Title: Diplomatic Courtesies
Category: Het
Pairing: Trip/Hoshi
Warnings: Definitely AU, spoilers for ENT S4. Nothing really explicit, though there is some groping goin' on.
Hoshi glanced up at the rest of the bridge crew. With Captain Archer and T'Pol down on Vulcan, Trip had taken the captain's chair. She could tell by Malcolm's tense posture and Travis' intense concentration to the helm that they too had no clue what was going on. Only Trip and Soval, the Vulcan ambassador who currently occupied T'Pol's seat at the science station, seemed to know what was going on.
Taking her earpiece out, Hoshi got up from her seat. "Commander Tucker, could I have a word with you in the captain's ready room?" she asked.
Trip looked at her curiously, but he did get out of the chair and followed her to the ready room. Neither said a word until the ready room door slid shut behind them. As soon as they were out of the view of the crew, Trip's arms slid around her. "Oh, Hoshi, I'm starting to feel like I've bitten off more than I can chew this time," he murmured in her ear.
"You've done the best you can, honey," said Hoshi as she settled in his arms. "No one expected any of this to happen."
"Soval thinks that the Vulcan High Command is gonna break the cease-fire and attack the Andorians," Trip explained. "I just hope that if Soval sits down with the Andorians we may get to resolve this whole mess. But Lord knows I wasn't cut out to be a diplomat," he groaned.
"You can do this, Trip," said Hoshi. "You've done a marvelous job so far. Four years ago I never thought you'd get along with the Vulcans and now here you are working together with Soval."
"Ya know what scares me? I think Soval and I could actually be friends," said Trip with amazement. He leaned in closer. "Of course, four years ago I never thought I'd be making out with you in the captain's ready room, but here we are," he whispered, his hands caressing her body.
"We really should go back out there," protested Hoshi. "Someone's going to figure out what's going on… both of us disappearing together at odd times."
"I supposed I could wait until after dinner to thoroughly ravish you," said Trip with a wicked grin. "We'll do something nice tonight, a special dinner for two since the captain and T'pol aren't here to occupy the private dinning room."
Hoshi frowned. "Actually, Trip, that's what I brought you here to talk about. With the captain and T'pol gone, I think there are some diplomatic niceties that you need to attend to," she said.
Trip groaned and buried his face in her hair. "Dang, I knew I was forgetting something. What am I supposed to be doing with Soval? I can't just treat him like another crew member," he mused.
"First off, you have the captain's table tonight. Have Chef make some Vulcan dishes and invite Soval to join you and a few other senior officers in the captain's dining room," suggested Hoshi.
"That's a good idea!" said Trip. "That's exactly what Jon would do. 'Course, we won't get to have that little romantic dinner I had planned, but I'm sure dessert in my quarters would make up for it."
"Um, I think that's where diplomacy intrudes again," said Hoshi wistfully. "We don't exactly have guest quarters on this ship and it's going to take a few days to get to Andoria. I think you should give your quarters to Soval for the duration of his stay."
"Are you out of your dang mind, Hoshi?" asked Trip. He pulled away from her out of irritation. "I can handle working with a Vulcan but I'm not giving my quarters to that Vulcan."
"Be sensible about this, honey," pleaded Hoshi. "Soval is the Vulcan ambassador to Earth. He is a guest aboard this ship and he's placed his career in jeopardy to help us. Diplomatic courtesy says that you should give up your quarters for our guest."
"I can just give him Archer's quarters, or T'Pol's," countered Trip.
"No, you can't. They're not yours to give," responded Hoshi.
"Goddamn it, woman. Are you always this stubborn?" asked Trip, throwing his hands up in frustration.
Hoshi crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes. "'Woman?' I think I've had enough of this conversation. I'd expected you, of all people, to treat me with respect but I guess I was mistaken about you." She turned around and prepared to storm out of the ready room, but couldn't because when she opened the door, Malcolm was standing there.
"Um," said Malcolm tensely, looking carefully from Trip to Hoshi. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"You're not, because I'm quite done here," said Hoshi. "If you'll excuse me, Lieutenant, Commander," she said, putting extra emphasis on Trip's title.
Malcolm watched Hoshi's retreat and Trip had an odd notion to strangle him for the way he watched Hoshi's ass while pretending not to. Then Malcolm turned back around to face him. "Commander, I believe that while the captain and T'Pol are gone, there are certain diplomatic courtesies to be observed."
Trip moaned.