Chapter 7
The agreement with Andor had been signed, Trip had informed Captain Archer and Admiral Gardner of the details they had agreed to and Starfleet would get a copy to the High Council and Coridan, so hopefully their governments could work out what they were willing to agree too.
T’Pol was still weak and in pain, but she had returned to her quarters. Phlox had her on limited duty and insisted she must not stand for any length of time, so as not to put strain on her injury. Trip insisted she request that Captain Archer let her work from her quarters. He also tried to make her take breaks every couple of hours to rest or meditate. Trip had been in engineering discussing a problem with the injectors with Hess when he felt T’Pol wince in pain. She had gotten up and was now in the shower. He had helped her shower the last two days, but when he left this morning she was still sleeping. He felt the pain again. “Hess, I’ll be back.” he said as he ran out the door and onto the turbolift.
He got to T’Pol’s quarters and punched in the code and headed straight to the shower. T’Pol was doubled over holding her stomach. Trip reached down, stood her up and eased her out of the shower and sat her down on the toilet seat. “What the hell are you doing?” He wrapped a towel around her.
“I needed a shower.”
“You should have called me. Lunch is only an hour from now, couldn’t you have waited?”
“I am fine.”
“Yeah, you always take showers doubled over. Great idea if you only need to wash your back.”
‘I just needed to catch my breath.”
“Why do you even bother to do that. I can feel it when you’re hurt. What are you trying to prove? That you’re stubborn and don’t need my help?”
“I do not want you to have to take care of me.”
“Okay, let’s get this straight right now. I will take care of you. That’s part of the marriage deal, being bondmates. I know what you need and you know what I need. We take care of each other. You can be stubborn about this with everybody else, but no more with me. We’re supposed to be able to let down our guard with each other, lean on each other. Isn’t that what you told me T’hy’la was all about?”
T’Pol hated it when he was right and made the argument with logic. When they first met he had been so illogical , except when it came to engines. He never did things by the book, but he always had a logical plan when he came up with new ideas to improve the warp drive. “You are right, I am sorry.”
“I’m not looking for an apology. I just want you to let me help you when you need it. Ask me for help, don’t make me have to figure out you need me through our bond, please.”
She didn’t say anything. “T’Pol I know you don’t like to ask for anything, but you need to learn how. You can step in front of disruptor fire to protect me, but you can’t ask me to help you take a shower. How dumb is that?”
“All right I will ask for help from you if I need it?”
“Thank you. Now let’s get you back in bed.” He got her clean clothes, helped her dress, and put her back in bed. “I’ll get some lunch and bring it back here. Any request?”
“Just tea will be fine.”
He’d gone back to T’Pol’s with lunch, but she was asleep. He left her tea and a fruit salad by the bed and went to talk to Phlox.
“Hey, Doc, you in here?”
Phlox came out of his room. “What can I do for you Commander?”
“I need to know if T’Pol is going to be alright to go to Vulcan. I found her doubled up in the shower, in pain. She tries to hide it from me. I think can shield some of it, but not all. “
“She is stubborn. Doesn’t like to admit to any weakness. Always a problem with strong women. She should be fine if she stays off her feet. She needs to be laying down or sitting. I have some pain medication I can give her. “
“So, except for pain she’s alright.”
“Her external wound has almost healed. The worst of the internal damage has healed, but it will be a week or more before the pain is manageable without medication.”
“Is she supposed to be taking medication?”
“Yes, I gave her pills to take so she wouldn’t have to come to sickbay three times a day. There’s one for pain and an antibiotic.”
“I don’t think she’s taking them. I haven’t seen any pills. They’ll make her tired won’t they?”
“The pain med will, but that shouldn’t be a problem with her on limited duty.”
“You should know her better than that by now. Thanks Doc. I’ll talk to you later.”
After his shift Trip went back to T’Pol’s room and started looking for the pills Phlox had given her. “Trip what are you doing.”
“Where are the pills the Doc gave you T’Pol?”
“They are in the my desk.”
Trip opened the drawer and there was one full bottle of pain pills. “Why haven’t you taken these?”
“I am fine.”
“Have you been taking the antibiotic?’
“Yes.”
He held up the bottle. “These make you sleepy?”
“Yes, and I need to do my job.”
“Fine, I get that, but next time try asking for something that won’t put you to sleep. Doc is going to give you something for pain to take to Vulcan. Can’t have you collapsing in front of the High Council or at our wedding. By the way did you want to go to your mother’s house why we are there?”
“It is not necessary, but if there is time I would like to go. It is no longer my mother’s house, it is ours.”
“We own a house. Do you ever want to live there?”
“I do not know. Would you be happy living on Vulcan? You hate the desert.”
“Maybe eventually, but not right now. I still want to see what’s out here. I’m not ready to put down roots anywhere yet.”
“I am not ready either and I do not know if Vulcan is the place I want to put down roots. What about Earth, do you want to live there?”
“I don’t have to. If I can see my family now and then I’d be fine. This discussion is going to have to happen sooner than I think I’m ready for, but for now I’d like to just enjoy the life and friends we have.”
“Then you go get dinner and then we can watch one of your Frankenstein movies.”
Trip spent the next day finalizing details for the meeting with the High Council. Captain Vargus brought him a message from Soval. The High Council wanted to meet with both he and T’Pol on personal matters. He was sure of some of what they might want to discuss, but not everything. T’Pol didn’t know either.
They had decided to wear the same robes they wore when they completed their bond to their wedding, so Trip packed his in with T’Pol’s to get it off Enterprise. They made arrangements to stay on Vulcan the whole four days. Soval offered them a room near the Council chambers or one in the Human sector with the rest of the Enterprise crew that were taking shore leave. They opted for the room the Council offered.
They checked into their room the night before their meeting with the High Council. Trip unpacked, so T’Pol could rest. He spotted a closed in hot tub on the deck. Maybe he could get T’Pol to relax in it later. Hopefully a few days on Vulcan would help to put her in a better mood. Anyone who ever said Vulcans don’t have emotions hadn’t spent anytime with one who was bored, in pain, with sore achy muscles from staying in bed, and restricted to limited physical activity.
T’Pol agreed to sit in the hot tub and see if it could relax her muscles. She climbed in with Trip. After several minutes she was sitting next to him. She put her hand on his side and shifted his body around so she had access to his back. She began applying neuro-pressure, so he closed his eyes and began breathing. It took him awhile to realize what she was up to. The points she had started to press were some of the more intimate spots she had shown him after they completed their bond. They were specifically for used by couples during foreplay. He jerked away from her and slide across the seat. “Darlin, you know we can’t do anything. Phlox put you on limited physical activity for a reason. “
“I can feel your need.”
“I’m sure you can, I can feel it too. Just because we feel it doesn’t mean we have to act on it. “
“It is my duty to take care of the needs of my bondmate.”
“T’Pol, that’s bull and we both know it. We spent weeks sleeping together as bondmates before we completed our bond and you managed to resist your duty to take care of my needs.”
“It is different now. There are ways to satisfy our needs without intercourse.”
“I’m aware of that, trust me. “
“You do not find these ways enjoyable.”
“No. I mean that’s not the point.”
“Then what is the point?”
“I guess I never considered anything like that because I thought you wouldn’t enjoy it.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Well, in all those erotic dreams we shared, that you admitted to being an active participant in, we had straight up missionary sex, no variations. “
“Some of those dreams were mine, but some of them were also yours and we had no variations. “
“Okay, let’s stop with the dreams. We still can’t do… I’m not going to do anything until you are feeling better.”
“Fine, but I object.”
“Our wedding is in three days. We will be spending that night at our house. If you are feeling better by then we’ll figure something out and if you want to change something about our sex life you need to let me know. I haven’t had much practice talking about what I like and don’t like either. I’ve always just gone along with whatever the woman I was with wanted, but maybe it’s time I stop doing that. Do Vulcans have sex education?”
“My mother told me things. She never said anything specific, but I felt like she thought sex was something she did because she was a mate, not because she wanted too. I got most of my information from the Vulcan database on sex practices. ”
Trip chuckled. “Really, somehow I missed that when I was reading up on mates and bonding. Maybe we should look at it together and go from there.”
“That is acceptable.”
“For tonight I would like to do some neuro-pressure on my wife and then maybe a good old fashioned massage.”
They arrived at the Council chambers and stood there waiting for the members to arrive. Trip looked around. It was set up much like the courtrooms used to be set up on Earth. The council members were seated behind a raised desk and they were standing below them on the floor. There were no chairs. When all the members were present T’Pau called the meeting to order. She welcomed Trip and T’Pol with the Vulcan greeting and they responded.
Just as T’Pau started to talk Trip felt T’Pol trying to hide her pain. He looked at her and could see that she needed to sit down. He looked at T’Pau “ Excuse me, could you wait a minute?” He looked around the room. There were two chairs on the back wall. He walked over and retrieved one. He came back and positioned the chair behind T’Pol.
“T’Pol, sit down before you fall down.”
“One does not sit when before the High Council.”
“You’re injured I’m sure they will understand.”
“I will not sit.”
“Sit down or I am going to touch you in public and make you sit down.”
“You will not do that and besides I am stronger than you.”
“You have a point. Why are you always so stubborn?” Trip needed to make her sit down. He couldn’t physically force her and she knew he wouldn’t do that here anyway.
He knew what he needed to do,. “We are on Vulcan and according to your law, as your husband, I can order you to sit down.”
“You cannot.”
“I can ask the members of the High Council. I’m sure they’d be happy to explain the law to me.”
“You would not do that.”
“Try me.” T’Pol stood there. Trip started to speak, “Excuse me again I …”
“Trip.”
Then he heard someone use his rank. When he turned there was a Vulcan males, who had been standing to the side of council members, handing him a tall stool. Trip took it and put it where the chair had been.
“Now will you sit.” T’Pol looked at the stool, then sat on it.
Trip looked back up the T’Pau. “I’m sorry for the interruption.” Trip caught the amusement in Soval’s eyes.
T’Pau began. Commander Tucker and Lady T’Pol it has come to our attention that you are bondmates. Trip said ‘yes’. “
“Lady T’Pol you have made your mate aware of your family history?”
“Yes.”
“Lady T’Pol, as the last of your family line you now have a responsibility to Vulcan.”
“I am aware that there are those who expect me to return to Vulcan.”
“Yes, that would be best for all concerned. Your recent injury is proof that it is not safe for you to remain at your current posting.”
“My commission is as a Starfleet officer subject to the rules and regulations of Earth, not Vulcan.”
“Your duty is to Vulcan.”
“My duty is to Vulcan, but it is also to my bondmate.”
“Does your bondmate wish you not to return to Vulcan.”
Trip was irritated. “Why don’t you ask the bondmate? I’m standing right here.”
“Commander Tucker have you told Lady T’Pol you do not want her to return to Vulcan?”
“No, I have not. We have not seriously discussed what the future holds for us.”
“The High Council feels Lady T’Pol’s safety is of the utmost importance and that she is not safe on Enterprise.”
“That is a decision she and I will make together.”
“The High Council can ask Starfleet to remove her from Enterprise or we could inform them of your marriage.”
Trip was angry now. “I will tell you right now if you do anything to try to force us to do what you want we will never come to Vulcan. We may decide to live on Vulcan at some point, but I honestly don’t see that happening in the near future. “
“Will you live on Earth?”
“We want to stay on Enterprise for now. It looks like we’re going to end up at war with the Romulans soon. If that happens we will have to make a decision . All I know is that right now if we were to go to war I would probably resign form Starfleet and find some other way to be of service. I have no desire to be a soldier again.”
“So you have no real plan. If Starfleet were to discover your relationship, wouldn’t they transfer one of you to another ship?’
“They would probably try, but our bond won’t allow us to be separated, so if they insisted we would both resign and go from there. I know that Enterprise, in fact no starship, is totally safe, but we have done everything possible to keep ourselves safe. We have cooperated with your security personnel and I have no problem with them protecting us in the future. The only problem would be explaining to Starfleet why you have such an interest in protecting us?”
“Do you plan on having children?’
Trip looked at T’Pol. “Yes., if possible”
”If you were to have a child it would need to be raised on Vulcan.”
“What?” Trip looked at T’Pol. He’d expected T’Pol to say something, but she didn’t.
“As descendants of Surak your children would need to be protected and educated here, whether the parents were here or not.”
“You’re saying that if we choose not to live here, you expect us to send our child to be raised here?”
“Yes. We would insist.”
“Are you people nuts? You think we would have a child and send that child to live away from us?”
‘That or you could all live on Vulcan.”
“There is no way a child of ours would come to live here without us and we will not come to live on Vulcan simply because we have a child. My wife and I will decide where we will live and if we have a child they will live wherever we decide to live. I refuse to discuss this anymore.”
“Lady T’Pol knows her duty as a Vulcan.”
“I’m telling you right now, as the head of this family, according to your Vulcan law my wife has a duty to me, her bondmate, and I have a duty to her as her bondmate and we will honor that.”
“Lady T’Pol you agree with Commander Tucker?”
Trip turned to T’Pol. Something was very wrong. She was ramrod straight, her eyes were locked at some point over the heads of the High Council, her hands were colors Trip had never seen on her skin before and she was grasping the seat of that stool so tight he was sure the imprint of her hand would be left there.
“T’Pol.” Nothing. Trip started to feel her emotions banging away in her mind and knew she was exerting everything she had to maintain what little control she had left. Anger, fear, desperation, and Elizabeth. They had threatened to take away her child. He had to get her out of here and now. He began frantically looking for somewhere to go.
“T’Pol, I need you to stay right here, I’ll be right back.” He didn’t know if she heard him or not, but he had to find Malcolm. He started for the door while pointing up at the council members, “No one comes near her.”
Trip shouted for Malcolm in the hallway.
“Commander.”
“Lieutenant I need a candle and some privacy now. When you’ve located them come into the Council chambers and get us.”
“Commander, they won’t let me in there.”
Trip looked directly at the guards standing at either side of the entrance to the chamber. “Lieutenant, when you have found what I need you come get me and if anyone tries to stop you shoot them, is that clear?”
“Yes, sir.” Malcolm started opening doors down the hallway, while Trip went back to T’Pol.
T’Pol hadn’t moved and Trip could feel her control starting to slip farther. He stood right in front of her with his hands held tightly behind his back, so he wouldn’t reach out and touch her. He began whispering near her ear. “T’Pol darlin, I need you to stand. We need to get you out of here and I don’t want to break my promise about not touching in public, I know it would only make this worse for you.”
Malcolm came through the doors motioning Trip to come with him. Trip had Malcolm come over to where they were. He put his finger to his lip asking him to be quiet. “T’Pol, I need you to get up and follow Malcolm. I’ll be right beside you.” He wished he could touch her. Her hands relaxed some, but she didn’t move. “Darlin, you can do this, just stand up.” She clasped her hands behind her back like she always did. Trip went up behind her and touched his two fingers to hers. He felt her relax a little. “Come on T’Pol let’s get the hell out of here.”
Glaring at the High Council he said, “We’re done, let me know when to come back tomorrow to discuss Coridan.”
She stood up and began to walk towards Malcolm, who took them to a room down the hall that looked like it was a place for meditation. When they went in Trip positioned Malcolm outside the door, “No one comes in here.”
Trip sat T’Pol down on a cushion, lit some candles, sat behind her, moved her so she was leaning into his chest, and started telling her to breathe. It took several attempts, but they finally arrived at her white room. Her emotions were intense. Trip kept telling her to let him help her. When she put her shields down and let him take on some of her emotions it was painful. He’d never felt pain like this. It kept coming. How do Vulcans keep these emotions down, the intensity was overwhelming. Trip had experienced anger and despair when Lizzie died and when Elizabeth died, but not like this. There was no logic, only chaos, darkness, and pain. He had no sense of how long this went on, but it finally slowed and he could feel her taking back her emotions and establishing her control again.
“T’Pol, how are you?”
“Better.”
“I’m sorry I got so angry at T’Pau that I wasn’t paying enough attention to you.”
“Do not apologize T’hy’la, I had all my shields up.”
“I thought we agreed we wouldn’t shield each other out anymore?”
“It was not you I was shielding out. It was the High Council. My emotions became too strong and they would have been able to sense them.”
“You were upset because they said they would take our children?”
“Yes, we have lost two children and I do not think we would survive another loss.”
“There is no way anyone is going to take a child from us, no way. I don’t care who they are.”
“I have not been meditating like I should. I know this now that I have meditated. Trip, I overreacted and lost control.”
“No you didn’t. I can’t believe they honestly believe we would allow them to raise our child.”
“I am tired and hungry, can we go back to our room?”
“Yeah, let’s go. We can deal with this mess later.”
“There is no mess to deal with, we will simply ignore them.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
When they got back to their room Malcolm and a couple of the Maco stayed outside their door. Trip and T’Pol ate and she laid down and went to sleep. Trip was angry again. Once T’Pol was okay he began replaying the whole scene in his head. He left their room and went downstairs to the dining room with Malcolm right behind him. Malcolm found a table in the back corner where he could see everyone in the place and all the exits and maneuvered Trip there.
When Trip sat down, Malcolm could see how angry and how exhausted he was. Trip dropped his head into his hands. “Thanks Mal for your help today.”
“No problem. Is T’Pol alright?”
“She will be. I should have been paying more attention to her.“
“What happened in there that would make T’Pol lose it like that?”
“I wish I could talk about it, but there are things that Vulcans consider very intimate and private and I have to honor that.”
“I understand, I guess.”
“God, my head hurts.” Trip said as he began pushing with his thumbs around his eyes.
The waiter came to the table and Trip asked for a drink, he didn’t ask for a specific drink, as he had no idea what kind of drink he could get here, so he just asked for it to be something strong , as he moved his hands and massaged the sides of his head.
“It’s your bond again isn’t it? Things like this are why I wouldn’t want to be bonded to anyone.”
“That’s wrong. It’s times like this that I’m most grateful I’m in T’Pol’s head. She’s a strong, independent woman and she always tries to keep things like this from me because she thinks she’s protecting me. She doesn’t understand that it’s worse when I know something is wrong, but have no idea what it is or how to help her. You and T’Pol are a lot alike, in that respect.” Trip hesitated and continued, “There are some really great things about this bond, the things you feel, and you have no idea.”
“So you have really great sex.”
“The sex is great, but it’s about more than that. I really don’t have words to describe it. It just makes all the good things so much better.”
“There’s something I’m confused about. You said when you completed this bond you each shared all your memories?”
“Yeah, we did” I saw her from her childhood till now and she saw me.”
“Then why talk so much about the past. You two talk about memories all the time. What’s the point if you already know.”
“It’s not the same. I can see any memory of hers I want and feel emotions with that memory, but only the very strong emotions. There are so many subtle feelings you don’t get and it doesn’t fill in all the effect it had on who she is and what she believes. That you only get by talking to her and sensing all that she feels and not necessarily just through our bond.”
The waiter returned and sat a drink in front of Trip. He took a sip. It tasted like fruit juice. He raised his glass towards Malcolm. “Here’s to hoping the rest of our time here goes better than today,” then he took a rather large sip.
They continued to talk and Trip drank. Malcolm realized he was having a hard time holding his head up. He was going to pass out very soon. Malcolm picked up his drink and looked into the glass, “Hell of a drink. I’ll have to ask what was in here.” As he stood up he saw Soval standing next to the table.
“It is a blend of herbal tinctures and fruit juice.”
“You told them what to give him, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did. The Commanders had a very difficult day. I could not prevent what happened, but I can ensure that they do not suffer any ill effects because of it. They have both suffered enough.”
“So he just needs to sleep this off?”
“He is not inebriated, he has simply given in to his exhaustion. He will wake in the morning and feel rested and content.”
“I thought coming to Vulcan would be a good thing. I don’t know what happened, but I’m sure the members of the High Council weren’t happy with him today.”
“No one in that room will hold anything he said or did against him. He simply did what he had to and took care of his bondmate. There is no Vulcan who does not understand that. As for the rest I think the High Council seriously underestimated Commander Tucker because he is human.”
“I think Commander Tucker has been guilty of underestimating himself. He’s always thought T’Pol was the strong one, but he is just as strong.”
“Yes, if he were not he would not have survived the last several years.”
Malcolm pulled Trip up out of his chair and put his arm around him to hold him up and started to leave.
“Lieutenant Reed, tell Commander Tucker that I will send him the time, in the morning, for his meeting with the High Council about the Coridan agreement. Good Night.”
Malcolm finally got Trip to his room. He took him in and sat him on the side of the bed. He felt a little awkward with T’Pol asleep across the bed, but it couldn’t be helped. Trip kept trying to use one foot to get the shoe off the other, but kept missing. Malcolm held him up by the front of his uniform and took his shoes off. He tried to help Trip unzip his uniform, but Trip couldn’t seem to hold onto the zipper. Malcolm finally unzipped it and slipped it off to his waist. He started to take his shirt off, but decided there was no way to hold him up and pull the shirt over his head, so he swung him around and laid him on the bed.. After he pulled off his socks and uniform he found a blanket and threw it over him. As he turned out the light he saw Trip move over next to T’Pol, who placed her head on his shoulder and let out a sigh. Malcolm left and closed the door.
Trip woke up, opened his eyes, and tried to remember how he got to his room. He had been with Malcolm, they were talking downstairs, and then he woke up next to T’Pol. He felt good, but his head felt a little foggy. He could sense T’Pol and her thoughts seemed clear to him, but not his own. He’d talked to Soval last night or did he? That drink he had must have wiped him out, but if that were true this was the first time he’d ever gotten that hammered and woke up with no hangover. In fact he felt really good.
T’Pol woke up and they decided to dress and get some breakfast. Trip told her he didn’t want her to go near the Council chambers again. There was no reason for her to attend his meetings with the High Council. She was free to listen in and comment through their bond, but he didn’t want them to have any opportunity for a repeat of the previous day. T’Pol agreed and spent that day at the Human sector with Hoshi.
When Trip got to the Council chambers T’Pau asked if T’Pol would be joining them. Trip informed her that Lady T’Pol would not be back for any more meetings. T’Pau said the matter would need to be resolved. Trip told her there was nothing to resolve.
T’Pau talked about the agreements that had been made aboard Enterprise and asked some questions of Soval and Trip. They talked about the incident on Andor and she updated them on the progress made in the investigation. Not much really, except that they may have found a stronger connection to the Romulans. The information they were pursuing seemed to indicate that the Romulans had used the Orions, desire to stop the them, to disrupt the negotiations with Coridan because they wanted to prevent them from providing dilithium to the planets in the Coalition. Dilithium would be needed by them all for their warp engines. They talked about the agreement Trip had just signed with Andor and his proposal to have tactical officers from each planet. The Vulcans were agreeing to four ships and the tactical officer, but they also wanted to launch observation satellites around Andor, Vulcan, and Coridan. They offered to provide the satellites outright, and to also see that each planet had the necessary equipment to monitor their own space with the satellites. Trip knew that they were preparing for the coming war with Romulus. Aiding Andor meant Vulcan would be protected and that was what mattered. The details were being worked out with the Andorian Empire and the Coridans. Andor wanted some assurance that the Vulcans were not going to use the satellites to spy on them again. Trip was to return the day after tomorrow to sign the agreement. On his way out Soval told him he wanted to speak to him on a personal matter, but not at the Council chambers. They agreed to meet at Trip and T’Pol’s room for dinner.
Soval sat watching them move the items from the serving cart to the table. They worked very well together. Soval was glad to see the events of the previous day had been forgotten, at least for now. Trip and T’Pol sat down and once each had their meal on their plates Trip started talking.
“Soval, we need to know whatever it is you are up to. You asked me to keep things to myself and I agreed, but if I’m going to have to continue to lie to Captain Archer and keep things from Lieutenant Reed than I would like to know why?”
“That is what I wish to speak to you about. You told the High Council that you do not wish to be a soldier and would resign from Starfleet if we went to war. Is that true and do you agree with this choice Lady T’Pol?”
T’Pol nodded her head yes and Trip answered. “I meant what I said. T’Pol knows how I feel. We’ve both seen enough death, and while I would kill to protect my friends and family , I’m just not up to going out and looking for a fight anymore.”
“So you would want to find a different way to support the war?”
“Yeah, we both have skills that could be useful in a war. “
“Do you want to stay out in space or be on a planet?”
Trip looked at T’Pol. “We both want to be out in space for as long as possible. Why all the questions?”
“There are several possibilities available, which I am not able to discuss right now, but would you consider any opportunities I might be able to arrange for you.”
T’Pol asked . “Is that why you have been presenting Trip with opportunities to learn?”
“Yes. I did not know you were bonded when I decided he was the perfect choice for a project I began working on with Admiral Forest. It was all very informal and he never made an official Starfleet report. I cannot give you any specific details I can only say that what I have in mind would now involve both of you. You Mr. Tucker would be able to use your engineering skills, but you would also need your newly acquired diplomatic skills, and you would have the ability to explore out in space. T’Pol you would assist him, as well as, use your science background and administrative skills. You would not be on the front line, so to speak, but you would be supporting the war and safety would still be an issue. Would you be interested in discussing this when the time is right?”
They both said. “We would.”
Trip added. “Soval we know being out in space isn’t always safe. Enterprise explored the first year out and look at all the trouble we managed to get into. I also know that if we were to go to visit some of those places we went to before for the first time now, the experience would be a whole lot different. We’ve not the same people we were when we started.”
“No, you are not. Are you prepared for tomorrow?”
Trip laughed. “We’re already married, this is just a formality to make it legal. The only part I don’t know about is some priest being in my mind.”
“The priest will only be there to confirm that there is a bond. He will not have access to any part of your mind you do not allow him to have. You have the ability to block him out, I have seen you in stressful situations and your control is as good as any Vulcan. ”
“Well thanks, Soval. I was a little worried about coming here with all these telepaths. It’s a little frightening to think people walking down the street can read your mind.”
“I have several duties to see to yet this evening, so I will see you tomorrow. Is Ensign Sato on Enterprise? I had heard she was here today with you Lady T’Pol.”
“She is back on Enterprise. I left her at the shuttlepod after we finished lunch today.”
“The shuttle will pick her up there in the morning. The arrangements have been made for you to go to your house after the ceremony. A shuttle will pick up there to return you for your meeting with the High Council.”
“Can you have the shuttle drop me off for my meeting and then take T’Pol to Enterprise? We have decided it’s best for her to stay away from the Council. “
“I will let the pilot know.”
“Thanks for everything, Soval.”
Trip wrapped his arms around T’Pol, “Well, wife will this wedding feel as special as the first one?”
“In a different way, yes.”
“I just want this one to totally once and for all wipe out the picture of that first wedding of yours. Once we are done here and our marriage is recognized as legal, I have to figure out how to tell my parents. Explaining a marriage because we are bonded may be more than my Mom can handle. She’ll be upset that I got married without my family there, but eventually she’ll get over it.”
“Will a Vulcan marriage be valid on Earth?”
“It should be. If two Vulcans live on Earth their marriage is recognized..”
“Do alien spouses of Earth citizens become citizens when they marry?”
“I don’t know I guess I need to check on that. Do you want to be a citizen of Earth?”
“Yes, if we were to have children I would want them to be citizens of Earth and Vulcan.”
“So would I. I’ll ask Hoshi about that. I’m sure if she doesn’t know she will know how to find out. For today though I just want to think about this wedding.”
The next day, they arrived at Mt. Seleya. Trip and T’Pol each took their robes and went to change. Trip came out and walked over to where Hoshi and Malcolm were waiting. He showed them where to stand and explained what would happen. Soval entered bowing his head at Trip and stood nearby. The priest arrived and motioned for Trip to come stand by him. A young man handed Trip a mallet and Trip hit the gong once. He handed the mallet back and stood with his head bowed. The young man handed him the mallet again. Trip again struck the gong and T’Pol entered from across the room. Trip laid the mallet on the floor to his right and waited. T’Pol reached her position directly in front of him and held out her fingers for him to touch. They closed their eyes for a few seconds, moved their hands back. They both knelt down looking into each other’s eyes. The priest spoke.
“This is the Vulcan heart, this is the Vulcan soul. “
He then reached down and touched Trip’s face. Trip felt him enter his mind, he was startled at first then he relaxed and let him in. The priest then reached down and touched T’Pol’s face. Trip felt when the priest entered her mind. She relaxed and let him in.
“This bond is strong and true. As it was in the beginning “ He then broke the meld.
“Charles Tucker III , son of Charles, son of Katherine, …T’Pol daughter of Sarvek, daughter of T’Les., Thee are wed.”
Trip’s face lit up. He wanted to take her in his arms, but he resisted. He had promised her he would not touch her in public, except in the accepted fashion of touching their fingers. So he extended his fingers to her again and they both stood up.
They each bowed to the priest then walked over to speak to their guest. Soval congratulated them and said he would speak to them later and left. Trip swore he saw a smile cross his face for the briefest of seconds. Hoshi asked about the ceremony and the lack of vows. T’Pol explained that they had already exchanged the vows privately when they completed the bond, so the priest just needed to confirm the bonds existence for the marriage to be official.
The couple changed out their robes into clothes they had brought and then they all went on their tour through the monastery. They looked at the various statues and artifacts throughout the building. T’Pol explained that many of the figures were representative of the gods her people had believed in. In fact she said some still believed in them and insisted they also followed the path of Surak. T’Pol said she did not understand how this could be true because logic dictates that beliefs or facts must be provable and proving the existence of a god was not based on logic.
Hoshi spoke to one of the priests about the books she would like copies of and while he could not give her actual books he said he could see to it that she was provided access to them in the Vulcan database. The two hours were long since past when Trip and T’Pol boarded their shuttle, and left Malcolm and Hoshi free for the rest of the day on Vulcan. Just before they left Trip had asked them to consider coming to his parent’s home in Florida, for their two weeks of shore leave.
When the shuttle landed at the house Trip checked through the bond to see if he should stay back and let T’Pol go into the house alone or go with her. He went over to the little garden area and sat down to meditate. The Fire Plains were before him. He had almost convinced himself he could feel the heat when he felt T’Pol wrap her arms around his waist. She rested her chin on his shoulder pulled him closer, and they stood there for the longest time not saying a word.
They returned from their meditation to the garden and went to pick some fruit and vegetables. A young woman approached T’Pol from the back of the house. Trip listened through the bond. When they went into the house Trip asked her about what she had said.
“Darlin, why did you tell her it was not necessary to do the repairs in the house and that once we left she should make the house ready to be vacant for a long period of time? You don’t want to come back here do you?”
“No, I now know that I do not wish for us to live on Vulcan.”
“Is it because of what happened the other day with the High Council?”
“Yes, they expect me to follow what they want and they would insist on dictating my life and if we were to have children they would want control of them, as well. I am proud to be Vulcan and I would want any children we might have to be taught to be proud of Vulcan and our culture, but our children would be half Human and they will be taught to be proud of that culture also. I fear the High Council would try to prevent us from instilling any pride in anything that was not Vulcan and I will not risk our children’s future that way.”
“If that’s what you want then that’s fine with me. So we won’t settle down here or on Earth. Sounds like some part of a plan to me. Maybe we should mention that to Soval, so he can take it into consideration while he works on his plan for our future. Is there anything you’d like to have from this house.?
“Yes, I will put what I want in a crate and take it with us. I would also like to make arrangements to have my mother’s garden room packed up and moved wherever we end up.” She knew Trip liked that room. Her mother had spent years working on the miniature gardens in that room and T’Pol wanted to have a small piece of her mother with her.
“I’d like that. Will it be taken care of until then.”
“Yes. The family who lives in the house at the back of the property act as caretakers and will maintain it.”
T’Pol began cleaning the vegetables from the garden to prepare dinner. Trip had convinced to let him make soup. He explained that he loved to cook, he just didn’t like to follow recipes. He could make a dish several times and it never tasted the same way twice. He started going through the cupboards and she told him what each item was and what it tasted like. If he thought it might work in their soup he tasted it. Once he found the spices he needed, he put some water in the pan and added the vegetables. She didn’t know he liked to cook, although he did talk often of his mother making many dishes when he was a kid. T’Pol decided to make a fruit salad with the fruit they had picked while she watched him look for bowls and spoons, stopping every now and then to taste the soup to make sure it was the way he wanted it to be. He hadn’t worn gloves and he was dipping a spoon into the pan repeatedly to taste it and she realized that would have been unacceptable not that long ago, but now it seemed unimportant. Her husband was making her dinner and enjoying himself immensely.
They finished dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. Trip took T’Pol in his arms and kissed her, she responded immediately. He took her hand and led her into the bathroom off what had been her mother’s room. There was a bathtub. He turned the water on.
“You told me once you liked bubble baths.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I haven’t taken one since I was a kid, but I seem to remember I liked them, so find whatever bubble bath you want and put it in here.”
T’Pol looked through the cabinets and found the one she liked. It smelled almost like a smoky cinnamon. While the tub finished filling they found towels and then removed each others clothing, and climbed into the water. “I seem to remember telling my wife that we would find a way to satisfy our needs this evening.”
“I remember that also.”
“I don’t think we need to rely on the database. I propose we soak in the tub for a while and then we move to the bed and do what comes naturally. You do whatever you feel comfortable doing and I’ll do the same. We tell each other if we don’t like something. You just have to promise to stop if you feel any pain. “
“I think I like your proposal. Let’s begin.” She turned to face him and pulled herself onto his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck and started kissing him with all the pent up passion she’d held onto since she’d been shot.
T’Pol woke up and went to prepare breakfast. Trip was still asleep. They had gotten maybe four hours of sleep on and off all night. When Trip woke up he knew she was in the kitchen. He wondered where he’d ever gotten the idea that Vulcans were prudes. For the first time in his life he’d simply explored a woman’s body from head to toe and without prompting from her or the bond found what brought her pleasure and allowed her to do the same for him.
Tags: Fanfic, Star Trek Enterprise Fanfic, Stories, Trip and T'Pol Shippers
psdunc.wordpress.com 
Leave a comment