Rating: R
Genres: romance smut challenge
Keywords: challenge Columbia Orions
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This story is number 1 in the series Shadows and Echoes
Rating: R in some chapters
Challenge: I've got a challenge for Lady Rainbow. Assume that "Affliction" and "Divergence" never happened. A broken-hearted Trip has gone off to serve on Columbia. Would T'Pol decide to continue serving on Enterprise and put the past behind her or would she try to get Trip back? If the answer is the latter, how would she manage it?
Okay, I originally thought I was done with this, but after some remarkable first betaing by Just Trip'n and Honeybee, they both gave me some very good ideas to improve the story. And it just...um...grew.
Vulcan phrases and Vulcan ceremonies are based on the ones outlined in the Vulcan Language Institute website.
Hope this was worth the wait, Dinah! And thanks for the challenge!
Chapter One
He was gone. Gone, not in the sense of “ceasing to exist”, but it was a physical departure nonetheless.
At first, life went as normal. Enterprise continued on its mission of exploration; the crew successfully completed one first contact and discovered one new Minshara-class planet. T'Pol gathered as much data as she could and sequestered herself in Science Lab One to process the results. She'd isolated herself there for the better part of a week now.
It wasn't unusual for the science officer to be wholly engrossed in such a task. She took her meals in her quarters, retired at the usual time, and attended the normal staff meetings with Captain Archer. T'Pol avoided the questioning looks from Hoshi Sato and Malcolm Reed, the solicitous inquiries from Travis Mayweather and Phlox. Jonathan Archer knew better than to press the subject, but he knew something was clearly wrong.
If only the Captain knew the depth of her problem. A part of her was missing and it ached like a diseased tooth. The abscess slowly spread into her soul, but she had no idea how to cure it.
He was gone, had transferred to Columbia because of her. Regret was an emotion that spilled out despite her efforts to suppress it. Finally, she forced herself to address the lingering question:
What was she going to do now?
He was there, and it was more than just illogical. It was maddening. Before, she heard mere echoes of his presence, as if she could overhear his conversation with his engineering crew aboard Columbia. She saw flashes of his daily life, dinners in the Captain's Mess, but with Hernandez instead of Archer. Their movie night was on Thursday, not Tuesday, and she glimpsed the week's showing through his eyes. It was quite unnerving.
His thoughts were quite unnerving: Damn, this isn't the same. It'll never be the same. But I can't go back, not now...
And this time, he managed to “come back” -- in a fashion. With exasperating Tucker ingenuity, he had chosen a method that was pure torture for her. The first time he appeared in her nightly meditation space, he looked around him with that expression of shock that was heartbreakingly familiar.
“T'Pol? Where the hell am I?”
“I come to this space to meditate, to clear my thoughts. Your presence here is--”
“Annoyin'? No doubt about that. I was in my office, thinkin' about a problem Captain Hernandez asked me to solve, and you're in my daydream! Believe me, you're not the only one who's annoyed!”
“Commander ...Trip. I ask that you leave me alone. I have not meditated properly, and--”
“What?” He frowned, the expression on his face immediately turned from irritation to genuine concern. She felt that concern roll off him like waves on the shore...it was overwhelming but oddly comforting.
“I said--”
“I know what you said. How long?”
“I do not understand your question--”
“How long since you've meditated properly?”
She hesitated, then answered honestly, “Nearly three weeks.”
“Three weeks? Dammit, T'Pol ...” Suddenly, she felt his hands at the neuropressure points on her neck and shoulders. How did he ... how could he ...? The tension eased, her shoulders relaxed, the gnawing emptiness in her stomach no longer bothered her. She closed her eyes and savored his touch.
I have missed this. The realization hit her like a thunderbolt. He must have felt the surge of emotion, for his fingers hesitated for a brief moment.
“Better?”
She took a deep breath and answered, “Yes. Thank you.”
“No problem.” Suddenly, he stiffened and glanced over his shoulder. “I gotta go. I can hear Captain Hernandez callin' for me.”
No, I do not want you to leave again. She firmly suppressed the cry and hoped he could not hear it. “Then you must return to your work. I am sorry to have distracted you from it.”
“I don't mind the distraction. It's nice to see you again ... in a matter of speakin'.” He chuckled, then added, “Take care of yourself, T'Pol, and the Cap'n and everyone else.”
She nodded. “And be well. Give my regards to Captain Hernandez.”
“I will. See you around.”
The white space dissolved around her and reformed into the familiar shadows of her quarters. T'Pol sat there, trying to analyze her tumultuous feelings. It was not possible for Enterprise and Columbia were nowhere near each other. It must have been a dream, her longing made manifest ...
Except Vulcans did not dream.
Nevertheless, she felt more contented than she had been in a long time.
She raised an eyebrow at Kelby. “Hardly. Allowing the results of an experiment to 'bother me' is an emotion, Mister Kelby.” She inclined her head and began to make her way out of Engineering, but her Vulcan hearing caught Kelby's comment before the hatch closed.
“I guess the rumors aren't true. She certainly doesn't act like she misses him one bit.”
T'Pol's mouth tightened as she headed for the lift that would take her back to the Bridge.
End of Chapter One
OMG How did I miss this? Wait I know, I'm dating. Anyway I'm sorry this is wonderful. It's nothing like I expected it to be. I wish you had written this for the show. I would have loved that show. Your characterization is excellent. I loved the interaction with Kelby especially T'Pol was perfect. Really well done. I'm going to read the rest now.
"A part of her was missing and it ached like a diseased tooth. The abscess slowly spread into her soul, but she had no idea how to cure it."
I really like that. It's just how I think T'Pol would feel when Trip left. I'm also glad that she acknowledged that he'd left because of her. Warp 6.5 -- Trip is building a life without her. That would have been hard for her to take.
Poor Kelby still has issues with Trip. Some things never change.
Excellent chapter!
Mmmmmmmmmmmm.....! Dreamy bond mojo! ;) Love this so far.ny
Love it. Such a wonderful, low key story. I love the expansions so far.
TERRIFIC!!!
VERY TERRIFIC!
I am not exaggerating.
Very interesting. It's kind of nice to imagine they could have this mental relationship at this point that seems so devoid of anger. Sure seems potentially dangerous in terms of focus, though I guess it didn't get in Trip's way during all that.
Terrific "link" scene. I'm assuming this has just become AU, since if she doesn't realize by now that they're bonded she's an idot. But I love it.
Woah! Nice chapter one. Can't wait for the next one.