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Chapter 2

A few moments after leaving the kitchen, Trip and Hoshi entered the ready room. Archer, T'Pol, Mayweather, and Malcolm were already present. If anyone was surprised at Trip and Hoshi arriving together, they didn't comment. Archer began the meeting as they joined the group.

"I apologize for the late hour, but we just received a secured transmission from Starfleet. We have orders to immediately undertake an emergency, top-security mission. The four of you," he indicated Travis, Malcolm, Hoshi, and Trip, "have been selected to carry it out."

"Vulcan is having problems communicating with their contacts on the planet Obeexus."

At their curious looks, he continued, "The Vulcans suspect that an underground criminal faction is based on Obeexus."

T'Pol took over. "This faction is extremely dangerous. They prey on underdeveloped civilizations, planets deemed not yet ready for first contact. These criminals attack the civilizations that they find and strip the planets of their resources."

Archer added, "Vulcan has several operatives on Obeexus, monitoring the criminal faction's movements, and working to stop them. But several weeks have passed since these operatives have made contact, and the Vulcans want them found." He paused. "Normally, the Vulcans would handle this mission themselves, but the Obeexan people are distrustful of them. Their presence on Obeexus would draw too much attention. All you need to do is find the contacts, and if necessary, return them to the safety of the Enterprise."

Trip smiled, excited about the new mission, and asked, "Cap'n, how are we gonna get down there unnoticed?  We can't just barge in announcin' why we're there."

Archer nodded and said, "You'll be posing as human tourists.  This is a holiday season in their world, so your presence will not be seen as suspicious."

Malcolm immediately said, "What about defending ourselves, sir?  We cannot go down there unarmed."

At this Hoshi and Travis shifted uncomfortably.  "Sir, how dangerous is this going to be?" Travis asked.

"Travis, there shouldn't be any problems.  But the Enterprise will be in orbit should you run into any. You'll be in two teams, which should make the search go more quickly.  Malcolm, you'll be posing as Hoshi's husband.  Trip, you and Travis will be friends, just on a vacation."

Hoshi blushed and chanced a glance at Trip.  He had grown noticeably paler at the Captain's statement.

"Cap'n are you sure we shouldn't all just go as friends?  I mean what's the point of them actin' like they're married?"

Malcolm looked up at Trip in surprise at his annoyed tone.

Captain Archer also looked confused at his engineer's reaction.  "Well, Commander, if you prefer, you and Travis could pose as the honeymooners."

"No sir, that won't be necessary."  'Man, he can be a smartass sometimes.'

Trip looked at Hoshi, who was currently shifting from foot to foot.

"Hoshi, I know this makes you nervous, but we're going to need a linguist down there with the team," Archer said.

"Yes sir."

"You will leave in two hours," Captain Archer said.  "Dismissed."

Malcolm turned to Hoshi and said, "Well my dear, shall we go and pack?"

As they walked toward the lift, Trip made a point of stepping between Hoshi and Malcolm.  "Everything all right, Commander?"  Malcolm asked, watching him.

"Fine, Lieutenant. Thanks for askin'," He folded his arms across his chest and glared at Malcolm.

Travis looked at them all like they had lost their minds.

"Sir, are you sure everything is OK?"  Travis asked.

"Just dandy, Ensign." Trip answered never letting his eyesight leave Malcolm. ' Damned smug Englishman.  I'll just bet he doesn't mind this assignment.  The marriage was prob'ly his suggestion.'

"Umm, Commander, you're kind of cutting off my air supply," Hoshi said in a quiet voice.

Trip glanced back at Hoshi who was pressed up against the wall of the lift.  He had been concentrating so hard on Malcolm he had forgotten about the reason for his jealousy.

"Sorry Hosh."  He stepped away giving her room to breathe, although there wasn't much with all of them in the lift.

The doors to the lift opened to Hoshi's level and she stepped off.  Malcolm said, "I will meet you in the launch bay in an hour Ensign."  Hoshi acknowledged his statement with a nod.  Trip stepped off the lift as well.

"Ensign, there is something I wanted to talk to you about."  He turned back toward the lift and said "See you men in an hour then."

The lift doors closed, leaving Trip and Hoshi alone.  She began to walk toward her quarters with Trip following behind.  When they reached the doors of her quarters, Trip followed her inside.

Hoshi's quarters were pretty much what Trip had expected.  Clean, and kind of feminine.

Hoshi watched him inspect her room for a minute and then spoke.

"Trip, I realize this might be a little awkward."  He stopped and looked down at her with a blank look on his face.

"What could be awkward?"

"Well you know…. me and Malcolm."  He continued to stare at her blankly.  Hoshi said, "Since you and I…" She blushed at this.

"Hosh, you're gonna have to spit it out," he stated.

"Since there seems to be something going on between us," she said, her face turning an even brighter shade of red.

"Oh that."  He grinned mischievously at her.  "I just wanted to hear you say it."

She laughed and smacked at him, hitting his shoulder as he attempted to dodge.

They were both relieved by the break in tension. Still smiling, hesitantly, Trip placed his hand on her shoulder and leaned down with the clear intent of kissing her. Caught by his gaze, Hoshi leaned in as well…and then placed her palm squarely on his chest and pushed him back.

"Trip…" she began at his questioning look, "this situation will be awkward as it is. Perhaps…it's better if we wait to pursue this until after the mission is over. We really can't afford any distractions."

"Hosh…" he started to argue. But the look on her face stopped him, and he changed his mind mid-sentence. "Maybe you're right." (She tried not to look a little disappointed at that, and failed.) "I don't know where this…thing…between us is going, but it can, and probably should, wait until we're back on the Enterprise. Hell, I'm already so distracted I almost suffocated ya." 

At that, she smiled. "I really think that it's for the best, Trip. And we will be back before you know it…" Her voice quavered as she finished speaking.

"Hey," Trip said, leaning down to meet her eyes and placing both hands on her shoulders, "you know this mission is gonna be a piece of cake. Hell, I'm sorry, Hosh, I forgot how much this stuff scares you. We will be fine," he said, emphasizing the 'fine'. "And when we get back, we will sit down for a real meal together. Or as real as I can manage on a hot plate, since no way is Chef lettin' me back in his kitchen." She laughed again, comforted a little.

"And I swear, I will try not to embarrass myself anymore until then," he added ruefully.

"I'm not sure that's a promise you can keep," she teased him.

"Well, I said 'try'," he grinned. He leaned in and kissed her very lightly on the mouth. "I'll see you in the launch bay in a little while?"

She nodded, trying to look more confident than she felt.

"Good woman," he said. Touching her face once more, he turned and left.

*******

"So what's the story with you and Ensign Sato?" Travis shouted. He and Trip were winding through festival crowds in the midst of a parade. They had arrived on the planet a short time ago, and the streets were packed with celebrators. Hoshi and Malcolm had separated from them immediately to check into their "honeymoon" suite.

Honeymoon suite. Trip squelched his irritation.

"Story?" Trip feigned confusion. Which wasn't very convincing, since he also sounded annoyed.

Travis had been waiting for his opportunity to speak to Trip alone. "Sir," he said with a grin, "you sure didn't like the Captain's plans for our mission. And the two of you looked pretty cozy back at the mess hall. Maybe you would have preferred to play husband in Malcolm's place?"

Trip stopped dead in the middle of the crowd and narrowed his eyes at Travis. "And maybe you'd prefer to mind your own damn business, Ensign."

"Aye, sir." At Trip's look, Travis wiped the smile off of his face. Satisfied, Trip stalked on. And didn't notice the grin that crept back onto the Ensign's face.

The two continued through the crowd, looking for a jeweler's shop that T'Pol had briefed them on. One of the missing Vulcan operatives had been using the shop as a cover for their more covert activities.

Rounding a corner, they spotted the jeweler's shop across the street. Both of them serious now, they entered the store and pretended to browse. 

"May I offer my assistance?" an Obeexan saleswoman approached them, speaking in Common.

"Maybe so," Trip smiled charmingly, while trying to remember T'Pol's directions. He and Travis had been instructed to ask for a very specific purchase. The Vulcan operative was trained to recognize the request. "My friend and I are lookin' for some gifts for our ladies. Some of these things," he indicated several necklaces made from brilliant stones, "caught our eye."

"Yes, these are very popular with our female tourists," the saleswoman interrupted.

"Oh, of course, of course," Trip continued. "But they still aren't quite what we're looking for."

"And what would that be?"

"Well, these women have particular tastes. Expensive tastes, if ya know what I mean. We were told we could find something unique in this establishment."

Travis interjected. "A stone like the sun. And one like the sky." 

The saleswoman continued to look pleasant, but noncommittal. "I am unfamiliar with such stones. But I might be able to locate them. Perhaps you would like to join me in my office?"

"Yes, ma'am," Trip said cheerfully.

He and Travis followed the woman through a shimmering curtain. The room behind the curtain appeared to be a stockroom, jammed with boxes. The lighting was dim, and Travis squinted to see as the woman moved to her desk. Trip followed close behind. "Now, gentlemen, let me see…" she extracted a book from beneath a pile of material on a table.

As she spoke, Travis heard a rustling sound behind him. A glance over his shoulder showed three alien men (he didn't recognize their species) were now standing behind him.

"Um, Trip…" he said uneasily.

Still charming, Trip said quickly, "Say, is there some kind of problem? Because we just wanted to pick up something for our girlfriends."

"No, no problem," the saleswoman answered.

To Travis' shock, she turned and almost casually stabbed the knife in her hand into Commander Tucker.

******