"Girls' Night" by Chibi-Kaz
Short Story
Implied R/S, T/T, C, O.C.s
Spoilers: none
Lt. Malcolm Reed and Cmdr. Trip Tucker were grabbing late dinners in the mess that evening. Malcolm had seated himself facing the windows, so he wasn't aware of the activity behind him as Trip glanced up and made a horrified face.
"Oh, god. It's Girls' Night!"
Malcolm turned in his chair to see Hoshi Sato and Liz Cutler garbed in sweats, tees, robes, and slippers, coercing Chef into providing them with bags of popcorn and thermoses. Trip shook his head at them as they waved to the senior officers.
"Stay out of the lounge tonight, gentlemen!" Hoshi called as she and Liz departed with their booty.
Malcolm observed, "I've never understood the female urge to gather in groups like that. What do you suppose they get up to on these evenings?"
Trip shuddered theatrically. "They paint their nails and toes, give themselves facials, and gossip about .. us!"
Malcolm's expression was disbelieving. "You must be joking?"
************************************************************
Hoshi Sato wiggled her toes in her pink bunny slippers. She grinned at Liz, standing next to her in the lift. "What did we get?"
Liz opened a thermos and sniffed. "Hot cocoa. And Amani is bringing her manicure kit."
Hoshi patted her robe pocket. "I've got those old movie stills she wanted right here."
The lift opened, and the two young women hustled down the corridor to the lounge. The room's windows faced forward, just a few decks below the bridge, giving a fantastic view. A few low tables and overstuffed chairs stood in the room. Barely bigger than the Captain's ready room, few of the crew thought to use it for it's intended purpose, preferring the mess for socializing. This particular evening, Jessica was taping a beautifully lettered sign stating "No Boys Allowed" to the doorframe as Hoshi and Liz arrived.
"Amani's inside already," Jessica told them, pocketing the electrical tape and tapping the doorpad.
Four women, all StarFleet, all ensigns, doing their best to stay sane in space. Ensign Liz Cutler, entomologist and field medic, was a perky brunette of, as she called it, "North American Mutt" stock. Hoshi had met her early in Enterprise's mission, and the two women had hit it off immediately.
Ensign Jessica Tagish, a redheaded, freckled-faced engineer, hailed from Ireland, impressing Hoshi with her ability to speak, read, and write Irish Gaelic fluently. She and Hoshi had met in the mess, where they'd bumped and spilt milk all over each other. Jessica had sworn in Gaelic; Hoshi insulted her right back.
Ensign Amani Ngorodi was born and raised in Africa. Her most outstanding feature was her startlingly white ear-to-ear grin in her darkest-African face. Thick, even cornrows arced over a skull as perfect as an Egyptian sculpture. The exo-zoologist claimed that she could handle any animal she came across, and liked to tell scary stories about poisonous reptiles and big cats. She'd been Jessica's sparring partner for TaeKwonDo sessions in the gym.
Ensign Hoshi Sato, linguist, was the only bridge officer of the group. For some reason, that let the others default her into "leader" position. Hoshi found herself in the odd position of being head of Communications for the NX-01, yet only an Ensign. All of her "staff" were enlisted crewmen, not officers like herself. Not that it bothered her greatly; she'd been well used to dealing with underlings from her university teaching time, but everyone around her were 'StarFleet' while she still didn't really understand what that meant. Hoshi had taken a 5-week accelerated "basic training" when offered a commission in the new organization, then promptly took leave to teach. A few arguments with Jon Archer later, and the next thing she knew, she was light-years from home. These bi-weekly gatherings of females made up for some of the loss.
As they settled in for an evening of gossip, manicures, and junk food, Hoshi cleared her throat. "Um, girls? I have a confession to make."
"What is it, Hosh?"
"I invited T'Pol to join us."
A brief moment of silence was immediately followed by an outburst of questions.
"Why in space would you do that?"
"Hoshi, she'll only kill the mood, or not get any of it!"
"I think it's a good idea."
Attention immediately shifted to Liz. She smiled. "I like T'Pol. Buried in there somewhere is a wicked sense of humor. I've watched her argue with Commander Tucker. I think it's a good idea."
They all heard a knock on the door.
"Too late now," Jessica said glumly.
Tossing Jess a quelling look, Hoshi called out, "C'mon in!"
The lounge door hissed open to reveal T'Pol, wearing, to their amazement, some sort of Vulcan robe in shimmering green and gold and holding a tray. On the tray sat a steaming clay pot surrounded by several smaller pots. Nodding to them all, T'Pol approached the group, setting the tray on a low table.
Hoshi grinned at the Sub-Commander. "I'm glad you were able to come."
T'Pol nodded. "I... appreciated your invitation, Ensign. I trust I am appropriately attired?"
Jessica touched the hem of the robe. "This is fantastic! What is it?"
"A Vulcan ceremonial robe, worn for courts of law and philosophy. Dr. Phlox assured me it was appropriate."
The four women giggled, but Hoshi quickly assured T'Pol that there was a certain logic in the Doctor's assessment. "What's in the pot?"
Amani sniffed the steam. "Sub-commander! You brought us Chai!" She exclaimed.
Liz grinned at T'Pol. "You're in like Flynn."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Nevermind."
Hoshi indicated that T'Pol should sit. The Vulcan woman gracefully sat, lotus position, on the floor.
An hour later, Hoshi and Jessica were scanning though old film pictures as Amani tried to convince T'Pol to let her paint T'Pol's nails.
"I do not understand the point of this decoration."
Amani tried to explain. "Well, human females use cosmetics to improve their appearance. I mean, I know you wouldn't want to attract any of the men onboard, but.." She shrugged a bit.
"Think of it this way, T'Pol," Liz jumped into the fray. "The males aboard Enterprise see you as an intimidating figure, but strictly as a Vulcan, not as a female. Consider it an experiment in anthropology - you can do this one small human female thing, and then measure their reactions against their usual behavior towards you."
T'Pol thought it over. "Your theory is that their behavior would change simply due to this one cosmetic change in my appearance."
Amani nodded vigorously. "But it's not only that. A woman's nails can make a statement! When I was in school for my degree, I used to paint my nails in ways that mimicked the coloration of the animal we were studying."
Jess snorted. "I wish I'd seen them when you did the Denobulan LizardGrouse!" Considering the fact the creature in question had tiny multi-colored scales, it must have been a feat of artistry to recreate them on nails.
"Very well, then. I will observe this phenomenon." T'Pol extended her hands towards Amani.
"Fantastic! I know just the color!" Amani delved into her bag.
*******************************
"Ok, Burt Lancaster."
"Ooo, yes!"
"Even when he was older he was handsome."
"How about Harrison Ford? Now there's one with good genetics!"
Four human women laughed uproariously. T'Pol merely quirked an eyebrow. "Am I to understand that you select possible mates purely on aesthetic grounds?"
"No," Hoshi said. "Well, not really. I mean, it certainly doesn't hurt if a guy's good looking, but that's not the only thing I look for."
"Yeah, Hoshi likes accents too!" The other women broke up again.
"LIZ!"
Jess took over. "How about men on Enterprise?"
Everyone was silent for a moment. There was a certain unspoken taboo about being attracted to fellow crewmembers. Certainly StarFleet had guidelines about the issue, but since the Enterprise was the first long term manned vessel, the crew found themselves having to bend the rules a bit. Officially, it was against the rules to date someone in your own chain of command, unless both were the same rank. The crew frequently bent the rule, dating at least outside of their departments.
"No-one? I'll start - Michael Rostov." Jess volunteered.
"Crewman Rostov?" Amani repeated, surprised.
Jess grinned. "You should see the cute pout he makes when cursing out a blown relay. And he does it in Russian."
"Really?" Hoshi was surprised.
"Well, I think Bailey in Hydroponics is fine. It takes talented hands, you know, to care for all those plants," Amani stated, a sly gleam in her eyes causing the other to gasp and laugh.
Hoshi poked Liz, "C'mon, we all know your exotic tastes."
Liz wrinkled her nose. "Hey, it's no secret I find the Doctor interesting. But you've got a great gig too - you hang out with Mayweather all day!"
Jess and Amani immediately chimed agreement with that.
"Hey, T'Pol! Is there any males on the ship that meet Vulcan aesthetic standards?" Amani asked.
"It is inappropriate to speak of crewmates in such a way." T'Pol stated.
"Aw, come on!" "There must be someone!" "Please, T'Pol?"
Hoshi was curious as well. "It would be interesting for us to understand something of your point of view as well, T'Pol."
T'Pol regarded Hoshi a moment, then said, "Very well. Commander Tucker meets some of the physical aesthetic standards, though I do find Lieutenant Reed's calm, reserve, and direct manner more appropriate than Commander Tucker's jocularity."
Jaws dropped around.
"Wow." Amani breathed. "OK, let me see if I get your point of view." She pondered a minute. "Part of it has to be height."
T'Pol nodded. "Vulcan males are generally taller than two meters."
Jess jumped in with "Tucker's got a pretty good complexion, for a guy. I mean, I've never seen a Vulcan with blotchy skin."
Liz just shook her head. "I agree that Commander Tucker's a hottie, but I can't figure how you can admit that when you two fight all the time."
T'Pol replied, "It is a strictly objective assessment, based on aesthetic standards. His personality does not influence the assessment. Were we not discussing male appearance objectively?"
Hoshi shrugged. "I can't understand your ideas about Lieutenant Reed. He's not reserved at all."
Four pairs of eyes fixed on Hoshi.
"What?"
"Did you just say that REED isn't reserved?!?" Jess gasped, before laughing hysterically.
"Hoshi, he's barely said two words to any woman on this ship!" Amani exclaimed.
"He hates human contact. Phlox had to practically threaten him to get him to let me patch up his last bunch of injuries."
T'Pol said nothing, but merely waited for more evidence from Hoshi.
Hoshi looked around. "I can't believe you guys. He's got a wicked sense of humor. He teases me all the time. And he's very patient and kind when we work on target practice." She turned to Liz. "He just doesn't like to admit it when he's in pain. I've seen him after some missions; I certainly wouldn't go without analgesics the way he does!" She shrugged again. "He's a wonderful guy. You just haven't gotten the chance to get to know him."
The three human women exchanged glances.
Amani held up a finger. "He teases her."
Jess held up two. "Patient and kind."
Liz held up three fingers. "A wonderful guy."
Amani shook her head. "She's got it pretty bad."
T'Pol looked politely curious. She couldn't understand the point the women had drawn from the evidence provided by Ensign Sato. And oddly, the ensign's face had turned a very unusual shade of red.
"Stop it." Hoshi muttered.
"Sheesh, Hoshi, when did this happen?" Liz asked.
Hoshi bit her lip. "Just now."
"WHAT?!?"
T'Pol cut in, suddenly understanding. "I believe the ensign's defense of Lieutenant Reed has brought her to this conclusion only now. Logically, had she never considered the Lieutenant's admirable qualities in total before, her just defense of him now reveals previously subconscious regard."
"Huh! Hoshi digs Lieutenant Reed." Liz grinned. "That's so cute!" The others giggled as well.
"Too bad you didn't spend time with him on Risa, eh, Hoshi?"
"Not for lack of trying! I wore that red dress, and he didn't even flinch." Hoshi sighed.
"I had thought that the leave time would relieve tensions, not increase them." T'Pol frowned slightly.
"YOU recommended Risa?" Amani gasped.
"Of course. It has been my experience with humans that constant stress can reduce efficiency. I told the Captain that I believed an opportunity to relieve stress through mating rituals, and Risa being a very accommodating society, would be beneficial for the crew."
Hoshi turned red again as Liz nudged her. "Oh, it worked, T'Pol! Just, not as everyone planned I think."
"Well, we need to find out if HE has any regard for Hoshi." Amani stated. From her expression, she was plotting evil things.
"It wouldn't be right! I mean, it would never work out - we're both command crew."
"On the contrary, Ensign. You are in Sciences. Lieutenant Reed is Command. They are, according to StarFleet, different chains of command."
"T'Pol, I would have though you of all people would be discouraging Hoshi!" Jess exclaimed.
Vulcans do not shrug, otherwise that would have been the only response she would have made. Hoshi peered at T'Pol. Knowing the Vulcan woman somewhat better than the others, she knew there was something T'Pol was not saying.
"T'Pol?" Hoshi finally asked. "You know almost everything that happens on board."
T'Pol's eyebrow twitched, and she replied, "I have noticed that during the highly inappropriate moments of humor on the bridge, Lieutenant Reed attempts to make eye contact with you 2.7 times more than any other person on the bridge."
"Ah ha!" Amani crowed. "That's good enough for me!" She rooted through her manicure bag, pulling out a red bottle. "C'mere, Hoshi. Nothing like a little Candy Apple Red to get a guy's attention."
*********************************
At 23:30 the women unanimously decided to call it a night. Hoshi volunteered to return the thermoses and tea items to the Mess herself, but T'Pol merely pointed out the nearness of her quarters to the Mess and proceeded to gather up the items. Insisting, Hoshi grabbed the thermoses and said goodbye to the three others and she and T'Pol walked to the lift.
"Did you find the evening interesting?" Hoshi asked T'Pol.
"I did. I discovered many insights that while couched in emotional frivolities, did increase my knowledge of humans, and females in particular."
Hoshi winced, "Just don't let the girls know they were an anthro class!"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Nevermind." They deposited their items in the wash chute in the Mess. "Goodnight, Sub-Commander."
"Good night, Ensign. And.. Thank you."
*******************************
Hoshi was already eating breakfast when Sub-Commander T'Pol entered the Mess the next morning. Ensigns Tagish and Ngorodi were just leaving.
"Good morning, SubCommander!" "Good morning!"
"Ensigns." T'Pol nodded to the two women. She collected a cup of tea and looked around the Mess briefly. Hoshi nodded when their eyes met.
"Good morning Ensign." T'Pol greeted her gravely as she sat.
"SubCommander."
"Hey Hoshi!" From the other end of the breakfast line, Commander Tucker waved. Behind him, Lt. Reed nodded morning greetings as the two gathered their breakfast and made their way over. They both paused, however, upon seeing Hoshi's tablemate.
"Ok if we join you ladies?" Trip asked.
Hoshi glanced at T'Pol, tapping her fingernail on the tabletop. T'Pol merely raised a brow, then gave a nearly imperceptible nod.
"It's fine with us." Hoshi scooted over a bit, allowing Malcolm to pull up his chair next to her.
Trip settled in, stuffed a large portion of scrambled eggs in his mouth, and immediately began to talk around them. "So, how was girls' night?"
Stifling giggles at Trip's table manners, Hoshi smiled and said, "It was a lovely evening." She turned to T'Pol. "Wasn't it, SubCommander?"
"Indeed. It was .. pleasant." She seemed to search for a word. "Educational."
Trip swallowed hastily to gape at the Vulcan. "You went to Girls' Night?"
T'Pol simply nodded. She wondered why Tucker always had to restate the obvious.
Hoshi smiled wider. She said, "We were glad to have her. T'Pol is a welcome addition."
Malcolm gave Hoshi a questioning look, but she didn't elaborate. Trip stared at T'Pol like he'd never seen anything like her before. The Vulcan woman simply lifted her cup to her lips to sip as her attention turned to the PADD in her other hand. As her cup reached her lips, Trip made a strangled noise.
"Is there a problem, Commander?" T'Pol inquired politely.
"Yer.. Uh, ya got something on yer fingernails."
T'Pol glanced at Ensign Sato, who was trying to refrain from laughing. Replying to the Commander, she said "Yes, Commander. Ensign Ngorodi was kind enough to .. 'paint my nails'." She set down her cup and displayed her hand for Commander Tucker. "I find the Ensign's artistic ability commendable." Her nails had a shimmering green and blue swirls as the base color, with tiny stars picked out in gold and silver. Amani had claimed a nebula as her inspiration.
Trip stared at her hand for a moment, the looked up at her face. Some expression T'Pol was unable to identify crossed his face, and he began mumbling about needing to get to Engineering early today. He hastily built a sandwich out of his remaining breakfast and left quickly.
T'Pol could hear Ensign Sato's barely restrained laughter as she watched the Commander leave. "Fascinating," she muttered to herself. Rising, she nodded to the Ensign and the ever-quiet Lieutenant and departed.
"See you later, T'Pol," Hoshi waved and went back to her meal.
A quiet accented voice said, "That was sneaky. Deliberate and entertaining, but sneaky nonetheless."
Hoshi snickered. "We told T'Pol to observe male reactions to feminine, um, enhancements. Commander Tucker is an excellent test specimen."
Malcolm chuckled quietly. "No doubt he'll spend the rest of his day cursing his hormones."
Hoshi glanced up. "You think it had THAT much of an effect?"
Malcolm shrugged. "The way they dance around each other and argue, it's entirely possible." He glanced down at her hands, the back up to her face. "Are you in on the experiment as well?"
Hoshi fluttered her eyelashes at him in blatant humor. "Why? Am I getting an effect?"
Malcolm smile was almost sly. "Perhaps." He collected his plates and rose. "Candy Apple Red is very becoming on you." And he left.
Hoshi grinned at his back. Oh, this was going to be fun.
Lt. Malcolm Reed and Cmdr. Trip Tucker were grabbing late dinners in the mess that evening. Malcolm had seated himself facing the windows, so he wasn't aware of the activity behind him as Trip glanced up and made a horrified face.
"Oh, god. It's Girls' Night!"
Malcolm turned in his chair to see Hoshi Sato and Liz Cutler garbed in sweats, tees, robes, and slippers, coercing Chef into providing them with bags of popcorn and thermoses. Trip shook his head at them as they waved to the senior officers.
"Stay out of the lounge tonight, gentlemen!" Hoshi called as she and Liz departed with their booty.
Malcolm observed, "I've never understood the female urge to gather in groups like that. What do you suppose they get up to on these evenings?"
Trip shuddered theatrically. "They paint their nails and toes, give themselves facials, and gossip about .. us!"
Malcolm's expression was disbelieving. "You must be joking?"
************************************************************
Hoshi Sato wiggled her toes in her pink bunny slippers. She grinned at Liz, standing next to her in the lift. "What did we get?"
Liz opened a thermos and sniffed. "Hot cocoa. And Amani is bringing her manicure kit."
Hoshi patted her robe pocket. "I've got those old movie stills she wanted right here."
The lift opened, and the two young women hustled down the corridor to the lounge. The room's windows faced forward, just a few decks below the bridge, giving a fantastic view. A few low tables and overstuffed chairs stood in the room. Barely bigger than the Captain's ready room, few of the crew thought to use it for it's intended purpose, preferring the mess for socializing. This particular evening, Jessica was taping a beautifully lettered sign stating "No Boys Allowed" to the doorframe as Hoshi and Liz arrived.
"Amani's inside already," Jessica told them, pocketing the electrical tape and tapping the doorpad.
Four women, all StarFleet, all ensigns, doing their best to stay sane in space. Ensign Liz Cutler, entomologist and field medic, was a perky brunette of, as she called it, "North American Mutt" stock. Hoshi had met her early in Enterprise's mission, and the two women had hit it off immediately.
Ensign Jessica Tagish, a redheaded, freckled-faced engineer, hailed from Ireland, impressing Hoshi with her ability to speak, read, and write Irish Gaelic fluently. She and Hoshi had met in the mess, where they'd bumped and spilt milk all over each other. Jessica had sworn in Gaelic; Hoshi insulted her right back.
Ensign Amani Ngorodi was born and raised in Africa. Her most outstanding feature was her startlingly white ear-to-ear grin in her darkest-African face. Thick, even cornrows arced over a skull as perfect as an Egyptian sculpture. The exo-zoologist claimed that she could handle any animal she came across, and liked to tell scary stories about poisonous reptiles and big cats. She'd been Jessica's sparring partner for TaeKwonDo sessions in the gym.
Ensign Hoshi Sato, linguist, was the only bridge officer of the group. For some reason, that let the others default her into "leader" position. Hoshi found herself in the odd position of being head of Communications for the NX-01, yet only an Ensign. All of her "staff" were enlisted crewmen, not officers like herself. Not that it bothered her greatly; she'd been well used to dealing with underlings from her university teaching time, but everyone around her were 'StarFleet' while she still didn't really understand what that meant. Hoshi had taken a 5-week accelerated "basic training" when offered a commission in the new organization, then promptly took leave to teach. A few arguments with Jon Archer later, and the next thing she knew, she was light-years from home. These bi-weekly gatherings of females made up for some of the loss.
As they settled in for an evening of gossip, manicures, and junk food, Hoshi cleared her throat. "Um, girls? I have a confession to make."
"What is it, Hosh?"
"I invited T'Pol to join us."
A brief moment of silence was immediately followed by an outburst of questions.
"Why in space would you do that?"
"Hoshi, she'll only kill the mood, or not get any of it!"
"I think it's a good idea."
Attention immediately shifted to Liz. She smiled. "I like T'Pol. Buried in there somewhere is a wicked sense of humor. I've watched her argue with Commander Tucker. I think it's a good idea."
They all heard a knock on the door.
"Too late now," Jessica said glumly.
Tossing Jess a quelling look, Hoshi called out, "C'mon in!"
The lounge door hissed open to reveal T'Pol, wearing, to their amazement, some sort of Vulcan robe in shimmering green and gold and holding a tray. On the tray sat a steaming clay pot surrounded by several smaller pots. Nodding to them all, T'Pol approached the group, setting the tray on a low table.
Hoshi grinned at the Sub-Commander. "I'm glad you were able to come."
T'Pol nodded. "I... appreciated your invitation, Ensign. I trust I am appropriately attired?"
Jessica touched the hem of the robe. "This is fantastic! What is it?"
"A Vulcan ceremonial robe, worn for courts of law and philosophy. Dr. Phlox assured me it was appropriate."
The four women giggled, but Hoshi quickly assured T'Pol that there was a certain logic in the Doctor's assessment. "What's in the pot?"
Amani sniffed the steam. "Sub-commander! You brought us Chai!" She exclaimed.
Liz grinned at T'Pol. "You're in like Flynn."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Nevermind."
Hoshi indicated that T'Pol should sit. The Vulcan woman gracefully sat, lotus position, on the floor.
An hour later, Hoshi and Jessica were scanning though old film pictures as Amani tried to convince T'Pol to let her paint T'Pol's nails.
"I do not understand the point of this decoration."
Amani tried to explain. "Well, human females use cosmetics to improve their appearance. I mean, I know you wouldn't want to attract any of the men onboard, but.." She shrugged a bit.
"Think of it this way, T'Pol," Liz jumped into the fray. "The males aboard Enterprise see you as an intimidating figure, but strictly as a Vulcan, not as a female. Consider it an experiment in anthropology - you can do this one small human female thing, and then measure their reactions against their usual behavior towards you."
T'Pol thought it over. "Your theory is that their behavior would change simply due to this one cosmetic change in my appearance."
Amani nodded vigorously. "But it's not only that. A woman's nails can make a statement! When I was in school for my degree, I used to paint my nails in ways that mimicked the coloration of the animal we were studying."
Jess snorted. "I wish I'd seen them when you did the Denobulan LizardGrouse!" Considering the fact the creature in question had tiny multi-colored scales, it must have been a feat of artistry to recreate them on nails.
"Very well, then. I will observe this phenomenon." T'Pol extended her hands towards Amani.
"Fantastic! I know just the color!" Amani delved into her bag.
*******************************
"Ok, Burt Lancaster."
"Ooo, yes!"
"Even when he was older he was handsome."
"How about Harrison Ford? Now there's one with good genetics!"
Four human women laughed uproariously. T'Pol merely quirked an eyebrow. "Am I to understand that you select possible mates purely on aesthetic grounds?"
"No," Hoshi said. "Well, not really. I mean, it certainly doesn't hurt if a guy's good looking, but that's not the only thing I look for."
"Yeah, Hoshi likes accents too!" The other women broke up again.
"LIZ!"
Jess took over. "How about men on Enterprise?"
Everyone was silent for a moment. There was a certain unspoken taboo about being attracted to fellow crewmembers. Certainly StarFleet had guidelines about the issue, but since the Enterprise was the first long term manned vessel, the crew found themselves having to bend the rules a bit. Officially, it was against the rules to date someone in your own chain of command, unless both were the same rank. The crew frequently bent the rule, dating at least outside of their departments.
"No-one? I'll start - Michael Rostov." Jess volunteered.
"Crewman Rostov?" Amani repeated, surprised.
Jess grinned. "You should see the cute pout he makes when cursing out a blown relay. And he does it in Russian."
"Really?" Hoshi was surprised.
"Well, I think Bailey in Hydroponics is fine. It takes talented hands, you know, to care for all those plants," Amani stated, a sly gleam in her eyes causing the other to gasp and laugh.
Hoshi poked Liz, "C'mon, we all know your exotic tastes."
Liz wrinkled her nose. "Hey, it's no secret I find the Doctor interesting. But you've got a great gig too - you hang out with Mayweather all day!"
Jess and Amani immediately chimed agreement with that.
"Hey, T'Pol! Is there any males on the ship that meet Vulcan aesthetic standards?" Amani asked.
"It is inappropriate to speak of crewmates in such a way." T'Pol stated.
"Aw, come on!" "There must be someone!" "Please, T'Pol?"
Hoshi was curious as well. "It would be interesting for us to understand something of your point of view as well, T'Pol."
T'Pol regarded Hoshi a moment, then said, "Very well. Commander Tucker meets some of the physical aesthetic standards, though I do find Lieutenant Reed's calm, reserve, and direct manner more appropriate than Commander Tucker's jocularity."
Jaws dropped around.
"Wow." Amani breathed. "OK, let me see if I get your point of view." She pondered a minute. "Part of it has to be height."
T'Pol nodded. "Vulcan males are generally taller than two meters."
Jess jumped in with "Tucker's got a pretty good complexion, for a guy. I mean, I've never seen a Vulcan with blotchy skin."
Liz just shook her head. "I agree that Commander Tucker's a hottie, but I can't figure how you can admit that when you two fight all the time."
T'Pol replied, "It is a strictly objective assessment, based on aesthetic standards. His personality does not influence the assessment. Were we not discussing male appearance objectively?"
Hoshi shrugged. "I can't understand your ideas about Lieutenant Reed. He's not reserved at all."
Four pairs of eyes fixed on Hoshi.
"What?"
"Did you just say that REED isn't reserved?!?" Jess gasped, before laughing hysterically.
"Hoshi, he's barely said two words to any woman on this ship!" Amani exclaimed.
"He hates human contact. Phlox had to practically threaten him to get him to let me patch up his last bunch of injuries."
T'Pol said nothing, but merely waited for more evidence from Hoshi.
Hoshi looked around. "I can't believe you guys. He's got a wicked sense of humor. He teases me all the time. And he's very patient and kind when we work on target practice." She turned to Liz. "He just doesn't like to admit it when he's in pain. I've seen him after some missions; I certainly wouldn't go without analgesics the way he does!" She shrugged again. "He's a wonderful guy. You just haven't gotten the chance to get to know him."
The three human women exchanged glances.
Amani held up a finger. "He teases her."
Jess held up two. "Patient and kind."
Liz held up three fingers. "A wonderful guy."
Amani shook her head. "She's got it pretty bad."
T'Pol looked politely curious. She couldn't understand the point the women had drawn from the evidence provided by Ensign Sato. And oddly, the ensign's face had turned a very unusual shade of red.
"Stop it." Hoshi muttered.
"Sheesh, Hoshi, when did this happen?" Liz asked.
Hoshi bit her lip. "Just now."
"WHAT?!?"
T'Pol cut in, suddenly understanding. "I believe the ensign's defense of Lieutenant Reed has brought her to this conclusion only now. Logically, had she never considered the Lieutenant's admirable qualities in total before, her just defense of him now reveals previously subconscious regard."
"Huh! Hoshi digs Lieutenant Reed." Liz grinned. "That's so cute!" The others giggled as well.
"Too bad you didn't spend time with him on Risa, eh, Hoshi?"
"Not for lack of trying! I wore that red dress, and he didn't even flinch." Hoshi sighed.
"I had thought that the leave time would relieve tensions, not increase them." T'Pol frowned slightly.
"YOU recommended Risa?" Amani gasped.
"Of course. It has been my experience with humans that constant stress can reduce efficiency. I told the Captain that I believed an opportunity to relieve stress through mating rituals, and Risa being a very accommodating society, would be beneficial for the crew."
Hoshi turned red again as Liz nudged her. "Oh, it worked, T'Pol! Just, not as everyone planned I think."
"Well, we need to find out if HE has any regard for Hoshi." Amani stated. From her expression, she was plotting evil things.
"It wouldn't be right! I mean, it would never work out - we're both command crew."
"On the contrary, Ensign. You are in Sciences. Lieutenant Reed is Command. They are, according to StarFleet, different chains of command."
"T'Pol, I would have though you of all people would be discouraging Hoshi!" Jess exclaimed.
Vulcans do not shrug, otherwise that would have been the only response she would have made. Hoshi peered at T'Pol. Knowing the Vulcan woman somewhat better than the others, she knew there was something T'Pol was not saying.
"T'Pol?" Hoshi finally asked. "You know almost everything that happens on board."
T'Pol's eyebrow twitched, and she replied, "I have noticed that during the highly inappropriate moments of humor on the bridge, Lieutenant Reed attempts to make eye contact with you 2.7 times more than any other person on the bridge."
"Ah ha!" Amani crowed. "That's good enough for me!" She rooted through her manicure bag, pulling out a red bottle. "C'mere, Hoshi. Nothing like a little Candy Apple Red to get a guy's attention."
*********************************
At 23:30 the women unanimously decided to call it a night. Hoshi volunteered to return the thermoses and tea items to the Mess herself, but T'Pol merely pointed out the nearness of her quarters to the Mess and proceeded to gather up the items. Insisting, Hoshi grabbed the thermoses and said goodbye to the three others and she and T'Pol walked to the lift.
"Did you find the evening interesting?" Hoshi asked T'Pol.
"I did. I discovered many insights that while couched in emotional frivolities, did increase my knowledge of humans, and females in particular."
Hoshi winced, "Just don't let the girls know they were an anthro class!"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Nevermind." They deposited their items in the wash chute in the Mess. "Goodnight, Sub-Commander."
"Good night, Ensign. And.. Thank you."
*******************************
Hoshi was already eating breakfast when Sub-Commander T'Pol entered the Mess the next morning. Ensigns Tagish and Ngorodi were just leaving.
"Good morning, SubCommander!" "Good morning!"
"Ensigns." T'Pol nodded to the two women. She collected a cup of tea and looked around the Mess briefly. Hoshi nodded when their eyes met.
"Good morning Ensign." T'Pol greeted her gravely as she sat.
"SubCommander."
"Hey Hoshi!" From the other end of the breakfast line, Commander Tucker waved. Behind him, Lt. Reed nodded morning greetings as the two gathered their breakfast and made their way over. They both paused, however, upon seeing Hoshi's tablemate.
"Ok if we join you ladies?" Trip asked.
Hoshi glanced at T'Pol, tapping her fingernail on the tabletop. T'Pol merely raised a brow, then gave a nearly imperceptible nod.
"It's fine with us." Hoshi scooted over a bit, allowing Malcolm to pull up his chair next to her.
Trip settled in, stuffed a large portion of scrambled eggs in his mouth, and immediately began to talk around them. "So, how was girls' night?"
Stifling giggles at Trip's table manners, Hoshi smiled and said, "It was a lovely evening." She turned to T'Pol. "Wasn't it, SubCommander?"
"Indeed. It was .. pleasant." She seemed to search for a word. "Educational."
Trip swallowed hastily to gape at the Vulcan. "You went to Girls' Night?"
T'Pol simply nodded. She wondered why Tucker always had to restate the obvious.
Hoshi smiled wider. She said, "We were glad to have her. T'Pol is a welcome addition."
Malcolm gave Hoshi a questioning look, but she didn't elaborate. Trip stared at T'Pol like he'd never seen anything like her before. The Vulcan woman simply lifted her cup to her lips to sip as her attention turned to the PADD in her other hand. As her cup reached her lips, Trip made a strangled noise.
"Is there a problem, Commander?" T'Pol inquired politely.
"Yer.. Uh, ya got something on yer fingernails."
T'Pol glanced at Ensign Sato, who was trying to refrain from laughing. Replying to the Commander, she said "Yes, Commander. Ensign Ngorodi was kind enough to .. 'paint my nails'." She set down her cup and displayed her hand for Commander Tucker. "I find the Ensign's artistic ability commendable." Her nails had a shimmering green and blue swirls as the base color, with tiny stars picked out in gold and silver. Amani had claimed a nebula as her inspiration.
Trip stared at her hand for a moment, the looked up at her face. Some expression T'Pol was unable to identify crossed his face, and he began mumbling about needing to get to Engineering early today. He hastily built a sandwich out of his remaining breakfast and left quickly.
T'Pol could hear Ensign Sato's barely restrained laughter as she watched the Commander leave. "Fascinating," she muttered to herself. Rising, she nodded to the Ensign and the ever-quiet Lieutenant and departed.
"See you later, T'Pol," Hoshi waved and went back to her meal.
A quiet accented voice said, "That was sneaky. Deliberate and entertaining, but sneaky nonetheless."
Hoshi snickered. "We told T'Pol to observe male reactions to feminine, um, enhancements. Commander Tucker is an excellent test specimen."
Malcolm chuckled quietly. "No doubt he'll spend the rest of his day cursing his hormones."
Hoshi glanced up. "You think it had THAT much of an effect?"
Malcolm shrugged. "The way they dance around each other and argue, it's entirely possible." He glanced down at her hands, the back up to her face. "Are you in on the experiment as well?"
Hoshi fluttered her eyelashes at him in blatant humor. "Why? Am I getting an effect?"
Malcolm smile was almost sly. "Perhaps." He collected his plates and rose. "Candy Apple Red is very becoming on you." And he left.
Hoshi grinned at his back. Oh, this was going to be fun.