So'Ke'Fe'- Part Two

So’Ke’Fe

By ShouldKnowBetter

Summary: Ambassador Soval makes an unusual request of T’Pol.

Rating: R (for violence and sexual situations), ANgust, Drama

Disclaimers in PartOne

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

Part Two

They were waiting for her in the Vulcan transport, leading her to a cabin where she could change her uniform for more … accommodating … robes. Focus as she might, T’Pol could not quite suppress speculation on whether the respect she was granted as Soval’s so’ke’fe would still have been offered if the attendants knew that she had spent the previous night not in cleansing meditation, but in fornication with a human. A human whom she loved. A human who had given her so much pleasure and the gift of his love, trust and support. But she must not think of Charles now, or her courage would fail her as her logic had failed over growing to love him.

The under robe she was given was diaphanous, indecent – although she rather thought Charles might approve – but the over-mantle covered her completely and she drew the hood close about her face. Her identity was known, of course, but good manners should ensure that this crew never spoke of what they had seen and it behoved her as so’ke’fe to be discreet. It seemed a long walk to Soval’s quarters then she was ushered through the door and it closed behind her, trapping her, and it was all too late for retreat or regret.

T’Pol could smell him before he appeared, the scent of a Vulcan male on heat, the reason why the female of the species had an enhanced nasal capability, although whether to avoid or to approach she had never found out. There was little resemblance to the poised, controlled diplomat of a few days before when Soval emerged from an inner room. His eyes were wild, face flushed and sweating; and when he saw her, his mouth curved into a smile that sent shivers down her back. “T’Pol.” His voice was harsh. “So’ke’fe.”

She remained silent as was traditional, but inclined her head, indicating submission and discretion.

“So lovely.” That was not traditional and he was advancing on her, teeth bared. “So innocent.” Hands stripped her outer robe from her then a savage jerk on her arm sent her reeling towards the bed as he dropped his only covering, revealing that he had no intention of waiting. A final push deposited her on her back and Soval ripped away the under garment leaving her naked, his breath hissing through suddenly bared teeth. “Mine!”

Instinct and fear pressed T’Pol’s legs together as he knelt over her and he growled, forcing a knee between her thighs. “Mine!”

She was totally unprepared and he hurt her enough to make her gasp even with her control still mostly in place and he grinned savagely down, scaring her still further. “Mine!” He was rubbing her raw and, even worse, she could sense his triumph, not just the lust she had been educated to expect. But she was so’ke’fe, she would endure as was her duty. But it hurt, hurt, hurt and where was the blood fever that she had been told would mitigate the effect of this rutting male? She wanted Charles who had been so careful, so patient, who had been horrified when he hurt her.

Above her, Soval drove in agonisingly deep and roared as he shot his semen into her protesting body, and T’Pol closed the eyes that she had kept stubbornly fixed on the ceiling. It was over. She could return to Enterprise and to the lover of her own choice and be cuddled until she felt clean again.

“Whore!” T’Pol’s eyes flashed open to find Soval still kneeling on the bed before her. “Whore!” It was an ancient term, never used in modern Vulcan. “Who had you?” He was staring between her legs, she realised in sick horror, where she might be bleeding from his painful attentions but surely not as much as if he had breached her hymen; Tucker had nearly panicked and called Phlox when he saw the result of what he had done to her. “Who?”

Even if Soval had been rational, she would not have told him, not Soval, not her mentor for whom she had worked for so many years, had held in respect, had attempted to emulate in his contempt for humankind. She could not have told him that it was a human male she had allowed to take her in preference to himself. And he was not rational, clearly not, still in the grip of pon farr despite the mating that was supposed to satisfy the burning.

“Who?” he snarled again and, when she still remained silent, stretched out a hand, pressing the fingers hard against the side of her face, eyes burning. “Who?”

T’Pol stiffened in terror. This was Kolaris over again, wanting to invade her mind, to sift her memories, to hurt her. She could not allow it. Her time with Charles was private, not to be shared with anyone else. She brought one knee up sharply, trying to dislodge him, but he only laughed – laughed! – and pinned her back down, slapping her across the face with his full strength, splitting her lips. “Who?” The hand was back to her face, fingers seeming to penetrate her skull. “My mind to your mind … who? … my thoughts to your thoughts … who?”
The invasion of her mind was hurting more than the invasion of her body and try as she might, she could not seem to resist. She had never been trained in this technique and it seemed that Soval had. Then he was in and T’Pol screamed in agony as he began to take her memories from her, to warp them and to send them back to plague her.

Archer was in his ready room when Hoshi put the call through which, in retrospect, he realised was a good thing. “Ambassador V’Lar,” he met the woman’s calm stare from the view screen, “is it over?” It was just past midday and he had no idea how long it might take to … satisfy … a mating Vulcan.
“It is. Ambassador Soval’s need has passed. After a period of meditation he will be fully restored and able to resume negotiations tomorrow.”

“Good,” although Archer didn’t really care too much about the ambassador’s health. “Will T’Pol be returning to Enterprise?”

V’Lar’s expression did not change but Archer thought he detected sorrow in her firm voice. “I regret to inform you, Captain Archer, that T’Pol did not survive the experience unscathed.”

“What’s wrong with her?” He felt sick.

“There is some physical damage, as might be expected. However, she is also in a coma from which we have been unable to rouse her.”

Archer took a deep breath, trying to restrain his temper. “Return her to Enterprise.”

“That is my intention. It may be better if she is in familiar surroundings … and with those for whom she has affection.”

Archer reached sickbay at the same time as the party from the docking port, wincing at the sight of his first officer’s bruised face and torn mouth as she was wheeled past. “How is she, doctor?”

“I can’t tell you yet, captain.”

The Denobulan hurried past him to the biobed to which T’Pol was transferred and pulled a privacy screen around it, blocking Archer’s view. He turned to the elder Vulcan. “Is this normal, ambassador? And if it is, why the hell didn’t you tell me!”

“No, captain, this is not normal.” She glanced around. “Where is Mr Tucker?”

“Engineering, I guess.”

“Please ask him to come here.”

“Why?”

“Because T’Pol would wish him to be here.”

“Ambassador,” Archer began slowly, a little confused, “a few months ago, I might have agreed with you, but … Trip and T’Pol haven’t been on speaking terms in weeks.”

The look V’Lar gave him might have been pitying. It was certainly weary. “I have reason to believe otherwise, Captain. Please call the commander.”

When Tucker arrived, he looked tired and irritable at having been disturbed, but Archer thought that a lot of the nervous energy that had been driving his friend was gone. “Cap’n, what …” Then he caught sight of V’Lar and his mouth pulled into an unforgiving line. “Where is she?”

It probably wasn’t the best of moments for Phlox to remove the screens he had erected to reveal T’Pol lying motionless, modestly covered by a surgical gown that could not obscure her facial injuries. Tucker swore viciously and almost ran to her side, a hand raising one of hers to his mouth, the other gently stroking her bruised face, but there was no response from the unconscious woman.

Archer and V’Lar moved across more slowly, the confusion of the former growing. The last time he had seen Tucker, the man had been calling T’Pol some of the foulest names Archer had heard in a long time and now he was reacting like a distraught lover at her condition. And V’Lar didn’t seem surprised, even less shocked, that one of her own people was being fondled by a human. Had he missed something again? More questions for later. “Doctor?”
The Denobulan had lost his usual bounce. “If I had not been told that the sub-commander had submitted voluntarily to this … tradition … I would say that she had been raped; rather brutally and several times.”

“Pon farr is not something we Vulcans are proud of, doctor,” V’Lar stated coldly. “To have our logic, our control, stripped from us is degrading, shaming and potentially dangerous.”

Tucker raised his head to glare at her but before he could think of a suitable retort, Phlox had nodded. “I am aware of that, ambassador, and I agree that the physical damage can be explained by Ambassador Soval’s condition.” He paused. “The neurological damage cannot.”

“Neurological damage?” V’Lar sounded uncertain and the doctor nodded.
“Yes. I have seen similar symptoms before. Some time ago we encountered a group of your people. One of them used a mild-meld on Sub-Commander T’Pol with unfortunate results. It appears to have been done again.”

“He mind-raped her?” Archer asked furiously and Phlox spread his hands in a gesture of uncertainty.

“The evidence points that way, yes. Unless Ambassador Soval can tell us otherwise.”

“It should not be possible.” V’Lar drew slowly closer to the biobed. “With a so’ke’fe, the interaction is purely physical since the pair are not bonded. However, in rare instances …” She stretched out a hand towards T’Pol and Tucker knocked it violently away.

“Don’t you touch her! You never told her it was dangerous!”

“Trip!” Archer intervened firmly. “”Doctor, can you treat T’Pol?”

“I can correct the neurological damage, but whether she will regain consciousness or not, I do not know.”

“That’s not why she’s in a coma?”

“No, captain. She simply … will not wake.”

“V’Lar, is there anything you can suggest?”

“No.” She met Tucker’s angry, resentful eyes. “If her chosen partner were Vulcan, perhaps he could reach her, but humans have no such ability.”

He gritted his teeth, looking back down at T’Pol, fingers again caressing her face. “She didn’t chose a Vulcan, she chose me. And you can tell Soval from me that just as soon as he’s available, I’m gonna come and BREAK HIS NECK!”

“Trip,” Archer said again, “back off. Violence isn’t going to help here. However,” he turned to V’Lar, one eye still on the furious engineer, “it does look to me as if charges may need to be brought against Soval.”

“No,” she said flatly. “That will not be possible.”

“My science officer’s been raped! Physically … well, maybe I can understand that … but mentally? You yourself said it shouldn’t happen.”

“I said it was rare, captain, but no charges can be brought against Soval. A Vulcan male in the grip of pon farr is exempt in law from all criminal action and the transport vessel where this occurred is considered Vulcan territory, governed by the Vulcan legal system.” She looked back at Tucker. “I am sorry for your grief, commander. I too hope that T’Pol will recover,” and she swept out of sickbay, leaving the three men in stunned silence.

“Damned fucking Vulcans!” Tucker whispered harshly after a moment and lifted T’Pol’s hand to his mouth again, eyes closing.

Phlox tapped his shoulder. “Excuse me, Commander Tucker, but if you would step away for a moment, I must instigate treatment.”

The engineer didn’t react and Archer stepped in, hands on Tucker’s shoulders, pulling him away. “Trip, come on. Let the doctor do his job.” He managed to drag his friend to the other side of the room, pushing him down into a seat where Tucker dropped his head into his hands, scrubbing at his face. “I get the feeling,” Archer said slowly, thinking it was probably better if he could get the other man to talk, “that I’ve missed something. Are you and T’Pol … lovers?”

“Yeah,” Tucker muttered without raising his head. “We tried not to be. T’Pol knew she’d have to go home some day, marry, and a human lover in her past wouldn’t go down well. But hell, Jon,” he raised his head, eyes creased in pain, “I’ve been in love with her for a year, probably more, and when I realised she wanted me too …” He shook his head, teeth closing on his lower lip. “It was too hard, we just kept hurting each other. So I acted like a pig instead and, believe me, that didn’t work either! Then this fucking awful so’ke’fe thing with Soval … Last night … she was so upset … and I just made it worse … V’Lar caught us together, said it wouldn’t be the end of the world if we … so we did. And it was so good, Jon, finally being together, not having to pretend we didn’t love each other.”

“I’m sorry,” Archer said with sincerity and Tucker shrugged, sniffing back tears.
“T’Pol agreed that we could stay together once she got back from Soval. With your permission, I guess, cap’n.”

“Granted.” They would deal with the consequences of that later. “Trip, I’m sure T’Pol will be OK. She’s strong.”

“No, she’s not,” T’Pol’s best friend said bleakly. “Personal things screw her up real bad. She needs me – and because I’m human, I can’t help her, not this time.”

Archer sighed and squeezed a rigid shoulder. There didn’t seem to be a lot else he could do.

Jonathan Archer had no choice the next day but to resume his role at the conference table, even though T’Pol showed no sign of improvement and Tucker was bouncing off the walls with frustration and anger. Enterprise’s captain nearly walked out, however, when he encountered Soval privately at the first break in proceedings. V’Lar had made a point of asking after T’Pol, but Soval made no such attempt and would probably have ignored Archer if the human had not felt the need to discuss the situation. He approached the Vulcan, firmly quashing a sudden flicker of temper. Oh, yes, he could understand how Trip felt. “Ambassador Soval,” the man looked down his nose at him as usual, “I assume you’ve heard that T’Pol is still in a coma?”

“Indeed.”

“Unfortunate, don’t you think?”

“No.”

“What did you say?”

“She has shamed herself with a human. It would be best if she did not recover.”

Archer was stunned into silence for long enough that Soval had started to move away before he re-found his tongue. “How do you know about Trip and T’Pol?”

“She told me.”

“And for that, you believe she’d be better off brain dead?”

“I believe I have already said so.”

“You bastard!” Archer did not care if the other man was a respected diplomat. “As I understand it, T’Pol saved your life. Doesn’t that count for anything?”

“You do not understand, Captain Archer. I suggest that you do not try,” and Soval turned away to speak to one of his aides, leaving Archer seriously considering helping Tucker in his desire to murder the Vulcan. Only the captain’s respect for V’Lar held him back.

The long recess while Soval was indisposed actually seemed to be the watershed for the conference. Negotiations went far better for it and three days later Soval had succeeded in bringing the Roherans and Trelins to an accommodation. Archer could take no satisfaction from the achievement, however. T’Pol was still in a coma and Phlox was looking grimmer every time Archer slipped into sickbay for a report; and to drag Tucker away to eat and rest. The engineer was exhausted and still stubbornly refusing to shift from sickbay for more than a few hours at a time. When V’Lar approached the captain at the end of the day, Archer was abrupt even with her and she didn’t bother asking. “She is no better.”

“No. V’Lar, do you truly have no idea why T’Pol reacted like this?”
He thought that she hesitated. “Soval states that he made no mental connection with her.”

“Is there nothing that can be done?”

This time she definitely paused before replying. “There is one possibility.” She acknowledged Archer’s silent rebuke. “I have not mentioned it before because if T’Pol has already reacted badly to a mind-meld then it could do more harm than good.”

“What exactly are you suggesting?”

“That I instigate a mind-meld with T’Pol. It may be that I can determine what keeps her unconscious.”

“She told me that the technique was banned.”

“For the young, yes. It was decided that it was too invasive, too disturbing for those without experience of the world. Some amongst us now learn the technique in middle age, but we do not speak of it and it is used but rarely and never lightly.”

Archer sighed, not liking it one bit; and Tucker would probably approve even less. “Then if you’re willing, ambassador, let’s get over to Enterprise.”

Archer was right, Tucker objected vehemently, right up until the moment when Phlox took a hand. “Mr Tucker, Sub-commander T’Pol is dying. I cannot sustain her in this state indefinitely.”

Tucker turned away, one arm resting on the wall, the fingers of his other hand rubbing his eyebrows. “OK; but I don’t wanna watch.”

Archer nodded to V’Lar to proceed and crossed to drop a comforting hand on his friend’s shoulder. Trip had never been good at coping with grief, which made Archer wonder how the engineer had reacted when his captain was critically injured. Although in retrospect that was a foolish question; T’Pol had undoubtedly taken care of the human she loved.

Behind the two men, V’Lar pressed the tips of her fingers together for a moment, eyes closing, then stepped to T’Pol’s side, laying the fingers of her right hand against the younger woman’s temple and cheek bone. The words were in Vulcan but they had the cadence of a formula, then her voice dropped to a murmur and faded entirely as her eyes lost their focus.

The desert scene was hot and red, but not as red as the blood staining the human’s throat, soaking down his uniform and covering T’Pol’s hands as she knelt beside him, tears trickling down her impassive face. V’Lar approached slowly, not surprised to identify the human as Tucker. “T’Pol,” she spoke clearly, apparently aloud although it was to the other woman’s mind that the words were addressed, “why do you remain here?”

“I killed him.” T’Pol sounded very young, but at least she had responded.
“I think not. His throat has been ripped out, by a sehlat if I do not mistake.”

“I should have stopped it. I let him die.”

“You did not. T’Pol, your human is alive.”

“He is not. I killed him.”

“He is alive. It is only in your own mind that he is dead. You must return to him, child, and to the rest of your crew mates who are concerned for you.”

“He is dead.” The tears were falling faster. “I killed him.”

V’Lar sighed and withdrew, re-focussing on the walls of the humans’ ship as she separated her mind from T’Pol’s.

“Learn anything?” It was Archer who asked, although Tucker turned around to hear the answer.

“Indeed. It seems that T’Pol believes Commander Tucker to be dead and that she is responsible.”

“Why would she think that?” Tucker demanded and V’Lar made a slight gesture of non-understanding.

“I do not know. The scenario playing out in her mind seemed most illogical. Have you ever been to Vulcan with T’Pol, commander?”

“No. Well, not really. We were kidnapped by crazy alien anthropologists a few months ago. They put us in some sort of holographic simulation of Vulcan.”

“Interesting. We can assume you were not in danger?”

“Didn’t seem like it. We were attacked by a pack of seal-somethings. T’Pol thought I’d been killed, but she pulled the thing off in time.”

V’Lar’s expression was troubled. “It would appear that T’Pol’s memories of the event have become ... distorted.”

“By Soval?” Tucker asked, expression darkening, and V’Lar shook her head slowly.

“I cannot believe that. It is entirely possible that the stress of recent events has caused the problem.”

“So how do we persuade T’Pol that Trip’s OK?” Archer asked.

“If he were Vulcan …”

“I’m not!”

“If he were Vulcan, he would be able to make her sense his presence. That is clearly not possible without help; which I may be able to provide.”

“How?”

“A three-way mind-meld. I would join my mind with Commander Tucker’s then link us both with T’Pol. He may be able to reach her.”

“You can do that with a human?”

“I do not know, but I am willing to try.”

The engineer looked deeply apprehensive but also grimly determined. “I’ll give it a try. What d’you want to me do?”

V’Lar gestured to an adjacent biobed. “Lie here.” He obeyed. “Try to relax, to think of nothing.” He took a deep breath, expelling it sharply and closed his eyes. V’Lar pressed her fingers to his face as she had to T’Pol’s earlier and he jerked away, eyes flying open. “Please, commander, you must trust me. We both have T’Pol’s best interests in common.” He closed his eyes again and she approached once more, this time fitting her fingers to his face although the muscles along his jaw bunched. “My thoughts to your thoughts,” she said it in English this time, perhaps to avoid alarming those listening, “my mind to your mind, my thoughts to … Mr Tucker, you are not cooperating.”

“I’m trying,” he said through gritted teeth.

“You are thinking of nothing except how much you distrust my species. Kindly direct your thoughts elsewhere.”

“OK.” He drew another breath. “OK. Try again.”

“My thoughts to your thoughts, my mind to your mind, my thoughts … to your thoughts …”

Watching, Archer could see the faces of both creased in pain or concentration or both, as V’Lar’s voice faded again, then slowly she stretched out a hand to T’Pol and repeated the mantra, slower this time, the look of concentration deepening. Then there was only silence and uncanny stillness.

The scene was unchanged, T’Pol kneeling by Tucker’s body, weeping silently. This time V’Lar stood back, ushering Tucker forward. He moved slowly and knelt awkwardly by the facsimile of his death that T’Pol had created; or had created for her. “T’Pol.” There was no reaction. “T’Pol, darling, it’s me.”

“You are dead.”

“No, I’m not.”

“I killed you.”

“No! Darling, I’m fine. T’Pol, look at me.” Reluctantly she raised her head from the dead image to the live one. “This isn’t how it happened, T’Pol. You saved me, darling. You killed the sehlat before it got me.” He caressed her cheek. “You saved me. We always look out for each other, you know that.”
Her eyes closed. “I do not remember.”

At least that was an improvement. “But I do. I remember that you saved me. Come back to me, T’Pol. I miss you like crazy, darling.”

“I love you.”

Tucker nearly smiled; so it was only aloud that she had trouble saying it. That was so damned typical! “I love you too. Now come back with me, huh?” He took her hand although it remained lax in his.

“You died. So many times.”

“No! No, darling, I’m not dead, promise you.”

“You died,” and the scene changed to the interior of a frozen shuttle pod and Phlox kneeling by two corpses.

“I’m afraid Commander Tucker and Lt. Reed are dead, captain.”

“No! It didn’t happen like that. You saw the engine blow on your scanners and Enterprise got there in time. Malcolm and I were fine.”

Another scene change, to Engineering and his burnt and lifeless body lying on the deck. “I’m sorry, captain, but Commander Tucker is dead.”

“No! I wasn’t killed.”

Yet another image, another shuttle pod, this one wrecked by an explosion, and Archer kneeling by his body. “I couldn’t save him, T’Pol, he bled to death.”
“No, it was Jon who was hurt. T’Pol, look at me.” She was standing beside him, hand in his, as well as kneeling by his corpse. “T’Pol, darling girl, trust me, I’m alive and I need you to come back with me. You can’t stay in here, sweetheart.”

Tucker had turned her to face him, hands cupping her face, trying to break through the bleak unhappiness in her eyes, when a movement behind them drew his attention; the images had been almost still-lives up until then. The looming figure of Soval made him gasp, pulling T’Pol closer to him in an instinctive gesture of protection from the menace projected by the Vulcan, his face twisted into a bitter mask of hatred.

“Mine!” the Vulcan snarled. “Mine!” and stretched out a hand to snatch T’Pol away, but Tucker clutched her to him, swinging her away, however futile such a gesture might be within T’Pol’s own head.

“Keep your damned hands away from her! She doesn’t belong to you. She belongs with me. With me!”

T’Pol had been entirely passive up until that moment then she suddenly stirred and Tucker saw life returning to her eyes. “Charles?”

“Yeah,” he breathed in sudden hope. “It’s me. Come home with me, darling. I need you.” She raised a hand to his face and then the image was gone and he was back in sickbay, trying to focus on walls that wouldn’t stay still while someone tried to drive half a dozen nails into his skull. “Oh, God,” he moaned in a heart-felt prayer and rolled to one side, struggling to sit upright, only making it because a strong arm came around him and held him there.

“Trip?” Archer’s voice was too loud. “You OK?”

“T’Pol?”

“I don’t know. V’Lar collapsed but Phlox thinks she’s just exhausted.”

The walls had steadied although the nails were still there and now there were lights flashing across his vision. “T’Pol?” The lights were obscuring the next bed where he knew she lay.

“Mr Tucker,” the doctor’s voice hurt just as much as Archer’s, “you appear to have a severe migraine. Please lie down before you vomit.”

“What about T’Pol?”

At Archer’s nod, the Denobulan went to check on his third patient, looking up with a smile. “She seems to be reviving. Most interesting.”

Still propping Tucker upright, Archer saw his first officer finally stir for the first time in days then her eyes flickered open and she began to stare desperately around her. “T’Pol,” he said quietly, “over here.” She looked and then, in one graceless movement, tumbled off the biobed and straight into his friend’s arms, clinging to him. Archer was fairly sure he saw tears staining her cheeks, although that could have been a trick of the light.

The engineer wrapped his arms tight around her, resting his head on hers. “It’s OK, darling, I’m here.” He sounded very tired. “Only you’re gonna have to let go of me, T’Pol. Phlox is right, I’m gonna throw up.”

Archer didn’t take time to say farewell to Soval after the treaty signing ceremony, which was probably fortunate because the Vulcan ambassador didn’t seek him out either. The captain was accosted by V’Lar after he had spoken to the Roheran and Trellin representatives, who appeared to be making a genuine effort to speak to each other. Perhaps something positive would come of the conference after all.

“Captain Archer,” she drew him aside for a moment of privacy, “how are T’Pol and Commander Tucker?”

He smiled, glad to have good news to deliver for once. “T’Pol says she’s fine, although Phlox is keeping her under observation a while longer. Trip claimed he still had a headache but the doctor threw him out of sickbay this morning. He said that two patients on one biobed was an accident waiting to happen.”
A slanted eyebrow rose. “I am inclined to agree.”

“And yourself, V’Lar?”

“I am fully recovered, thank you, captain, although it is not an experience I would care to repeat. Your Mr Tucker is remarkably stubborn.”

“I’ll second that one.” He sighed, sobering. “Ambassador, T’Pol told Trip what happened to her. She says that Soval did instigate a mind-meld with her, but not until he had already taken her. She claims he was furious to find that she wasn’t virgin and demanded to know who she’d been with. When she refused to tell him, he melded with her – forcibly – and ransacked her mind for her memories of Trip, then changed them to make her believe he was dead. Trip said that you’d seen the later for yourself.”

V’Lar turned away. “These are serious allegations.”

“They are. I know Soval’s exempt in law, but if it’s true …” He shrugged. “I’d say he was sick and needed help.”

“You know very little about my people, Captain Archer.”

“I know; but I wouldn’t like to see what T’Pol went through repeated with anyone else.”

“I will meditate on the matter. It may be that it is time for Soval to return to Vulcan for a period of reflection.” She paused in the act of turning away. “Remind T’Pol that her time on Enterprise is of limited duration, Captain Archer. She must return to Vulcan within the next few years or risk exile; and she must be discreet about her relationship with Mr Tucker. Good day, captain,” and with that she swept out, leaving Archer to wonder how to pass the message on to a woman he had last seen sleeping peacefully in the arms of a man her government would never accept.

By the time he returned to Enterprise, Archer had decided that he had best pass V’Lar’s message on as soon as possible in case it changed T’Pol’s mind about continuing a relationship with his chief engineer. He didn’t think it would, not after two bad experiences with members of her own species and what was clearly a very good one with a human, but she needed to be aware of the consequences. Sickbay was empty apart from Phlox, however, who looked up cheerfully. “Ah, captain, what can I do for you?”

“I was looking for T’Pol.”

“I discharged her. I recommend another full day’s rest before she returns to duty, but she fortunately seems to have suffered no lasting effects from the injuries she suffered.”

“Is Trip OK?”

“Commander Tucker still claims to be feeling ‘woozy’, as he puts it, but given the severity of the migraine he suffered that is not unusual. He will recover.”
“Thanks, doctor. See you around.”

There was no answer when Archer requested entry at T’Pol’s door. A little alarmed, he repeated the request then overrode the lock; coma patients could relapse, couldn’t they? The cabin was empty. Archer stared around then dropped his head, grinning ruefully. OK, so he could be touchingly naïve on occasion. He activated the comm. instead. “Archer to T’Pol.”

She answered after a short pause. “T’Pol here.”

“How are you feeling, sub-commander?”

“I am fine. I will be returning to duty in the morning.”

“That’s not what Phlox said.”

“He was mistaken.”

“I guess we can discuss that tomorrow.” He hesitated, but it seemed pointless to mention V’Lar’s message; that could wait until morning, too. “Goodnight, sub-commander. Sleep well. Archer out.” He was still shaking his head at his stupidity as he headed for his own cabin.

When Archer broke the connection, T’Pol regarded her meditation lamp for a few seconds longer, but her concentration had been broken and she had nearly finished anyway. She extinguished the lamp and placed it neatly on a table then turned to obverse her companion. Sensing her scrutiny, Tucker lowered the PADD he had been reading and smiled, holding out a hand. “All done?”
“Yes.” In the small cabin, it took her barely two strides to reach the bed, then she was cuddling up beside him, head on his chest, sighing with pleasure as her eyes closed. She didn’t need as much sleep as a human, but it was just so nice to be with him; she would be quite content to lie here while he slept.

“Hey.” A gentle hand tugged her hair. “Didn’t you forget something?”

“No.” She had used her nasal numbing agent; twice.

“Haven’t I told you about goodnight kisses yet?”

“No.”

“Well, there’s this real nice human custom …”

She raised her head and fitted her mouth to his, feeling him respond gently; he knew she wasn’t up to more just yet. “Goodnight, Charles.”

“’Night, T’Pol,” and she snuggled up to him again. She didn’t care what any other of her species might think; not yet anyway. She loved him and she was going to have him – for a short while.

Return to Part One

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

Poor Trip and T'pol what happend to them in this story Because of what did to her.Good story now you've got me wondering what kind of Repercussions will happen to T'Pol being abused by Soval. And what will happen to Trip and T'Pol's relationship.I really your series of stories I'll hope you'll continue writing more stories after Repercussions you're a really talented writer.

I can't even put into words how fabulous this story has been. Beautifully written and extremely imaginative. No detail forgotten or irrelevant. The 'rape' scene was explicitive without being obscenely written.

I actually cheered this morning when I logged on to this site and saw that you had added another part. . . Looking forward to your next posting.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! ! !

I loved this! Hated Soval, wanted to shove him out of the nearest airlock with every bone in his vile body broken. Poor T'Pol having to undergo that but at least she is back with Trip so my poor little heart can recover happy in the knowledge that they can at last share their feelings for each other. Another terrific story, thank you so much for this lovely sparkly gift. Ali D :~)

This is great! And so was 'Deception' - that would make a fantastic basis for an Enterprise movie in my opinion! Again, Paramount ought to hire you! ;-))

Another installment of an exceptionally written series. They're just so damn in character! And the flying sparks! The perfectly realized emotional reactions to one another and the situations they find themselves in . . . I LOVE this series. I'm so happy you decided to write more after the first story.

And I'm even happier things are finally "resolved" between them.

Speaking of which . . . *joins Alison in spacing Soval* >___< Ugh! Hate, hate, hated him! And yet, he managed to make the negotiations run smoothly . . . ¬_¬ *spaces him anyway*

Hmmm, and I must say, you're dead-on with your Archer characterization too. Well, more the way I'd like to see him written - concerned about his crew and getting over T'Pol.

That all being said, A Logical Proposal is still my favorite one. :) And Deception nearly made my heart break.

Keep up the great work!

Hmm... "Repercussions..." *whispers conspiratorily* I bet Soval's gotten her pregnant, Hmm? I'd hope not... the bastard...

I'm so glad that Trip and T'Pol are finally together!!! I just love this series. Oh, and is it possible to hire a hitman to take care of you-know-who??

this was painfully beautiful. A very trying love story I am anxious to see what the final story to your series.

This was a beautiful story.And much more so because it took the both of them so long to find each other.
Thanks for writing this and I hope to read much more from you.

Stayed up til 3am to finsh reading all your stories, and WOW !!! these are great !!! I couldn't stop. Very emotional. My heart ached for Trip/T'Pol when they were struggling with their feelings for one another. I have only one disappointment, I hoped that Trip would have come and save T'Pol from Soval. I hope you'll deal with that SOB in your future story....thanks for the great stories and looking foward to more.

This story would make a great Enterprise movie if the producers were ever so inclined. Loved every minute of it, especially the ending and the rape scene was very well done. Write on!

Your writing style is fine. I enjoyed the earlier segments of this series, which is probably why I felt sucker-punched by this one.

It's been several days since I read this story and I had no intention of leaving comments because I was brought up to say nothing if you couldn't say anything nice. However, I find that this story offended me on so many levels that I really can't seem to get it out of my head until I get it off my chest just how offensive I found it.

Let me explain:

!) Fan fiction is at liberty to do many things with the characters of the show its about, but the integrity of some people/species/actions should be maintained. With one fell swoop, you've undermined the entire Vulcan species, and specifically Soval and V'Lar, as sanctioning rape. You've thrown them into the same category as slave-owners and/or human sacrificers - behaviors that are not condoned by the Earth-led Federation of the future. Several Enterprise captains have recommended against including planets in the Federation that had practices so diametrically opposed to Earth's "humanitarian" priniciples. So the argument that this is cultural and therefore acceptable, doesn't wash; Earth has always measured other cultures by its own standards. Differences are fine, but not to point of violating an individual's personal rights. Nothing in our experience with Vulcans prior to your story indicates they would have such a oppressive practice. Which leads me to...

2) Per "TOS: Amok Time", the woman has the right to say "No". T'Pring refused Spock and she was bonded to him. You've taken away a Vulcan woman's right to say no. You've made it an "honor to be chosen" to get raped. This is an insult to every victim of sexual abuse out there. Guess what? It's NOT an honor to be chosen for rape.

3) NO ONE is that indispensible. If Soval had been shot and killed, the talks would have been postponed until another mediator could be brought in. If Soval had collapsed from some illness and was in Sickbay unconscious, the talks would have been postponed until another mediator could be brought in or he recovered. If an unbonded, virginal Vulcan female hadn't been handy, they would have postponed the talks until another mediator could be brought in. The obvious solution to Soval's Pon Farr was to head back toward Vulcan at maximum warp and have his wife heading his way as maximum warp and in the meantime, the other Vulcans are helping him with meditation a la' Tuvok. But no, because he was conscious, but needed sex, suddenly there's just no other alternative than for T'Pol to offer herself up as the virginal sacrifice to his raging libido. Excuse me while I throw up.

4) And while we're talking about T'Pol being coerced into allowing herself to be raped, let's address this need to make T'Pol a victim - a pathetic, weak, won't speak up for herself, lets anybody who's Vulcan walk all over her, victim. She doesn't have any problems making Trip tow the line ("My future mate will expect me to be a virgin.") and she supposedly loves him, but as soon as the Vulcans show up, she's meek, little "Yes, I'm so honored you've chosen me to rape. Thank you for giving my future bondmate a note explaining why I'm not a virgin for him. I'm sure my future husband will appreciate getting a recommendation from my rapist.") You've not only brought T'Pol down, you've brought Trip down too. He can't prevent himself from interfering with a Vissian cogenitor simply denied "human rights" but he can sit back and let his lover voluntarily go get raped in the name of "you don't know anything about my people". You know what, Trip, if this is hers and her people's view of what is permissable behavior, you don't want her. Go find Amanda.

5) Then there's the whole Soval mentally violating her because she had the nerve to have sex with someone else first. How dare she not go to her raping by the MARRIED man as a virgin. Can we make the Vulcans and Soval any more barbaric?

6) And FINALLY, the whole Soval is above the law thing. Must be nice to be able to do anything you want to anybody with no repercussions. Again with the Vulcan women having no rights.

I would have let it go. This is by no means the first fan fic I haven't liked (although I did like the earlier segments of this - A Logical Proposal, etc.) and fan fic like any other media is a matter of personal taste; different people like different things, but I think the thing that got me were the comments made by others that this was "in character" and a "beautiful story".

I didn't think ANYONE was in character, except maybe Phlox; Archer and Trip were wusses, T'Pol was in little girl victim mode, V'Lar was pimping, Soval was criminal and the entire Vulcan species are brutes to even allow this kind of behavior under the guise of tradition.

I apologize to the author and to other readers who find my comments brutal. I'm not trying to hurt anyone's feelings, but this time it wasn't just that I didn't care for the story. This story to me crossed the line - it wasn't entertainment, it was exploitative. AND it should've been rated NC-17 for the violent rape scene.

Very powerful. Disturbing, but in a good way. You managed to keep everybody in character, with your usual crisp dialogue and even (amazingly!) a bit of humor (I can't have been the only one to chuckle when Trip said--and I'm paraphrasing-'Since when do you listen to me? You think I'm an idiot.')

I have to agree with Trisun5: The "Soval-thing" (I´m not going to use the 4-letter-word, even if I see it it that way, too) almost made me throw up.
Sorry, but that was out of line.
Maybe you can blame it on a Vulcan´s biology to act this way, maybe - but not really.
I don´t think such a thing would really happen. T´Pol would reject the "offer" and Soval - even at his age - is (still) strong enough to find an other solution if his wife/mate really can´t be reached.
Trip (and Archer, too) would never ever agree to this situation.

Okay, besides the former rant - I loved the way T/T acted. THAT was the lovely part. :)

ShouldKnowBetter,

So far I have very much enjoyed your stories, but this one has offended me on many levels.
Sanctioning rape and stepping all over women's rights because it's the 'Vulcan way'? Maybe you should've attended a counseling session for raped and/or battered women before you decided to write this story.

I have enjoyed the story up to the line "Soval drove in agonisingly deep..." I stopped here. I mean no disrespect, but in the words of Tolaris "What a shame." That line was as far as my browser went.

End

I have to agree with Trisuns5. After the lovely combination of romance and humor in "A Logical Proposal," this one was shocking. You should know better!