NX-01 Enterprise
Gamma Bootis IV
March 20, 2154

True to his word, Admiral Forrest set up his command post on the Enterprise, issuing orders to the fleet. Over the next two days he had ordered the freighters to ground on Gamma Bootis IV. There they would begin breaking themselves down for raw materials to build a new colony. The Enterprise would remain docked to the Columbia and was tasked with repairs, hoping to get her in fighting shape should the Xindi track them down. The Neptunes and Intrepids patrolled the system.

Forrest took over command of the Enterprise, leaving Trip operating as a relative second in command.

The Neptune Gladius first detected the object moving into the system at 0946 hours. By 1000 it was in orbit around Gamma Bootis VII, the farthest planet out. The object was long, approximately 200 meters wide and 1000 meters long. Antenna and radar dishes sprouted from the head of the vessel. Hails went unanswered at first but eventually the response came through. Barks and whistles sounded from the ship's speakers, which were fed into the universal translator. In due course the translation came through and Trip, aboard the Enterprise, could make sense of what was being communicated.

"Attack us and we will destroy you!"

"Put us through, Hodges." Trip said.

Hodges nodded. "I've got you patched in."

Forrest cut in before Trip could respond.

"We have no intention of causing you harm." He said. "We only wish for peaceful contact."

"Approach us while we are discharging, and you will be fired upon."

"T'Pol?" Trip inquired.

"They are armed with laser weapons." She said, "Powerful but not overly dangerous to us. They are discharging lethal radiation into the gravity well, from their engine, which powers a jump-warp device. When entering the system, I detected macro-jumps at many thousands of times per second. That is how they traveled, seemingly at warp."

Forrest spoke, "We will not approach you, but if you could respond visually, we can begin a dialogue."

"I have them." Hodges said.

"Onscreen." The admiral ordered.

On the main view screen a short humanoid appeared, wreathed in leaves across its chest like armor. He was green in color and his neck stretched just a tad too far. It had only a vertical bump where a nose would be, and its eyes sat on either side of its head. Atop its head a wreath of leaves grew, looking more or less like hair.

"You look like herbivores. Are you herbivores?"

"In the interests of full disclosure," Forrest said. "We are omnivores."

"Do you eat sentient beings?"

"Absolutely not."

"Then perhaps we can trust you. Where would you like to meet? We must make first contact officially."

"Meet us in orbit around the fourth planet."

"Give us an hour to complete our radiation discharge, then we will meet you there."

Within the hour the aliens, who called themselves Animar, were en route to Gamma Bootis IV's orbit. They moved noticeably slower in gravity wells, so it took some time to join the Enterprise. In short order the two vessels docked, and Trip, Forrest and Carrols met the alien leader, named Kris, and two other Animar at the airlock.

The Animar's vessel didn't enjoy artificial gravity, relying on good old fashioned coriolis force to simulate it. Consequently, the three Animar were in zero gravity outside the airlock, holding on to rails fashioned on the wall. It was an awkward step into full gravity.

The party of six marched along toward the conference room, the Animar's leaves rustling as they went.

"What do you eat?" Trip asked. "Maybe we can have the chef whip you up something."

"We eat light." Kris responded. "The current level of illumination is sufficient for our needs."

They arrived at the conference room, entered, and sat across from one another.

"What brings you to Gamma Bootis?" Trip asked.

"We seek rest and relaxation on this planet." Kris answered. "We come here often. It is a beautiful place. But our primary mission is to scan the planet in detail, with an eye towards future colonization."

"We're establishing a colony here foo." Forrest said. "I hope that's alright with you."

"We do not claim ownership of the planet. All are free to visit or to stay, as they wish."

"Perhaps we can enjoy a little R&R together."

"Perhaps."

Kris's leaves shuddered in a clear sign of fret and discomfort.

"Are you humans?" Kris asked.

"We are." Forrest answered. "Have you heard of us?"

"The Xindi seek you. We were told to report any contact with your people."

"I hope I can convince you not to do so. The Xindi seek only to destroy us."

"The reptilian Xindi are carnivores. Carnivores are duplicitous and not to be trusted. We have no problem withholding information from them."

"Good to hear." Forrest said.

"When do you intend to establish your colony?" Kris asked.

"It's already begun. We have freighters on the ground right now, breaking down bulkheads to construct buildings."

"Perhaps we can help. We can send over information regarding the local flora and fauna. We can also prepare charts detailing weather patterns and geological phenomena."

"That would be greatly appreciated." Forrest said.

"We ask only that you make some of your engineering crewmen available to us. We recently lost both of ours, though we have several crewmen cross trained in engineering. All we need is a few qualified men and as much coltan as you can spare. It is nothing more complicated than a tune up."

"Coltan we can spare," Trip said. "And I can get together a couple of engineers and myself to help you out."

"Thank you, but we should l now. We want to complete the scans as soon as possible, as we won't be enjoying shore until we do."

"Let me call down to engineering." Trip said. "Me and my people will meet you at the airlock."

Finding volunteers from engineering was easy. Everyone wanted a look at the Animar's jump-warp engine. Trip couldn't suppress a boyish excitement at the prospect himself. He and his two volunteers grabbed their gear and met Forrest and the Animars at the airlock. Trip said his goodbyes to the Admiral and moved through the doors into the Animar ship.

His first impression was that the ship smelled like potting soil. His second impression was that everyone was extremely busy. Short plant people skittered about, alternately crossing and blocking his path. Everyone stared at the three aliens that had come aboard, but it didn't slow them down very much.

The job turned out to be easier than Trip had expected. Nothing more complicated than extracting the tantalum from the coltan and tooling it to replace components that had been lost or damaged. Trip performed his work diligently, but the greater amount of his attention was on the jump warp engine. It took him an hour, but he finally sussed out it utilized the quantum tunneling effect, allowing small jumps at hundreds of thousands of times per second. How it did so on a macro scale so as to move an entire starship eluded him.

Trip brought up the potting soil smell with one of the female Animar. She explained that there were soil deposits available throughout the ship, to allow for the many vitamins and minerals the Animar needed to function.

In time, Trip and his volunteers completed their work. Reluctantly, they left the Animar ship and returned to the Enterprise. The Animar then undocked and carried on with her scans of the planet. Due to his and his crewmen's diligence they were given first shot at the shore leave party. Trip opted not to go, wanting to focus on the Columbia's damage. He allowed his two chosen crewmen and Commander Kelby to go in his stead. Kelby had been working himself to the bone and needed a break, in Trip's opinion.

T'Pol met him at the airlock and followed him to engineering to return his tools.

"How have you been sleeping, captain? T'Pol asked.

"Not too well." Trip responded. "I do manage a few naps here and there though."

"You have not engaged in neuropressure in several days."

"I've been pretty busy lately, but you're right, I'll make time tonight."

"Trip…" T'Pol said, hesitantly. "Have you been having dreams about me?"

"Dreams? About you?"

"Yes." T'Pol said, slightly exasperated.

Trip was silent for a moment. T'Pol was tempted to repeat her question.

"Okay, yes." He answered. "But it's always strictly platonic!"

"I see." T'Pol said. "I believe we may have a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"I believe we may have inadvertently bonded."

"Bonded? What's that mean?"

"A mating bond. It is a telepathic link between two individuals, initiated by prolonged physical contact."

"You mean from our neuropressure sessions?"

"And also, our sexual union."

"God, it's the Xyrillians all over again. At least I'm not pregnant this time. Why didn't you warn me?"

"I did not know this was possible with a human."

"That's the same thing the Xyrillian girl said. What is this going to mean for us?"

"We should be able to monitor one another's emotional state. In time we will even be able to communicate through it."

"And all that talk about a romantic relationship being out of the question?"

"You should be happy. A romantic relationship between us is perfectly logical."

"I don't think I want to be with someone who's with me just because it's logical."

"What better reason is there?"

Trip thought that over and surprised himself by not being able to think of a better reason.

They reached engineering at last and changed the subject so as not to be overheard talking about romance. Trip replaced the toolkit and caroused with the engineering staff for a short moment. He then left with T'Pol, heading for the bridge.

Upon arriving they learned from Hodges that the Animar had transmitted the promised information on the planet. Admiral Forrest began assigning shore leave parties and insisted on Trip taking some time off. Much like Kelby, Trip had worked himself ragged. Forrest ordered he and T'Pol to take the first shuttlepod ride down to the surface.