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"Cry Havoc"
By MissAnnThropic
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: None of its mine. I’m just a sad little fangirl that spends her days writing fanfic and watching taped episodes of my favorite shows. :(
Description: The evolution of Trip and T’Pol’s relationship following the events in ‘Harbinger’.
Chapter 25
A small one-on-one between Admiral Leonard and Commander Tucker turned into a semi-formal inquiry with Admiral Leonard, Admiral Forrest, Commodore Raleigh, and Captain Archer. Archer had been permitted to attend the questioning only as a courtesy, because, as the upper echelon of Starfleet saw it, he'd already dropped the ball on the Trip/T'Pol issue. Still, he was their immediate commanding officer and it afforded him certain privileges.
'If one could call watching their best friend get put over a barbeque spit a privilege,' Archer thought as he waited at the table with his fellow inquisitors. It had been three days since the truth came stampeding into the open. Archer had been one of very few people actually allowed to see Trip since the incident in the banquet hall. Even Trip's parents weren't granted access, a fact that rankled Trip and Archer both to no end. As far as he could stretch his allowances, Archer had become a go-between for Trip and his parents, passing on messages and reassurances. It had not greatly shocked Archer to find out that Trip's parents knew the truth. In hindsight he hadn't even been overly surprised to discover that the Tuckers approved the union. Kathleen and Charles had been through enough after losing their daughter; they wouldn't make issues of small matters like the species of their son's chosen bride. If they thought it would make their son happy they probably would have welcomed a Klingon into the family with open arms. Which wasn't to belittle T'Pol in any way. All would agree she was a great improvement over a Klingon, but it did speak volumes about the Tuckers and their reaction to all of this.
Word had gotten out about Trip and T'Pol, as was to be expected. Archer wasn't sure who'd been the leak, but his main suspect was Commander William, Admiral Leonard's ever-present attache. He was one of a select few who had any kind of access to Trip, and Archer seriously doubted one of the admiral's had slipped up on so sensitive an issue. He wasn't absolving Commodore Raleigh of all suspicion, though. There were a few likely candidates in Archer's estimations.
In the end, it didn't really matter how it had gotten out, the fact was it had gotten out all the same. The reaction, in the small representation offered by the Enterprise and Ares crewmen and their families, was mixed.
Enterprise had been stunned at first to learn their comrades were in fact married by Vulcan custom and traditions but quickly recovered and rallied. Some civilians, families of Enterprise personnel, joined the crowd of proponents based solely upon the strength of their family members' beliefs and offered their support. They refused to leave Starfleet grounds. Many of the Ares had been ferried back to Jupiter Station but Enterprise was parked and her crew would not go. Not when Trip and T'Pol were being put under such scrutiny.
The admiralty had been put upon at the demonstration, peaceful though it was. Archer was proud. He hoped it made the admirals think.
The Ares and her families were less supportive. No one had the nerve to outright speak out against Commander Tucker or Sub-commander T'Pol, not in any public forum and definitely not while the two were being held under higher authority, but the mood was palpable. They were aghast at the pairing. Their faces said it all. To be fair, not everyone was appalled. Some just looked disappointed, like a fellow human had fallen from grace, succumbed to an unholy temptation. Many others just looked confused. Archer supposed confusion was better than outrage.
Archer sat waiting with the admirals and thought sourly on another little detail. Trip had yet to be allowed any means by which to communicate with T'Pol. Archer had contested that with Forrest... rather passionately, in fact. "Whether they're in trouble or not, Admiral, they're still husband and wife and Starfleet has no right to deny them means by which to at least talk to each other," had been his ardent appeal. Forrest had just shrugged and answered, "Were we willing to let Commander Tucker contact the Vulcan Embassy he probably wouldn't be able to talk to her anyway. Ambassador Soval has Sub-commander T'Pol securely sequestered." Forrest had let go the slight on the Vulcans' part, but it didn't look to Archer like the admiral had tried very hard to find Trip a way to talk to his wife.
Archer was coming more and more solidly on Trip and T'Pol's side of this arguments, whether they'd misled him or not.
Archer, along with everyone else in the small room (arranged suspiciously like a courthouse), came to attention when the door to the room opened. Commander William came in, followed by a string of people. First was Trip. The commander looked fortified, ready to face a firing squad without batting an eyelash, but Archer knew Trip better than the others and he could tell that the southern hadn't gotten much sleep in the last few days. It only concerned Archer more, because if Trip was tired he might get short-tempered, lose his cool when he couldn't afford it. No one could deny Trip was under a lot of stress. Archer just hoped it wouldn't come out to work against them.
Next came Doctor Phlox. Phlox had harangued himself access to Trip on medical bases. The admirals hadn't wanted to allow Phlox to see Trip (they argued Starfleet had fully competent doctors if Trip needed one), but Phlox would have none of it. In a display of temper and ire precious few saw from the amiable Denobulan, Phlox had broken the admiralty and gotten himself permission to tend to Trip. Archer hoped it was more in the capacity of ship's counselor than actual doctor, but he couldn't be sure. He knew next to nothing about Vulcan bonding practices... maybe if Trip and T'Pol were separated for too long they'd start to suffer physical side-effects. Archer wanted to ask Phlox but the guarded look on the alien's friendly face told the captain he'd get the 'doctor/patient confidentiality' reply until Phlox was literally under duress and direct orders to divulge what he knew. Even then not to say he'd spill. Rarely did Archer have call to be reminded that Phlox was not Starfleet as he did then.
The last in the procession was Ambassador Soval. Archer sat up straighter at this addition. He'd not expected the Vulcans to concern themselves with the human side of this little problem. 'Suppose the human factor and Vulcan factor can't really be separated,' Archer thought uneasily as his eyes tracked the austere Vulcan.
Commander William escorted Ambassador Soval and Doctor Phlox to the long bench where the others were seated while he directed Trip to the lone table and chair facing the row of Starfleet brass. Trip did as told without a word, his stance defensive. Once again he was in his dress uniform, filling the material out with a burgeoning air of ready confrontation.
When Soval, Phlox, and William were comfortably seated Admiral Forrest glanced among his fellow judges and looked back to Trip. "I don't think anyone needs to be told why we're here. This panel has gathered to address the marriage between Commander Charles Tucker III and Vulcan Sub-commander T'Pol. Or should I say, the supposed marriage."
Archer cut a sidelong glance at Forrest and Trip titled his chin upward defiantly.
Forrest folded his hands. "This is a very serious matter. Do you understand that, Commander?"
"I didn't realize my personal life was such a planetary issue," Trip retorted dryly.
Forrest scowled and Archer grimaced. Trip was playing with fire and it wouldn't help him or T'Pol any.
Without commenting on Trip's retort, Forrest continued. "Under the course of our investigations it has come to our immediate attention, first and foremost, that there has been no official recognition of this marriage as defined by any Earth customs or laws. Captain Archer, am I correct that you never presided over a martial ceremony of any sort for the two in question?"
"No."
"Without a legally recognized method of marriage, such as being married by a ship's captain, a union cannot be, strictly speaking, called a marriage under Earth traditions. Ambassador, I have your understanding that there is no human standard of interpretation that would name this union as a legal and binding marriage?"
"You do," Soval answered.
Trip started to speak, "Wait just a god damn minute, just because we didn't run down to the nearest chapel–"
"We note the Vulcan representative's acknowledgement of Earth and its leaders abdicating any legal culpability for this stated marriage between Commander Tucker and Sub-commander T'Pol."
"Admiral," Phlox interjected on Trip's behalf.
"Doctor Phlox," Admiral Forrest waved for the Denobulan to continue.
"Surely you realize this is a marriage primarily by Vulcan definitions and not human."
Leonard looked toward Soval. "Ambassador?"
Ambassador Soval eyed Trip a moment before saying in a calm, collected tone of voice, "The doctor is partially correct. As it was with Earth, there was no formal ceremony, on Vulcan or recreated elsewhere taken from Vulcan ceremonial procedures, that formally unites these two individuals."
Trip wanted to speak but Phlox was quicker.
"You of all people must realize this is a union of biology more than ceremony!"
Ambassador Soval did pause at that. He even nearly sighed. "That point is conceded, Doctor Phlox. Vulcan High Command recognizes this."
"The question," Admiral Forrest said, "that we must answer is how much both governments wish to treat such an unofficially sanctioned marriage as a true union."
"You gotta be kiddin' me," Trip barked.
"Commander, please remain silent until you are asked to speak."
"How did this happen in the first place?" Raleigh spoke for the first time. He looked directly at Trip. "You two must have made this decision to wed in secret, in blatant disregard of the repercussions it may have had on your respective planetary governments. Purposeful intent to mislead and cover up your actions from superior officers sounds like a court-martialable offense to me."
Trip looked down at the table top uncomfortably and Archer glanced quickly and nervously at Phlox. The doctor and captain were both unable to speak a word to the Vulcan pon farr about which they'd sworn to secrecy.
"That detail is not an issue and Vulcan releases Command Tucker and Sub-commander T'Pol for the act itself of initiating the bond," Ambassador Soval said with finality. "No action will be taken against Sub-commander T'Pol for that specific incident and nor will we require disciplinary action be leveled against Commander Tucker for same offense."
"As you wish, Ambassador," Forrest said with ready concession.
"If not that then what IS the issue here?" Raleigh demanded in frustration.
"These," Ambassador Soval raised a hand and counted off his fingers. "Why these two permitted their 'relationship' prior to marriage, recognized or otherwise, to escalate to the point of bonding. Why they have both refused to break this bond, a process which is both possible and agreeable to both governments. What actions should be taken in lieu of their stated insistence they remain bonded despite the fact they are of different species and members of very disparate cultures. What effects this will have on the alliance between Earth and Vulcan, at the moment an alliance in acute distress." Ambassador Soval lowered his hands back to the table.
"Wouldn't the simplest solution be to remove Sub-commander T'Pol from Earth entirely and return her to Vulcan?" Admiral Leonard asked curiously.
"Take her from me?! You can't do that!" Trip exploded.
As though the commander had not spoken, Soval shook his head. "It would accomplish very little. There is a mental bond between Commander Tucker and Sub-commander T'Pol that would persist even if they were forcibly separated."
Forrest conferred with Phlox. "Is this true? You've examined Commander Tucker. Even though he's human, have you seen evidence of this bond of which Ambassador Soval speaks?"
"I have. Make no mistake on that, Admiral, that separating them will not solve anything, if anything it could make matters worse."
"Worse? How could it get worse?" Raleigh bit back.
Soval's calm response again ruled the room. "Prolonged separation of Vulcan bondmates can lead to adverse psychological consequences. At a certain point, denying mates access to one another is fatal."
"Then that's not an option," Forrest said quickly. Archer felt relief Raleigh didn't want to pursue the 'fatal without their mate' aspect of Vulcan physiology.
"May I speak?" Trip addressed the board in a thankfully calm voice.
"Very well, Commander Tucker."
Trip nodded then looked directly at Ambassador Soval. "I can't answer all of your questions, but I can answer some of them. We didn't set out ta grow so attached to one another, before the bondin', that is. It just happened. That's how humans fall in love. It's rarely planned, it's not malicious, it just happens. By accident if ya like, but all the same we fell in love, which is the very reason why we don't want to break our bond. T'Pol is my mate, and I know you understand that, Soval. She's my mate in a Vulcan sense more than any human sense. It makes me sick that you'd want to take her from me like that, to rip her from my mind. I figure I'm the only human that really comprehends the horror in that, and that you, a Vulcan, could suggest it, horrifies me."
Soval had no immediate retort, and that in itself made Archer pause. Trip had rendered Soval speechless. Whatever unspoken understanding they shared was enough to still the Vulcan ambassador. That said a hell of a lot.
"Commander," Soval finally said. "I do know thy concerns."
Trip and Soval sat perfectly still, eyes locked on one another. Everyone else could only glance between them in silent confusion, knowing they were missing something significant.
Ambassador Soval at last turned to look at the others sitting in the position of judgment with him. "Gentlemen. Vulcan High Command cannot and will not force the breaking of a matebond when both individuals involved do not desire it. It is not the Vulcan way. The question we must truly answer this day is how each government shall proceed with knowledge of this development."
"You're not gonna take her from me," Trip ventured cautiously, his earlier bravado vanquished.
Soval looked back mildly at Trip. "Vulcan edict may be strict, but it is not cruel, Commander Tucker. As you have noted, to sever a bond without the voluntary participation of both parties would unquestionably qualify as cruelty. No, she will not be 'taken from you'."
Trip visibly relaxed.
"We will discuss this further in private," Soval ordered to the Starfleet leaders.
Forrest nodded. "Very well. Captain, you, Commander Tucker, and Doctor Phlox are dismissed. You may return to the commander's assigned quarters and await our decision. Commander William, you'll escort them and see to it they do not speak with anyone until we've reached a decision. Admiral Leonard, Commodore Raleigh, if you'll accompany Ambassador Soval and I."
Everyone rose to their feet and the group split into two, one heading for chambers while the others headed for the dorm wing.
*****
Archer was almost certain that waiting for a final ruling from Starfleet Command and the Vulcan High Command on the issue of Trip and T'Pol's secret union after the formal hearing was more nerve-wracking than any waiting period yet. The Enterprise captain had not felt this keyed-up or anxious when the admirals were deciding a course of action after hearing about the Xindi civil war. He suspected it was because during that wait it was to decide a strategy against a common enemy and not directed at members of his crew... his friends. Archer felt close to helpless, and he hated that. As the captain he'd been reprimanded for allowing this 'marriage' to occur in the first place, but after a slap on the hand all focus had shifted to Trip and T'Pol. As much as Archer might want to intercede, to spare his crewmen the wrath of Starfleet Command, in the end it was a confrontation between the two of them and the admiralty. There was very little Archer could do to protect his people. He could only watch them suffer for their affections for one another.
'At least watch one of them,' Archer privately amended as he stood in the suite room with Trip. The engineer had said disturbingly little since the hearing. That had been close to eight hours ago. Archer was not under house arrest; he could have left, he chose not to. When Trip continued to say little to nothing to anyone, however, Archer started to wonder if his presence did any good at all.
The isolated room was a pocket of time and space displaced and detached from the real world outside. While Trip and T'Pol were being brought up on possible charges for their relationship, Starfleet had released their public announcement detailing the end of the Xindi threat. Those crew and families cordoned off at Starfleet Academy were released. The world would be in celebration, but the mood from Archer's point of view was somber to say the least.
One small concession was that Trip's mother and father were no longer banned from seeing their son. Soon after Commander William had escorted the accused and company to quarters he'd brought in Charles and Kathleen.
Archer ceased his bout of pacing the limited space in the otherwise spacious living quarters and looked around at his companions. Doctor Phlox had found himself a seat in the corner almost the moment they'd returned from the hearing and he hadn't moved since. The very definition of inconspicuous and unobtrusive. When the captain looked at him the doctor gave a small smile of acknowledgement. Charles Tucker was sitting at a small work desk, occupying himself (though without great zeal) by taking apart various office supplies and cobbling them together into... something. Archer had no idea what it was; no doubt Trip would know exactly what his father had made. Archer suspected Starfleet wouldn't appreciate what the elder Tucker had done to all their things, but Archer didn't feel sorry about that. They should know better than to lock up an engineer and give him nothing to do.
At the thought of engineers, Archer looked finally at Trip. What he saw troubled him. What the captain had seen since they were brought back from the hearing troubled him. Trip had become very still and very quiet. Neither description that normally applied to Trip Tucker. Trip was standing next to the window, his arms crossed over his body and his shoulder leaning heavily into the wall. He would almost look casual and laid-back were it not for the tension in his jaw and the steely, unreadable look in his eyes. Kathleen was standing at her son's shoulder, her hand on his arm for all the good it seemed to be doing. Kathleen looked torn between seriously pissed off and immensely sad. She continually looked up at her son with open, if speechless, concern.
Archer really didn't want to pace again, but he could feel himself getting antsy. He wondered if he could track down the admirals so he could demand they come to a decision, whatever it was, because the waiting was intolerable.
At that moment Trip moved for the first time in what seemed hours. He turned his head meaningfully toward the door, pushed off the wall, and lowered his arms to his side.
Archer, curious, looked toward the door as well just as it opened.
Commander William came in, but he did not hold everyone's attention for long. Behind him walked T'Pol.
"Captain," Commander William spoke to Archer, "Ambassador Soval released Sub-commander T'Pol and she asked to be brought here."
Archer valiantly fought off a smile, because he'd hate the commander to misread it as an absolution of the admiral's aide for his lackey part in all of this.
"Thank you, Commander," Archer said in an even voice, and he looked then at T'Pol. She was once more in one of her duty outfits rather than that sensual white robe from the banquet, this one the tight blue body suit he'd seen often. She looked none the worse for wear. Maybe a little tired, but he'd seen his Vulcan science officer in far worse states. T'Pol came to a stop inside the room and her eyes were locked entirely on Trip.
Trip was staring intently at her from across the room. Kathleen dropped her hand from her son.
Commander William noted the absence of reaction in the room and quickly bored. With a shrug he turned and left.
As soon as the door was closed after him, Trip was moving. Trip strode across the room toward T'Pol. T'Pol started forward to meet him halfway. They met in the Vulcan embrace Archer now knew to be exclusive to married couples. Their fingers touched, light and gentle.
The next, Archer didn't have to be told, was not a traditional Vulcan practice. As soon as their hands were touching Trip closed his eyes. He leaned forward and T'Pol closed her eyes and matched him. Within seconds they were standing, fingers crossed, their foreheads touching.
It was so little but Archer felt like he was intruding on something incredibly intimate.
Seconds of absolute stillness stretched and no one dared break it before the two recently united did so first.
Trip was the first to brave moving. He pulled his head back, only centimeters, and slowly opened his eyes. T'Pol looked sweetly up at him. Trip's free hand came up and he cupped one side of her jaw in his palm. T'Pol blinked and it was some manner of wordless speech.
Archer just stood and gawked. There was the sense that an entire conversation had passed between his shipmates, but there had not been a single word.
T'Pol stared into her mate's eyes a long time it seemed, then she reluctantly lowered her hand from his and gently pulled away. Trip let his hand fall from her face but not without a flash of displeasure passing through his eyes.
T'Pol turned at long delay to face Captain Archer, and finally it was acknowledged that other people in the room existed. "Captain."
"T'Pol. Are you all right?"
T'Pol nodded at the captain's question. "I'm fine."
"What happened?"
"Ambassador Soval questioned me, then he insisted I remain at the Vulcan Embassy incommunicado until the other party could be questioned."
"Do you know what they're going to do?" Kathleen asked from the back wall, still near the window.
T'Pol looked at Trip's mother as she answered, "I was not told. In fact, I've been told nothing since the moment I was isolated within the Vulcan Consulate." T'Pol's eyes turned once again to Trip.
Archer could guess that if the room wasn't packed full of people the two lovers would be holding one another. Trip looked like he wanted to gather T'Pol into his arms anyway, but supreme effort held him back.
"So we keep waitin'," Charles said wearily. The older Tucker sounded as fed up as Archer felt.
"So it would seem," T'Pol said. Her tone was duly neutral, but Archer liked to think he knew his first officer at least well enough to detect a slight edge to her words. It seemed even Vulcans had some limits on their patience.
"Is them takin' this long a good sign or a bad one?"
Archer took it upon himself to answer Charles; the question hadn't been pointedly directed at any one person, anyway. "To tell you the truth, Charles, I'm not sure." Archer turned back to T'Pol. "You said they questioned you; what were you asked?"
"What you would well expect given the circumstances. They inquired about my relationship with Trip."
"Did they hurt you?" Archer asked in genuine concern.
T'Pol looked almost thrown by that question and gave the captain a strange look.
Archer felt amazingly like an ass and a heel at once as he stumbled, "Just that... while you were gone Trip was... he said you were upset." Archer let out a quiet breath of relief that he had found a way to address Trip's statement when this first started without sounding like a complete and utter buffoon.
T'Pol merely looked once more at Trip, seemed to speak with her eyes in a language only Trip knew, then she said, "Vulcans do not resort to physical brutality, Captain, if that is to what you are alluding. It is supremely illogical. I was not harmed in any way, but I was... challenged."
"Challenged," Archer pressed.
T'Pol looked as close to annoyed as Archer had ever seen her, excepting that pon farr incident. "I was made to answer for my indiscretions against the Vulcan High Command. All of them."
Archer wanted to know more, to ask more questions, but Phlox was suddenly on his feet and addressing the commander and sub-commander. "I'm sure it was very taxing in any case, Sub-commander.
"Since we don't know how long it will take for them to reach a final decision, I'd suggest you both go get some sleep while we're made to wait."
Archer held his tongue and would concede to the doctor's wisdom without protest, despite the further questions he might like to ask of T'Pol. He could tell that Trip had not slept well since this fiasco began, and while the Vulcan was a much harder read he would suspect she'd not rested well, either. Also, Archer figured that the Denobulan was looking for a way to give the two some privacy together, and the suite quarters that the entire group had been given following the hearing would accommodate that effort far better than a regular dorm room. This suite, at least, had distinct rooms with actual doors.
"Phlox is right," the captain agreed. "You two go get some shut-eye; we'll wake you if we hear anything."
Trip and T'Pol glanced at one another and Trip surrendered with a shrug. "Very well, Captain," T'Pol spoke for both of them and the two headed toward the separate bedroom.
As soon as Trip and T'Pol had left and closed the bedroom door behind them a shared sigh of relief went through the occupants of the living area. The tension in the atmosphere had ratcheted down three or four noticeable degrees now that T'Pol had joined them. Those scattered throughout the living room had faces that all said the same thing, expressed the same relief that, if nothing else positive would come of this, at least Trip and T'Pol were back together.
*****
The moment the door was closed and they were alone Trip turned to T'Pol and pulled her into his arms. T'Pol went willingly, as though she'd heard his intent in his thoughts before he did it. With a Vulcan, Trip knew, he could hold her as tightly as he wanted and not fear hurting her.
'I missed you,' his mind resonated like an echo that would not abate.
T'Pol snuggled her head more comfortably on his shoulder (she noted in passing how quickly she was adapting to this human gesture) and let her mind soothe his. 'And I thee, beloved.'
Trip didn't do or think anything else for what seemed a solid minute. T'Pol would not argue the chance to touch after the forceful separation imposed upon them. She knew it had been more difficult for her human mate. He had not had the luxury of still hearing her while they were apart. He'd sensed only the raw, emotional base to her mind and that had been far more unsettled than her conscious thoughts. There, yes, she had been upset. And that alone was what Trip knew from her.
Trip loosened his hold on her and moved back only to cup her face and wordlessly capture her mouth in a kiss. T'Pol returned the passion in the dance of his lips; because they were touching and he would hear she kept her thoughts still until Trip's essence calmed. When the tempest that had churned within him quieted she allowed herself to think. Their lips were still in contact, feather-light, and his hands were still on her face. 'You are very troubled,' T'Pol observed with some degree of worry.
Trip pulled back enough to break the touch of their lips, to look her in the eye as he let his thumbs caress her skin. 'You were lost to me. Part of you was there, but not enough of you, and it felt like an integral part of you was gone.'
'The thinking part of me,' T'Pol understood without doubt. 'I was always here, as thou were always with me.' The decisiveness of her thoughts were testament enough to their truth.
Trip seemed eased by that and he let his hands fall from her face, if not a little reluctantly. When the bitter anger and desperation fueling him for so long was lessened it made way for encompassing fatigue. T'Pol saw it in him, felt it from him, felt herself nearly sag under its influence.
"You should sleep as the doctor as recommended," T'Pol said gently.
Trip gave a slow nod and without a fight he trudged over to the made bed. He dropped down on top of the comforter, clothes and all, and buried his head in the pillow with a long sigh.
T'Pol followed and soon was likewise arrayed atop the bed, fully dressed, at his side.
Trip, his body already unraveling into sleep, reached over to her, took her in his arms, and quite insistently pulled her partially atop him. He hugged her close, not about to let go, and his thoughts half-teased, half-pleaded regarding his hold on her, 'You'll just have to give me this.'
T'Pol acquiesced, despite the crowd in the next room, and settled her head on his chest and let one hand rest lightly atop his stomach. It was undeniably pleasing to be with him thus and she indulged in the sensation. Her body melted against his, her muscles growing lax, until they were matched comfortably against one another.
Trip's breaths were those of sleep, his thoughts the disjointed montage of the human subconscious, when T'Pol fell into the wilderness with him. No Vulcan would suspect how restful and invigorating sleep could be when spent in the unconscious mind of a slumbering human.
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