August '09 Word Prompt!!

[Aquarius]

Yuppers, it's that time again.

You know the drill: write a Trip and/or T'Pol story based on the word I give you. Any length, any style, the word itself doesn't have to be incorporated. If it's long or dirty, submit it for archival. Short and for general audiences? You can submit it for archival or post it here.

Never too late, time isn't up at the end of August.


Your word this month:



BAREFOOT


Now get out of here and go write something.

[panyasan]

Another great word! Barefoot. Does the missing sock of the Laundry-thread have anything to do with it? Does anyone know if Vulcans wear shoes indoors? Or do they walk barefoot in the house?
(Sigh. l still trying to find time to write a piece with the word of July. ).

[WarpGirl]

Yeah well I'm stuck! Dang Gril you had to do this to me! One thing I know I WON'T do is the whole Barefoot and pregnant thing.

[Distracted]

I can see Trip on an away mission deciding to walk barefoot in the sand, though, and T'Pol freaking because it's unsanitary. Hey, and maybe he has a great time but gets the alien equivalent of Cutaneous Larva Migrans, so she's all "I told you so".

[Aquarius]

Another great word! Barefoot. Does the missing sock of the Laundry-thread have anything to do with it? Does anyone know if Vulcans wear shoes indoors? Or do they walk barefoot in the house?
(Sigh. l still trying to find time to write a piece with the word of July. ).

Actually I'd been listening to "Dancing Barefoot" by Patti Smith. For me it conjures images of Season Three T'Pol, sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively. Not long after that a bottle of Barefoot Cellars wine caught my eye at the store. I took it as an omen.

And don't worry, I'm like four prompts behind in my own writing. Thank goodness I had the foresight for the "never too late" policy!

[panyasan]

Actually I'd been listening to "Dancing Barefoot" by Patti Smith. For me it conjures images of Season Three T'Pol, sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively.

I was thinking about this prompt and first I thought of T'Pol, tossing in her bed, getting out of bed (barefoot) before her so called wedding day and then I thought of another scene of season 3 too!
Season 3 is the barefoot season.

[honeybee]

Well, hmmm, since I am new here, I might just have to take up this challenge.

Although, Implications Part 2 does have T'Pol barefoot during her Cargo Bay 3 honeymoon.....

[WarpGirl]

These things are ADDICTIVE you might find yourself doing them all. That's what happened to me my first week here! WELCOME!

[WarpGirl]

OK Sorry for the double. You know how I said I couldn't think of anything, because I refuse to do Barefoot and Pregnant? Well imagine my surprise when inspiration hit on the way to the grocery store of all places. Yeah really the gorcery store, a place where you are not allowed to be barfoot at all. Just more proof that my mind isn't normal. Good thing normal is over-rated. More Trip musings...

Trip Tucker entered his quarters feeling equal parts sleepy, belwildered, and something else he couldn't quite name. Of course, it had been a shocking and rather awkward evening. Still, he couldn't pin-point the reason he was feeling so unsettled. Being dared to participate in a Vulcan natural healing ritual was not something he had ever thought he would experience, even with the promise of exploring the universe. Then again chasing after mysterious aliens bent on destroying humanity hadn't crossed his mind either. Whatever T'Pol had done to him, it must have worked because he was sleepy for the first time since he heard about the attack. But he just couldn't get over the shock. Now contrary to ship's gossip he wasn't the type to get hot and bothered at the drop of a hat. After all, he was a 33 year old man, not some teenager with one thing on the brain. And he had seen T'Pol wearing less than those pretty blue pajamas even without the top. If he thought about it she'd seen him in much less too. So why was it so darn awkward this time? What had possessed him to think she was asking him for sex? Obviously the lack of sleep must have made him temporarally insane. Or maybe it was just seeing her bare feet.

He wasn't a man with a foot fetish. That was his brother Liam's department, all part of being married to a dancer. But outside of decon Trip could honestly say he had never seen T'Pol barefoot. There was something incredibly disconcerting about seeing her that way in her own private space, her sanctuary. Seeing her in silk pajamas was intimate enough, but being barefoot left you vunerable. Something he would have never described T'Pol as before tonight. Seeing her so casual definitely threw him for a loop. Then things just kept getting weird. But once the initial misunderstandings were out of the way, pressing down on her spine wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be. He must have done something right, she didn't knock him out with that crazy neck pinch Travis was terrified of. And he had learned some very interesting things tonight.

For example, whatever soap and shampoo she used wasn't Starfleet issue, because he'd finally figured out after three years of trying, what she smelled like. It was a nice comination of waterlilly and mint. Kind of reminded him of his mother putting mint in the flower arrangements at home, and Lizzy's favorite pond full of waterlilly's. Of course her copper based blood made eveything a little more exotic, but he found it soothing. He learned that she must use one of those fluffy thing to exfoliate in the bath, he chucked as he remembered how many times he had stolen his sisters' to make frog catchers. And he learned that the former Sub-Commander, VHC robot appreciated a good pedicure. Having a baby sister meant you made sacrifices, and when Lizzy had broken her arm at age 12 he was in charge of keeping her toes pretty. Mainly because his mother and Maeve never did it right. Now T'Pol didn't paint her nails, but it was very obvious that she knew how to use a pummus stone and buffed her nails so they were very healthy and shiny.

OK this was getting out of hand, whatever that nuro-whatever had done to him he was also dwelling on this stuff for way too long. Switching off his lights, he let the sleep come, praying the nightmares would be gone. And he couldn't help thinking that T'Pol had awfully cute toes.

[Distracted]

Hmmm. Metrosexual Trip. An interesting concept, Warpgirl.

[WarpGirl]

WHAT! NO WAY! Just a guy with a little sister that he made some serious sacrifices for. Although, technically CT lightens his hair... Hmmm you might be on to something after all.

[Alelou]

Very nice last line. I enjoyed Trip's reaction to T'Pol's bare feet.

Kind of think you could lose the thing about doing his sister's toes, though...

[WarpGirl]

Oh now you've done it dear Alelou... Now I have to explain why I think he would do that. So I think I might have to put in another barefoot story either later tonight or tomorrow.

[honeybee]

Okay, this turned out longer that I expected. It's a missing scene.

Missing Scene in Strange New World


Scene takes place after Archer leaves for the ship, leaving the rest of the team to set up camp. It is twilight.


Subcommander T’Pol surveyed the campsite, which appeared to be adequately designed for safety and security. Although no large fauna had been detected by their scans, she couldn’t be sure of the data’s accuracy. Creatures could hide in caves, such as the ones they had detected nearby, or they could burrow underground and thus be outside the scanner’s range.

T’Pol did not require rest, nor was she hungry. Rather, she wished to find something constructive to do with the her time before the light made further explorations impossible.

She glanced at the data she had collected regarding the microscopic organisms in the soil, water and air. It was complete for a Phase 2 type survey. Phase 2 surveys were designed for these kinds of quick visits to a planet. Phase 3 surveys were more involved and included taking water and soil samples from a much wider array of sites.

T’Pol decided that while she couldn’t complete a Phase 3 survey, taking samples from a broader range of sites would enhance their research. She remembered a pleasant, clear-running creek they had seen on the way to the campsite.

She looked around and saw that Commander Tucker was absent from the camp. Evidently, he had not returned from his walk.

“Ensign Mayweather,” she said “I’m going to collect a water sample from the nearby creek. I will be available via communicator.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Travis cheerfully.

T’Pol sensed a palatable relief as she disappeared down the trail. No doubt the humans would enjoy her absence.

****

Trip grinned as he watched the water rush over the rocks of the shallow creek. This planet wasn’t quite muggy or mosquito-infested enough to remind him of his granddaddy’s place in Mississippi, but there had been a creek on that property. He and his kid sister Lizzie used to wade in - chasing down fish and other critters. He couldn’t wait to write her a letter about this place. If she were here, she’d be the first one to throw of her shoes and wade barefoot into the rushing water.

“Well, Lizzie,” said Trip, “I guess I’ll have to go it alone this time.”

Trip took off his Starfleet issue boots and socks and rolled up the pants of his uniform. He whistled to himself as he waded in the cool water, allowing the smooth rocks on the bottom to massage his feet. Suddenly, he heard rustling and light footsteps. He turned around and saw T’Pol standing at her at-ease posture on the bank. He would have expected her to be wearing her usual pissy expression, but her face appeared serene.

“G’d evening, Subcommander,” he said.

She nodded.

“I am here to take further scans of the microorganisms in the creek,” she said.

“Don’t let me stop you,” he said.

She approached the edge.

“Why have you entered the water?”

“Because it feels good on your bare feet to wade into a creek,” he replied.

He was about to make a snide remark about Vulcans never enjoying themselves, but then he remembered Vulcan was a desert planet, and so there likely were no creeks where she was from.

“I hope my presence won’t throw your data off,” he said.

“Our scanners can easily compensate for any contamination caused by your presence in the water,” she said.

He laughed at that and continued toward a boulder that jutted up in the center of the creek. He climbed up and sat down.

“Care to join me? There looks to be some interesting mold and moss on this rock for you to study.”

As she looked down at the rushing water, something occurred to him.

“You can swim, right? I know Vulcan’s a desert and all. . .”

“I can swim, Commander,” she said, “Although bodies of water are rare, all Vulcan children are taught to swim. It is an important survival skill.”

“Well, then what’s stopping you?”

He was really just teasing her, so Trip could not have been more surprised when T’Pol leaned down and unfastened her boots. She removed them and placed them neatly next to his, then rolled up her leggings.

She stepped into the water, carefully making her way toward Trip. She appeared to be concentrating on each step, worried she might slip.

“How’s the water?”

“Your feet remain in the water,” she replied, “So you know how it is.”

“Yeah,” he said, “but isn’t it different for you? Must be colder, given your Vulcan body temperature.”

She approached the boulder where Trip sat.

“It is cool but not unpleasant.”

Trip scooted over to make room for her on the boulder, but she didn’t move. She was shorter than him, so the climb up the rock was going to be awkward. Instinctively, Trip offered his hand, not expecting her to take it. She did, and he was able to pull her up next to him. While their hands joined, he sensed something fleeting - a sense of serenity. As soon as she let go, it slipped away. He shook off the feeling, still surprised that she had taken his hand.

She took her position next to him, but she did not dip her feet into the water as he did.
While seated, T’Pol began collecting the data she wanted, and Trip studied her features, wondering for the twentieth-or-so time what it must be like to go through life suppressing one’s emotions.
She spied a patch of green on the rock just below Trip’s leg.

“Commander, would you mind taking a sample of that moss just there? I cannot safely reach it,” she said, handing him her tricorder.

He took it and did as she asked.

“I used to play in a creek like this with my sister. We used to collect our own samples in jars and bring them back to show our mom. She’s going to be tickled that I got to do the same thing on a far-off planet,” he said, handing her back the device.

“Thank you. This data will be most valuable,” she replied.

Trip figured that moss on one planet was probably much like moss on any other planet, but he took her at her word.

“So, you’ve been to 36 Minshara class planets? Which was your favorite? Aside from Vulcan.”

T’Pol looked over at him. He expected her to say something to the effect that Vulcans don’t have favorites.

“Earth,” she replied simply.

He examined her face. There was no expression or hint that she was kidding or being sarcastic. He believed her. But before he could question her further, she spoke.

“We should return to the camp,” she said, “The light is fading.”

In the shadows, she lowered herself off the rock and headed back to shore. He followed silently. He wanted to question her further, but he somehow knew it was best not to. He sensed that she had already told him more than a Vulcan should.

edited for double spaces, per request

[WarpGirl]

OMG that was WONDERFUL! One little thing, maybe you could double space the dialog, it's a little awkward to read all scrunched together.