*****
Title: Ethereal Bodies Author: ZenosParadox Rating: PG-13
Summary: Malcolm and Hoshi find themselves in the middle of a ghost story.
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Paramount. This fiction was written solely for personal enjoyment.
ETHEREAL BODIES
Prologue
~In the Future on The Infinite Horizon~
"Tell us a scary story, Granpa Travis!"
The retired Starfleet Admiral smiled widely as this demand was met with screeches of glee from the grandchildren surrounding him. They had gathered on his cargo ship, the Infinite Horizon, for a family reunion, and this was Travis Mayweather's favorite activity with the children.
"Why do you want to listen to old stories? They're not real," said his oldest grandson, Hajime Reed, the son of his daughter Mia and Kenji Reed.
"Now, son, I've seen things that are scarier in real life than could ever be imagined. Some things are frightening because it is so hard to believe they can be real."
Travis waited patiently as this registered on his grandson's face. The boy showed a reluctant interest now.
"This isn't another story about a derelict ship that was inhabited by aliens?" asked Hajime.
"All of those are real stories, too, but you're right, Hajime, those encounters do have a rational explanation. The adventure I'm thinking about happened when we entered the Delphic Expanse, though."
"You've said there were all sorts of anomalies there."
"And we were able to explain many of those, but the story I'm about to tell you is--Well, let me tell it and you try to explain what happened."
Hajime nodded as his analytical mind went into high gear. This was just the type of challenge the twelve-year old enjoyed.
"Settle back and listen then. Now, remember that when we first started as a crew, Hoshi Sato and Malcolm Reed weren't married, but this story will tell you how they came to see each other in a very special way. It all began when a practical joke Trip Tucker and I played went bad..."
~~~~~
~The Enterprise~
Hoshi Sato stood under the shower enjoying the way the warm spray was hitting her body. The ship had entered the Delphic Expanse and everyone was on edge. She had even badgered Malcolm for a phase pistol unmercifully, thinking she would feel safer with the weapon in her quarters. She was right. Even now it was on the sink nearby. At night it was under her pillow.
Sato shrugged her shoulders and began to relax--then she heard the noise.
Startled, she grimaced at the pipes. All right, the Chief Engineer was going to hear about this. She didn't give a damn about the anomalies, groaning pipes belonged in a Halloween skit, not on a starship!
Hoshi was just beginning her mental tirade at Trip when she heard the voice.
~"I've got you now!"~
"What? Who's there?" Hoshi tried to turn off the shower, but the control suddenly wouldn't work. Again, she heard the voice.
~"You're out of time. I'm coming."~
"No!"
The word escaped Hoshi as she quickly backed out of the shower. She reached for the phase pistol that she had left on the sink. Hearing someone behind her, she turned abruptly. She saw the shadow advancing toward her in her room and fired.
- - - - -
"That sounded like a phase pistol going off!" said Mayweather urgently as he and Tucker put away the transmitters.
"What's she doing with a phase pistol?" asked Tucker as he joined the Ensign at a run toward Sato's quarters.
"I don't know, maybe--Oh my God, Malcolm must be there!"
"Hoshi's really gonna be pissed if he shoots off his weapon in her quarters," said Tucker, but at the look Mayweather gave him, nudged his partner in crime in the shoulder and added, "You know what I mean."
"We shouldn't have tested the transmitter out in her cabin," grumbled Mayweather.
"Our voices wouldn't have been audible to anyone without her sensitive hearing. It was the safest place. Besides, I didn't realize how spooked she'd get."
They had just come to Sato's quarters and stopped in their tracks. Her door was opened and she was kneeling on the floor cradling Reed's head on her lap, clearly in distress. Her hair was over her torso.
"Hoshi, what did you do to Malcolm?" asked Travis as he knelt by the man and felt for his pulse.
"He--he said he was coming to get me, that I was out of time! Oh my God, Trip! Has he gone insane out here? He's--he's been the one person I count on and--"
"Whoa, Hoshi, that wasn't Malcolm you heard. That was me and Travis," said Trip.
"WHAT!" Hoshi looked down at Malcolm and then noticed Travis was nodding. "Malcolm didn't threaten me? I shot him at point blank range!"
"Now, Hoshi, calm down. We'll get him to Phlox and--look, this is just a big misunderstanding." Tucker and Mayweather reached to grab Reed under his shoulder.
"I'm going with you," insisted Sato.
"Fine, but, Ensign, ya better get some clothes on first."
- - - - - -
"Lieutenant? Lieutenant Reed, can you hear me?"
Phlox' voice sounded annoyingly cheerful to the Lieutenant who lay prone on the biobed. Reed kept his eyes closed out of sheer irritation. Then he realized where he was. What the hell was he doing in sickbay?
"Shouldn't he be responding, Doc?" Mayweather sounded worried.
"I can't believe you two! You scared the hell out of me with that stunt!" In the background Malcolm registered Hoshi's voice as she ripped a new one on Trip.
"Now, Hoshi--"
"It's not as if we're not all walking a tightrope lately..."
"But, Hoshi--"
"...so you should have told me you were testing the unit..."
"It wasn't supposed to--"
"...and how did you rig up my shower like that?"
"Shower? Wait a minute, that's just an anomaly. We never did anything to your shower."
Tucker's voice was insistent, but Reed could still make no sense out of what was going on. He groaned without realizing the Doctor--and Ensign Sato--would hear him.
"Ah, Lieutenant, you are awake!"
"Mmm."
"Oh, Malcolm, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize--and Trip and Travis were playing a prank--but then--WHY THE HELL WERE YOU IN MY QUARTERS?" Hoshi ended the last in a shout that made Malcolm wince.
Hoshi's quarters? What was he doing in Hoshi's quarters? Then he remembered.
"Hoshi? Scream."
He tried to get more out, but there was a pain in his chest. It felt as if he'd been stunned. Why would he feel this way?
"You heard Hoshi scream so you went to investigate?" expanded Trip as he tried to fill in the details.
Malcolm gave a bare nod.
"Why didn't you tell me it was you?" asked Hoshi.
A frown clouded Malcolm's face for a moment. Why didn't he say anything? Then he remembered.
"Hoshi. Naked."
"Ah," came the collective understanding of the male contingent of the room.
Phlox merrily added, "Of course! Lieutenant Reed became witless at the sight of a wet, naked Ensign Sato."
Hoshi began to blush and said defensively, "Well, I just came out of the shower."
Yes, that spurred another memory in Malcolm. He tried to get the words out, but only managed a few.
"Hoshi. Naked. Phase pistol?"
"I'd say that pretty much sums it up," said Trip with a quick pat to Malcolm's shoulder.
Malcolm finally opened his eyes, but couldn't focus as he asked, "Why?"
Travis jumped in to explain, directing a quick thumb to Phlox. "You're in sickbay because you got shot with a phase pistol."
"Why?" repeated Malcolm.
Travis pointed to Hoshi and said, "Hoshi shot you because she got spooked by voices when she was in the shower."
"Why?" This time they could all sense the irritation in Malcolm's voice.
Travis pointed to Trip. "Because Trip wanted to test out a new comm unit and, well, we thought that Hoshi would be the best person to test it on."
"Oh."
Travis and Trip smiled at each other while Hoshi gave them a deathly glare.
"Hoshi?" Malcolm's voice was a bare whisper now, so she leaned over him, ready to accept his condemnation.
"Yes, Malcolm?"
"Targets. Trip. Travis."
"Understood, Lieutenant," said Sato as she reached for the phase pistol Phlox had put on the counter.
"Whoa, now wait, I--uh, Travis, let's go fill in the Cap'n," said Tucker as they made a hasty retreat out of sickbay.
"Now, Ensign, I think we've had enough injuries for the night," said Phlox in an attempt to placate the situation.
Hoshi merely gave Phlox the phase pistol. She turned to Malcolm and took his hand in a firm grasp. "They won't know when or where, but we'll get them back for this."
Phlox noticed the gleam in the Ensign's eyes and the smile on the Lieutenant's face as he fell back asleep. This should get interesting, thought the Denobulan.
~~~~~
~The Infinite Horizon~
The younger cousins around Granpa Travis merely giggled as the elder explained the prank that backfired on him and Granpa Trip. Mia Mayweather was the daughter of his son, Paul, and Trip's daughter, Mary Reed Tucker. Of course, Travis had omitted the detail about Hoshi being naked when she shot Malcolm given the mean age of his audience.
"So Granma Hoshi shot Granpa Malcolm? And he still married her?" asked Hajime with an incredulous tone.
"Son, one of these days you'll understand that a man can forgive the woman he loves of anything," said the man sagely.
"What happened next? How did they get even with you?" peeped a little feminine voice. Lizzie's blonde hair was a mop around her head, but she was always interested in the life of Granpa Trip.
"Well, now, let me see if I get the details all straight." Travis got comfortable again, and began.
"Malcolm Reed is a patient man. Hoshi Sato wasn't a very patient woman, but she would always follow Malcolm's lead. So, things were quiet until the end of the month came around. Trip and I thought they had forgotten all about the incident. We were wrong."
~~~~~
~The Enterprise~
"All I'm saying is that the crew could use a break in the routine. We need a chance to relax. We could make it a Halloween party since that's just a day away." Mayweather was talking to Reed, Sato and Tucker who were all at their bridge stations.
"Things are spooky enough out here without adding to people's imaginations," said Tucker from his console. He missed the looked that Reed and Sato exchanged.
Once Sato gave him an affirmative nod, Reed said, "Actually, a Halloween party does sound like a good way to relieve some tension. I assume Phlox could even help with some costumes if people are interested."
"That's the spirit, Malcolm. You could dress as Royal Navy, Trip could be a Confederate soldier, Hoshi could be a geisha--um, a samurai." Mayweather was now smiling brightly.
"What would you be, Travis?" asked Sato.
"Me? I'm going to dress as Muhamed Ali, you know? The boxer?" Mayweather threw a couple of punches into the air above his console.
"I'm sure you'd win the costume contest," said Sato as she considered that a bare-chested Mayweather was sure to swoon the ladies. Personally, though, she was interested in what Reed would look like in a vintage Royal Navy uniform.
It was at that moment that Captain Archer and T'Pol entered the bridge. The Captain asked, "What costume contest?"
Mayweather piped up immediately, "Sir, we were just discussing a Halloween party as a stress buster. You know, dress up, relax, share some good food and good times."
Archer looked to T'Pol who merely quirked an eyebrow. "Human celebrations are generally good for morale."
"I'll take it under consideration then," said Archer as he settled into the Captain's chair.
At her console, Sato decrypted a message Reed had sent her. It read:
~Should we warn Trip and Travis to find some feathers? They'll be sitting ducks for payback.~
Sato responded:
~Plucking feathers never sounded so good.~
*****
Title: Ethereal Bodies Author: ZenosParadox Rating: PG-13
Summary: Malcolm and Hoshi find themselves in the middle of a ghost story.
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Paramount. This fiction was written solely for personal enjoyment.
ETHEREAL BODIES
Prologue
~In the Future on The Infinite Horizon~
"Tell us a scary story, Granpa Travis!"
The retired Starfleet Admiral smiled widely as this demand was met with screeches of glee from the grandchildren surrounding him. They had gathered on his cargo ship, the Infinite Horizon, for a family reunion, and this was Travis Mayweather's favorite activity with the children.
"Why do you want to listen to old stories? They're not real," said his oldest grandson, Hajime Reed, the son of his daughter Mia and Kenji Reed.
"Now, son, I've seen things that are scarier in real life than could ever be imagined. Some things are frightening because it is so hard to believe they can be real."
Travis waited patiently as this registered on his grandson's face. The boy showed a reluctant interest now.
"This isn't another story about a derelict ship that was inhabited by aliens?" asked Hajime.
"All of those are real stories, too, but you're right, Hajime, those encounters do have a rational explanation. The adventure I'm thinking about happened when we entered the Delphic Expanse, though."
"You've said there were all sorts of anomalies there."
"And we were able to explain many of those, but the story I'm about to tell you is--Well, let me tell it and you try to explain what happened."
Hajime nodded as his analytical mind went into high gear. This was just the type of challenge the twelve-year old enjoyed.
"Settle back and listen then. Now, remember that when we first started as a crew, Hoshi Sato and Malcolm Reed weren't married, but this story will tell you how they came to see each other in a very special way. It all began when a practical joke Trip Tucker and I played went bad..."
~~~~~
~The Enterprise~
Hoshi Sato stood under the shower enjoying the way the warm spray was hitting her body. The ship had entered the Delphic Expanse and everyone was on edge. She had even badgered Malcolm for a phase pistol unmercifully, thinking she would feel safer with the weapon in her quarters. She was right. Even now it was on the sink nearby. At night it was under her pillow.
Sato shrugged her shoulders and began to relax--then she heard the noise.
Startled, she grimaced at the pipes. All right, the Chief Engineer was going to hear about this. She didn't give a damn about the anomalies, groaning pipes belonged in a Halloween skit, not on a starship!
Hoshi was just beginning her mental tirade at Trip when she heard the voice.
~"I've got you now!"~
"What? Who's there?" Hoshi tried to turn off the shower, but the control suddenly wouldn't work. Again, she heard the voice.
~"You're out of time. I'm coming."~
"No!"
The word escaped Hoshi as she quickly backed out of the shower. She reached for the phase pistol that she had left on the sink. Hearing someone behind her, she turned abruptly. She saw the shadow advancing toward her in her room and fired.
- - - - -
"That sounded like a phase pistol going off!" said Mayweather urgently as he and Tucker put away the transmitters.
"What's she doing with a phase pistol?" asked Tucker as he joined the Ensign at a run toward Sato's quarters.
"I don't know, maybe--Oh my God, Malcolm must be there!"
"Hoshi's really gonna be pissed if he shoots off his weapon in her quarters," said Tucker, but at the look Mayweather gave him, nudged his partner in crime in the shoulder and added, "You know what I mean."
"We shouldn't have tested the transmitter out in her cabin," grumbled Mayweather.
"Our voices wouldn't have been audible to anyone without her sensitive hearing. It was the safest place. Besides, I didn't realize how spooked she'd get."
They had just come to Sato's quarters and stopped in their tracks. Her door was opened and she was kneeling on the floor cradling Reed's head on her lap, clearly in distress. Her hair was over her torso.
"Hoshi, what did you do to Malcolm?" asked Travis as he knelt by the man and felt for his pulse.
"He--he said he was coming to get me, that I was out of time! Oh my God, Trip! Has he gone insane out here? He's--he's been the one person I count on and--"
"Whoa, Hoshi, that wasn't Malcolm you heard. That was me and Travis," said Trip.
"WHAT!" Hoshi looked down at Malcolm and then noticed Travis was nodding. "Malcolm didn't threaten me? I shot him at point blank range!"
"Now, Hoshi, calm down. We'll get him to Phlox and--look, this is just a big misunderstanding." Tucker and Mayweather reached to grab Reed under his shoulder.
"I'm going with you," insisted Sato.
"Fine, but, Ensign, ya better get some clothes on first."
- - - - - -
"Lieutenant? Lieutenant Reed, can you hear me?"
Phlox' voice sounded annoyingly cheerful to the Lieutenant who lay prone on the biobed. Reed kept his eyes closed out of sheer irritation. Then he realized where he was. What the hell was he doing in sickbay?
"Shouldn't he be responding, Doc?" Mayweather sounded worried.
"I can't believe you two! You scared the hell out of me with that stunt!" In the background Malcolm registered Hoshi's voice as she ripped a new one on Trip.
"Now, Hoshi--"
"It's not as if we're not all walking a tightrope lately..."
"But, Hoshi--"
"...so you should have told me you were testing the unit..."
"It wasn't supposed to--"
"...and how did you rig up my shower like that?"
"Shower? Wait a minute, that's just an anomaly. We never did anything to your shower."
Tucker's voice was insistent, but Reed could still make no sense out of what was going on. He groaned without realizing the Doctor--and Ensign Sato--would hear him.
"Ah, Lieutenant, you are awake!"
"Mmm."
"Oh, Malcolm, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize--and Trip and Travis were playing a prank--but then--WHY THE HELL WERE YOU IN MY QUARTERS?" Hoshi ended the last in a shout that made Malcolm wince.
Hoshi's quarters? What was he doing in Hoshi's quarters? Then he remembered.
"Hoshi? Scream."
He tried to get more out, but there was a pain in his chest. It felt as if he'd been stunned. Why would he feel this way?
"You heard Hoshi scream so you went to investigate?" expanded Trip as he tried to fill in the details.
Malcolm gave a bare nod.
"Why didn't you tell me it was you?" asked Hoshi.
A frown clouded Malcolm's face for a moment. Why didn't he say anything? Then he remembered.
"Hoshi. Naked."
"Ah," came the collective understanding of the male contingent of the room.
Phlox merrily added, "Of course! Lieutenant Reed became witless at the sight of a wet, naked Ensign Sato."
Hoshi began to blush and said defensively, "Well, I just came out of the shower."
Yes, that spurred another memory in Malcolm. He tried to get the words out, but only managed a few.
"Hoshi. Naked. Phase pistol?"
"I'd say that pretty much sums it up," said Trip with a quick pat to Malcolm's shoulder.
Malcolm finally opened his eyes, but couldn't focus as he asked, "Why?"
Travis jumped in to explain, directing a quick thumb to Phlox. "You're in sickbay because you got shot with a phase pistol."
"Why?" repeated Malcolm.
Travis pointed to Hoshi and said, "Hoshi shot you because she got spooked by voices when she was in the shower."
"Why?" This time they could all sense the irritation in Malcolm's voice.
Travis pointed to Trip. "Because Trip wanted to test out a new comm unit and, well, we thought that Hoshi would be the best person to test it on."
"Oh."
Travis and Trip smiled at each other while Hoshi gave them a deathly glare.
"Hoshi?" Malcolm's voice was a bare whisper now, so she leaned over him, ready to accept his condemnation.
"Yes, Malcolm?"
"Targets. Trip. Travis."
"Understood, Lieutenant," said Sato as she reached for the phase pistol Phlox had put on the counter.
"Whoa, now wait, I--uh, Travis, let's go fill in the Cap'n," said Tucker as they made a hasty retreat out of sickbay.
"Now, Ensign, I think we've had enough injuries for the night," said Phlox in an attempt to placate the situation.
Hoshi merely gave Phlox the phase pistol. She turned to Malcolm and took his hand in a firm grasp. "They won't know when or where, but we'll get them back for this."
Phlox noticed the gleam in the Ensign's eyes and the smile on the Lieutenant's face as he fell back asleep. This should get interesting, thought the Denobulan.
~~~~~
~The Infinite Horizon~
The younger cousins around Granpa Travis merely giggled as the elder explained the prank that backfired on him and Granpa Trip. Mia Mayweather was the daughter of his son, Paul, and Trip's daughter, Mary Reed Tucker. Of course, Travis had omitted the detail about Hoshi being naked when she shot Malcolm given the mean age of his audience.
"So Granma Hoshi shot Granpa Malcolm? And he still married her?" asked Hajime with an incredulous tone.
"Son, one of these days you'll understand that a man can forgive the woman he loves of anything," said the man sagely.
"What happened next? How did they get even with you?" peeped a little feminine voice. Lizzie's blonde hair was a mop around her head, but she was always interested in the life of Granpa Trip.
"Well, now, let me see if I get the details all straight." Travis got comfortable again, and began.
"Malcolm Reed is a patient man. Hoshi Sato wasn't a very patient woman, but she would always follow Malcolm's lead. So, things were quiet until the end of the month came around. Trip and I thought they had forgotten all about the incident. We were wrong."
~~~~~
~The Enterprise~
"All I'm saying is that the crew could use a break in the routine. We need a chance to relax. We could make it a Halloween party since that's just a day away." Mayweather was talking to Reed, Sato and Tucker who were all at their bridge stations.
"Things are spooky enough out here without adding to people's imaginations," said Tucker from his console. He missed the looked that Reed and Sato exchanged.
Once Sato gave him an affirmative nod, Reed said, "Actually, a Halloween party does sound like a good way to relieve some tension. I assume Phlox could even help with some costumes if people are interested."
"That's the spirit, Malcolm. You could dress as Royal Navy, Trip could be a Confederate soldier, Hoshi could be a geisha--um, a samurai." Mayweather was now smiling brightly.
"What would you be, Travis?" asked Sato.
"Me? I'm going to dress as Muhamed Ali, you know? The boxer?" Mayweather threw a couple of punches into the air above his console.
"I'm sure you'd win the costume contest," said Sato as she considered that a bare-chested Mayweather was sure to swoon the ladies. Personally, though, she was interested in what Reed would look like in a vintage Royal Navy uniform.
It was at that moment that Captain Archer and T'Pol entered the bridge. The Captain asked, "What costume contest?"
Mayweather piped up immediately, "Sir, we were just discussing a Halloween party as a stress buster. You know, dress up, relax, share some good food and good times."
Archer looked to T'Pol who merely quirked an eyebrow. "Human celebrations are generally good for morale."
"I'll take it under consideration then," said Archer as he settled into the Captain's chair.
At her console, Sato decrypted a message Reed had sent her. It read:
~Should we warn Trip and Travis to find some feathers? They'll be sitting ducks for payback.~
Sato responded:
~Plucking feathers never sounded so good.~
*****