The movie finished and Trip still had a decidedly complacent smile on his face. Why, he couldn't tell, but he felt happy. Even when the movie had stopped suddenly, and the Captain had stepped on his foot in an attempt to cross in front, and when Malcolm had inadvertently dropped popcorn across his shoulder, screaming in his ear. Everything seemed okay.
"Hey, Trip." The Captain waved his arm in front of Trip's face. It was a little alarming that Trip could be so far gone, even through one of his old favourites.
The Commander snapped back into focus. "Oh, sorry, Cap'n." He rubbed his palms on his thighs and stood up, a delighted grin spreading across his face. "I think I'm gonna go check on T'Pol, see if she needs any help – it's not fair that she missed the entire movie."
Befuddled, Jon watched his young friend all-but skip away. "Alright, Trip."
X X X
T'Mir opened her eyes in a brilliant white space. Oddly, the sound of lapping waves echoed around the infinite expanse, and slowly the landscape morphed into a pristine beach extending in all directions.
T'Pol was standing ankle deep in the shifting shoreline. She turned as T'Mir approached her.
"What's happening?" T'Mir asked.
"Is this where you meditate?" T'Pol asked in return.
T'Mir looked around. "Yes." she answered.
T'Pol said nothing, but turned to look over the sea. "It is aesthetically pleasing, yet surprisingly relaxing." The spray from a surf misted over her, and she inhaled deeply. "Is it a memory."
"In part." T'Mir said, stepping beside T'Pol and inhaling the smell of the ocean. "It is a place that I have imagined from my Sa'mekh's tales of beaches on Earth."
They stood quietly, awkwardly, for a few moments.
"Have we bonded, you and I?" T'Pol asked.
"I believe that is obvious from our present state."
They stood quietly again, calmly.
"The film is over. Commander Tucker is coming." T'Mir announced.
"We should cease our meditation. He may wish neuropressure, or –," she wrinkled her face in distaste, "to talk."
A ghost of a smile passed on T'Mir's face. "It is a human need."
"Indeed ... I hear the door chime."
X X X
T'Pol opened her eyes in her dimly lit quarters. She stood quickly and answered the door. Trip was waiting patiently outside.
"You didn't make it to tha movie." he said.
"I was otherwise occupied." she told him, and stepped aside so he could enter.
"T'Mir!" he said in excitement when he saw her still seated on the floor.
She rose gracefully. "I was just going, Commander."
"Hey, Liz." he stopped her by the arm as she brushed past.
She stopped in her tracks, turning to face him, with shock-widened eyes like saucers.
"Sorry." he said quickly, jerking his hand off of her, "T'Mir." He dumbly focussed on the floor in front of him as he explained, "I just thought we could talk... all of us."
"I have work to complete." she said coldly, turning crispy and exiting.
"Neither of ya came to movie night." Trip said after a minute.
T'Pol nodded, taking a deep breath, and starting to move past him. "No. Our time was better spent meditating."
"Good." Trip said cautiously, but not hesitating as he sat down on the floor ahead of the lamp she was about to lift and put away.
Surprised, she sat down opposite him. "Indeed."
He flashed her a big smile, his own ability to take the emotion our of their conversations significantly diminished. "Was it helpful? Did everythin' work out okay? She can – you know, do that stuff – 'cause she's half human?"
She shifted her eyes covertly to the side. "Tell me, have you begun to bond with her?"
"Sorry?" he shook his head, "I don't know."
T'Pol took this in for a moment, processing. "I believe she and I have bonded."
Trip's smile widened so that he was positively beaming in the dark quarters.
T'Pol did not appear so enthused.
"Wha's wrong?" Trip asked, suddenly sobering.
T'Pol looked up, as though remembering that he was across from her. "It is ... unexpected."
"But good, right?"
"It is very agreeable." she nodded, "We were able to mindspeak when in contact. I was not aware such a strong bond could form over such a short period of time."
Trip shrugged. "She's been here more'n two months."
"Her mind is very whimsical, yet organized. It is a thing to be respected." T'Pol said with the Vulcan impression of sentiment, "Not unlike your own."
This caused an undeniable smile on the Engineer's face. "I'm glad." He reached across and took her hand in a reassuring squeeze.
She squeezed back.
