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A Very Vulcan Christmas

A | Author - TLR | Genre - Fluff | Genre - Friendship | Genre - Romance | Main Story | Rating - G | V
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A Very Vulcan Christmas

By: TLR

Rating: G
Disclaimer: Enterprise is the property of UPN and Paramount Pictures
Summary: This story is a take back to the first season. I am in the middle of writing "A New Life" but got the idea for this one from something that is going on at work right now. I decided it would be fun to explore just when this connection between our resident lovebirds may have started. Consider this my little Christmas present to all those who love TnT as much as I do. I only wish we had more shows to enjoy….Hope this fills the void a little…………..T.

.

December 9th, 2005

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

T'Pol sat alone in her quarters, at the desk. She was punching the buttons of her uniquely fashioned keyboard, watching the Vulcan symbols come and go as she typed. The screen changed into many different hues and finally came to rest on the desired display. She pulled the corners of her robe crisscross, close about her neck, finally comfortably warm for the first time since boarding the Human vessel ten months ago. Her fingers played with its soft velvet finish as her eyes gazed down at the face staring back at her from the screen. Those glistening eyes, that seemed to dance even in still life. That curved smile that so humanly displayed the person's inner child. Even the uniquely sloped nose that no Vulcan would ever have as part of their profile, made the science officer wonder why this male intrigued her so.

She scanned her thoughts and tried to understand better why this Human of all she had met in her life, was so different from the rest. Perhaps it was the situations that happened recently which made him so fascinating to her. T'Pol's eyes were glued to the bright smiling face, as her mind drifted back to the most recent incident.

**** (Two weeks earlier)

T'Pol rose from her seat in the conference room as the rest of the senior staff filed out. Trip allowed both Reed and Sato to exit before him, as Mayweather followed, all with equally large smiles. The only one not smiling was the Vulcan, who found herself in a bit of a dilemma. She turned to the Captain as he made his way toward the door.

"Captain…" T'Pol kept her eyes level with the table, but was in need of discussing her concerns with the superior officer. Archer turned just short of the door and gave the first officer his full attention.

"I am not familiar with this tradition…..Vulcan's have no such occasion….We do not celebrate holidays, anniversaries and such….I do not believe I would know how to participate accurately…..Perhaps….." T'Pol was stopped by the captain drawing near.

"T'Pol…. I realize this may be difficult for you however, I feel this is a good opportunity for you to get to know some of the crew better. I chose to have the crew partake of this program so that we can come together more as a family of sorts. I think this would help you to get to know them better, and them you." Archer started to place a kind hand on her shoulder but pulled it back remembering the rules of conduct issued by the High Command.

"How is my making presents for a member of the crew, going to help me know them better?" She looked at him slightly puzzled by his decision.

"T'Pol….In order to be someone's secret Santa, you must get to know them. To make them gifts that will really mean something to them, you have to know who they are. It will do you good to get out and start spending time with the crew. They can help you get to know the person you have to make gifts for. And remember, you have to keep the secret from them that you are their secret Santa, so there is an amount of conspiracy that goes along with it. It's fun….you'll see." Archer flashed her, a soft smile and wondered just who the poor Vulcan drew as the person she had to make gifts for.

T'Pol swallowed hard and turned her eyes to the floor. She was still very perplexed by this dilemma but realized that her pleading had fallen upon deaf ears. The Captain was determined to have her participate in this chaotic ritual. She stepped forward, as Archer indicated she leave before him. T'Pol went back to her station to start the day shift. Her mind was cluttered with his words and wondered just how well she could pull off this assignment.

Meanwhile, Trip traveled the halls of the ship on his way to start the shift. He made a brief stop in the mess hall to get another cup of steaming black coffee to help sharpen his mind. He too was a bit troubled by this secret Santa project, but not because he wasn't in the Christmas spirit. His dilemma stemmed more from the name he drew earlier that morning. For any of the Human crew, Trip could have easily come up with the three presents that he needed to make their holiday special, but what would he get an alien that didn't even celebrate the holiday. Hell, for all he knew she didn't even know how to celebrate, having no emotions. Would he be able to get her the things she would like. He gathered his steaming mug and started for the door. Hoshi came in behind him.

"Hey Commander…Getting a bit more caffeine in before you start shift?" She asked, grabbing a glass and drawing some orange juice from the vendor.

"Yeah…Just topping off the tank, I've got a long day of sensor calibrations ahead of me." Trip sipped at the warm black liquid.

"Who did you draw for your secret Santa?" The young Asian woman asked eagerly in a lower voice.

"You know we aren't supposed to tell…" The engineer smiled at the Ensign's excitement.

"I know… but you can tell me….I won't tell…. That is unless, you pulled my name and…" Trip stopped her with a wave of his hand

"No, I didn't pick you… and it's safe to say that I didn't pick anyone from this world either." The Commander's voice held a slight frustration too it.

"Oh well, that limits it down to two…." Hoshi looked closer at his expression and realized that the young man hadn't gotten the easier of the two. "Am I right in assuming, this person will be very difficult to get for?"

"Bingo…" Trip replied taking yet another long sip of his coffee.

"Well, this should prove interesting….You definitely have a challenge before you." Hoshi laid a sympathetic hand upon his shoulder.

"You're telling me…. I don't even know where to begin."

"Perhaps Phlox could help. He is after all another alien…. I know that T'Pol occasionally confides in him with matters she is unsure of, I mean when it comes to dealing with Humans. Maybe he could be of some help?" The ensign saw her friend's eyes start to brighten.

"That's a great idea…. Thanks Hoshi….You're a life saver." Trip set down the remainder of his coffee and gave the young woman a friendly hug. He headed for the door, this time with a renewed exuberance for this holiday project. Within minutes, he had made his way to C deck and was walking in the direction of sickbay.
****

The morning shift was in full swing. The captain had checked in, looking over the day roster before returning to his ready room to review some reports. Lt Reed was back and forth between his security and the science stations, checking and rechecking the scanner logs to be sure they were in tip top fashion. Hoshi cleared her channels and began sweeping the frequencies for any new signals. She noted some distortion and wanted to compare it with the sensor array output. Holding a hand scanner, she made her way to Reed's station and began pushing buttons over the young Brit's shoulder.

"Looking for something Ensign?" He asked with a bit of that dry English wit in his voice.

"My readings are being distorted by the array emissions. I am trying to calibrate the comm to allow for the distortions." She tapped a few more buttons on the padd she held. "Who did you pick?" The communications officer murmured slightly in his direction.

Reed looked up and noticed the young woman looking eagerly at him. "I believe the Captain said it had to be a surprise. I wouldn't want to go against his orders." Malcolm added turning back to his console, that thick British accent of his making the words seem even more sarcastic.

"Oh so you did get me?" Sato countered wondering if she had asked the wrong person already.

"No….if you must know…I drew the Captain….I haven't the foggiest idea of what to get for him." Reed's sarcasm faded at that comment which was essentially the truth.

"I suggest you talk with Trip….They are best friends, he could be of help." Hoshi continued picking at the buttons on the padd. T'Pol meanwhile watched this low display with great interest. She knew of the captain's order, but was now seeing what he meant about bringing the crew closer. They had to talk to each other to get the right gifts for each person. This knowledge would be of assistance, since the person she chose was standing just twenty meters away. The Vulcan's finely tuned ears would come in handy for the espionage it would take. She continued to listen in on the two crewmen's conversation.

"Who did you get?" Reed decided to ask back, more wanting to chat up the young Ensign, than know her secret Santa. Hoshi hesitated a moment. She was talking to her secret Santa in hopes of getting his likes and dislikes directly, however she couldn't tell him that. "I drew Chef." She declared hastily looking for a name to use.

"That should be interesting…. What do you get for a man whose sole job is to cook?" Reed pondered over that one a moment.

"Probably something sweet….." Hoshi replied with a whim. "I remember these candies my grandmother NaNee would make me at Christmas… They're called 'Awa-Awa' and have a sweet peppermint flavor. They were so good and I haven't had any for such a long time. NaNee passed away and no one ever knew the recipe." For a moment, the young woman was lost in her memory, but the Vulcan saw this as an opportunity to make good on one of her smaller gifts. She quickly tapped in the search parameters and got a copy of the long lost recipe in a fraction of the time. Downloading it to a palm padd, she then turned back to her daily duties.
***

Entering Sickbay, Trip found the good doctor hard at work feeding his various animals. He came up to him and waited for the Denobulan to turn his way.

"Commander?" The rotund male looked the younger Human up and down for any hint of a problem. "Are you feeling well?"

"Yeah Doc…. I'm just fine. I was wondering if I could ask you about something." The engineer watched as the doctor sat down on the edge of a nearby biobed. The alien nodded in the direction of a chair just beside him.

Phlox waited patiently for the young man to start. "Doc…. You talk with T'Pol occasionally…. I was wondering if you could help me decide what to get her for Christmas."

The good doctor smiled softly. "Ahhh… the Captain's secret Santa plan….I can see your dilemma Commander. I myself have been pondering what to get mine."

"Who'd you get?" Trip felt he could be of help.

"I pulled Ensign Mayweather….I am afraid I don't know much about him and will have to do a lot of thinking on the subject." Phlox showed Trip that his dilemma wasn't the only one.

"If I think of anything….I will let you know. Now about T'Pol?" The engineer wasn't about to let this one drop.

"It occurs to me that Vulcans are very practical people. I would think gifts of a practical nature would appeal to that sensibility in them." Phlox hoped he had been of help, but Trip wasn't quite in tune with what he was suggesting. The Human thought a moment, his tongue exploring the inside of his cheek.

"Practical, huh.." Trip murmured, not much liking the idea of making a practical gift for anyone. This Human had always loved Christmas and even though at times the Vulcan and he didn't see eye to eye, there was a deep sense of understanding when it came to her. Trip often wondered just how hard it was for the young woman, so far away from home and her own people. On a strange ship, with strange aliens all around, she must often wish that the High Command had never sent her here. And yet, she never showed it, not in her work or in the interactions she had with him and the Captain. Their conversations often bordered on friendly, and T'Pol seemed to be fitting in nicely with the almost all Human crew. He wondered if she was being inconvenienced at all.

Trip realized the good doctor was watching him closely. "What?" he asked almost a bit bothered by the scrutiny.

"Practical doesn’t have to be cold Commander…. I believe you will be able to decide on some nice things for the SubCommander, if you only think on it a while." Phlox displayed his overly exuberant smile that often made the young engineer laugh. This time was no different, as Trip's fears diminished and he began to softly chuckle.

"Thanks Doc…..I think you may be on to something…."Trip retorted as he walked toward the door. He turned at the last moment and called back to the doctor. "Hey, I just remembered…. Travis loves peanuts…. They were a rarity on the trade ships and every time we get into port, he is always trying to get chef to stock some in stasis for him. Perhaps something with peanuts could be a winner…" Phlox's eyes opened wide and his smile grew larger.

"Why thank you Commander…I believe it will…."

Trip left sickbay and headed toward Engineering to get started on his sensor calibrations. He worked steadily throughout the morning and caught a late lunch, hours after the main seating. In the mess hall sat Sub Commander T'Pol at a table by herself eating the same raw vegetables she always did at this particular meal.

"Afternoon, SubCommander….May I sit here?" Trip walked up with his sandwich and oversized glass of milk. The young Vulcan simply nodded.

"They look good… Chef must keep a large variety of fresh vegetables in stock for you." Trip jested wondering what fascination plain raw vegetables could have for anyone.

"Food is for nourishment, it serves no other purpose. It doesn't matter in what form it comes in, just that one gets sufficient amounts in order to sustain life." T'Pol slowly cut into a raw piece of celery as she spoke.

"Okay, if you say so, but for me I'd rather starve than eat something I don't like. I guess Humans are finicky that way." Trip grabbed up his tuna sandwich and took a large bite.

"Damn…that's good….I didn't realize just how hungry I was…" He looked up at the Vulcan and saw her staring right at him. "Want a bite?" he offered knowing her reaction would be extreme.

T'Pol's eyes enlarged and a look of total distain came to her face at that thought. Trip just laughed, knowing full well that even the smell of his lunch was not sitting well with the young alien. He went back to eating and shared some light conversation with her until she decided to leave. Trip watched T'Pol take her partly full plate to the disposal. "Must not have been that good of veggies." he murmured.

***
Later that day, Trip was working in Engineering when a conduit broke and drenched him in slimy green fluid. It stunk and the feel of the ooze on his uniform made the Human cringe. He checked in with his second in command, and informed her, what was left to be done. Then the Human left engineering for central stores, two decks up. When he got there, Trip found Guss, the friendly civilian of the ship tending to his daily chores. The white haired older male, dressed in a gray colored version of the crews blue overalls, noticed the less than immaculate commander coming towards him.

"Commander Tucker, What in the hell did you get into now?" This portly gentleman was familiar with the engineer's tendency for stains that wouldn't come out of his uniform.

"Sorry Guss….. A conduit blew and I just happened to be in front of it." Trip pointed to the less than pleasant smelling green goop. "I don't know if this will come out with just the recycler, so I thought I'd come to you first and get a fresh uniform."

"I know….size 32…." Guss went over to the farthest section of the racks and withdrew another blue uniform with rose colored stripes from the rack. Trip watched as he moved aside a large quantity of T'Pol's uniforms to get it out.

"Geez…you keep a lot of the subcommander's uniforms on hand… Does she go through them like I do?" Trip wondered why the Vulcan, who was always neat as a pin, would need so many back up uniforms.

"They aren't extras…..I have to clean them down here." Guss handed the young man his new uniform.

"You mean Vulcan's don't do laundry?" Trip quipped finding it funny that he did his own clothes, but T'Pol did not.

"No…she does her own towels and sheets, but her uniforms are line with Triaxian silk….They would shrink in the recycler, so she brings them down here." The robust human took a closer look at the green fluid stains.

"Triaxian silk?" Trip questioned wondering what else he didn't know about the alien.

"Yeah…she explained it to me one day….Their skin is very sensitive and rougher materials would be too much of a distraction. However Triaxian silk isn't warm enough alone, so they cover it with the outer gray layer. Too hold in the heat." Guss reached out and swiped at the green stain he had been analyzing.

"Well why not just wear a silk garment under one of our uniforms…?" Trip was now very interested in the subcommander's under garments.

"Because they are too baggy… The uniform must fit snuggly to keep her body heat in. Hell, I have had to take her uniforms in twice since she came aboard. If she looses any more weight, I think I'll have to get a pattern and make some from scratch for her." Now the older male was rubbing the goop between his fingers to better identify how he was going to get these stains out.

"She's been loosing weight? I didn't think she had any weight too loose… Has she been doing so on purpose?" Trip's mind went from light hearted to heavy with concern.

"Are you kidding….she's as thin as a rail already. What that lady needs is some good home cooking….She needs to fatten back up before I have to send to Vulcan for more of that outer material." Guss motioned for Trip to move to the back room and change out of the stained uniform.

"So it's too cold here for her." Trip tried to coax more information out of the jovial older male.

"So she says….. Vulcan ships even heat the deck plates so that their feet don't get cold. That's why the subcommander's shoes are lined." Guss picked up an extra pair of T'Pol's boots and showed him the soft fuzzy lining.

"I didn't know that… That's fascinating…." Trip suddenly understood the meaning of Phlox's words. Practical but from the heart….It was becoming more doable by the minute.

The young engineer left central stores with a whole new outlook on this secret Santa thing. He moved quickly back to his office in engineering and locked the door behind him leaving orders not to be disturbed.

***

Meanwhile, later that evening, T'Pol went to the mess hall, and worked her way around back of the serving line to a door that led to the galley. Chef was there cleaning the last of the surfaces.

"Chef." T'Pol addressed the mild mannered male.

"Yes SubCommander….how may I assist you?" Chef had once served at a Starfleet function for Vulcan diplomats. He learned how they preferred to be addressed and used it every time he was in the SubCommander's presence. T'Pol appreciated this, having to deal with the gross familiarity of the other crew members, especially the Captain and Commander.

"I would like to prepare a dish for someone aboard the ship and will be in need of these ingredients." She handed him the palm padd. "Will there be a problem?"

Chef reviewed the list and found he had all the items needed. "No Ma'am… we have access to all of these items, but if you'd like I could make this for you."

"Your assistance is appreciated, however this is a gift and I would like to prepare it myself, if I may use your galley." T'Pol knew the galley to be this male's work space and didn't want to use it without his permission.

"No problem. Just let me know when you'd like to use it and I will see to it the ingredients are out on the counter for you." He nodded and smiled having been respected by his superior officer.

"Most kind…. I will return later tonight after everyone has turned in if that is agreeable to you." Again T'Pol didn't want to inconvenience the older male.

"Tonight it is….Subcommander." He nodded to her and in kind, T'Pol returned his gesture. She left the galley and went back to her quarters to begin preparing for her evening in the kitchen.

While in the farthest corner of the ship, Trip was still in his office trying to get in contact with the Ambassador. He knew there was a Vulcan ship coming to bring them supplies from Earth and he desperately wanted to speak with Soval before then.

Just before dinner with the Captain, Trip had gone to Chef to discuss making something special for the SubCommander's meals. They talked for several minutes, the older cook telling him how many times he'd asked the young Vulcan for recipes to try and make her food more appealing. T'Pol occasionally promised she would give him the recipes, but the only one he'd gotten so far was Plomeek broth. Once the subcommander explained to Chef that his attempts at copying Vulcan cuisine would be fruitless, since many of the fruits and vegetables the recipes called for had no Human equivalent. That brought the young engineer to this moment. He wanted to ask the Ambassador's assistance in getting some Vulcan supplies from the transport when it arrived in 5 days. Hoshi helped him with the call. It was just about the time the blond haired Human was about to give up, the comm ring indicating that there was a call waiting for him. He hit the button and heard the communications officer confirm his call had come in.

"Ambassador….It is nice to see you." Trip swallowed the uncomfortable lump in his throat that he got every time he was in the alien's presence.

"Commander…. Please state the reason for your communiqué." Soval was quick and too the point, just as the Human had always known him to be.

"I am calling in reference to Subcommander T'Pol. I was hoping you could assist me." Trip tried to phrase things accurately. He knew the ambassador would find the true reason for his call quite emotional.

"Has she done something that has offended you?" Soval was quick to jump to an extreme conclusion.

"What…. No….No, she is doing a bang up job here…. I called on behalf of the doctor…. He is concerned that the subcommander isn't getting enough to eat. She has lost quite a bit of weight and he wants her to start eating more." Trip knew he was fibbing, but didn’t want Phlox to get mixed up in this web of deceit.

"Is she ill….I will send a ship for her immediately….In the meantime have your physician do what he can to sustain her." Now the Ambassador had really gone off the deep end.

"No Sir… I didn't mean to mislead you…. T'Pol is well enough. The doctor would like to see her stay that way. Unfortunately, she doesn't appear to like the food we have here and so she just doesn't eat enough." Trip was sweating now, having almost lost the first officer to his Christmas hi jinx.
"Then tell the commander to eat more….Your doctor has the right to order her to take in more calories. Why is this even an issue? The Subcommander will do as she is told if it is that important." Now the Ambassador was starting to tire from the Human's folly.

"I understand that Sir, but actually our chef was wondering if we could get some recipes from you and perhaps some Vulcan food stuffs so he could make her something more appealing. Perhaps having something she can eat will make her want to eat more." Trip wasn't feeling too good about things right now. He could tell his request was intruding on the Ambassador's time.

Soval on the other hand, knew what it was like to eat Human cuisine. He had after all been stationed on Earth for more than two decades and often longed for some of the finer dishes from his homeland. When supply ships did bring rations, it was easier to take in nourishment than when they had to use Human grown vegetables in their cooking. He considered the deep concern that must have gone into this request and felt confident that the Human's only had T'Pol's best interest in mind.

"The Vulcan ship T'Ral is set to rendezvous with you in 5 days…. I will instruct them to leave enough supplies for the subcommander's meals. Please have your cook place them in stasis the moment the supplies arrive so they will remain fresh. This is very important." The Ambassador paused a moment then continued. "I am not familiar with any of the subcommander's favorite dishes. Her mother would be the best person to get that information from."

Trip looked even more uneasy. "I don't know how to contact her Ambassador…."

"I will contact her for you… T'Les and I are acquaintances from T'Pol's early years. I will inform her of the problem and have her transmit to the T'Ral the needed information. Will that be of assistance Commander?" Soval seemed somewhat jovial, which took the engineer by surprise.

"That would be just great…..and thank you for your help Sir.." Trip was stunned and relieved all at the same time. He nodded his added appreciation to the alien before the screen went blank. Trip clapped his hands and rubbed them vigorously….."Now we're in business." He stated getting up from his desk and leaving Engineering for his quarters.

***
Over the next several days, the Enterprise crew was a flurry with covert activity. It seemed that no one was able to pull off their gifts without the assistance of another crewman. Archer even got T'Pol into the act, having drawn Trip's name, the Captain wanted to get his best friend something really special. Knowing the engineer's fondness for anything mechanical, he used his pull with the science officer to get specs for some less sensitive Vulcan instruments that he knew would each have Commander Charles Tucker the Third intrigued for over a week. Getting his next gift wasn't as easy. A rare copy of "Frankenstein, the Mummy and Dracula returns", took a lot more negotiating than the young Vulcan could muster.

Meanwhile, Trip found himself still in a quandary as to what else to give the young Vulcan. Keeping with the practical theme, he remembered seeing her wrapped several times in those oversized robes while in her quarters. Thinking back to his conversation with Guss, Trip assumed it was because of the cold. He searched his brain high and low to figure out how to take care of that problem. Finally the box in the back of his closet came to his attention. He pulled it out slowly and remembered how he came into the contents.

It was his first trip to the lunar station to begin building the NXO1… His mother and father stood at the terminal with him, just as the last of the shuttle passengers were boarding. Catherine Tucker was full of tears, saying goodbye to her middle child like this, but she put on a brave face. Beneath her arm, the older woman carried a large box which she handed off to her son as they call for last boarding.

"Remember to use this on those cold nights, darlin'….you be safe up there." Those were her last words to him before he left for what was to be his destiny. Now Trip looked at the contents of the box. Inside was a large velvet blanket, still in its tissue paper wrapping.

Trip never had the heart to tell his mother that the lunar station was adequately heated. Nor was he much for a lot of blankets, so the present remained in its wrappings, but always close by him. This Trip realized would be the best thing to suffice. He grabbed the large box and hurried down to the resident seamstress and overall good guy Guss.

Days earlier, Trip had discussed with the stoutly man about wanting something nice made for the young Vulcan. Something soft and warm that would help her adjust to her new environment. When he arrived with the large box, the white haired civilian's eyes opened with wonder at what the younger man had in mind.

"Well, you come up with something?' Guss asked looking around to make sure no one was there to hear.

"Think so…" Trip opened the box and lifted the tissue. "What do ya think? Will it be enough?"

The tailor lifted the blanket and noted the soft feel of the fabric. "Excellent….Yes this should do nicely….I believe this will make a wonderful garment."

"It's not Triaxian silk….Do you think that will matter?" Trip remembered Guss' words a few days earlier.

"Not to worry Commander… I have some left over from the last shipment. I will simply use that." Guss turned the deep blue velvet over and over again in his hands to get a feel of the material weight.

"You keep Triaxian silk on board?" Trip knew how expensive and rare that fabric was.

"Her family sends it to her….for her uniforms and clothes. She gives it to me to use as I need for her repairs, alterations and such. I am sure she wouldn't mind me using some." The older male looked up and smiled brightly.

"Great" Trip returned his smile, than began to ponder his next gift idea. "Now to find a way to warm the deck plates of her quarters without her knowing it."

"Don’t you think that's a bit extreme Commander…?" Guss looked at him a bit astonished. "How ya gonna put a bow on that?"

"Well you said the deck plates were too cold. What else do you think I should do?" Trip was lost as to another solution.

"A pair of warm slippers may do just as well…" The white haired male held up the end of the blanket and shook it a few times for effect.

"You can do that?" Trip asked amazed.

"Sure….."

"If you'd do that for me I would be forever in your debt." Trip felt an overwhelming relief having finalized the last of his gift ideas.

"Well funny you should mention that Commander. I do have a big favor to ask." Guss leaned in and began to tell Trip of his own gift giving needs. He'd drawn Chef and was in need of the Engineer's metal sculpting prowess to pull off the last two presents on his gift giving list. The deal having been set, Trip returned to Engineering to begin work on his barter. He was shocked to see the science officer come in through the door late in the day. She walked right up to him and stood silently waiting for him to finish bending the piece of metal he was forming.

"Afternoon Subcommander….How can I help you?" Trip stood upright lifting the protective goggles that covered most of his face, cheeks to brow.

"I am in need of some small items, and a quiet corner in which to fashion my project." She handed him a palm padd, as Trip review the items one by one.

"Transistors, filament, metal scraps, ball joints, …" he read down the list of small non crucial items. "And fake fur?" Trip looked up at her questioningly at that one. "What are you making Subcommander?" Now the engineer was intrigued.

"I am fashioning a gift for my secret Santa. The fake fur I was going to procure from ship stores. That is my next stop." T'Pol reached out for the palm padd sensing the upswing in sarcasm this conversation was about to have.

"Is there a problem with my having these items Commander?" She asked straight and stiff.

"No….help yourself…" Trip's smile broadened. "Who did you pick?" He wondered just for a moment, since the young alien was looking for machine parts, she may have picked him.

"I was under the impression that no one was supposed to tell who they got. Isn't that the point of the secret Santa?" T'Pol held the palm padd tight against her as if hiding something. This intrigued the Human all the more.

"Nah…You only have to keep your person from knowing. You can tell others as long as they don't tell. Come on…you can tell me….Who is it?" Trip was now almost at a giggle.

"If you must know….I selected Ensign Sato…"

"Hoshi….?" Trip's response held some slight displeasure. "What can you possibly be making for Hoshi from this stuff?" Now he was really puzzled.

"An automated, modular independent, interactive automaton." T'Pol held up a small square transceiver.

"That's a brain cell from a palm padd…..That's destroying Starfleet property." Trip pointed this out knowing how expensive those modules were.

"This is a brain cell from a Vulcan palm padd…. One of my own that I brought from home. It has a larger language capability and is able to do much more than its Human counterpart." T'Pol looked at him dryly. Trip returned her smirk with one of his own, knowing full well what she was truly referring too.

"This Atoma……. What is it for?............and why the fur?" Trip was back to being intrigued.

"Ensign Sato has attempted to have a pet twice so far. Both creatures she chose didn't tolerate the Human environment. It would appear she is lonely for that type of interaction. I am attempting to fashion a pet for her that will be esthetically appealing as well as intellectually stimulating." T'Pol showed the commander her preliminary specifications. Trip looked over the design and began to grin.

"Neat…..and it will talk too?" He asked almost sounding like a kid wanting one of these toys for Christmas himself.

T'Pol nodded slightly…."In several languages." Trip's smile grew. He handed her back the padd.

"Nice…………..I'll get a crewman to gather what you will need. Stop back later tonight and I'll even help you assemble the thing….."

"You have experience in assembling automated, modular independent, interactive automatons?" The Vulcan asked quite dryly, in a manner now known between them as jovial.

"No but I put together my mom's spice rack….How hard could it be?" Trip grinned from ear to ear. He turned and walked off chuckling low to himself at T'Pol's up swayed brow. The Vulcan left engineering. She knew later would be interesting, trying to get this gift assembled in time with an inquisitive Human hanging about.

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

Part 2

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

I enjoyed it very much.
Please continue........

Awesome, more please.

I'm happy to see you reach back into season one. I wish more authors would revisit season one and season two for story ideas.

Now that Trip knows there is fake fur on board, he should have Guss make some fuzzy bunny slippers for Sub-Commander T'Pol. The look on her face as he stares at her standing before him in a velvet whatever and fuzzy bunny slippers would be precious.

I can't wait for the rest...

I loved the beginning and I can truly understand T'Pol's lament, its FREEZING on my ship too. But climate control isn't for the people, its for the equipment..LOL, I look forward to reading your updates.

I think T'Pol would simply have explained to the Captain the narrow mindedness of forcing someone from another culture to join in xmas. She would have than cited Starfleet regs and opted out of the whole thing.

T'Pol could have sited out of fraternizing in the episode "Catwalk" but she got ordered to do that too. That's what makes it fun to watch.

T'Pol could have cited out of fraternizing in the episode "Catwalk" but she got ordered to do that too. That's what makes it fun to watch.

Nice and fun. Looking forward to the next chapter...

And hey, I hate X-Mas myself, but I've worked for Super-Christmas people and had to deal with it so I can emphasize with T'Pol here...

Rigel you don't like x-mas for shame! and TLR i'll check in wed.

Rigel, I can understand. Through the years, I myself lost 5 family members in December, just before Christmas time so it is a very hard holdiay to get through. That is partly why I wrote this. The holidays can be stressful for some and I wanted to give everyone a little present that I know they would enjoy. I hope this helps you a little. T...

Well, I've only lost one (my dad, in '91) but I didn't care for Christmas much before that.

However, my own personal T'Pol would be a wonderful way to make the season better! :D

Wonderful, TLR. Just the thing to put us all in the Christmas spirit. Ho, ho, ho!

What?? No Hannukah?? Just kidding, I'm Jewish and now that I'm grown up I love getting a Christmas tree each year so I love the season!Even though I am not Christian I still am involved in the secret santa at my job, so T'Pol becoming involved isn't unbelievable. She is interested in learning about the human experience after all....as Trip can testify. ;-)

Please update soon!! Can't wait!

I love it. I can't wait to see everyone's reaction to the gifts.

Yes, the nights were cold in these days...when there was no human radiator to keep her feet warm!
By the way, I admit it´s difficult picturing T´Pol inventing the furby but hey, this girl is full of surprises...and this is exactly what I like to read in a nice little X-mas story!

Oh this is delightful. Just what is needed at this time of year. Thanks for writing and sharing.

Thanks for the new story and trying to fill the void a bit. Keep going, please.

why 2 parts, you just wanted to keep us all waiting, excellent so far

I always limit my stories to 20 pages. It is about 40 minutes of good reading. After that, people tend to tire and may skip through. I was an English major in my earlier college days. By the way, I got an A in my last class..Yippie....T.

Nice story, I can't wait to see how everyone's presents turn out! :)

Yay I loved this! Cant wait for the next part, hurry up!

This is cute! Please keep writing!

Been away and only just found this, ..........great way to start the day with a smile, thanks for sharing...........boy am I glad it's Wednesday!

Aww!! This is the perfect story for this time of the year. :D
I cant wait till Ya get the next part out.,,,,, I just love Early TnT friendship stories,,, their just so dang cute, back in those early days, an loved the warm fuzzy feelin they give off when theyd did things for the other.,,,,, Im wonderin since I had a bit Oh trouble followin who got who in the the secret Santa,,, but who did T'Pol Get?? Im thinkin its not Trip,,, but I still get the feelin she's also gona get Trip a gift to.,,,,, Oh well Here I go Yappin away again,,,, Loved it an cant wait for part two. :D