Rating: G
Genres: fluff
Keywords:
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The Ball
Hoshi, Malcom, Trip and T-Pol were sitting at their usual table at breakfast.
"What do you think of the Ball?" asked Hoshi.
"Ball? What Ball?" said Malcoom.
"Women on board are tired of wearing just uniforms or coveralls all the time, they want to dress up once."
"Dresss up? How?"
"Well they could bring along some personal items and everyone one of them brought a gown. They probably thought they would have time for dances and the like during the mission.
"Boy were they wrong," she added.
Trip leaned toward her. "Did you bring a Gown?"
"Yup, sure did" she replied.
"When is this Ball" T-Pol asked.
"Couple of weeks. The women have to choose their dates or if they will have an escort."
Trip turned to T-Pol. "Can I escort you to the Ball, Commander T-Pol?"
"You may, Commander Tucker," she replied.
Hoshi looked at Malcom and waited. When he did nothing, she said "I wonder who Travis will be taking?"
"Will you go to the ball with me?" Malcom said hurriedly. "I would love to have you on my arm."
"Thank you kind Sir. I would love to be on your arm. Yes, I will go to the Ball with you."
"You don't have a gown do you, Commander T-Pol?" Hoshi asked.
"No, but I do have a Vulcan Formal Dress Uniform. I can wear that."
T-Pol looked at Trip. "You will be wearing your formal Starfleet Dress Uniform won't you?"
"I can't go in my coveralls can I?"
Archer walked up about then. "I heard about the ball. Good idea. Crew needs something like it. They have been under a great deal of strain for some time. Be my date at the Ball, Commander T-Pol."
"Is that an order or a question, Captain?"
"Question of course."
"I already have an escort for the Ball, Captain: Commander Tucker."
Archer turned to Trip. "Didn't I order you to do some minor overhaul of the engines and run some tests on them the night of the Ball?"
"Not that I remember."
"Captain, did I ever tell you about a headache that Vulcans sometimes experience. It starts slowly, takes days to become really painful. I feel one coming on now. By the night of the ball I should be in bed suffering from it."
"Just kidding. You two have fun at the Ball," But there was an edge to his voice.
The day before the Ball there was a flurry of activity. The females all had appointments to have their hair done. Two of the female crew were experienced hairdressers from their college days, when the skill had helped pay their tuition. They were booked solid. Most of the women had short hair out of necessity, but had let it grow anticipating the ball so the hairdressers had something to work with. Gowns were taken out, cleaned, tried on, and any adjustments were made with pins and hope.
The night of the Ball Trip rang T-Pol's door chime. She opened it and stepped out.
Trip looked at her open mouthed. Her Dress uniform wasn't a Cat Suit. It was light fawn color, two piece with slim trouser pants, a jersey under the jacket, and the jacket buttoned almost halfway to show the jersey underneath. There were epaulets on her shoulders and her vulcan insignia of rank on them. She wore fawn-colored high heel shoes. Trip thought he had never seen her look so good.
"You look stunning. Why don't you wear something like that all of the time?"
"My normal uniform has a thermal lining that keeps me warm. This doesn't."
"Damn, you're going to be cold tonight."
"No, I put on one of your t-Shirts and some extra underwear, so I should be all right."
She looked at Him closely. "You look very handsome in your dress uniform."
He did. It was light blue, the color that looked best on Him. The trousers had a dark blue stripe down the leg. And the jacket was cut to fit snugly. He had no decorations on, just his insignia of rank.
"Shall we go?"
"You really should be on my arm."
"On your arm?"
"Yes, when we walk in to the hall your arm should be linked in mine."
"Oh, but Vulcans don't do that and you know we don't like or want to be touched in public."
"I know. We will walk in side by side"
They met Malcom and Hoshi in the corridor. A smiling Hoshi was on Malcom's arm.
Hoshi had a dark red gown on. It clung to her figure, moving with it when she walked. It showed her figure without being blatant.
"That is what I mean," whispered Trip
"I know, but I am still Vulcan and it would embarass me."
The four entered the Hall. It was decorated and tables arranged so that parties could sit near one another.
Archer was there in his dress uniform. He signaled someone and doors were opened and couples started to file in.
It was like a bevy of color. Reds, blues, pinks, greens, all shades of gowns. The males in their dress uniforms or at least those those who had them. Others wore Class A uniforms.
A beaming Major Hayes came in with Anna Hess on his Arm. He led her to a table, pulled out her chair and sat her. She looked up at him and gave him a radiant smile.
The four had sat down at a table reserved for them.
Hoshi said in a low voice, "Hess and Hayes are a good looking couple, aren't they."
Trip said, "When did that happen?"
Hoshi got an evil grin on her face. "I understand they are taking botany lessons"
"Botany lessons?"
"Word has it that they have late night walks in the Arboretium."
"Good thing. Hess looks relaxed. She has been working too hard and always seemed so tense."
Hoshi laughed. "You should talk, Commander Tucker. You have been a whole lot more relaxed lately." She avoided looking at T-Pol.
Malcom looked up and saw a young MACO strutting. The guy looked as if he was on parade for the females in the Hall.
"Who is that?"
"New guy. Came in with the exchamge of lesser-experienced MACOS."
"Exchange?" wondered Trip.
"Yeah, MACO Command wanted to get some experienced troops assigned to new Starfleet Ships but Archer and Hayes objected to releasing the best and most experienced personnel. "The ones taken have some experience they can pass on to the MACO's assigned to other ships."
"This guy was part of the new rotation."
"He seems to believe that he is God's gift to the female population."
" I suppose he did all right with the teens near his last base and some of the less bright females who are drawn to a uniform no matter what clown is wearing it."
"Hess had to complain to Hayes about him. He was bothering one of the young engineering women. She brought in Hayes, and he got the guy off her back."
"I never heard about that," said Trip.
"Hess didn't want to bother you with it. Said you had enough on your hands."
"I don't like my crew to have to put up with things like that. I should have been informed. I would have set him straight."
"That may have been what she was worried about."
The music started to play a waltz. Couples took to the floor and started to dance. The women were smiling broadly.
Hayes and Hess got up and began to waltz. Hayes was an excellent dancer. Hess followed him easily,
Hoshi looked at Malcom, "Well?"
"Care to dance Hoshi," he asked.
They got up and walked out to the dance floor. Malcolm too surprised Trip. He danced very well.
"Malcom stil has some surprses left in him," Trip laughed.
As the evening wore on Trip danced with Hoshi and once with Hess.
T-Pol did not dance. She still was too embarassed to be touched in public. If she had danced her partner would have had to hold her. Not even her lover could touch her in public, although she had promised herself that he would after the Ball, in private. She had taken the opportunity to inform him of this while Malcom and Hoshi were off dancing.
The four were at the table, talking and watching the Dancers, when the MACO walked up. He stopped in front of T-Pol. He obviously had been drinking. "Dance. little Lady," he said.
T-Pol stiffined. "No, young man, I don't dance. Also, you address me as 'Commander' not 'little Lady'."
"Aw, there is no rank tonight," he slurred. He reached, took her arm and pulled. "C'mon, lets dance."
Trip jumped up and knocked the MACO's hand off T-Pol's arm.
Malcom stepped between Trip and the MACO.
"You are at attention MAACO," he said. turning to Trip. "Sit down, I will handle this."
Trip was fuming. "Stand aside, Lieutenant," he ordered.
"Can't do it, Sir. I am acting as provost right now, and I have authority"
Trip glared, but sat down. He Looked at T-Pol, "You all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
Trip could see she was shaken and embarassed even iif no one else could see it.
Hayes came bounding up, "Let me take care of this, Malcom."
Hayes got as close to the MACO's ear as he could and spoke in very low tones. Whatever he said, the MAACO came to attention and turned red. He abruptly returned to his table, nodded to the others sitting there, and headed towards the lift. There, he pushed a button and the doors closed on him.
"Terribly sorry, Commandeer T-Pol. The guy has been a problem since he came on board. He will get a Captains Mast tommorow."
Archer appeared loooking concerned. "You okay T-Pol?"
"Yes, Captain"
"Hayes," Archer barked, "Can't you control your personell?"
Turning on his heel, Archer returned to his table.
"Trip, Take me back to my quarters please. I feel uncomfortable now."
"Sure thing." They rose from their seats. Both said their good nights to Hoshi and Malcom.
When they got to Trip's quarters T-Pol said "I must meditate tonight, but I also want to stay with you too. That fool touched me. I feel unclean. I have to meditate to cleanse myself."
"I will meditate with you. I feel a little dirty too. Wish that Malcolm hadn't got between us."
"It is better that he did. You may have gotten into a lot of trouble if you had fought him. Perhaps you would have been removed from Enterprise. What would I do then? You are my piller of strength. I need you."
"That guy ruined a great night."
Two days later T-Pol and Trip wre in the Workout room. Trip was leaning against the wall watching T-Pol. She had a halter and gym shorts on. Her sweats were in the corner to be put on when her workout session was over.
She was about to do some weight lifting.
The door opened and some MACOs walked in. One of them was the drunk who had grabbed her arm.
He was still strutting, although he apparently got a bust at the Captains Mast.
He walked over to the weights, brushing very closely by T-Pol.
He picked up two hundred pounds and put it over his head. He looked at T-Pol before dropping the weight.
He flexed his muscles and strutted back to the others.
T-Pol regarded him for a moment and then kicked a barbell to the center of the floor. It was the same one the MACO had picked up. She bent over and added another two hundred pounds to the Bar. She tightened the clamps on each end of the bar.
She looked evenly at the MACO and easily lifted four hundred pounds over her head. Not only that, but raised and lowered it ten times before putting down the bar--gently instead of dropping it.
Trip was doubled up in laughter. The looks on the MACOs faces were hilarious. Trip wished he had a camera. That would be one to send to his folks.
The strutting MACO looked deflated. He stammered out an apology for the Ball night and then hurried out of the door. The others right behind him.
"T-Pol, you shouldn't scare the MACOs that way."
Putting on her sweats, she asked, "Do I frighten you ashyam"
"No, but I don't want you mad at me either."
"Then it is best you keep me happy."
Finis
It is an interesting fic, creative idea to have a dance on board! Otherwise Archer's Enterprise only seemed to have movie night as a public form of entertainment. The crew needs more diversions. I thought Archer and T'Pol a little off in characterization but not bad. Nice touch though, having T'Pol solve her problem with the MACO in her own very Vulcan way. :) Keep writing!
Anonymous, I intended to pm you with this, but you're not registered as a member so I guess I'll have to do this publicly. Please don't let the negative responses to your comments chase you away. We value commentors here more highly than gold and precious jewels. At least I do. Anyone who still cares enough about Trip and T'Pol to bother commenting BELONGS here.
BUT...
May I make a couple of suggestions, please?
Too bad. I'm going to do it anyway. :p
1. Change your screen name. To what, I don't care, as long as it isn't obscene. "Anonymous" isn't nearly as clever as you think it is. It's confrontational and will invariably stir up trouble. And yes, I know that stirring things up is sometimes fun, but you don't want to get labeled a troll. Only trolls have screen names like "Anonymous".
2. When you comment, comment on the story...the subject matter, the style, the characterization, even the grammar and vocabulary. All of them are fair game. Please refrain from making personal statements like "I don't think I like you", even with a smilie attached, at least until you've developed a personal relationship with the writer through conversations on the board and you're reasonably sure that they won't be hurt by the comment. We're a close knit group here. We protect our own. You're welcome to join us but you need to get to know us better before you've earned the right to jokingly fling personal insults. ;)
3. And yes, every writer and commentor here deserves your respect. You may not agree with their world view, religion, or politics. They might even LIKE Jonathan Archer, for Pete's sake. But we always respect each other's differences.
And that's all I have to say about that. :D
Sorry to hijack your comment thread, Silverbullet. Keep writing! :D
I'm not so old aged as SilverBullet is, but I'm not too much young. I can understand Anonymous' perplexities, but... please, Anonymous, listen to me.
it's sweet joking about female and male rules. Yes, it's sweet. Because real life hits you, and, therefore, females and males are still there. Playing their ancient and still living rules.
Different, someway. But still existing.
So you're saying that because of certain hardships in life, and his age i'm supposed to respect his writing themes and life views? I'm not sure why, that just because he's an older man, and been through alot, I can't get p'ed off with a fic. I respect his right to think and write what he wishes, and i respect the fact he took the time to write it down in a fan fiction and i now respect that a little more since by your post it must have been difficult for him, however when it comes to views on life i'm quite happy to see the difference between tolerance and respect. I don't know what his views are, but it just seems like there is a recurring theme to his fics is all.
I mean to, in no way demean what ever it is he's been through, but if i were silver bullet i'd find your suggestion a tad condescending, i mean no offense either but I'm sure silverbullet would wish to be treated just as everyone else on this site.
And I've already apologized because, like i've said, it was the wrong time and place.
I'm sorry Anonymous but it's obvious you don't understand one thing, SilverBullet has overcome enormous obsticals to post his work. Obsticals that the rest of us took time to learn about. He deserves respect not just for his age but for his courage. As for the rest of it you're perfectly entitled to your opinion. I'm just a regular joe here but SilverBullet is someone I care a lot about. Please just try to get to know him.
thats my username, anonymous. i'm not anyone else from the community.
But you're right, I'm sorry silver bullet, i should keep my bad comments to myself, lately i've been telling everyone exactly what i think of them, and you just happen to have p'ed me off in two of your fan fictions and one comment and all for the same reason.
It's not that youre a bad writer, and i would never wish that you stop writing, i would never even contemplate the desire that you do stop writing. I just don't like what you're writing about and the way in which you are portraying it. And that STILL doesn't mean that i think you should stop writing stories of the exact same ilk. freedom of speech baby, it can be a bitch.
Some people are stating it's brave, i just don't see it like that, i think it's insulting, But I am still really quite sorry this is not the time and place, and you probably have no way of understanding the problem because you can't see it, it's so ingrained in you.
Another thing I'd like to point out is that all of us write from our unique perspectives. One person's life experiences will always be different from another's. Although I may not share Silverbullet's view of a woman's role in society, I wasn't alive yet at the time when his views were commonly accepted by everyone, both male and female, as just the way things were. I doubt that anyone else on this site was either. I respect his courage in writing these stories. I also think that he's earned our respect just by being on this Earth as long as he's been here, and that he has the right to express himself.
Anonymous,
jT is right, and I would just like to add that while it's okay to not like a story, posting just for the sake of slamming it and the author is just plain rude. Furthermore, not identifying yourself is just plain cowardly.
If you have constructive criticism to offer, have at it. Any author worth his or her salt should be open to suggestions on how to improve and understands that you can't please everyone. If you don't have anything constructive to say and just want to perpetuate negativity, then keep it to yourself and move on to something else.
Aquarius
site admin
Dear Anonymous,
It is not very polite to post reviews anonymously. It is uncomfortable for the author who can't guess who has a problem with them and it is uncomformtable for every other person on the site, who has to either say "it wasn't me!" or be under some degree of suspicion. Put up some username so we at least know who you are not.
justTrip'n, site administrator.
Well you're two for two. Keep at it and we'll keep reading. Practice is definitely what makes perfect.
I believe that a good story is one that once you start reading you don't want to stop and you care to see what the writer wants to say and I think you did it very nicely. I enjoyed reading this one very much, it was light and happy and made me feel good. All I can say is keep on writing!
Don't let negative reviews get to ya.Keep writing!!:D:D
Anon. Sorry about the Housewife. It waa not dergatory at all. Due to te amount of work that a Houswife has to do in a day she tends to be a bit stronger than women who are forced to sit at a desk all day or stand behind a counter.
Don't like my writing? I am just starting out. Hopefully as time goes on I shall become somewhat better at writing Fanfic. I certainly am going to try improving.
As far as your personal regard for me. You are welcome to your opinion. Nothing I can do about that. Needless to say I wish it were different.
"a normal human woman (housewife)"
That, as well as your stories and well...
dude, im having trouble liking you! LOL
Warpgirl, believe or not Duty Uniforms and Dress Uniforms can look very similar except fora few doo dads.
I like Uniforms to be simple. Not a lot, if any, gold Braid. Problem with today's dress uniforms they look like tghe came out ofa comic Opera. too damned much junk on them. So, I gae T-Pol a nice simple Uniform of one of my favorite colors. Simple but at the same time elegant.
Panyasan wrote:
I got the impression that you like writing and have fun with it and that fun is showing in your writing. Please continue!
I think the same!
I love your Trip and T'Pol. Well. I think that's not strange for me!;)
And I think it's better you describe T'Pol the way you feel her.:p
You tried to write a more complex story and as a whole your writing did improve. Very good. The idea of a ball and the preparation was a good one. I thought some scene were stopped short a little, for example the scene in T'Pols place and the ending. If you had extended them a little bit, we gotten a more whole picture. There were some misspellings and that was a little distracting. I got the feeling you didn't ask some one to beta this story for you. Most writers have a beta, an extra two eyes to point out to you things you overlook, simply because four eyes see more then two, or just to help you find spelling mistakes. I got the impression that you like writing and have fun with it and that fun is showing in your writing. Please continue!
I'm pretty sure the uniforms in Carbon Creek weren't dress uniforms hold on let me look... OK bingo found it look here... http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Vulcan_uniforms It clearly says that the uniforms in Carbon Creek were duty uniforms. About the strength thing... As I said I know they SAY Vulcans are 3 times stronger than us, but humans seem pretty adept at overpowering them. I just don't believe it. Like I said my opinion is subjective. I certainly like your story, but if you're going to post people will say what they think, and sometimes you won't agree.
Warpgrill, a normal human woman (housewife) can lift 100 pounds what with carrying laundry, vacuuming, and other chores around the hoouse.
A woman in good conditin and fairly fit could lift 120 pounds. A woman who is in great condition and very fit could ift 140 pouunds.
T-Pol being in great codtiion and in great fit. So she could lift 140 pounds on her native Vulcan. in Earth Gravity she could llift three times what a human woman in her condition could lift 420 pounds. so 400 oounds is not an exageration.
Dress uniform. If you view Carbon Creek you will see that they were wearing the same uniform that I described only without the Epullets and was a different color. So the Uniform is all right.
Hayes? I played with it a bit to fit the story. I hated Hayes being killed off so I had this before he was killed and he and Malcom got along. Never likeed that fight either.
s for the rest, the Maaco jerk well I needed some sppice in this.
T-Pol spoke in humans terms in the Sries often. So, yeah she might have said Keep me Happy. What I was trying to convey was that she was a little out of sorts with human males and she was giving Trip a "Heads Up."
Something made me re-read because I had a nagging feeling I missed something. Then it hit me... 400lbd weights! Um... that seems a tad unrealistic. 200 maybe, but 400 I just don't see it, not even Tuvok could do that. I know the old adage that Vulcans are three times stronger than humans, but we never actually see that, it's true. Also I would be careful with T'Pol saying things like... "Then it is best you keep me happy." A better alternative might be... "Then it is best you see to my continued contentment." It's important to keep her voice Vulcan. It means the same thing, only in a way that is acceptable to her values.
Woo Hoo I'm first!!!!!!!!! :D Now remember everything I say is out of respect and admiration of your bravery and talent. OK I like this one much better than the PMS/PMDD story. I like that it's light, irreverent, and very simple. All good things with comedy, as comedy shouldn't be too complex. So your style is dead on. Now I do think that having a woman's perspective could have helped you out given the situation you decided to dramatize namely a fancy dress ball. For example, T'Pol's clothes are all wrong. Vulcans maybe logical but they're also very conscious of astethics, a dress uniform with pants would not be appropriate, and she would have respected that. Most service women wear gowns at their balls, be it Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force. It's not that they can't wear their dress uniforms, but it's not socially kosher. I'm surprised you didn't think of that. Her formal Vulcan Robes would have been a better choice. Also remember Enterprise has a quatermaster, so while a girl might not be able to buy a new dress, she can certainly get one tailored properly. So the pins and hope thing kind of stuck out. OK girlie stuff is over time to get technical...
OK Archer's brush off, I love the idea of this (really come on did you think I wouldn't) but I have to say T'Pol's refusal was really lame. A headache! Nope sorry the girl can do better than that. That's the excuse a 16 year old girl gives a boy she doesn't want to go to prom with. Not that I ever went to prom.
Also I'm just wondering about the time setting... Hayes is alive (AWSOME) but are they in The Expanse?:s If they are, why the heck are they having a ball?
Finally Mr. MACO man-whore and touching... I liked Mr. MACO man-whore causing trouble, but again there were technical difficulties. First of all, T'Pol is a capable woman, she can get MACO man-whore off of her, she wouldn't freeze up as if she were assaulted. I know Trip has to step in, but it should be a partnership. She is not a weak woman. Also the Vulcan taboo on touching isn't exclusively sexual. There is the telepathic component that makes it most disturbing to them. By focusing on it being sexual, making T'Pol feel "unclean" isn't an accurate depiction of that aspect of her culture. I'm not saying to leave the sexual component out, but you also have to remember even in non-sexual situations touching is disturbing.
Malcolm and Hayes dealing with Mr. MACO man-whore confused me.:s Where does Hayes have the right to call a Captian's Mast? How can Malcolm order Trip to stand down? This is not how rank is portreyed in ST. Yeah I know it's probably the CORRECT way in the real world. But sometimes the real world in ST doesn't make sense.
OK I'm done. Despite what this looks like I REALLY liked this. But if you're going to do this, I'd like to help you make the best stories possible. Now granted my opinion is subjective and only truly worth something to me. But seeing things through another person's eyes can help you write better and enjoy it more.