The Sound of Logic (aka, “The Sound of Music", Enterprise-Style )

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don’t own Enterprise or its characters. I also don’t own the Sound of Music. But I’m playing with them today and get no money out of it.
Summary: The Sound of Music, Enterprise Style. Our favorite characters, all decked out in lederhosen and singing all over the place
Rating: G
Can be archived.
Author’s Note: The songs for this fic all came to me well before the fic itself was written, so I know that I have a long way to go to finish it (and I’ll be humming “The Sound of Logic” the entire time.) Please forgive any liberties that I may have taken with rhymes to make the music work!

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The fire-cliffs of Vulcan were bathed in the sun’s setting rays, reflecting the red-gold light such that the sky above appeared as afire as the lava pits below. In the distant sky, the first stars were just becoming visible to a small figure perched on the side of the cliff, meditating with abandon. Fraulein T’Pollia stood and stretched her arms to the sky, her face an emotionless mask as she broke into song:

“The stars are afire
With the sound of logic
With many light-years
That one can traverse.
The stars fill my mind
With unerring logic
My mind wants to absorb
The entire universe.

My mind wants to soar
At warp five like the ships
That fly from Vulcan to Zeti –three
My mind wants to reach
And consume like the
Flames that rise from a solar breeze.
To learn like the captains
When they meet lifeforms
As they sail on their way
To reach total calm
Like a night turning over to day!

I look to the stars
When my mind is clouded
I know I will see
All I’ve seen before.
My mind will be calmed
By the sound of logic,
And I will focus once more.”

As the last notes of her song faded and echoed away, night fell over Vulcan, plunging the cliffs into pitch darkness. Carried on the barely existent night breeze, a soft gong announced the evening meditation at the temple. T’Pollia, with a slight frown, stood and began moving quickly towards the temple.

Despite her best attempts, it appeared that she would, yet again, be late.

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It appeared that, yet again, Fraulein T’Pollia would be late. Father Soval-ior paced in front of the temple doors, attempting to school his features into a Vulcan mask of impassivity.

Koss, one of the younger acolytes, approached him with a mild look of concern on his face. “Father Soval-ior, T’Pollia has not yet arrived?”

V’Lar sidled up to the two. “Perhaps something needs to be done to emphasize to her the importance of timeliness to our meditations.”

Another Vulcan priest chimed in. “Perhaps T’Pollia is not suited for this life.” He gave Soval-ior a hard look.” Perhaps something should be done with her.”

Soval-ior glanced over them all blandly. “But what? How does one solve a problem like T’Pollia? ”

Soval gave what would have been considered a sigh – were he not a Vulcan.

“How do you solve a problem like T’Pollia?
How do you instill logic into one?
How do you find a name that means T’Pollia?”
V’Lar chimed in, “Unfocused,”
“Inquisitive,” Koss added, almost defensively.
“A nearly human-like disgrace to Vulcan!” The third priest intoned.

Soval-ior continued, “Oh many a thing you know you’d like to tell her,
Logically, you think she’d understand.”
“But how do you tame a mind, and logic to it bind?” Added V’Lar.
Koss stepped forward,” How do you tame a Sehlat to your hand?”

“Oh, how do you solve a problem like T’Pollia?
How do you focus blowing grains of sand?” Soval-1or finished, glancing disapprovingly at the door as T’Pollia entered.

“I apologize for my tardiness,” T’Pollia said to Father Soval-ior, watching impassively as the other Vulcans scattered.

Soval-ior inclined his head, noting his acceptance of her apology. He then gestured for her to follow him into his office. “T’Pollia, how are your meditations coming along?”

T’Pollia fell into stride beside him. “They are going well. I have found the fire cliffs to be helpful in focusing my thoughts. The environment there is particularly peaceful.” She paused. “That is actually why I was late… I lost track of time during my meditations.”

Soval-ior sat down behind his desk and gestured for her to sit as well. “You must learn to focus anywhere, yet with discipline. If you took more time in the temple, the priests would be able to help you. Your mother did tell us that you have a tendency towards emotion.” He then pushed an information padd across the desk. “But that is not why I wanted you to meet with me. I have an assignment that I believe would benefit from your particular talents.”

T’Pollia picked up the padd and glanced at the information on it. “Enterprise? That is an Earth ship, is it not?”

“Exactly. The current commanding officer aboard the Enterprise, Chief Engineer Commander VonTucker, is in need of a science officer. Additionally, he requires a specialist in Vulcan neuropressure. His last science officer was unable to handle the many requirements of that position, but you seem well suited for Enterprise,” he explained briefly.

Her eyebrow shot up. “But Father Soval-ior, I am a priestess in training. My place is here, at the temple.”

“The Commander is only in need of someone temporarily—until this next mission is over. Once that mission is complete, you can return to the temple and become a full priestess.” Soval-ior sat back and steepled his fingers. “I think it would be a good experience for you. Perhaps being around some truly emotional creatures might help you to finally learn to discipline your thoughts and focus your emotions better than you would ever learn at this temple.”

T’Pollia dropped her head. “I will report for duty as needed.”

“Good. Pack your things. You go to Enterprise first thing tomorrow morning.”

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From what she could read on the padd, this mission did not look like it was going to be as simple as Father Soval-ior made it seem. Commander Tucker was in mourning for his sister, Enterprise was on a mission to stop the Xindi from destroying Earth, and the crew was apparently composed of the most undisciplined, rag-tag officers around. None of the Vulcan science officers assigned to the ship had lasted more than a week. All of whom had much more experience with humans than she. But with a surge of determination, T’Pollia turned her shuttlepod towards Enterprise, singing as the ship’s bay doors came into sight.

“I have confidence in subspace,
I have confidence in night
I have confidence that all will turn out right
Logically, you see, I have confidence in me!”

There was nobody to greet her when she arrived on Enterprise. T’Pollia, however, stepped confidently out of the shuttlepod and swung her bag over her shoulder. She would just find the bridge on her own… simple enough on a human ship.

But before she could exit the shuttle bay, a high pitched whistle cut through the air. The notes echoed through the empty bay—low-high-low, and were followed by a voice calling out, “Science Officer on Deck!”

A rag-tag group of officers swarmed through the bay doors and lined up in formal parade stance, directly in front of T’Pollia. “At ease!” The voice called out, and the officers relaxed their positions slightly as a tall blonde man strode out from behind them.

He walked over to T’Pollia and held out his hand. “Fraulein T’Pollia, I assume? I’m Commander Von Tucker.”

T’Pollia stared at his hand for a second before deliberately turning away. “I’ll remember that,” she said dryly. She then surveyed the crew—a… satisfactory group, despite the fact that they were mostly humans. “And this is the crew?”

Von Tucker lamely dropped his hand and frowned at T’Pollia’s snub. “Yes…Fraulein,” he slurred off with a slight touch of anger in his accented voice. “Crew, sound off. Rank, Name, Position!” He blew the whistle again and T’Pollia tried not to cringe.

A man with dark, spiky hair stepped forward and barked out, “Lieutenant. Malcolm. Tactical.” He then stepped back into line, nudging the person next to him.

A Denobulan male repeated Malcolm’s movements with a wide grin. “Doctor. Phlox. Medical.”

“Ensign. Hoshi-el, Linguist.” A slim woman stated in a bit softer tone than the others.

A young man followed her, giving T’Pollia a small wink. “Ensign. Travis. I fly the ship.” Von Tripp cleared his throat and Travis stepped forward again with a slightly sheepish look on his face. “Helmsman.”

An entire group of men and women, dressed in identical black uniforms, stepped forward as a unit. “MACOs. Tactical.”

T’Pollia turned towards VonTucker. “They do not have individual names?”

“They’re MACOs,” VonTucker replied, with a frown.

“And that explains what, exactly?”

VonTucker rolled his eyes. “Look, that’s how things are done here. If your… Vulcan sensibilities can’t take it, I suggest you get yourself back in that shuttlepod and go.”

T’Pollia shook her head. “Commander, I simply was asking…”

VonTucker cut her off by putting up his hand and then turned toward the crew. “Well, y’all have fun. I have a warp coil to realign.” With a shake of his head, he stormed out of the cargo bay.

When the cargo bay doors closed, T’Pollia and the crew stared at each other for a few minutes. Travis was the first to break the silence. “Uhm, he really hates Vulcans.”

Phlox nodded. “They don’t last very long around here.”

“If you want to make it around here, you have to follow a few rules,” Hoshi-el added with a sweet smile. “One: never, ever agree with the Commander.”

A MACO nodded. “Two: Always talk about logic. He loves hearing about logic.”

“Oh, and he hates a place called Florida. Comment on its faults every chance that you get.”

Malcolm winked at her. “And we have dinner every night at twenty-one hundred hours in the mess hall. It’s Earth custom to always be twenty minutes late.”

The amount of information was overwhelming, to say the least, but T’Pollia took it all in with a nod. “Thank you. Now, if someone could show me to my quarters, I would like to meditate before dinner.”

TBC