TnT's Bond - How does it work?

[WarpGirl]

I don't think a strong bond would turn Trip Vulcan ,although I've seen that too. I for one don't think he needs to become a vegetarian, Speak only Vulcan, and wear robes all of the time. I do think meditation is a good idea. I also don't think that they'd be constantly communicating telepatically. But I think that they could if they wanted. Basically I like to think anything is possible and they pick and choose what to use given the circumstances.

[panyasan]

I am toying in my next chapter with the idea that the Bond is truly a Human-Vulcan bond, so both sides influence the bond. The bond becomes stronger through human and Vulcan methods.
Also, we see in the show that T'Pol takes over human mannerism - more specific Trips mannerism - so it's suprising to see how little is written - as far as I can see - on this subject, but more about Trip taking over Vulcan mannerism. I liked that kind of development the best, when it emphasized Trips characteristics, like in Dinah's story The Briar Patch when Trip is meditating and focussing on the engines of the Vulcan ship.

[WarpGirl]

Agreed.

[Alelou]

Personally I don't much care for a nice, predictable, cozy bond where their connection essentially becomes a handy form of subspace communication or the means for perfect understanding and intimacy. I find the spaces between people more interesting. So I prefer it when their bond experiences are puzzling or challenging, even while hinting at a profound connection.

This is not to say people who write a bond with lots of bondspeak don't manage to incorporate differences. As long as they do, I can generally manage to read along and enjoy even if I prefer to handle that differently.

But I also think sex is generally more exciting between two people who still have some mysteries left between them. This is why I like to think Trip and T'Pol, coming from two completely different cultures and ways of thinking, are going to be hot for a long, long time.

[WarpGirl]

It would take a very long time for aboth Trip and T'Pol to get the hang of an interspieces bond. Perfect harmony might not be achieveable. But that doesn't mean the bond has to be weak.

[panyasan]

It would be very dull and also a bit frighting if you knew exactly what some one was thinking. I think that T'Pol and Trip are sometimes frustrated by the differences, but mostly just fascinated and challenged by it. There is a reason most people marry some one who is in some ways opposite of them: because they admire that opposite side - that they are missing - and it's challenging them (and the one thing they hate when they having a fight .)

[WarpGirl]

I think that it would be reasonable to say they had the ability to see anything they wanted too, but that doesn't mean that they would do so. It wouldn't be necessary, but it could be useful in certain situations. For example, a battle, or if one of them were captured.

I also agree T'Pol would at least be able to understand human idiosyncrises if not emulate them. That would make it easier for her to interect with other humans and other "emotional" races.

[Asso]

For me the Bond is like the wind.
Sometimes it blows hard, so much that it can be disturbing, almost bad.
Sometimes it is a gentle breeze, refreshing and delighting.
Sometimes it is like the desert's wind, hot and suffocating, and sometimes it can be so cold that it can freeze you.
But it is like the life's recall.
Between Trip and T'Pol, it is like the love's breath.

[Aikiweezie]

Yes, Asso, I think you're right on. And you put it so poetically.

[Asso]

Thanks.

[Aquarius]

It would take a very long time for aboth Trip and T'Pol to get the hang of an interspieces bond. Perfect harmony might not be achieveable. But that doesn't mean the bond has to be weak.

I tend to agree, and somehow I managed to not quite articulate this idea when I talked about its "strength" being subjective. I don't think it's defined completely by how well they can communicate with each other telepathically. When I write about it, the strength comes from devotion more than anything else. I actually see it as all sorts of things, not just psychic, and it's these other "supportive" characteristics that combine to make the bond strong.

[WarpGirl]

That makes sense.

[Ulva]

My 2 öre on the bond:

My suspicion was always that the neuropressure was the thing that set this whole bond thing off. T'Pol admits that it's a very intimate procedure and you don't go through with "very intimate procedures" with just anyone. It is probably something you do with someone very close in the Vulcan society.

I see the Trellium-D addiction as something of a side line in all of this. It's a drug which changes her emotional control in a way she believes she couldn't have done herself. It lessens it, but not in a way that she loses control - initially. She would go down the same path as the Vulcans on the Seleya if she continued, but it would take much longer because the exposure is lower and somewhat controlled. She falls in the trap of believing that she can control it, as all people with addictions delude themselves to think. It's a short cut, simply put.

She already has a "special interest" in Trip but she thinks lessening the control is what she needs to really go down that path of meddling with a human on an intimate level, and here we come to another thing I strongly believe. If she had known about what it actually means to bond with another being and how it's done, she could have been without the Trell-D. We don't really know where the bond effect ends and where the Trell-D effect starts. If it's doing the same as most drugs do (which I believe), it's simply enhancing what's already there, but she doesn't know what's about to happen. Since she doesn't know just how telepathic she is and how a bond forms exactly or how deep it goes, the effect she's ascribing to the Trell-D might just be what's already there, only intensified a bit by the Trell-D.

Once she's off the drug she discovers that things she saw as effects and/or side effects actually are still there and it has to be because of something else than some control lessening drug. It is here where she starts to treat Trip as someone who is considered as close by her standard, letting him know how old she actually is, calling him Trip and reaching out to him when misunderstanding is making him hurt wanting to walk away. I'm pretty certain she has a hunch of what's going on but she doesn't want to say anything yet because she's not sure herself. It's however enough for her to bring Trip with her back home. Then things make a sudden turn to the left and life throws shit at them.

We humans don't know really what our own capabilities are. Some say they have a telepathic gift, but proving it is rather difficult. There are tons of things we don't yet know about ourselves. One can toy around with the possibilities because this is fiction after all and although we might not ourselves be able to control telepathy in a way Vulcans can, it doesn't mean we couldn't be open to a connection with a telepathic individual. I don't think it'd change anyone to become a carbon copy of that being but you would change somewhat, as you tend to do when you have a better understanding of something. It might lead to acting differently in certain situations, changing your life in a certain way, using your language differently etc. All because you "know better", not because it's better per se but it's better in the relationship you have with a telepathic individual. It's not very different from adjustments you make in an ordinary relationship.

Oh yes, I kind of sneakily jumped the sex part of it all. Harbinger is difficult as an episode IMO. Here it's all coming to a(n anti)climax. The bond must have developed already and she's hooked on Trell-D but most other ST boards want to ascribe T'Pol's behaviour to Trell-D altogether. Again, I think it's a mixed up thing. I don't think she'd pinched Amanda if she hadn't been on Trell-D. I actually don't think she'd "explored human sexuality" either. With a clear mind she'd found a way to get rid of Amanda and made sure Trip would be considered her territory without "claiming" him like she did. She would have felt threatened though and she would have acted in some way but having sex with Trip and then hide behind "exploration" isn't something I think a sober T'Pol would have done.

It's not because I have some underlying moral about the sex thing (I definitely do not believe in saving yourself etc) but it's based on what I little there seems to be on this issue. Vulcans have strong emotions in need of control. Though we don't have the same issues as Vulcans, we still need to control our emotions too, and the reasons for that are obvious. We are social and therefore we need to be able to find ways to function together. Ergo, we can't just act on the next thing that pops up in our mind. The smaller the community, the more we need to consider our behaviour. It's basically the same with Vulcans. Then if we take something which lower our control of ourselves things start to happen. It happens to Vulcan's too. Just as I wouldn't get in bed with a specific someone if I lived on a vessel like Enterprise because it might cause all sorts of problems, personal as well as professional, I'm pretty certain a sober T'Pol would hesitate to take such a step. She'd try and find another way. Not that she'd feel differently about Trip or the situation but because she'd realise that impulse control is necessary because the repercussions can be grave not only for you but for the whole community. A hen is easily formed out of a feather.

It's getting late and I've had a long day so I'm beginning to feel like I'm just rambling on here. I hope I made myself understood...

[Silverbullet]

Ulva, don't know if this qualifies or not. It is said that the Irish are Fey. They can on occasion see into the future. I knew the day before the day she was born that my Grandaughter would have a cleft lip and she did. Have had a few incidents like that in my life. Telepathy? Who knows.

[WarpGirl]

My 2 öre on the bond: My suspicion was always that the neuropressure was the thing that set this whole bond thing off. T'Pol admits that it's a very intimate procedure and you don't go through with "very intimate procedures" with just anyone. It is probably something you do with someone very close in the Vulcan society.

I don't think she'd pinched Amanda if she hadn't been on Trell-D. I actually don't think she'd "explored human sexuality" either. With a clear mind she'd found a way to get rid of Amanda and made sure Trip would be considered her territory without "claiming" him like she did. She would have felt threatened though and she would have acted in some way but having sex with Trip and then hide behind "exploration" isn't something I think a sober T'Pol would have done.

First of all sorry for truncating this, I thought it was all very well expressed and insightful. And way to go reopening this. First of all I agree that the nuropressure is DEFINITELY the start of their telepathic bonding, but I think the strong feelings of respect and friendship had been there longer. And I really like the point that you made about the Trellium D exaggerating things and changing T'Pol's control, but as you said if she had been sober it Harbinger would have been very different. I really found this interesting.