By the Book by Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch

council."
    "You want me to call ahead and make an appointment?" Archer asked. "For a first contact?"
    "In a matter of speaking," T'Pol said.
    "It would be a very good idea, sir," Hoshi said. "Remember how structured they are."
    Archer shook his head. He had always figured that first contacts would be different and interesting, but he had never imagined anything like this. "T'Pol, make the call. Unless you believe I should do it."
    "No, sir. Given their cultural hierarchy, it would not be advisable for you to do such a task," T'Pol said.
    Again Hoshi nodded.
    For the first time, he was starting to wonder if this was such a good idea after all. The tension on the bridge grew even thicker than it had been.
    Still, a first contact awaited. He grinned. "Come on, people. We're out here to meet new people. I'd say it's about time we met the Fazi, up close and personal. Two hours."
    "All right!" Trip said, clapping his hands before turning and heading into the lift. "Road trip."
    Archer smiled at his chief engineer. Having him be excited balanced the caution and fear coming from Hoshi and T'Pol.
    An hour later, after having Hoshi lecture him over the dos and don'ts of the Fazi language and Fazi customs while he tried to choke down a bowl of chicken soup, Archer had lost almost all his excitement. Now he felt more like an actor climbing on a stage with only half his lines memorized.
    He wondered if the Vulcans had felt that way when talking to humans for the first time.
    Then he remembered: Vulcans claimed not to feel anything.
    For the first time, he thought them lucky.

NINE
    Archer forced himself to look through the shuttlepod's windows as Mayweather guided it through the atmosphere. Archer longed to take the controls himself, pilot the shuttlepod to its landing, and then step out, being the first to touch Fazi soil.
    He wouldn't, though. As much as he wanted to do everything himself, he knew better. This first contact would be a joint mission, and it would go as smoothly as possible.
    The shuttlepod was suddenly engulfed by blue sky.
    "Gotta love that," Trip said, sinking back in his seat.
    "It is the differences that intrigue," Reed said, peering through his own window.
    Next to Archer, Hoshi shifted slightly in her seat. She had been nervous from the moment the shuttlepod had left the Enterprise. At first, Archer had attributed that to her nervousness about anything to do with space travel, but now he was beginning to think he was wrong.
    "Sir," she said, "I think we should circle once."
    Archer was about to ask why and then he noted the time on the digital display before him. They were early.
    He glanced at Hoshi. Her entire body was rigid. If she thought it was that important to land exactly on time, then they would land exactly on time.
    "Make a big wide circle on the glide path, Ensign," Archer said to Mayweather.
    Mayweather seemed to be enjoying himself. The long fingers of his left hand pushed buttons while the palm of his right rested on the steering lever Mayweather sometimes called a joystick.
    "You got it, sir," Mayweather said. "I'll make sure we touch down exactly on the appointed time."
    Hoshi still looked worried.
    "It's going to work out," Archer said. "You'll see."
    She nodded, and he could tell she was unconvinced. The shuttlepod circled over the Fazi central city. Archer wondered if the Fazi were looking up and watching them.
    Perhaps they needed an appointment for that as well.
    "Wow, talk about cookie-cutter construction," Trip said. "Everything is built exactly the same."
    "It does save on materials," Reed said. "Not to mention the fact that you must train your labor force only once."
    Archer took his attention off his crew and looked out over the impressive expanse of Fazi city. It was so perfectly organized that there were patterns in everything. Even the roofs had all the chimneys in the exact same locations, which meant, more than likely, that every house the same size was designed and laid out inside