Disclaimer: Star Trek does not belong to me; No profit made.
Author's note: This was in response to a challenge at the Delphic Expanse Fan Community to write some RU Hoshi and T'Pol femslash. A more adult version exists on that site, but this version is safe for most audiences. Thank you to my wonderful anonymous beta.
Hoshi smiled to herself as she sipped on her coffee, enjoying the quiet of the empty mess hall. Gamma shift was normally very peaceful, but not with the captain overwrought about Porthos and the Kretassans generally making life difficult for everyone.
Hoshi knew the captain would come around eventually, but clearly the stress had gotten to him on this particular night. Hoshi didn't blame him one bit, the Kretassans were insufferable and rude and expected everyone to play by their rules and not offend them without any thought that their attitude might be offensive to others.
She was just about to head back to the bridge with her coffee and wait for any more contact when Commander T'Pol strode into the mess, looking more irritated than serene. Hoshi watched as the Vulcan ordered chamomile tea and began to sip.
Hoshi refrained from inviting her over. T'Pol normally didn't socialize with the crew much, with the exception of her dinners with Trip and the captain, which she apparently had come to enjoy.
However, to her surprise, the Vulcan approached her table.
"May I sit, Ensign?" she asked.
Hoshi gestured to the table. "Of course," she replied.
T'Pol's short hair, Hoshi noted, was damp, and she smelled of some kind of Vulcan soap that smelled spicy and wonderful.
"I've just seen the captain in the gym," said T'Pol, "and I believe he remains intractable regarding the Kretassans. Even the exercise did not seem to lesson his stress level."
Hoshi's eyes widened. It was rare that T'Pol would discuss such a matter with her. More likely, she would have gone to Trip, but then Trip was probably asleep.
"He'll come around," replied Hoshi. "He loves Porthos. His pride has been wounded. And he's dealing with stress in general."
T'Pol appeared to look around to make certain the mess hall was empty.
"Ensign," she whispered, "may I confide something in you?"
Hoshi nodded, suddenly riveted.
"Phlox believes that sublimated sexual attraction to me is affecting the captain. I normally would not bring up such a personal matter, but Phlox believes the captain's unusual behavior is at least partially a result of this tension."
Hoshi bit her lip to keep from laughing. So, T'Pol had finally noticed? She smiled and nodded.
"It's barely sublimated," she replied, noticing the subcommander's cheeks had flushed a bit green.
"It's improper. And against regulations," T'Pol replied.
Hoshi nodded again. "The captain would never act on his feelings. He's a professional. He even broke up with his girlfriend Erika when he was promoted to captain, so I hear, because he didn't want to violate regulations."
This seemed to surprise T'Pol. "I did not know that," she replied.
Hoshi downed the last drop of her coffee. "I know you weren't around human males very closely when you lived on Earth, and I also know that Vulcans think human males can't keep their hands to themselves..." Hoshi paused thoughtfully. "And while it is true that they can't help it when they are attracted to someone, for the most part, they do control it. It's just that all of us living and working in such close quarters, most of us without partners, it gets tough sometimes. But you needn't worry about this. It'll pass."
T'Pol looked into her tea. "May I ask you something, Ensign?"
Hoshi nodded. "Of course."
"Human women seem to keep better control of their primal urges. Is this a correct observation?" asked the Vulcan.
Hoshi smiled, knowingly. "Mostly correct. It's partially biological. It's not that we don't get - attracted - it's just that we're better at either controlling it or channeling it as the case may be. But we're not immune. I mean, even as a Vulcan, you have to have noticed some of the men on this ship are attractive. The captain, Trip, Lieutenant Reed...Travis...I mean, Vulcans have eyes don't they?"
T'Pol nodded. "Any one of the senior officers would make a human female a logical mate. They all appear physically strong, intelligent, successful and aesthetically pleasing."
Hoshi grinned. "And if the captain weren't your superior, would you feel different about his crush? And don't give me the story about Vulcans not engaging in sex for pleasure. I've read lots of Vulcan literature, including the stories and poems you don't like us off worlders to read."
T'Pol sighed. "It is an irrelevant question. He is my superior."
Hoshi decided to press her luck. She was very curious about what went on inside T'Pol's pretty Vulcan head. "What about Trip? He doesn't answer to you, he answers to the captain. And you're the same rank."
"This is an inappropriate line of questioning," said T'Pol stiffly. "However, I am curious as to how the human females aboard the ship channel their sexual energies. Do they engage in self-gratification?"
Hoshi laughed out loud. Asking T'Pol if she would gratify herself with Trip was off limits, but T'Pol was perfectly capable of asking about masturbation in the most blunt way possible. Hoshi found this both amusing and adorable. T'Pol's sexual naiveté combined with her bombshell looks were quite a combination, and Hoshi completely understood Archer's crush. T'Pol was much more than the humorless drone that Hoshi thought she was when she'd first arrived.
"Well," Hoshi finally replied, "I can tell you most of us human females came pretty well-equipped to deal with our tension on our own." Hoshi leaned over and whispered the Vulcan's pointed ear. "And, when that isn't enough, we can always count on each other if we don't want the trouble of getting involved with a guy."
The Vulcan's eyebrow raised, but her expression was emotionless. Certainly, Vulcans had to be aware that humans, though most had a primary sexual preference, were omni-sexual. Literature, movies and books celebrated this fact.
"This is common among the female members of the crew?" said T'Pol.
Hoshi grinned and nodded. She didn't go there often, but she had. The female crew had a name for it: the girls' club. Sure, there were several lesbians among the crew, but the girls' club was for primarily straight girls to get some physical affection and get off without emotional entanglements. Hoshi took a deep breath, and she locked eyes with T'Pol and explained the premise - a premise she thought maybe even a Vulcan could embrace.
T'Pol digested this information, and finally she replied, "Fascinating..."
Hoshi took a deep breath, and then she stood up and looked around. The mess hall was still empty. So, she impulsively leaned down and planted a soft kiss on T'Pol's warm, bee-stung mouth. To her surprise, T'Pol didn't pull away.
"If you ever want to join the girls' club," said Hoshi, "you know where my cabin is. It'll just be between you and me."
Before T'Pol could say anything about regulations or logic, Hoshi turned and left the mess hall without looking back. Although, she was pretty sure the Vulcan's eyes were trained on her as she left.