Father to the Man - Part 4

Father to the Man

By Blackn’blue

Disclaimer: I don’t own Star Trek. I wrote this for fun.

Note: Vulcan terms used in this story were stolen wholesale either from the Vulcan Language Dictionary at , or the novel Spock's World. Either that, or I made them up myself.

A/N: Never will I yield! Political incorrectness is my birthright!

Genre: Drama/Angst

Rating: PG

Description: This is the third story in my series that began with “For Want of A Nail” and continued with “In the Cold of the Night”. I suggest reading those before tackling this one. Otherwise many of the references won’t make any sense.

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Part 4:

Koss bowed his head over his cup of tea in resignation. “I understand, Mother. You were trying to help. If the letter had worked it would certainly have expedited things, just as you intended.”

V'Rald scowled at his sister-in-law. “It would have simplified matters had you bothered to inform someone else in the family of this letter, L'Sira.” He got up from his desk and paced over to the window. The view from his tenth story office was majestic. The entire city of Shi'kahr spread out before him, an elegantly logical arrangement of streets, buildings and parks all exquisitely planned for aesthetic balance.

L'Sira bristled and leaned forward in her chair. “Betrothal arrangements are the responsibility of the parents, V'Rald. There is no custom that requires notifying the rest of the family when sending a letter to my son's intended wife.”

V'Rald smoldered. Upon her husband's death, L'Sira had assumed control of his property. Among other things this included several critical manufacturing facilities. It was not feasible to simply have her removed. That would leave the factories in direct control of Koss and the boy was, if such be possible, an even greater fool than his mother. With no son of his own V'Rald had been compelled to designate Koss as his heir. The whole situation left V'Rald spending a significant amount of his lifespan cleaning up behind them.

“It is, however, customary to notify the rest of the family,” V'Rald bit out the words, “when formally severing a betrothal. Which is what your letter amounted to.”

“How was I to know that the girl was going to show it to anyone?” L'Sira protested indignantly. V'Rald closed his eyes in real pain. “One does not ordinarily go around proudly displaying evidence of one's dishonorable failure to live up to one's obligations.”

V'Rald held tightly to his patience. “Did it not occur to you that even a Human starship crew would be competent enough to intercept clandestine messages beamed to their ship? Why did you not simply send it through normal channels? That way none of the Humans would have bothered with it. Only the fact that it was encrypted caught their attention in the first place.”

“I still don't believe that they actually intercepted it themselves Uncle,” Koss objected. “Vanik would have been careful to mask it with another signal. And even if they did, it would have been impossible for them to decrypt the message without T'Pol's assistance. She must have deliberately showed it to Tucker. Beyond any doubt, they were lovers even then. Why else would she have refused me?”

V'Rald shot him a disgusted look. “You are making the supremely foolish mistake of underestimating your opponent Koss. Humans have been using complex cryptography in their wars for centuries. And Archer, the captain of of the ship that T'Pol served aboard, is suspicious of Vulcans to the point of paranoia. He would certainly have ordered his communications officer to monitor all transmissions from the Ti'Mur very closely.”

For the rest of it, privately V'Rald considered that refusing Koss merely proved the girl's intelligence. Both of his daughter's husbands already bore obligations for their own clans that required significant time commitments. Otherwise V'Rald would long since have washed his hands of his brother's mate and her offspring.

“They can prove nothing,” Koss dissembled quickly, masking his discomfort and pouring himself and his mother another cup of tea. “All they have is the unsupported word of some Humans. T'Pol is involved as a principle, therefore her testimony is automatically suspect. It is her word against mine. Without the actual letter anything else they say is irrelevant.”

V'Rald stared. Could it be possible that the boy was truly this stupid? Yes. It was. No matter. “The situation cannot be resolved through direct confrontation,” V'Rald pronounced. “If it progresses that far we have already lost. The fact that the questions have even been raised is already damaging us. We must either discredit Tucker, or refocus his attention away from this matter. Since he waited this long to seek revenge against Koss, it is probably not a high priority to him. We should be able to find some way to deflect him.”

“Why do you care about this Human?” L'Sira waved a hand dismissively. “Aside from being married to T'Pol, what relevance can he have?”

V'Rald seriously considered appointing a trustee to oversee his holdings until his grandsons came of age. That way he could rid himself of them both and have some peace in his life.

“Wife of my departed brother,” V'Rald said condescendingly, “I will attempt to explain this in simple terms. First of all, the High Council credits this Human with almost single handedly preventing war between our people and the Andorians. In addition, his oldest and closest friend is Jonathon Archer, the Human who rumors tell was chosen by Syran himself to bear the katra of Surak across the Forge to the Sanctuary so that the Kirshara could be found. Do you begin to understand now?”

“Ridiculous,” L'Sira snapped defensively. “The very idea that Surak's katra could be-”

“Ridiculous it may be,” V'Rald talked over her. “But the facts remain that the Kirshara was found, V'Las was overthrown, and the new High Council values Archer highly. In addition, the High Council wishes to tighten the alliance with Earth in order to preempt the Andorians. And Tucker, indeed also T'Pol and every other member of the Enterprise crew who went into the Expanse, are revered by the Humans as heroes who saved their planet. That is the reality we must deal with.”

Koss brooded. “He is emotionally unstable and easily provoked. If he attacked me no one could justifiably complain if I defended myself.” He raised a significant eyebrow at his uncle, who shook his head wearily.

“Again, Koss, you underestimate your opponent. He is a trained and experienced officer with sixteen years experience, who has spent most of the last year in combat conditions. You are an architect. He has fought for his life many times and prevailed, I have checked his service record and confirmed this. You have never seen battle. He grew up killing animals for meat. You have never killed anything. The only time you have ever held a weapon was during your ritual training. And of course during basic training for your term of service with the fleet, where you served planet-side as a design technician.” V'Rald declared with finality, “He would kill you.”

“I have three times his strength, and twice his stamina!” Koss allowed irritation to appear on his face.

“Strength is of no use to one who has no idea how to apply it effectively,” V'Rald sneered. “Otherwise how do you think that our primitive ancestors routinely managed to kill wild animals much stronger than they were, using nothing more than sharp rocks?

“And your stamina will avail you nothing if you are dead. If you had any experience you would realize that most actual fights are not long drawn out affairs. A single blow delivered at the correct place and time can end a struggle very quickly. Nor does it necessarily need to be an especially powerful blow. Not if it is delivered to a vulnerable point.” V'Rald stepped close and suddenly thrust his fist under Koss' chin, stopping a millimeter short of his larynx.

The younger man jumped backward in the chair, caught by surprise. “You see?” V'Rald said, and allowed himself to sigh. “Abandon any thought of facing a trained fighter in single combat.” He went back to his desk and sat down, rubbing his chin pensively.

“I could easily train and practice,” Koss grumbled stubbornly, still stung over the way Trip had humiliated him at the gathering. V'Rald ran out of patience.

“A lifetime of practice will not make you what Tucker is – a natural killer. A substantial portion of any fight is psychological. You have spent the last sixty years being conditioned to suppress and control your natural aggression, Koss. You are a Vulcan, bred to peace.” V'Rald was so irritated that he let his voice raise slightly.

“I told you, boy, he grew up hunting animals for meat. Humans are predators, as we are. But unlike our people, they have not spent centuries working hard to suppress those instincts. When your father and I were young men, those savages were still in the midst of a planetary war as destructive as anything our ancestors engaged in prior to the Reformation.”

“That just means that he lacks discipline and control,” Koss doggedly maintained.

V'Rald eyed him coldly. “At the gathering, when he confronted you, do you remember his reaction?”

“Yes, of course,” Koss replied stiffly. V'Rald's eye's narrowed.

“But did you extrapolate what it implied? No sooner had you spoken than his hand was moving for his blade, Koss,” V'Rald intoned slowly and distinctly. “His first and most powerful reflex was to reach for a weapon. You are conditioned to automatically use logic and seek a peaceful solution. He is conditioned to seek battle. For the past four years he has been facing, over and over again, beings who were attempting to kill him. Blade or club, energy weapon or torpedo, the principle is the same. To win a fight to the death one must have the mindset that is ready and willing to strike without hesitating and without mercy. You are conditioned to value and cherish all life. The only life that he will cherish in a fight is his own.”

“Are they really that dangerous?” L'Sira asked doubtfully. “You make them sound like Klingons, or Orion raiders.” V'Rald shot her a look from the corner of his eyes.

“They are just as deadly. Why do you think the High Command kept such a tight rein on them for so many years, L'Sira? Three times Humans have faced Klingons in battle. Three times the Klingons have been defeated. Does that tell you anything, wife of my brother?”

“Then what do you suggest, wisely arrogant one?” L'Sira demanded. She straightened her shawl to cover her uncertainty. V'Rald glanced back and forth between them with suddenly narrowed eyes as a memory came to him.

“My operatives have been investigating Tucker, looking for weaknesses. There is something unexplained about this situation,” V'Rald said thoughtfully. “T'Pol came home and took up residence at her clan's mountain retreat, supposedly to seek solitude in mourning for the clone that the Human xenophobes crafted. Shortly afterward, Tucker joined her.” He paused. “Why then, did a large group from her clan assemble at the retreat only days later?”

“Perhaps... a memorial?” L'Sira offered uncertainly.

“For a clone?,” V'Rald demanded incredulously. “If it were a natural born child I might grant the possibility. But an unnatural abomination like a cross-species binary clone? One that was not even viable? Hardly. Even if T'Pol and Tucker were grieving for it, the rest of her clan could not have been so lost to propriety.”

“I was told at the gathering,” Koss said, “that the child they adopted was the only survivor of an air car crash by members of her clan. Perhaps the meeting was an examination to determine their fitness.”

“Perhaps,” V'Rald looked surprised at hearing such a logical suggestion coming out of Koss' mouth. “Yet there are other questions. The personal information files for all three of them are sealed and classified as Top Secret - Eyes Only for High Council members. Their retreat is patrolled at all times by a full squad from the Security Directorate. Moreover, that adopted child of theirs is being subjected to a remarkably intense degree of medical attention, far more than is usual or logical. One of the Science Directorate's most distinguished Healers has been re-assigned by the High Council itself. I believe this bears more in-depth investigation. Perhaps we may find something in these matters to divert interest away from our business dealings entirely.”

-&-

T'Para tapped on the door lightly with her fingertips, then opened it and slipped inside the bedroom without waiting for an invitation. T'Pol was feeding the baby and looking woebegone. T'Para firmly squelched a desire to take them both in a comforting hug. Instead she briskly relieved T'Pol of her armload, reinserting the nipple with only a brief interruption. T'Lissa only had time to kick once and start a brief, “Wa-,” before the plug went back in. T'Para sat back down and looked at T'Pol sternly, while at the same time she surreptitiously extended her telepathic sense to keep the baby soothed.

“Where is Trip now?” T'Para asked softly.

T'Pol swallowed. “I believe that he is swimming, which would mean that he has gone to the Human compound. He frequently makes use of the facilities there.” T'Para nodded and stroked T'Lissa's temple with two fingers, putting her into a light trance and preventing any emotional disturbance from reaching her.

“The others have left,” T'Para told her. “We must talk. Sit quietly and listen to me very carefully T'Pol.” The old lady's voice was like velvet wrapped around steel. T'Pol looked at her with wounded eyes and sat down beside her.

T'Para took a deep breath and reminded herself that sometimes pain must be endured before healing could begin. Then she said in formal High Vulcan, {“Daughter of my Clan, thy logic has failed thee.”}

T'Pol actually cringed. {“I hear Eldest Mother. I await thy judgment.”}

T'Para regarded her. {“It is not my judgment that should concern thee. I am not the one that thou hast wronged.”}

T'Pol brought both her hands up to cover her face. Her breathing sounded loud in the otherwise silent room for several seconds. Then she lowered her hands and faced the Eldest Mother with dignity.

{“Eldest Mother. I beseech that thou speak plainly. What wrong have I committed? I have broken no oath. I have spoken no untruth. I have betrayed no trust. I have taken nothing that was not mine by right. How have I offended?”} T'Pol looked her in the eye. Wavering, but she did not look away. T'Para gave her credit for determination.

{“Hast thou in truth betrayed no trust?”} T'Para asked her gently. She let the question hang in the air between them for a time. {“Dost not thine adun trust thee with his very life and katra? Hast thou cherished his heart and his mind in the bond of mates as is thy duty?”}

{“I do and I have. Always and forever.”} T'Pol sat up defiantly.

T'Para asked softly, {“Hast thou in truth? Then hast thou warned him of the danger that awaits him? Hast thou told him of the power of thine uncontrolled emotions because of the damage that thou hast inflicted upon thyself? Hast thou striven to give him all possible aid in dealing with this?”}

She folded her arms across her belly and leaned forward. T'Para kept two fingers on the baby's face, carefully shielding the tiny mind and shunting aside her mother's pain. Relentlessly T'Para went on, {“Between mates there can be no secrets. For secrets spawn mistrust, and mistrust spawns discord. Thy duty was clear from the first, Daughter of my Clan. Yet thou hast evaded it and caused thine adun who trusted thee to suffer the consequences. This can no more be tolerated.”}

T'Pol stopped breathing. “What do you mean?” She straightened up and stared wild-eyed at T'Para.

The Eldest Mother considered the younger woman and noted her faint trembling. {“Thou must inform thy mate of the truth. Thou must henceforth and forever abandon the path of deception. To do less dishonors thy mate, thyself, thy House, and thy clan.”}

“I cannot.” She stood up quickly and paced across the room. “You don't understand. I cannot tell him this. He will never forgive me. I will lose him, T'Lissa will lose her father. I cannot tell him this.”

{“Lose him daughter? He is thy bonded mate. Thy katras are fused. Only death can separate thee. Thy logic hath fled thee utterly.”}

T'Pol burst out, “I will lose his respect! I will lose his love!” She wrung her hands together uncertainly and paced back and forth across the room. “You do not understand. I failed him. I failed all of them. In the Delphic Expanse, at a time when they were fighting for the very survival of their world, I fell to weakness and allowed myself to become enslaved to a drug. They trusted me Eldest Mother. Trip trusted me and I failed him!”

T'Para spoke sternly, {“Thy fear hath blinded thee daughter. Surak teaches us to cast out fear before all else. Nothing can be done until fear is cast out.”}

“They died because of me! Because I made mistakes! Because my judgment was flawed, because I had lost control, because I was not strong enough, people under my command died needlessly Eldest Mother.” T'Pol anguish vibrated in her tone and shone out of her eyes. “The captain had been captured and the ship was under attack, and I could not think. My control was shattered and I could not function.” To her horror tears began to leak out of her eyes, right in front of the Eldest Mother herself. Could her humiliation be any more profound?

{“Was he not there with thee child?”} T'Para tried to soothe her. {“Did he not also endure these things? He knows the burdens that thou bore. Together thee and thy adun have survived much. He will forgive thee.”}

“He was with me, and he saw me. He saw what I became.” T'Pol choked and stopped pacing. She stood and gripped her hands tightly together, trying not to break down completely. “When I fled into hiding, Trip came to find me and remind me of my duty. When I tried to flee the ship, to escape from the crushing weight of the responsibility I could no longer carry, it was Trip who stopped me.”

Her voice cracked. “He asked me, Eldest Mother,” her voice trailed away until it was almost inaudible, “he asked me what was wrong with me. I looked at him and I wanted to tell him, so that he would kill me for breaking faith with all of them.” Her tears began to trickle in steady streams. “But I could not.”

T'Para closed her eyes and turned her head. When T'Pol's breathing finally steadied she looked back. The younger woman's eyes were green and her cheeks were irritated from rubbing.

T'Para reverted to modern speech. “Do you have so little respect for him? Do you believe him to be stupid?”

“Of course he is not stupid,” T'Pol sniffled. “He is as intelligent as any man I have ever known.”

“Then how can you think that he does not already know you are hiding something from him?” T'Para shook her head. “It is your fear that has caused you to be the one who is acting stupidly child. You expect to drive him away with the truth? Yet you are withholding the truth, and where is he now? I do not see him here. Has not your deception already driven him away?”

T'Pol's shoulders sagged. “I cannot face him. I cannot endure the look in his eyes when he learns what I did,” she whispered miserably.

“There is no escaping this T'Pol,” T'Para sternly lectured her, “Trip must know this for his own safety. How can he judge his own behavior until he learns to determine how much of what he feels is coming from within himself, and how much is coming from you? Will you continue to hide this from him until one day his control snaps completely and he kills someone? What will you tell him then, as he awaits execution?”

T'Pol stood like a statue carved from pale jade. “Will you permit T'Lissa to remain here while I seek my adun?”

“Certainly daughter,” T'Para said matter-of-factly. “I am ancient, not deceased. Caring for an infant is not yet beyond my ability. Bring Trip back here so that the three of you can stay for a time. I will train your husband in reaching the more advanced levels of meditation. It should assist him.”

“That will be helpful,” T'Pol told her gratefully. “I do not anticipate that Trip will permit me to offer further assistance once I have told him. It will be most agreeable to know that he has access to a skilled teacher who can help him.”

“Do not anticipate difficulties that have not yet arisen, T'Pol,” T'Para chided her. “I suspect that your prediction is based almost entirely on your own fear, rather than a logical extrapolation of your adun's character. Cast out fear, daughter. Nothing can be done until you first cast out fear.”

“I shall attempt to do so, Eldest Mother,” T'Pol inclined her head, hollow-eyed. “But the effort is proving quite challenging.” She turned and headed for the door.

“Do not attempt to tell him until you have returned together T'Pol,” T'Para advised. “It will be best to deal with this in the privacy of family.”

“Yes, Eldest Mother,” T'Pol said dully. Her eyes were far away. She opened the door and walked through, leaving the Eldest Mother looking down at the half asleep baby.

“It is so simple for you, is it not?” she mused. “You love them, and you accept them as they are. If only your elders could remember the wisdom they held when they were your age.”

-&-

Captain Archer pressed the comm button. “Yes, Hoshi?”

“Incoming secured transmission from Admiral Gardner, Sir.”

“Thanks, I'll take it in here.” He switched on the monitor and watched Gardner's face coalesce. “Admiral, what can I do for you, Sir?”

“Hello, Jon. Got a couple of jobs for you. I hope you are in the mood for another visit to Vulcan,” Gardner said.

“Certainly, Sir,” Archer responded. “I hope it means we will have a chance to visit Trip and T'Pol while we are there. I am eager to get a peek at how they are coming on those warp six plans.”

“You and me both, Captain,” Gardner told him. “And you most definitely will be seeing them. That is the primary reason for the visit. It seems that for some reason they want Doctor Phlox to take over as personal physician again for the Tucker child, at least temporarily.”

“Is something wrong?” Archer leaned forward, suddenly worried. Gardner shook his head and held up a hand.

“That was the first thing I asked, too. Apparently not. For some reason Commander Tucker and Lady T'Pol made this a personal request, but it wasn't based on medical reasons. Naturally we expect you to find out why when you get there. Actually the official request came from Chief Minister T'Pau, but she made it plain that she was speaking on their behalf. Not that we have any objections to helping out, especially in a case like this. But I'm sure they wouldn't have requested detouring a starship without a good reason.”

“I will certainly get with Trip as soon as we arrive, Admiral,” Archer promised.

“Good enough,” Gardner told him. “The second matter is not as pleasant. Since you are going to Vulcan anyway, we want you to run back this way first to pick up a body for delivery to next of kin in the Vulcan city of Ka'Dahr. One of Ambassador Soval's staff was unfortunate enough...” Gardner stopped and looked queasy.

“Admiral?” Archer said after a minute.

“He ran into a hornet's nest and was stung to death,” Gardner said bluntly. Archer flinched and looked away. “About as horrible a way to die as I can imagine. Apparently Vulcans are especially susceptible to hornet venom, which I never knew before. His widow and their priest are accompanying the casket back to Vulcan. They will need strict isolation during the trip Jon. Quarters as close as possible to the place where the body will be stored, since as I understand it they will spend most of their waking hours sitting watch and meditating.”

“Understood, Sir,” Archer told him sadly. “I believe we can provide the appropriate environment.”

“Good,” Gardner sighed. “They specifically requested you, Jon, if you were available. It seemed to comfort the lady a little. I guess because of what happened on Vulcan when you helped find that copy of Surak's original writings.”

Captain Archer exhaled slowly. It was probably never going to go away completely. He had carried the katra of Surak, and that was that. Sometimes even now he could feel faint tugs and tingles, especially when he was at the point just between waking and sleeping. And his dreams had never been the same since he left Vulcan. Lingering memories would pop into his head at the oddest times. Like just now. When Gardner mentioned sitting watch with the body, he had a flash vision of the proper arrangement for the candles and incense.

“You are most likely right, Admiral,” Archer admitted. “I will try to help any way I can. We will set course for Earth immediately. From our current position,” he craned his neck to double check the last log notation, “our ETA is approximately two days.”

“Good enough, Jon. We will see you then. Gardner out.” The screen went black.

Archer sat back and started rubbing his chin. He considered several options. Then he keyed the comm button again. “Archer to Lieutenant Commander Reed. Report to my ready room.”

-&-

Trip pulled himself out of the water and sat on the edge of the pool, winded. It felt good. Ten laps of the Olympic sized pool as fast as he could chop through the water had done wonders for his mood. His arms and legs were totally numb and he could barely breathe now, but he felt better. The endorphins from violent exercise were better than most booze when it came to calming a man down, and not nearly as hard on the liver.

After panting like a dog for a few minutes he staggered to his feet and went into the locker room in search of a towel. Trip wiped his face off, stripped and threw his trunks and towel into the recycle hamper on his way to the showers. A long, hot shower soothed even more of the aches away and he came out almost floating with weariness. His sand suit was finished with its cleaning cycle by the time he got himself air dried. Trip ordered a new set of disposable socks and underwear from the dispenser, slid into the suit, and yanked on his ankle high boots.

Now what? He sat on the locker room bench and pondered the matter. T'Pol had stopped sending him calls to return shortly after he arrived at the compound. From then on, only intermittent flickers told him she was still keeping track of him. Feeling a touch guilty, Trip decided to call T'Para's home and let his wife know where he was and that he was feeling better.

“Straighten up and act like a grown man, Charles Tucker,” he mocked himself. “It isn't like you have never been with other women before. She was married to the S.O.B. They had a right to be together, like it or not. It was none of your business then, and it is none of your business now. So get over it. They divorced, she is married to you now, and that is what counts.” He shook himself and straightened his shoulders. The public comm unit was just over there.

The privacy booth was made from sound deadening transparent aluminum, just like the ports on Enterprise. He sat down in front of the unit. Then he slapped his forehead briskly. He had never bothered to memorize T'Para's code. No problem, that was what directories were for. He called up the listings and requested an English translation. The system spat and grumbled and finally popped up a grid map of the city, with house listings cross referenced to location.

Okey dokey. Now where was her house located? Trip had no idea. This was starting to get embarrassing. He could always call the Starfleet liaison office and have them look it up and connect it, but he would feel like a fool. No, he would run a search by her name instead.

There were a total of 2,457 T'Para's in the directory. Great. “Eeeny Meeeny Miney Moe. Which old granny do I know?” Aside from location, the names were also cross-listed by spouse and clan affiliation. Aha! He knew T'Pol's clan name, she had told it to him the morning of the gathering. It was... Sh'...something. Trip scratched his head.

He set his chin stubbornly. There was more than one way to skin a gerbil. Trip input a search request for 'Tucker, Charles' and immediately got his own listing. Then he did a reverse lookup for his code and got both his and T'Pol's I.D.'s. There it was. Her clan name was actually Sh’hiran’lin’iijyliunh’rei’iy’iukn’hy’wen’lhia’ehrm’n.

He sat and looked at it for a few seconds, shaking his head in disbelief. Hearing it was intimidating enough. But seeing it like that in black and white was almost staggering. Oh well, he shrugged. He keyed in a request for T'Para, Eldest Mother of clan You-can't-be-serious. In seconds the comm signal was going through.

“T'Para here.”

“Eldest Mother?” Trip cleared his throat. “This is Trip. Is T'Pol there?”

“Trip. I am surprised to find you employing such a mundane option for communication. I have been keeping watch on the windows, roof, and drainage pipes ever since you left, expecting that you might appear at any moment.”

Trip felt his face turning crimson. “I... uh... I hope I... mean I... is T'Pol there?” he asked desperately.

“Not yet.”

Trip was puzzled. “Not yet? You mean she left?”

“Trip, how much less ambiguous could my answer have been? I said, not yet. Therefore the only logical conclusion that you could have reached would be that she has left and not yet returned.”

Trip pinched the bridge of his nose. “When I said that, I was really asking where she went, T'Para.”

Silence on the line for a moment. Then, “That may well be the most remarkably illogical way of asking that question that I have ever heard in my long life. To answer it, she has gone seeking you.”

Trip hung his head. “Figures. Is T'Lissa still there?”

“Affirmative.”

“Thank you for watching her. I apologize again. In fact, I should just print up a sheaf of standard apologies and keep them with me at all times. That way whenever I see you I can just pass out the appropriate number for whatever I may have done since the last time we saw each other. It will make life simpler.”

“A logical and efficient suggestion. But it would deprive me of the satisfaction of hearing your voice quaver. I suggest that you go meet your wife. Then bring her back here. She has something to tell you. The three of you will be spending the next several nights here.”

“We will? Why?” Trip asked uneasily.

“Because I said you will young man. I have already had a difficult day because of you two, don't even consider making it any more so. Talk to T'Pol and get her calmed down. Then come back here to eat something and begin your training. And don't give me any argument. T'Para out.”

A click sounded, and the connection went dead. Trip pursed his lips and nodded. He remembered his father's sage advice from years gone by, after returning from a family reunion. “Mother-in-laws are tough enough. Don't even think about arguing with a granny-in-law.” Trip raised himself tiredly and walked over to the ever popular coffee shop to wait for T'Pol.

-&-

He was propped in a corner at a table somewhere. The impression faded, but T'Pol managed to detect the bitter taste of coffee. She knew where to find him. She also knew he was expecting her, that much had come through the connection. He was waiting. His emotions were sealed from her. She concentrated on her breathing exercises.

The embassy guard met her and politely requested identification. She complied, providing her documentation and submitting to scans without comment. “Welcome, Ma'am,” the young man said respectfully. “Please come in.” T'Pol passed into the interior of the Human compound's enclosed mall, automatically adjusting her metabolic rate to compensate for the temperature drop.

Humans and Vulcans passed in both directions, some walking briskly, some dawdling. The coffee shop was 500 meters ahead. She could see Trip sitting at a corner table, watching through the wide doorway as she approached.

Each step was harder to take than the last. It did not matter what the Eldest Mother said, T'Pol was convinced in her own mind that this conversation would destroy her adun's love for her. Even if he chose to remain with them for T'Lissa's sake, nothing would ever be the same again. Terror more pure than anything she had ever known filled her veins with ice, settled into her bones, coated her skin like slime.

It took her fifteen minutes to walk the 500 meters. When she got to the coffee shop doorway Trip stood up and offered a smile. “I got you some tea, hun.” He waved at the table. T'Pol sat down solemnly, as stiff as a machine. Trip looked wary and resumed his chair. “I'm sorry about the way I reacted. I really am. There is no excuse for it, I know that. I am going to try to put more effort into the meditation you taught me-”

“Trip. Stop.” She was trembling. “Don't.”

He shut up and looked down at the table, nodding. “I understand. You are too mad at me right now.”

T'Pol wanted to die. She literally wished to end her life then and there.

“It was my fault,” she rasped out. “I am the cause.” The steel mug bent between her fingers. Trip sighed and put a hand on hers. The touch of her adun's skin energized the bond tenfold. Trip's emotional blockade shredded and T'Pol could feel his sorrow and tired sympathy.

“I think we both overreacted a little maybe. But I had no business bolting out of there the way I did. That was childish and stupid. I am so sorry honey. I never wanted to hurt T'Lissa,” he stopped and swallowed hard. “Is she ok now?”

T'Pol nodded quickly. “She is fine. She was almost asleep when I left.” Buying time, she lifted the mug to take a sip. Hot tea caressed her throat, but did not thaw the icy fear in her katra. “Trip, I must confess something to you.”

“Can I go first? Please?” Trip interrupted with quiet urgency. “I need to say this before I lose my nerve.” T'Pol stopped, at a loss for how to respond. Taking her silence for assent, he continued.

“I have been acting like a stupid teenager about Koss. I realize that. I can't undo what happened at the gathering, I wish I could. Looking back I can't believe I really pulled a knife on the sonuvabitch. I haven't been that hot headed since I was fifteen.” He flushed and looked away for a second. Then he turned his eyes back to hers again.

“And today was absolutely inexcusable. I had no right to get upset, T'Pol. You were lawfully married. What you did together with your husband was none of my business. What matters is here and now. And that's all that matters to me. You, me, and T'Lissa. Please don't give up on me. I am trying my best to adjust to things here, and I will keep on trying to learn how to do it better.” Trip stopped and waited hopefully.

T'Pol felt his sincerity through the bond. He truly believed that he was at fault for everything that had happened, and feared that she would judge him harshly. The bitter irony of it would have made her laugh and cry at the same time, if only she dared.

She stared at him weakly and managed, "You were reacting to my emotions Trip.”

"I know,” he told her, "but you wouldn't have been so upset if I hadn't reacted like a jealous adolescent.” Her steel tea mug crumpled in her hand like styrofoam.

"Will you listen? she whispered shrilly. Trip drew back in surprise and nodded. T'Pol swallowed several times and wet her lips. "Trip, I am damaged.” She took half a dozen fast breaths. "I told you about the Panar, and that T'Pau used things she had learned from the ancient teachings to cure me.”

"Yeah, I remember,” he replied, carefully watching her.

"But I did not tell you,” she stopped and fought back a whimper, “I did not tell you that,” she looked down at the table, “that I am still damaged from the trellium exposure in the Expanse. And I always will be. Phlox says that the neural degradation is permanent.” She waited, still looking down at the table. Suddenly she felt his hands pressing against her cheeks, and he lifted her face to look at him.

Trip's eyes were brimming with pain and grieving love. "Why didn't you tell me honey? Why? You have been dealing with this alone for all this time? This hurts that you didn't tell me this. No wonder you have been shaky. Let me help you, that's what I am here for. Don't you trust me?”

T'Pol closed her eyes and fled into the refuge of the deepest kohlinar disciplines she could reach without prior meditation. Trip watched her breathing patterns change and waited while she steadied herself, knowing that she needed a few minutes before she could answer him. A lot was coming clear to him now. Her mood swings, her flashes of uncharacteristic anger, her brooding silences. Many things started making sense all of a sudden.

Then it hit him, what she had been trying to tell him. Her emotions were leaking across the bond and firing him up. That was why he got so riled up at Koss. He wanted to scalp the goat humping son of a coyote anyway. With T'Pol's Vulcan emotions running amok, his Human adrenaline had activated the fight or flight mode and he almost went for blood right then and there. Uh-oh. This was maybe not looking real good. T'Para said something about training? Trip hoped she meant that she could help them out with this.

T'Pol pulled herself back out of the darkness. Trip was still holding her face in his hands, ignoring the looks they were getting. Humans customers glancing across the room looked curious, Vulcans were scandalized. She ignored them both. It would probably be the last time he willingly touched her and she desperately wanted to prolong the moment. T'Pol put her hands over her husband's, holding his contact against her face for just a few seconds longer. It was time. Her anguish crept across the bond and caused him to lean forward, looking worried.

"Trip, I did not tell you because I was ashamed. I did it to myself.” There. It was done. She waited for him to shove her away. Instead he looked mightily puzzled, as if she had just declared her intention to plant dandelions in her boots.

"Say what?” Trip blurted. “You did what to yourself? The trellium? How?”

T'Pol had to push out each individual word by sheer force of will. “After the Seleya, when Phlox released me from sickbay, for a few days there was a residual effect. It took almost three days for the last of the trellium to flush itself out of my system.”

Trip blinked. “OK. But you didn't do that to yourself. I still don't follow.” T'Pol wanted to scream in frustration.

"Just listen, Trip. Please. I can only say this once. It is too hard for me. I have wanted to tell you this for a year, and I will never have the courage to say it again. Please, just listen?” He nodded.

"For those days I noticed a strange difference in the way my mind operated. My emotions were still unstable. But as the trellium subsided I gradually began to gain control over them. After a time, just before the last of the trellium left my system, I found that I was able to experience the full range of emotions. But they did not cause me to lose control.” She looked helplessly at him. “Do you understand what I am saying, Trip? I could feel them, but I could still think. I could still control myself. The trellium let me operate the way you do, the way Humans do. I could feel my emotions and still retain control of myself.”

Trip started to understand. She could feel understanding begin to seep into the bond, and feel it start to darken his eyes. She could feel his anger kindle. Just as she had known it would.

“Weeks later, when you tried to experiment with methods for coating one of the shuttle pods with trellium, do you remember how I was accidentally exposed at one point?” T'Pol saw him run through his memory of that time period.

“Yeah,” he finally said. “We were coming out of the shuttle bay and heading for decon, and for some reason you had been down to engineering talking to Hess. We didn't know you were down there, and nobody had warned you that we were working with the stuff. Everybody was so punch drunk from pulling triple shifts that it just got overlooked I guess.” He pulled his hands back and T'Pol felt her heart wrench, although she offered no objection. Trip rubbed his forehead and finished recalling, “We walked around a corner and ran right into you. The dust on our uniforms flew up in a cloud and you started coughing. Scared the shit out of all of us.”

“Doctor Phlox put me through decontamination procedures in sickbay in time to avoid serious exposure,” T'Pol told him. “But there was some slight residue that entered my lungs and eyes. Only microscopic traces, but it was enough to replicate the sensations I had experienced previously. Once again, I could experience emotions without losing control.”

“And you liked it so well that you decided it was worth frying your brain to get that way again,” he said between tightly clenched teeth.

“Yes.” They sat and looked at each other.

“How long did you keep it up?” He finally asked her.

“Until Azati Prime,” she confessed.

“You stopped after that?”

“Not by choice.” T'Pol wrung her hands and looked down. “When the ship was attacked, the cargo bay where the trellium was kept became damaged. I could not reach it and went into withdrawal. I ordered-” She stopped talking when Trip's fist hit the table like a sledgehammer. T'Pol looked up in panic to see his face almost purple with blood and pulsing with anger. Her worst fears had come true.

“So that's why you were acting crazy,” he growled. “The ship was falling apart around our ears, the Xindi were howling up our asses, half the crew was bleeding to death, the captain was captured and being tortured, and you were shaking yourself to pieces because you needed your fix.” Trip's voice gradually rose and coarsened as he leaned forward over the table into T'Pol's face. She shuddered but didn't run.

"Is there some problem?” The two Vulcan men stood politely, but implacably, beside the table. From their clothing they were probably some type of government bureaucrats. Ordinarily not the type to barge in on a private conversation under any circumstances. But protecting a Vulcan woman from an obviously out of control Human took priority over custom any day.

Unfortunately for them, out of all the days they could have chosen to be knights in shining armor, this was the worst one they could possibly have picked. Trip was in the mood to break something, and those two looked just about perfect.

T'Pol didn't even have time to shout a warning. Trip exploded out of his chair and landed a powerful right cross directly into the pit of the shorter Vulcan's belly. Three months of daily weight training under Vulcan gravity had put steel into Trip's already solid muscles, and the blow sent the astonished civil servant reeling backward into an adjacent table.

The second man stepped forward quickly and reached for Trip's shoulder to apply a nerve pinch. Trip blocked his arm and squatted, sweeping his leg around behind his opponent's knee and depositing him neatly on the floor. Then he bellowed like a bull and leaped. The Vulcan rolled frantically, barely managing to dodge in time. Trip's boots slammed hard on the floor, directly on the spot where the Vulcan's ribcage had been two seconds ago. T'Pol sprang like a cat and landed on her husband's back. She grabbed his temples and poured everything she had into the bond, urgently trying to compel Trip to stop.

Instead, he twisted and flung her off with one arm and sent her flying through the air, knocking over their table and slamming into the wall hard enough to leave her breathless. His mind was dark, and hot, and completely beyond her reach. Her news had pushed him into fury, and the onset of battle had driven him past fury, into berserker madness.

“Halt!” The security guard at the entrance to the shop held a phase pistol steady on Trip. “Commander. Stop it right now. Don't make me stun you.” Trip looked up at this new enemy and skinned his teeth. Then he charged. The guard pressed the stud and a beam stabbed Trip in the center of the torso, sending him staggering to his knees. For a moment more he tried to crawl forward, then finally collapsed onto his face into unconsciousness.

Part 5

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

Ooooo! I so loved the Koss smackdown coming from his own uncle. I can so sympathize with the man, saddled with an arrogant idiot as his heir.

As usual, T'Para totally rocked, and the Trip streams of consciousness are just wonderful... hope he actually didn't kill the guy in Starbuck's! :)

Good one, though I really don't like Trip "beating up" T'Pol, that actually makes me not like him anymore in this fic. Unforgivible, for whatever reason imo.

Oh wow! This is just ... wow! I am so enjoying this entire story and the tangled webs are amazing.

Oh we so know the hornet stung guy and his family are the ones going to try to hurt Trip and family!

Granny-in-law :-D ehheheheheheh!

Oh T'Pol didn't your Eldest Mother tell you to bring Trip home to talk?

So just about the time Trip wakes up is when Jon and gang will arrive? How embarrasing for all!

Hurry more please this is wonderful!

Kenshin, he isn't going to like himself when he wakes up either. That is the whole point of putting it in there.

Great Chapter I'm reallythis story. Also enjoyed Koss being chewed out by his uncle. Trip is going to regret his outbursts in public.

JESUS! Trip's gonna be in BIG trouble when he wakes up. T'Pol will kill him!

>>Waits with baited breath for next installment<<

Oh, dear.

I hope T'Pol will be in big trouble when Trip wakes, if not before - T'Para DID tell her not to let that sehlat out of the bag till they'd returned home - Ancient Vulcan secret #19: dirty laundry best aired at home, not StarBucks.

Poor Trip! The Vulcan Suns-Times is gonna have a field day with this escapade - so much for settling down to raise Li'l 'Lissa in obscurity... Re: Kenshin's comment: Seems, to me, that Trip was beyond any measure of reasonable thought at the point where T'Pol JUMPED on his back and grabbed his head - had she remained unengaged, I doubt she'd have been involved in the fracas. In no way would I ever condone spousal abuse - so, please don't go there - it seems she made yet another poor choice for which her adun will, no doubt, lament extensively once his head clears and he processes the details of the brawl.

It's kinda funny, to Vulcan society, Trip is the trouble-maker; yet behind the scenes, T'Pol's actually the instigator/catalyst/black sheep. Go figure.

Love yer stuff, B-n-B! Send more soon! ;-)

-jwc

p.s. The whole Koss-His Mother-His Uncle triangle was a hoot - Uncle should listen to his inner voice...

I like the fact that Trip has admitted he's been acting like a teenager lately. I'm not sure about his sudden explosion of violence against the Vulcan guards though; that is going to effectively screw up the entire situation with Koss and Trip doing this makes him out to be dangerously psychotic and potentially unstable. Not sure if I like that aspect. Yeah, I get that a lot of this is due to T'Pol's fractured controls but I'm not keen on Trip being this out-of-control himself. He effectively committed assault and battery on two Vulcans. With this outburst of violence, he has proven that humans ARE insane lunatics who are as dangerous as Klingons. Sorry, but I didn't really care for that scene because it seems way OOC for Trip.

Interesting angle about Koss being told he would likely lose a fight with Trip. I tend to agree with that as Vulcans are always focusing on control and that would lead to them second-guessing themselves out of concern over losing that control. Outside of a situation where their control has been compromised (ala pon farr or some artificial way of fracturing said controls), Vulcans would likely have an inherent weakness in that regard. Nice bit of pointing out that all of the strength in the world is useless if you don't know how to use it...

Really like the bit with Archer having those moments of clarity brought on by carrying Surak's katra. Well done.

This chapter was just great. I love T'Para more and more with each chapter! And the Koss, mother, uncle thing was just perfect. Logically stupid Vulcans...who would have thought?

And I have to agree, T'Pol should learn that matters are to be settled at home, not at Starbucks. Hasn't she figured out that Trip's been reflecting her emotions recently rather than his own? Though Trip's gonna be in trouble for this one.

I can't wait for the next part. This is a great story and written amazingly well.

I am glad people are getting the point about Trip's explosion. I was hoping, but wasn't sure I was presenting it properly. Rigil, I am very glad that you see it as being OOC for Trip, since that is the entire point of the scene. Trip was acting like a primitive Vulcan male who felt he was repelling territorial intruders. I.E. T'Para's prediction came true, T'Pol's emotions overwhelmed his control completely and he finally snapped.

When he wakes up is when you might find things getting interesting :)

I have been enjoying these insights into Vulcan culture and families throughout the story. T'Granny is cool...
I liked seeing the Trip we know and love talking to T'Pol at first, saying he's been acting like a teen and all that. The Trip that pulled out a knife on Koss isn't the one I've seen, and the Trip that is punching and hurting the Vulcans at Starbucks threw me off completely. And when it actually ended up on him hurting T'Pol, I couln't take it. I am looking forward to the next chapter because I want to see how you fix this one up. Having both Trip and T'Pol out of control isn't pretty at all.

omg omg omg this iz so wicked man i went breathless at the end cant wait 2 see wat will happen in the next chapter.....
thnxs 4 a gr8 story so far!!!

tennisgirl wrote:

"Having both Trip and T'Pol out of control isn't pretty at all."

No it ain't, is it? Drug abuse ain't pretty, and the aftermath is even uglier. As much as I disliked the trellium story arc, I disliked even more the way the ENT producers swept it under the rug. Very few times on ST does anyone ever suffer long term consequences for really stupid choices. It bugged me a lot. T'Pol has inflicted permanent damage on herself with her drug abuse. That self-inflicted damage is also going to have permanent consequences for her husband and he child. Being forced to deal with her emotions leaking across the telepathic bond and destabilizing her emotion prone husband is only one of them.

I'm pretty into the story so far; you have no idea how frustrating it is to be used to reading fics that are already a year or more old and now not be able to just click the link to go to the next chapter. ;)

I see the OOC stuff has already been addressed about Trip and T'Pol, so I won't repeat it.

Another thing I saw as a bit off was Koss and his family. They all seem to be a bit human-ish in that openeing scene, though the points being made about the differences between humans and Vulcans were ... refreshing. ;)

Again, really enjoying this fic, can't wait to see it done so I can give it a decent review.

I grant that I have issues writing Vulcans with the proper vulcany flavor. I try and I try, but they always come back humany. Any advice is appreciated.

I actually like your take on Vulcans, I've always thought of them more, to use your term, 'humany' in private and only the Vulcans that we're used to in public or with non-family. I for one loved the Koss scene at the beginning.

While I am enjoying yout tale aspects bother me as perhaps drawn a bit large. Probably intentionally on your part.

I really don't buy T'Pol being this out of it, especially not knowing how to subdue Trip. She is after a trained agent in fugitive recovery.
Being behind hime she would just give him the pinch and out he goes. I just can't see her jumping on his back the way you present.

I also find it difficult to see T'Pol this out of control and afraid. It just does not ring true for me. Again probably done for a purpose.

The grandmother is great as are many of the other characters you present.

It is an interesting take on Koss being so dense. Arrogance is expected from Vulcans especially where humans are discussed. The uncle at least seems a competant and likely formidible foe.

Looking forward to seeing how you resolve this and whether you choose to turn it into a preachy morality play.

HtH

HtH2k4, please remember that Trip is her beloved husband and the father of her child. One might forgive her for being incapable of approaching him with the same cold-blooded, analytical tactics that she would have employed when pursuing an escaped smuggler.

Remember also that what frightens her is the thought of losing him. Her alter ego in the other timeline lost her Trip. Permanently. She knows exactly what she is risking. Because the two T'Pol's mind melded (see my first story) the thought of facing that loss again is more than she can stand.

Plus the idea of forcing her daughter to grow up without her father because of her drug abuse is not real palatable either. Overall, T'Pol has a lot to be upset about right now. Especially for someone with brain damage to deal with.

Understood BnB, still she is not stupid, rather the extreme opposite. Yes the damage has ts effects and there is the fear aspect. However from the meld you reference she would know only too well that succomming to the fear and lack of honesty is what eventually drove the other Trip away.

It is your story to paint as your vision requires, no argument from me. I just noted that I had a hard time with this aspect.

Someone trained for combat as she is and someone experiencing every bit as much of the hazards in her Vulcan military, security ministry and Starfleet careers as Trip did would act as they are trained just as you show Trip doing when in a fight or flight situation.

The untrained modern Vulcan would likely as you present, persue a peaceful hesitating approach. This would be fatal for a experienced security or military type thus it would be trained out of them.

Just my opinion and worth every cent you paid for it. :-)

HtH

*ponders thoughtfully*

Hokey Dinah Shore. Awesome stuff, Bn'b, and I reeeeeeeeeally can't wait for more! :)

Dinah Shore?!

*flees screaming into the night*

I'm late to the party again. RL, you know. Anyway... I adore Trip's reaction to T'Pol's clan name. Very funny. I agree about this seeming a bit over the top. And I think that T'Pol, as a combat trained officer, would have gone for the neck pinch and dropped him before he had the chance to throw her against a wall and get arrested for assault. This will likely have some serious repercussions... but, hey. It's drama, right? Gotta have some conflict so you can resolve it.

I'm still noticing a grammar issue that bugs me. When directly addressing someone in a line of dialog, their name should always be set off by a comma. It probably doesn't bother anyone else. I'm just annoyingly obsessive about things like that.

Marvelous story, BnB. I can't wait to see how you manage to keep/get Trip out of jail.

I am still 'in training' where grammar issues are conserned. I think I am getting better, and Selek called me on the carpet for that addressing issue myself, which I am trying to overcome and I rigorously spot it when I beta. But I was enjoying this story so much that I did not even see it here. BnB has a refreshing and original and unique talent. And while I am all for improving grammar as a good thing, I sure hope it did not get in the way of your enjoyment of the story either, Distracted, LOL!

I love BnB's landscapes and the mall within the compound was great. Please describe some city streets - commercial, governmental, residential of a Vulcan city! I want to walk them with you.

I did think that you made Koss seem a little too stupid, but it sure fits the story. You see, architect is one of my favorite professions, and as a kid I (perhaps too soon) rejected it for myself as me not being smart enough or talented enough to succeed in. So I see architects as all being smart, smart, smart, LOL.

And hey, this is the worst cliff hanger yet, you naughty boy! I want the next chapter and I want it yesterday!

About T'Pol's addiction as her ship stood into danger, you have brought out something that had been lurking in the back of my mind. No one else has been brave enough to air it. The Coast Gurard in normal times has a zero tolernace policy on drug addiction. Under combat conditions, I can see it as a captital offence. I did not want to see T'Pol in this light but now that you have broached it, I can see Trip's reaction as understandable. I don't know how he can go back to loving and respecting her the way he did before. I am just hoping that you can pull a rabbit out of your writer's hat in your next chapter, because I am sincerely doubting that I will believe in her again. Sorry if this sounds very down. It IS very down.

It's not just the Coast Guard that has a zero tolerance policy, but all branches of the military. The fact that the Beebs thought the trellium storyline was a good idea is telling as it effectively destroyed the T'Pol character for the very reasons that you've stated. The deaths at Azati Prime are directly her fault because of this stupidity and, in a real organization, there is no way that she could have remained in a position of authority.

Phlox too holds some responsibility because he SHOULD have reported this to Archer the moment he discovered it. Her ability to think clearly had been compromised so she no longer could hold the job of 2IC effectively.

I'm willing to bet that Mr. Coto swept the trellium nonsense under the rug because it, like the whole TCW stuff, was such an ill-conceived idea that he couldn't see a way to work with it. Does ANYONE believe that Starfleet would actually keep T'Pol after finding out she was abusing drugs in a combat situation?

Thanks Linda. I was beginning to think I was the only one who saw T'Pol's drug addiction as being sufficient grounds for Trip to feel overwhelmed by betrayal. People put their lives in the hands of their commanding officer. For her to be, as we saw on screen, shaking and crying, hiding out in the captain's office and then trying to run away from her responsibilities by grabbing a shuttle pod while the ship was being destroyed all around them was, to me, equivalent to desertion in the face of the enemy. I, too, would call it a capital offense.

I am trying to catch those commas, but I am not being obsessive about it. Being obsessive about things is the reason I don't have to work for a living anymore. I no longer give a large rodent's buttocks about the piddling shit.

About Koss being stupid. There is a difference between techincal smarts and people smarts. I spent my career working with a lot of engineers who knew their way around a calculator or a computer like nobody's business, but they couldn't deal with people as well as a grade schooler. Absolutely incompetent when it came to managing people. I spent a lot of my time running interference between the geeks and the grunts, translating the engineering designs into something that the hard hats could actually build in the real world. And then translating the real world issues into something that the air headed number crunchers would pay attention to.

I will never forget the time I went out and took a measurement on a piece of pipe, called it in to the office, and waited for a verdict on its suitability. A few minutes later I got a call back from the design engineer telling me my measurement was wrong because the lot number on the pipe did not match the measurement that I had taken, therefore my field measurement must be wrong. If my real world measurement did not match the book, then the real world must be wrong.

Just having book smarts doesn't mean you can handle dealing with people. Look at T'Pol's interactions with the crew throughout Season one.

I know everyone thinks both Trip and T'Pol are over the top in their behavior, but there is a reason for both of them acting the way they do. A specific reason. I will get into it in the next installment as T'Para starts training and acting as marriage counselor.

Thanks RK for mentioning Phlox, I forgot to do that. For I too think he would have been obligated to report this unfitness for command.

Thanks for reminding me about different kinds of smarts! I should have seen that because I am dealing with it as we speak, in a software conversion situation, LOL. It is scary, your pipe measurement story. People could die if engineers don't get the bridge built right or architects don't design the building to hold up. I don't think lives hang in the balance with this software, thank the Goddess (or God, or whatever you believe in)!

I just have to play devil's advocate for T'Pol. Although I agree that zero tolerance policy for substance abuse is absolutely correct and that punishment should be appropriate, T'Pol's situation is quite different. I think of it this way, T'Pol wasn't put on Enterprise to be a commanding officer, she wasn't even going to go with the crew into the Expanse. She's very young by Vulcan standards, and with that said, still "finding herself" you could say so. The Expanse thrust her into a situation that she wasn't ready for and wasn't trained for. Combined with her Pa'naar syndrome and the damage from her first encounter with Trellium, combined with stress and the alien environment of working with humans, perhaps there are more factors here than just her making a bad decision. Granted it was a horrible decision and she should be punished, especially her attempts to run away and her style of command should be looked at and punishment be given, but I don't see it just as simple she was abusing drugs and must be punished. The Seventh showed that T'Pol is still learning and very unsure of herself in many ways, asking somebody so young and inexperienced, with neurological damage, to command a half broken ship perhaps need to be looked at with a bit more sympathy.

Regardless, it was a stupid and idiotic move on the writers. However, having said that I have to agree with you Rigil that Phlox should have removed her from 2IC after learning about her condition. And about Starfleet keeping T'Pol, she was never in Starfleet to begin with, she was volunteering during the Expanse, and perhaps that would need to be taken into consideration also.

Well, as Rigil pointed out, Phlox should have notified Archer. By not doing so he endangered the mission, the ship and the crew. By extension, he endangered all of Humanity. And maybe T'Pol wasn't officially a member of Starfleet, but she accepted the position and the responsibility that went with it when she volunteered to go. Plus she still had twice the experience of anyone else on the ship, even is she is young by Vulcan standards.

You do put forth a good case, Gammaent, and maybe should act as her defense lawyer at her Court Martial. And it has been a while since I watched season 3 of Enterprise, but didn't she accept a commission in Starfleet? If not, why was she in command when Archer left on his suicide mission (which by the way, I think is also not living up to his responsibility as captain). Didn't Trip take her into the ready room to give her a pep talk about her being in charge? If she wasn't in charge, wouldn't Trip just have taken command?

I can see a case being made for her as too damaged by the accidental exposure to treluim and the Pan'er, to know what she was doing when she started to take it voluntarily. But Phlox was of sound mind and should have reported her and removed her from command. Remember how McCoy in TOS threatened that? In Starfleet by the next century the medical officer could do that. Don't remember if canon has given that power to the medical officer in T'Pol's time. Anybody remember if this is so?

I guess bringing this whole situation up, (and it is canon even if a gross mistake by the killer Bs), has bummed me out. BnB, since you brought it to our conscience minds, please get us out of it somehow! I want to believe in T'Pol again!

With all due respect, Gammaent, T'Pol's situation is NOT different. She KNEW what she was doing was wrong; why else would she go to such lengths to hide it? She had 60+ years of experience so the "finding herself" excuse doesn't hold water; she's 20 years older than Archer but he's the captain so blaming this on her "youth" makes no sense. The Expanse put EVERYONE into a situation that they weren't prepared for. Did Trip or Archer turn to alcohol abuse to cope? Did Reed or Hoshi turn to drugs? If you accept "The Seventh" as accurate, she had no business BEING in a command position because she has no capability to handle significant amounts of stress. And the moment that she accepted the position of XO, she was subject to the SAME regulations that everyone else aboard was subject to.

If we go by what you're arguing, then it would be okay for a platoon leader (a lieutenant who is younger than a lot of the enlisted guys he commands) to abuse some sort of drug to "find himself" while the platoon is going into combat. If he did that, he would immediately be court-martialed and either ejected from the service or thrown into prison for dereliction of duty.

No, sir, there was NO excuse for T'Pol's actions. It's stupid decisions like this on the part of the writers that convinces me that they hated her character. Not only have they raped her twice (three times if you count Sillick in "Storm Front"), but they also turned her into an incompetent drug addict.

And yes, Linda. ENT-era CMOs do have that power. Phlox threatened to remove Archer from command in "Hatchery" (Starfleet Order 104, Section C).

In regards to her being in command during s3, that was absurd since she was a civilian (having resigned from VHC) who had no LEGAL authority but the Beebs didn't have a clue so it's no surprise.

I agree with you completely Rigil. I also do understand she is 60+ years old, but for some reason I don't see that as having more experience. It seems to me, Vulcans as individuals and Vulcans as a culture learn very slowly, not that its wrong, it just a different way of doing things. Perhaps learn was a wrong word, mature really slowly is more appropriate.

I don't think she was given a commission ( I could be completely wrong) hence her lack of Starfleet or Vulcan uniform.

I agree she had no business being in command and more so that Phlox should have removed her. And there is no excuse for T'Pol's actions, however, there is a context in which her actions must be considered and the factors that may have contributed to it. Calling T'Pol an incompetent drug addict is a bit harsh, considering how much she sacrificed to help Enterprise and how crucial she was to the mission.

About your platoon leader example, is the leader neurologically and psychologically handicapped in the first place due to situations out of their control? Is the leader an alien commanding people who they don't completely understand? Is the leader a volunteer? She shouldn't have been in command, but the fact that she was allowed to remain in command (which I don't believe was her fault) she did what she could. It was wrong and she made bad decisions. But one has to take into consideration the situation. In the same way Archer should be thrown in the brig or ejected our of service for everything he did, but in the end, one can't judge somebody unless you've experienced it for yourself. There really wasn't much of Hoshi or Malcolm in season 3 that I remember, though I remember Malcolm hitting and getting in a brawl with a fellow officer. And I remember a bit of torture, and violation of medical ethics to let Trip live, and I remember some stealing of a warp coil, and the....I'll stop there.

Remind myself never to play devil's advocate :D

Ahhhh...whatever. The writers screwed up season 3 in one too many ways. So...Bnb, when's the next chapter coming out????? :)

There is no indication that I'm aware of canonically that Vulcans mature slower than humans and, based on the fact that T'Pol and the rest had careers that began in their 20s or 30s, I don't see how we can argue that. Emotionally, perhaps, but beyond that, the slow maturation is arguable.

T'Pol was given a commission in season 4 yet inexplicably continued to wear the absurd catsuits. Thus, she had no LEGAL authority to act as the XO of Enterprise during s3 ... but then, I contest her legal authority to act in that capacity during the first two season as well.

My choice of words ("incompetent drug addict") was intentional based on how the Beebs portrayed her when she was "in command" during the third season. Consult "Twilight" or "Azati Prime" as an example, wherein she is incapable of making the correct decision, or "Damage" when she was giving the WRONG orders so as to assuage her addiction. The context of that absurd portrayal was pretty clear: the Beebs had a habit of making other people incompetent in order to exalt their image of Archer.

And in response to your question, if the leader is "neurologically and psychologically handicapped in the first place due to situations out of their control", then that leader has no business BEING a leader. I don't agree with your assertation that she didn't understand humanity by that point as she had served as XO for over two years by this point.

I tend to agree that Archer should have been court-martialed for his actions during the Expanse mission (or at least promoted out of the field) but, again, that would complicate the Beebs absurd vision of him as this "great" leader (who I wouldn't follow on a dare.)

I also contest the "one can't judge somebody unless you've experienced it for yourself" comment. If that's the case, then we can't judge a homicidal sociopath because we haven't experienced being a homicidal sociopath. Situational ethics NEVER result in positive results. The definition of a TRUE hero is a person who does the RIGHT thing even when it hurts them personally.

Wow, what a great story, I love love love it, please continue soon, can't wait to read the next chapters.

So... do at least some people agree with me that Trip had a right to be highly pissed off when he found out that his wife was a stoner, while she was supposed to be leading them on a mission to save his planet?

Absolutely. He had every right to be angry. I'M still angry that those two idiots thought it was a good idea when they had a built-in excuse for her emotional issues (Pa'Nar syndrome) instead of, once again, trying to tear down her character even further.

Thanks Rigil. Now I have to make them come to terms with all of it in the next chapters. And you never answered my question in your comments section about the remoras :)

Regarding their constant attempts to tear T'Pol down. I consider it blatantly and painfully obvious that one or both of them has deep seated psychological issues with women in authority. Especially good looking intelligent women in authority. Obviously somebody has been dumped in the past and is taking vicarious revenge. Sad, ain't it?

Well, I don't want to make any such assumptions since I don't have the facts. That doesn't mean I haven't wondered what their boggle was with T'Pol and why they felt like they had to constantly heap abuse upon her character like they did...

I don't mind making assumptions. I have been proven to be a fool before, so the new has long since worn off. Anyway, that's my theory and I'm stickin' to it.

Huge sigh... Well then, not much has changed since TOS when they they took the female officer who was second in command on the Enterprise in the pilot episode and turned her into Nurse Chapple in later episodes. I suppose it is only because the actress was Gene R's wife that she got any part at all. And in TNG they allowed her to become a menopausal female pursuing Captain Picard and a few alien males. But wait a minute...in the real world...a, haven't we had a woman space shuttle commander? Or was that just another of my endless hallucinations?

While I am in full agreement that nontolerance is the only policy in combat situations I find it painful to have seen what the beebs did the the character of T'Pol. This character could have been used so much better to forward the series. I guess they were afraid of the effect of a competant, intelligent female character in a position of responsibility might have on their viewers.

While I do understand the need to paint the picture of what happens in the situation presented I do hate to see the character T'Pol destroyed all over again.

HtH

Fear not. She is too tough to stay down for long.

Dinah actually started a thread on the Board about the Azati Prime issue, if anyone is interested in continuing the debate.

mock heroicly endeavoring to restrain my trepidation. :-)

HtH

"...there is a reason for both of them acting the way they do. A specific reason. I will get into it in the next installment..."

'Lissa is teething? Trip's preggers, again? T'Pol misses Chef's pecan pie? C'mon, already! Inquiring minds want to know! ;-)

-jwc

p.s. - On a more serious note: interesting debate you all have been kicking around above. My $0.02: Ultimately, it was Phlox's duty as CMO to make T'Pol's incompetence for command known to the proper entity(ies). If he were unaware of the true extent of her disability (she has proven she CAN keep secrets, no?), Phlox might be due some leeway in the sentencing phase but, otherwise, he may arguably bear even more responsibility for the situation (and resultant deaths). Not to convict the Denobulan without a fair trial, but he erred (in a big way) - it would be interesting if a mock trial could be set up to process/argue the issues of 1) whether Starfleet regulations (as interpreted by modern military standards) were violated by T'Pol and/or Phlox and 2) how should mitigating circumstances influence the penalty assigned to any party found guilty of breaking regulation. I know we've got a resident medical expert in Distracted but, is there a lawyer in the house?

Trip certainly has a right to be pissed and distrustful toward both his wife and Phlox - oh, wait, Phlox is coming for a pediatric housecall, isn't he? And their old CO is sure to drop in, too. Methinks, B-n-B, that thou hast quite a bit more drama up thine sleeve...make haste, Man, for thou must toil heartily (beat/ply thy muse by whatever means necessary) as thine readers doth languish in expectancy for your continuance of this fine tale. ;-)

Yeah Bnb...Make It So!

uh...

I sent part 5 in to my beta last night. Is that good enough?

*dazed*

Ok, a, guess I am being to pushy. Sorry. But I really look forward to seeing this one resloved, LOL.

This story is way over the top, but I'm loving it. I think it was Distracted, in one of the Pardox episodes who wrote a perfect scene in which T'Pol confesses to Trip about the Tolaris incident and he reacts exactly right. I was going to hold that scene up as an example in my review here, but, on second thought, if Trip were to react exactly right, END OF STORY! And we can't have that!

B'n B, I think almost everyone has the same take on the trellium addiction thing, and how it was swept under the rug. And lost of us have tried to address it. But it was such a bad move on the part of the writers, that you almost have to sweep it under the rug to SOME extent, in order to write Trip 'n T'Pol romance.

For instance, Kevin wrote a E2squared story in which T'Pol's addiction leads to her being thrown in the brig by Trip, who she attacks and nearly kills, and then Archer has T'Pol demoted for the rest of her life. That story was a BUMMER!

BTW, loved Granny's little comment to the Baby, “It is so simple for you, is it not?” she mused. “You love them, and you accept them as they are. If only your elders could remember the wisdom they held when they were your age.”

I see hope for a happy resolution! But only after a long, wild soap opera of drama!

Can't wait for part 5.

I hate to be the one to tell you this but an addict will fool themselves into thinking they are fine. In fact often times they appear to be unless they are coming down. A true addict may well be able to fuction if they are recieving their fix. Also emotions and the reaction to the trelliam she might not have seen it as a drug per say until after the affects. Her mind would not have allowed her to consider it a drug like say herroin. Vulcans did not do drugs so she not see it as one. As for the price paid. She would not necessarily tell her mate. It is hard enough for them to admit their own weakness much less tell the ones you care about. Denial is a major part of the problem and the last hardest step in healing.

Lisa

A good story about T'Pol in denial about drug addiction: Peter Simons' "Tommorrow." T'Pol keeps promising she will quit "tommorrow." He also has one in which T'Pol confesses her addiction to Trip and Trip DOESN'T forgive her! I'll have to look up the title.

The title is "High Maintenace Women."

(Peter's)Summary: After months of telling lies to Trip, T'Pol finally gets her act together and is honest for a change. His reaction is not what she has hoped for. Absolutely no happy end, read on your own risk!

I will have to read these stories on T'Pol's addiction that are listed here, but at a time when I am not feeling low. Addiction is not a pretty thing and affects many people around the addict. It's too close to RL and I come here to escape RL, mostly, although it does echo RL. I'm looking forward to Bnb's chapter 5 as I think it will end better - he's gonna pull a rabbit out of the hat and Trip will still love T'Pol, right?

I read it. You know, it's hard to say this, but in teh real world a lot of people would say that Trip was a fool to even want T'Pol. If he was your brother, or son, would you be happy to see him pining over her? Say, right after Home, or Kirshara?

Fortunately it all worked out eventually, thanks to the Bobsey twins finally letting Coto have a chance to work on the story lines. But really... The ENT producers came perilously close to destroying the whole idea of a relationship between them altogether. A spineless twerp and an manipulative harridan are not the kind of characters that inspire fan loyalty. Amazing that the actors were able to not only maintain, but build loyalty in their fan base given the scripts they had to work with.

Of course he still loves her Linda. What kind of question is that? Sheesh. :)

Ok, ok, I know the only woman for Trip is T'Pol - it is unconditional love - soulmates til the universe dries up and blows away, okay? And you have put into my mind what Trip's sister, had she lived, might have said to T'Pol. I am sure Elizabeth would have gone straight to T'Pol and... Hey there is a story for an alternate universe where Lizzie survives.

By the way, Manny Coto will be at Starbase Indy Thanksgiving weekend. I plan to try to ask him a few questions and get his autograph. So if you want to just summarize a question(s) that I can read off to him, I will try to ask them. Its a small con, so I should be able to ask some questions.

My apologies, Blackn'blue, but I'm a slow reader, so I'm commenting here on Part 3.

You didn't like "Bridges of Madison County"? LOL!Such a pretty movie...but,then again, I actually like chick flicks.

Somehow I'm fairly confident that Trip will get the hang of diaper changing before long. Hopefully T'Pol comes clean here in Part 4 about her past trellium use. Seems about time to me. Back with more after part 4. I'm enjoying this.

LINDA: "By the way, Manny Coto will be at Starbase Indy Thanksgiving weekend. I plan to try to ask him a few questions and get his autograph. So if you want to just summarize a question(s) that I can read off to him, I will try to ask them."

Heh. "What the bloody frak were those two morons thinking when they came up with that fraknale? Are they stupid? Is that their problem?" immediately comes to mind...

I will ask Manny that question...if some other fan does not ask it before me! I am sure it is at the top of everyone's list!

>“Do not attempt to tell him until
> you have returned together T'Pol,”
> T'Para advised. “It will be best
> to deal with this in the privacy
> of family.”

I like this part of the story but it bugs me that T'Pol is so twisted up in fear that she does not LISTEN!!!

I really do not think T'Pol would have seen it as addiction. She just wanted to feel. How would that be any different then say a crew member taking a drink of alcohol to relax. I am betting she considered it in the same light until it was tolate. Also she is not realizing how her actions have affected her mate. That being the case it is unfare to crusifiy her for it. After all it was trip who wanted her to feel in a sense she was trying to give him what he wanted.

Part 5 went to Bucky tonight