What do you mean, Contaminated?

What do you mean, Contaminated?

By Pepper Bradford

Rating: PG
Genre: Angst, Romance
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Paramount
Summary: Takes place hours after “Azati Prime”

Author’s Note: Second in series that begins with “Contaminated” and followed by Random Contamination, and Decontaminated>

*****

Trip had been hanging there for far too long, his hands shackled above his head. He had been in Engineering, trying to put out fires, when the boarding party hit them. The fire fight was brief, and he knew that he had lost some good people. But the Reptilian Xindi seemed bent on taking prisoners.

He had been hunkered down behind the warp engine, trying to shield the body of a crewman, when he felt the barrel of one of those Xindi weapons roughly shoved into the back of his neck. He, along with the survivors from Engineering, were marched into the Xindi ship, where he was separated from them, and brought here.

They had questioned him three times now, beating him, trying to get information out of him, but he gave them nothing. Well, not nothing. He did give up his Dad’s recipe for Pan-Fried Catfish…substituting lizard for the catfish. That had brought a swift blow to the face.

What worried Trip was the psychological games that they were trying to play. They told him that they were executing the crew, one by one, with each question that he refused to answer. But still, he did not break. He could not break. Somehow, he had found a well of resolve deep inside himself that gave him the strength to resist.

It was her. He knew it instinctively. Somewhere nearby, she was alive. He could feel her presence, and could feel her emotions begin to boil. He knew that she kept them behind that Vulcan mask of hers, but lately, he had become acutely aware of their existence.

*****

It had begun with soon after their first neuropressure treatment. He had begun to anticipate her presence. He would be in Engineering, and turn to look at the door moments before she entered. Then, he began to feel her moods. At first, he chalked it up to getting to know her. But soon, he could feel emotions coming from her even when she had on her “Vulcan Mask”.

He remembered vividly sitting alone in the Mess Hall late one night, staring out at the stars. She had come and spoken briefly with him about Sim’s memories, and he could definitely feel something from her…fear. He had no idea why she felt that way. Then there was their incident aboard the shuttle. Why were they sitting together on the rear seat? He thought he might know why. He had been having some strange dreams about that incident.

But everything changed after THAT NIGHT. He had been having a brief flirtation with a MACO. It was nothing really. She was friendly, and he certainly was flattered. When she’d kissed him, it was the first time that it had occurred to him that he might be in over his head. Then came T’pol’s reaction. Her jealousy was obvious, but he could feel it even more so. Everything came to a head that night. They were arguing about jealousy. He could feel her emotions so vividly, that soon he began to be confused which were his and which were hers. He had never been more attracted to her, and knew that she was attracted to him. Everything came to a head in a moment. One instant they were kissing (did I kiss her? Did she kiss me?) and the next, they were in bed, and it felt as if their souls were on fire, while their bodies worked frantically to put it out.

The next morning came the typical awkwardness. They were senior officers, and had a responsibility to act…well…responsible. But he was so thoroughly confused by a mix of emotions that the conversation was over before he could figure out what happened. She tried to say that it was nothing more than curiosity, but he knew better. He could feel what she felt, more strongly than ever before.

Later that day, he ran across Amanda Cole again, and suddenly he knew that nothing would ever be the same again. The very sight of her made his heart ache for T’pol. He was a goner…totally given over to T’pol in ways that he was only now beginning to understand. He didn’t know how long Vulcans lived, but he knew that he belonged to T’pol for as long as he lived.

******

As these memories flashed through his mind, his smile brought another quick blow to the face. He looked at the Xindi, and smiled again. He knew she was alive.

Suddenly, he could feel her pain. Emotional pain...sadness, despair... and anger.

WHOA!

Anger didn’t do it justice. For a moment, he felt sorry for whatever Xindi was in the room with her.

A few moments later, the main Reptilian Xindi came into his cell.

“I thought it only fitting to inform you that YOU are the cause of the demise of your entire crew” he said, almost smiling.

“What, did you forget to fry the onions first before you fried up one of your friends?” Trip asked, mockingly.

“Very funny, human. We had planned on allowing your two non-human crewmembers to survive, even be freed, while we exterminated the rest of you, along with your planet. But now, not even your Doctor will survive”

“Why’s that” Tip asked, a lump beginning to form in his throat.

“It’s really too much trouble to keep the Denobulan alive after we’ve disposed of the Vulcan. And you have personally assured HER demise” he said.

“Is that so?” He said, almost a whisper now.

“Yes. We were going to kill only the humans, but it seems that she has been contaminated by your species…by YOU to be precise.”

”Whaddya mean, contaminated?” Trip said loudly.

His world closed in on itself with the Xindi’s next words…

….”She is carrying your child”….

*******

With a feeling of immense satisfaction, T’pol looked at the Xindi, now lying dead beneath her. She unwrapped her legs from around its neck, and began looking for ways to free her hands.

She thought of Trip, feeling him now so closely that he seemed almost in the next room. And she thought of her child…their child. She could have chosen not to believe the Xindi, but she now knew the truth for herself. She could feel the presence inside of her, as much as she could feel Trip nearby.

Our child will only be half Vulcan…for now, so will I.

And with that, she let go of her emotional control…Her eyes went almost red with anger and determination as she turned her attention to her shackles.

With all the emotions she had within her, now surging free, she directed her thoughts to Trip.

I am coming…

Finis

(hey, it’s not “The End”)

***********************************

Return to “Contaminated”

Continue to Random Contamination

Back to Fan Fiction Main Menu

Have a comment to make about this story? Do so in the Trip Fan Fiction forum at the HoTBBS!

A whole mess of folks have made comments

Bravo! Way to go T'pol, using the ole' leg- nut cracker trick. Just insert head, and *crunch*!
You go girl!

Wahey! Homicidal pregnant vulcan.

Just to clarify, I wrote this, not Evalyn A.

GREAT STORIES SO FAR, KEEP GOING. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE A HORMONALY CHARGE VULCAN, TRYING TO PROTECT HER CHILD AND MATE.

Sorry, Pepper! I fixed the incorrect author.

Well that gives new mean to being hormonal...lol.... I am loving this... Can't wait to see more

GREAT! GREAT! GREAT! I think this is one of those fics that I come back every hour of every day checking to see if you've added another chapter. Please! Be quick with it.

P.S. I can only imagine what T'Pol'll do to these Xindi. Especially if she catches 'em beatin' Trip or sumthin. This'll be GREAT!

Great Job... I can't wait to read more!

I like the pregnancy angle better than the (edit: spoiler deleted). I like your story. Please gift us with more.

No, I didn't write it, much too inhibited; but I love the idea of the nutcracker Vulcan all the same.

Oh WOW, I am so besotted with this story! I can hardly bear to wait for the next part. I really loved the notion of T'Pol with the gloves off as it were, pulling out all the stops to get free and get to Trip. Be still my aching heart, this is just too good to hurry yet I can't help it. Thanks hardly covers how much I owe you, Ali D :~)

*tee hee*
On one of the Spuffy fanfiction sites, I remember someone jokingly threatened the author with "Write more or I'll gut you like a fish."
Oh, it pissed the author off to no end!
I'm laughing at the "Be quick about it" comment above. *sigh* I'll add, "Write while you poop! And be quick about it, will ya?" ;)

There is a god!!!!! We got our sequal... now you know we'll need more!!!!

Woohoo!!! T'Pol on the loose!!! You *know* that we're going to need more right? *begs shamelessly*

You don't want to kill us
ha ha
thank you pepper can't not wait for your next story.
;)
like the idea that T'Pol is pregnant.

Whoo-hooo this is fantastic!!!

when comes more of this story?
Pleasy writhe a lot more of this story.
I like this.
its fantastic!!

I'M JUMPING UP AND DOWN WATING FOR THE NEXT ONE.
PLEASE BE QUICK!

maby you sick of me now but BE PLEASE QUICK WITH YOU NEXT STORY OF THIS PLEASE