Work Text:
Surprising connections
Charles Tucker III, recently transferred from USS Enterprise to USS Columbia, finished his shift in engineering and went to his quarters. They were not his home, not yet, but they were a place where he could rest… and not be reminded of her.
It really was a relief, to be on a different ship, with different people. That he got away from the source of his suffering. Well… mostly.
He took a shower and went to bed. He soon fell asleep and found himself in a white space. Of course. She had to be here.
-T’Pol? - he said. But no one responded.
-T’Pol! - he shouted into the white space.
-I don’t know who you are calling, but there is no “T’Pol” here - an unfamiliar but definitely female voice answered him. Trip looked around and found the source of this voice. It was a tall woman, with golden hair, dressed in a long, gold, old - fashioned dress. She looked very different from T’Pol, so it had to be someone else. But who else could be here?
-Who are you? - Trip said.
-I could ask you the same - the woman said. - But I will answer you. Irulan Corrino. Technically, I am…
-Look, Irulan, I am just trying to get some rest, so maybe you should let me rest - Trip said.
-Something’s really bothering you, I can see that - Irulan said.
-Yeah, something - Trip said. - Someone, more exactly. A woman, T’Pol.
-You’re in love with her but you cannot be together? - Irulan said.
-It’s… worse - Trip said. - And complicated… I may as well tell you. What I feel for her… I would give anything for her. And she can accept it. But, no matter how many times I did… I offered… She wouldn’t. But that’s not the worst part… Even though I transferred to leave her, I cannot not think about her… I feel… like I am bound to her, but she never gives me anything… No warmth, no understanding… Once, I thought we had something… But, since then, I know…
Irulan looked at him with understanding and a bit of surprise.
-What? - Trip said.
-For a moment, I wondered if you could read my mind - Irulan said. - You are not the only one who experienced something like this. I did, too.
-You… felt the same? - Trip said.
-Yes - Irulan said. - If you don’t mind… I am a princess, daughter of an emperor. But he was overthrown and I was forced to marry the one who did this… But I did fall in love with him. I didn’t understand it for a long time, but I did… But even when I did not understand, I would do anything to be with him… But he had someone else, and he wouldn’t… I was legally bound to him, but I never experienced a moment of tenderness to him… And I felt that bonds greater than legal were there too. And I could not get away. Even when he told me I could be with another man, I could not…
-Our experiences are really similar - Trip said. - There is nothing binding between me and T’Pol… Yet I cannot feel any desire for another woman. All I have left is my work… My engineering work.
-And my historian work is all I have left - Irulan said.
They both went silent for a moment.
-I am not sure if I should be relieved or worried that my experience is not unique - Trip said. - That others suffered as I do.
-Why not both? - Irulan said.
At this moment, Trip was woken up by an alarm clock. His next shift would begin in half an hour.
-What a strange dream - he said as he got out of the bed.