Forwarded by the ASC-VSO Posted: 8 Jan 2004 11:45:16 -0800 In: alt.startrek.creative From: shouldknowbettertt@yahoo.co.uk (shouldknowbetter) Title: The Rainbow's Foot (3/5) (32/34 for series) Series: Begins with "A Logical Proposal" "The Rainbow's Foot" is tenth in the series Author: ShouldKnowBetter Email: shouldknowbettertt@yahoo.uk.com Rating: PG-13 Codes: Tu/T, A/S, Enterprise characters, drama, angst Summary: Ten years after leaving Enterprise, T'Pol attends a THE RAINBOW'S FOOT Part Three Katie and Charlie were both reading while T'Pol was taking T'Pril through a series of exercises to improve her concentration when Tucker finally appeared, a little over an hour later, and dropped onto the bed behind Charlie, ruffling the boy's hair. "What d'you say we eat out? I can't be bothered to cook." The boy yelped with pleasure. "Can I have steak, dad?" "Well, I'm sure gonna." Katie rolled her eyes. "It makes me feel sick." "Sorry, honey, but you know the rules. We don't have meat at home but we're allowed to elsewhere. Move yourselves then. Fifteen minute countdown starts now." T'Pol followed Tucker as he headed for his own room. "I will remain here." "No, you won't." He turned back to face her. "T'Pril …" "Will be fine. They're used to kids." He stepped up close, a hand cupping around her cheek. "I want you to come." "Very well." Sensible behaviour when Tucker touched her was still difficult. "Good girl." He kissed her forehead. "Go get ready. I want to grab a shower." The restaurant was barely a kilometre away so they walked although T'Pol knew that she would be carrying T'Pril back however low the gravity. From the familiar way Tucker was greeted by the staff, she deduced that he frequently could not be bothered to cook – and frequently brought women with him. The stares only started after people had taken a second look and noticed that she wasn't human. At least the table was tucked away in a corner; she could not bring herself to care that she was being seen with a human family but the stares were humiliating. A large woman approached the table with a grin. "Any chance you want to see a menu, Trip?" "Probably not." He glanced over at T'Pol, eyes creasing in amusement. "So that's three mushroom risottos, two without cheese, two steaks, a beer, a glass of shiraz, two apple juices and," he pointed at T'Pril, questioning, "water?" "Yes, and also for me." "Uh huh," he shook his head to deny T'Pol's request to the waitress. "Don't tell me you don't drink, I know you do." The drinks arrived promptly and Tucker downed half his beer in a single gulp and ordered another even as he finished the other half a little more slowly. "Daddy!" Katie protested and he glowered at her. "I had a bad day!" She looked doubtfully at T'Pol then back to her father, expression pensive. "Mom used to shout when you got drunk." He held the girl's eyes, his own serious. "I haven't got drunk in years, Katie. I'm not gonna start now." "You'd better not," and she returned to her fruit juice, leaving T'Pol to worry about what might have happened in the past. When she had known him, Tucker had enjoyed alcoholic beverages but she had never seen him more than mildly inebriated. Sensing her scrutiny, he met her eyes, gave her a quick smile and reached across the table to cover her clasped hands with one of his own, surprise showing when she took the opportunity to retain possession of it before he could pull back. She was not prepared to miss any opportunity for touching and what did it matter if someone saw her? She was already shamed in the eyes of her people. The constraint that Katie's comment had introduced lasted only until the food arrived then conversation returned to normal - loud and boisterous – although T'Pol noted that Tucker drank his second beer far more slowly than the first and didn't order a third. The food was good and she again ate too much because it was a long time since she had eaten mushroom risotto. Of course it was. The last few days had proved that she had done very little that she actually enjoyed in the last ten years, from talking about her work to having sexual intercourse with the man she loved. Between fielding questions from the children and stopping arguments, she was able to acquaint Tucker with the first day's proceedings at the conference and they eventually entered into one of the heated debates for which they had been infamous on Enterprise. "Damn it, you're wrong!" Tucker yelled at last. "Why are you always so damned stubborn?" "Perhaps because you are ill-informed, illogical and incapable of admitting defeat." "Now, you listen …" "Dessert?" The waitress was back, looking doubtfully from Tucker to the children although Charlie and Katie were grinning. "S'OK, Sally," the boy assured her. "Dad's not really mad." "Who says I'm not?" "We do," Katie said firmly. "Dad, I'm full, can we go play?" "Sure, but no jumping around or you'll be sick." Both children declined dessert and headed for a games area in one corner of the restaurant, T'Pril following them despite T'Pol's protest that Tucker overruled as usual. "She'll be OK. Come sit round here and you can keep an eye on her." She moved around the table onto the bench seat he had been occupying with Katie and Charlie, moving as close as she dared without encouragement then as close as possible when, after a moment's study, Tucker slid an arm along the back of the seat behind her. He gave a grunt of amusement as she pressed against him and dropped the arm around her shoulders. "You can't get around me that easily. I'm still mad at you and you're still wrong." "I may be willing to concede the point regarding the validity of the Klingon data." Cool lips brushed her temple. "You never used to concede a damn." T'Pol did not have to respond as the waitress delivered a plate containing a large serving of pecan pie, smiling approvingly at the sight of her favourite customer with his arm around a pretty women – even if she was an alien. "You want another beer, Trip?" "No, thanks, just coffee." T'Pol waited until the coffee arrived and Tucker had swallowed the first mouthful of pie with evident pleasure before asking cautiously, "Charles, do you have an alcohol-related problem?" "No," he said firmly, maybe just a shade too firmly then sighed. "I really don't, but when my marriage was breaking up it wasn't pretty and Natalie threw some low punches – hell, so did I! – and I got drunk a few times. Katie can just remember and it upsets her if she sees me drinking." "I am sorry." "Not your fault." He dipped his head and kissed her gently, lingering just long enough to provoke a reaction. "I was wrong to have a drink tonight. Didn't need one when you've promised to be nice to me later." She arched an eyebrow. "I promised to be very nice. If you merely wish for nice …" He stopped her disclaimer with another kiss. "I want the very nice. Have some pie." "You believe I need my inhibitions lowered?" He nuzzled her ear, chuckling softly. "Well, maybe just a little." T'Pol pulled back but only so she could meet Tucker's eyes, letting him see the desire. "I will see what I can do." It was gratifying to hear his breath catch, to see his pupils dilate. "Jeez," he murmured, "what you do to me and in public where I can't do a thing about it," although he was moving in for yet another kiss when Charlie's voice interrupted. "No, dad, I told you! Not the kissy stuff." "I don't mind." Katie was back too. "What's wrong with dad kissing T'Pol?" "Kissing's for girls." Tucker studied his son with some misgiving. "One day, Charlie, I'm gonna have to explain that one." He broke off another forkful of pecan pie and offered it to T'Pol, eyes wicked. She widened her own at him in a gesture only he could see and ate the offering delicately, aware that he shivered against her. The sucrose would go straight to her head but perhaps no one but Tucker would notice. "Dad, can I have some pie too?" "Sure, if you let me kiss you goodnight." "Aw, yuck! Dad, that's horrible." "So, daddy," at eight Katie was a lot more knowing, "does that mean T'Pol lets you kiss her goodnight?" He fed the woman beside him another forkful. "A gentleman doesn't answer that sort of question, Katie." "T'Pol, does dad …" "Enough!" Tucker swallowed the last of his dessert and stood up, tugging on T'Pol's hand to keep her close. "If you're gonna embarrass us we're going home. Katie, grab T'Pril before she gets lost. Charlie …" but the boy had already dashed ahead, colliding with the waitress. "Oops, sorry, but we gotta dash. Dad wants to kiss T'Pol and I don't wanna watch." Tucker groaned. "Sorry, honey. Want me to grovel?" "No. I trust Charlie was accurate for I would like you to kiss me." He chuckled and squeezed her hand. "I knew that pie was a good idea." They didn't exactly hurry the children into bed once they got home but neither did they linger as long as normal to ensure that they were settled and Tucker grabbed T'Pol the moment they reached the bottom of the stairs, pinning her to the wall for a long, searching kiss. "Where were we?" She busied herself with the buttons of his shirt to reach the skin underneath. "I believe I was about to lower my inhibitions." "Oh God." Tucker had said that with increasing desperation and increasing frequency over the course of the preceding half hour. "Oh, God, that was good." "I am glad you recognise that my memory has not failed me." T'Pol looked down at the man with undiluted satisfaction. Tucker might have reduced her to mindless flesh the night before last, but she had just proved that she could pleasure him into irrationality. "Oh, yeah." His eyes were still closed. "Jeez, I'd forgotten how good it feels with your body temperature higher than mine." The first few times he'd slept with Natalie again he'd not understood why it had been so … bland. "You're so hot." T'Pol leant forward to press her mouth to his. She was not sure if that had been a literal or metaphorical reference but either way it was complimentary and she did not want a compliment to go un-rewarded. On Enterprise, Tucker had hardly ever said flattering things to her – except that he loved her. "Charles." "Mm?" She swallowed, shocked that she had been so close to stating the unacceptable. This was only a temporary arrangement. Tucker did not want to know that she still loved him, would always love him. "Do you wish to shower?" Blue eyes opened to look into hers. "Why do I get the feeling that you don't just wanna get clean?" Because for ten long empty years she had been alone. "Because I want you again." "You really are insatiable, aren't you?" "You said that you would take me whenever I wished." "Yeah, I did, didn't I? But did I know what I was letting myself in for?" The pain was sudden and unexpected. She had thought that he wanted her, at least for a short while. The first night had been pity, yes, but since then … "T'Pol." Strong arms pulled her back, not as strong as hers but compelling when she wished them to be. "Don't look like that. I want you, honey, never doubt that. You need to give me a rest, that's all. You wore me out." "I am sorry." "Don't be sorry." He had settled her on his chest, cool hands soothing on her back. "Just relax. There's no hurry." T'Pol turned her head to one side so that Tucker could not see her expression, knowing it was currently beyond her control. There was every need for haste. There were only a few days left before she had to leave and she did not want to. All she wanted was to stay with him for the rest of her life – or, practically speaking, his life, for she would outlive him by many years if they both reached their natural span. It could not happen and this time not merely because neither their families nor their cultures could accept the idea. This time only one of them was in love. T'Pol was talking to one of the Andorian scientists during the midday break when one of the organisers approached her to say that she had a personal call. Alarmed because all she could think was that T'Pril had been taken ill, she followed the woman to the reception desk to find Tucker's face waiting on the screen. "Sorry," he said before anything else, "but I need a favour. M'Benga couldn't meet me this morning even though he wanted that damn proposal first thing and now he's scheduled a meeting for 1630. The man's a …" T'Pol drew the logical conclusion and interrupted before Tucker could compromise himself on an official comm. channel. "You wish me to collect Katie and Charlie from school?" "Yeah." He looked guiltily at her. "I know it's a damn cheek but I can't get hold of …" "At what time?" "1700. They've got some after school club. Are you sure?" "Positive." It would mean leaving the conference early but she knew Professor Cunliffe's work and was not impressed. It would be no loss. "Thanks. I don't know what time I'll be home. If you all get hungry …" "I am sure that Katie will be able to instruct me in the way to proceed." "Yeah. Thanks again." He kissed his fingertips and pressed them briefly to the screen. "See you later." T'Pol gave the organiser a cool stare and returned to the main chamber, leaving the woman with a puzzle. She knew that the Vulcan had only been on Earth for a few days because she had helped with the travel arrangements so how had the other woman been able to establish a relationship with that charming Starfleet officer? Vulcans were certainly fast workers. T'Pol reached the school not long before the appointed time and dismissed the cab because it was only a short distance to the Tuckers' house and T'Pril showed signs of having been confined all day. The crθche concentrated too much on mental discipline and not enough on physical well-being. She must remember to forward them some recent papers on childcare. There was a small play area attached to the school and she let T'Pril in for some exercise, keeping a watch for Katie and Charlie and so missing the approach of a petite woman balancing a baby on her hip. "T'Pol?" She turned in surprise and the other woman smiled. "I thought it was you. Jon told me you were on Earth but what are you doing here, sub-commander?" T'Pol didn't have time to decide how to answer that or even if she wished to answer because Katie and Charlie raced up at that moment, the boy by-passing the adults to join T'Pril on a climbing frame while Katie more politely stopped by the women. "Hey, Hoshi, T'Pol. Where's dad?" Since that was clearly directed at her, T'Pol had to answer. "He has been detained at work. He asked me to collect you." It was impossible to avoid Hoshi Archer's astonished stare any longer. "I met Commander Tucker a few days ago. He was kind enough to allow myself and T'Pril to stay in his house while I am attending the conference." Hoshi's eyes were huge. "Jon didn't mention that. Are you and Trip …?" T'Pol went to rescue T'Pril who had climbed too high and become stuck. "We should return home in case your father arrives before us." That was directed at Charlie who shrugged and scrambled down. "I'll come with you." Hoshi's tone didn't leave room for argument. This was the best bit of gossip in years: in eleven and a half years, to be precise, since Tucker and T'Pol had got together the first time. "Jon's out tonight. We can catch up on what we've both been doing since you left Enterprise," and especially on how the Vulcan woman had returned to her old lover. When Tucker reached home not long after 1800 it was to find everyone on the living room floor playing Scrabble and supremely indifferent to his arrival. "Someone might at least say hello," he grumbled and came to sit close behind T'Pol, arms going around her waist. "What are you doing here, Hoshi?" "It's nice to see you too, Trip," she replied affably, watching with interest as her friend kissed the Vulcan woman's neck and wasn't elbowed away for a public demonstration of affection. So those two were definitely back together and Tucker looked happier than he had in a long time. "I met T'Pol at school. I help out there, remember?" "And you thought you'd do a little digging?" he asked with a touch of asperity and Hoshi shrugged. "Well … Charlie, you can't spell ‘no' like that." "Why are we playing Scrabble in Vulcan?" Tucker asked curiously and finally extracted a response from the woman in his arms. "Katie believed that it would allow T'Pril to participate. However her notion of spelling is as erratic as yours and these letters do not lend themselves to representing Vulcan." "I can spell a word." The man's eyes were on T'Pol's letters and Charlie howled in protest. "Dad, no! You don't need to help T'Pol. She is Vulcan!" "Oh yeah." He nuzzled one pointed ear. "I guess I forgot that." T'Pol moved her head out of reach. She did not mind having her neck kissed and Tucker's arms around her were very pleasant but if he stimulated her ears too much he would be embarrassed by the result. "How did your meeting with Admiral M'Benga proceed?" "OK." He nuzzled her neck some more since it was there and available. "He accepted your proposal?" "Yeah." Teeth nipped her gently. "He even thanked me for staying late." She turned for an assessing look. "I was real polite. Said I didn't mind what hours I worked as long as I had enough notice to arrange cover for the kids." "Perhaps it was a conversation you both needed to have." "Maybe. What's for dinner?" "I have no idea." "Didn't I ask you to cook?" "No." Hoshi smiled; it was sheer pleasure to see Trip happy again. "If you ask me to stay, I could be persuaded to cook." "Suits me." Tucker grinned back. "Can you teach T'Pol while you're at it?" "I have no idea." Tucker kissed T'Pol's neck again then pushed her away. "Go learn to cook. I'll take over here." Hoshi scrambled up as well. "Heaven help the spelling then." Once in the kitchen, she began to poke around in the fridge. "Will you be staying long, T'Pol?" "I … The conference ends on Friday." She had never heard the Vulcan woman sound so uncertain. "Trip's had a rough few years." Purposely she didn't look around. "He tries to hide it for the children's sake but … well, bringing up two kids by yourself isn't easy." "He appears to have been successful." "Yeah, they're nice kids. I think it was a good thing Natalie didn't want anything to do with them after the divorce. I never liked her; I don't know why Trip thought he did," except that Natalie Tucker had been blonde, slender, extrovert and shallow. If Tucker had tried – and Hoshi thought maybe he had – he couldn't have found a woman in greater contrast to his former lover. Why one of his family or friends hadn't taken him aside and told him that he was making a big mistake Hoshi hadn't understood until she had learnt the dates of the Tuckers' marriage and Katie's birthday. "Well, it looks like it's going to be pasta. You'd think the man was Italian, he never has anything else in the house." "There's nothing wrong with pasta." Tucker wandered into the kitchen mainly, Hoshi suspected, so that he could hug T'Pol. "Make me coffee?" T'Pol freed herself long enough to pour him a glass of milk then returned his side again; Hoshi had had no idea that Vulcans could be so affectionate. "That's not coffee." "You drink too much coffee." "You're horrible to me," he grumbled without too much conviction. "I'm gonna have a shower and get changed. The kids are watching a thing on dinosaurs." "A thing?" "Yeah, a documentary thing. You can answer the questions, I don't do dinosaurs anymore." T'Pol found dinosaur questions more challenging even than cooking and glared at Tucker when he laughed at her difficulties. "You are not helping." "I said I didn't do dinosaurs," but he changed the subject. "Hoshi, are you doing anything Friday night?" "Why?" "That's nice! A simple question and all I get is suspicion!" "You want something, you always do. What is it this time? Babysitting again?" He grinned winningly at her. "Come on, Hoshi, play nice. You know we'll always have Henry whenever you want." For a second the ‘we' sent a wave of warmth through T'Pol until she realised that Tucker had been referring to himself and his children. She had to remember that she was only a visitor but it was difficult when she wanted to remain on a permanent basis. "Why should I look after your rotten kids? Maybe my husband's going to take me out." "Nah, Jon only takes you to water polo matches and it's the closed season." "Oh, all right. I suppose you want me to come here?" "Sure, it's easier. You've just got one. We've got three." That time T'Pol couldn't suppress the hope. Oh, but she wanted to stay! T'Pol had just finished her meditation and was about to slip out of her robe when a noise from outside the room drew her attention, followed by the sound of bare feet on the stairs. A quick look confirmed that Tucker hadn't stirred and she opened the door to find Charlie only a couple of metres away. He halted when he saw her. "I had a nasty dream." "Did you?" Hesitantly she approached. "Dreams can be unpleasant but cannot harm you, Charlie." "Daddy wasn't in his room." "He is down here." "He didn't come when I called." T'Pol placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and steered him into the bedroom. "Your father was tired, Charlie, and it is a long way from your room. Even I did not hear you call and my hearing is far more sensitive than a human's." The boy was crawling under the covers next to his father and Tucker grunted, startled out of sleep. "What the …? Charlie?" "Daddy." The boy had his arms around Tucker's neck. "I had a nasty dream." "Did you?" He wasn't properly awake although he was hugging the boy. "What about?" "A dinosaur tried to get me." "Huh?" T'Pol perched on the side of the bed. "Dinosaurs featured in the documentary earlier this evening." "Oh, well," a hand was ruffling the boy's hair, "that explains it. None of them gonna get you here, Charlie." "Indeed, they have been extinct for approximately 65 million years." "They chased me along a beach." "It was just a dream, Charlie. We all get them but they can't hurt us." "Can I stay here?" Tucker looked apologetically up at T'Pol but didn't hesitate. "What d'you say we go upstairs to my room so T'Pol can get some sleep too?" "OK." "Go get a glass of milk to take up with you." Recognising that Tucker wanted the chance to dress, T'Pol held out a hand to the boy and he let himself be served with a large glass although he returned immediately to his father's side when the man emerged, squeezing T'Pol's hand in passing as he ushered the boy up the stairs. She returned regretfully to the downstairs bedroom, reflecting that life on Enterprise had been much simpler. Rampant curiosity meant that Jonathan Archer accompanied his wife on her babysitting duties, joining T'Pol on a sofa while Hoshi took baby Henry into the guest bedroom to sleep. "You forgot to mention that you were staying here, T'Pol." She stared back at him, expression blank. "It did not seem relevant to our conversation." Archer pursed his lips. "I suppose you could say that. You're looking well, T'Pol." That brought another blank look and he decided not to pursue the fact that his former first officer looked a good deal healthier than the skeletal woman he had met four days before. "So this is your daughter?" "Yes." That was much safer ground. "This is T'Pril. T'Pril, this is Ambassador Archer." "Hey." T'Pol looked reprovingly at the little girl. "No, T'Pril. Please greet Ambassador Archer with respect." "Hey, Uncle Jon." Charlie flopped down next to the man, having just returned from getting changed following an accident with his father and a glass of orange juice. "Beaten up any bad guys lately?" Earth's most distinguished ambassador grinned. "No, Charlie, I leave that to the younger generation. Yes, T'Pril?" She had tugged on his sleeve. "Hey, Uncle Jon." Archer cracked up, mostly at T'Pol's expression of complete horror. Tucker appeared at that moment and looked quizzically at his laughing friend. "What's up?" He plucked T'Pril from T'Pol's lap and set her down, holding out a hand to the woman. "You ready?" "I am not going." "Excuse me?" "T'Pril has clearly become uncontrollable. I must spend more time with her in disciplinary exercises." Tucker frowned down at the little girl who looked mildly back. "She's OK." Charlie grinned. "T'Pril called Uncle Jon ‘Uncle Jon'." Tucker chuckled and caught T'Pol by one wrist, dragging her up and hugging her close. "He's been called worse." "I cannot allow T'Pril to become accustomed to such informality." He caught her chin in one hand and kissed her mouth. "She's a smart kid, she'll soon learn the difference between friends and everyone else." "It should not be necessary for her to learn that." "Everyone has to learn that. C'mon, honey, let it go for tonight." He grinned over at Hoshi who had finished putting her baby to bed. "Hoshi'll cope. She's a real strict babysitter." Trying not to look as if he was watching the exchange, Archer was surprised to see T'Pol sigh and nod acceptance. "Very well." She was given another hug then Tucker pinned his children with a glare. "You be good now. Don't give Hoshi a hard time." "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, dad, we won't wreck the place." Charlie was clearly not worried about being left for the evening although Katie took a less sanguine view. "You be good too, daddy. T'Pol, you won't let him get drunk, will you?" "I will endeavour to restrain him." T'Pol had picked T'Pril up and was holding her rather tightly. She left the child in a crθche every day, of course, but that was with Vulcans, not humans. "T'Pril, you will not mind me leaving you here with Mrs Archer?" She had asked that before and as before the girl shook her head. "We will not be late." She should not have said ‘we'. Once again, Tucker plucked T'Pril away and set her down. "Let's go." With the engineer and Vulcan out of the way, Hoshi turned a severe look on her husband. "Well?" Archer shrugged. "How should I know?" "Jon!" He sighed and gave in as he always did. "I think Trip's making a big mistake." "Why? T'Pol seems much more … human." "That's what worries me. If you ask me …" "I did!" "She's still in love with him and Trip's just having fun." They were some distance from the house when Tucker glanced sideways at his companion. "Aren't you going to ask where we're going?" "I assume that you would not tell me even if I asked." "You could try guessing." "Why should I? I will find out in due time." "You're no fun." T'Pol slanted a disbelieving look up at him and Tucker grinned back, holding out a hand, the smile widening as she slipped her own into his. "Sometimes you're no fun." "Where are we going?" "I'm not telling." "You are extremely aggravating." "Yeah, but you still like me." T'Pol took a moment to formulate her response. The pattern of the conversation was familiar from a dozen others over the time they had been lovers, but before he would have claimed that she loved him. She must not allow herself to forget that their current liaison was entirely casual, not intended to last beyond a few days. "So you claim." It was the correct answer, the traditional continuation of the verbal teasing and made him laugh, his hand tightening on hers. "Well, if you don't like me, honey, you've been doing one hell of an acting job. Hey, run, we wanna catch that monorail." On reflection, T'Pol thought that perhaps she could have guessed where Tucker was taking her, but she had not believed that he would recall her preference for the human musical form known as jazz. His wide grin as he eased them into a pair of seats in a San Francisco bar proved beyond doubt that he had remembered, even if his words had not made it clear. "I hope your musical tastes haven't changed." "I … do not know." Listening to human music was something else she had not done since leaving Enterprise and that was foolish. This time she would ensure that she took some of her favourite recordings back with her – unless the memory of sitting with Tucker and allowing the music to exhilarate her would be too painful. Continued in Part Four -- Stephen Ratliff ASC Stories Only Forwarding In the Pattern Buffer at: http//trekiverse.crosswinds.net/feed/ Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCL/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:ASCL-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. From ???@??? Thu Jan 15 00:41:42 2004 Status: U Return-Path: Received: from n27.grp.scd.yahoo.com ([66.218.66.83]) by swallow (EarthLink SMTP Server) with SMTP id 1aH0fU4Kb3NZFkN0 for ; Wed, 14 Jan 2004 21:41:22 -0800 (PST) X-eGroups-Return: sentto-1977044-12882-1074145279-stephenbratliff=earthlink.net@returns.groups.yahoo.