| Planet Side By: RitzBitz Captain Jonathan Archer sat back in his seat, observing his crew going about their business. It had been a long week, with a ship's distress call turning out to be a ploy for money, a ship found abandoned then the crew found out to be all holographic, and about half a dozen trading ships asking if they wanted to barter. They deserved a break. "T'Pol, what's our status?" "Traveling at warp 3, all systems are functional. There is a slight deviance in the port nacelle's balanced plasma exhaust rate, but I have informed Mister Tucker of it already. He should be taking care of it." "Good. Any planets near by?" "A Class S planet is 7 light years from our current location, and a star system with 3 Class M planets is about 4 light years away." "Let's check them out, shall we? Travis, change your course to match the coordinates of the Class M planets. I think we all deserve a break." * * * The Class M planets were all inhabited, and the captain spoke with a merchant from the second. She was able to inform them of good landing ground where Enterprise could actually set down. Trading was in abundance there, and there were plenty of inns and places to eat, so they would be able to spend a few days there. Enterprise would get a full check-up and her engines would be cleaned, in exchange for whatever the crew had to offer in trade. After thanking the merchant, they set a course for the second planet. Archer arranged for a comm.-link to be put through to the prime minister of the western continent, and received careful instructions for landing. Considering Mayweather had never set Enterprise down before, he did remarkably well. They landed without incident, and met with the mechanic who would be taking care of Enterprise to give him a list of her problems (which Commander Tucker would be assisting with, of course) as well as a list of what they were able to trade. If nothing else, they had a secure location for engineering crews to repair and for the ship to have a little rest. Because of this arrangement, nearly all of the crew were able to take a little vacation. Those that had to remain with the ship would take shifts away from her. * * * "Cap'n, where will we be stayin'? On the ship or planet-side," Trip asked late in the first afternoon they were there. "Well, senior officers will be staying in a cozy little inn called the. let's see.the Dancing Nacelle. That should be interesting. The rest of the crew will be remaining on board to sleep. We have a special invitation from the Prime Minister to stay at the Inn free of charge, but unfortunately, only for senior officers." When they reached the Dancing Nacelle, Archer, T'Pol, Trip, Hoshi, Malcolm, and Travis checked into their respective rooms and decided to have dinner in the Nacelle's common room. Archer stood at the window of his room, admiring the view, when a sudden knock at the door interrupted his reverie. He walked to the door and opened it to an uncomfortable-looking T'Pol. "T'Pol, what's wrong," he questioned her, while inviting her into the room. She quickly moved past him and asked him to shut the door. She looked as embarrassed as a Vulcan could. "I do not understand this garment," she said flatly. "I cannot be expected to carry out my duties on this planet if I cannot get this...this." She stared at the gorgeous dress with open hatred. "-dress," he finished. "-this dress on." Archer smiled, barely able to contain his laughter. "Come here, I'll help you." "Captain, may I ask why I am being forced to wear this.dress?" "You know why," he told her while determining the problem with her dress. "Hmmm, it seems you have it on backwards," he said, this time unable to control the chuckle that escaped his lips. "You'll have to take it off." She did so without hesitation, exposing her undergarments and her beautiful body. Archer found that his pulse quickened and his breath caught in his throat. He turned around as fast as he could. "T- T'Pol, I..." "Is this right?" she asked his back. He turned back around, to find her fingering the dress, now on correct. He smiled again, this time because she looked beautiful. "That's much better," he told her. "Now turn around, so I can button you up." She complied, and his hands went to work buttoning the dress. As he did, his fingers brushed her skin tenderly, and a shiver went up her spine. "The Prime Minister advised us to dress down while we're here. Something about the customs of the trade post," he reminded her. This was an attempt at a distraction, however, it was not very affective. T'Pol's pulse sped up and her mind raced as she tried to comprehend what was happening. How illogical, she scolded herself. But the feeling of his fingers remained, imprinted on her skin. She had to regain control of this situation. Jonathan had finished, so she cleared her throat. "Thank you, Captain." He seemed almost breathless. "It's no problem." Straightening up with a smile, he asked her, "You look wonderful. Shall we?" T'Pol regarded him a moment, then nodded. They headed down the stairs to the common room. * * * When the senior officers of Enterprise reached their Inn, The Dancing Nacelle, they had also received a wardrobe for each to wear while they were on the planet. Trip looked down at his outfit, content that it suited him. The fabric was soft, and the color vivid, but not so much that it looked bad. The pants and shirt depicted a scene, something that looked like it was from ancient times, almost like the Egyptians. It was almost as if he wore a tapestry or something. "Hmmm., not bad," he told his mirror. A knock at the door found him looking at Travis and Hoshi. "You ready," Travis inquired. "Ha ha , yes, I am. I see you got the dress code too," Trip pointed out. "Hmmm, yes. It's interesting, isn't it? I wonder where the pattern comes from." Travis looked down at his outfit again, his with a similar scene as Trip's. Hoshi, on the other hand, was wearing a beautiful dress that looked like silk. Her dress was a deep blue with what looked like huge stars on it, like the sun. The over all affect was wonderful, reminding Trip of a sunrise. "Hoshi, you look very nice," he let her know. "Why, thank you. I have to say, the pattern's a bit strange, but it is beautiful." "I think we should head on down to th' common room," Trip suggested. With all in agreement, the party met with Malcolm, then left for the common room. * * * Jonathan and T'Pol entered the common room of the inn to find it bustling with activity. Traders from all different planets were there, including a couple of Ferengi and a greenish-looking creature with two mouths. A few groups were playing what looked like card games, with some dice- rolling added in here and there. Most talked with each other, however, the most interesting spectacle was the group dancing in the center of the room. The tune was like a traditional Indian beat, and the dancers followed it without missing a step. The dance was complicated, and danced only by natives of the planet, for it was difficult for others to learn. None of the traders paid them any mind. Trip, Hoshi, Travis, and Malcolm were already seated at a table in the far corner to allow for some privacy Archer, dressed similarly to the other men, escorted his Science Officer (with as little physical contact as possible) to the table. His senior officers all stood when they reached the table, partly because he was their Captain, and partly because T'Pol was simply stunning. Her dress, both like and unlike Hoshi's, consisted of a bodice and a long skirt, and was a color of dark lilac, like dusk. The picture was one of a dusting of stars, which were indeed gems that caught the light and sparkled like the stars they represented, each one a different color. Constellations were connected by a single thread each, so the line was barely visible. The dress,(like Hoshi's) ended in a long skirt, its hem sweeping the ground. "As you were", Archer told them as he pulled T'Pol's chair out for and then took his own seat. "We have, I'm told, an excellent dinner on its way." "Great, I'm starvin'", Trip let them know. "Oh, me too," Travis exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. Over an indeed delicious dinner of some lentil casserole-type dish, they discussed plans for the following day. Trip would be heading back to Enterprise to assist with repairs. Hoshi was going to try out her ear with some of the interesting dialects around, and Travis and Malcolm were planning on hitting some of the markets to see what was to see. Archer had a meeting with another captain he had made early that day, and asked T'Pol to join him. She nodded in assent, and with that dinner ended, and the group broke up, each going separate ways, with the exception of T'Pol, who stuck to Archer's side. Together, they meandered over to a group engaged in what looked like a 3-D model made of little white sticks. "I know this game," T'Pol told Archer quietly. "I believe it is called "Cal'toh". It's a Vulcan concentration game, mastered only by those who use logic to their advantage. I've not seen it since before I left Vulcan." "How does it work?" he whispered to her, causing her to lean closer, which sent Jonathan's heart racing again. "The players place the pieces in a strategic structural pattern, which when in the correct place, form a three-dimensional geometrical shape." He only nodded, not wanting to break the two players' silence. He and T'Pol were standing in a group surrounding the players, and had received a few looks. After what seemed like an eternity, without any change in the shape, T'Pol was losing interest in the game. Jonathan caught her eyes elsewhere when he glanced at her. "T'Pol." Her eyes snapped back to his face. "Yes," she whispered in response. "How can you not be watching this? It's fascinating!" He sounded genuinely interested. "The player on the left has made a critical error, it is doubtful he will be able to redeem himself. The player on the right does not have the concentration to finish this game. I doubt they will be playing for long." Though she made an attempt to whisper, it was not her best effort. Suddenly the player on the right stood up angrily. "That's it, I've had enough! How dare you? I'd like to see you do much better!" He stood aside, and T'Pol, eyebrow raised for only a moment, took his emptied seat. The other observers grew more interested by the moment. They crowded closer, and Archer, surprised by his Science Officer's boredom with the match, was now directly beside the table, watching with renewed interest. T'Pol allowed the other player, a blue biped with black eyes, make his move. She took half the time he did and placed her piece with expert care. After only two more moves, she had announced 'Cal'toh'. "It was fairly simple," she informed the crowd, which had grown to twice its previous size. More players wanted to take their turns, but were no match for T'Pol. As the night went on, the crowd got bigger and bigger. As Jonathan stifled a yawn, he put a hand on T'Pol's shoulder. Her last opponent had just stood up from the table and bowed to T'Pol. "I'm afraid we have a busy day tomorrow." Jonathan told her and the others, who made their disappointment audible. He laughed a little. "I'm sorry," he told them, though he had a sneaking suspicion that T'Pol might have been a little disappointed as well. Others quickly took over the seats abandoned by T'Pol and her opponent, and the game began again. As they made their way upstairs, Jonathan informed her how impressed he was. "You were wonderful." "My opponents were simply untrained. There is no need for celebration." But Jonathan saw something in her eye that made him suspect otherwise. But only he would have caught it. When they reached her door, Jonathan decided to take a leap. "Goodnight, fair lady," he told her, smiling as he took her hand and brushed his lips against it. "I'll see you in the morning." With that, he left her standing there. T'Pol's reaction was startling(to herself). Once again, her pulse sped up and goose bumps formed where his lips had graced her skin. She felt angry at herself, but when she thought of his eyes on hers, the anger faded. 'I'll need to meditate longer tonight,' she told herself. * * * T'Pol woke at her body's accustomed time to bright sunlight streaming in the windows. It was indeed a beautiful site. After her meditation the night before, she felt more in control, more herself. Captain Archer certainly had a way of making her doubt herself as a Vulcan. There had been times on Enterprise when she heard the crew laughing and having a good time that part of her wished she could join in. But it was impossible. Not because Vulcans did not experience emotions, on the contrary they felt them even stronger. No, it was because T'Pol had spent all of her life as a Vulcan. She had first meditated at the age of five. It would be nearly impossible to change her ways now. But still, sometimes she thought of how she knew she had to be a Vulcan physiologically, but spiritually? T'Pol shook her head. She could not go there. It would be dangerous to tamper with what her people ad sought to control over centuries. She knew the consequences all to well. * * * "Ah, what a beautiful day!" The exclamation came from Travis who had gotten a wonderful night's sleep. Trip, on the other hand, had not. "Easy for you to say,' Trip grumbled. He turned to Hoshi. "Why did I let you talk me into that swimming contest, and then the drinking contest, and then the arm-wrestling contest, and then-" He was cut off. "I didn't make you do anything," She stressed. "If you chose to defend your manly pride, it's no skin off my nose. And it's not my fault you didn't get enough sleep." The trio was sitting on the comfortable couches and chairs that populated the inn's common room. Just then Jonathan came bounding down the stairs. And, yes, I mean bounding. He clapped his hands together. "So gang, has everyone had breakfast?" He looked positively exuberant. This had an immediate affect on Trip, who brightened. "Well, well, well, Jonny boy, it seems like someone had a good night! Do tell." Jonathan grinned. "It's not what you think. I simply ate well, slept well,-" "Dreamt well," Hoshi cut in. She was beaming. He laughed, but said nothing more on the subject. "I repeat, has everyone eaten?" "Oooh, a nice diversionary tactic by the Captain." That was Malcolm who had joined the group. "And yes, we've all eaten." "Good, then I suggest you get to what you need to do. I'm told that the sun sets early this time of year. I'm going to wait here for T'Pol. In the meantime, make sure you have some fun. This is supposed to be a vacation. That's an order." They all smiled at his joke, and went off to their business. Jonathan sat in the chair previously occupied by Trip to wait for T'Pol. It was his turn to smile when he thought of the renegade kiss he had placed on her hand. The smile seemed to brighten when he saw her descending the stairs to join him. She never ceased to amaze him with her beauty. 'And her intelligence,' he added as an afterthought. Intelligent and resourceful she was, but it was not the forefront of his thinking at the moment. "Captain." "T'Pol, good morning. I trust you haven't eaten." "Not yet," she responded. He seemed to be in a very good mood. No doubt why, she told herself, and almost blushed when she thought of his lips on her hand. Even that slight contact had left shivers up and down her spine. Or perhaps it was the idea of his lips touching her more than the action that made her shiver. "Good, we'll eat together then." His smile shone out at her again, and she couldn't help but look deep into his eyes before he broke their mental contact by leading the way to a table. * * * The trade captain that Archer and T'Pol were to meet was called Sak g'Motierl. His ship was a cargo vessel that, from the looks of it, was in very good working condition. They were to meet right after breakfast. "Captain Archer, it's nice to see you again." Sak g'Motierl held his hand out to the captain. "Please, call me Jon. Sak g'Motierl, I'd like you to meet my Science and First Officer, Sub-Commander T'Pol." Archer's grin grew when Motierl saw T'Pol for the first time. He had a look of awe on his face. "An honor I do not deserve." He bowed low, a sign of curiously deep respect. T'Pol nodded in return. "I understand you wish to trade?" she asked him. "Yes, indeed. Tell me, Jon, are all the women on your planet this magnificent?" Archer laughed and looked at T'Pol. "Unfortunately, no, T'Pol isn't from my planet. She is Vulcan." The trade captain looked inquisitive. T'Pol started to open her mouth, but Archer interrupted her. "An enlightened race with better tans than most of us," Archer quipped. Now it was Motierl's turn to laugh. "Well, I certainly am looking forward to our dealings. Shall we?" He lead them onto the ship where the crew was busy with individual tasks. Motierl showed the way into a well-furnished room with comfortable chairs. "I have taken the liberty of ordering us drinks from my home planet." At a look from T'Pol, he added, "Non-alcoholic, of course, not during business deals, anyway." "That is very generous, Captain," T'Pol let him know. Archer found this interesting, and thought to himself, T'Pol? Making small-talk? No, just a political thing, it has to be. Motierl bowed his head and said in a serious tone, "For you, the world" "Perhaps you would like to see a list of the items Enterprise has to offer?" T'Pol said this as she handed a PADD to him. The talk turned from friendly banter to business, and the trio discussed what could be traded. Two hours later, the meeting was up, and Archer and T'Pol were headed out of the hangar where the ship was stored into the afternoon sunlight of the marketplace. "Well, I must say that was interesting," Archer smiled. "It seems someone has a secret admirer." She raised a delicate eyebrow and replied, "He was hardly secret, though his fascination seems to have had a positive effect on our trades." He laughed. "It seems we have visitors," she stated. Travis and Hoshi were on their way to meet the couple. Travis looked very excited. "Well, Travis, Hoshi, I trust you've had a nice day." "Oh yes sir, I found the coolest set of holographic chess pieces. The price was actually reasonable. But, it looks like we lost Trip." "Should we be worried?" "Oh, no, Captain, I'm sure he's somewhere eating himself silly in a pie contest or getting his butt whooped in a game of Tryinien dodge-ball." Hoshi was confident Trip was fine, which made Archer feel better. "We lost him just after we found this flier for some dance contest in a few days. I think he was scared I'd ask him to be my partner." She handed him the piece of paper which he scanned with a Universal Translator and showed to T'Pol. "Thank you, Hoshi. Why don't we all meet up for dinner at, say, 1800 hours?" She and Travis both nodded, than headed off to the inn to prepare for dinner. Jonathan turned to T'Pol and opened his mouth. "No." "Oh come on, you don't even know what I'm going to ask." "You were going to ask me to participate in this dance contest with you. No. Vulcans do not dance for reasons other than ceremonial purposes." "It's a masquerade, no one will know it's you. Please?" At her look, he sighed then said, "Okay, if you do this with me, I'll do anything you want me to. I'll owe you." She pondered this for a moment, then replied, "Anything?" "Anything." "I will give you my answer at dinner." She brushed past him and headed off to the Dancing Nacelle. He caught her smell as she passed and smiled. He knew she would say yes. * * * The mood was one of excitement over the next few days. Hoshi had finally convinced Trip to be her partner, and Travis was moving ahead quite nicely with a friendly merchant from the nearby planet of Ro'klry. Even the Doctor had made his presence know as he could be seen practicing his moves with Ensign Cutler. Overall, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Everyone, that is, except Jonathan and T'Pol. Although, one could argue that Hoshi was more uncomfortable than both of them, for she had mistakenly offered her assistance in teaching T'Pol how to Tango. She felt as if she was giving a lesson in patience than anything else. Her biggest obstacle? Getting T'Pol and Jonathan to stop arguing over how much body contact was allowed. "Look, T'Pol, this isn't hard. It's called a Tango. The moves can be a little different, I admit, but this, this is ridiculous." "I agreed to your offer because I felt it was an opportunity to learn. This dance seems more like an opportunity to sustain inappropriate contact with another individual." Jonathan was becoming very irritated with her. "It's part of the dance! And this wouldn't be so difficult if you would let me lead!" "If I could trust you, I might be able to do so." "Trust me? You can't trust me? I assure you, Sub-Commander, that I have no ulterior motives." Hoshi had had enough. "That's it, you two! Enough! Now I want this to stop. Sub-Commander, the whole idea of the dance is a sensual suggestion of what could be. This is especially true with the Spanish dances. The point of the dance is physical contact. It tells a story. You want to be seductive without being trashy. But there will be no story telling if I can't get you two to trust each other. Can you, for my sake at least, pretend?" They nodded. "Now, Captain, the Tango takes a strong lead, so I need to know you're up to it." He simply glared at her and said, "Hoshi, I know how to Tango." "Right, well, I'll take that as a yes. Sub-Commander, your part is one of a follower. You have got to let the Captain lead you, or else your performance will be a joke." T'Pol simply raised her chin slightly and told Hoshi (very pointedly) she would be fine letting the captain lead. "Right, now, T'Pol, your left hand goes around the captain's right shoulder. Uh huh, that's it, and your right hand goes in his left hand. Now, Captain, take your position. Good, now for the dance. Remember, the Tango is a sensual and tantalizing hint. First move, T'Pol you would step back with your right foot, while Jonathan steps forward...." She went on, and while T'Pol still seemed uneasy about the close proximity of Archer, she was a fast learner. By the night of the dance contest, she was ready. They had taught T'Pol to Tango. * * * A brightly lit outer patio was used for the dance show. The masked and costumed couples milled around the outer edges of the floor, socializing and enjoying themselves. Some had strayed out onto the dance floor itself and were taking the time before the show started as a last- minute practice. The planet's Red Giant had set already and the whole place seemed to be lit by fireflies, an ingenious trick of fiber-optics. The affect on mood was remarkable, giving all parties in attendance a fairy land feeling. Most everyone at the Dancing Nacelle had turned out, and the crowd only seemed to get bigger as the night waned on. But two not in attendance, at least not yet, were Captain Jonathan Archer and Sub- Commander T'Pol. While one was adjusting the feather in his cap, the other realized just what she had gotten herself into. The effect the provocative dance had taken on her was uncomfortable to say the least. As a Vulcan, this idea was unacceptable. As a subordinate, it was unacceptable. As a senior officer, it was unacceptable. But as a woman, as a woman, it felt oh so right. His arms around her, his body against her, his eyes searing into hers was so natural. T'Pol closed her eyes and shook her head a little. She could not allow this feeling to take over her cool, rational mind. She would not allow it. She knew she could trust Archer to be a gentleman, however, she was not sure how well she could trust herself in his arms, with her leg wrapped around his hip. Again, she shook her head. 'Enough,' she told herself. T'Pol cleared her mind and took one last look at herself in the full-length mirror. While it pained her to see herself in such a, as humans would say, sexy and revealing costume, she felt truly feminine in it. She felt powerful, and that feeling made her scold herself once more. "Illogical," she muttered to herself. "Illogical." * * * Before the contest began T'Pol took a few minutes to meditate. It was illogical that the close contact with Captain Archer had caused her unrest, and made the dance lessons difficult. Learning the steps of the dance should have been easy. No different than learning new movements to any physical activity. But the proximity of the human had forced her to focus an unusual amount of energy keeping her mental shields in place, and it had been a distraction. She hoped extra meditation would strengthen those shields until after the contest was over. * * * Taking a deep breath, and blowing out her candle, T'Pol stood and rechecked her costume in the mirror. The meditation had been helpful; her Vulcan face was tightly in place, and she felt in total control of the logic that was so much a part of her life. She reached for the Padd that she had brought with her, and went over the information one more time. Unbeknownst to any of the other members of the landing party she had had Ensign Brown, who was covering communications on Enterprise, do a quick computer search on the Tango, and had had the information downloaded to her hand-held. It was interesting to see the bits and pieces of film clips that the computer had stored of famous couples dancing the Tango. Though she recognized none of them, she watched again the movement of their bodies to the music. One was monochromic; it was of a couple only referred to as Fred and Ginger. But they moved as if they were one, gliding across the floor, with all their moves in perfect synchronization, but their bodies never touched. The next two clips were more modern, but still very old. Though they were in color, she could tell by the quality that they were from sometime at the end of the last century. The first was of a dance lesson. The woman was dark eyed with an olive complexion; in many ways it could have been her. The man was tall and blond, with craggy features. As they danced, they argued. Their argument seemed to slip into the dance. She could see the emotions between the couple. The dance had become their battleground. She couldn't help wondering if that was how she and Jonathan had looked as Ensign Sato had tried to teach her the steps. The last clip was her favorite. The man in it wasn't very tall, but he had dark hair and eyes. The man and woman's movements were synchronized like the first couple's, but there was a strength and power to them that had been present in the second couple; though these two were not fighting. She found their movements hypnotic as they glided around the floor with their bodies pressed together and the beat of the music surrounding them. She closed her eyes and tried to picture herself dancing with Jonathan that way. Yes, that was how she needed to look, like the woman in this clip. "T'Pol?" Archer knocked on her door. "You ready yet?" "Yes, Sir." She opened her door and blinked at the man who was standing there. Instead of his usual blue uniform, or the more casual clothes she had seen him wear during off hours on Enterprise, he was dressed in a black jacket and matching slacks, much like the man from the last tape she had been so fascinated by. "This may not be proper to say to a Vulcan, but you look beautiful, T'Pol." He grinned at her in the slim fitting costume. It was a deep burgundy that accented her coloring and fit her like a second skin. He had trouble keeping his eyes off the cut of the neckline and the slit up the side of the skit that showed a shapely leg. "Thank you, Captain, you look very. different yourself." She hoped her answer was appropriate. Looking at him made her stomach feel strange and suddenly she wasn't sure how good an idea this was. Laughing he gave her a lop-sided smile as he led her from her room. "I'll take that as a compliment." A few minutes later they were all gathered in the large party hall. The rules of the dance contest had been explained earlier in the afternoon. Each group of couples would dance, and the judges would eliminate people until there was only one couple dancing. Then there would be one final round and the winning couples from each round would compete for a grand prize. When the first group took the floor, the music started, and everyone turned to watch the five couples dance; everyone except T'Pol. It was the same music that she and Jon had used in practice, but it sounded very different. Here in the large hall the sound seemed to fill the air she breathed. With each breath, the music seemed to move through her blood stream and touch every part of her body from within. It was dizzying, it was intoxicating, and it was hypnotic. "T'Pol," Jonathan looked down at her with concern. "Are you all right?" "Hmm." Large green eyes looked up into his worried face. He turned and gripped her shoulders. "What's wrong, T'Pol." "Nothing, nothing is wrong-" she swallowed "-Jonathan." She whispered as she shook her head and tried to drive the music from her system. It gave her the oddest sensation of being light as a feather. As three more groups went through the elimination process, Archer stood on the sidelines, with his hand wrapped securely around T'Pol's where she was holding on to his arm. He kept looked down at her with worried eyes, only to have her shake her head at him and grip his arm tighter. Finally he slipped out of her hold and bent his head to whisper in her ear, "You don't have to do this you know." "I believe.I want to." When their turn finally came, they moved as one onto the dance floor. Archer felt T'Pol shudder slightly in the suddenly quiet room. She moved into the position that Hoshi had taught her for the dance with her body very close to his. The second the music started, her head fell back slightly and he could feel her take a deep breath. He couldn't take his eyes off her face. Jonathan was conscious of taking the first step, gliding his left foot forward, and then everything faded. He was lost in a world of throbbing music, warm woman, and the scent of the flowers that had been used to decorate the room. It seemed as if he was leading and following, looking down at T'Pol and looking up at himself. It was as if they had merged into one person, moving to a throbbing beat that carried them off into a world of their own. When the music stopped, they were the last couple on the floor. They had won that round of the dance contest, but neither person cared. T'Pol stood in his arms, with her head leaning lightly against his chest. And Archer had a terrible empty feeling as if something had been taken away from him, but it was something he didn't knew had been there, until it was gone. "T'Pol, what just happened to us?" He turned her gently and walked her off the floor. "I have made a grievous error, Jonathan. I am sorry." "Talk to me T'Pol." He led her out into the garden where they could be alone. "It is why Vulcans do not usually dance. The music, it can have a strange affect on us." She knew she owed him more of an explanation than that, but it wasn't something she wanted to talk about. "So I noticed." He looked down at her. "But why did it affect me as well?" "I was unable to keep my mental shields intact, so our minds brushed." She licked her lips and cleared her throat. "Music in the wrong circumstances can loosen a Vulcan's hold on his emotions. It is not something we talk about." "I can see why. But why didn't it affect you earlier, and why in the world did you agree to do this in the first place?" "I believe I was not affected earlier, because I was concentrating so hard on trying to learn the steps." She shrugged. "And I agreed because it was important to you." "T'Pol," he shook his head at her odd answer. "You are never to put yourself at risk for me again, and that's an order." "I am your first officer. That is not an order I cannot guarantee to follow." Her brow rose as she challenged him and told the truth at the same time. "Maybe not as my First Officer, but as a woman, you can." He grazed her cheek with the backs of his knuckles then took her arm and began leading her out of the garden. "Let's go for a long walk. I think fresh air will do us both good." "We still have another round to dance. I shall endeavor to keep my shields tightly in place." She assured him. "Though I can understand why you would not want to dance with me." He stopped suddenly and turned to face her. "I want very much to dance with you again, and I don't give a damn about the condition of your mental shields." "I do. It is an intrusion on another that is unfair." "Do I look as if I feel intruded upon?" There were times when subtle didn't work with a Vulcan and this was one of those times. "T'Pol I enjoyed dancing with you very much, it was a unique experience, but one that I think should take place in private." She looked up at him and nodded. "I think you may be right about that Jonathan Archer." They walked for a while before they went back to the hotel, and their respective rooms. The dance contest had gone on for hours after they left and both were sound asleep in their own beds when the rest of the landing party came in weary but happy. Dr. Phlox and Crewman Cutler had walked away with the grand prize trophy! Neither of the commanding officers was disturbed when the rest came in, both were dreaming happy thoughts about a dance that went on forever, and music that carried them away to the stars. In the morning when each remembered the dream, they would tuck it away until the time was right. But both would have happy memories to sustain them until that time. Happy memories of a shore leave spent Planet Side. The End. |