Just a Little Crush
By AnnaPhylactic
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Disclaimer: Enterprise is not my baby, but here's what might happen if it was...
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Get a grip, Sato; you're on duty. Hoshi tried to control her thoughts as she strode into the engine room.
"You asked to see me, Commander?" she approached Comdr. Tucker as he stood at his console.
"Hoshi, yeah," Trip turned round and smiled at the ensign. "Our Comm link with the armoury has gone completely out of whack. Keeps translatin' everything Malcolm says inta Klingon. Could you take a look at it? Seems t'have got mixed up with the UT."
"Of course, Commander," Hoshi took over Trip's place at the console, accessing the Comm link programming. Trip, instead of moving on to another area, stayed where he was, standing just behind her shoulder.
Hoshi tried to control her breathing.
Concentrate. If you mess this up, he won't be very impressed will he?
"So, any sign of alien life up on the bridge?" Trip asked.
Hoshi, confused by what she was trying to do and the commander's voice just behind her ear, mumbled a reply without thinking.
"Err.. SubCommander T'Pol?"
Trip chuckled. "Well, I was kinda meaning besides the crew…"
Hoshi blushed, realising what she'd said. Good one. "Yes, of course, sorry, Commander. We've detected a planetary system some distance away, but so far there's no sign of humanoid life."
"Ah well," Trip sighed, disappointed. "Luckily there's enough work to be getting on with in this old rust bucket until we find some. Speakin' of which, I should go and see Malcolm. How's the Comm looking?"
Hoshi shook her head, sure of herself this time. "You were right, there's some confusion with the UT. It's breaking into the Comm link in engineering. It looks fixable, it'll just take a few hours. I think you and the Lieutenant are just going to have to walk a bit more before then."
Trip grinned. "Lucky I need the exercise. Keep on it."
He touched her on the shoulder as he walked away, causing Hoshi to let out a long held breath once she was alone. Honestly, stop being such a schoolgirl! It's just Trip, for heaven's sake! He's going to think you're a hopeless idiot if you can't even behave normally in front of him. Get a Trip…No! I mean Grip. Get a grip…
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"What exactly do you think's going to happen, Hoshi? Think about it! He commander, you ensign. It's doesn't work like that."
"I know," Hoshi groaned, as Elizabeth Cutler smiled at her. "That's the stupid part. I know nothing's going to happen - don't really want it to, but I still can't stop thinking about it!"
They looked at each other, then both shrieked with laughter.
"Well, you're not the only one, that's all I know," Cutler grinned. "The female quota on this crew went up 30% when Commander Tucker was assigned here."
"The female quota of the ship is thirty percent, you idiot."
"Exactly."
"Stop teasing me, Liz, you don't understand. Just because he's not a Denobulan! I expect mere humans have no attraction for you anymore," Hoshi smiled sweetly.
"Oh, you!" Elizabeth threw a cushion at Hoshi's head. "The only reason I asked you for these lessons was because I thought you'd understand - given your current affliction," she added.
"And because I'm the only person on board besides from a certain doctor, who can speak any Denobulan."
"Well, that too," Cutler grinned. "Maybe that's your way into Commander Tucker's affections. You could offer to teach him exolinguistics?"
"Yeah, he'd probably ask me to teach him Vulcan."
Cutler snorted, "Don't worry, it wouldn't make any difference. T'Pol would never look at him in that way. She hates the smell of humans, remember?"
"Hasn't stopped her sticking around, has it?" Hoshi mused. "Something on board must appeal to her."
"I think it's the Captain," Cutler giggled. "They do have a lot of "private discussions" in his ready room."
Hoshi laughed too. "You're drunk,"
"Well so are you," Liz smiled back. "And we still haven't figured what to do about your little problem."
"Trip's not that short," Hoshi mumbled as she stared into her empty wineglass, causing Cutler to erupt into giggles again.
"I suggest you try someone else. Someone easier… I know - Malcolm! He likes you, I know he does, he's always staring at you on the bridge."
"He is not!"
"He IS, Hoshi Sato. And he's only a Lieutenant, it wouldn't cause such a scandal."
"You know, it's nearly midnight and I don't think you've learnt three words of Denobulan today."
"But I've drunk more than three glasses of wine, which is just as good," Liz said, draining her glass. "And besides, I think I'm wasting my time with Phlox. He doesn't see me as a potential mate."
"Maybe you're not a compatible species… I wonder how you'd find that out?"
"I can think of a way," Cutler hiccuped. "Maybe I should suggest it - in the interests of exobiology."
"If you do, then I'll ask Commander Tucker if he wants private Vulcan lessons," Hoshi promised.
They both started laughing again, and this time couldn't stop. Then Cutler started doing Malcolm impressions, and Hoshi couldn't take it any more. It was only when Hoshi's neighbour started banging on the wall in protest that they quieted a little.
"Oh, Liz… stop," Hoshi struggled to get her breath back. "I won't be able to face him tomorrow."
"Oh, don't worry, Hosh, as soon as Commander Tucker walks in, you'll forget Malcolm exists. Sweet dreams," she added wickedly, as she got up to leave.
More soon…. Stay tuned.f