Thanksgiving

Rating: PG, if you are offended by nudity.

Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek, I just play with the people I like.

Summary: An away mission from T'Pol's point of view.

Author's Note: A few people asked for a sequel to Trick or Treat. So here it is. It probably won't make sense unless you've read Trick or Treat.

T’Pol was anticipating this particular away mission.

She would never admit to actual excitement, but since geology was one of her specialties, this planet would provide her with a very satisfying study. While the mineral deposits were playing havoc with communications, the initial scans indicated formations which had never been recorded before.

T’Pol entered the shuttle bay with her equipment and immediately noticed that Lt. Reed looked apoplectic. Captain Archer was in the process of telling him that, since no sentient life had been detected, he was not to accompany them and no security was needed.

Commander Tucker was on the far side of the shuttle loading equipment, so T’Pol took her gear around to be stowed.

“Looking forward to breathing some fresh air T’Pol?” Trip asked as he took her cases from her.

“It will be agreeable to feel the sun on my face.”

With a quick smile he concurred, “Yeah, I know what you mean. Nothing warms you quite like a sunny day.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the captain, “All aboard people. Let's get this show on the road.”

On the way to the surface T’Pol used the time to study her scans and decide in which direction the most interesting phenomena lay. Trip and Captain Archer’s easy banter was just a hum in the background. The shuttle came to a gentle landing due to Commander Tucker’s excellent piloting.

T’Pol had already decided in which direction she wished to proceed while the captain and Trip selected their paths at random. The three agreed to meet back at the shuttle in two hours.

Trip had picked up his sample case when T’Pol felt his shoulder gently bump hers.

“Enjoy the sun,” he whispered.

Almost every step she took presented T’Pol with some fascinating formation to scan and sample. The area that Enterprise’s science officer was currently investigating was a veritable jungle. She noticed that the ground had become spongy under her feet. Suddenly T’Pol was sliding down an embankment while trying to hold on to her equipment and simultaneously grab for a vine to stop her descent. This was one task too many.

T’Pol landed rear-end first in a pool of the slimiest substance she had ever encountered. Her distress was a palpable thing. The smell that assaulted her sensitive nose nearly caused her to be sick.

Trying to remain calm took all the Vulcan control she could muster. As she tried to gain her footing and gather her equipment, T’Pol slipped several more times. When finally on solid ground again, she looked down at herself in disgust.

This was intolerable.

Remembering a cave with a water source on her initial survey, T’Pol headed in that direction. As she entered the cavern, sounds of a waterfall greeted her ears. Looking up at the multi-colored water cascading down caused the young Vulcan woman to stop in her tracks. It was indeed one of the most pleasing sights she had ever seen, however the putrid odor coming from her muck-encrusted person quickly became a higher priority.

Crawling to a pool that gathered behind the falls, she began to remove her clothing. T’Pol set about washing her uniform and rinsing off her boots. Fortunately all of the fabric was treated with a stain resisting compound so it washed clean with little effort.

Setting the uniform aside, T’Pol stepped out from behind the water to rinse her body. She glanced down her torso at the fascinating effect caused by the water. Her body appeared to be changing color as she moved about under the falls.

The water was cool and T’Pol shivered for a moment. Then suddenly she felt a warmth caress her, almost as if she were being held in someone’s arms. She thought she sensed another presence in the cavern.

T’Pol scanned the floor of the cave and thought she saw a flash of blue moving in her field of vision. Wiping water from her eyes, she looked again and realized she was alone after all and beginning to get very cold.

T’Pol redressed in her damp clothes and headed for the rendezvous. The sun was setting and the Vulcan woman began to shiver.

At the shuttle pod, Archer and Trip were discussing the merits of sending more people down for an extensive survey when Trip seemed to zone out for a minute.

“Excuse me a second Cap’n.”

Trip entered the shuttle and began to rummage around for something.

Archer was looking in the distance when T’Pol came into sight. Trip came out of the pod carrying a blanket and headed toward the Vulcan. Meeting halfway, he placed the blanket around the shaking woman and began to walk her back.

T’Pol silently gave thanks for the blanket and the caring man that brought it to her.

Archer scratched his head as they walked past, “How did he know she was wet?”

THE END