge for T'Pol, he'd largely ignored the temple, but now he looked around him, in wonder, as the Vor'esh Temple was located atop a majestic, eight sided, rock monolith that looked too regular to have been created by nature, yet the stone had that weathered look about it, as if it had stood for a thousand years, at the very least. The entrance to the ceremonial hall was a grand gate at least forty feet tall, the doors themselves a see through lattice of wrought iron and steel, and flanking the entrance on each side were two giant statues, as tall as the gate.
"The figure on the left," said Soval to Captain Tucker as they approached the entrance, "is the Vrobak Tel, the king of this region when the construction of Vor'esh Temple began. The figure on the right, is his grandson, E'Tek, during whose reign the construction of the temple was completed."
"Impressive," said Trip, admiring the statues once more, before turning to Soval. "I'm honored and pleased to have you here, Soval. I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. If you ever need me, you may rely on me."
Soval nodded, certain that Captain Tucker did not make such promises lightly.
"I was glad to be of assistance to you," said Soval. "I wanted the best for T'Pol, and it was apparent how she felt about you, but once I got to know you, I was glad to be of assistance for your sake alone."
"I will not forget it," said Trip as they passed through the entrance, his eyes drawn anew to study the ceremonial hall.
It was beautiful. The austere setting of the temple, was livened by the addition of hundreds of flowers placed in strategic locations, wide sashes of colorful silk cloth, two feet wide, hundreds of feet long, wrapped around the various temple stone columns, as well as passed from column to column, and that in addition to the hundreds of candles, scattered strategically around to create many points of light in the chamber, as T'Pol had thought an early evening service more pleasing than the dawn service Koss's clan had selected for that ceremony. The sun had perhaps an hour before it would fall over the horizon, and the open air ceremonial hall was beautifully lit in a hundred shades of gold and red, by the light of the Vulcan sun, passing through the clouds, and being reflected by the red stone of the temple.
Surprisingly, an even larger number of T'Pol's clan showed up for her second Bonding ceremony, and more curious still, a large number of young Vulcan women, with no ties to the clan, had also chosen to attend the ceremony, and when discreetly questioned as to why they'd come, well, their answers revealed that logic had not quite yet stamped out every trace of romance and infatuation in the Vulcan soul, as these young women were enraptured by T'Pol's unlikely story of romance with the Human Captain Tucker, the very man who had rescued her from the horror of the Seleya.
Trip wore traditional Vulcan robes for the occasion, a tan color that matched the desert surroundings well, enlivened by a wide sash of that particularly rich shade of red which Vulcans preferred, while T'Pol wore robes of that same red, a black silk sash wound round her waist, accenting her beautiful figure. She looked lovely, and when she came close, Trip had eyes for nothing else, but T'Pol.
"You have your translator and ear piece, Captain Tucker," said T'Pol, brow raised, for she wanted Trip to understand what he'd gotten himself into with her.
Trip nodded, and smiled.
The ceremony was fairly brisk, for T'Pol's clan was not as important, or as pretentious as Koss's clan, and the important thing here was witnessing the Bond between Captain Tucker and T'Pol being officially sparked. That is not to say it was not beautiful, as the Arbiter's sonorous voice echoed round the chamber, filling it with life as he spoke of the nature of the Bond, and it's antiquity, but eventually, the time came to Bond the couple, and the Arbiter laid hands on them both, touching their foreheads with his fingers.
He 'felt' two points of light, though that was not completely accurate, and he noted with appreciation that they 'vibrated' almost perfectly in sync even now, and he began to whisper an invocation in Old Vulcan, it's origins lost in time, and the tempo of his whispers increased and increased again, and again. Had Trip been paying full attention, it might have sounded odd, almost like hearing a rap song in Latin, but he paid it no mind, for he felt T'Pol in his mind now, then a few seconds later he felt as if he was her… He saw himself through her eyes, felt her emotions for him, so rich, so deep that he felt like laughing now with joy, and then felt her minor alarm at the thought of that. An emotional outburst from him might interfere with the Arbiter's work… so Trip retained control of himself, and simply basked in the essence of his mate, and a minute or two later, the Arbiter's chant reached it's culmination, and ended abruptly with something that sounded like a growl, for what that was worth.
"It is done," said the Arbiter. "The joining is complete."
Overcome with joy Trip felt like picking up T'Pol and spinning her round and round, but then, wonder of wonders, he received her thought, and he heard her voice.
—Control yourself, Captain Tucker, came her thought. We are not in an Elvis themed chapel in Las Vegas.
It should have required some thought from Trip in order to figure out how to reply to T'Pol in a similar manner, but it was the most natural thing in the world, and required no effort.
—Spoilsport, sent Trip.
—I will make it up to you tonight, sent T'Pol. I have scoured the old manuals for some heart stopping ideas for our wedding night, and I will show you how the Bond we now share will blow your mind, when joined to our physical activities.
A wave of anticipation and curiosity flowed from Trip to T'Pol in a fraction of a second, assuring the Vulcan that she had been provisionally forgiven for tamping down on her mate's thoroughly inappropriate intention to make a spectacle of himself at their wedding. Well the night was young, and the festivities would last for many hours more, but T'Pol paced herself, as she was determined to make certain that she would fully deliver on her promise of wedding night bliss to Captain Tucker.
Although Vulcans did not typically do honeymoons, Trip had insisted, and after changing they'd taken Soval's shuttle to the capital city, ShiKahr, where they spent their wedding night in a suite booked for them by T'Pau. It was magnificent.
Ten days later, they crawled through T'Les's front door once more, to find T'Les laying out a large deli tray of precooked Vulcan foods, for them all to share.
"Just in time," said T'Les. "I'll just need a few minutes more to heat up some soup, and tea."
"I'll toss our bags in our room," said Trip to T'Pol, leaving mother and daughter alone.
"So," said T'Les. "Was it everything you'd hoped for T'Pol?"
"The sex, or the Bond, mother?"
"Both."
"Yes," said T'Pol. "I found both quite agreeable."
"Just agreeable?" said T'Les.
"I am toning down the expression of my enthusiasm for your sake, mother," said T'Pol. "My emotional displays always dismayed you somewhat. But if you'd like to give me license to displa—"
"That is not necessary, T'Pol," said T'Les. "I am very glad for you, daughter."
"Thank you, mother," said T'Les.
"So," said T'Les, "what did Trip choose, T'Pol? How did he bind you? Mate, or property?"
T'Pol looked slightly startled, and T'Les had the good grace to blush slightly, for the question she'd asked was extremely personal, but Trip would have given his preference to the Arbiter in private, and there was no one else, but Trip or T'Pol to answer that question, as the Arbiter would never reveal the Human's choice.
"That is personal, mother," said T'Pol. "You know that, and father would be scandalized that you would even ask such a question of me."
"True. But perhaps just this once, you could tel—" said T'Les, then stopped as Trip entered the room.
"I'm starving," said Trip. "It's good to see you again, T'Les."
"Likewise," said T'Les.
They spent the better part of two hours eating, drinking tea and talking about the honeymoon in ShiKahr, then T'Pol excused herself to take a shower, and change, while Trip helped T'Les bus the table, and put everything away.
"So," said T'Les, looking at Trip. "T'Pol shared with me the manner of your Bond."
"Did she now?" said Trip, picking up the last pickle left on the food tray, and taking bite of it.
"Yes," said T'Les. "Are you satisfied with your choice?"
"I am."
T'Les frowned a bit, for Trip had given her nothing solid to latch onto.
"Share with me your logic, Trip," said T'Les, "for choosing that option."
Trip bit into his pickle once more, while looking shrewdly at T'Les.
"T'Pol didn't tell you anything, did she, T'Les?" said Trip with a laugh.
"No," said T'Les, revealing a slight bit of frustration. "So why don't you tell me?"
"T'Pol and I are heading back to Earth in a month," said Trip, "in order to introduce her to my family. I'll tell you what you want to hear, if you come with us, and behave yourself the entire time. No snooty Vulcan criticism of Human ways."
"Deal," said T'Les. "Now tell me."
"T'Pol told me long ago that you would never break your word, once given," said Trip. "So you're giving me your word that you will come to Earth, if I tell you what you want to hear, right? It's official?"
"Yes," said T'Les. "You have my word. Now tell me!"
When T'Pol returned, a towel wrapped around her still moist hair, draped in her favorite silk robe, T'Les had an unbearably smug look on her face.
"I got my answer," said T'Les to her daughter. "It is fortunate for me, that your mate knows how to negotiate."
T'Pol looked at Trip, and communicated silently with him, through their Bond.
"Tell me," said T'Pol. "What were his exact words, when he 'negotiated' this agreement with you? Captain Tucker is devilishly clever at the most inopportune times."
Confused, T'Les said, "He promised to tell me what I wanted to hear, in exchange for my promise to accompany you back to Earth, and meet his family."
"Precisely," said T'Pol, smiling slightly. "You gave him your promise, and he told you what you wanted to hear, that he Bonded me as his mate. That is what you wanted to hear, and that is what he told you. Now, the question is, was that also the truth, or just what you wanted to hear."
T'Les did a series of mental calculations, and wheeled to face Captain Tucker, but the man was gone, and the patio door open.
"I suspect he's miles away by now, running like a madman through the desert," said T'Pol. "Trip's instinct for self-preservation is quite strong, and I speculate that he will remain gone for a few days, until you regain control of your emotions."
"I'm going to kill him when I get my hands on him," said T'Les, realizing that Trip had extracted a promise from her, put her over a barrel, and given her nothing!