Who is the Fairest of Them All? - Part III

M/U Fic Challenge

Who is the Fairest of Them All?

By Trippy

Disclaimer: I sure do wish I owned these characters…oh what fun I’d have—mu-ah-ah!
Rating: PG for some language, violence…all the fun M/U stuff.
Genre: M/U, Romance/Drama
Summary: Unbeknownst to the NX-O1 crew, what ever happens on their ship affects the 10-XN in a mirror universe; Trip and T’Pol are still workin’ on their relationship and dealing with public opinion on the NX-01.
A/N: It might help if you read my previous story, The Seduction of Trip, to understand where Trip and T’Pol’s relationship stands on the NX-01 part of the story, but it’s not necessary to enjoy the plot. No spoilers, but a few ideas from In a Mirror, Darkly; takes place after Bound (or in the mirror universe dnouB). Sorry…I won’t do that all the way through the story…really I won’t.
Please no archiving.

Ring around the rosy
A pocket full of posies
Ashes, Ashes
We all fall down

Part III

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

NX-01

Trip had made a detour through the mess hall and stood outside T’Pol’s quarters—shifting from foot to foot, holding a plate of vegetables and a thermos filled with tea. Bracing himself for the inevitable, he pressed the door chime.

“Come in, Trip,” T’Pol said tiredly.

Trip walked in thinking it was slightly unfair that their bond worked to her advantage more often than not.

T’Pol was seated on her mediation pillow, but not meditating. She was still dressed in pajamas, but had several padds out in front of her—and was holding one in her hand.

“You just missed Dr. Phlox.” She gestured for Trip to join her. Trip pulled up a chair, not wanting to take his boots off after an eight hour shift in engineering—and set down the plate and thermos on her desk.

“He gave me the all-clear to return to light duties,” she said, nodding to her padds.

“Well don’t strain yourself—you still look kinda pale.” Trip picked up the plate and uncovered it, “Here—have some broccoli—it’ll put the green back into your cheeks,” Trip quipped with a grin as he handed down the plate to T’Pol.

She put down her padd and took the plate with an amused tilt of her head, then bit into the broccoli appreciatively. Trip poured her still hot tea and held it out to her, blowing off some of the steam in the process.

“T’Pol,” Trip began, nervously tapping his foot, “there’s something I’ve got to tell you.”

She looked up from sipping her tea, and startled at the look on Trip’s face. “What is it?” T’Pol could feel waves of concern coming from him—and apprehension.

Trip knelt down to face her, “it seems that most everyone knows about—‘us’ on the ship now…”

“Is that all? I think, according to Hoshi, that everyone on the ship knew anyway.” T’Pol sipped her tea again; momentarily relieved that was what was upsetting Trip—until she felt there was something else.

“There’s more. The Santonians found out about how I helped you in Sickbay—about our bond—and they were…” Trip paused, trying to bite down his anger again, but he failed as he saw T’Pol’s eyes snap up to look into his—she’d felt it too, “insulted. They were xenophobic—didn’t believe in ‘mating’ outside of—what they perceived as the dominant species…”

“I had noted that they were slightly…apprehensive around me while I was there. Generally, however, they simply ignored me,” T’Pol was contemplative; “I suppose they weren’t too happy when they left?”

“No, and there’s another dilemma,” Trip went on, “the Captain needs to make a report to Admiral Gardner as to how the contact with the Santonians failed.”

“Of course he does,” T’Pol put her tea down and moved closer to Trip, placing a hand on his thigh, “You are concerned as to how I would respond to this. Don’t be,” She moved until she was kneeling beside him, taking his hand with hers, “Although I prefer my personal matters to remain private,” She looked into his eyes to reassure him, “I have nothing to hide in my regard for you—no shame for our relationship.”

Trip let loose an audible sigh of relief—and T’Pol felt his tension easing. He reached up to touch her cheek, “That’s exactly how I feel too.” Trip brought his hand down to drop the other bombshell, “As to how the Santonians found out…it was one of our own…someone from Enterprise.”

“That is—disturbing,” T’Pol dropped her eyes thoughtfully, “do you know who? Or does the Captain? Does he know?”

“Neither of us has a clue,” Trip sighed, “and the Counselor was not forthcoming.” Trip bit down his frustration, “The Captain was not happy. He wants all department heads to do level one staff reviews.”

“I should get started…” T’Pol said as she stood up too quickly.

“Whoa…hold up there,” Trip jumped up and caught T’Pol by the elbow to steady her, “I haven’t even started yet—no one’s leavin’ the ship anytime soon—it can wait ‘till you’re stronger.”

T’Pol hated admitting defeat—and she pulled her elbow from Trip’s grasp once she was steady on her feet. “Perhaps you are right.”

T’Pol reached down for the food tray and padds, but Trip was quicker and gathered it all up and placed the items on her desk. He turned to face T’Pol—close enough to touch her—but he held back.

“I don’t know what to think about this…about us,” Trip stammered with a soft voice, “well…I do know I was mad—damn mad at first! To think of someone off this ship…people we’ve worked with—depended on—it just disappoints me I guess.”

“There is no reason to be mad at a crewmember just because he or she said something inappropriate…” T’Pol looked up at Trip, who was still upset at the turn of events.

“Well the Counselor implied…no outright stated that whoever it was of our crew…that…well that this crewmember shared the views of the Santonians,” Trip paused, “…about us…that’s what has the Captain all mad and demanding the crew reviews.”

“I see,” T’Pol said, understanding Trip’s anger, though she pragmatically thought about the situation as perhaps a bit disappointed in that member of their crew, nothing more. She paced slightly though, trying to sort out Trip’s feelings in her mind through the bond they shared. She stopped and cupped Trip’s face in her hand.

“Do not let your anger hinder what we share—there may be many who do not approve of a Vulcan and Human relationship,” she paused while she traced the outline of his face with her fingers. Trip’s face relaxed and his mood followed soon after. “Even on Vulcan,” she continued, “I am certain there will be those who do not approve. We can face that together.”

Trip grinned and pulled her near, “As always, your logic is flawless—and not nearly so irritating as it used to be!” He noticed that T’Pol, now in his embrace, scrunched her nose slightly. She turned her head slightly to hide the action, but Trip saw it just the same.

“Uh, I did just come from a shift in engineering—and I wanted to tell you what the Captain had to report right away.” Trip let go of her and started to back out of her quarters, “I’ll just head out to have a shower and…”

T’Pol grabbed his elbow before he had time to get too far away, “It would seem that I am in need of a shower as well—I require your assistance as,” she looked up at him and raised an eyebrow, “I am still unsteady on my feet, and I know you do not wish for me to fall and injure myself.” She managed a very Chief-Engineer-type smirk to make sure he knew her intent.

He did. “Oh…well…anything to help a lady,” Trip snickered, unzipping his uniform as she led him towards the bathroom, dropping silk pajamas along the way.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

10-XN

Tucker eyed the corridor carefully, before stepping up to T’Pol’s door—her quarters were just across from Forrest’s—so he quickly punched in the security code he knew so well and went in quickly and deftly closed the door behind him.

T’Pol, expecting him, was dressed in her flimsy night clothes—snug in all the right places—and it made Tucker stop quickly and catch hid breath. Damn, damn and damn again! Keep it together Tucker, he thought to himself—actions on Enterprise were reaching a fatal climax—and he was damn sure he was going to come out on top.

She quickly rose from her bed without a word and wrapped herself around the engineer. Tucker actually had to take a step back to steady himself against her onslaught—she was a lot stronger than she looked. She pulled his head down in a fierce kiss that made him gasp, and he winced then groaned in arousal as she bit down hard on his bottom lip.

By the time T’Pol led him to her bed, Tucker had lost most of his uniform as well as his resolve. He fell onto her bed with a thud—not to smooth Tucker, he chided himself. She straddled his hips, and began to complete his undressing—and undoing. She unbuttoned a few more buttons of his black uniform shirt before he—reluctantly—put his hand on hers to stop her.

“T’Pol,” he said huskily before he cleared his throat—and shook his head to clear it too, “we’ve got problems—Archer is planning on killing Forrest.”

She raised and eyebrow and continued undoing buttons, “Archer is always planning on killing Admiral Forrest.” Once the offending shirt was removed, T’Pol bent down to give his throat a kiss…licking his adam’s apple lightly.

Tucker rolled his eyes into the back of his head and groaned—but he pushed her back again, “Ya…but this time he’s asked me to help.”

T’Pol finally stopped what she was doing—to both the relief and misery of her lover—and was pensive for a moment, “What exactly is this plan?”

Here was the moment, Tucker thought ruefully to himself—what to tell her? He decided to go for broke, “The Captain and Reed have enlisted the doctor in preparing a fatal poison—an airborne toxin—that they want me to release into a specially prepared—by me again—ventilation system in the Admiral’s quarters.”

Rolling off him, T’Pol sat up on her bed. Tucker followed suit, thankful that he still had his underclothes on.

“An airborne toxin? Exactly how did Archer get a hold of this toxin?” T’Pol looked quizzically at her lover and informant.

“Don’t look at me like that…I didn’t know anything about this until today!” Tucker exclaimed, then placed his hand on T’Pol’s still pajama clad thigh, “I woulda told you…ya know that…but Archer and Reed kept this one pretty quiet…until they needed my help—I still don’t think Reed wanted me in on this, but they are kinda clueless when it comes to the mechanical nuances of this ship.”

T’Pol knitted her eyebrows—Tucker recognized her look of deep concentration when trying to work out a problem. He waited to see what she would come up with. “Their lack of technological knowledge could be of use to us,” She murmured, still deep in thought, “as is my scientific knowledge.” She looked up into his eyes, “Is there anything else you have to tell me?”

Tucker paused, she knew him too well he thought—but in for a penny… “I spoke to the Captain after our little ‘briefing’—I wanted to get more information that could be advantageous to our interests…” Tucker paused again, not wanting to tip his hand—not wanting to trust…but things were speeding along and it was time to take sides—and he looked right back into her eyes then continued with a quiet voice, “I wanted to know his plans for you.”

“And these plans are…what exactly?” T’Pol asked, grabbing Tucker’s arm…hard enough to make him flinch a little.

He pulled his arm from her and pushed her slightly back. Her need for self-preservation was extensive…he always knew that, that’s why he’d protected their…association. But he wanted it made abundantly clear that he valued his self-preservation equally. He was blunt, “He wants you for his lover…or dead.”

T’Pol’s eyes snapped up at this. “Neither option is preferable.” She deadpanned. “I refuse to become a consort to anyone…let alone that fool.” She thought for a moment then gazed over to her computer console.

Tucker smirked, “Agreed.” He noticed her gaze, “Got an idea?”

She nodded to her computer, “How much of the chemical compound of the bio-weapon do you remember?”

Tucker pointed to his head, “With this photographic memory? Everything.” He took her meaning and sat down at her computer, inputting everything he saw in Sickbay.

T’Pol’s face wore the slightest smile as she placed her hands on her lover’s shoulders and read the screen over him. This just might work, she thought to herself.

TBC

Return to Part II

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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

Squeeeeeeeeee!! I'm the first!! (That's what happens when you stay up all night with sick kids. :p)

I loved this installment! It was too short, though!! I hope that you update soon!! Man, oh, man! Is the MU T/T scene HOT! Yikes!

I like the way you let them work together, is there more of this good story ? Please, I'm looking forward to it !

Wow! I forgot abot this! Nice update. Good intrique. I can't wait to see what Polly is up to.

Wow! I forgot about this! Can't wait for the next update. I wonder wht Polly is upto? Nice intrigue!

Yay!!!!!!! More hot slinky Mu Polly.,,,,,,,,, I just love the MU TnTs cnspirin ways.,,,,,,, Loved this whole chapie,, but it was a bit short.,,,Cant wait for the next one.

Mmm, so loving this! I like the bits from both Enterprises, and being able to compare and contrast the rU TnT against the MU TnT. Soooo looking forward to more!

Two TnT's for price of one! How wonderful! Terrific character development. Hope we get to see a little of what happens in the shower. - : )

@ Distracted...lol...no, I'll leave the shower scene to the imagination...sorry for the short chapter and how long it took to update it, but RL (ie teaching, exams, summer school) got in the way...and I had to end it where I did 'cos when T'Pol got an idea of what to do about the situation is basically when I got the idea of how to end it! So the next/last chappy will be fleshed out more...

Thanks for the comments!

I had to start over with The Seduction of Trip, but it was worth it. I'm enjoying both of the parallel stories. Can't wait 'till the next part.

I had to read the stories from the beginning, but definitely worth it. I like the two stories running parallel; interesting device.

I had to go back to The Seduction of Trip too and found that this series is even better on the second read! I like the two-in-one technique -- it really highlights the differences between the RU and MU characters. All of the characterizations are great, but I'm partial to MU T'Pol so I'm hoping you won't end the series TOO soon! (I like MU Trip very much too, but he's not quite as wonderfully wicked as Polly.)

I'd forgotten this storyline, but once I started reading, it came right back. Should probably re-read just to be safe, but nice job anyway! :)