A New Life

A New Life

By: TLR

Rated PG
Disclaimer: “Enterprise” is the property of UPN and Paramount Pictures.
Summary: This story sorta picks up where And Baby Makes 4 left off. The Enterprise has delivered the Tucker brood safely to their new home on Vulcan and now Trip is having some difficult times adjusting to his new environment, social role and not being the chief engineer any more. Let's see how he handles his new experiences. Enjoy.

November 15th, 2005

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Part 1

Trip sat at the desk in his and T'Pol's oversized room. Since coming home, they took the master suite, now being the heads of the household, which afforded them a bit more space. Lizzie had T'Pol's old room, a half a hall away. She loved sleeping in the bed her mother grew up in. Feeling the vibrations from her mother's presence was so calm and warming to her. She had no problems sleeping from the first night they arrived. Trip on the other hand was restless and it had only been two weeks since they came home. His folks left after a week to board a Vulcan starship and return to Earth. Now he was here, alone in an alien house, T'Pol busying herself for her new posting with the High Council.

Trip turned on the recorder, as he held his son Lorian in his arms. The baby boy was sleeping, happy and content from the last bottle his dad gave him. Trip loved having a baby to hold again, now that Lizzie was grown and more self sufficient. At least this made him feel like he had a purpose, but would he fit in on this definitely different planet. The screen blinked twice indicating it was ready to record. Trip straightened and called for Elizabeth to come and join him in this video mail. From the other room, the little girl came, Kamute and his smaller student bounded into the room after her.

"Come here darlin....Stand by daddy." He indicated for the child to come to his left and be part of the recording. "Want to say hi to Uncle Jon?" Lizzie nodded vigorously. Trip smiled and hit the button once more.

"Hey Cap'n.. Just thought you'd like a look at your god son. He's really grown in the last two weeks." Trip held up Lorian for his friend's benefit. "Say Hi, Lizzie."
"Hi Uncle Jon." She beamed, her tiny teeth showing from corner to corner of her mouth.

"Miss you all… I hope Connelly is keep'n my engines running well. Tell her I said she'd better or I'll come back and kick her butt." Trip knew that Jon would chuckle at his continued obsession with the engine room.

"We're doing great. Believe it or not, I start school in a few weeks. It's an exchange program at the academy in Warp theory. I get to play with warp 7 engines, can you believe that. I think Soval had a lot to do with it. Or maybe the fact that T'Pol's family was a bit more influential than she let on. Found that one out the hard way. Any how, I will be learning advanced engine design in hopes of heading up the United Federation Space Facility the Vulcan's are letting us build here." Lizzie tapped her father on the shoulder and wished to speak.
"Go ahead honey….Talk to your Uncle Jon." Trip looked down as he felt the thoughts running through his daughter's mind.

"Miss You…" She sang out and grinned widely like her father.

"Yeah, that goes double for me Cap'n. T'Pol wanted to be here for this, but got called away by the High Council for meetings all this week. They've offered her a ranking seat on the council and I've encouraged her to take it." Trip repositioned his son in his arms.

"My folks got home okay. They left a week ago. They hated having to go, but my brother, Jimmie's birthday was coming up and they had to be there. I think they are planning another visit in about 6 months. This time I'm hoping my brother and his family can come too." Trip seemed to be lingering, covering trivial items to make the contact last longer. He could feel the growing pains from the loss of time with his friends, but tried to hide it.

"We're even building an addition to the house. I've been playing architect, can you believe that? I'm great at the wiring, but trying to keep the walls straight and even, that's got me a bit stumped. I've been working with some builder friends of T'Pol's....well I mean colleagues...they really don't have friendships here." That statement came out a bit too clear, showing the human's need for the closeness of his friends.

"Well, I guess that's all the news for now. Let me know how things are with you guys, and tell Malcolm, Phlox, Travis and Hoshi we send our love. You guys don't be strangers, next refit let me know and I'll send a ship out to get ya."

Trip was serious, although he knew Jon would be laughing at that part. "I am enclosing a little picture my father took of Lizzie. I thought you could use it as a screen saver." Trip straightened as if giving his friend a last salute. "We'll see ya soon. Bye for now." Lizzie waved in the background a moment then Trip hit the button to close the recording.

The question in both English and Vulcan came up, <> and the young man touched that part of the screen. It flicker twice again then went dark. Trip turned to look at his daughter, now playing with the smaller of the two Sehlats. He glanced down at his son, who was still in a blissful sleep. This scene should have made him happy, but somewhere deep inside the human wondered if he could ever come to love Vulcan and its offerings, like he did the Enterprise. As he ran over the last two weeks in his mind, Trip hoped to find answers in the events that had already happened.

***

(Two Weeks Earlier)

Two shuttles sat down on the surface of a vast white sand plateau. In the near by area, steps led to the community of homes that were scattered about the countryside. Near the top of those steps, was their new home, sitting larger than many of the smaller dwellings beneath it. The countryside to the rear of the dwelling was too rocky and uneven for a soft landing, so Malcolm and Travis decided this as the better spot to set down.

Three crewmen disembarked from the second shuttle and began hustling containers of personal belongings out and onto the sandy surface. From the first shuttle, out stepped Captain Archer. He was dressed in his relaxed gray jumpsuit. He turned and lent a hand to a very shaky Catherine Tucker. She stepped through the threshold and onto the soft surface. Charles followed her, then Trip. He lifted Lizzie out off the considerable step down for the two year old. The little girl hugged her father's neck tightly as he set her down. She then went over to her grandfather as instructed earlier. T'Pol, holding Lorian in her arms, came out next, taking the hand that Trip offered her without question. Travis emerged from the lead shuttle as Malcolm walked up to join the group from the other.

The crewmen, now ladened with containers, stood waiting for a guide to lead them to the Tucker's new home. Charles and Catherine nodded to the group, exchanging handshakes with each of the officers before turning and beginning their climb. Lizzie came to stand beside her father and watched as the remaining crewmembers began the difficult good byes.

"Well I guess this is it….." Trip started uneasy. Archer smiled a forced smile. "I sure will miss you guys giving me hell all the time."

"Well if you kept your engines from breaking down so often, maybe we wouldn't have rode you as much." Malcolm chimed in, which started the whole group chuckling, save T'Pol. She could sense just how difficult this was for her mate and fought hard to keep from letting her own disappointment add to what he was feeling.

Archer stepped forward and laid a pair of hands upon his good friend's shoulders. "I don't know what we will do without you two. You've been much more to me than just crewmembers....You're my best friends.... Things just won't be the same aboard Enterprise without you guys." Archer drew Trip into a big hug. He turned to T'Pol, who for a moment feared he may try the same with her. Instead he simply nodded and smiled. Trip meanwhile was getting additional hugs from his friends, with the intermittent manly slap on the back.
"Gee guys, you're making this incredibly hard on us." Trip leaned back out of the last hug with huge tears welling in his eyes. "If there were any other way....We'd" Trip started and was stopped by his friend's two hands on his shoulders again.

"Trip....you and T'Pol have a family now...You can't keep them safe aboard a starship. I know this isn't really what you want to do, but I understand they've got to come first." Archer motioned to his family and the young engineer steeled himself for their last moments. The crewmen meanwhile had made several trips up and down the steps carrying containers and small childhood furnishings. They returned after their last run and stood at attention beside the second shuttle.

"Well I guess this is really it....."Archer started loathed to speak those words.
"Hey Cap'n....Vulcan isn't that far away for a warp 5 starship... Our door is always open to you guys.....Come visit anytime." Trip looked at T'Pol who nodded her approval at his offer.

"I just might take you up on that." Jon smiled trying to hide his sadness. He leaned down to the sweet little girl standing so quietly beside her dad. "You have fun with your little brother, okay.....And you look out for him, cause you're bigger than he is." Archer and the child had had this conversation a time or two since the baby had been born. At first with all the attention Lorian received, Lizzie was prone to the occasional temper tantrum. But after their talks, Jon noticed a different type of reaction from the child, one of acceptance and even responsibility. He wondered if he had been the cause of it, or was Lizzie merely growing into her role as big sister. She opened her arms and clung to the captain, rubbing her cheek steadily against his. The other officers bent down to give her their hugs as well, before climbing back into the shuttles and leaving the face of this desert wasteland.

Trip and T'Pol watched them lift off from a safe distance then turned to begin climbing the stairs. Trip was quiet and his mate could sense a growing loss in him that she was hard pressed to identify, and yet knew exactly why it was there. When the glimmer of the gray metal had left the orange sky, the Tucker family began their ascent, up the stairway path, and to their new home. They reached the large wooden door, Trip carrying Lizzie the entire way. He opened the portal and allowed his wife to pass. Entering the courtyard, they were met by the many containers and furnishings the crewmen carried up earlier. Catherine Tucker was exiting the main dwelling, as Trip and T'Pol eyed the work ahead of them.

"Sorry...but I wasn't sure where to tell them to put this stuff. I thought perhaps this was a good place to start." Catherine came up and eased Lorian from his mother's arms. She bounced and cooed silently in his direction, watching his little eyes glide back and forth beneath their lids. Lorian was asleep, giving T'Pol a chance to turn her attentions to her daughter. Out of the door next came Charles Sr. followed closely by a furry white Kamute. The large animal bounded out and began growling the moment he detected the Engineer's scent. At first that sound unnerved him, Trip still programmed to think of growling as bad, coming from such a large creature. But quickly remembered the tail wag and walked the few steps to greet the Sehlat with a few short head strokes. Lizzie was squirming, wanting to get down and play with her friend. Her father bent down and delivered the young child directly onto the back of the beast. Elizabeth wrapped her hands tightly about its furry features and off the two went, bouncing round and round the patio area.

Catherine came up to her son, knowing just how hard this was for him. She smiled softly while she tried to help relieve his unhappy feelings. "She's having the time of her life. That big old thing really missed her."

"Yep... This is definitely a good place for Lizzie and Lorian to grow up. Kamute is great with em." Even though his words were positive, his tone was that of soft regret. T'Pol looked in his direction, as did his mom.

T'Pol picked through the items and found the collapsible crib they used on the Enterprise for Lorian. She pulled it out and began to carry it into the house. Charles Sr. stopped her, taking it without question. They exchanged a momentary glance in silence. "That will be assembled in our room." With that, the grandparents exited the courtyard, to leave the pair to talk. T'Pol came to her husband's side, as he continued to watch his daughter play with the wooly mammoth.

(We have made the right decision, husband.) Through their bond T'Pol reassured him that she knew what he was going through. He turned and smiled, knowing what torment his feelings were causing within her. With outstretched arms, Trip welcomed his wife into his body, holding her tightly against him to stop the sadness.

"We're where we're supposed to be...." He whispered into her hair then rubbed it gently back and forth with his chin. He felt the Vulcan let out a deep sigh, sensing finally his acceptance of the situation. There was a noise from inside the main dwelling, which caused T'Pol to jerk out of his embrace. Kamute bounded into the house to investigate, carrying a very pleased Lizzie with him.

"Better go check that out..." Trip nodded in the direction of the noise. "I'll start carrying this stuff in."

T'Pol acknowledged, picked up a nearby duffle and entered the home. Meanwhile, the Human began shuffling through the containers, lifting one then another to see what each held. The noise came again, only this time closer to the patio. It drew Trip's attention momentarily. As he turned to investigate, looking behind the crates and furnishings, Trip was surprised by a bumping feeling against his leg. He looked down and couldn't see a thing, but decided that this environment was strange enough to warrant another look. He searched again, glaring stretched over the containers to see what was hiding on the other side.

Suddenly there was a pouncing motion that knocked Trip backward onto his butt. Then came a tugging sensation, rapid and fast, almost like quick silver that drew his attention to the bottom of his pants leg. There crouched a large furry animal, too small to be a sehlat, but definitely looking like a miniature. This creature was the size of a large alley cat, one weighing about 50 pounds. It pulled and yanked at the hem of the material, digging its paws into the sand dusted surface. The long tail was wagging and a faint growling sound was coming from it, which should have calmed the Human, or so he rationalized. Instead, Trip let out a yelp, calling for back up from this unknown type creature.

"Hey!!!.....Hey!!!!...Stop that....!!!....I need some help out here.!!!"

His words drew everyone in the dwelling out, first T'Pol, then the elderly Tuckers and even V'Lmir as well. They stood there in silence, watching the blond haired man trying to shake loose from this creature's grip. Suddenly, Kamute appeared, coming past the group, he went directly over to the animal. Lizzie jumped down off the larger creature's back and went to her father. Trip lowered his tone, wondering why everyone was just standing there.

"Lizzie, you stay here behind daddy." He pulled her around him to protect her from this unknown threat.

The large sehlat studied the motions of the smaller tan furred creature. His tail wagged and there was still an audible growling sound, although it came out more of a screech. Kamute took a large paw and swatted the creature over onto its back. He then went to Trip and sat down regally by his side. Feeling more protected, the startled Human watched as the smaller creature then did the same beside Kamute.

"What the hell is that?" Trip asked checking his skin for any scratches or bruises.

"That is one of Kamute's offspring," replied an unfettered V'Lmir. "My family is giving him to your family as a gift."

Trip looked uneasy at that thought. Having Kamute around his kids was difficult enough, but at least he knew not to hurt them. This one already openly attacked him, what might he do with the children.

"Ah...that's very nice of you... but with the kids so young, perhaps we should wait until they are older to get them a pet." Trip didn't want to start making enemies so soon after coming, but wasn't too sure about this smaller ball of fur. V'Lmir looked at him puzzled by his statement.

"Sehlats are quite useful on Vulcan. They protect the family and help the children grow more independent within their bond." T'Pol came up to examine her husband's leg. It was unharmed, as was the material of his slacks.

"I know but.." Trip tried to send her his thoughts but then watched as the crazed little fur ball approached him again. The smaller creature came up and sat down in front of the Human. He sniffed at his scent and the growling sound grew louder. Lizzie whipped out from behind her father to grab hold of the animal by the neck. It sat perfectly still, allowing the child full access to its fur. Trip's fears melted away, watching how gentle the little rascal was with his child. Its tail wagged madly and the growl, several octaves higher than his parent's was steady and even.

"Kamute will remain with the animal until he is properly trained. We have not given him a name....." V'Lmir realized now that the Human would most likely let the pet stay. T'Pol looked to her husband expecting him, as head of the house hold, to come up with one. He saw the adoring eyes of his child staring up at him as well.

"Well I suppose if Kamute is gonna train the little spud...." Trip turned to acknowledge the Vulcan female. "V'Lmir...Please express to your family, our appreciation for such a thoughtful gift."

Trip looked at the scruffy ball of fur and wondered what kind of name would be appropriate for a sehlat. The off white color of its fur almost reminded him of the aging yellow lab he had as a child. "What about Keller....after my old dog?" He looked to all his family members for approval. He noted smiles and contented looks from all present. "Okay...Keller it is. Hey there Keller.....Welcome to your new home." Trip reached over, and tussled the small spud's head. It growled even louder, causing an eerie sense to fill the young engineer's mind. This would not be the first time Trip would feel out of place in this new home of theirs.

***

Later that evening, T'Pol returned Lorian to his crib. The senior Tuckers had long since turned in, just after Lizzie was put to bed. It had been a busy afternoon. The adults rearranged the furnishings and unpacked the containers. And as for Elizabeth, the sweet little girl played steadily with her two furry friends. The pair of animals tag teamed keeping the brown haired ball of energy busy and out of her parents' way.

Trip came out of the bathroom, his hair still wet from the hot shower he lingered in. He was sore, tired, almost too exhausted for thought. He walked about the room in a pair of loose cotton pajama bottoms, drawn at the waist by a string. They were thin, almost transparent and his well defined muscles peered through the fabric giving his wife a pleasing vantage point. She eyed his movement, how his manhood played with the opening at the front of his bottoms, a slow building warmth entering her very core. Trip turned, half surprised and half dismayed at his wife's sudden urge.

(You have gotta be kiddin me.) his mind retorted sensing her passions building. Trip felt the warmth now spreading to his own, and he groaned at the thought of his straining muscles giving into her desires. This thought didn't deter the young Vulcan, who only found them a more appealing challenge. She took in several cleansing breaths and concentrated harder on her rising feelings. In response, Trip's body did the same, his manhood beginning to peer through the opening and out into the dimly lit room. Looking down, the Human knew he was past the point of talking his way out of it. He relaxed and let his wife take what she was in need of.

T'Pol approached him, running a slow hand along his chest and abdomen. Trip jumped as his muscles reacted to such stimulation. He brought his hands up and around her, hoping to slow her progress until he could get his muscles to go along. He rubbed gentle circles into her back, feeling the smoothness of her satin garment beneath his fingertips. It aroused him further, making his manhood stick out more profusely between them. Another round of pain ran through the Human's body and this time his mate was connecting with her mate's situation. T'Pol ran her hands up to his collarbone, placing her skilled fingertips into the points along his shoulders. She took several more cleansing breaths and went through the postures clinically and thoroughly. Trip could feel his muscles lighten up their griping. His mind relaxed, the tensions of the day giving way to the strong feelings of love and happiness only his wife could bring to him.

As T'Pol hit the last of the series of neuropressure points, she looked up and saw her mate staring lovingly into her face. Her eyes caught his, and now the sensations coming from him were that of only pure amazement. Trip brought his hands up to cup her face. He pulled her to him and took her lips between his. The smoothness of her skin tingled his senses, sending shivers of delight up and down his spine. Now Trip was ready to enjoy sensual time with his mate. As he drew her nearer too him, the Human began to forget the sadness that plagued him earlier and just enjoy the privacy this new environment would afford the couple.

(How many times would their lovemaking be interrupted by an aggressive species or a red alert? This place does indeed have some benefits.) He thought as he captured his wife's mouth to his own. Their romance would stretch long into the evening, both exhausting into a deep slumber, wrapped in each other's arms.

***

Late that night, Trip and T'Pol lay still wrapped about each other. Sleeping soundly, our star crossed lovers were totally worn out from their last round of lovemaking. Suddenly the air was cut by a high pitched screeching sound that woke the young Human with a start. He sprang up in bed, both eyes wide wondering what the hell that sound was. After a moment or two, there came a series of return screeches, different but equally as eerie.

Now, T'Pol was fully awake, having been rolled rather roughly from her mate's embrace when he startled. She listened into the darkness, waiting to identify the sound. The screeching halted and silence filled the room, which didn't do much to calm the Human's nerves. T'Pol placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to lay him back down, but Trip was immoveable.

A scratching sound on the bedroom door further set off the engineer. He jumped from the bed and opened the door. Kamute and Keller lumbered in and sat down at the Human's feet. Their bodies were in the portal preventing Trip from closing the door. He bent down and tried to move them out of the way. Neither budged, only sat there looking up at him expectantly.

"What ....you gotta go out or sumthin?" His drawl was thick due to the lateness of the hour. Trip saw Kamute's eyes turn in the direction of the hallway then back to him.

"What do you want boy?" Now he was trying hard to hide his displeasure at this interruption. Kamute looked back toward the hallway and halted as if sensing something just beyond. Keller watched his parent and imitated the same behavior. After a moment of silence however, Keller let out a high pitched screech that sounded amazingly like the second round of noises Trip heard. The Human jumped back at this action. T'Pol was now realizing the problem. She got up and wrapped her satin robe about her body. Coming up to Kamute, she laid a hand on his fur. Through this touch, the beast relayed the happenings of the last few minutes.

"Very Well" She murmured and went past her mate and out into the hallway.

"What?" Trip asked, following her very perturbed. "Where ya going?"

"I'm going to relight the kettle...Ka mute and Keller have spotted a Lang'kagar circling the garden. The kettle is most probably out and needs to be relit." T'Pol acted like there wasn't anything too it, but Trip remembered the stories she told him about the giant winged bird, that it was nocturnal and a meat eater.

"You're not going out there by yourself." Trip demanded grabbing his robe from the chair and following close behind.

"I won't be alone....Kamute and Keller will be with me. It is perfectly safe." T'Pol whispered as she passed their daughter's room.

"Are you kidding? That thing probably eats baby sehlats for breakfast." Trip knew he was exaggerating but felt the need to protect his family.

"Kamute would not allow the Lang'kagar to harm his offspring. Believe me, I will be more than safe." T'Pol walked behind the two furry creatures, through the kitchen and out into the night air.

The two moons shown large in the night sky, like a pair of eyes spying down upon them. The sehlats separated, each circling the garden parameter while T'Pol went directly to the kettle. She looked at the gas mechanism and twisted it to prime the valve again, then grabbed the torch from the corner. The kettle lit up with a burst, illuminating the entire circumference of the garden area. Trip in the meantime, searched the skies for the illusive creature. As the kettle lit the surrounding night, Trip saw what looked like a pair of dragons flying off into the distance. They moved through the night sky in the direction of the hills where they were said to reside.

"What the hell?" Trip's eyes twisted as if not believing what he saw. The winged creatures were large, with a long neck and protruding tail. Like a small dinosaur with wings, the creatures weaved back and forth between each other as they moved off and away from the kettle's bright luminescence.

"Was that a….Lanka…" Trip was still too startled to speak.

"Lang'kagar…yes there were two of them, male and female most likely. They hunt in pairs, the male killing and retrieving its prey and the female defending her mate from would be attackers." T'Pol stared up into the sky, clinically examining the pattern with which the birds retreated.

"Could they have hurt us or the kids?" Trip knew the answer already but felt compelled to ask anyway.

"Yes… They could have severely damaged you or me, but we are far too large for them to carry. Elizabeth or Lorian though, would be small enough for them to carry away, but as I said before, Kamute or Keller would not allow that to happen." T'Pol put a soothing hand upon her shaken mate's shoulder. This eased him a bit, knowing his wife had grown up safe and sound in this house. He was having a hard time however, seeing how his own children would do the same.

"Thy'all…. I promise you. Kamute and Keller will protect our family. They are a part of it and will risk their own lives to keep us safe. You must trust in that. If you let the dangers of this planet eat at you, you will be most unhappy here." T'Pol allowed her hand to slip down his arm and snaked the other about his waist. She pulled him close, the light of the kettle danced off the Human's face. Trip's eyes were closed, feeling all the reassurance she could send to him on the matter.

Having corrected the problem, the two furry pets awaited their masters' return into the dwelling. As the Tuckers retreated past the door, the quadrupeds scurried back into Elizabeth's room and took their place on the cushions beside her bed. Within minutes the entire family was fast asleep, including the two new additions to household security.

The next morning, found Trip stretching in the back garden. The kettle was out again, and he wondered if he should light it before another one of those flying creatures returned. He was startled by the entrance of V'Lmir through the back gate.

"Good Morning Trip" The woman did as she was instructed and called the Human by his nickname to make him feel more comfortable around her.

"Good Morning V'Lmir" Trip straightened and walked over to where she was standing. The slight young woman was dressed in a cream colored pants suit, embossed with elegant lines of Vulcan script at the lapel. Covering her attire was a plain linen cloak, complete with hood that was draped lightly over her dark short hair style.

"You sleep well?" Trip started, grateful to have someone to talk too.

"I rested most comfortably, and you?" The alien was learning that Humans needed this type of pleasantry to be considered a proper greeting, so she complied. Normally, little to no exchange would be necessary between the young woman and the occupants of the house save that of any needs or desires. Vulcans did not see the need for unnecessary conversation. Peace and quiet was a luxury they sought out at every opportunity.

"The kettle went out last night and we had some visitors." Trip pointed to the sky not wanting to mispronounce the name of that bird creature.

"Yes… the kettle is necessary to keep predators from getting into things. I hope Kamute was of assistance." V'Lmir found she didn't mind speaking to this alien, knowing it helped him to fit in more to his new environment.

"Yes he was wonderful and so was Keller. I can't thank you and your family enough for them. I hope Kamute's being over here isn't causing your family too much trouble." Trip suddenly realized that his relying on Kamute could be depriving V'Lmir's family of vitally needed protection.

"No… Kamute's mate Tellara and the rest of her offspring are quite enough protection for my family. Keller was the only male of the litter, so Kamute must teach him. It was only logical that he be the one to come live with your family."

"Well, he sure is a god send." Trip relayed a huge smile to the woman, which told her instantly that the gift was greatly appreciated. "He keeps Lizzie busy all day and Kamute is letting him do more alone. He sure is a fast study, that little ball of fur."

V'Lmir nodded, as if returning his courtesy in kind. She then went about picking through the vines, pulling off the dead blossoms and harvesting much of the fruit from the remaining growth. Trip watched as she picked through the vegetables, seeing what she left and what she took. Within seconds he got the gist of what was ripe and what was not. After a few moments of scrutiny, the alien turned to address him.

"Do you require something?" Her statement held almost an air of tension to it.

"No…I was just learning what vegetables to pick and which ones to leave. I have never seen many of these types of plants and don't know what to look for." He pointed to a particularly large green tuber. "Is this ripe as well?"

"Yes.." came the reply with less intensity. "But I have a sufficient amount of those for my family to use. I left the rest for your family. If you wish I could pick some for you?" V'Lmir started to put down the basket she had been filling for her family.

"No… I can do that… I just wondered why you picked some of them and skipped over others, that’s all." Trip realized that the young woman wasn't there in a maid capacity this morning. Rather she was here shopping. He remembered T'Pol telling him about the arrangement V'Lmir's family and theirs had.

"I will check with T'Pol before I pick anything. I don't know what she is preparing for our meals today and I don't want to pick anything we aren't gonna use immediately." Trip put his hands into the pockets of his pants, not knowing what else to do with them. A part of him felt guilty assuming the young woman had shown up for work. His family had never had servants, and he wondered just how to deal with the situation without making a big dope of himself in front of the woman.

V'Lmir, however, was pleasantly surprised by the Human's respect for life, even plant life and again nodded graciously before returning to her shopping. She pointed out the different plants and demonstrated which items to pick and which required further ripening. Trip was glad for the change in topics, feeling like he'd already put his foot in his mouth. Knowing Vulcan's empathic abilities, he wondered if the young woman had already read his emotions and surmised his true feelings on the matter. Within another 20 minutes, V'Lmir was gone, shopping basket in hand, and Trip returned to the cover of the dwelling, just as the second sun of Vulcan was popping up over the mountainous peaks. It would be a hot one and the Human knew he had to become accustom to the changes in climate or adapt as best he could for his family's sake.

***

Later that day, there was a knock on the large wooden door. Trip went to answer it, as was the tradition, while his family stayed across the room. There in the courtyard stood Ambassador Soval with two other Vulcan dignitaries. They were hooded in regal golden embossed robes a far cry from the meager one V'Lmir wore this morning. He waved them entrance, and closed the door behind them when they had reached the center of the living area. The hoods came down exposing another familiar face, T'Pau. She stood, her scruffy hair style softened a bit, as it just brushed the top of her high necked garb. To her left stood another regal looking older male, who would be introduced to the group by the family's senior counselor, Soval.

"Commander Tucker, may I present Administrator Kuvak." The ambassador waved his hand and encouraged the male to come forward. Trip recognized him immediately from his second time on Vulcan, just after the Kir'Shara was found.

The Human politely nodded. "Administrator." Soval continued the introductions.

"And I believe you know Councilwoman T'Pau." Again Trip nodded his greetings. At this point, T'Pol came up to the group with her children in tow. She held Lorian in her arms, as Lizzie stood quietly behind her mother's petite frame.

"Lady T'Pol" The administrator stated as the group nodded from the waist lightly. Trip watched the change in their actions and looked to his mate questioningly. She simply nodded in return and allowed this moment to pass without explanation. A moment of silence fell upon the group which made Trip uneasy. He motioned in the direction of the living area and offered their guests a seat. He then took Lorian from his wife's arms and waited for her to seat herself and their daughter across from the dignitaries.

"What is the purpose of your visit?" T'Pol started off rather abruptly for Trip's taste, but he knew that Vulcans rarely dropped by unannounced.

"We apologize for disturbing you during your mourning phase, however we wondered if you reconsidered our offer." The councilwoman seemed ready to speak for the group. She was silenced by the administrator almost immediately.

"We realize it is a lot to ask, however it would be extremely logical to have our people represented by someone such as yourself." The administrator had been taking a few lessons from Soval, who had spent quite a bit of his free time on Vulcan helping to decipher the writings of the Kir'Shara since its discovery.

"I have not given it enough thought. I am currently in mourning for the loss of my parent and am getting my family settled into their new surroundings. An undertaking such as this would be quite difficult to find the time for." T'Pol seemed unwilling to cut the group a break. Furthermore, she seemed even more reluctant to discuss the matter with her husband who was already suspecting all those communiqués she got from Vulcan over the past several months were more than simple condolences.

"What offer was that?" Although he could feel his wife tensing, Trip decided to speak up anyway. With that, the group turned a sickeningly shade of green, realizing that they were interfering with the contentment of the couple's bond by engaging the female before she had a chance to discuss the matter with her mate.

After a long, uncomfortable pause, during which Trip examined every face in the crowd, T'Pol spoke up. "They have offered me a ranking seat on the High Council." She paused a moment, her eyes meeting his as if to say, 'Don't Ask'.

"I am undecided if I choose to take it at this time….perhaps in a few years, as we become more accustom to our surroundings….." T'Pol's words were cut off by her mate's unconscious ramblings.

"I think you should take it." He blurted out absently, realizing what an amazing offer this was for the woman that the High Command condemned for her actions aboard the Human starship. The group turned a stunned eye to the Human, not realizing at all if he knew whose opinions he was questioning. T'Pol simply returned him a stern look, which went right past his far away glance.

"It would take up much time…. Time away from the children and their needs. I would not be performing my parenting skills properly if I denied them time with their parent. Perhaps when they reach school age, I could assume a lesser position." T'Pol seemed somewhat uncomfortable with his questioning her in front of onlookers.

"Well what am I, chopped liver? I can be there for the kids…. I think this is very important for you and for your people. They would be darn lucky to have you speaking for them." Trip totally forgot that there were strangers sitting there. He had argued like this in front of Soval before and was used to his interested observation of the interaction. But the other two had markedly stunned looks, as this Human continued to argue with his mate in front of them.

(It is not the time to discuss this….. Not in front of them.) T'Pol whipped sharply at her mate's mind, which caused him to wince a bit. The group recognized the reaction as a nonverbal communication between the two and decided to pretend they didn't see it. Instead, they rose, making their way toward the door.

"You leaving?" Trip asked in amazement at the group's decision to make a hasty retreat.

"It is evident we intruded on your time of mourning. Please consider our offer and get back to us when you have emerged from your seclusion. Be well." The administrator replied and nodded his goodbyes. With that the group left the dwelling, all except for Soval who remained to explain the rational for the departure.

"Understand, it is not our way to intrude on such a difficult time. You are adjusting to a new home, a new planet. It is difficult for you to make such a decision right now. We understand this and are willing to await the proper time. Please accept our apologizes for the intrusion." Soval re-donned his hood and left without another word. Trip stood there speechless, wondering if all his interactions with this species would go so abruptly.

T'Pol turned to go into the kitchen, Lizzie right behind her. She was halted by her husband's words.

"Wantta tell me what all that was about?" Trip continued to look at the door instead of glancing in his mate's direction. T'Pol turned to face him and saw his less than happy appearance.

"They realized we hadn't discussed the issue, and didn't want to intrude on our bond. They are acting appropriately. It is Vulcans' way not to intrude on the contentment of a pair bond." T'Pol seemed very controlled in her words, but Trip could tell the underlying nervousness she was hiding.

"Well I guess the bigger question is why I didn't know about this offer in the first place?" He slowly turned and saw his wife shrink a little before him.

"We are in a new home. We have an infant and a four year old child. It is not the time for me to leave them. They need a parent with them at all times." T'Pol was playing the motherhood card, and hoping it wouldn't back fire.

"Well I don't have anything on my agenda…. Why can't I stay with them? I could be a mister mom of sorts, while you go tend to council business." Trip came up a few steps closer to his wife.

"Well actually you may…." His mate started off quite cryptically. "I have been discussing with T'Pau and Soval about your training." T'Pol stopped and wondered why she could feel a definite note of displeasure coming from her mate.

"My training?" He asked almost too uncomfortable for words.

"Yes…. You will need training to become productive in this society. I assumed you wished to continue in an engineering career and was discussing your educational needs with Soval and the Councilwoman just last week." Now T'Pol could feel a low storm brewing beneath the surface of her husband's normally laid back demeanor.

Trip turned to Elizabeth and gave her a forcibly sweet smile. "Honey… why don't you go find Kamute and Keller. Go play with them while your mommy and I have a little talk. Okay?" His voice was stretched and somewhere in her mind, the child could sense it wasn't gonna be a happy talk. She left the room, unsure if her mother would be pleased with what her father was about to say. As she rounded the hallway, and disappeared out of sight, Trip took Lorian from his mother's arms and laid him in a nearby playpen. His sleeping frame relaxed into the cushioned surface and continued its slumber.

"You have been discussing my future with Soval and T'Pau without discussing it with me?" Trip's tone was more than tense by Vulcan standards.

"I needed to get approval for your attendance in the training program. Once I got it, I would have addressed the issue with you to get your input." T'Pol seemed a bit more defensive, totally unsure why her mate was so angered.

"My input?" He raged in a lowered tone, not to disturb the baby's slumber.
"What, do I look like an Enterprise crewman to you? I am your husband and I need to know before you discuss anything with anybody, what your ideas are. We are married and that means we share everything, good and bad, is that clear?" Trip marched past her feeling now more hurt by his wife's indifference to his thoughts on the matter of training.

"You were having difficulty with the move. I knew that if I were able to get you into this program, you would be very pleased with it. If I had failed however, I didn't wish you to feel disappointment. I thought it better that I get the okay before I approached you. I apologize for my error and will not do so again. If you do not wish to train, I will not push the issue." T'Pol really felt bad for her actions, hoping it to be a pleasant surprise, not a cause for disharmony between them. Her hurt feelings started translating through their bond to her mate who was now feeling like a big heel for his rash and totally uncalled for behavior.

"Look….I know you meant well. This world is just different. I feel so out of place and I miss the Enterprise. It's got me pretty edgy. I apologize. I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt my feelings." Trip came up and enclosed her in his arms. He rested her head against his chest and stared out into the kitchen area.

"What is this training for?" He asked after a few minutes of comfort to settle their bond.

"It is training on Warp 7 engines…. The Vulcan High Council is thinking about allowing the Humans to build an interspecies productions plant on the far side of the city. It is supposed to be a 'thank you' for helping our people find the Kir'Shara. I was speaking with the council about allowing you to head the plant, if it did come into being. They are still in the process of negotiating with your people about the specifics. It is to be called the 'United Federation Space Facility', but that is still in negotiations as well." Her voice trailed off feeling the sudden wave of excitement that was flowing through their bond at that moment.

"Are you kidding me?" Trip whipped her back and stared straight into her eyes.

"Vulcans do not kid…." Her response was straight and even. A huge smile plastered across the Human's face. He lifted his wife into the air and began spinning her round and round. This action brought reinforcements from the other room, as Kamute entered with Keller in tow. The smaller of the two jumped up onto the Human, almost knocking him and his mate off balance. This startled Trip and he set T'Pol back onto the ground. The larger animal then moved between them, pushing the Human away from his wife and pinning him to the far wall of the room.

"What the hell is he doing?" Trip tried to get around the big furry creature but found the older animal ready for his every swerve.

"He believes you were about to harm me and is keeping us apart until you have calmed down. That is his job too." Trip stood still, watching the sehlat lean up against his legs with a substantial pressure.

"Well tell him I wasn't angry. I was happy." He shouted over the loud growling of the creature.

"Tell him yourself." T'Pol quipped back with an amused tinge to her voice.

"How?" Trip was growing more and more frustrated with this strange world he'd landed in.

"Touch his head and think at him the way you think at Elizabeth and Lorian. He will get the gist." Trip did as she instructed, feeling the pressure against his knees lessen with every passing moment of explanation. He watched as the animal finally withdrew to the far end of the room and lay down near the long cushioned covered couch. Trip came up to his wife and gently hugged her. He assessed the creatures for any other surprise attacks. When he was satisfied that they were not going to intervene, he relaxed his worries and turned back to the happy news. "You really mean it. I may be able to build Warp 7 engines for Star Fleet?" His words sounded too good to be true.

"Yes if the deal goes through, but you will have a great amount of learning to do. I know you will be able to grasp it, that is if it is what you want, Thy'all." T'Pol remembered to let him decide this for himself.

"Oh I want it….. You know I want it….." He squeezed her harder and felt their bond sing with a general feeling of happiness. "When will we know if things were accepted?" Trip's eagerness was beginning to show.

"Not for a few weeks. In the meantime we have a lot to do around here." T'Pol brought him back to the present and to the many changes this home of theirs would go through to incorporate their new family more comfortably.

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

Part 2

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

This was great! Your series' have always been my favorites on this site, and I'm glad to see this one continued. This was a great start. I really liked how you played out Trip's reactions and T'Pol's and how he's adapting. It's a very realisitc depiction of someone trying to get used to a new culture. I also liked the morning scene between Trip and V'Lmir. I guess I just liked all your ideas and can't wait too see where this goes. O, and I like Keller's addition. Nice touch!

I was so looking forward to the continuation of this series, glad it's finally here.
Great beginning, must be hard for Trip not to be able to find friends on Vulcan, but that will probably change once he starts working on the warp 7 project, but I wonder who will take care of kids if TnT are off working.
You wrote that Trip found out about T'Pol being special to her people the hard way, will you explore that further? I would love to read about that.
I would also like to read about some other Vulcan POVs on TnT + two.
Well, looking forward to the next chapter of this wonderful series. Keep up the good work.

I really liked this, as you made the story realistic and you made us realise that its not that easy to move to an alien place. I'm looking foward to the next chapter, and good luck with the new class.

I really liked this, as you made the story realistic and you made us realise that its not that easy to move to an alien place. I'm looking foward to the next chapter, and good luck with the new class.

I'm so happy that the Best T'T author is back with new bestlseller! Please, hurry !

Looks like T'Pol has some secrets from her bondmate. Should be interesting to see this resolved.

Wow, fantastic, please continue !

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This is excellent. I love the life you created for Trip, T'Pol and family. I look forward to reading everything you write.

I am so glad you all are enjoying this series. Its fun to write. If you look at the date, I started this in November of 2005, I really only had a few pages left to write of it, but I got distracted by a few more ideas. For now, though I wlll concentrate on this little adventure. As before, I have started another brief story called "The dilethium mission" which I will wait until I get off on vacation in April to finish and post. Again, thanks for your patience and your glowing praise. I hope I can continue to write stories you all enjoy this much......T.

TLR, It's great to see you back on the site writing more to this series. You have become one of my favorite authors and this was just great. Very, very, very, very good beginning to this new chapter in your series.

Oooh yay a sequel. I'm so excited. It's great so far!

Sorry for the delay everyone. The finale of "Generational" has been posted as well. Thanks for your patience. T.

TLR, I can't thank you enough for your wonderful stories. These past 2 months have been rough and I've been in serious need of some TnT happiness. You are certainly a Godsend. THANK YOU!

Excellent ! Please write more soon.

Thanks so much for the sweetness and light, TLR. I needed that!

I recently found your stories TLR! They're fantastic! Please keep writing - we need more TnT! If you ever run out of ideas - I've got plenty (I just suck as I writer, or I'd give it a go).