Author's Note: I have been MIA for quite a while and I am back with another random story from yet another completely different fandom! I dunno if anyone even reads stories from this fandom anymore but I had an idea in my head after reading some fanfiction from other authors that wrote Hoshi and Malcolm stories and I came to really like the two together. They just have a certain je ne sais quoi? I have seen others write about why they work together in words that I could never match, so I will not even try.
I am not giving up writing my Prisoner of Azkaban Missing Moments, but as I mentioned, those are based on when inspiration hits me. Writing this came out of nowhere and I wrote it and edited it over four days or so, so give me time. It probably will just end up as a nice surprise for any of you that have it or me to notify you of alerts. Without further ado, I hope this story is at least entertaining and I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: Star Trek: Enterprise is an affiliate of CBS et al and I am merely using their creation for fun; I own no rights to any of the following characters. I am not receiving any money for my work, though I would have been more than happy to contribute to the rather poor writing that the show had and the even worse character development of anyone that was not part of the 'Big Three'—Captain Archer, Sub-Commander T'Pol, and Commander Tucker... But I digress. Cheers
Operation Windsor
"Malcolm! Hey Malcolm!"
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, Armoury Officer, Tactical Officer, and Chief of Security for the NX-01 Enterprise, continued looking at the PADD in his hand, occasionally squatting to look into the open phase cannon panel in order to input the data and variables he wanted for the level-two diagnostic he intended to run on the phase cannons. He does not need to look around as he knows full well that the voice behind him at the entrance to the armoury will be Ensign Travis Mayweather, the young, friendly, and somewhat overly enthusiastic Helmsman. The lieutenant continues inputting data into his PADD as the ensign approached him, withholding a slight smile internally as he knows Travis will undoubtedly be sporting his near permanent broad grin, but maintained his thoughtful, calm, and stoic composure.
"Hey Malcolm! Did you hear?" Travis asked excitedly.
"It's 'Lieutenant' or 'sir' Ensign. You might be off-duty now, but I am not," he states without any emotion. Travis knows from the time he has served with him that he is not being rude; it is merely his sense of honour and dedication to his duty that he insists upon maintaining the formality whilst officially 'on the clock' as Chief Engineer Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III might say. Travis's smile doesn't waver as he switches up without missing a beat.
"Sir, did you hear? About Movie Night?"
Malcolm finished inputting the last of the data into the form he is in before turning just ever so slightly to acknowledge Travis as he continued tweaking a couple of other variables.
"The commander has dug out yet another 'classic' has he not?" Malcolm asked dryly, but with just enough of a smirk behind his eyes as he glances respectfully between his PADD and Travis in turn, ensuring the energetic young helmsman that he is indeed listening. "Hopefully he has not misclassified this selection as much as he did his last one."
Travis grins further in amusement as he chuckles slightly before adding, "Agreed sir. I dunno how he thought Young Frankenstein could be considered 'shocking' or 'thrilling'. It was funny, but definitely not what I was expecting."
Malcolm looked up from his PADD to allow a very brief chuckle to break through his demeanour for a moment before returning to his work. Travis, knowing this was his way of allowing him to continue, grinned again as he prepared to inform his superior officer of the film that surely would get him to come down tonight. It was a film that absolutely was not chosen as any sort of bait or gimmick in order to ensure the lieutenant's presence... No, of course not. Why would they ever do that? Travis bit back a smirk and felt his excitement grow, but was determined to not overwhelm the lieutenant with his enthusiasm.
"I can absolutely assure you, sir, that you would find this film intriguing," he said, attempting to balance his inner excitement with what one would normally expect himself to be displaying so as to not add to the standard level of paranoia the Brit typically maintained. If Malcolm was intrigued, he did not show it as he continued working with his PADD.
"Is that so?" he asked in a neutral tone. "Did Mr Tucker put you up to this?"
Travis had expected this question so he managed to maintain his smile, even if inside he felt it fall slightly and felt himself grow a little concerned on whether they would have to turn to 'Plan B'.
"Trip? Err... I mean, Commander Tucker sir? I mean, he did think you would be interested in it," Travis conceded.
He paused as he waited for his words to sink in and then added with a grin, "Despite its age, I think it is still widely regarded as one of the greatest British films of all time. Some might call it mind blowing..."
Malcolm paused slightly before asking, "Would 'classic' be the Commander's opinion, or yours Ensign?"
Grinning even more, Travis responded, "I think for once sir, we might all agree. This film tends to bridge film critics."
Malcolm froze in the middle of pressing his finger to his PADD, slowly turning around to face a wide grinning Travis.
"You don't mean...?"
"Bridge. Over. The. River. Kwai," Travis said as he nodded with a smile, his hands physically emphasising each word of the title excitedly as he said them.
Malcolm actually had to mentally fight to keep his face as straight as possible but could not stop himself from muttering, "About bloody time."
Travis, pretending he had not heard his mutter, pressed forward and asked, "So, are you wrapping up here Lieutenant?"
Malcolm finally allowed his professional façade to lower slightly, letting his shoulders drop and sighed.
"Unfortunately not Ensign. It sounds like fun, but I still need to finish my preparations to run this diagnostic on the phase cannons."
Travis's smile dropped just a little bit, but in perfect timing, he heard the footsteps of 'Plan B' walking towards the armoury behind him.
"I was going to go eat dinner before Movie Night," he said in what he hoped did not sound too devious. "Care to join us?"
"Us?" he questioned, his head lifting up briefly from his PADD in slight confusion.
"Are you going to come eat with us Lieutenant?" queried the beaming Communications Officer, Ensign Hoshi Sato.
Travis used everything he had from his experiences playing poker to maintain his current face, willing himself to not allow his smile to transition into a smirk as he watched Malcolm fully look up from his PADD sharply. The armoury officer's face was every bit of the calm, neutral British stoicism that he was famous for, but Travis would wager his desserts for a month that Malcolm's quick head raise was not because he had been shocked by her appearance.
Turning to look back at the phase cannon panel, then to his PADD, and then finally to face the two ensigns, both of whom were smiling (though perhaps for slightly different reasons), Malcolm seemed to resign himself in acquiescence as he again squatted to close the panel to the phase cannons. Travis saw Hoshi tilt her head ever so slightly as she watched the lieutenant bend over to properly close the door to the phase cannons. Travis didn't even bother hiding his smug grin from her, though it did earn him a silently mouthed retort that he was sure she would not have repeated in front of the captain.
She came off as innocent, especially as her face flushed ever so slightly, but Travis knew her better than to suspect that she had not also perhaps just cursed Travis in an unknown number of languages. He had received several verbal 'admonishments' in Russian, German, Klingon, and what he thought might have been Andorian, after teasing her when the lieutenant had started to approach their table the last time the three of them had had dinner together, but as with now, he never took offence. It was part of their 'essentially siblings' friendship. Malcolm finished closing the panel and stood up.
"I suppose I could finish submitting the last of my data at dinner..." he stated, more to himself than to either Hoshi or Travis. Turning to give them his full attention he said, "Very well Ensigns, I will join you."
Travis noticed Hoshi's smile perk up as she and the lieutenant turned to leave the armoury. Travis followed with a grin, pausing at the communicator at the door.
"Aren't you coming Ensign?" the lieutenant queired.
"Of course! I was asking going to ask Trip to join us!" he affirmed... Which was partly true.
"We're going to start making our way there," Hoshi said with a shrug, grabbing the lieutenant's arm and pulling him with her. Travis fully allowed the smirk to take over his face as he pressed the communicator.
"Ensign Mayweather to Commander Tucker."
"Tucker here," came a southern drawl from the communicator. "What's goin' on Travis?"
"Operation Windsor is a go," Travis said with a sly grin, knowing his superior officer was wearing a matching one on his side. "Are you about to be going to dinner, sir? Want to meet us there?"
"Sounds like a plan Travis. I'll go an' see if T'Pol has eaten yet an' we'll meet y'all there. Tucker out."
Travis turned and headed out of the armoury, jogging just a bit to catch up to Hoshi and Malcolm who had apparently just brought up Movie Night.
"Sooo... Are you going then Lieutenant?" asked Hoshi with just a slight hint of eagerness in her voice.
"I'm not quite sure yet Ensign. I think I should start that diagnostic, even though I do really enjoy The Bridge on the River Kwai," Malcolm admitted. "It is such a classic."
"Some of my family doesn't care for it," Hoshi said. "They think it demeaned Japanese people for suggesting that they couldn't construct a bridge as well as the British could."
"My father told me about that controversy when we watched it together," Malcolm stated, his eyes seeming to look off in remembrance in what was one of very few positive memories he had with his father. "He told me that he had always assumed that the Imperial Japanese Army had stuck one of their less talented officers out to command some prison camp out away from the front and he told me to do the same. He said that some of the finest and most intelligent engineers he had ever met were from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Forces."
Turning back to look at her he added, "Besides, anyone that does think so negatively of the Japanese is an idiot when one looks at all the world received from Japan. The Japanese have created some of the most inexplicably amazing, beautiful, and brilliant things Earth or this galaxy has ever seen."
Hoshi's heart fluttered slightly as his eyes met hers, just managing to contain the teenaged giddiness she felt inside.
"That. Was. Smoooooth!" said Travis from behind them. Their gaze broke and Malcolm cleared his throat uncomfortably whilst Hoshi glared at Travis.
"Right, well... We ought to hurry before all of Chef's best food is gone," Malcolm muttered as he pulled out his PADD and continued on to the dining hall, the tips of his ears and the back of his neck coloured slightly. Looking at Hoshi again, Travis knew that if looks could kill, he would be dead multiple times over.
"Sorry!" Travis tried with true sincerity as Hoshi's glare further intensified, her hands balled into fists in frustration. "I was just caught off guard by the lieutenant's words! I'll need to remember that on my next date or shore leave."
Hoshi continued her glare for a moment before slumping her shoulders.
"I know," she said quietly as they entered the dining hall and grabbed their food. In a tone of frustration she added, "It's just that he actually opened up a bit there and we were having a moment. One would think he was a Vulcan with how rarely he does that or shows any sort of emotions or feelings."
"Speaking of," Travis muttered as Sub-Commander T'Pol and Trip arrived with their own food at the table everyone was sharing.
"Evenin' everyone," said Trip with a smile. "Everyone comin' to Movie Night?"
"Sounds like fun," said Travis before turning to nod at Malcolm with a knowing grin to Trip. "The lieutenant here is still undecided though."
"What? Com'on Malcolm! I even got T'Pol to agree to come an' see one of the greatest British films of all time," said Trip.
"Whilst I appreciate you upgrading your taste in cinema and film selections Commander, I was planning on running a level-two diagnostic for the phase cannons."
"Is there something wrong with the phase cannons Lieutenant?" asked T'Pol. "I believe you ran a diagnostic on them just two days ago for a slight targeting variance that you remedied, despite it being well within Starfleet's levels of acceptable variance. You do yourself a disservice by not allowing yourself more time for rest and recreation Lieutenant."
"An' that's comin' from a Vulcan!" quipped Trip with a chuckle as T'Pol asked Malcolm if she could see his PADD.
"Respectfully Commander, Sub-Commander, there is Starfleet's level of what is 'acceptable' and then there is mine," said Malcolm after handing his PADD over to T'Pol who looked over it quickly.
"Mr Reed, your determination to improve the phase cannons to an even higher level of efficiency than they are currently operating at would make you an acceptable armoury officer on Vulcan starships," said T'Pol as she handed him back his PADD with a cocked eyebrow that indicated she might have been impressed.
"Now she's damn near hittin' on ya' Malcolm," said Trip with a laugh and mock astonishment, glancing briefly at Hoshi.
T'Pol apparently did not recognise the humour behind Trip's words, glancing at him with a look that had just the slightest hint of confusion or misunderstanding behind her normal calm and neutral Vulcan demeanour.
"'Hitting on him'?" T'Pol repeated with a slight pause. With her typical flat tone, she then said, "Whilst Mr Reed is indeed aesthetically pleasing and has an agreeable professional manner that I have found to be extremely rare amongst humans, I did not intend to imply that I was seeking to mate with him."
There was a synchronous reaction by all the humans at the table as Travis coughed slightly, Hoshi and Malcolm both choked on their teas, and Trip literally spit out the water he had had in his mouth. T'Pol's eyebrow raised further but she apparently chose not to comment on anyone's reactions. She instead faced Malcolm and said, "My apologies Mr Reed, if my comment came across as such."
"No apology necessary Sub-Commander," replied Malcolm, recovering much quicker than everyone else, though with slightly pink ears. "I appreciate the praise though nonetheless. Excuse me will you everyone? I want to wrap up inputting my diagnostic."
With that, Malcolm picked up the remains of his small meal and nodded to everyone as he stood up and left. Everyone turned with looks of astonishment from everyone but Hoshi to face T'Pol.
"'Aesthetically pleasing'?" Trip repeated in question, mouth slightly agape, earning him a cocked eyebrow from T'Pol.
"I am hardly the only person on the Enterprise that would consider him as such," she stated simply. "In fact there are other women aboard that have gone well beyond that in describing Mr Reed."
"Oh I don't doubt that," replied Trip with a smirk at Hoshi. Looking back at T'Pol he added, "I was simply curious if you were goin' after Malcolm. You mighta' made it inta' a competition."
"As I previously stated, I do not intend to 'pursue' Mr Reed so anyone that is interested in him should not feel threatened," she stated calmly, also glancing at Hoshi discretely.
As the others chuckled and began discussing other things, T'Pol glanced around before turning to Hoshi and whispered, "Dungi tu sahrafel?"
Hoshi nodded discretely with a small smile and replied, "Chaya t'not."
Hoshi sat there for a moment in silent contemplation, frustrated at her lack of progression with what they had dubbed, 'Operation Windsor'. She appreciated the effort her friends were putting in to assist her, but she was aware that Malcolm's professionalism and dedication to duty led him to probably worry about 'fraternisation', despite her not being under his direct command. With his questionable self-esteem that partially stemmed from his family's clear disappointment over him not following the tradition of serving in the Royal Navy, combined with his less than spectacular history with women (if ship's rumour mill and gossip had any truth to it), she wondered if he was perhaps just not seeing the hints she dropped to him. Did he perhaps think that she was not interested in him? Trip pulled away from his discussion with Travis as everyone began getting up and put a comforting hand over Hoshi's.
"Sorry Malcolm is bein' so blind," he said. "He's brilliant at tactics an' everythin' an' anythin' to do with weaponry, but I'm wonderin' if he would see how much you're inta' 'em even if ya' fell into his lap."
Giving him a thankful smile and collecting the remains of her dinner, she continued thinking as she got up with everyone else. Trip was great as a surrogate older brother and she realised that she was perhaps potentially playing a long game, one she did not have the patience for.
"I cannot believe you ordered me to attend Movie Night, Commander," said Lieutenant Reed as he walked between Commander Tucker and Ensign Mayweather. The two of them had 'escorted' him from his quarters down to the mess hall in order to ensure he, according to Trip, could 'rest an' recuperate an' whatever else T'Pol said'. The commander had also 'ordered' him to change into something casual, resulting in a slight impasse as the most casual the lieutenant would go was to change into some black trousers and a dark blue dress shirt.
"You heard me Loo-tenant," said Trip with a smirk. "The well-bein' of the crew is vital an' like T'Pol said, you needta relax!"
"You ordered me to attend Movie Night!"
Travis started chuckling as they reached the seating area, only for Malcolm to round on him with, "And you helped him? Travis!"
Travis laughed more, responding with a bright smile, "Orders are orders, sir. Sorry."
The two of them continued to frogmarch him to the end of a row of seats, finding a handful of empty ones near the back. Together they sat him down, one of them on either side.
"Now stay there Loo-tenant an' that's an order," said Trip with a smirk, knowing Malcolm's dedication to duty would force him to comply, regardless of how much he might not want to.
"Yes sir Commandah Tuckah," he replied in almost too good of an imitation of Trip's accent, crossing his arms as he settled into his seat. Trip opened his mouth to retort but held back whilst Travis openly laughed in his seat. Looking around briefly, Trip looked back at Malcolm and Travis with a grin.
"Imma go get some popcorn an' I'm entrustin' you Travis to keep Malcolm company," he said with a wink before turning and heading out to the back of the mess hall/cinema where some people were gathering as a sort of prearranged area for meeting up with friends and dates. Travis walked over to Hoshi who had just walked in wearing some casual clothes—jeans and a light blue blouse—and had grabbed a bag of popcorn as she waited for Trip to get to her. Grinning, he grabbed his own bag of popcorn and tossed a few pieces into his mouth before leaning his back against the counter.
"Well Hoshi, tha' firs' phase of Operation Windsor is complete, though it took some effort."
"He was trying to avoid coming wasn't he?" Hoshi asked with a smile and roll of her eyes. "I really do appreciate the help though."
"We were happy to help! Although I hadta' pull rank ta' gettem' to come," Trip chuckled. "I'm sure he'll let ya' know."
Hoshi looked over at Malcolm and Travis, the latter of whom was seemingly talking a mile-a-minute with a big smile, getting a little smile out of the former, though the Brit still sat with his arms folded across his chest. Trip looked to where her gaze was and chuckled again.
"Thank God for Travis and his infinite amounta' enthusiasm," he said before turning to face Hoshi again. "So where'd'ya wanna go from here? Do ya' wanna' proceed with phase two? Should one or both of us move so it's jus' you two?"
Hoshi watched Malcolm for another moment before she heard Trip's words from earlier in her head—"He's brilliant at tactics an' everythin' an' anythin' to do with weaponry, but I'm wonderin' if he would see how much you're inta''em even if ya' fell into his lap." With a determined smile, she shook her head.
"No, that won't be necessary for you two to move. We can put phase two on hold for the moment."
Trip raised his eyebrows, a habit he seemed to have picked up recently, but he said nothing as he followed Hoshi back to their two friends with a small smile on his face, the lights dimming slightly to indicate that the film was about to start. Hoshi allowed Trip to retake his seat before approaching Malcolm with a friendly smile on her face.
"Hey Malcolm, anyone sitting here?" she asked pointing as she approached. Without waiting for a reply, she proceeded to sit on his lap with a sly, confident smile. Both Travis and Trip's mouths opened slightly, the two looking mixed between impressed and amazed. Malcolm looked completely flabbergasted as the film began.
"Hoshi! What are—" he attempted before he was shushed by Travis and others from his left, Travis attempting to hide his wide smile. Frowning at his grinning comrade with his hands frozen at his sides, seemingly unsure what to do with them, Malcolm tried again, looking left and right in slight concern, but with a little bit of authority behind his voice.
"Ensign! This is extremely inappr—" he tried again before Trip and people to his right shushed him yet again. Amongst the group shushing Malcolm were T'Pol who had settled into a seat next to Trip, her eyebrow raised with what might have been a hint of amusement behind her Vulcan stoicism, and even Captain Jonathan Archer, who had apparently joined them silently, an openly amused smile behind the finger he had shushed him with. Malcolm's mouth opened slightly in bewilderment. He was stopped from speaking yet again by Hoshi.
"Popcorn Lieutenant?" she offered innocently, feeding him a couple of pieces before he could answer.
Malcolm narrowed his eyes at her, but seemed to resign himself to the situation, a slight smile forming on his face as he chewed the popcorn and allowed himself to settle more comfortably into his seat. Hoshi settled herself more comfortably into his lap as well, turning slightly to allow Malcolm access to her bag of popcorn, a growing smile forming on her face as she faced the film screen. It was not her sought goal of Operation Windsor, but it was a start.
Author's Note: As one can see, I sort of left this open to being continued but I tried to finish it so that it could work on its own. Depending on how the response is, I could continue it, but I feel this should be okay as is. Again, I hope that you all found it at least entertaining, and any Trekkies might have noticed that yes, that is actual Vulcan that I inserted in there during T'Pol and Hoshi's brief interaction. "Dungi tu sahrafel?" technically means, 'will you trust me?', but I am using some creative licence to make it mean essentially 'you trust me right?' Hoshi's response essentially means 'thank you'.
Let me know what you liked, feel free to provide some constructive criticism, or suggest where I might have improved somewhere. Reviews are much appreciated and I always try and respond to all reviews (if possible). Cheers