The Protagonist System
Author: Bokuboy
452 The Dark Mirror Splinters
The crew briefing had to be unintentionally delayed because the Vulcans had unpacked their meagre belongings quickly and then used the turbolift to go to the recreation deck. They spread out and investigated everything, spending as much time talking about what they were seeing as they did enjoying it.
A handful of them went into the arboretum and a few had followed the enthusiastic cook into the mess hall to check the place out. She had a look around and proclaimed her new owner was the best thing in the universe and sent one of the other Vulcans for her second container. It was full of spices, rare ingredients, and custom pans to make the traditional Vulcan dishes that gave her people a memory of home.
She started cooking when they returned and the others sat and talked about how the ship was utilitarian with a style that fit their own views of functionality perfectly. The others from the arboretum soon rushed in and joined them and sat to tell the others that nearly half of the green space had plants exclusive to Vulcan. None of them thought certain plants could exist outside of their specific biosphere and it made them even more excited about their situation.
T'Pol and Soval sat off to the side and took several deep smells as familiar food was prepared for them and they exchanged looks that were almost like a silent conversation as they let the others almost gush about what the change in their lives could mean for both them and their people.
“We have to ask them how they did it.” One of the men said, resolve filling his voice. “Our own teams of biological engineers can't replicate the needs of that plant anywhere artificial. They always die, even when spliced with similar plans that are more hardy.”
“I agree. I've never seen it outside the region it's found in near the Temple of Amonak.” A woman responded. “Would he allow us to research his methods if he does tell us how he achieved such a thing? I haven't been allowed to go near the science labs on Enterprise the entire time I was onboard.”
“I'm sure he can allot some time for that, considering he bought us to fill some essential crew member spots.” Another woman said and looked wistful. “I haven't visited Amonak in 15 years.”
“You have?” A man asked. “I've only ever managed to go to Mount Seleya myself.”
“It's quite the experience.” The woman said. “I recommend a visit as soon as you can...” Her voice trailed off and everyone grew quiet, because they realized they had just been bought by a new owner and there was no chance that he would allow any of them out of his sight after paying so much for them.
“Don't look so down.” The cook said as she brought out a tray filled with plates of food. She was glad she had been allowed to bring her food stocks with her. The humans and other aliens didn't like Vulcan food much, so it wasn't going to be wasted or thrown out like it would have been if she had left it behind. “Eat up and think of all the good he brought into our lives.”
The other Vulcans couldn't deny there really was a lot to look forward to and graciously accepted the plates of food as she passed them out. She sat down beside T'Pol and gave her an assessing look, then she smiled a little and started eating. T'Pol gave her a raised eyebrow and the cook patted her own chest, made it jiggle, and showed she wasn't wearing anything to support herself.
The cook's nipples also popped out and she didn't say anything. T'Pol thought the challenge wasn't worth acknowledging and ignored it as she tasted the vegan meal in front of her. It was delicious and she was about to nod in approval, except she didn't, because it might be seen as her accepting the challenge. She was not going to fight over her new owner's affection.
After they all ate and had a little more polite conversation, they all stood as one and left the mess hall to go to the conference room where the briefing was to take place. The woman's voice over the intercom said that the Admiral would be along shortly, after he took care of the rebel ships and Enterprise left.
Soval looked sad at hearing that and all of the Vulcans felt the good in their lives might not be worth losing a ship full of their people for it. T'Pol kept her opinion to herself, mostly because she didn't want to be accused of being wrong if she did express it. Her interactions with the man before he devolved into her worth and buying her, had been playful and as if he was letting her in on a secret.
Would a man like that destroy four ships full of rebels that were only trying to free their subjugated people from their oppressors? She honestly didn't know. Removing one as an example? That was always possible. Pragmatic, too. He wanted Enterprise to leave, so a show of force was a logical decision to make.
The door hissed open and in walked the man she thought was handsome for a human. Seeing him with her own eyes, with his large muscular frame, his handsome and completely clean face, and his snug uniform that hugged his muscles like a second skin, made her blood quicken. He had a presence to him that sang to her and she wasn't sure why she felt such an instant attraction to him.
“I'm sorry about the delay. Setting up a cloaking field to hide four other ships in Defiant's shadow took a little longer than I intended.” Tom said and he chuckled at their shocked faces. He always enjoyed shocking Vulcans into reacting like that. “Needless to say, the fake verbal and physical battle between Defiant and the naughty rebels was as explosive as Enterprise thought it should be.”
“F-f-fake battle?” T'Pol asked and she felt annoyed at her voice shaking.
“Having no survivors was the easiest way to make Enterprise give up on interrogating the bridge officers for information.” Tom said and walked around the conference table and sat at the head. “I faked being insulted by the Vulcan captain over an open communication, after we had a private conversation about it and agreeing to let Enterprise tap into the open communication to spy on it.”
Soval nodded. “That was a valid strategy.”
“It worked even better than we planned.” Tom said with a chuckle. “The Andorians took offence on behalf of the Vulcans and the other two captains chimed in, joining the open communication and adding their own heated arguments.”
All of the Vulcans were pleased to hear that.
“Of course, I couldn't allow all those legitimate insults levelled at me for buying so many slaves right in front of the people trying to free them, so I blew them up in spectacular fireballs that were completely believable, since I had the rebel ships drop several containers full of spare parts.” Tom said and looked smug. “The explosions let them slip behind the Defiant to hide and Enterprise easily detected the floating parts.”
T'Pol and Soval gave each other impressed looks, because that plan was quite ingenious.
“Since I was technically in the wrong for blowing them up and also did the Empire's work for them by blowing them up, I was let off with a warning and told that if I was ever near the Sol system, I should stop by with more gold or other precious metals I found and I would be treated appropriately.”
The cook barked a laugh. “Assaulted and robbed?”
Tom gave her a grin and pointed at her. “You got it. If I'm dumb enough to pay so much gold for so few slaves, what else could I be fleeced for?”
T'Pol immediately looked away from him to hide her flushed face, because she had thought he was dumb at the time, too. She didn't see a few others had also turned away to hide their faces, too.
“It was a great ploy to make them think you are that gullible.” Soval commented.
“I had to play it up, since it was my best bet to get you all off of Enterprise without having to assault the ship.” Tom told them. “There was no guarantee they wouldn't have just shot you all as soon as they realized I was trying to save you.”
“I'm not in a Pon Farr; but, I am very interested in having you bed me.” The cook offered.
Tom gave her a warm smile. “Thank you for the invitation, D'vanil. However, I won't subject you to a human failing when encountering females of other sexually compatible species.”
The cook huffed and crossed her arms, making her breasts jiggle a lot and pushed them up. “I love the cooking area and I have nothing else to offer to prove my worth.”
Tom let out a soft laugh. “Unlike other humans, you don't have to prove your value to me. I know how much you're worth and it's not what I paid for you or what skills you have.” He looked at the faces of the other Vulcans and then stopped to lock eyes with T'Pol. “Your value is that you are here for your people and that's what's important.”
“Well said.” Soval responded with approval.
T'Pol couldn't talk as she felt her emotions swirl at the sincerity in her new owner's eyes. No, calling him her owner was a little too impersonal, since he had asked her to call him Tom when she answered his questions previously. What she didn't know was why was he affecting her so much. He was only a human and humans had conquered her people and treated them like slaves for over a century.
“I will conduct personal interviews with you to assess what you want to do, now that you're on this ship and not under the same restrictions as the Terran Empire.” Tom said.
“Will you let us go home?” A woman asked.
“Let you?” Tom asked and then he chuckled, then he laughed.
The Vulcans looked offended at him dismissing them like that.
Tom held up a hand to stop them from speaking until he was done laughing. “You are under the false impression I'm keep you as slaves to join my crew. That couldn't be further from the truth.”
The Vulcans all looked chastised and then realized what he meant.
“We won't get to work?” The cook asked, her face showing hints of horror.
“Again, false impression.” Tom said and took a deep breath. “How can I explain this well enough for you to understand?” He asked, rhetorically. “Okay, I think I have it.”
T'Pol couldn't wait to hear whatever lies he was going to say to justify himself. By the looks on the faces of the others, they also expected him lie to them.
“As soon as Enterprise is far enough away from here, I'll dock to the Vulcan vessel and all of you can transfer to his ship. If you want to go back to Vulcan, he will take you right away, even if he's not supposed to make that run for another month.”
“You... you would... give us away?” The cook asked, looking a little sad.
“We can go back to our own people?” Soval asked, surprised.
“Of course you can. I might have bought you as slaves; but, you are not prisoners. You don't have to work for me or sacrifice your lives for me.” Tom looked at the cook. “However, I know some of you don't mind the situation you find yourself in and there's no shame in that. If you want to stay and work in whatever profession you want, you are more than free to do so.”
“Free.” A few of the Vulcans whispered.
“We're free?” A man asked.
“If you want to be.” Tom said. “I won't tell you what to do, unless you want me to. Then I'll give you
and you
follow them.”
The cook and one of the male Vulcans shivered slightly, then both nodded.
“That's why I wanted to do individual interviews. I wanted to find out what you want to do without anyone else knowing what your decision was, or why.” Tom told them and then smiled. “I guess that's kind of a moot point now.” He said and looked right at T'Pol. “So, Commander T'Pol, what are your interests and what do you want to do with the rest of your long life?”
T'Pol blinked her eyes at him for a few seconds, then straightened her back. “I want to raid all of the places and people that have bought or stolen our people's religious artifacts to return them to their rightful owners or to planet Vulcan to the shrines and temples.”
All of the Vulcans looked at her with wide eyes, except Soval. He had known about her hobby for years and encouraged her with arranging a few acquisitions himself on her birthdays and several religious occasions.
“That's why you have so many religious items.” Tom said and gave her a nod. “I thought you were the one guilty of raiding certain places and I was going to ask you to return them.”
T'Pol felt emboldened by that. “Then help me achieve my goal, Admiral. I will do everything I can for you to agree. With a ship like this...”
“...I could easily take over the Terran Empire.” Tom finished for her. “Then I would be in the unenviable position of Emperor of Humanity and then what would I do? Begin my watch over a slowly crumbling empire as it's crushed under its own weight?” He let out a laugh. “I'm neither an idiot nor stupid enough to assume that kind of responsibility.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Soval asked.
“We work in the background, just like you have been doing. Let the humans keep their rule over the mess and do everything you can under their noses to undermine them and make them look foolish when they see how ineffective they are.” Tom answered.
Some of the Vulcans around the table nodded and a few of the rest looked thoughtful.
“We take the fight even further underground than it already is and make the Terran Empire doubt the rebellion even exists. After a while, they won't even notice as a few ships, then maybe a colony or two, and eventually entire planets will take their orders, only the people will no longer listen to them, because they won't have to anymore.” Tom said, his voice full of conviction and satisfaction.
“I'm in.” One of the male Vulcans said. “I want to see that in my lifetime.”
“As do I.” The female Vulcan beside him on the right agreed.
Soval and T'Pol looked like they were observing a religious holiday as almost all of the Vulcans agreed to help. They had been oppressed long enough and wanted to ensure their children and their children's children could grow up in a peaceful galaxy.
“I just want to cook and make people smile as they eat my food.” The cook said, her opinion being the last one to be shared.
“Then that's what you can do. All of you.” Tom said and stood up. “Let's go back to the mess hall and we can toast our new partnership with some very expensive Romulan Ale from their best distillery.”
Several of the Vulcans gasped and stared at him. Soval let out a rare chuckle and T'Pol nodded. She stood as well, then walked around the table to get everyone else up and led them to the mess hall. By the time they sat down, Tom entered carrying an actual crate of Romulan Ale.
“You're insane.” The cook whispered as he put the unopened crate in the middle of the table.
“Maybe a little.” Tom said with a smile and used a small pry bar to take the top of the crate and pulled out the first bottle from the secured packaging.
Soval made an odd sound when he saw the maker's mark and T'Pol looked at it as well. She didn't recognize it, so she gave her mentor a questioning look. He mouthed the word 'later' to her and she nodded. She would ask him about it later and the cook handed out enough glasses for everyone.
Tom cracked the seal on the bottle and poured a single finger width into each glass. It took two bottles to give everyone a taste and he lifted his own when everyone else had one. “To the future.”
“To the future.” The Vulcans said and they all took a sip, then they all started conversing about it. The color, the taste, the texture, and the way it felt as they swallowed.
Tom sat down at the end of the long table and held in his smile. T'Pol kept trying to stop herself from looking over at him while she talked to Soval. She failed several times and all Tom did was give her a single raised eyebrow each time. That didn't stop her, either.
After a while, Soval let out a huff and stood, literally pushed T'Pol into his chair that was next to Tom's on the end of the tale, and he sat down in her forcibly vacated one. A few of the Vulcans let out soft chuckles at the blatant move that put her next to the man that had rescued them from slavery. Since Tom also agreed to help T'Pol recover and return their people's artifacts, it was more than fitting that she stay by his side.
T'Pol gave her mentor a look that promised pain later and the man ignored her. Soval knew she was flustered from her reactions and she needed to clear her thoughts about the admiral. The best way to do that was to talk to the man and see for herself what kind of man he really was and not the facade he pretended to be to make the humans trust him.
A handful of them went into the arboretum and a few had followed the enthusiastic cook into the mess hall to check the place out. She had a look around and proclaimed her new owner was the best thing in the universe and sent one of the other Vulcans for her second container. It was full of spices, rare ingredients, and custom pans to make the traditional Vulcan dishes that gave her people a memory of home.
She started cooking when they returned and the others sat and talked about how the ship was utilitarian with a style that fit their own views of functionality perfectly. The others from the arboretum soon rushed in and joined them and sat to tell the others that nearly half of the green space had plants exclusive to Vulcan. None of them thought certain plants could exist outside of their specific biosphere and it made them even more excited about their situation.
T'Pol and Soval sat off to the side and took several deep smells as familiar food was prepared for them and they exchanged looks that were almost like a silent conversation as they let the others almost gush about what the change in their lives could mean for both them and their people.
“We have to ask them how they did it.” One of the men said, resolve filling his voice. “Our own teams of biological engineers can't replicate the needs of that plant anywhere artificial. They always die, even when spliced with similar plans that are more hardy.”
“I agree. I've never seen it outside the region it's found in near the Temple of Amonak.” A woman responded. “Would he allow us to research his methods if he does tell us how he achieved such a thing? I haven't been allowed to go near the science labs on Enterprise the entire time I was onboard.”
“I'm sure he can allot some time for that, considering he bought us to fill some essential crew member spots.” Another woman said and looked wistful. “I haven't visited Amonak in 15 years.”
“You have?” A man asked. “I've only ever managed to go to Mount Seleya myself.”
“It's quite the experience.” The woman said. “I recommend a visit as soon as you can...” Her voice trailed off and everyone grew quiet, because they realized they had just been bought by a new owner and there was no chance that he would allow any of them out of his sight after paying so much for them.
“Don't look so down.” The cook said as she brought out a tray filled with plates of food. She was glad she had been allowed to bring her food stocks with her. The humans and other aliens didn't like Vulcan food much, so it wasn't going to be wasted or thrown out like it would have been if she had left it behind. “Eat up and think of all the good he brought into our lives.”
The other Vulcans couldn't deny there really was a lot to look forward to and graciously accepted the plates of food as she passed them out. She sat down beside T'Pol and gave her an assessing look, then she smiled a little and started eating. T'Pol gave her a raised eyebrow and the cook patted her own chest, made it jiggle, and showed she wasn't wearing anything to support herself.
The cook's nipples also popped out and she didn't say anything. T'Pol thought the challenge wasn't worth acknowledging and ignored it as she tasted the vegan meal in front of her. It was delicious and she was about to nod in approval, except she didn't, because it might be seen as her accepting the challenge. She was not going to fight over her new owner's affection.
After they all ate and had a little more polite conversation, they all stood as one and left the mess hall to go to the conference room where the briefing was to take place. The woman's voice over the intercom said that the Admiral would be along shortly, after he took care of the rebel ships and Enterprise left.
Soval looked sad at hearing that and all of the Vulcans felt the good in their lives might not be worth losing a ship full of their people for it. T'Pol kept her opinion to herself, mostly because she didn't want to be accused of being wrong if she did express it. Her interactions with the man before he devolved into her worth and buying her, had been playful and as if he was letting her in on a secret.
Would a man like that destroy four ships full of rebels that were only trying to free their subjugated people from their oppressors? She honestly didn't know. Removing one as an example? That was always possible. Pragmatic, too. He wanted Enterprise to leave, so a show of force was a logical decision to make.
The door hissed open and in walked the man she thought was handsome for a human. Seeing him with her own eyes, with his large muscular frame, his handsome and completely clean face, and his snug uniform that hugged his muscles like a second skin, made her blood quicken. He had a presence to him that sang to her and she wasn't sure why she felt such an instant attraction to him.
“I'm sorry about the delay. Setting up a cloaking field to hide four other ships in Defiant's shadow took a little longer than I intended.” Tom said and he chuckled at their shocked faces. He always enjoyed shocking Vulcans into reacting like that. “Needless to say, the fake verbal and physical battle between Defiant and the naughty rebels was as explosive as Enterprise thought it should be.”
“F-f-fake battle?” T'Pol asked and she felt annoyed at her voice shaking.
“Having no survivors was the easiest way to make Enterprise give up on interrogating the bridge officers for information.” Tom said and walked around the conference table and sat at the head. “I faked being insulted by the Vulcan captain over an open communication, after we had a private conversation about it and agreeing to let Enterprise tap into the open communication to spy on it.”
Soval nodded. “That was a valid strategy.”
“It worked even better than we planned.” Tom said with a chuckle. “The Andorians took offence on behalf of the Vulcans and the other two captains chimed in, joining the open communication and adding their own heated arguments.”
All of the Vulcans were pleased to hear that.
“Of course, I couldn't allow all those legitimate insults levelled at me for buying so many slaves right in front of the people trying to free them, so I blew them up in spectacular fireballs that were completely believable, since I had the rebel ships drop several containers full of spare parts.” Tom said and looked smug. “The explosions let them slip behind the Defiant to hide and Enterprise easily detected the floating parts.”
T'Pol and Soval gave each other impressed looks, because that plan was quite ingenious.
“Since I was technically in the wrong for blowing them up and also did the Empire's work for them by blowing them up, I was let off with a warning and told that if I was ever near the Sol system, I should stop by with more gold or other precious metals I found and I would be treated appropriately.”
The cook barked a laugh. “Assaulted and robbed?”
Tom gave her a grin and pointed at her. “You got it. If I'm dumb enough to pay so much gold for so few slaves, what else could I be fleeced for?”
T'Pol immediately looked away from him to hide her flushed face, because she had thought he was dumb at the time, too. She didn't see a few others had also turned away to hide their faces, too.
“It was a great ploy to make them think you are that gullible.” Soval commented.
“I had to play it up, since it was my best bet to get you all off of Enterprise without having to assault the ship.” Tom told them. “There was no guarantee they wouldn't have just shot you all as soon as they realized I was trying to save you.”
“I'm not in a Pon Farr; but, I am very interested in having you bed me.” The cook offered.
Tom gave her a warm smile. “Thank you for the invitation, D'vanil. However, I won't subject you to a human failing when encountering females of other sexually compatible species.”
The cook huffed and crossed her arms, making her breasts jiggle a lot and pushed them up. “I love the cooking area and I have nothing else to offer to prove my worth.”
Tom let out a soft laugh. “Unlike other humans, you don't have to prove your value to me. I know how much you're worth and it's not what I paid for you or what skills you have.” He looked at the faces of the other Vulcans and then stopped to lock eyes with T'Pol. “Your value is that you are here for your people and that's what's important.”
“Well said.” Soval responded with approval.
T'Pol couldn't talk as she felt her emotions swirl at the sincerity in her new owner's eyes. No, calling him her owner was a little too impersonal, since he had asked her to call him Tom when she answered his questions previously. What she didn't know was why was he affecting her so much. He was only a human and humans had conquered her people and treated them like slaves for over a century.
“I will conduct personal interviews with you to assess what you want to do, now that you're on this ship and not under the same restrictions as the Terran Empire.” Tom said.
“Will you let us go home?” A woman asked.
“Let you?” Tom asked and then he chuckled, then he laughed.
The Vulcans looked offended at him dismissing them like that.
Tom held up a hand to stop them from speaking until he was done laughing. “You are under the false impression I'm keep you as slaves to join my crew. That couldn't be further from the truth.”
The Vulcans all looked chastised and then realized what he meant.
“We won't get to work?” The cook asked, her face showing hints of horror.
“Again, false impression.” Tom said and took a deep breath. “How can I explain this well enough for you to understand?” He asked, rhetorically. “Okay, I think I have it.”
T'Pol couldn't wait to hear whatever lies he was going to say to justify himself. By the looks on the faces of the others, they also expected him lie to them.
“As soon as Enterprise is far enough away from here, I'll dock to the Vulcan vessel and all of you can transfer to his ship. If you want to go back to Vulcan, he will take you right away, even if he's not supposed to make that run for another month.”
“You... you would... give us away?” The cook asked, looking a little sad.
“We can go back to our own people?” Soval asked, surprised.
“Of course you can. I might have bought you as slaves; but, you are not prisoners. You don't have to work for me or sacrifice your lives for me.” Tom looked at the cook. “However, I know some of you don't mind the situation you find yourself in and there's no shame in that. If you want to stay and work in whatever profession you want, you are more than free to do so.”
“Free.” A few of the Vulcans whispered.
“We're free?” A man asked.
“If you want to be.” Tom said. “I won't tell you what to do, unless you want me to. Then I'll give you
and you
follow them.”
The cook and one of the male Vulcans shivered slightly, then both nodded.
“That's why I wanted to do individual interviews. I wanted to find out what you want to do without anyone else knowing what your decision was, or why.” Tom told them and then smiled. “I guess that's kind of a moot point now.” He said and looked right at T'Pol. “So, Commander T'Pol, what are your interests and what do you want to do with the rest of your long life?”
T'Pol blinked her eyes at him for a few seconds, then straightened her back. “I want to raid all of the places and people that have bought or stolen our people's religious artifacts to return them to their rightful owners or to planet Vulcan to the shrines and temples.”
All of the Vulcans looked at her with wide eyes, except Soval. He had known about her hobby for years and encouraged her with arranging a few acquisitions himself on her birthdays and several religious occasions.
“That's why you have so many religious items.” Tom said and gave her a nod. “I thought you were the one guilty of raiding certain places and I was going to ask you to return them.”
T'Pol felt emboldened by that. “Then help me achieve my goal, Admiral. I will do everything I can for you to agree. With a ship like this...”
“...I could easily take over the Terran Empire.” Tom finished for her. “Then I would be in the unenviable position of Emperor of Humanity and then what would I do? Begin my watch over a slowly crumbling empire as it's crushed under its own weight?” He let out a laugh. “I'm neither an idiot nor stupid enough to assume that kind of responsibility.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Soval asked.
“We work in the background, just like you have been doing. Let the humans keep their rule over the mess and do everything you can under their noses to undermine them and make them look foolish when they see how ineffective they are.” Tom answered.
Some of the Vulcans around the table nodded and a few of the rest looked thoughtful.
“We take the fight even further underground than it already is and make the Terran Empire doubt the rebellion even exists. After a while, they won't even notice as a few ships, then maybe a colony or two, and eventually entire planets will take their orders, only the people will no longer listen to them, because they won't have to anymore.” Tom said, his voice full of conviction and satisfaction.
“I'm in.” One of the male Vulcans said. “I want to see that in my lifetime.”
“As do I.” The female Vulcan beside him on the right agreed.
Soval and T'Pol looked like they were observing a religious holiday as almost all of the Vulcans agreed to help. They had been oppressed long enough and wanted to ensure their children and their children's children could grow up in a peaceful galaxy.
“I just want to cook and make people smile as they eat my food.” The cook said, her opinion being the last one to be shared.
“Then that's what you can do. All of you.” Tom said and stood up. “Let's go back to the mess hall and we can toast our new partnership with some very expensive Romulan Ale from their best distillery.”
Several of the Vulcans gasped and stared at him. Soval let out a rare chuckle and T'Pol nodded. She stood as well, then walked around the table to get everyone else up and led them to the mess hall. By the time they sat down, Tom entered carrying an actual crate of Romulan Ale.
“You're insane.” The cook whispered as he put the unopened crate in the middle of the table.
“Maybe a little.” Tom said with a smile and used a small pry bar to take the top of the crate and pulled out the first bottle from the secured packaging.
Soval made an odd sound when he saw the maker's mark and T'Pol looked at it as well. She didn't recognize it, so she gave her mentor a questioning look. He mouthed the word 'later' to her and she nodded. She would ask him about it later and the cook handed out enough glasses for everyone.
Tom cracked the seal on the bottle and poured a single finger width into each glass. It took two bottles to give everyone a taste and he lifted his own when everyone else had one. “To the future.”
“To the future.” The Vulcans said and they all took a sip, then they all started conversing about it. The color, the taste, the texture, and the way it felt as they swallowed.
Tom sat down at the end of the long table and held in his smile. T'Pol kept trying to stop herself from looking over at him while she talked to Soval. She failed several times and all Tom did was give her a single raised eyebrow each time. That didn't stop her, either.
After a while, Soval let out a huff and stood, literally pushed T'Pol into his chair that was next to Tom's on the end of the tale, and he sat down in her forcibly vacated one. A few of the Vulcans let out soft chuckles at the blatant move that put her next to the man that had rescued them from slavery. Since Tom also agreed to help T'Pol recover and return their people's artifacts, it was more than fitting that she stay by his side.
T'Pol gave her mentor a look that promised pain later and the man ignored her. Soval knew she was flustered from her reactions and she needed to clear her thoughts about the admiral. The best way to do that was to talk to the man and see for herself what kind of man he really was and not the facade he pretended to be to make the humans trust him.