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"The Logic of Emotion" by Lady Rainbow Rating: PG-13 From Chapter 3 onwards, we’ll be alternating between present time (Trip telling the story to the E Crew) and the past (Trip at the Vulcan Consulate). Doc Reed joins the party. A shadow player visits Trip. You’ll know who it is. Thanks, Pesterfield :) Five “What is it like, being in a mind meld?” Travis asked. He looked at Trip, but directed the question at Trip. T’Pol, and Jon. Then Travis blushed and hastily added, “Is it taboo to ask? I mean, you don’t have to answer if—“ Trip shrugged. “I wish I could answer that one. I don’t really remember much of it...except that it felt really weird. It was like I could feel Soval in my head, a light touch on the inside of my skull. Hard to describe, Travis. A lot of images; can’t remember most of them, though Soval told me later that there was the possibility of ‘bleedthrough’—“ T’Pol nodded and added, “What he refers to, Commander, is the inadvertent glimpse of another’s mind or memories during a meld. It does happen on occasion, but usually neither participant remembers the specific details. Only those with unusually high esper ratings may remember, but even then, the details fade after time.” Her face became serious. “That is one reason why we Vulcans do not meld indiscriminately. There is the possibility of unexpected side effects.” “There are other kinds of melds, too,” Trip said. “Healin’ melds, for example, but Doc Reed would know more about that than I do.” He frowned. “Speakin’ of, where is he? He promised me a couple of pints of Guinness—“ “—which were appropriated by the fellows in the Armory,” said an accented voice in the doorway. “Unfortunately, that comprised my entire supply for the moment, so I’d hoped this would be an acceptable substitute.” Doctor Malcolm Reed smirked and eyed the crowd, which was crammed into Trip’s quarters. “Quite the party, I see.” Trip’s grinned widened and he waved Malcolm into the room. “Get in here, Doc. What’s that in your hand...aw, you shouldn’t have. Good English stout? Yeah, I s’pose that’ll have to do for now.” And the six-pack of stout joined the sake and the oranges on his desk. Trip took his time with the arrangement as he watched Hoshi Sato make room for Malcolm to sit next to her. T’Pol raised an eyebrow, but Trip only shook his head slightly. “So what has all of you enthralled enough to be packed in here like a tin of sardines?” Jon chuckled and said, “Trip’s recounting the story of how he met me and Soval at the Consulate. Hey, I was under the impression you’d met Trip while you were at Starfleet Medical, but Trip said you hadn’t.” “Oh.” Malcolm sighed and shook his head, but there was a twinkle in his eye. “Wretched timing and bad luck, I guess. Doctor Samirah and Doctor Ayakamura kept complaining about the security officer who kept getting into mischief. I was curious, but fate conspired against getting to know Mr. Tucker better. I was doing consulting work and research, and away some of the time.” “But not even one time?” Jon was persistent. “It’s not as unusual as it seems, Jonathan. After all, Mr. Tucker hadn’t been one of my regular patients, and not too long afterwards, I was invited to return to the Vulcan Medical Academy.” Malcolm gave Trip a look of apology. “So I was pleasantly surprised to finally meet you when you were assigned to Enterprise.” “Return? You were there before?” Trip asked. He nodded. “I was there for two years for my residency, since I decided to specialize in exobiology,exosurgery and Vulcan medicine. It was there I met Doctor T’Les—“ he inclined his head at T’Pol, “and Ensign T’Pol.” Travis shook his head again and repeated, “Man, talk about a small universe. Everybody knows everybody, or at least has met. So that’s how you met Ambassador Soval, Trip?” “Yeah. Not exactly a good situation, but that’s when I first met him,” Trip confirmed. “And the next day was even stranger...” March 17, 2145, Vulcan Consulate, San Francisco “Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, Ensign.” Trip cracked his eyes open to see Captain Ramirez sitting in a chair next to him. His brain felt like scrambled eggs that’d stayed too long in the pan. “Captain? What happened? I—“ “Ambassador Soval came in to make sure you were all right. He told us there wasn’t any permanent damage, but that you’d probably have one hell of a headache when you woke up.” “He’s right.” Trip managed to sit up with Ramirez’s help. “I feel like the fourth day of a three day pass.” “This should help.” Ramirez pressed three tablets of aspirin into Trip’s hand, then got up to fetch a cup of water. Trip swallowed the aspirin, then chased it with the water. His stomach threatened to rebel; he closed his eyes until the nausea subsided. “Lie back down and rest. I’ve taken you off the duty roster for today.” “Can you move the pillow to my back, sir? If I lie down now, I’m gonna get sick.” When he was comfortable, the door opened to admit Jonathan Archer. Archer’s face was creased with worry. “Trip, are you all right?” “I’ve felt better, but I’m alive,” Trip said, “considering I was used as a tackling dummy. Is T’Saiya all right? What was wrong with her?” Jon shook his head; Trip thought it was in answer to his question, but Jon gestured for Ramirez to stay in the chair and not offer it to him. “Doctor T’Inya examined her, Trip. T’Saiya’s on a Vulcan corsair headed towards Shi’Kahr, where her family’ll take care of her. Her fiancé is meeting her in Shi’Kahr with the rest of her kin.” “She’s sick?” Trip’s brow furrowed. “Is it serious?” “Doctor T’Inya said it was a hormonal imbalance. Apparently, it occurs rather frequently, so the doctors there know how to deal with it. T’Saiya should be all right and return in a week or two. ” Trip blew out a breath in relief. “Thank God. She looked really sick. I don’t think she meant to attack me; I just happened to be in the way at the time.” Jon leaned forward and put a hand on Trip’s shoulder. “You stopped Nathan from shooting her. Neither of you could have known that if he had, T’Saiya could’ve died from the shock. That was good reflexes on your part.” He blushed and demurred, “Nah, it was nothin’. I’m just glad she’ll be all right.” “Get some rest. You’ve earned it.” Jon glanced at Ramirez. “Come on, Carlos. I’m sure your little girl’s eager for her dad to come home.” After the two men left, Trip drifted off to sleep. When he woke again, another man sat in the chair he last saw Ramirez sitting in. He didn’t look familiar, but something about him set off Trip’s internal alarms. He fought through another bout of dizziness to focus on his new visitor. “Who’re you?” Trip demanded. The man chuckled and replied, “My name is Captain Mark Harris, Starfleet Intelligence, San Francisco. I’m sorry I startled you, Ensign, but I needed to talk with you right away. Corporal Kemper insisted on watching over you until you woke up.” Movement in the corner of room attracted Trip’s attention. Corporal Kemper stood there, his EM-33 unholstered and ready. The MACO’s body language told Trip that this man, Harris, was a dangerous man, and Kemper didn’t trust him. Kemper’s hawk-like gaze never wavered and his body was coiled like a spring. “You’re fortunate to gain such loyalty after being here less than a week, Ensign,” Harris observed with a touch of humor. “You’ve become fast friends with Diplomat Archer and Captain Ramirez, as well as the Vulcan ambassador himself.” Trip shook his head. “I can’t say he’s a friend, Captain Harris. I got hurt and he just made sure I was okay. I don’t really know him at all, except the fact that he’s Diplomat Archer’s boss.” Harris nodded and sat back in his chair. “Tell me what happened yesterday, Ensign.” “There’s not much to tell, sir, but I’ll do my best.” Trip recounted what happened from the time Archer had called him to his office to when he’d woken up that morning. Harris was the picture of attention, not interrupting his story. When Trip was finished, the man only nodded. “How much do you know about Vulcan history, Ensign Tucker?” “Not much,” Trip admitted. “I do know that they hadn’t always been logical, but after Surak came, they completely redid their society.” Harris nodded again. “That’s what most Humans know about them. Before Surak, they were extremely volatile, proud, intolerant. Very similar to Humans in many ways, in fact. In that, we’ve got something in common. I think Vulcan and Earth could benefit from a closer relationship in the future, but others don’t believe it’s a good idea.” Trip frowned at the thought. Kemper said that some people here at the Consulate have bad feelings against the Vulcans. I’ve seen it. “Yeah, I know.” “I’d like you and Corporal Kemper to keep an eye on these people here,” Harris said. “Intelligence has reason to believe that either Ambassador Soval or Diplomat Archer might be in danger from these...factions. Soval is aware of the danger, as well as Archer, but Archer’s known for his rather, um, cavalier attitude about security protocols.” “So I’ve heard,” Trip said without humor. “I’m workin’ on that. He said that he’ll go along with whatever we need to do to protect him.” “Good.” Harris said. He reached into the breast pocket of his uniform, causing Kemper to tighten his grip on his weapon. Harris’s smile became a leer as he tossed two PADDs over to the MACO. “I’ve just given Corporal Kemper some background information on these people, Ensign. I’d like both of you to read it. Forewarned is forearmed. The more insight we have, the better we can defend against them.” “All right. I’ll read what you’ve got, Captain.” “And I’d like to ask you a favor, Ensign.” “What kind of favor?” “If you see or hear anything that might qualify as a threat to either Soval or Archer, let me know. I’ll leave my personal comm code with Kemper as well.” Trip only nodded, but made no promises. Harris noticed it and said, “I think you’ll make an excellent Security officer, Ensign Tucker. A word of advice: don’t trust anyone, even those whom you think are friends.” And with that, Harris got up from the chair and walked out of the room without a backward glance. Kemper immediately followed him to the hall. “He’s gone, sir. Just like a ghost.” |
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