Title: "How Simple it is to Say"
Author: FatMatDuhRat
E-Mail: FatMatDuhRat@AOL.com
Rating: G
Category: Friendship
Code: A/S
Summary: Archer and Hoshi meet for the first time. Takes place a few months before "Broken Bow."
The radiant red light from the sun streaked its way across the immense region of
the sky above Korean peninsula. Jonathan Archer leaned his shuttlepod into a steep
angle of descent as he pointed the tiny Starfleet vessel away from the incredible
view of the infinite horizon. His ship gently made its way down towards the hazardous
surface of the mountains below, and he was soon approaching his expected landing site
while coasting at one-fourth of the previous speed.
He casually sat inside the heavy metal box and hovered for a while, watching as each
wing retracted itself back into a more relaxed position. The smooth stone-face of the
cliff below became closer with each passing second, and then he felt a gentle nudge
underneath his seat as the belly of the ship kissed the ground.
Archer stared with total wonder as he walked out of the shuttlepod. The ancient
Buddhist temple that stood before him was more fascinating to look at than the
enormous rose garden that sat behind him, floating in the sky. Bright puffs of red
and pockets of dark blushes were still being formed by the setting sun, but all he
could see were the two giant golden doors that stretched up and into the rock that
covered them. Even from more than seventy meters away, he could still distinguish
many of the intricate features that were carved into their surface.
A lone monk patiently waited for him at the entrance, and his clean-shaven head was
seen shining from the light within the air as it dissipated around them. The man
deeply bowed his body into the folds of his saffron colored robe at the precise
moment that Jonathan stepped within the holy area that surrounded them.
Archer was unaccustomed to the gesture, but not unprepared. He stooped over until his
head was lower than the other man's and proceeded to whisper the appropriate greeting
required of a traveler who chooses to visit the shrine. "ohm, bodhisattva Shari." The
minute priest immediately glanced up and flashed his guest a remarkably pleasant
smile.
"Bodhisattva, Chari. But you are still welcome within our home, noble sir." And with
that, the distinct Asian cordially turned and began to shuffle down the long dark
path in order to lead Archer to his final destination. Somewhere within the temple
was an ancient library, and it would be inside of those hallowed walls that he would
finally get to meet the young Japanese woman he'd only heard scant rumors about.
* * * * *
Tiny amounts of fluorescent lamps poured a bright white color onto the ceiling, but
Archer could also see a series of neo-halogen tubes hanging inside of the chamber
over his head. Their curved structure was designed to direct a great amount of
luminosity through a sheet of transparent aluminum. Various wires and connecting
tubes were embedded into the high ceiling directly above, and all of the light was
pointed down at an area that housed a multitude of curled scrolls and hundreds of
thick, dusty books.
One priest, almost identical in appearance to the man that accompanied him, was
standing along the side of a large table. From far away, the special illumination of
the room left the monk within the shadows, but Archer could still see him. In front
of him was the only other occupant in the area; the woman he had come there to see.
She was quietly sitting at the center of the wide, open space. Dust mites trailed
around her face as she read, and the only sound was the occasional crack of an old
parchment as it was folded.
The little man at her rear had his eyes closed, and it seemed to Archer that he was
meditating. Suddenly, the girl quickly shifted her body forward and made a tiny
squeak into her cupped hands. What sounded like a meek sneeze escaped out of her
mouth and the vigilant monk behind her swiftly stepped forward. He held out a
perfectly clean, bright orange piece of cloth before her and muttered the words,
"Chou cho."
Jonathan smiled warmly as he watched their exchange of pleasantries, but then he
casually made his way forward to where they were congregating. The petite bald man
glanced at the new arrival warily, but then receded as he saw one of his fellow
members of the cloth slide along next to the intimidating figure. The young lady with
the long, dark hair seated at the tremendous table had just finished using the
handkerchief when he reached her. His shadow drifted directly over the work she had
been studying, and her posture stiffened as she sheepishly looked up to see who was
interrupting her.
"Miss Hoshi Sato, my name is Jonathan Archer." He extended his burly hand out to her
while flashing a friendly grin. "We've only communicated through electronic messages,
but I felt it would be best for us to physically meet each other."
Hoshi continued to dab at the tip of her nose with a bit of embarrassment, but she
hastily stood up and returned the greeting. She had to tilt her chin up in order to
meet his eyes, but she forced herself to focus on them as she spoke.
"Yes, Captain Archer! I remember you saying in your last letter that you'd be on
Earth for a few weeks. It's great to finally meet you, sir."
"Likewise, Ensign Sato." Archer slowly rubbed his palms together as he lazily glanced
around the room. "I have to congratulate you on finding such a wonderful place to
continue with your studies."
"Thank you, sir. This temple had a seven month waiting list for any scientist or
archaeologist outside of Starfleet trying to get in here."
Archer's face broke out into another light smile. "I guess that's one of the
advantages we have in working for the betterment of Earth compared to those who are
merely trying to expand the knowledge within their own minds."
"Well," Hoshi began, "being a part of Starfleet has certainly helped me gain access
to places like this everywhere in the world. However, I had to work incredibly hard
in order to become an officer and live up to academic standards."
"Yes," he said, slowly nodding, "We all have to go through that, but what are your
plans for the future?"
Hoshi snapped out her answer immediately. "I have a very good feeling that the
expansion of my rank and career is far from over, sir."
Jonathan nodded and walked around a bit. He observed the numerous paper artifacts
that were strewn across the table. Hoshi and the monk watched as he gently ran his
fingers across a few books, and then carefully slid the palm of his hand along the
sides of several scrolls. Archer took special care in his actions, so as not to
disturb the overall peaceful environment which existed within the spacious room. A
particular page caught his eye and he waved for her to come over and take a look at
it.
She bent over and peeked at the image for a second before her eyes lit up. "Does this
picture give you any ideas, sir?"
"Please call me Jonathan, and yes, it most certainly does."
Hoshi turned to the robed man and whispered three words to him. He gave them both a
curt bow and then took off into a far corner of the room. They watched him disappear
into the darkness for a moment before hearing the sound of a heavy door being dragged
open.
The little man popped out again a second later. He gave them a gentle wave as he
stood within a tiny pool of light that came down from the opening leading to the next
room. Both of them returned his gesture and then began walking towards him.
Archer broke the silence first. "So, Hoshi, that piece of art back there -- Was that
supposed to be a deity, or a great king of some kind?"
"Oh, no... that's not it at all Jonathan." She cupped her hand to her mouth again,
but this time it was to hide her growing smile. Before he could become suspicious,
Hoshi forced herself to calm down and answer the Captain's question.
"It's just a common picture; there are hundreds of them that I've seen regularly.
That same character is on dozens of pages, but he's merely a happy fat man eating a
bowl of noodles and soup."
Archer didn't seem too disappointed to hear this, nor did he show Hoshi any signs
that he detected her amusement at his mistake. "All right, I can see how that would
be a better interpretation instead of my uneducated guess. But I have one more
question for you; what do those words underneath it say?"
Hoshi quickly fired off her answer. Her voice was sharp and displayed none of the
humorous attitude she'd just had only a moment ago.
"Well, sir, I mean -- Jonathan. The words below the drawing are part of another
section to that page. You must mean the text to the left of it."
"Yes, that's it; the specific part that goes with it."
She gently cleared her throat before reciting the translation she had memorized. "Joy
flows into the body / while good food is consumed."
* * * * *
Archer could see less than a dozen other people in the room, but this was obviously
where everyone came to serve themselves a meal. Hoshi and he were the only ones not
dressed in the bright colored garments worn by the Buddhist monks. There was no line
to wait in, nor was there a protein resequencing device waiting for them on top of
the far away table. Instead, three large cauldrons were implanted in the wall at the
far side of the room.
The giant pots continuous spilled out steam, and a pile of smooth wooden bowls sat on
a shelf underneath. They could both see how a person could easily approach the corner
of the dining area to gather some chopsticks, and then follow the individual path in
front of them as they walked directly over to the "soup line." Archer assumed that
this was what the serving area was called; he could see two gigantic kanji painted
onto the floor and the pattern made by their intricate shape led directly to the
spigot which procured the hot food.
Hoshi and Archer gathered up a serving of noodles, vegetables and hot broth. They
silently thanked the priest who had led them there, and then quietly made their way
into a vast hallway that ran next door. No talking was permitted in the dining area,
and visitors were often instructed to carry their bowls and sticks into an adjacent
area. Most people knew well enough to return these supplies once they had been
properly emptied.
Hoshi silently ate her meal for a while as she carefully observed Captain Archer out
of the side of her vision. He was occasionally scooping up a mouthful of food, but
she could see that this was a slow process for him. He was having a little bit of
trouble eating the slippery noodles with the sticks, and he kept on blowing the hot
steam away from each portion.
Archer was enjoying the simple dinner so much that he almost missed the new piece of
artwork that was within the room. He had glanced at the wall behind Hoshi and
abruptly noticed that there was a giant golden Buddha painted upon it. He craned his
neck back as far as it could go but he was barely able to make out the smiling lips
and shining eyes at the top of the tremendous image. The bright, shiny color scheme
of the figure blended into the surrounding gray shadows at its edges. This created an
illusion that made the Buddha appear as if it was sunken into the rest of the wall
that wrapped around it.
After several minutes, they had both finished with their cuisine but neither made a
move to return the utensils just yet. Archer approached Hoshi as she stood next to
the foot of the Buddha and struck up another conversation with her.
"Well Hoshi," he began, "Where are you off to next?"
She beamed at him with uninhibited pride before answering, "I'm going to teach some
basic xeno-communication skills to a handful of specialized students in the Brazilian
rain forest. Classes begin at the start of the next month."
"That sounds splendid," he replied, and then a new thought occurred to him. "You know
something? I've only been to the Amazon once in my life. It was back when I was your
age... I was on a jungle survival exercise with my father."
Sato watched as his calm demeanor began to fade and a deep sadness replaced his
expression. She felt the urge to console him in some way, even though she could only
guess at what it was that had poorly affected his mood. Archer took a deep breath and
shook off the slight wave of depression that had hit him.
He returned his gaze to Hoshi and continued talking to her. "Maybe I'll be able to
pay you a visit out there, but only if Starfleet will allow it."
Now it was Sato's turn to drastically change her expression. Archer noticed how she
unexpectedly became a bit droopy when he had mentioned his possible visit. At first
he thought that he must have overstepped the level of formality he had with her, but
Hoshi had already straightened herself out and looked up at him before speaking once
more.
She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Of course, sir. If Starfleet authorizes
it, you'd be more than welcome to come see me again."
"Please, you can call me Jonathan." He had to regain her confidence again, so he
tried easing a friendlier tone back into his voice. "Neither of us is on any kind of
official duty with an Admiral present, are we? All we're having is just an informal
conversation among peers." He playfully dropped his head down to her level and
lightly grinned.
"All right then, Jonathan." She became more animated as his gracious mood worked to
encourage her. Hoshi shuffled around in front of the painted area for a brief moment
before she sauntered away, placed a bit of distance between her body and its image.
Archer could hear strength and confidence in her voice as she started to speak up
some more. "So... you say that you're a peer of mine? What's your key area of study;
is it poly-linguistics, xeno-linguistics, or maybe even what I'm dong here: trying to
decipher the origin of language itself as it was created by an ancient human
society?"
"Er... um, well -- No. Nothing as complex as that, Hoshi." The elder officer
temporarily lost his professionalism as he began scuffing his shoes while staring
down at the ground. "I'm just a simple starship Captain, but I've had my fair share
of lessons in elementary Vulcan. I also got to practice talking with a Tellarite
diplomat last year, as well as some Rigellians three weeks ago."
Hoshi immediately became highly interested with what he was now saying and decided to
quickly interrupt him. "Did you ever encounter anything significantly unique or
highly specialized that I might not have heard of?"
"Oh yeah," he answered, "I once had to learn a few phrases of a very strange language
spoken by some serpentine humanoids."
Upon hearing this, she began to display the same kind of eager energy that Archer had
from when he first entered the temple. "So many different aliens... and it sounds
like you've done a lot of traveling in order to meet with all of them." Hoshi said,
not even bothering to conceal the wonder she felt as his choice of career.
"Yes, I have," Archer replied, "but I've only been able to travel locally throughout
the Galaxy. Many of our closest neighbors are well aware of our presence, but they
also need to know about our desire to explore everything around us as well." He
paused briefly as he considered the words he'd use next. "I was able to visit most of
them with a bunch of different Admirals over the course of these previous five years.
But if I've learned anything from my travels, it's that there's no place like home."
Hoshi's face lit up when she heard this, prompting her to speak up again. "When it
comes to my past travels with Starfleet, I'm a bit more simplistic in my descriptions
of where I've been. I prefer just to make a few short hops around my own backyard. At
least once a year, I try and make a visit to one of the gas giants, preferably Saturn
to Jupiter because of... well, you know? The rings around that celestial body are
just so much prettier than having to look at a big, ugly red spot." She wrinkled her
face at this before continuing. "But this Christmas, I planned on heading all the way
out to Pluto. It's going to cross paths with Neptune on the twenty-ninth, and I'd
love to see that from the edge of the Kuiper belt if I can."
Archer seemed genuinely pleased to here this. He still wanted to press her a bit more
about inter-stellar travel though. "But have you ever had the desire to visit any of
our neighboring systems? I'm sure you know that Proxima Centauri is less than a few
days away at Warp 3. Why don't you head on over there instead of merely visiting the
cold edge of our solar system?"
Awkwardly, she looked away from him, and the words came pouring out of her mouth
before she could stop them. "Flying faster than light always makes nervous, and I
tend to get a little... space sick." Sato raised her eyes back up to his, trying to
show an ounce of confidence that she really didn't feel. "It's nothing I can't
handle, but it's something I prefer to face when the time is right."
Archer's face dropped upon hearing this, but after a moment he was able to speak to
her again. "Well, Hoshi... I have to admit that I'm kind of sorry to hear you say
that. You really don't know what you're missing." A second later, he stared right at
her until he was certain of her full attention. "I personally believe that every one
of us, every single human being, should share in the exploration of the Universe.
Have you ever considered all the wonderful things it has to offer us?" Archer looked
away and started stomping around the room a bit; waving his hands apart and then
clasping them behind his back. Hoshi's eyes never left him as he spoke.
"I can't put it into words..." he continued, "I wouldn't know how to give you a
visual description of what I've seen. It's almost impossible for me to explain half
of the places I've been, and there's so much more out there!" He was grinning again,
and had stopped pacing for the moment. "Every scientist I know tells me that there
are hundreds of star systems out there, all of them directly within our reach. And
that means that there could be thousands of planets too, and so many of them are
inexplicably different from Earth or any of the worlds nearby that belong to our
inter-stellar associates."
Hoshi let him completely finish before she was able to catch his eye and speak again.
"It sounds really amazing sir, but my current duties keep me right here. And at the
moment, I prefer being very close to home."
Without any hesitation, Archer drew near to her and asked the obvious. "But there's
more to you than that, Ensign Sato. You're not just some highly qualified linguist
that performs various studies for the Fleet, there are plenty of those. I know that
you've worked with something a bit more advanced than a multitude of crumbling paper
while sitting inside of a dusty mountain."
Hoshi saw where this was going. She straightened up to her full height before
speaking. "I'm sure you already know that I'm fully qualified to operate as an
executive communications officer on board any ship in the Fleet. I have an extensive
knowledge in how to determine incoming sub-space transmissions, and I am highly
familiar with a variety of alien signal modification techniques. My last tutor even
told me that I have 'magic ears' due to how easily I was able to pick out an encoded
message within an ancient radio frequency which he had sent to me through a chaotic
asteroid field."
Archer considered this for a moment before pursuing another question he had. "And
yet... you still haven't acquired a desire to put these skills to use?"
Hoshi firmly stated her reply, "I plan on heading out into the Galaxy eventually, but
I prefer unlocking the secrets of our ancestors first."
And with that, Archer decided to pleasantly resign their conversation. He saw no
point in forcing anyone into making such a critical decision. He dropped his serious
manner and began walking back to the kitchen area they had come from. "Well Hoshi, I
wish I could convince you, but I guess I'll just have to allow you to determine your
own path in life."
She promptly caught up with him and gave him an appreciative smile. "Thank you very
much for saying that, Jonathan."
Archer turned over his shoulder and looked pleasantly at her. "Think nothing of it."
He quickly shifted the bowl and sticks into his left hand and dug something out of
his pocket. Hoshi could see the tiny LCD readout screen at the top of the palm-padd,
and she then heard a low mumble escape from the Captain as he examined the
chronological readout. He saw that the sun was about to set and let out a low sigh as
he switched the numerical time display off and slipped the gadget back into his
pants. "I really must get going now," he said, "I have an early meeting with some
Engineering personnel down in Australia, and I need to get my shuttle back in the air
before nightfall. I hear that the weather is going to get bad."
"Yeah," Hoshi said, "I heard the same thing from the local meteorologist they have
here." She stepped in front of him and halted, holding him right outside of the
cooking room. Archer could see by the look on her face that she had an idea of some
sort, but he didn't know what it possibly could be. "Before you go, there's one more
thing in this temple that you should experience."
Archer looked back at the wall behind them. "It's not another colossal figure of
Buddha, is it?"
"Oh no," she laughed, "not at all. All you have to do is ask one of the monks to take
you up to the Kun-Hong at the top of this place."
He gazed at her for a while, feeling a bit unsure about whether or not he should go
through with this final suggestion. But after only a few seconds, Archer shrugged his
shoulders and said, "Why not?"
Hoshi smiled broadly at him as she said, "Trust me, Jon, you'll love it."
* * * * *
Archer skillfully felt his way up the wall as he reached out to grasp the next
available protrusion. He had no idea how the "ladder" had been constructed, but it
certainly couldn't have been a natural creation. Each ledge that he touched was
intimately smooth and his hands fit inside of them perfectly. As he continued
climbing, he could see that everything surrounding him had been carved out of the
solid rock of the mountain. There were hundreds of Chinese characters written all
over each of the steps, and no two were the same. As he ascended, Jonathan could see
a series of tiny child-like figures chipped into the stony surface of the barrier
that ran parallel to him. Some parts of the upward tunnel were a tight squeeze to fit
through, but Archer was able to bend his body around the awkward outcroppings and
make his way a bit closer to the summit.
More than ten minutes later, Jonathan could finally see the sky through an opening at
the top of the temple. As he reached the last several handholds, Archer saw that a
purple colored light was covering them. He looked in the air and gazed at the clouds,
witnessing the traces of pink and orange they made as they slowly evaporated above
him.
The next level after the last step was the roof of the temple. He reached up and laid
both of his hands upon the cold stone. With one giant pull, Archer flipped himself
over in order to sit there on the open, flat surface. Instantly, he noticed that a
dozen more mountains stretched around him, each one taller than the last. After he
spent a few moments catching his breath, Jonathan was content to simply stay right
where he was; staring at everything around him. The view was utterly astounding; it
was as if an artist possessed by magic had decided to carve an ethereal landscape.
Directly to the west but very far off in the distance, the brilliant blood red sun
was resting on top of the horizon. It sat there for only a few seconds before
gradually sinking and dissipating into the layer of atmosphere below. Archer was so
transfixed at this that he didn't even hear the monk who arrived, climbing up from
the same ladder. The small man sat down behind him and studied all that was happening
in the opposite direction. Sensing that something was slightly different, Jonathan
eventually turned around and caught sight of the priest.
He wasn't mad at the man for sneaking up on him, and even if he was, that thought
would have been quickly erased. Drifting out of the east, hovering and floating in
the far expanse of the Pacific Ocean, the moon made itself known.
"Luna!" cried the holy man, raising his steady hand to point directly at the center
of Earth's only satellite. Archer grinned from ear to ear as he watched the grayish
half-circle rise into the clouds. The first stars of the night were beginning to
appear, only a few of them forming into familiar constellations. He could distinctly
see the sparkling light of Venus as she made her way into Cassiopeia's chair, and
then the monk signaled for him to return inside the temple. Before he could protest,
a sharp breeze fell onto him and whipped a giant amount of dust into his face and
eyes. He tried to wash it away with his bare hands but it had already blinded him. He
stood there and shook his head for a moment before dropping to his knees and crawling
back down the carved ladder.
Archer was able to easily make his way approximately five meters before he stopped
and settled his body against the flat wall of a nearby ledge. He tried to wipe his
face clean but found it too difficult with only one available hand.
And then, he heard the kindly voice of the monk at his side. "Chou cho." Jonathan
felt a piece of fabric placed into his palm. On reflex, he used it to wipe at his
eyelids and mouth. The gentle smile of the bald man hung before him, and he realized
that he could see clearly once again.
"Thank you. You're very kind." The other man gave him a casual nod in return, and
then he proceeded to make his way all the way back down to the ground. Archer
hesitated, watching the man go before following him. He smiled to himself while
having an amusing thought.
"I can't wait to tell Trip about this place!"
He laughed loudly, and the sound echoed off the edges of the rocky tube as he
continued to descend it with ease and stealth.
THE END
* * * * *
Author: FatMatDuhRat
E-Mail: FatMatDuhRat@AOL.com
Rating: G
Category: Friendship
Code: A/S
Summary: Archer and Hoshi meet for the first time. Takes place a few months before "Broken Bow."
The radiant red light from the sun streaked its way across the immense region of
the sky above Korean peninsula. Jonathan Archer leaned his shuttlepod into a steep
angle of descent as he pointed the tiny Starfleet vessel away from the incredible
view of the infinite horizon. His ship gently made its way down towards the hazardous
surface of the mountains below, and he was soon approaching his expected landing site
while coasting at one-fourth of the previous speed.
He casually sat inside the heavy metal box and hovered for a while, watching as each
wing retracted itself back into a more relaxed position. The smooth stone-face of the
cliff below became closer with each passing second, and then he felt a gentle nudge
underneath his seat as the belly of the ship kissed the ground.
Archer stared with total wonder as he walked out of the shuttlepod. The ancient
Buddhist temple that stood before him was more fascinating to look at than the
enormous rose garden that sat behind him, floating in the sky. Bright puffs of red
and pockets of dark blushes were still being formed by the setting sun, but all he
could see were the two giant golden doors that stretched up and into the rock that
covered them. Even from more than seventy meters away, he could still distinguish
many of the intricate features that were carved into their surface.
A lone monk patiently waited for him at the entrance, and his clean-shaven head was
seen shining from the light within the air as it dissipated around them. The man
deeply bowed his body into the folds of his saffron colored robe at the precise
moment that Jonathan stepped within the holy area that surrounded them.
Archer was unaccustomed to the gesture, but not unprepared. He stooped over until his
head was lower than the other man's and proceeded to whisper the appropriate greeting
required of a traveler who chooses to visit the shrine. "ohm, bodhisattva Shari." The
minute priest immediately glanced up and flashed his guest a remarkably pleasant
smile.
"Bodhisattva, Chari. But you are still welcome within our home, noble sir." And with
that, the distinct Asian cordially turned and began to shuffle down the long dark
path in order to lead Archer to his final destination. Somewhere within the temple
was an ancient library, and it would be inside of those hallowed walls that he would
finally get to meet the young Japanese woman he'd only heard scant rumors about.
* * * * *
Tiny amounts of fluorescent lamps poured a bright white color onto the ceiling, but
Archer could also see a series of neo-halogen tubes hanging inside of the chamber
over his head. Their curved structure was designed to direct a great amount of
luminosity through a sheet of transparent aluminum. Various wires and connecting
tubes were embedded into the high ceiling directly above, and all of the light was
pointed down at an area that housed a multitude of curled scrolls and hundreds of
thick, dusty books.
One priest, almost identical in appearance to the man that accompanied him, was
standing along the side of a large table. From far away, the special illumination of
the room left the monk within the shadows, but Archer could still see him. In front
of him was the only other occupant in the area; the woman he had come there to see.
She was quietly sitting at the center of the wide, open space. Dust mites trailed
around her face as she read, and the only sound was the occasional crack of an old
parchment as it was folded.
The little man at her rear had his eyes closed, and it seemed to Archer that he was
meditating. Suddenly, the girl quickly shifted her body forward and made a tiny
squeak into her cupped hands. What sounded like a meek sneeze escaped out of her
mouth and the vigilant monk behind her swiftly stepped forward. He held out a
perfectly clean, bright orange piece of cloth before her and muttered the words,
"Chou cho."
Jonathan smiled warmly as he watched their exchange of pleasantries, but then he
casually made his way forward to where they were congregating. The petite bald man
glanced at the new arrival warily, but then receded as he saw one of his fellow
members of the cloth slide along next to the intimidating figure. The young lady with
the long, dark hair seated at the tremendous table had just finished using the
handkerchief when he reached her. His shadow drifted directly over the work she had
been studying, and her posture stiffened as she sheepishly looked up to see who was
interrupting her.
"Miss Hoshi Sato, my name is Jonathan Archer." He extended his burly hand out to her
while flashing a friendly grin. "We've only communicated through electronic messages,
but I felt it would be best for us to physically meet each other."
Hoshi continued to dab at the tip of her nose with a bit of embarrassment, but she
hastily stood up and returned the greeting. She had to tilt her chin up in order to
meet his eyes, but she forced herself to focus on them as she spoke.
"Yes, Captain Archer! I remember you saying in your last letter that you'd be on
Earth for a few weeks. It's great to finally meet you, sir."
"Likewise, Ensign Sato." Archer slowly rubbed his palms together as he lazily glanced
around the room. "I have to congratulate you on finding such a wonderful place to
continue with your studies."
"Thank you, sir. This temple had a seven month waiting list for any scientist or
archaeologist outside of Starfleet trying to get in here."
Archer's face broke out into another light smile. "I guess that's one of the
advantages we have in working for the betterment of Earth compared to those who are
merely trying to expand the knowledge within their own minds."
"Well," Hoshi began, "being a part of Starfleet has certainly helped me gain access
to places like this everywhere in the world. However, I had to work incredibly hard
in order to become an officer and live up to academic standards."
"Yes," he said, slowly nodding, "We all have to go through that, but what are your
plans for the future?"
Hoshi snapped out her answer immediately. "I have a very good feeling that the
expansion of my rank and career is far from over, sir."
Jonathan nodded and walked around a bit. He observed the numerous paper artifacts
that were strewn across the table. Hoshi and the monk watched as he gently ran his
fingers across a few books, and then carefully slid the palm of his hand along the
sides of several scrolls. Archer took special care in his actions, so as not to
disturb the overall peaceful environment which existed within the spacious room. A
particular page caught his eye and he waved for her to come over and take a look at
it.
She bent over and peeked at the image for a second before her eyes lit up. "Does this
picture give you any ideas, sir?"
"Please call me Jonathan, and yes, it most certainly does."
Hoshi turned to the robed man and whispered three words to him. He gave them both a
curt bow and then took off into a far corner of the room. They watched him disappear
into the darkness for a moment before hearing the sound of a heavy door being dragged
open.
The little man popped out again a second later. He gave them a gentle wave as he
stood within a tiny pool of light that came down from the opening leading to the next
room. Both of them returned his gesture and then began walking towards him.
Archer broke the silence first. "So, Hoshi, that piece of art back there -- Was that
supposed to be a deity, or a great king of some kind?"
"Oh, no... that's not it at all Jonathan." She cupped her hand to her mouth again,
but this time it was to hide her growing smile. Before he could become suspicious,
Hoshi forced herself to calm down and answer the Captain's question.
"It's just a common picture; there are hundreds of them that I've seen regularly.
That same character is on dozens of pages, but he's merely a happy fat man eating a
bowl of noodles and soup."
Archer didn't seem too disappointed to hear this, nor did he show Hoshi any signs
that he detected her amusement at his mistake. "All right, I can see how that would
be a better interpretation instead of my uneducated guess. But I have one more
question for you; what do those words underneath it say?"
Hoshi quickly fired off her answer. Her voice was sharp and displayed none of the
humorous attitude she'd just had only a moment ago.
"Well, sir, I mean -- Jonathan. The words below the drawing are part of another
section to that page. You must mean the text to the left of it."
"Yes, that's it; the specific part that goes with it."
She gently cleared her throat before reciting the translation she had memorized. "Joy
flows into the body / while good food is consumed."
* * * * *
Archer could see less than a dozen other people in the room, but this was obviously
where everyone came to serve themselves a meal. Hoshi and he were the only ones not
dressed in the bright colored garments worn by the Buddhist monks. There was no line
to wait in, nor was there a protein resequencing device waiting for them on top of
the far away table. Instead, three large cauldrons were implanted in the wall at the
far side of the room.
The giant pots continuous spilled out steam, and a pile of smooth wooden bowls sat on
a shelf underneath. They could both see how a person could easily approach the corner
of the dining area to gather some chopsticks, and then follow the individual path in
front of them as they walked directly over to the "soup line." Archer assumed that
this was what the serving area was called; he could see two gigantic kanji painted
onto the floor and the pattern made by their intricate shape led directly to the
spigot which procured the hot food.
Hoshi and Archer gathered up a serving of noodles, vegetables and hot broth. They
silently thanked the priest who had led them there, and then quietly made their way
into a vast hallway that ran next door. No talking was permitted in the dining area,
and visitors were often instructed to carry their bowls and sticks into an adjacent
area. Most people knew well enough to return these supplies once they had been
properly emptied.
Hoshi silently ate her meal for a while as she carefully observed Captain Archer out
of the side of her vision. He was occasionally scooping up a mouthful of food, but
she could see that this was a slow process for him. He was having a little bit of
trouble eating the slippery noodles with the sticks, and he kept on blowing the hot
steam away from each portion.
Archer was enjoying the simple dinner so much that he almost missed the new piece of
artwork that was within the room. He had glanced at the wall behind Hoshi and
abruptly noticed that there was a giant golden Buddha painted upon it. He craned his
neck back as far as it could go but he was barely able to make out the smiling lips
and shining eyes at the top of the tremendous image. The bright, shiny color scheme
of the figure blended into the surrounding gray shadows at its edges. This created an
illusion that made the Buddha appear as if it was sunken into the rest of the wall
that wrapped around it.
After several minutes, they had both finished with their cuisine but neither made a
move to return the utensils just yet. Archer approached Hoshi as she stood next to
the foot of the Buddha and struck up another conversation with her.
"Well Hoshi," he began, "Where are you off to next?"
She beamed at him with uninhibited pride before answering, "I'm going to teach some
basic xeno-communication skills to a handful of specialized students in the Brazilian
rain forest. Classes begin at the start of the next month."
"That sounds splendid," he replied, and then a new thought occurred to him. "You know
something? I've only been to the Amazon once in my life. It was back when I was your
age... I was on a jungle survival exercise with my father."
Sato watched as his calm demeanor began to fade and a deep sadness replaced his
expression. She felt the urge to console him in some way, even though she could only
guess at what it was that had poorly affected his mood. Archer took a deep breath and
shook off the slight wave of depression that had hit him.
He returned his gaze to Hoshi and continued talking to her. "Maybe I'll be able to
pay you a visit out there, but only if Starfleet will allow it."
Now it was Sato's turn to drastically change her expression. Archer noticed how she
unexpectedly became a bit droopy when he had mentioned his possible visit. At first
he thought that he must have overstepped the level of formality he had with her, but
Hoshi had already straightened herself out and looked up at him before speaking once
more.
She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Of course, sir. If Starfleet authorizes
it, you'd be more than welcome to come see me again."
"Please, you can call me Jonathan." He had to regain her confidence again, so he
tried easing a friendlier tone back into his voice. "Neither of us is on any kind of
official duty with an Admiral present, are we? All we're having is just an informal
conversation among peers." He playfully dropped his head down to her level and
lightly grinned.
"All right then, Jonathan." She became more animated as his gracious mood worked to
encourage her. Hoshi shuffled around in front of the painted area for a brief moment
before she sauntered away, placed a bit of distance between her body and its image.
Archer could hear strength and confidence in her voice as she started to speak up
some more. "So... you say that you're a peer of mine? What's your key area of study;
is it poly-linguistics, xeno-linguistics, or maybe even what I'm dong here: trying to
decipher the origin of language itself as it was created by an ancient human
society?"
"Er... um, well -- No. Nothing as complex as that, Hoshi." The elder officer
temporarily lost his professionalism as he began scuffing his shoes while staring
down at the ground. "I'm just a simple starship Captain, but I've had my fair share
of lessons in elementary Vulcan. I also got to practice talking with a Tellarite
diplomat last year, as well as some Rigellians three weeks ago."
Hoshi immediately became highly interested with what he was now saying and decided to
quickly interrupt him. "Did you ever encounter anything significantly unique or
highly specialized that I might not have heard of?"
"Oh yeah," he answered, "I once had to learn a few phrases of a very strange language
spoken by some serpentine humanoids."
Upon hearing this, she began to display the same kind of eager energy that Archer had
from when he first entered the temple. "So many different aliens... and it sounds
like you've done a lot of traveling in order to meet with all of them." Hoshi said,
not even bothering to conceal the wonder she felt as his choice of career.
"Yes, I have," Archer replied, "but I've only been able to travel locally throughout
the Galaxy. Many of our closest neighbors are well aware of our presence, but they
also need to know about our desire to explore everything around us as well." He
paused briefly as he considered the words he'd use next. "I was able to visit most of
them with a bunch of different Admirals over the course of these previous five years.
But if I've learned anything from my travels, it's that there's no place like home."
Hoshi's face lit up when she heard this, prompting her to speak up again. "When it
comes to my past travels with Starfleet, I'm a bit more simplistic in my descriptions
of where I've been. I prefer just to make a few short hops around my own backyard. At
least once a year, I try and make a visit to one of the gas giants, preferably Saturn
to Jupiter because of... well, you know? The rings around that celestial body are
just so much prettier than having to look at a big, ugly red spot." She wrinkled her
face at this before continuing. "But this Christmas, I planned on heading all the way
out to Pluto. It's going to cross paths with Neptune on the twenty-ninth, and I'd
love to see that from the edge of the Kuiper belt if I can."
Archer seemed genuinely pleased to here this. He still wanted to press her a bit more
about inter-stellar travel though. "But have you ever had the desire to visit any of
our neighboring systems? I'm sure you know that Proxima Centauri is less than a few
days away at Warp 3. Why don't you head on over there instead of merely visiting the
cold edge of our solar system?"
Awkwardly, she looked away from him, and the words came pouring out of her mouth
before she could stop them. "Flying faster than light always makes nervous, and I
tend to get a little... space sick." Sato raised her eyes back up to his, trying to
show an ounce of confidence that she really didn't feel. "It's nothing I can't
handle, but it's something I prefer to face when the time is right."
Archer's face dropped upon hearing this, but after a moment he was able to speak to
her again. "Well, Hoshi... I have to admit that I'm kind of sorry to hear you say
that. You really don't know what you're missing." A second later, he stared right at
her until he was certain of her full attention. "I personally believe that every one
of us, every single human being, should share in the exploration of the Universe.
Have you ever considered all the wonderful things it has to offer us?" Archer looked
away and started stomping around the room a bit; waving his hands apart and then
clasping them behind his back. Hoshi's eyes never left him as he spoke.
"I can't put it into words..." he continued, "I wouldn't know how to give you a
visual description of what I've seen. It's almost impossible for me to explain half
of the places I've been, and there's so much more out there!" He was grinning again,
and had stopped pacing for the moment. "Every scientist I know tells me that there
are hundreds of star systems out there, all of them directly within our reach. And
that means that there could be thousands of planets too, and so many of them are
inexplicably different from Earth or any of the worlds nearby that belong to our
inter-stellar associates."
Hoshi let him completely finish before she was able to catch his eye and speak again.
"It sounds really amazing sir, but my current duties keep me right here. And at the
moment, I prefer being very close to home."
Without any hesitation, Archer drew near to her and asked the obvious. "But there's
more to you than that, Ensign Sato. You're not just some highly qualified linguist
that performs various studies for the Fleet, there are plenty of those. I know that
you've worked with something a bit more advanced than a multitude of crumbling paper
while sitting inside of a dusty mountain."
Hoshi saw where this was going. She straightened up to her full height before
speaking. "I'm sure you already know that I'm fully qualified to operate as an
executive communications officer on board any ship in the Fleet. I have an extensive
knowledge in how to determine incoming sub-space transmissions, and I am highly
familiar with a variety of alien signal modification techniques. My last tutor even
told me that I have 'magic ears' due to how easily I was able to pick out an encoded
message within an ancient radio frequency which he had sent to me through a chaotic
asteroid field."
Archer considered this for a moment before pursuing another question he had. "And
yet... you still haven't acquired a desire to put these skills to use?"
Hoshi firmly stated her reply, "I plan on heading out into the Galaxy eventually, but
I prefer unlocking the secrets of our ancestors first."
And with that, Archer decided to pleasantly resign their conversation. He saw no
point in forcing anyone into making such a critical decision. He dropped his serious
manner and began walking back to the kitchen area they had come from. "Well Hoshi, I
wish I could convince you, but I guess I'll just have to allow you to determine your
own path in life."
She promptly caught up with him and gave him an appreciative smile. "Thank you very
much for saying that, Jonathan."
Archer turned over his shoulder and looked pleasantly at her. "Think nothing of it."
He quickly shifted the bowl and sticks into his left hand and dug something out of
his pocket. Hoshi could see the tiny LCD readout screen at the top of the palm-padd,
and she then heard a low mumble escape from the Captain as he examined the
chronological readout. He saw that the sun was about to set and let out a low sigh as
he switched the numerical time display off and slipped the gadget back into his
pants. "I really must get going now," he said, "I have an early meeting with some
Engineering personnel down in Australia, and I need to get my shuttle back in the air
before nightfall. I hear that the weather is going to get bad."
"Yeah," Hoshi said, "I heard the same thing from the local meteorologist they have
here." She stepped in front of him and halted, holding him right outside of the
cooking room. Archer could see by the look on her face that she had an idea of some
sort, but he didn't know what it possibly could be. "Before you go, there's one more
thing in this temple that you should experience."
Archer looked back at the wall behind them. "It's not another colossal figure of
Buddha, is it?"
"Oh no," she laughed, "not at all. All you have to do is ask one of the monks to take
you up to the Kun-Hong at the top of this place."
He gazed at her for a while, feeling a bit unsure about whether or not he should go
through with this final suggestion. But after only a few seconds, Archer shrugged his
shoulders and said, "Why not?"
Hoshi smiled broadly at him as she said, "Trust me, Jon, you'll love it."
* * * * *
Archer skillfully felt his way up the wall as he reached out to grasp the next
available protrusion. He had no idea how the "ladder" had been constructed, but it
certainly couldn't have been a natural creation. Each ledge that he touched was
intimately smooth and his hands fit inside of them perfectly. As he continued
climbing, he could see that everything surrounding him had been carved out of the
solid rock of the mountain. There were hundreds of Chinese characters written all
over each of the steps, and no two were the same. As he ascended, Jonathan could see
a series of tiny child-like figures chipped into the stony surface of the barrier
that ran parallel to him. Some parts of the upward tunnel were a tight squeeze to fit
through, but Archer was able to bend his body around the awkward outcroppings and
make his way a bit closer to the summit.
More than ten minutes later, Jonathan could finally see the sky through an opening at
the top of the temple. As he reached the last several handholds, Archer saw that a
purple colored light was covering them. He looked in the air and gazed at the clouds,
witnessing the traces of pink and orange they made as they slowly evaporated above
him.
The next level after the last step was the roof of the temple. He reached up and laid
both of his hands upon the cold stone. With one giant pull, Archer flipped himself
over in order to sit there on the open, flat surface. Instantly, he noticed that a
dozen more mountains stretched around him, each one taller than the last. After he
spent a few moments catching his breath, Jonathan was content to simply stay right
where he was; staring at everything around him. The view was utterly astounding; it
was as if an artist possessed by magic had decided to carve an ethereal landscape.
Directly to the west but very far off in the distance, the brilliant blood red sun
was resting on top of the horizon. It sat there for only a few seconds before
gradually sinking and dissipating into the layer of atmosphere below. Archer was so
transfixed at this that he didn't even hear the monk who arrived, climbing up from
the same ladder. The small man sat down behind him and studied all that was happening
in the opposite direction. Sensing that something was slightly different, Jonathan
eventually turned around and caught sight of the priest.
He wasn't mad at the man for sneaking up on him, and even if he was, that thought
would have been quickly erased. Drifting out of the east, hovering and floating in
the far expanse of the Pacific Ocean, the moon made itself known.
"Luna!" cried the holy man, raising his steady hand to point directly at the center
of Earth's only satellite. Archer grinned from ear to ear as he watched the grayish
half-circle rise into the clouds. The first stars of the night were beginning to
appear, only a few of them forming into familiar constellations. He could distinctly
see the sparkling light of Venus as she made her way into Cassiopeia's chair, and
then the monk signaled for him to return inside the temple. Before he could protest,
a sharp breeze fell onto him and whipped a giant amount of dust into his face and
eyes. He tried to wash it away with his bare hands but it had already blinded him. He
stood there and shook his head for a moment before dropping to his knees and crawling
back down the carved ladder.
Archer was able to easily make his way approximately five meters before he stopped
and settled his body against the flat wall of a nearby ledge. He tried to wipe his
face clean but found it too difficult with only one available hand.
And then, he heard the kindly voice of the monk at his side. "Chou cho." Jonathan
felt a piece of fabric placed into his palm. On reflex, he used it to wipe at his
eyelids and mouth. The gentle smile of the bald man hung before him, and he realized
that he could see clearly once again.
"Thank you. You're very kind." The other man gave him a casual nod in return, and
then he proceeded to make his way all the way back down to the ground. Archer
hesitated, watching the man go before following him. He smiled to himself while
having an amusing thought.
"I can't wait to tell Trip about this place!"
He laughed loudly, and the sound echoed off the edges of the rocky tube as he
continued to descend it with ease and stealth.
THE END
* * * * *