"All Things Aside" by A. Rhea King Rating: PG Disclaimer: Don't own them, CBS/Paramount does. Genre: Humor/Drama Description: Leave it to children to warm hard hearts. Malcolm returns to his teenage years. T'Pol engages in a millennia old human war. The answer to the holographic planet is revealed. Malcolm finds a hidden temple. Hoshi encounters a timid alien race. Making The Connection (7) Archer walked into the room with Constable Varteli. He glanced at the dance floor, watching Saerta couples waltzing to the music playing. Archer looked back, spotting Trip. Trip walked around a group of people, followed by T’Pol and Brila. “Captain,” T’Pol said. “Glad to see you made it,” Archer said to them, glancing at Brila. She was watching the dancers. Archer looked up at Trip and T’Pol. “Change of plans?” Archer motioned to Brila. Trip smiled. “Yeah. Change of plans.” Archer decided not to ask questions. “Do you dance?” Constable Varteli asked. “Yes. I haven’t in a while though.” “You should join them.” Archer shook his head. “I’m pretty rusty.” “What do you mean by saying ‘you are rusty’?” Constable Varteli Archer looked around when Trip didn’t pipe up with an explanation and found he’d disappeared. T’Pol and Brila were standing at the edge of the dancers, talking quietly as they watched the Saerta dance past them. “I haven’t danced in a while,” Archer explained “I didn’t ask you to come to our election ball to be a captain all the time,” Constable Varteli joked. Archer smiled. “Thank you.” “Hey,” Trip said, appearing from behind Archer. “Where’d you run off to?” “You like to tango and they’re going to play a tango, so go ask Brila to tango,” Trip said without a breath. Archer’s eyes narrowed slightly. “They know a tango?” “They do now.” “You gave them music for a tango?” “Yeah. Go ask Brila to tango.” “Brila knows how to tango?” “Yeah. Pretty good at it too. She’s usually my partner at dance class.” “She comes to dance class?” “Yeah.” The song playing ended and there was a pause before the next song started. Trip smiled when the first chords of the tango began. The dancers, unfamiliar with the music, left the dance floor. “Why don’t you ask her to tango then?” Archer asked, starting to turn away. Trip leaned near Archer, saying quietly. “Because Brila would really like to tango with you, sir.” Archer looked back at Trip. “What?” Trip grinned. “Better get to it. Tempo’s about to change.” Archer’s smile was slow. “What are you suggesting?” “That you need to walk over there and ask Brila to tango. Now…sir.” “You’re up to something.” Trip only grinned. Archer drew a breath and walked over to Brila, watching her turn her head to look up at him. Archer had a fleeting thought of saying nothing and letting the moment pass, but he saw something in her face that he’d never seen before. She had a hopeful expression and his intuition said she was hoping he would ask her to dance. Archer extended his hand to her. “Care to tango? We have the floor.” Brila smiled, placing her hand in his. “I would love to, Jonathan,” Brila replied in a quiet voice. Archer led her onto to the floor. With a change of beat the two began to tango. Back to Chapter 6 Continue to Chapter 8

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