Seek First...- Pt. 4

Seek First to Understand

Part Four

by Aquila

Rating: R
Category: Angst
Disclaimer: Thank you Berman and Braga for creating Trip Tucker. Thank you Connor Trinneer giving him life. Paramount do you own their souls too?
Summary: Spoilers, Alternate Universe, The effect of the Expanse on Trip, T’Pol and their professional relationship. Part Four is told from Trip’s point of view.

==

Later that evening

She was quick to agree with dousing the fire. That’s one of the great things about T’Pol, when she sees the logic in a suggestion she supports it immediately, no time wasting debates or reviews.

The night was warm, the sky was clear. A good night for camping under the stars, so I packed up the tent. Ostensibly to facilitate our get away, or so I told her, before she could remind me that this was not a rest and recreation excursion.

Damn it, I knew as well as she that we were waiting for the sun rise and the possibility of attack. Or were we?

There was something about that machine that set every engineering instinct I had on alert. Dang I wish I could put my finger on it, but memories of T’Pol’s hands on my body keep getting in the way. That was a pleasurable puzzle – surprising as it was – that needed examination, but we were in the middle of situation that called for ice water in my veins, not raging hormones.

Then it hit me. “T’Pol, I think we’ve been set up.”

“Explain.”

“Somethin’ about that contraption has been botherin’ me.”

I spun around, crossed my legs and leaned across the fire pit. She drew back a bit, signaling that my intensity level was overwhelming her. Well too bad, Sub commander, we’re fighting a merciless enemy. There’s no time for niceties.

“Ya know I can make anything work given enough time?”

She surprised me with her support. “You did not have enough time to make the device work, before it was destroyed.”

“There wasn’t enough time in this or any other universe to fix that thing.”

I watched the moonlight play across her face, examining my conclusion for flaws.

I continued, “That thing had no other purpose than to lure Enterprise into staying in one spot long enough for the Xindi to attack.”

“But the Enterprise did not linger,” she reminded me.

So I reminded her that “Sometimes victory goes to the side with the most horseshoes in its pockets.”

Vulcans weren’t great believers in dumb luck. We, humans, had a long history of battles one because Lady Luck backed our hand.

“Perhaps our attackers were a scouting party out to confirm the success of their trap? Is it possible that their mission parameters were identical to ours?”

Good question I conceded.

“They weren’t trying to destroy Enterprise, but capture some personnel for intelligence purposes? My gut says no.” I frowned, “They are pre-emptive strikers, who do not believe in negotiation.”

The lady surprised me again. “We will act on the reaction of your intestinal tract.”

==

An hour later

“That’s the last one.”

I was tired. I hoped she didn’t notice, but then she tossed me a sleeping bag, and ordered me to go to sleep.

I didn’t protest.

==

At this moment

“You bastards!”

I yell out then flop like a hooked fish on a dry dock. I mumble to cover my discomfort, because having woken myself up; I find that T’Pol is hovering over me. I will myself to lie still and regard her through my eyelashes. I can relax. She appears reassured and returns to her pallet.

The light from the scanner illuminates her face. I watch for a sign that she has detected the enemy. When she settles back against the bulkhead I know we are safe for another fifteen minutes.

That damn dream. I am afraid to go back to sleep in case it returns. So I lie awake and fantasize about T’Pol. In the past twenty-four hours she given me plenty of fuel for my imagination.

End of Part Four

Continue to Part 5

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Half a dozen of you have made comments

Ya have a good story going here. I like reading each scene from each characters view point.

I of course especially liked, no loved, the massage scene.

T'Pol's understanding of Tripisms is quite fun.

You really must continue and do so at a faster pace for the hungry fic readers... especially those of the TNT variety.

Very, very elegant! I love the parallelism, and the turns of phrase that T & T both use, yet make their own. Plus, it's a very plausible storyline for season 3 (I love "reality"), and the best character interaction I've read yet! Love it! Go write more! (I'll send m&ms!)

Wow, I hasten to say this chapter was even better than the other two.. Hmm.. Yeah I really like them. they are really fun!

I am really enjoying this and can't wait to see if they really have been set up or not. Good writing as ever, thank you so much for a great story! Ali D :~)

Now you're talkin'! This is a wonderful story - very thoughtful and well laid out. Can't wait to read more of this!

Excellent story...you've got me hooked and waiting anxiously for the next chapters!