Lone Wolf- pt. 6

Lone Wolf

Part Six

By Aquila

Rating: NC-17
Warning: Spoilers, Alternate Universe
Disclaimer: Paramount owns the Trek universe
Summary: A sequel to The T’Key

==

“I’m new to this, Honey.”

T’Pol jumped. His statement came from within and from without, slightly out of sync as the brain processed the thought first, sending the message to his mouth a nanosecond later.

Trip opened his mouth, then clamped down, squeezing his eyes shut at the same time. Hey Darlin’, maybe if I don’t look at you, I’ll remember to think rather than speak. His thought was warm and tender spiced with the confusion he had so recently projected.

Charles, she responded silently, I cannot expect you to understand or execute the nuances of thought communication in a few hours. Vulcans spend a lifetime honing the skill. By the time a Vulcan enters into a marriage bond, he or she would have sixty years of experience.

Trip could not resist asking. Does that mean you are in your sixties, T’Pol? She frowned at him in reply. T’Pol, I’m your husband. You can tell me. She changed the subject and their method of conversation.

“Commander Tucker, what circumstances are we facing?”

“Sub-commander.” Trip passed the discarded clothes to her, before beginning to dress himself. “The Xin’di contingent on this planet want me to believe they are freedom loving rebels. They claim to have escaped their home world, establishing a base of operations here.”

“But you do not believe them.” T’Pol pulled on a boot.

The shirt he pulled over his head muffled his reply. “I don’t believe ‘em at all.” He was wearing a grin when his head emerged, the look of the hunter in his eyes.

“During our bonding I uncovered some of your speculations. Please expand.” T’Pol pulled on her other boot, then stood, smoothing her uniform with her hands.

Trip watched with pleasure, recalling the feel of his hands on her skin and her response to his touch. She was so alive. The thought that Lizzie was dead pushed the joy from his mind. T’Pol felt the change. She refrained from examining his hate more closely. She was afraid where that might lead.

“Charles? How much intelligence have they gathered about us?”

Her question was devoid of emotion. She was an automaton gathering information. She did not want to ignite the anger in her volatile husband.

“They’ve scanned the pod, so they know our metallurgical capabilities. I dumped the memory core as I entered the atmosphere, so they don’t get any data.” His answer was matter of fact, as if he were reporting the planetary weather conditions.

“How were you planning to return to Enterprise?” T’Pol steeled herself for the answer.

“I didn’t think I would be welcome to return.” Trip sighed. “I still don’t.”

==

Archer loathed waiting. Their last communication from T’Pol had confirmed that she had found the shuttle pod, but had as yet, not found Trip. That was 5.45 hours ago. They had agreed to regular transmissions every six hours. He needed a distraction, or the next fifteen minutes would never end.

Hoshi interrupted his reverie. “Incoming message from T’Pol, sir. It’s for your eyes only.”

Fifteen minutes early? For my eyes only? Archer clenched his jaw. “I’ll take it in my ready room.”

Jonathan switched off the console. He leaned back in his chair, his hands behind his head. If T’Pol and Trip succeeded in their plan to steal the Xin’di communication software and hardware, it would be as significant an action as the Allies acquiring the Enigma machine in WWII. Lives would be saved. Their mission might be shortened. It would be their first big break.

T’Pol had the authority to act without his permission. So why did she send the request? Why were they waiting for his permission to proceed? Yes, he needed to know the nature of their plan, as he would have to send Travis to collect them at the mission end. But that was a given, just a short message with coordinates and a time was all the communication required. There was something else? Something she would not – or - was it could not – communicate directly. Archer switched the console on and pushed play.

==

The calm that followed their bonding was a revelation to T’Pol. Her people had been writing poetry about it for millennia. She had scoffed at the sentiments, putting it down to poetic license. Their metaphors and similes paled in comparison to the reality. Meditation would be a poor substitute for his presence. She wondered what her Human felt?

The only time she had seen him truly calm was in sleep, but that was a physical calm. His mind still swirled and tumbled with dreams. His mind fascinated her. She looked with anticipation to the time when she could explore it at her leisure.

Trip was engulfed by a feeling of joy that pushed doubt and his hatred for the Xin’di to the farthest corner of his mind. He had forgotten how good joy felt. In that moment life became bittersweet. T’Pol had given him something to live for. The Xin’di - something to die for. Which path would he choose?

The chirps that indicated an incoming message directed their attention to more immediate matters.

“Coordinates received. Travis will be at the LZ to collect the two of you in three hours. Trip? I checked the regulations. There wasn’t one mention of keel hauling. Hurry home. Archer out.”

T’Pol floated on the calm of their bond. The choice was his. She could do nothing more. She waited, her eyes closed, her mind disengaged from his, but open should he wish to communicate. One, two, three minutes passed, until she felt a tentative touch, like a tickle. She floated. The tickle grew heavier and heavier, until her mind was surrounded by his presence, which was like the thrum of his engines, a constant that one missed when they were off line.

I choose to live, T’Pol.

The End

********

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A handful of people have made comments

This whole series was absolutely wonderful! I was afraid at first of where you were taking our fair-haired engineer but T'Pol pulled him through! Thank you for this. You truly have a gift with words!

Oh this was well told.... the finally paragraph and statement! YES! YES! YES!!!

I adored this part so much, especially at the end where Trip decides to live! Oh, my little heart went pit-a-pat and there is this huge big smile on my face. See that? You did that! Many thanks. I can't wait for the next part, this is such a good story. Well done! Ali D :~)
Dancing about like a seven year old - oh, I *am* a seven year old... (In doggy years)

Oh, a lovely ending, thank God. for a while I was nearly afraid to read your story, in case you did something awful to OMT, but thank you for having T'Pol pull him back from the brink of self-destruction in his grief.
All in all, a very well written piece. Thanks.

WOW!!! I can't help but scream YESS!! at the end of this one. Perfrect ending to a great story!