Janus

by Mara Greengrass

When a transporter accident splits Hoshi into two nearly-identical individuals, the two Hoshis must make a series of difficult decisions. (Round Robin: T/S, R/S)

2. Chapter Two

Title: RR: Janus
Author: jyorakku, Mara, essential phenylalanine, Josephine, Lizard, Chrysa
E-Mail: For contact info, look under the posting forum at http://judy.jteers.net/cgi-bin/cutecast/cutecast.pl?forum=10&thread=512.

For disclaimer, etc., see part one

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jyorraku	"Wait, wait!" Hoshi-chan ran to catch up with Hoshi. She caught her elbow and forced her to stop. "Why are you running?" Hoshi yanked her elbow back. "Look, I just need to think about this by myself. I don't want you to be in front of me. Things are too confusing as it is. You might want to talk about it first, but I don't, so just leave me alone." Hoshi-chan bit her lip. "But that's just it. We're dealing with this differently. What if...what if one of us wants to change back and the other doesn't?" Inhaling sharply, Hoshi grimaced at the sudden new complication. She closed her eyes and exhaled with a hiss. When she opened them, Hoshi-chan was still there. "See?" Hoshi jabbed a finger at her double, "This is why I don't want to talk to you! As if things aren't complicated enough?!" She made a rude sound of frustration and turned away. Hoshi-chan watched, forlorn, as Hoshi stalked off at a pace that said 'don't follow'. * * * * * The new bed was uncomfortable. She gave up the pretense of sleep. The room was unfamiliar, even the small pieces of personal items that she had retained during the tradeoff felt strange no matter how or where she placed them. Hoshi threw up her hands minutes later. What did it matter? She wasn't even sure how long she was going to be in this room. She didn't remember ever feeling this restless, this wired, like she wanted to hit something. And the urge wasn't going away, even after an hour of pacing. Reading didn't help either, she couldn't concentrate on the words. Was this one of the differences? Did she get the edginess while Hoshi-chan got that irritating sereneness? Finally, she gave up the idea of sleep entirely and went to the gym, hoping to work off some of the tension. It was the beginning of the beta shift. The majority of people were sleeping. The skeletal beta crew were just starting their shifts. The gym should have been empty. It was not. He was there. There was a powerful grace to his movements as he practiced for each block, attack, and retreat, finding ways to defeat his invisible opponent. "Hey." Malcolm completed his last move, then slowly let his arms fall to his sides. He kept his back to the gym's new arrival. "You should be resting," he said as he reached for a towel. "Can't. Need a partner?" He faced her, smiling grimly. "I'm afraid I'm not in a mood to go easy." Hoshi felt her blood drum in anticipation. She ran her tongue over her teeth and replied, "Then don't. See what I've really got." Her feet moved apart as she bounced lightly on her toes. Malcolm remained flat on his feet. He narrowed his eyes, his piercing blue eyes hooded as he contemplated what he was going to do next. Finally, he slid his feet apart and pushed his weight forward. An arm shot out, followed by the sweep of a leg. A block, a roundhouse, a duck, an elbow. Suddenly, Hoshi cried out and Malcolm stopped abruptly in midmotion. It gave her the few seconds she needed. A sturdy shove and a hook at his unbalanced leg sent him sprawling. Hoshi stood above him as the stars cleared from his eyes. He blinked a couple of times at the woman above him. "You cheated," he stated flatly. Hoshi breathed heavily. She grinned at her first clear defeat. Slowly, she bent her knees and watched Malcolm's eyes grow wide as she sat astride him. "I didn't cheat, I just used what I have to my advantage." "Hoshi--" he started to say, trying to sit back up. To his surprise, she shoved him none too lightly back down on the mat. He struggled to keep his expression blank as she leaned in close, nearly settling her entire body on top of his. "What I have is a very healthy voice. Do you know how it works?" He shook his head as much of he could in the position he was in. His lungs protested as he tried to keep his breathing even and steady. "Of course you don't. You don't study linguistics. Well, there's active and passive articulators. The passive being the teeth, the palates, the alveolar ridge...but my favorites are the active articulators." Hoshi paused, letting her index finger trail up his throat as she closed the small distance between them. His breath was coming short and shallow now. "The lips..." she whispered as she brushed her thumb against his lips, and placed her own lips on top of her thumb. "And the tongue," she finished before removing her thumb and letting their lips touch. Even as Malcolm registered her lips on his, her tongue pressed against the seam of his mouth. He heard a loud roar behind his ears and didn't exactly remember what happened next, though he vaguely registered the thought that he would never think of linguistics the same way again. * * * * *
Josephine	Hoshi-chan couldn't sleep either. She kept thinking of Hoshi that morning, as she walked away, refusing to talk. What if one of them wanted to stay and the other wanted to go? They hadn't spoken all day, not after dividing up their duties; Hoshi taking the bridge tasks and the actual talking to aliens that they met, and Hoshi-chan taking the more academic work. Trip had offered her the use of one of the extra stations in Engineering, since Hoshi was using the communications console; and she had spent an enjoyable day wrapped in cataloging and analyzing the languages they had come across. No captain looking over her shoulder, no angry alien that might blow them up unless she could communicate with them in five seconds. No stress at all. Unless you counted the numerous times Trip came over to check on her. Hoshi-chan always knew when he was near; a fluttery feeling around her heart heralded his arrival. The attraction was there for her, but she wasn't sure what he felt. Was it enough for her to stay? Hoshi-chan finally sat up, resigned to being awake. Pulling out her mat, she hoped some yoga would help her relax enough to go to sleep. Rummaging through her drawers, Hoshi-chan realized her counterpart had taken all their workout clothes, with the exception of a worn tank leotard that Hoshi-chan had kept for sentimental reasons. With a sigh, she pulled it on, and was out the door. Pausing outside the gym doors, she could see Hoshi and Malcolm beginning to spar. Hoshi held her own, each movement backed with confidence and power. Hoshi-chan turned away, knowing it was her that had held their progress back. She made her way to the observation lounge, empty at this time of night. Sitting cross-legged on her mat, Hoshi-chan sat up straight, concentrating on her breathing. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, turn the head to the right; exhale return to center. Inhale, turn the head to the left; exhale, return to center. Moving through the positions, she limbered up her body, opening the joints. Stir the cauldron, rock the baby. She moved into a spinal twist, a cat-cow, and finally a bow. Hoshi-chan finally felt relaxed, the tension from the past day gone. Settling into a lotus position, she gazed out the window, watching the stars stream by, thinking of her twin and their predicament. "Hey Hoshi-chan. Been lookin' for ya." Trip sat down on the floor, facing her. The familiar ache around her heart was back. So much for yoga. "Hello, Trip." The smile was genuine, if pensive. "What's up?" Trip frowned at the shake of her head. "I know somethin's botherin' you." "What if one of us wants to go back, but the other doesn't?" Trip's heart constricted at the question. "You want t' go back? And Hoshi doesn't?" "I'm not sure. She wouldn't talk about it. I don't think she likes me very much. I'm too...passive for her. I'm the one that's been holding us back. I'm the one who shouldn't be in space. I look at myself and I see this cringing, scared girl who screams at the drop of a dead alien. She's the one who made us stay, who yelled at the Klingon. She doesn't need me, doesn't want me." "Do NOT sell yourself short!" Trip grabbed hold of Hoshi-chan's shoulders and turned her to him. "Hoshi Sato had enough gumption for the both of you. You are not some shrinking violet." With his thumbs he wiped the tears that were falling down her cheeks. "Hoshi's not all that, you know. Startin' t' get on m' nerves, truth be told." "I see her, and she's so confident, and assured...I feel insignificant next to her." "You've got it in you too, Hoshi-chan. You just have a conscience to temper it." Pausing a moment, Trip pulled her onto his lap and leaned back against a couch. Hoshi-chan stiffened, then relaxed into him. He put his arms around her and she tucked her head under his chin. "You have nothing t' apologize for, darlin'." The low rumblings of Trip's voice sent shivers down Hoshi-chan's spine, settling into a molten pool low in her belly. She could smell the scent of sandalwood mixed with a touch of engine oil. His words of encouragement ringing in her ears, Hoshi-chan slowly turned her head and placed a soft kiss on the hollow of his throat. The hissing intake of his breath made her think she had gone too far, and her new confidence fled as Trip's hand came to cup her cheek, raising her head to his. Hoshi-chan felt herself trembling slightly as his mouth descended; a sweet, gentle kiss that made her ache for more. She opened her mouth, tongue seeking entry. With a groan, Trip laid her on the floor, trailing kisses down her shoulder as his hand paused at the strap of her leotard. A soft 'please...' urged him on.
Chrysa	* * * * * Many long, satisfying hours later Hoshi opened her eyes again and contemplated the man sleeping next to her. Rising up on one elbow, she gently pulled back the sheet and gazed at his back in the dim starlight. A finger traced the scratches across his back and Hoshi shook her head amazed that she had been the cause of them...and the smile that graced Malcolm's mouth as he slept. She'd never been that aggressive in bed but something in her had responded to Malcolm's intensity, taking what he gave and giving it back full measure. And then some, she thought with a grin of her own. Slowly she eased away from him and went into the bathroom. She showered, wanting to ease some of the aches and pains of the night's activities away. Hoshi got as far as drying her hair when she glanced back into the mirror and caught sight of the particle burn. Gingerly she touched the edges of it, hissing in pain when her fingers pressed too hard or ventured into still-tender flesh. A very real reminder that she was still alive and that another woman just a few doors down had the same wound...the same memories, the same body...that hadn't existed until yesterday. Or was she the one who hadn't existed until yesterday? Hoshi sat down on the toilet and put her head in her hands. The restlessness was back, moving through her body like blood. She suddenly wanted to race a car, bungee jump off a bridge, get hammered and start a brawl at some seedy bar. She hadn't felt like this in years. Contrary to what everyone thought, that serenity Hoshi-chan inherited wasn't completely natural. It had been fought for during her youth. As a child prodigy she'd had to grow up fast and act like an adult in most situations. Only later on would she realize how much of her childhood she'd traded in for it, but by then it was too late. She was too restrained to ever completely let go again. Hoshi looked down at her hands turning them over and over as if she'd never seen them before. So if that serenity was gone...what else had she lost? How much of herself would she have to rediscover? Redefine? Who was she now? Did she want to go back? "Hoshi?" Hoshi looked up at Malcolm, his robe hanging loosely on his frame, and saw the concern and fear for her in his eyes. She didn't realize she'd reached out to him until he was kneeling next to her, her hands in his. "What is it?" He asked softly, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. What would she lose if she did go back? "Hold me. Just hold me." She said putting her arms around him and closing her eyes. * * * * *
Mara	They'd adjourned to Hoshi-chan's room fairly quickly: Trip was many things, but he wasn't an exhibitionist. Now it was the middle of ship's night, and in the lowered lights of her room, Trip lay on his side, looking at the woman beside him. Her skin was a porcelain so delicate he was almost afraid she would break, made more beautiful by the contrast of her hair, a silken waterfall that framed her face. Trip ran his fingers gently across the dark strands where they lay on the pillow. She murmured in her sleep and shifted a bit, eyelids fluttering. Hoshi--no, Hoshi-chan, he reminded himself--was so amazing. Why did she always put herself down? Even if she claimed that most of her experiences on Enterprise had happened while she was combined with the other Hoshi, since the split, she'd been so brave, and remarkably calm. Trip wondered if he'd be this cool-headed in the same situation. Probably not. He'd be running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Okay, she'd been a little upset earlier, but that was understandable. Trip looked at the planes of her face, thrown into relief by the light. He didn't care what parts of her she'd given to the other Hoshi, there was no question in his mind that this was the woman he'd fallen in love with. And he'd be damned if he could tell her that. He couldn't let her think he was pressuring her. Stirring again, Hoshi-chan rolled closer, sighing as she curled up against his chest. Trip took a deep breath, fighting back another surge of arousal. It was time to let her sleep now, even if- No, he told himself, he couldn't think like that. He had to think positive. Somehow they'd work this out. Hell, maybe they'd never figure out a safe way to put them together and that would... Trip sat up, his eyes wide. "Oh my god." "What is it?" Hoshi-chan's eyes were very liquid in the half-light, and she blinked up at him. He stared down at her, a pain growing in his chest. "I think," he said slowly, "I know how to do it." "How to..." Hoshi-chan stopped and sat up, clutching the thin sheet to her chest. Her hair fell around her face, and Trip gently pushed it behind her ears. "You know how to put us together." He nodded. "Maybe. I've gotta run it by Malcolm and everybody before I can be absolutely sure. But I think I'm on the right track, at least." One hand still held the sheet, the other, fisted, rose to her mouth for a moment. Then, dropping the hand, she took a deep breath and sat up a little straighter. "Then I, we, need to make a decision." "I don't think you need to make it immediately. I mean, there's no deadline that I know of." A very small smile crept across her face. "And you think the decision will get easier with time?" "I suppose you're right." He held his breath looking at her. Damn, she was so beautiful and amazing and wonderful and brilliant and he couldn't say any of that to her. "I guess I should get to work on this, then." She looked at him for a long moment, her face unreadable. Then the hand that held the sheet slowly released it, letting it puddle in her lap. She stroked across his chest, her fingers tickling the hairs. "It's the middle of the night. I'm not in that much of a hurry." * * * * * Ship's morning came sooner than either might have liked. Hoshi-chan set off to find her twin. "It's time for us to talk...whether she likes it or not." Trip grinned unwillingly. And Hoshi-chan thought that Hoshi had gotten all the backbone. Hah! An hour later, T'Pol, Phlox, and Malcolm all huddled over viewscreens, while Trip paced back and forth behind them. He couldn't hear anything but clicks and beeps, with an occasional "Hmmm" from Phlox. "Well?" he asked, when he couldn't stand it any more. "The data are preliminary," T'Pol began. "I know that, but do you think it'll work?" T'Pol's lips pursed, but after a few moments of consideration, she said, "Yes, I do believe it will work." Phlox frowned. "Besides the obvious physical concerns, I'm concerned about the mental health results of re-integrating Ensign Sato. I believe that I need to speak to the two of them before any decisions are made." Trip sank down into a nearby seat, avoiding Malcolm's eyes.
jyorraku	* * * * * Hoshi-chan found Hoshi in the gym. She watched her move powerfully across the mat, and had to remind herself what Trip had told her. She deserved to exist as much as Hoshi did. They were just...different. Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Hoshi-chan. Maybe you'll start to believe it. She hated this dull fear that drummed in her heart. The fear that made her silent when she knew she should speak. It never used to be this bad. A sudden gust of air jerked Hoshi-chan out of her reverie. She gasped as she saw a fist coming straight at her face. Stumbling backwards, she threw herself against the wall, bracing for the pain from the impact. It never came. Hoshi flicked her index finger at Hoshi-chan's nose. "What do you want?" "Why did you do that?!" "Because I can." Hoshi stared at Hoshi-chan's flushed face and smiled toothily. "You know, I never realized I was so limber." "How does scaring me to death make you limber?" Hoshi raised an eyebrow at her. "I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about how Malcolm and I fucked like bunnies last night. That limberness." Hoshi waited for the shocked expression to come. Hoshi-chan clenched her jaw, refusing to be baited again. "I know what you're doing." "Okay, tell me, Hoshi-chan, queen of all that is Hoshi. What am I doing?" "You want to show me that you're different from me. That you belong here as much as I do, because we're not the same," Hoshi-chan took a deep breath and gazed into eyes that were so much like hers, "You don't want to feel like you're redundant." Hoshi stared at her counterpart for a brief second before lifting her hand to stifle a yawn. "Yes, yes, whatever, smartypants. You know both of us so much better than I do-" Grasping Hoshi's wrist, Hoshi-chan explained in a rush, "You don't understand, I feel like that too. You're braver, stronger, everything I can't seem to be. How do you think that makes me feel?" Hoshi yanked her wrist back and backed away from Hoshi-chan. "I don't know how you feel, and I don't care. You want to go back together, is that it? Why don't you just cut to the chase then?" Hoshi said, her voice rising. "No I...I slept with Trip last night!" Hoshi-chan blurted out. Hoshi looked bored. "What's your point?" Hoshi-chan blinked at her. "My point is that part of me wants to stay because he's here...for me. Don't you feel the same way? Isn't that why you and Malcolm...?" Her voice, her soft calm voice, grated on Hoshi's ears. She was just there, talking to her as if they were trying to choose what to have for breakfast, when she felt like she was this close to bouncing off the walls. Why couldn't she just shut up, why did she have to analyze everything? Why did she have to be right? Did that mean that she herself was always wrong? That wasn't fair at all. A small giggle fell out of her lips, and the contradictory words came easily. "Cut the sentimental crap. I was horny. He was available. Sorry I'm not fitting into your little neat profile for me, Hoshi-chan," Hoshi mocked in a tiny voice. Their ears caught the sharp intake of breath at the same time. Together, they saw Malcolm standing at the doorway of the gym, his eyes filled with shock, then anguish. "Malcolm," Hoshi-chan whispered, surprised to find him there. How much did he hear? Malcolm gave Hoshi a grim smile before turning on his heels and taking off. Enough. He had heard enough. Hoshi saw a flash out of the corner of her eyes and a second later, felt the stinging pain in her cheek. She turned and saw Hoshi-chan's eyes filled with tears, her lips trembling in a stubborn pout as she glared hatefully at her. "You know what? I'm glad I'm not you," she whispered before taking off after Malcolm's footsteps. Hoshi stared after her. She rubbed her sore cheek with one hand and contemplated what just happened. "Bitch," she muttered. The thing was, she was pretty sure she was talking about herself.
Mara	* * * * * Hoshi-chan paused outside the doorway to the gym, her anger at Hoshi's harsh words cooling quickly. Her first thought had been to run after Malcolm, try to talk to him, convince him that Hoshi hadn't meant what she said. But moments later it occurred to her that might not be a good idea. She turned back, but Hoshi was already pounding away at the sparring dummy, apparently unconcerned by what had happened. Could she really be certain what her other self thought? If she told Malcolm that Hoshi cared for her, could she be certain it was true? Maybe she should go find Trip and- Wow, two bad ideas in a row. Maybe it was a trend. She couldn't face Trip right now. Her face heated as for a moment she remembered the feel of his hand caressing her cheek...and other things. She had been unable to interpret the look on his face when he figured out how to re-integrate them. Was he happy? Sad? Angry? Worried? An ache began at the base of her skull and lanced its way through her skull to emerge just above her right eye. Hoshi-chan swallowed against the pain, holding back a whimper that wanted to spring from her throat. She took a deep breath and carefully began the walk to Sickbay. Surely Phlox would have something for her headache. With each step, she ran through the problems in her mind. No way to know what would happen if they re-integrated. No way to know what would happen if they stayed apart. If they re-integrated, there was the problem of Trip and Malcolm. If they stayed apart...there was the problem of Trip and Malcolm. Through the ache in her head, Hoshi-chan still managed a slight smile at that. Ah, the irony. Malcolm loved Hoshi. Hoshi-chan did not doubt that fact at all, even if her prickly other half did. The look in Malcolm's eyes when Hoshi dismissed their time together was unmistakable. Which left Trip. Why couldn't she be as certain about him as she was about Malcolm? The time they'd spent together was special, and he seemed to care for her. But every time he looked as if he were going to say something, he drew back. Why? It wasn't in her to ask. She'd put so much of herself on the line already, she couldn't take that last step. If he didn't love her, where did that leave her? How would she feel if they stayed separate and Hoshi and Malcolm paired off? Could she bear to stay separate and watch her stronger half? Would she always feel like the weaker half? Would they be in competition forever? All the thinking left her head hurting even more. She made it through the double doors of Sickbay. Phlox turned at her entrance, a tube of something in his hand. "Ensign? Is something the matter?" She stopped in her tracks and just looked at him. He managed to look slightly abashed. "My apologies for the poor wording. Is there something new the matter?" She leaned against a biobed, fighting the urge to lie down on it in fetal position and wait for the world to go away. "I have a headache." "Ah. I believe I can help you with that." Phlox bustled around putting something into a hypospray. Still turned away, he paused. "I am glad you came, I was just planning to contact you and your...counterpart." Hoshi-chan sighed. "I don't think this is a good time to try and talk to her." Phlox put the hypospray to her neck and she braced for the familiar hiss and pinch. Two slow breaths and whatever he'd given her began to work. A cool breeze swept through her head, pushing the pain ahead of it and leaving her with a slightly numb neck and no pain. "There may not be much more time for us to speak," Phlox said. She looked into his concerned face, then rolled her head back and forth a few times, enjoying the lack of pain. "I know, but she's busy at the moment. And I'm not really in the mood to talk to her." "The time for a decision is approaching, and I would like to speak to both of you before that time arrives, to see if I can provide any assistance." He crossed his arms over his stomach and waited patiently. Her head felt better, but her heart still ached. "That would be nice. Thank you." "Please, let's sit down." Phlox led her into his small office, and they sat down. He watched her for a moment, and when she didn't speak, prompted her. "So, have the two of you discussed your options at all?" "Not really. Every time we get together, we argue." "I thought that was how human sisters are supposed to behave, especially two who are so very much alike. At least, that was my understanding from the many Earth movies that Crewman Cutler and I have attended." "What?" Hoshi-chan stared at him in confusion. "Alike? We're totally different." "Really?" Phlox chuckled. "Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think the differences you see are mainly in approach, not in the fundamentals. Remember, you are both Ensign Hoshi Sato. You may have acquired some slight differences in attitude, but you have the same memories, the same experiences, and--dare I say--the same beliefs." Hoshi-chan was taken aback. "I hadn't thought about that." "No, I rather thought you hadn't." "But that doesn't make my decision any easier." "Maybe the two of you can consider your options more amicably, however." "Maybe." She lapsed back into silence, staring at her hands folded in her lap as her mind once again ran over the complications. "What do you want to do?" Phlox asked after a minute had passed. She looked back up at him. "I don't know. Does she have some part of me that I need? Can I be happy as I am?" "Have you been happy at all since you separated?" Hoshi-chan blushed, looking away for a moment. "I...I suppose so. But what if..." She stopped, not ready to talk about Trip. "There is someone else involved," Phlox said. "And I don't know how he feels." Phlox frowned at her. "Your decision should not be based on the feelings of anyone other than you and your counterpart." "I know." She rubbed her hands along her legs, concentrating for a moment on the feel of the uniform under her hands. "It's so confusing. We don't know what we've lost by separating." "Thinking of it as a loss may not be the most constructive approach." She pondered that, turning it over in her mind and liking the feel of it. "I guess we would be happier if we didn't keep thinking of the other person as having stolen some part of us." She blinked. "That sentence made a lot more sense in my head." "It is not unnatural or unusual to be confused by your situation." Phlox paused. "Please do not make any decisions in haste. I would deeply regret anything happening to either or both of you because you allowed others to pressure you." "You're right," Hoshi-chan said. "I need to think. I need some time alone." She stood, and looked at Phlox, who still sat at his desk. "Thank you. You've given me a lot to think about, but a little bit of hope as well." "You are welcome, Ensign. I wish you well in whatever decision you make, and I am available if you wish to speak more." Hoshi-chan headed for her quarters, hoping to lock her door and think rather than react.
jyorraku	* * * * * Jon was looking over the new report from Trip. Phlox, T'Pol, and Malcolm had confirmed the validity of his solution. It should work. Should being the key word. Jon sighed. There were no protocols to follow, no precedents to guide him in such a situation. While the old saying is that two heads are better than one, he wasn't really sure this was the case with two Hoshis. They were one person once. Surely there had to be consequences...but he couldn't-- "Bridge to Archer." "Archer here." "There's an incoming communication from Starfleet. It's Admiral Forrest, sir." "Put it on in my ready room." Jon sat down and switched on the screen. The Admiral's face replaced the Starfleet logo. "Jon." Jon blinked. He had known Admiral Forrest for a very long time and was familiar with the ways he carried himself on different occasions. This was not going to be good. "Admiral." "I'm not going to pussyfoot around this, Jon. I've received your report regarding the situation with your communications officer, Ensign Sato. It's fast becoming a political debate amongst the top brass here in Starfleet." Jon frowned. "Political debate? I don't understand. This is about Hoshi, Ensign Sato." Forrest sighed. "Starfleet is young, Jon, but there are still people here determined to not let history repeat itself. This...transporter accident, it's bringing back images of the Eugenics War." "But this isn't about genetics--" "I know, but there are too many variables floating around. You've already stated in your report that there are differences between the two Hoshis. It might not be a result of genetic manipulation, but she was never meant to exist that way." Leaning in close, Jon scrutinized the Admiral. "What are you trying to say, Admiral?" "Jon, either find a way to put those two back together and we'll forget this ever happened, or bring them both back to Starfleet for observation." "Observation," Jon repeated slowly. Then, taking a sharp inhale, he forced words out of his clenched jaw, "I'm not taking them back for any kind of observation." Forrest had obviously known this was coming, and had rehearsed his lines. "I'm sorry, Captain. This is out of your hands. Forrest out." * * * * * continued in part three