Disclaimer:

I don't own it, I make no money of off it, and I really, really, don't want to be sued. The characters and the rest belong to Paramount and to Gene (God rest his happy little soul), I'm just borrowing them for a bit.

Chapter One

Sub-Commander T'Pol, science officer and second in command of the human starship Enterprise, was currently enjoying the generous hospitality of the First Daughter of the Fifth House of Betazed, keepers of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx. The palace was opulent, the company, startlingly beautiful and very intelligent. In other words, it was a typical day on Betazed. 

 Apparently the government of the telepathic race was very eager to entertain a Vulcan.  They'd found her 'emotionless' state a very curious development in psychology. Apparently not many Vulcans had been entertained on the planet since the first contact between the two telepathic species. Unsurprising, considering the Vulcan attitude toward emotion.

T'Pol had been graced with nothing but the best, socially, materially, and telepathically, as far as that went. Betazeds had a reputation of being as exuberant with their emotions as Vulcans were reticent. Thus far the persons she'd had contact with had gone out of their way to keep their minds to themselves. It was remarkably flattering.

Somewhere else in the compound, Ensign Sato was being 'escorted' by one of the First Daughter's daughters. It had taken little convincing to get Hoshi to 'take a look' at the enormous gardens that shaded the courtyard of the villa-like home. They looked gorgeous, even to T'Pol's sensibilities.   

"So T'Pol, tell me more about …Surak." The First Daughter leaned forwards and poured herself another cup of the fragrant tea.

She shook T'Pol out of her slight reverie, she'd not felt a sense of calm and peace from a being since she left her mother's house as a child, many years ago. Although chronologically the First –Daughter was probably younger than the Sub-Commander, T'Pol felt the same sense of age and wisdom from the other woman as she did from her own mother.

"Pertaining to his philosophy or his life, First Daughter?" T'Pol asked absently, more absorbed in the nuances of keeping her mental shields in place, carefully, restricting how much, if any emotional impressions the very talented First Daughter could possibly pick up from her. It was a wonderfully precise exercise. 

"Both, I imagine," the First Daughter leaned back in her chair and sipped the tea, eyes half shuttered, "and please, call me Mirana"

"As you wish," T'Pol acquiesced, "but I am curious, did your people not have any conflict regarding the emergence of the telepathic culture? Surak emerged from Vulcan history during a time when conflict was considered the norm."

   "As far as our recorded history goes, our people have always been telepathic. It was considered a gift of the gods."  Mirana picked up a plate of berries and offered them to T'Pol, who gracefully declined.

"Fascinating" T'Pol changed her mind and gently speared one of the berries with a fork and tasted it. The explosion of flavour was almost sensual. 

"I take it that this was not the case for Vulcans?" Mirana asked, conscious albeit distantly, of the Vulcan's sudden pleasure at the berry.

"Not precisely." T'Pol allowed herself the small indulgence, fruit, especially juicy, fleshy fruits like berries, were one of her few weaknesses. The fruit on Vulcan was dry and crisp, the sudden explosion of juice from a Terran, or apparently Betazed berry, was an exotic, sugary, alien pleasure.  

The First Daughter was about to speak again when a beeping noise interrupted them, T'Pol reached into her pocket and pulled out the communicator.

"Archer to T'Pol"

"T'Pol here, Captain"

"How are things going on down there?" he asked.

After the initial first contact T'Pol had respectfully requested that the amount of human interaction with the Betazeds be kept to a minimum until she determined how susceptible they would be to the empathic impulses of the population. Hence she requested Hoshi to accompany her.

If anyone could be emotionally swayed by a mental suggestion it would be the young woman. Not to mention that the communications officer would be more cognizant of the body language and sub-vocal communications of the telepathic species than any other human aboard Enterprise. 

For T'Pol it had been much like a relief to finally be surrounded by individuals who didn't feel the need to forcefully project their emotions like a shotgun blast to the psyche. It was very calming to her Vulcan sense of order and quiet.

"Everything is going well Captain, I will be returning to Enterprise shortly with Ensign Sato."

"Glad to hear it, I'm looking forwards to your report." Archer replied, with barely concealed enthusiasm. She almost sighed at his blatant enthusiasm for reckless exploration. Humans.  

"T'Pol out", she clicked off the communicator and drained the last of her tea. "I must return to Enterprise"

"Yes, of course," the First Daughter smiled, "and please, make sure your Captain knows that the crew is welcome to indulge in some fresh air and recreation. We know how tedious the routine must be on starship."

"I will relay the message."

"We look forwards to more interaction with your people." The First Daughter stood to escort T'Pol to the shuttle pod. "We don't get many Vulcans out this way."

"I am not surprised," T'Pol observed, "Our species attitudes towards emotion differ greatly. I imagine many Vulcans would find it…disturbing."

"You don't." Mirana observed.

"I am a scientist and an explorer." T'Pol replied easily, "After more than a year aboard a starship with eighty two tumultuous minds, I find the atmosphere here on your planet to be…relaxing."

"I imagine it's difficult, being the only telepath on board"

"It has been…challenging."

The Sub-Commander and the Ensign reached the shuttle pod simultaneously. Hoshi was conversing animatedly in Betazed with her escort. T'Pol arched an eyebrow. The message of their departure had been telepathically relayed without physical contact. Fascinating.

Hoshi and T'Pol climbed into the shuttle and started the pre-flight warm up. Hoshi was chattering about the intricacies of the Betazed language and T'Pol listed with half an ear.

"Hoshi" T'Pol interjected, amid exclamations of wonder at the planet and its people, "There was a reason I requested you for this mission."

"Hmmm?"

"These are a telepathic species, with ethics and morals very different than that of my people, I wish to know: did anyone try to telepathically contact you while you were on the surface?"

"No," Hoshi observed, "not that I was aware. Although they did mention that they were empathic. Luzwana said that they had a code, similar to the Vulcan one, they don't try telepathic contact unless they've been invited to."

"This was also consistent with my observations." T'Pol turned in her chair, "If I may, Hoshi, would you allow me to examine you telepathically, to ensure that no contact was made surreptitiously?"

"That's right!" Hoshi exclaimed, "I forgot, Vulcans are telepathic as well."

"We are," T'Pol acknowledged, "Although it is seldom displayed for outworlders."

"I've…never been 'probed' telepathically" Hoshi said uncertainly, clearly uneasy at the thought, "are you sure there's no problem? I'm not a telepath."

"You have been, Ensign," T'Pol said evenly, "If you'll recall the incident aboard the Klingon scout ship."

"That was telepathic contact!" Hoshi exclaimed, surprised, "I just felt… calm"

"That was my intention" T'Pol replied with one of her inexplicably Vulcan non-expressions, "It seemed beneficial at the time."

"Alright then, I guess I'll just consider this another 'language lesson'" Hoshi smiled, "After all telepathy is just another language…right?"

T'Pol could see the other woman trying to convince herself to allow the contact. "You don't have to do it Hoshi; I don't believe that the inhabitants of the planet would have initiated contact. This is just a precaution"

"That's ok," she said, voice a little higher, but seemingly more secure, "I know that Vucans are very…circumspect." T'Pol simply arched an eyebrow in acknowledgment; Hoshi sighed and shook her head, "Ok, what you want me to do?"

"Give me your hand" Hoshi extended her hand, palm up, just like she had on the Klingon ship.

Can you hear me, Ensign?

Hoshi gasped and her eyes went very wide. "Holy…" she gulped, "Yeah, I hear you"

There appears to have been no contact, T'Pol's mindvoice told her dryly, "It will be my recommendation that the crew be allowed shore leave, being that there is no telepathic dangers, do you concur?

"Yeah," Hoshi replied, "Wow, this is…very cool."

T'Pol's eyebrow marched back up towards her hairline. "I'm sure it is Ensign."

She removed her hand, and Hoshi felt the very subtle sort of 'presence' that she mentally associated with T'Pol's mindvoice withdrawing.

"Just how telepathic are Vulcans anyhow? We know that you can talk subliminally and stuff, but…" Hoshi asked, "Can you…read my mind?"

"Even if I could, Ensign, I would not. Most humans are far too chaotic to 'read' in any sense." T'Pol steered the pod towards the docking bay. "We cannot initiate any kind of telepathy without physical contact."

"That's why you don't shake hands" Hoshi said with a smile, as if suddenly understanding, "It's not that you're unsociable, you don't want to read anyone incidentally."

"A fact most humans seem to forget." T'Pol said dryly.

"People don't realize that you're not being rude you just have different body language than the rest of us" Hoshi acknowledged, "I've noticed"

The pod shook a little as the docking arm clasped the top of the shuttle. The pod bay doors opened and T'Pol and Hoshi were greeted by the Captain and Commander Tucker.

The Captain, being the gentleman he was, reached out this hand to assist the two women out of the pod. Hoshi accepted it, T'Pol did not. Commander Tucker frowned as T'Pol refused the Captain's hand and Hoshi sighed mentally, another example of cross-species misunderstanding.

"So they watin' to suck our minds outta our bodies? Or you think we can make it down there safely?" Trip asked, ribbing at the Vulcan's insistence for caution.

"The planet seems safe, Captain," T'Pol ignored Trip, instead concentrating on her waiting superior. "The First Daughter has extended her invitation to shore leave for the crew, I suggest we accept cautiously." 

"Sounds good ta' me," Trip drawled, smiling broadly, "We haven't had a chance to stretch our legs in a while. Might be fun."

"And perhaps this time, you will arrive at the shuttle pod with your clothing." T'Pol needled, reminding everyone of Trip and Malcom's little, gaffe on Risa, leading to the loss of their garments.

"They have an extensive database on the surrounding star systems, Captain, I suggest we take advantage of it, there's a lot of information available." Hoshi interjected quickly, smothering Trip's retort.

"Sounds great, Hoshi," Captain Archer took advantage of her comment to steer the conversation away from the last shore leave. No one really wanted to dwell too much on that incident.

"Perhaps we should adjourn to the situation room for a more thorough briefing." T'Pol suggested.

"Great idea, T'Pol," Captain Archer motioned for her to proceed him into the airlock.