—Chapter 31—

Later than night after their third fierce bout of catching up and making up, Trip pulled out a large envelope and drew out some documents. He handed them to T'Pol.

"This is what it was all about, T'Pol," said Trip, handing T'Pol the envelope. "I would have gone anyway if I'd known about the Vulcans, but this is what it was all about originally."

T'Pol eagerly scanned the documents, picking out the relevant parts:

To: Commander Charles Tucker and SubCommander T'Pol of Vulcan, daughter of Ellak and T'Les.

From: StarFleet HQ, Admiralty Commission.

It has come to the attention of the Admiralty that the two of you are mated/married and it is our pleasure to officially recognize your union, granting you all the benefits that go along with that status, so far as StarFleet is concerned. It addition, we have decided to follow Vulcan custom in the matter of your posting. You will be allowed to serve together openly as a mated couple. Lastly, should SubCommander T'Pol ever sever connections with the High Command for any reason at all, she may, if she so wishes, enter service with StarFleet at a proper rank, taking in account her acts of service to StarFleet.

T'Pol noted the signatures of the three admirals, along with the seal of the Admiralty Commission. She looked at Trip with wonder.

"That's binding on their successors as well, T'Pol. That's the gift I was speaking of. We don't have to worry, or hide, any more. I know, that you've been worried about us being separated from each other, for quite a while.

"I was, Trip," said T'Pol, and she truly felt a great weight fall from her. "This is a wonderful gift."

T'Pol came across the recently frocked Lieutenant-Commander Reed and one of his men as they worked to slide a heavy weapons locker against the wall. She stopped in front of the two men. StarFleet was a newly launched exploratory service rather than a military service, so that the standards were somewhat more relaxed, but both men straightened and stood at attention, if a bit more casually than soldiers.

"SubCommander," said Malcolm.

T'Pol looked at Malcolm for a moment, then turned to Crewman Martinez.

"Move along, Crewman," said T'Pol.

"Yes, sir," said Martinez, gladly, for he was certain that Lieutenant-Commander Reed was about to get reamed.

Lieutenant-Commander Reed had the same feeling.

"Lieutenant-Commander Reed, you are an intelligent and capable man."

"That is true, SubCommander," said Malcolm, knowing he was about to be taken down, and determined to go down swinging.

"Shut up," said T'Pol.

"Yes, sir."

"As I was saying. You are an intelligent man and you are close friends with Commander Tucker, so I am certain that you have figured out that Commander Tucker and I are mated, married in your human parlance."

"Yes, sir."

"And yet, not long ago, when I asked you of Commander Tucker, you told me that he had taken on two new mates. Misri and Havli. Do you recall that conversation?"

"Yes, sir, but I can explain."

"I am certain that I will find your explanation fascinating, Lieutenant-Commander Reed. Go."

"Yes, sir. Commander Tucker ordered that if I should cross paths with you before he did, he said to make up something funny to rattle your cage. That means to—"

"I know what it means," said T'Pol, and with an effortless strength, she tipped the heavy weapons locker on its face with a resounding boom. "See, now I am rattling your cage, Lieutenant-Commander Reed. It is fortunate for you that my mate was the instigator of your deception, for otherwise I had a most unpleasant end for you in sight."

"Yes, sir."

"For future reference, Lieutenant-Commander Reed, I would suggest that you do not make jokes on a similar topic ever again. I find such jokes… slightly irritating."

"I understand, SubCommander," said Malcolm.

"Make certain that at you do," said T'Pol. "Now clean this mess up. A weapons locker should be secured vertically to a wall, not laying horizontally on the floor."

"Yes, sir," said Malcolm, sensing that perhaps T'Pol had a slight jealous streak in her.