Sunshine

by Lilymaid

Chaos erupts after shore leave on a tropical planet. *Complete*

Sunshine

            Trip pulled down on the unit, and it wouldn't budge. He tried again, and still it wouldn't move.  He was lying on the ground beneath one of the warp conduits trying to release the sub-processing unit. It was throwing the magnetic sensors out of alignment, and he was going to find out why.

            It was noon, and it'd turned out to be more than a bad day. Part of the cooling unit had exploded, three of his crewmen were out with the flu, and Malcolm had just finished reporting that the replicator had given him curdled milk instead of orange juice. 

            Trip finally gave up, deciding he was going to need a jooling wrench to pry it off. He rolled out from beneath the conduit and saw Hoshi, out of the corner of his eye, walking into engineering. He sat up, proceeding to hit his head on the metal arch just above and cursed under his breath as she approached. She stopped, putting something on the table and walked towards him.

            "Are you okay?" she asked as she extended her hand, helping him to his feet.

            "I'm fine."

            "That's quite a bump," Hoshi said.  "Maybe you should…"

            "I said, I'm fine," Trip snapped as he walked away from her. He told himself that if he concentrated on what he was doing, maybe he could forget how deep her brown eyes were. "What are you doing here?"

            "I brought you something to eat," she said cheerfully.

            "No thanks, I'm not hungry," Trip replied as he turned his back to her. He tried to adjust the jooling wrench and it wouldn't move.

            "It's your favorite, fried chicken and au gratin potatoes. I thought if I brought it down you could take a quick break and…"

            "Why would I do that?" Trip snapped again, as he became frustrated with the tool.

            "I just thought…" Hoshi started to reply as Trip's knuckle was scraped from his attempts.

            "Damn it!" Trip exclaimed, throwing the wrench down on the table.

"Calm down, Trip…"

 "You wouldn't think so much of me taking a break if the comm. were down would you?"

            "What?"

            "The comm. is fine, right? So it's okay if I take a break," Trip replied, not entirely believing the words had come out of his mouth as he watched her face fall.

            Hoshi stared at him for a moment, speechless. She turned silently and left engineering.

            "Damn it!" Trip exclaimed pushing the food off the table, it crashed onto the floor as he braced his arms against the table and tried to think.

            He stood up straight again and looked around. The other crewman in engineering who witnessed his outburst quickly turned away from him in confusion. He took a deep breath, picked up the tool and went back to the conduit to hide from himself.            

*           *           *

            Hoshi yawned and stretched her back as Travis walked into the mess hall.

            "Hey," she greeted, as he walked to the replicator. It was one a.m. and the mess was practically empty with one other crewman sitting in a corner towards the back.

            "Hey, what are you still doing up?"

            "Couldn't sleep, my brain hurts too much."

            "Yeah, me too, I'm too wired," Travis replied, as he ordered a hot chocolate and took the seat across from her.  "Are you still working on the data bank T'Pol gave you?"

            "Yes, it's huge. I have most of it done, but I want to finish before tomorrow."

            "We won't arrive at the planet for another two weeks," Travis began to reply, as he saw Hoshi's face tense a little. "Oh, I get it. This is a Vulcan assignment, and you don't want T'Pol on your back about not having it finished. I don't know why you let her get to you."

            "She doesn't get to me; I just want to be prepared."

            "Yeah, right," Travis replied, the doors then opened again and Trip walked through, quickly glancing at them. "The captain said that some of the crew may get to take shore leave when we arrive at Alagonia."

            "Are you going to put in a request?"

            "Hell yeah, I just hope he approves it. Warm beaches, tropical winds, big waves…and you aren't listening to a word I am saying…"

            "Huh?"

            "What's up?" Travis replied as he watched her glance again at Tucker as he left.           

            "Nothing."

            "Okay."

            "Why?"

            "Because you're pouting."

            "I am not."

            "Yes, you are."

            "Travis," Hoshi tried to object, shaking her head. "I just…"
            "What?"

            "I just think Commander Tucker is mad at me."

            "Because of what happened down in engineering today?"

            "No, I mean yes," Hoshi started, feeling herself getting frazzled. "But it isn't just that, I don't know, he just seems…it seems like he is purposely avoiding me."

            "Hoshi," Travis laughed.

            "No, really; Malcolm and I were having lunch the other day and he usually sits with us, but he didn't, he just left. And every time I try to ask him something he snaps at me like today. I did something wrong, I know it."

            "Hoshi, don't you think you're being a little sensitive?"

            "Probably," she replied as she took a sip of her tea.

            "He's been really busy down in engineering, you shouldn't take it personally."

            "I guess you're right."

            "Look, we have a few days of shore leave coming up and he'll probably take a break then. After that I'm sure everything will be back to normal."

            "I hope so."

*           *           *

            Archer was standing at the huge window overlooking the beach and the ocean when he heard the door open behind him.

            "Captain Archer, I'm sorry to keep you waiting," the Alagonian Ilkixa said as he entered the room, joining him.

            "It was no problem, Ilkixa," Archer replied as he extended his hand. "I was more than enjoying the view."

            "Thank you Captain. It is beautiful isn't it? And please call me Kelth," the Ilkixa replied as he looked out upon it with Archer. "We find Alagonia to be the prettiest planet in the alliance."

            "I find that easy to believe," Archer replied with smile.

            "I trust you and your crew have settled into your rooms comfortably," the Kelth asked.

            "Yes, they are more than adequate. Thank you for your generosity," Archer replied as he walked with the Ilkixa. 

            "We are more than happy to welcome new visitors to the alliance, it will be most certainly our pleasure," Kelth replied.

            "You keep referring to the alliance, would you mind explaining to me what that is exactly?"

            "O, I apologize, Captain. The alliance happened about three centuries ago, when the worlds of this galaxy came under attack by scavengers and nomads.  In a unification to defend against these common enemies we found that each of us had something that could contribute greatly to the defense of the sector as a whole. So the alliance was formed as a continual agreement to contribute evenly to that defense."

            "That is incredible, Kelth, it says a lot about the evolution of your society to have come to such a mature agreement for the good of your people."

            "I thank you for your praise, Captain. It is an unsteady balance to maintain but we do everything in our power to keep it," Kelth replied. "Enough about politics, you and your crew are here to enjoy yourselves. Please, let me give you a tour."

*           *           *

             Relax and try to have some fun, were Jon's words as they stepped off the shuttle pad.  This wasn't too bad; maybe all he needed was a break, some time to clear his head.

            Apparently the captain thought so. He politely ordered him to take shore leave and get out of engineering for a few days.  So here he was, in the middle of a beautiful ocean, on an exotic new planet as the sunshine kissed his shoulders, and he was miserable. Go figure. 

            He knew why, it was too quiet, no distractions. He couldn't relax and he couldn't work, so all that was left was thinking. Something he had tried to avoid doing for weeks.  

            Trip swam forward as the cool water brushed his shoulders and down his back. He decided to take a break and stopped treading water for a moment.  

            He had found a majority of the crew having a competitive game of volleyball when he arrived. He was asked to join but opted for a swim instead.  His eyes glanced over the participants as he watched the ball fly over the net. They struggled to get it and finally someone dove fist first for the ball, popping it back into the air.  

            "Nice save," he said to himself, realizing the one responsible for the save was Hoshi. 

            Trip laid back into the soothing water, trying to clear his mind of everything, but his thoughts continued to land in one place, the same place they'd been for weeks.

            Hoshi.

            The dream came flooding back to him, as it did every time he found himself near her. They were in a house and he walked into the living room and found her sitting on the couch. He smiled at her and she stood walking to him. His arms reached around her and he felt the most amazing warmth, it felt like a beautiful sunshine had enveloped him.

            It was just a dream.

             It started simple enough; he'd rationalized because they had spent a lot of time together recently. Between work, continuous problems with the comm., which she quickly learned to jeri-rig herself, and the normal social activities, he had gotten to know Hoshi; he got to see the woman beneath the green ensign.

            It was just a dream. He could handle it. They were friends, nothing more.

            He'd quickly forgotten about it, until the day she came to see him about the comm. Her normal quick fix wasn't working and she broke down and asked for his help.

              They had talked as they always did, joking and teasing. Trip had happened to glance at her and she was smiling at him. He suddenly felt the incredible warmth of the dream all over again. He realized it had changed. It had all changed.  From that moment on every time he saw her, his heart skipped a beat and his breath caught in his throat. 

            Trip prayed that the attraction would go away, but it didn't. He found himself daydreaming and smiling about things she had done, conversations they'd had.

            It was beyond frustrating.         

            That's when he began to avoid her, hoping that limiting the amount of contact would make the emotional distraction go away.  Trip buried himself in engineering, avoided the mess hall, except late at night, and only went to the bridge when absolutely necessary. 

            It hadn't worked. Nothing had changed; in fact, it seemed to have gotten worse. He was irritable, detached and just plain miserable, all because of a stupid dream.

             Trip was jolted from his thoughts as he heard something from the distance and searched for the source. He heard it again and this time he knew exactly what it was. 

            Trip swam toward the noise. He stopped, and could faintly see the shadow of someone struggling just beyond. He started off again when suddenly he felt his leg cramp.

            "Damn it!" he yelled in frustration as he tried to work the cramp out. He heard splashing behind him, and he turned as Hoshi swam up and stopped a supply kit floating beside her.

            "Hoshi," Trip said in surprise.

            "Trip, are you okay?"

            "Yea, my leg cramped up."

            "Did you…"

            "Over there, about thirty yards," Trip replied as he pointed. He watched as Hoshi took a breath and dove back in.

            Thirty seconds later she reemerged halfway between, and then she went back under. Trip's leg finally started to ease up and he swam out to meet her.

            When he arrived, the woman, who he recognized as one of the crew, was hanging onto the floating supply kit, but there was no sign of Hoshi.

            "Are you okay?" he asked the crewman.

            "My foot is caught," she replied, as Hoshi's head popped out of the water.

            "Her foot is wrapped around some kind of seaweed. It's strong, I am going to need your help to untangle her," Hoshi explained. Trip nodded and they both took a deep breath and submerged into the water.

            Trip followed Hoshi down as they promptly went to work on releasing the crewman's tangled foot.  He tried pulling on the sea plant with no luck. Hoshi tapped him on the shoulder and they both grasped the plant. After a few good tugs they managed to set her free and quickly moved back up to the surface.

            "Okay?" Trip asked as they both broke the surface, gasping for air. Hoshi nodded and they each took one of the crewman's arms.

            When they finally approached the shore, Travis, Malcolm and the others helped them the rest of the way onto the sand.  Trip and Hoshi both collapsed onto the beach, trying to catch their breath.

            Trip was the first to sit up, and he turned toward Hoshi who was still lying on the sand. Her face glistened in the sunlight as her clothes clung to her slim frame.  She had surprised him yet again with her courage, and he felt himself smiling as he watched her.  He quickly caught himself, and stood up walking away from her, back to his towel, further down on the beach.

            His heart was still pounding as he picked it up, wiping the seawater from his body.  It was impossible, there was no way there could ever be anything between them, no matter how much he wanted it. He knew he would just have to suck it up and deal with it.  Trip couldn't help but glance back to where he left her sitting. Malcolm was knelt down next to her talking, she smiled and then her eyes moved past Malcolm and landed on him. Trip quickly turned, throwing the towel over his shoulder and left the beach.

*           *           *

            "Hoshi, are you okay?" Malcolm asked her.

            "Yeah, I'm fine, how's Linda?" Hoshi replied, as she saw Trip glance over at her from where he was standing on the beach. As soon as she caught his eyes he turned and walked away.

            "She'll be fine, thanks to you and Trip. Hey, where did he go?" Malcolm asked as he scanned the beach.

            "I…I don't know," Hoshi said as she stood, grabbing her towel and sandals.

            "Hoshi, where are you going?"

            "I…I want to get cleaned up. I'll see you later," she quickly replied as she left the beach.

            She felt numb. No, she felt hurt and confused. If she hadn't been sure that Commander Tucker was mad at her before there was no question now.

              She had successfully fooled everyone into believing what happened in engineering hadn't bothered her, but it did. And now today, the way he walked away without a word. She knew she shouldn't take it personally, but she couldn't help it, it just hurt.  It really hurt, and what was worse is that she didn't know why. What should she care if he's in a bad mood, or was just being a plain jerk. If he had a problem it was his problem not hers.

            But he's not a jerk. He's a funny, intelligent, nice guy. They were friends, or at least she thought they were. Why was he being like this? What had happened to change everything?

            These were the same questions that had bothered her for weeks now, and she still didn't have any answers.

            Over the past few months he had shown her that she was stronger and much more needed than she thought. The way he'd acted toward her over the past weeks was so out of the blue. She wondered what she could have done wrong, why he had completely and suddenly- pushed away. Hoshi was determined to get over it and move on. She didn't deserve to be treated like that.

            Hoshi pushed it out of her mind as she reached the hotel. She went to her room, got cleaned up, and made her way downtown back toward the ocean, stopping at various shops along the way.  Finally she reached the coast and there she stopped, breathing in the fresh air as she looked out onto the beach. She heard her stomach growl and thought of the dinner invitation Malcolm had put forth earlier that day. He and the some of the other crewmembers were meeting at the hotel restaurant. Hoshi considered it for a moment, and then decided that she really didn't want to be around anyone right now.  She needed a break from the ship, from the crew, from her life. 

            Hoshi found a small café and ordered dinner, taking in the atmosphere and the people of this new world. They were a race of human like beings, sort of. They had four arms, two legs and their skin was a greenish hue with crimson spots.  While they were strange looking, they were very generous and hospitable. Their planet, lush with tropical jungles and large beaches was, apparently, a major tourist attraction to the surrounding systems.  Their culture was therefore centered in commerce and service.

            Hoshi finished her meal and strolled back out to the boardwalk. Music and laughter, people dancing and talking engulfed her. There was an uncountable mixture of aliens, some of them she recognized, and others she didn't.  She wondered if there was some occasion they were all celebrating, or if this was the way it was every night. Before she had a chance to ask, a drink was shoved in her hand and she was pulled into the crowd by an Alagonian who started to dance with her. Hoshi laughed out loud at the suddenness, but quickly decided to go with the flow. After all she was on vacation.  She happily took a sip of her drink and began to dance.

*           *           *

            Trip had entered the tavern a few hours before. The place was quiet, and far away from anyone he knew. Trip sat silently drinking his beer as the bartender took his glass, refilling it and set it down back in front of him.  Trip pulled out some credits and pushed them toward the tender.

            "That one's on the house, you look like you could use it."

            "It's that obvious?"
            "No, I'm a tender, I know things."

            "Really, so what do ya know about me, exactly?"

            "You're hiding."

            "Pretty good," Trip replied as he downed the ale in one gulp. The tender took his glass and refilled it putting it down again. Trip quickly picked it up and gulped it down.

            "So what are you hiding from?"

            "Not what, who."

            "Who then?"

            "Myself."

            "You're gonna need more than a few hours and Arillian ale to successfully do that."

            "Let me ask you somethin', what do you do when you want somethin' but you know you can't have it?"

            "Get over it. We don't always get what we want," the tender replied with a sarcastic smile.

            "But what if you discover that not only do you really want this somethin', but you need it?"

            "What makes you think you need it?"

            "The way things are when I don't have it."

            "Okay, but what if you get what you want, and it isn't what you thought?" the tender asked as he took Trip's glass, again refilling it. 

            "Impossible."

            "Depends on what we are talking about," the tender replied. Trip hesitated a moment and took down the ale.

            "It's a girl."

            "Well it didn't take a genius to figure that out, but what are we talking about?"

            "What do you mean?"

            "Why can't you be together?" the tender asked as he leaned in a little closer to Trip. "Does she think she's too good for you, one of those Velastic girls?"

            "No, no it's not like that. We…we work together and there are rules," Trip explained.

            "Around here, rules are made to broken, especially when it comes to love," the tender replied.

            "Now you're jumpin' the gun a little, I said nothing about love…"

            "You're sitting in the middle of one of the most beautiful places in the galaxy tryin' to drink yourself into oblivion because of something this girl did to you."

            "She really didn't…"

            "It doesn't matter, for any man, any species, to be focused on one thing for that long means only one thing."

            "What?"

            "You're in love my friend, plain and simple," the tender replied as Trip looked down at his glass.

            "So you see my problem."

            "What problem? If you feel that strongly about his girl, which, from what I can see, you do. Screw the rules. Go for it."

            "It's not that easy."

            "She doesn't feel the same?"

            "No, I mean…I don't know."

            "Well then at the very least you should tell her how you feel. If she doesn't feel the same you'll be off the hook."

            "And if she does?"

            "Who knows, maybe you two can find a way around the rules."

            Trip gulped down another beer as the tender walked away to help another customer. He mulled the tender's advice, wondering what would happen if he just pushed aside the Starfleet regulations and went with his feelings.  What was the worst they could do, fire him?

            Probably, but somehow he didn't think he cared. There were so many reasons he shouldn't, and yet all he could think about were all the reason's he should.

            She had the biggest heart; he'd watched her listen to so many of the crew with their worries about everything from broken romances to working the replicator properly. She listened to all of them and genuinely cared.  He'd never met anyone like her in his entire life. Maybe that was why he couldn't ignore the dream, or maybe the dream was just trying to tell him something that he already knew, but wasn't willing to admit. He groaned to himself as he realized he was starting to sound like Jon.  

            Trip heard voices behind him and then the scuffling of feet. He turned to see two aliens stand, challenging each other. The first said something and the other laughed.  The alien's laughter then stopped and the one alien pushed the other one. Trip rolled his eyes and went back to his beer.  He heard the argument escalating but didn't care.         

            "You might want to find another place to hide, this looks like it could get ugly," the tender said as he walked up to Trip, motioning to the escalating argument.

            "What's their problem anyway?"

            "Something about a girl,"

            "Figures," Trip replied as he pulled out some credits, throwing them down on the bar. As he turned he heard a gasp from the other customers and he stopped looking around the room.  His heart dropped as he saw Hoshi standing between the two aliens. One of the aliens had drawn some kind of particle weapon and it was pointed at the other. Well it was, until Hoshi stepped in front of it as she said something to the alien.  The alien looked to her, and then back at the second alien. Hoshi reached out her hand, placing it on the pistol. The alien seemed to be in agreement with whatever she had said because he allowed her to lower it to the ground.  Both aliens laughed again, and the surrounding crowd relaxed.  Hoshi smiled also and said one last thing to the alien before turning and leaving the bar.

            Trip quickly followed, he went outside searching through the maze of people and activity. He finally saw her and jogged to catch up. 

            "Hoshi," Trip called as he tugged on her arm and she turned to face him. "What the hell were you thinking back there?"

            "Oh, so now you are talking to me?"

            "Hoshi."

            "What?" Hoshi exclaimed as she turned on her heel back to him. "I was clearing up a misunderstanding, that's all."  

            "That's all?" Trip exclaimed, gaining notice from the partygoers around them.  "He could have shot you!"

            "I'm surprised you even noticed, let alone cared," Hoshi replied as she turned walking away from him.

            "I just…" Trip began to reply, thrown by her response. "That was incredibly stupid."

            "Trip, if you are going to stand there and yell at me for the next ten minutes let me save you the trouble, because I don't want to hear it. I am sick of every conversation we have turning into a shouting match with you doing all of the shouting!" Hoshi replied, her own voice rising.  He'd hadn't thought she'd notice his avoidance of her, but she had, and now he saw how much he had hurt her over the past weeks.  

            "Hoshi I…"

            "Just... I was being stupid, I know," Hoshi replied as her eyes turned away from him. "I have to go."

            "Hoshi, wait," Trip said as he followed her, she kept up her pace and he reached for her arm again and she stopped. She turned back to him her eyes brimmed with emotion.

            "What do you want from me, Trip?"

            "Nothing…I…." Trip replied as Hoshi's eyes lowered and then turned from him. They were pushed closer together as a group tried to pass, Trip's hands staying on her arms as he kept her with him.  "I'm sorry."

            "I was just trying to help," Hoshi replied as she looked back to him.

            "I know, you just…you could've gotten hurt," Trip replied in almost a whisper. She stared at him a deep tenderness shining in her eyes. The familiar warmth of the dream flowed through him as they stood there.

            Out of the blue, the sound of excitement filled the air around them. Trip looked around and it seemed as if the stars were falling from the sky. They were surrounded by thousands of falling lights. 

            "What is this?" Hoshi asked as she looked around in wonder.

            "I don't know," Trip replied, stepping back as he watched them fall.

            "They're so beautiful," Hoshi said as she spun herself around amidst the lights.

            Trip watched as his breath was taken by the way the small lights reflected off of her face. It made her eyes glow and her lips shine.  She didn't turn away from his gaze, which surprised him; she just smiled. 

            They heard the doors behind them open, the music and laughter from inside pouring out onto the pier.  They both watched as Malcolm and Travis sauntered out amongst the rest of the crowd, singing at the top of their lungs.

            "Hoshi, Hoshi my darling!" Malcolm exclaimed as he stumbled toward them. "Dance with me will you, none of these other people want to dance!"

            Malcolm didn't give her much of a choice as he grabbed her hand and swung her around into his arms. Trip watched as she laughed at his drunken behavior, while Malcolm attempted to dip her.  The band followed the rest of the crowd out of the bar. Trip was handed a beer and laughed as he watched.

            He knew he should probably leave, reducing the chance of anyone noticing how his eyes fell on her, but he didn't want to. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was his stupidity. He was tired of hiding and he wanted to stay and relax, have some fun with his friends, with her.  Something he hadn't done in a long time.

            The shower of lights ended about an hour later.  It was getting late and most of the crew had decided to head back to the hotel.  Hoshi stood up from one of the tables they had brought outside, as Malcolm and Travis began to leave. Trip started to stand also, his leg suddenly felt like stone and he moaned in pain.

            "Trip, what's wrong?" Hoshi asked as she turned to him.

            "It's my leg, it cramped up again," Trip replied as Malcolm and Travis turned back to them, hearing his groan.

            "Need some help, old man?" Malcolm asked as they walked back to the table.

            "Yeah, if you wouldn't mind," Hoshi immediately replied as Trip shook his head.  "Oh swallow your pride for a minute, Tucker, and let them help you back to the hotel!"

            "Yes, ma'am," Trip replied with a wince as Travis and Reed each took an arm pulling him to his feet.

            They carried him all the way to the hotel with Hoshi following close behind. As they stepped into the elevator, Trip leaned against the wall and they took a breather.

            "What floor?"

            "Five," Hoshi and Trip both replied.

            "Well then, I believe Travis and I are both on four, think you can make it the rest of the way?" Malcolm asked.

            "I'll be fine. Thanks for your help," Trip replied as the elevator stopped and they both stepped off.

            "What's this I stuff?  You can't walk on your own," Hoshi commented as the door opened again on the fifth floor. Trip tried to take a step on his own, determined he wasn't going to lean on Hoshi. As he did, his leg gave out and he felt her shoulder beneath his arm preventing his fall.

            "I've got you, come on," Hoshi said as she helped him out of the elevator.  "What room are you in?"

            "567."

            "Oh sure, pick the room at the end of the hall," Hoshi laughed.

            "It has the best view."

            "Sure it does," she replied as they made their way down the hall. Halfway between, Trip moved his weight off of her and started to walk a little on his own. "Is it getting better?"

            "A little, I think the alcohol is helping," Trip replied as he stopped leaning on the door of his room as he pulled out his key. 

            Trip fumbled with the key and finally jammed it into the door, as he did, it opened and he fell forward into the room. Hoshi couldn't help but laugh as she watched him stumble. He managed to catch himself mid fall and slid down the wall, having a seat on the floor.   Hoshi walked into the room, closing the door behind her. She set down her purse and walked over to where he was seated.  She crouched down in front of him as he smiled at her.

            "So was that the alcohol or your leg?"

            "I think it was a little of both," Trip replied as Hoshi began to untie his shoes. "What are you doing?"

            "What does it look like I'm doing?"

            "Yeah, I know but why?"

            "You can't very well go to bed with your shoes on."

            "Who said I'm going to bed?"

            "Trip," Hoshi rolled her eyes.

            "I know, I'm kidding," Trip replied as she began to pull. She was having problems and accidentally twisted his leg. "OW!"

            "Ah sweet revenge," Hoshi replied as she sat back on her heels.          "Revenge for what?"

            "For being a jerk," Hoshi teased.

            "Ah."

            "Trip?"

            "Yeah," Trip replied as he pulled off his own boot.

            "Why were you mad at me?" Hoshi asked as he saw something flicker in the back of her eyes.

            "I was never mad at you," Trip replied, trying not to meet her gaze. "I was frustrated."

            "With what?" she asked, her eyes intently searching his for an answer.

            "Nothing," Trip replied with a sigh as he leaned his head back against the wall.    Hoshi watched him for a moment and then took his hands in hers and began to try to pull him to his feet. Maybe it was the pain, maybe it was the alcohol, but her warmth so close was too much for him and he held her there, level with him.

            "Trip," Hoshi asked as she looked at him, her eyes filled with concern. "What is it, what's wrong?"

            "I can't do this anymore," Trip replied as she looked at him in confusion.

            "Can't do what? Trip, what are you talking about?"

            "You," he replied as he watched her loose hair fall around her face.

            "Me?"

            Trip touched her hair, its softness melting into him. He watched her breath in deeply as she closed her eyes against his touch.

             "I can't get you out of my head," Trip said, his deep voice simmered with barely checked passion.

            They breathed each other in, knowing what they both wanted was undeniable in that moment.

            They were only inches apart but he couldn't get close enough to her. She opened her eyes and traced the line of his jaw tenderly, but before he could say anything else, she leaned back on her heels and was on her feet and out the door.

            He leaned back with a heavy breath, second-guessing himself. Did he see it in her eyes or did he imagine it? No, it was there, he knew it. She was scared, just like was. Scared of what might happen if they just let go.  

*           *           *

            Hoshi closed the door behind her and fled down the hall. She needed air, and she needed to clear her mind.  It was crazy, the moment she had waited for, wished for and dreamed of had happened, and she walked away.  Oh god how she wanted to stay, to forget the real world if only for just one night. 

            She didn't want to fall in love with him; it had been the deepest secret she had ever kept. She had tried to forget him but he was always there with that smile.  She hadn't expected it to feel this way.  Then again she hadn't expected him to admit he had feelings for her either. She was happy with the lone torture of an unrequited love.  She heard the door open to the balcony and silently scolded Trip for following her as she turned.

            "Hoshi, I didn't expect to see you up so late. Is everything okay?" Archer asked in concern.

*           *           *

            The next morning Trip walked down the hall to Hoshi's room and knocked, hoping they could talk.

            "Morning, Commander," Trip heard Mayweather say as he walked up to him. "Are you looking for Hoshi?"

            "Yeah, I wasn't sure what the plans for today were."

            "I think she went out to breakfast with Malcolm."

            "Oh, thanks, I forgot. I'll try and catch up with them," Trip replied as Travis smiled and knocked on the door just aside of him. Trip turned and started toward the elevator.

            He left the hotel and walked toward the beach when he spotted Malcolm in the café just before the pier. He went inside and saw him  sitting alone drinking something hot.

            "Good morning, Commander, sleep well?"

            "Yeah, you guys didn't get me for breakfast," Trip replied as he looked around for Hoshi.

            "Hoshi thought you might be tired and suggested we let you sleep."

            "Oh, is she with you?" Trip asked trying not to seem anxious.

            "Yes, she's back in the powder room; she should be out in a minute."

            "So what are we eating?" Trip replied with a smile as he picked up a menu.

*           *           *

            Hoshi walked out of the restroom, trying not to smile too brightly as she saw Trip talking with Malcolm about the menu. She felt giddy, uneasy and sick all at the same time. It was horrible.  She approached the table and both men suddenly stood. 

            "That's new," she commented with a grin as she sat down and they followed.

            "Just because we are on vacation doesn't mean we can't still be gentlemen," Malcolm commented.

            "What about when we aren't on vacation?"

            "I see your point," Malcolm replied.

            "So what did you order?" Hoshi asked, as she picked up the menu in front of her.

            "Waffles," Trip replied as she caught his eye. He winked at her and she grinned.

            "They have waffles?" Hoshi asked as she tried to distract herself by intently staring at the menu.

            "Not exactly, but pretty close," Trip replied.

             The door behind them opened and Archer walked in. All three of them stood.

            "At ease," Archer laughed as he took a seat beside Hoshi at the table.  "Are we all having a good time?"

            "Yes, sir," the three of them answered.

            "Good, I had an interesting meeting with the Alagonian Ilkixa and it seems that they are on their way to a peacekeeping conference with their sister planet Xenthia. They asked if we would be interested in attending and I accepted," Archer explained.

            "When are we leaving?"

            "Tomorrow morning," Archer replied. "Hoshi, remind me to introduce you to the Ilkixa, he is going to join us on Enterprise for the journey over to Xenthia. He is fluent in all of the languages for both worlds and thought you might be interested in watching the proceedings."

            "That would be wonderful!" Hoshi replied, with a grin of excitement.

            "So enjoy the rest of your vacation, there is work to be done when we all get back," Archer finished as he stood from the table.

            "Captain, why don't you stay for breakfast?" Hoshi suggested.

            "No thanks, I have a date with a book and some sunshine. Maybe next time," Archer replied with a smile, as he turned leaving the café.

            "So, what shall we do today?" Malcolm asked.

            They sat staring at each other silently.

            "I have an idea," Hoshi replied hesitantly as they looked to her. "Either of you ever been horseback riding?"

*           *           *

            Hoshi walked between Trip and Malcolm down to a stable on the opposite side of the beach they had visited the day before.  Everything was the same as it had always been between the three friends, except for the occasional, but unnoticeable, light brushing of Trip's hand against Hoshi's.

            They reached the stable and Hoshi took care of the rental as Malcolm and Trip walked around the side to meet their new companions.

            "You seem like you are in better spirits, old man," Malcolm commented as he rubbed one of the horse like creatures that walked up to the fence.

            "Yeah, I think I just needed a break."

            "I'll agree with that. Everything seems to be okay with you and Hoshi, did you two talk?"

            "Yeah, she wasn't mad."

            "Good, the less tension around the ship the better."

            "Okay we're all set," Hoshi said as she walked around the corner joining them.  

            "What are these lovely creatures anyway, Hoshi?"

            "They are called Trieks, not that un-similar from earth horses physically, but they have pouches like kangaroos to carry their young, and they are lot smarter," Hoshi replied as the stable master walked out with three Trieks in tow. He said something briefly to Hoshi and then smiled and walked away.

            "What did he say?" Trip asked as he chose a Triek from the three.

            "He told me their names and said have a good time."

            "Well, let's get riding," Malcolm replied, as he pulled himself up on to the Triek. Trip offered a hand to Hoshi but she didn't see him and pulled herself up onto the Triek on her own.  Trip just laughed and swung up straddling his own steed. As soon as he was comfortable they took off down to the beach.

            Hoshi and Trip led the way with Malcolm following close behind, his Triek seemingly a little less enthusiastic than theirs.

            "Having issues, Malcolm?" Trip asked with a wicked grin as he and Hoshi slowed to allow him to catch up.

            "Yes, I don't think he likes me," Malcolm replied.

            "You were right, Hoshi, they are smarter," Trip replied as Hoshi laughed.

            "Ha, ha, very funny, Hoshi, you said that the stable manager told you the horse's names?"

            "Yeah,"

            "Well what are they?"

            "Ummm…mine is Macinti which means feather, Trip's is Agistani, which means lightning and yours is Kilnca which I think means hiccup."

            "Hiccup," Malcolm replied as his Triek suddenly stopped. The animal made what seemed like a loud belch and then took off in a full out gallop.  Malcolm yelped in shock as he held on and Hoshi and Trip laughed in surprise as they both booted their own steeds and took off after him.

            They quickly reached him as the Triek slowed to a trot and Malcolm finally was able to get the animal to stop.

            "Christ, I could have been killed!" Malcolm exclaimed as he dismounted the animal.  Hoshi and Trip tried in vain not to laugh but were unsuccessful. "Laugh all you want but I would rather wrestle a Cordilleran lupus than get on that animal again!"

            "Oh, Malcolm, don't go," Hoshi said as he led the animal back toward the stable.

            "You two have fun, I'll see you later," Malcolm called back to them as he left.

            Trip looked to Hoshi as she gave him a shy glance.

            "Race ya."

            "What?" Trip replied as she took off on her Triek. He laughed and took off after her.

            He caught up with her halfway down the beach and stopped beside her, dismounting the steed.   She descended also, and they began to walk down the beach leading the Trieks close behind.

            "You seemed to know what you were doing back there," Trip commented as they walked.

            "Yeah, my grandfather has a ranch in Brazil. He taught me how to ride."

            "He did a good job."

            "Yeah he did," Hoshi replied as she turned toward the ocean.

            "You miss him don't you?" Trip asked.

            "He's my best friend." Hoshi explained as they continued to stroll down the beach.  "I write to him all the time, he writes back when he has a chance. I usually get four or five letters at a time."

            "Why's that?"

            "Oh he's not very technology savvy, so he writes them all out long hand and waits for my brother to visit so he can translate them and send them out to me," Hoshi replied as she smiled brightly.

            "So is it your grandfather who gave you your love of language?"

            "No, that was my mother. It started out as a hobby. She used it to pass the time when my father was away with work, and I just started learning with her, it was definite bonding material."

            "Sounds like me, my father, and baseball."

            "You played baseball?"

            "Yeah, but I was never any good. My father used to take me to games though, and we bonded that way. Those were good times."

            "Who's your favorite team?"

            "The Rangers of course, do you have a favorite team?"

            "The Yankees," Hoshi replied, a proud grin on her face.

            "The Yankees, was that your father's favorite team?"

            "No!" Hoshi replied as she crinkled her nose. "My father hates baseball."

            "So you loved it because he hates it?"

            "I guess, sort of. I think it was more the nostalgia of it all. I went to a game with an old boyfriend and I was hooked. After that, I watched every game and went to as many as I could.  Now I get the scores from the data transfer before I download it into the common server."

            "Ah thus continues the unfolding secrets of Hoshi Sato."

            "I wouldn't call them secrets, just little known facts," Hoshi replied with a laugh as she stopped at a cluster of rocks they had come to. She took a seat against one of the larger ones, turning her face up to the sun.

            Trip watched her as that warm feeling crept through his body. Her hair swayed gently in the breeze and it was all he could do, not to reach out and touch it. 

            "The sunshine feels wonderful," Hoshi said, her eyes still closed.

            "It feels like the first time I've ever felt it," Trip replied.

            Hoshi slowly opened her eyes and turned her gaze toward him. He didn't turn away and he didn't hide the fact that she entranced him. He just smiled, and she smiled back.

            "How did you sleep last night?"

            "Wonderfully," Hoshi replied as she turned her face back toward the sun. Trip walked toward the rock she was sitting on, stopping in front of her, and she looked back at him, "how about you?"

            "That was the best I've slept in a while. It's been a while since I've had such beautiful dreams," Trip replied as he locked her gaze with his, her eyes telling him everything she felt.

            "Sometimes our dreams just have to stay dreams," Hoshi said quietly.

            "What if I don't want them to?" Trip replied, his voice becoming thick and unsteady.

            "We have no choice," Hoshi said quietly as two deep lines of conflict appeared between her eyes.

            He wanted to touch her, to pull her closer to him.  His eyes fell to the sand as he felt a warm caress on his hand. He looked over seeing her hand on top of his. He studied it for a moment lightly tracing the shimmering gold bracelet that wrapped around her tiny wrist.  He gently laced her fingers within his own and squeezed. She moved off of the rock standing just inches from him as he raised their clasped hands between them. He grazed the top of her hand with a kiss and as he looked back to her. They suddenly heard yells coming from behind them. They both turned and watched as Malcolm sped toward them on his Triek, bursting into laughter as they watched him go.

            "I guess I should go rescue him," Trip said as he turned back to her, the disappointment evident in her gaze.

            "I'll be waiting," Hoshi replied with a sigh as Trip released her hand and turned, walking back to his own steed. He got on, and galloped ahead following Malcolm's screams.

*           *           *

             Trip quickly recovered Malcolm, and after a round of teasing they all decided to head back to the hotel.

            As they walked in Hoshi heard someone call her name.

            "Hoshi," she heard again as she turned seeing crewman Elizabeth Cutler approaching. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

            "What's up?" Hoshi asked.

            "Did you still want to go down to the market this afternoon?"

            "Yeah, I completely forgot," Hoshi replied with a grin, "Let me get changed and cleaned up first. Can I meet you at the entrance to the market in about an hour?"

            "Sure, I'll see you then," Cutler replied as she smiled and walked away.

            "Sounds like she's ditching us, Trip," Malcolm commented as they stepped onto the elevator.

            "What's the market anyway? Maybe Malcolm and I'll tag along?" Trip asked a mischievous gleam in his eye.

            "I don't think you'd be interested," Hoshi replied.

            "No, really tell us, Hoshi, what is it? Some big secret?" Malcolm prodded as she rolled her eyes.

            "You really want to know?"

            "Yeah," Trip replied.

            "It's like a day spa."

            "A day spa, what the hell is that?"

            "It's a place to go for facials, massages, aromatherapy, manicures…"

            "Chick stuff," Trip said with a sigh.

            "You could call it that. If you guys are really interested in tagging along, I'm sure the other girls would be glad to have you join us," Hoshi offered with a grin.

            "No, thanks, we'll pass this time," Malcolm replied.

            "That's too bad," Hoshi said as she stepped closer to Malcolm, studying his face.

            "Why?"

            "You could really use a facial. I haven't seen pores that clogged since we cleaned out the air ducts on Enterprise," Hoshi commented as Malcolm's hand immediately went to his face.

            Hoshi glanced at Trip who was shaking his head and laughing as the elevator stopped and Malcolm exited, still rubbing his face.

            "See you later Malcolm," Hoshi called as he waved his hand walking away.  Another crewman stepped onto the elevator and as the doors closed again. The doors opened a few minutes later and Trip and Hoshi stepped out.

            "You get him every time," Trip laughed as they stopped at her room. 

            "So I guess I'll see you later?" Hoshi said with a smile as he leaned his shoulder just aside her door, gazing at her, his eyes smiling.

            "Definitely," Trip replied, as she opened her door and disappeared behind it with a smile.

*           *           *

            Archer sat back in his chair on the beach, soaking up the fresh air and the sunshine. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so completely relaxed. He'd needed a break; they'd all needed a break. His mind wandered listlessly from one thing to another when it settled on Trip.  He was glad to see his friend enjoying himself that morning with Malcolm and Hoshi. It was a welcome change from the conversation they'd had just a few days before. Trip hadn't met him for dinner two nights in a row so Archer decided to see what it was that had him so distracted.

            Three days earlier…

            "Trip?"

            "Over here, Captain," he heard as he descended the stairs toward his chief engineer.

            "I thought I might find you here. Isn't your shift over?"

            "I had some work I needed to catch up on. Was there somethin' you needed, Cap?"

            "No, I just haven't seen you in a while, and I wanted to see how things were going."

            "She's doin' fine.  I noticed the warp manifold sensors were out of alignment so I'm running a diagnostic. It should be done in a few hours," Trip replied as he tried to make himself look busy at the console.

            "Good, glad to hear the ship it running at peak performance."

            "That's the goal."

            "You know, Trip, we've known each other a long time."

            "Yes, sir, we have."

            "And with those years a friend knows when another friend is…conflicted."

            "Captain," Trip said as he turned to face the Archer. "I'm sorry I don't know what you mean."

            "The last time you buried yourself in engineering was after a letter from home," Archer replied. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

            "No, sir, I just have a lot of work to do."

            "You're sure?"

            "Yes, sir," Trip replied, as he turned back to the console.

            "I heard about what happened today."

            "What did you hear?"

            "That you flew off the handle at Hoshi."

            "Yeah, I did," Trip said as he continued to tap the console. "It was just a bad morning."

            "I see," Archer replied. "Well since the ship is in such good condition, as you've said, I don't think it would be a problem for you to take a few days of shore leave when we arrive at Alagonia."

            "Sir…I…" Trip turned in protest.

            "Commander, this is not a request."

            "Yes, sir," Trip replied as Archer nodded and turned starting up the stairs. He stopped, hesitantly facing Trip. "By the way, I was the one who suggested Hoshi bring you something to eat."

            The look on his chief officer's face spoke volumes. He'd know Trip for a long time, and he knew that he was struggling with something.  What it was he didn't know, but odds were it had something to do with someone of the female persuasion.

            Archer heard a ringing noise, bring him back to the beach, and looked around in confusion, suddenly remembered the communication device the Ilkixa had given him. Archer picked up the device, holding it to his ear like a twentieth century phone. 

            "Archer," he said as he listened to the voice on the other end. "I'll be right there."

*           *           *

            Trip got out of the shower and dried off, changing into something comfortable for dinner.  As he walked out into the bedroom he heard a beeping noise, and walked to the communications station hitting the message button.

            "Hey, it's me," she said as he smiled. "I was thinking that I could meet you and Malcolm over by that little teahouse we passed next to the stable for dinner around five. I hope you get this message before then, but if not I'll see you at the hotel. Have fun today," she finished as the message ended. He hit delete and walked away from the console.

              His mind wandered over the past day. He smiled to himself as he thought of the way she beamed as she spoke of her grandfather, Brazil and baseball. 

            They had a lot in common, more than he realized. The more time he spent with her the more comfortable he became. After all, this had all started with a dream, and his apparent unknown fondness toward her. Trip admitted he was more than a little nervous if the reality would live up to the fantasy.  Thus far, it had.  The few moments they'd had alone on the beach were memorable, and he decided that he would just take it a day at a time.  He didn't want to screw this up.

            Trip finished pulling on his boots, walked out of the room, and down to the lobby. When he arrived, he found Travis teasing Malcolm about their day's excursions. After Hoshi left for the market, Malcolm and he had bumped into Travis who introduced them to the Alagonian version of surfing.  They'd spent the day riding the waves and now they were all starving.

            "It may not have been graceful, but at least I put forth the effort," Malcolm said to Travis as Trip joined them and they walked out of the hotel. 

            "And believe me, Malcolm, it was completely worth it for the imagery alone," Travis teased as Malcolm rolled his eyes.  "So where are we headed for dinner?"

            "I'm not sure. Hoshi wants us to meet her at the teahouse down by the stables," Malcolm replied as Trip grinned, "any ideas Trip?"

            "What ever does it for ya. I'm open to suggestions," Trip replied as aloofly as possible.

            They made their way down the pier, stopping at the teahouse, as Malcolm checked his watch his watch and sighed.

            "Are we early?" Travis asked.

            "By half an hour," Malcolm replied as he looked around. "Well I propose we do a little shopping for some after dinner entertainment."

            "I'm with you," Travis said as he gawked at an attractive alien that strolled by.

            "You guys go ahead, I'll wait here in case Hoshi shows up," Trip chuckled.

            "Suit yourself," Malcolm said, as he and Travis walked off into the crowd.

            Trip watched them for a while and then stepped to the edge of the pier looking out onto the ocean. He was glad she'd called. He'd forgotten that they hadn't made plans for meeting after she was done with her excursion to the market, and with it being their last night here he wanted to see her. And that brought him back to a point he'd put off, until now. Going back to work and acting like nothing happened, at least not with anyone around.  There in lay the challenge. On a starship with a crew complement of over 80, there were rarely times when one was 'alone'.   The more he thought about it, the more difficult he knew it was going to be.   Hell, it had been torture when she didn't know, and now that she did the thought of having to stay away from her was loathsome.

            "Hey, what time is it?" Trip heard Malcolm ask, pulling Trip back to the pier. 

            "Five fifteen," Trip replied, astonished that so much time had passed.  Travis and Malcolm had returned from their excursion and stood beside him.

            "She's probably running late. Women have no sense of time," Malcolm commented.

            "Any luck?" Trip asked as the three men waited against the rail of the pier, directly across from the teahouse.

            "Travis over here got lucky."

            "The fun begins tonight at nine," Travis added with a huge grin.

            "Losing your touch, Malcolm?" as he scanned the crowd for any sign of Hoshi.

            "I find that I am successful in a more relaxed atmosphere," Malcolm replied thoughtfully.

            "So the lady has got to have a few drinks in her first," Travis jabbed at Malcolm who looked offended, and Trip laughed.

            "No. I just find that women are very intimidated by me at first glance. Once I take the time to get to know someone, and they get to know me there is a connection. One that isn't made with the coarseness of a detached invitation," Malcolm explained.

            Trip sat back and listened in amusement as Malcolm continued on with Travis for a while.  He glanced at his watch and saw it was almost six. Where was she?

            "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving. Are you sure Hoshi said five, Malcolm?" Travis asked as they all began to scan the crowd for her.

            "I could have been mistaken but I am pretty sure she said…"

            "She said five," Trip said, cutting Malcolm off. "I got the same message."

            "Well then it was indeed five," Malcolm replied.

            "Maybe she forgot?" Travis suggested.

            "Hoshi wouldn't forget," Trip continued to search for her.

            "No, she wouldn't," Malcolm agreed as he too scanned the crowd.

            "Look, why don't you guys go on ahead, and as soon as she gets here we'll meet you. I'm sure she just lost track of time," Trip suggested, trying to hide the panic he was beginning to feel in the pit of his stomach.

            "Are you sure?"

            "Yeah, she'll be here any minute. There's no use in all of us starvin' while we wait," Trip replied with a grin.

            "Okay, we'll meet you over at the tavern," Travis said as the two men began to walk away. 

            Trip nodded and went back to his intense search of the crowd. It wasn't like her to be late, or forget.  Something was wrong, he could feel it.

*           *           *

            Malcolm and Travis got a table for four and quickly ordered some appetizers.  It wasn't long after they finished, that they realized another hour had passed, and there was still no sign of Trip or Hoshi.

            "Do you think they just went somewhere else to eat?" Travis asked.

            "Probably," Malcolm said as he saw a familiar brunette at the bar.  "I'll be right back."

            Malcolm stood from the table and made his way to the bar.

            "Elizabeth, I am glad to see you are having a good time," Malcolm said as he smiled at her and ordered a drink.

            "Hey, Malcolm, would you like to join us?"

            "No thanks, maybe later. I was actually wondering how your day at the market was? Hoshi was telling me that it is some sort of spa?"

            "Oh it was heavenly; I wish we could have stayed longer. Speaking of Hoshi, have you seen her? She never showed up today to go with us," Elizabeth innocently asked.

            "That's odd, she never showed up to meet you?"

            "Yeah, and it's not like her. You know Hoshi, always so punctual," she replied.

            "Oh well, she must have gotten tied up with something else." "Yeah, well if you see her, tell her we missed her today," Cutler said with a smile as Malcolm took his drink from the bartender.

            "I will," Malcolm replied as he walked back to the table.

            He immediately pulled out some money, putting it on the table, along with his drink as Travis looked at him in confusion.        

            "What are you doing?"

            "I just talked to crewman Cutler. She was supposed to meet Hoshi at the market, but apparently, Hoshi never arrived," Malcolm explained as Travis stood and followed him through the restaurant toward the door. 

            "Did she know where she was?"

            "No. She hasn't seen her since Trip and I saw both of them back at the hotel," Malcolm explained as he stopped looking at his watch. "Eight hours ago."

            "Where are we going?"

            "We need to find Trip. Hopefully she's with him."

            "And if she isn't?"

            "I don't particularly want to think about that possibility yet, Travis, do you?"

*           *           *

            Trip felt like he was going to jump out of his skin. It had been more than two hours and there was still no sign of her. He continued to scan the crowd, realizing he had looked at several of its occupants a number of times before. This was crazy, where could she be?

            He took a breath and saw Malcolm and Travis sprinting toward him.

            "Is she here?"

            "No, why?" His stomach knotted a little tighter.

            "I just saw Cutler in the restaurant. She said Hoshi never showed up at the market today, and she hasn't seen her since we were with her at the hotel."

            "What!" Trip exclaimed as his heart all but stopped.

            "Do you have any idea where she could be?" Malcolm asked, trying to keep him focused.

            "No, you got the same message as I did. She said she'd be here."

            "Well something must have happened between that message and now because she isn't."

            "Should we call the captain?" Travis asked.

"No, not until we have a look around first," Trip said. "Malcolm, you check the pier. Travis, why don't you head over to that market place she was supposed to meet Cutler, and I'll check the hotel. We'll meet back here in an hour."

They split up, and Trip sprinted to the hotel. He searched it from top to bottom, asking any crewmen he encountered if they had seen Hoshi that day. No one had. Trip decided that he should check her room. Maybe there would be some clue as to where she could have gone. After some persuasion the hotel manager gave him the spare key.

            Trip unlocked the door and stepped in the room. The bed was made, her clothes neatly hung in the closet. He stepped into the bathroom finding nothing but various toiletries.

            The only thing that wasn't neatly put away was a towel that had been left on the bed.  Trip walked over picking it up; it was dry but still had a lingering scent of peach on it. He held it for a moment and closed his eyes, determined not to jump to conclusions yet.  Maybe Malcolm or Travis had better luck. 

            Trip laid the towel back on the bed and left the room, closing the door behind him.  He stopped by his own room grabbing his communicator, and dropped the key off at the desk before heading back to the pier.

            As he walked, he imagined approaching the spot they had agreed to meet, and seeing her arms full of shopping bags as Malcolm and Travis teased her about worrying them.

            When he arrived, however, he was met by only two faces, and they were filled with panic and frustration.

            "Any luck?" Malcolm immediately asked as Trip approached.

            "Nothin'."

            "We should call the captain," Travis said as Trip pulled out the communicator he had picked from his room.

            "Tucker to Archer," Trip said into the device as Malcolm and Travis continued to scan the area for her.

            "Archer here," he replied.

            "Captain; Malcolm, Travis and I were supposed to meet Hoshi for dinner, but she never showed and that was four hours ago. We've checked everywhere, sir, and no one has seen her," Trip explained.

            "Hoshi is with me, Trip," he heard as a flood of relief wash over him.

            "Is she okay, sir?"

            "I asked her to come back to the ship to help me with something. I apologize that we didn't let you know."

            "That's quite alright, sir. We're just happy to hear that she's okay."    "Alright then, Archer out," he finished as Trip closed the communicator with a smile.

            "I told you we should have called the Captain!" Travis said with a laugh as Malcolm and Trip rolled their eyes.

*           *           *

            The three men devoured their dinner, and the party moved to the bar.  It lasted most of the night until they remembered that they would all be going back to work in the morning.

            Trip exited the elevator of the hotel walking toward his room, and noticed that the door to the room Hoshi was staying in was ajar. He smiled and stopped, pushing the entry open a little further, expecting to see her face.

            "T'Pol," Trip said in shock.

            "Commander." T'Pol was packing Hoshi's things into a bag.

            "What are you doing?"

            "The captain asked me to collect Hoshi's belongings and bring them back to the ship," T'Pol said as she put the last of the items in the bag.

            "Why didn't Hoshi just come down herself?"

            "I do not know, Commander."

            "What's going on?" he asked as she zipped the bag.

            "You would have to make your inquiries with the captain for a more complete explanation," she said, walking past him and out the door. 

            "T'Pol," Trip called. "Is Hoshi okay?"

            "Yes," T'Pol replied, her focus coming back to him. "I believe she is working with the captain and is unable to leave."

            Trip stood in the room as he watched her go, his mind not totally at ease with her explanation for some reason.  He turned to leave, and a glint from the floor caught his eye. He stopped, reaching down, and found the bracelet Hoshi had been wearing earlier that day on the beach. He picked it up and went out the door to catch T'Pol, but she was gone. 

            Trip opened his hand staring at the small bangle. His mind was whirling with questions as he walked out of the empty room, closing the door behind him.

*           *           *

            "I have to say, Captain, I am very impressed with your Enterprise. She is indeed a magnificent vessel," Kelth said as he and Archer took a seat in Archer's private dining area, joining T'Pol and Phlox.

            "Thank you, Ilkixa, I'm glad you enjoyed the first part of you tour," Archer replied with a smile as they were readily served.

            "Will your Ensign Sato not be joining us this evening?"

            "Unfortunately, no she hasn't been feeling very well," Archer replied. "She sends her apologies, Ilkixa."

            "That is too bad."

            "I know that she is anxious about your invitation to attend the conference. I'm sure she will be feeling better soon," Archer added.

            "Glad to hear it," Kelth replied as he took a bite of his food.

            Kelth began asking questions about the menu and Phlox, who Archer had asked to join them, was more than happy to supply him with answers.

            Archers mind was beginning to wander as T'Pol entered the dinning area.  

            "If you'll excuse me for a moment," Archer said.

            "Of course, Captain," Kelth replied.

            Archer followed T'Pol out of the dinning room and into the hall.

            "Report."

            "We should arrive at Xenthia in about two days." T'Pol replied.

            "And Hoshi?"

            "It is hard to say, Captain," T'Pol replied as Archer began to pace.

            "Has she slept?"

            "No sir, she seems to be suffering insomnia," T'Pol replied.  "Might I suggest having the doctor give her something to sleep? She will need to be well rested for the conference, which is a priority."

"No, I…" Archer started. "I don't want to push her too hard, she's been through enough. She'll get through this, she just needs some time. Go to her quarters; make sure she has everything she needs to feel comfortable…safe. "

"Yes, Captain," T'Pol replied.

"Have there been any…questions?"

"Not yet. The crew assumes that she has been working with you, and the Alagonian Ilkixa."

"What about Malcolm and Trip?"

            "I have not heard anything from either of them, sir, would you like me to…"

            "No, just leave it alone. We'll deal with it when, and if, it becomes an issue. For now, let's continue to keep it between us."

"Yes, Captain."

*           *           *

Trip walked up to the door of Hoshi's quarters and knocked, waiting patiently.   It'd been three days since they got back from Alagonia and they'd both been busy, him in engineering, and her assisting the captain with the Ilkixa. Trip decided to use the excuse of her forgotten bracelet to see her for a few minutes. In fact, now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen her since that day in the hotel. Cap must be working her hard.

            He knocked again and the door finally opened.

            "T'Pol," he said with a sudden sense of déjà vu.

            "Commander," T'Pol said as she stood in the doorway.

            "What are you doing in Hoshi's quarters?"

            "I could ask you the same," with a raised brow.

            "I came to return her bracelet. You left it behind in her room the other night. I keep forgettin' to give it to her," Trip explained as he looked over her shoulder into the room. He noticed that the bag he had seen T'Pol pack days before was sitting on the bed still zipped, and full. "What's your excuse?"

            "The captain is in need of one of Ensign Sato's data streams. She is otherwise involved at the moment, so I was asked to retrieve it," T'Pol explained.  "If you would like to leave the bracelet in her room, I would be happy to let her know you returned it."

            "No," Trip replied as he studied her. Damn Vulcan, he could never tell if she was telling the truth or not. "I think I'd better hold onto it. As busy as she is right now I wouldn't want to accidentally misplace it again."

            "Very well," as she stepped out of the room. She closed the door and started down the hall.

            "Aren't you forgettin' something?" Trip asked as she looked puzzled for a moment.

            "I wasn't able to locate the stream. Ensign Sato must have left it elsewhere," T'Pol replied simply as she continued down the hall.

            Trip stood in front of the door for a moment, unconsciously squeezing the bracelet in his hand as he turned and went back to engineering.

*           *           *

            A few hours later Trip walked into the mess hall. His head ached and he had a nagging feeling in his stomach. He eyed Malcolm and Travis sitting at a table in the back. Trip collected his food, taking a seat beside them.

            "So she says that she heard that Hoshi has resigned her commission, and that was why she's been filling Hoshi's shifts. The captain just hasn't announced it yet," Travis said as he took a sip of his drink, looking at Malcolm.

            "I find that very unlikely, Travis. First off, how would Diana know that Hoshi resigned before we do?" Malcolm explained. "Secondly, I honestly don't believe Hoshi would do that. She has become a very important member of this crew. While it took a little while to get her 'sea legs', so to speak, from what I've seen she's settled in quite nicely. Besides you know how fast gossip travels on this ship. I wouldn't make anything of it,"

            "Sounds to me like someone's askin' for a whole lot of trouble," Trip said, offering his two cents.

            "That's what I thought. After Diana said that, I told her she better be careful how she talks about Hoshi. She has a lot of friends on this ship, and I'm one of them."

            "Nice job, Travis, I am sure Hoshi would appreciate your defense of her," Malcolm praised.

            "I will admit, it's been weird around here lately. No one has seen Hoshi or the captain since we all got back from the planet. It does make you wonder a little," Travis admitted.

            "They're busy entertaining the Ilkixa, someone has to do it," Malcolm replied as he glanced at Trip.  Trip knew that Malcolm was wondering the same things himself, but kept silent as to avoid adding fire to the gossip flame by showing it.

            "If there is something going on, Travis, the captain will tell us when he thinks it's time, not before," Trip added, as he looked back to Malcolm.         As if on cue, Malcolm and Travis's faces broadened with smiles and Trip turned seeing Hoshi as she approached the table.

            "Any room for me?" Hoshi asked with a meek smile.

            "Always," Malcolm replied, as Travis pulled a chair over from one of the empty tables. 

            Trip tried to hide the elation that washed over him.

            "I can't stay long. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for ditching you guys the other day," Hoshi explained as she took a seat between Trip and Malcolm.  "When I got the call from the captain I was in such a hurry to get to the ship, I completely forgot about the message I'd left. I hope you can forgive me."

            "No harm done. Although you had all of us in quiet a panic there far a little while," Malcolm replied with a smile.

            "Just don't let it happen again," Travis laughed.

            The conversation went on as they told her about what they had done on Alagonia after she left for the ship.

            "Well I'm ready for desert. I think I see a piece of carrot cake left," Travis said as he stood from the table and walked over to the stasis containers.

            "I'd better get back," Hoshi said with a smile as she began to stand also. As she did, she swayed on her feet, grabbing the back of the chair. Trip reached out, steadying her. He felt her flinch at his touch and looked up at her. "I must have gotten up too fast."

            She didn't meet his eyes, just headed toward the doors of the mess.  Trip glanced at Malcolm who wore a concerned expression as he watched her go. 

            She reached the door and stopped, visibly grabbing her side in pain. She quickly straightened after a moment and walked out the door.

            "Did you see that?" Malcolm asked.

            "Yeah," Trip replied as he stood from his chair.

            "You want me to come with you?" Malcolm asked as Travis walked back to the table silently. Trip glanced at him and then looked back to Malcolm. "No, I'll be right back."

            Trip hastily exited the mess and headed down the hall. He turned the corner and saw Hoshi had stopped and was leaning against the wall.    

            "Hoshi," Trip called to her as she began walking again. He swiftly caught up, stepping in front of her with a smile. "Slow down, where you runnin'?"
            "Nowhere, I just need to get back to work," Hoshi replied, her eyes
going to the floor.
            "Hey," Trip started as his hand brushed her shoulder. He saw her cringe at the sensation as she pulled away. "Are you okay?"
            "I'm just a little tired," she said, giving him a forced smile.
            "Are you sure," Trip replied, as he studied her face. "You seem a little…jumpy…"
            "No, I'm fine," she swiftly insisted, and moved past him.
            "Hoshi," Trip called again, as he spun to follow her.
            "I really have to go," she said as she continued to move down the hall.
            "Hoshi wait," Trip said, his hand instinctively reaching out for her arm trying to get her to stop.
            "Don't!" she exclaimed as he made contact. He immediately let go as she threw herself against the wall, huddling within her own arms.
            "Hoshi, what..."
            "I…I'm sorry," Hoshi struggled as he saw her try to compose herself. "I hurt my arm. I must have done it when we went riding the other day."

            "You should…"

            "No, it's okay…really…" She apologized as she hurried away from him. "I…I need to get back. I'll see you later."
            She bolted down the hall, and he couldn't move. He felt like she had just slapped him.  All he could do was keep reliving the moment when she jumped away from him, they way she cringed when he touched her. She tried to deny it but he saw something in her eyes when he touched her. 

Trip's mind seemed to be in neutral as he tried to think, but couldn't.   Maybe he was overreacting? Maybe she was just tired. He'd heard that the Captain and the Ilkixa were keeping her busy. He knew he got jumpy when the pressure was on.

But the more he thought about it, the more it bugged him. No one had seen her since before they left the planet. Her bags from the planet were still unpacked and it didn't look like she'd been to bed in a few days. Not to mention that he'd found T'Pol in her room twice, and now this. 

            Ten minutes later he was knocking on Archer's door. It opened and Trip stepped in, seeing Phlox standing off to the side.

            "Sorry, Cap, I can come back later," he said as he began to step back out the door.

            "No, Trip, it's fine. Dr. Phlox was just leaving," Archer replied.

            "I will update you in the morning, sir," Phlox said as he walked to the door.

            "Thank you," Archer said as he left. "What's up?"

            "I'm not exactly sure," Trip replied, not sure what it was he was going to say.

            "Is there something going on in engineering?"

            "No, Cap, engineering is fine," Trip replied as he began to pace the room.

            "Whatever it is, it must be bothering you," Archer replied as he leaned on his desk.

            "Why do you say that?"

            "You're pacing."

            "Oh," he replied catching himself. "Cap, is there something going on that you haven't told us?"

            "What do you mean?"

            "Well, it's probably nothin' but I just saw Hoshi in the hall and she seemed a little…" Trip started and then hesitated, realizing that he may reveal more about his and Hoshi's recent involvement than he wanted.

            "Trip?"

            "Jumpy…" he finished as his inner battle raged on whether or not he was overreacting. "I thought it might have something to do with our going to Xenthia."

            "I have to admit I've been working Hoshi rather hard these past few days. It wouldn't surprise me if she's a little more than tired," Archer replied as he walked around his desk. "Did you ask her about it?"

            "Yeah," Trip replied as he saw Archer listening, but his mind seemed to be elsewhere.

            "What did she say?"

            "Nothin' really, she just said she was tired."

            "And you don't believe her?"

            "It's not that…" Trip started to reply as he watched Archer.  "I know things were a little strained between us before shore leave, but I was with her on the planet and she was fine. When I saw her today she looked at me like…" Trip hesitated as he finally realized what it was he had seen in her eyes and his blood ran cold. It was fear.

"Trip?"

            "T'Pol to Archer," they heard over the comm.

            "Go ahead," Archer replied with a sigh as he hit the comm.

            "Ilkixa Kelth is requesting your presence for the final review of the agenda," T'Pol said as Archer locked eyes with Trip. Trip could see that he was holding something back, but he couldn't tell what. 

            "I'll be right there," Archer replied as he stood, turning to Trip.

            "Cap…"

            "I don't know, you'd really have to talk to Hoshi, Trip," Archer replied as he turned and walked out of his ready room.

*           *           *

            A few hours later, Archer walked down the hall mulling his conversation with Trip.  He knew it would happen eventually, that people who knew Hoshi would start asking questions. He'd just hoped it would have been later rather than sooner.

            He stopped at the door of the familiar room and knocked. He waited a moment and then the door opened.

            "Am I interrupting anything?" he asked as T'Pol greeted him, Hoshi sitting close by silently reading.

            "No, sir," T'Pol replied. "I was just on my way to the bridge."

            T'Pol kept his eyes for a moment giving him a look of silent insistence.  He nodded in understanding, and she left the room.

            "How are you doing?" Archer asked as he walked toward Hoshi.

            "Captain," she replied, jerking in surprise as she stood. Archer knew what Trip meant when he said she was a little more than jumpy.  She hadn't been able to relax since her return.

            "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Archer stopped in the middle of the room, seeing the uncomfortable look on her face.

            "No, its fine, I…I must have gotten wrapped up in what I was reading," Hoshi said as he watched her pull her hands behind her back.

            "How are you doing?"

            "I am almost done," She replied as she looked back at the data pad. "I've managed to tweak the translator to be able to distinguish the different dialects, but I won't be sure until I have…"

            "Hoshi, I meant how are you doing?"

            "I'm fine," she replied as her eyes tried to focus on something other than him.

             "T'Pol said that the meditating instruction she had been giving you seems to be helping," Archer replied as he felt her uneasiness.

            "It is. Of course I am no where as advance as she is, but I'll be fine for the conference," Hoshi replied with a forced smile as she picked up the data pad again.

            Archer couldn't help but feel the anger and frustration as he looked at her struggling. None of this should have happened; they had gone to the surface for a break, and it ended with a horrible incident that he didn't think either of them would ever be able to forget.

            When he initially got the call from the medical bay on the surface, he was immediately concerned that one of crew had been injured and called Phlox down from the ship to meet him. When they arrived, they found Hoshi unconscious and badly beaten. Phlox immediately attended to her, she was found to have mild head trauma, a few broken ribs, scratches on her chest and face, and bruising on her arms and legs. 

It had been apparent from the beginning that what happened wasn't an accident. She had been assaulted. From the positioning and extent of her bruises, it was more than a simple tourist mugging, but Phlox assured him that she would make a full physical recovery.

            "Hoshi, I'm not worried about the conference," Archer said to her as she continued to act distracted. 

            "Captain, I know that you are concerned but really, I'm fine."

            "Not according to Trip. He came to see me a few hours ago," Archer said as his gaze tried to hold hers.

             He didn't mean it to sound like an accusation, but he was frustrated. She was working so hard to be fine, he worried that she wasn't facing what happened.  He had tried to be of some help to her, but found himself unable to reach her. 

            "It really didn't surprise me that he would be the one to realize something was wrong. I've noticed that you and the Commander have become…close over the past few months."

            "We have. He's been a wonderful friend," she replied as he saw the distance in her eyes. 

            "What happened today?"

            "Nothing," She answered, as she set down the data pad and walked to one of T'Pol's statues, staring at it.  "I saw him outside the mess and I was in a hurry. I must have…"

            "Hoshi, he's…" Archer hesitated. "He knows something's wrong, and he's worried about you."

            "Did you tell him?"

            "No," Archer replied, approaching his next words gently. "I thought you should."

            "No!" Hoshi exclaimed with a little more force than he expected. "I'm sorry, captain I didn't…"

            "Hoshi, don't apologize," Archer said as he stepped toward her, and watched as she took three steps back.   "You shouldn't have to be going through any of this, and I apologize that I can't find a way to make this any easier on you." 

            "Captain…I..." she started as he watched her struggle with her fear.

            "I understand that it is going to take time, and I don't pretend to know what you are going through right now. But shutting the people who care about you out isn't going to make it go away," Archer said as he tried to make her listen to him. "Trip cares about you whether you want him to or not. He sees that you're hurting… he's not going to just give up."

            "I know," Hoshi replied with a heavy sigh. "But I…I can't…"

            "I know you think…"

            "Sir…please, I just…I can't right now."

            Archer saw the pleading in her eyes and knew that she wasn't ready. He had never seen her look so scared, not even when she had seen death for the first time.  All of the strength and confidence that he'd watched her build up over the past months was gone, buried beneath the fear. 

            He knew she needed help, but he didn't know how to help her, or even if he could. 

*           *           *

            Hoshi stood waiting in the hall outside the Ilkixa's quarters with the Captain. They were going to take him on a tour of the ship and then to dinner in the mess.

She felt uneasy and anxious, like she'd lost all control of her mind. Every time anyone would even come close to her she would start to tremble and panic. She wanted the reaction to just go away, disappear like it never happened.  That was why no one could know. If they didn't know than it would be easier to forget. There would be no sympathy, no looks of concern, no stares and whispers.  She would keep up the charade if only for the single reason of never having to see the disappointment in Trip's eyes if he ever found out. 

            The Ilkixa joined them shortly, and they took him on a tour of the ship. Before too long they were outside engineering and Hoshi felt herself begin to stiffen.

            "And this is our engine room," Archer said as he turned to the Ilkixa. "Ilkixa Kelth, I would like to introduce you to my Chief Engineer, Commander Charles Tucker."

            Hoshi watched as Trip came down the stairs toward them. She purposely met his eyes as he approached, knowing that she had to convince him that she was fine, so he would let it go.

            "It's nice to meet you sir," Trip said extending his hand out to the Ilkixa.

            They heard the comm. beep in the background and Archer walked away leaving Trip to show the Ilkixa around. Hoshi joined them as she listened to Trip talk about his first love. He was subtle with his glances at her, and every time he caught her eye she would smile at him in response. 

            He was such a proud daddy.

            She always enjoyed listening to him rattle on about the ship.  And it wasn't just because of him. The more he talked about the engines and the ship, the more she learned. She had often taken the opportunity to pick his brain about questions she'd had, and he was always more than happy to try and help her understand.

            "Ilkixa," Archer said as he approached them. "Your attendant's shuttle is docking. I know that you wanted to meet them when they arrived."

            "Yes, of course Captain," Kelth replied as he looked to Trip.       "Commander, I hate to cut this wonderful tour short but I am afraid I must meet with my staff before we arrive on Xenthia."

            "That's alright Ilkixa, I'd be happy to show you the rest of the tour anytime you'd like."

            "Perhaps if I come upon some free time I will take you up on that offer, Commander," Kelth replied with a smile.

            "I'll be lookin' forward to it," Trip said as he shook the Ilkixa's hand again.

            Hoshi watched as Archer led Kelth out of engineering. She moved to follow when she felt a stab of pain shoot up her side.  She stopped and tried to walk again, but as soon as she stepped forward the pain increased. She gasped, becoming overwhelmed by it, and grabbed the railing for support as she heard her name being called from a distance.  Then there was only blackness.

*           *           *

            Trip rushed into sickbay with her in his arms. Archer had alerted Phlox that he was on his way, and was waiting when he arrived. Trip laid her gently on the medical bed, and was promptly pushed out of the way. Trip looked around helplessly, trying to conceal his alarm as Phlox closed the curtain and Trip was left to wait.

            He was beyond worried. He was aggravated, angry and powerless. 

            He needed to do something, anything besides sit and wonder what had happened to her.  After his conversation with Archer he was left with more question than answers, but he'd decided that he would be patient.

Then he saw her in engineering, she almost seemed like herself. There was no sign of the apprehension he'd seen in her eyes earlier that day, he almost felt better.

            Almost. 

            When Archer began to leave with Kelth, Trip thought that he would have a chance to at least talk to her. But when he turned and saw her, his blood ran cold. She was pale and in obvious pain. He rushed to her side and she collapsed into his arms.  Archer promptly called sickbay and Trip brought her down.

            Now here he was. No closer to knowing anything, as she lay unconscious for god knows what reason.

            Archer arrived twenty minutes later, jarring Trip from his own mind.

            "How is she?"

            "I don't know. He's still in there with her." Trip replied as he continued to pace. "What the hell is going on?"

            "Trip…"

            "No, Cap…no more secrets. Look, I tried to be patient for Hoshi's sake but…you know what is goin' on here don't you?" Trip demanded as Archer stared at him for a moment and then turned away. "Captain whatever it is, it's tearin' her apart. Can't you see that?"

            Conflict and regret creased Archers face. He looked to the curtain concealing Hoshi, and then back to Trip. 

            "Hoshi was attacked."

            "What?"

            "The day you called and said that she was missing," Archer continued. "I was alerted by the planets medical station that a member of my crew had been hurt. I got there as soon as I could and brought her back to the ship." 

             "But she was okay, right?" Trip asked as the confusion and anger seeped in. "I mean she looked…"

            "Phlox took care of her injuries before any of you returned from the planet.  I'm not sure what is happening now, or even if the two are connected," as he leaned against the counter.

            "That's why she's been hiding, she was afraid one of us would know something was wrong. How long has she been…"

            "I don't know, she could have been having symptoms from the beginning and not told me," Archer replied with an edge of frustration. "She insists she fine."

            "She's not," Trip said in a low voice as his gaze moved back to the curtain. "She's terrified. You can see it in her eyes."

*           *           *

            Hoshi jerked awake and found herself in sickbay. Her heart was pounding as she closed her eyes again, trying to push back the terror that threatened to envelope her. She felt a hand on her shoulder, her skin crawling as she felt herself move away from the contact.  She opened her eyes again and saw Archer standing beside her bed with a concerned expression. Hoshi immediately went to sit up and Archer gently pressed her back onto the bed.

            "Slow down, you need to rest," he said as she cringed.

            "What…what happened?" she asked.

            "You collapsed," Archer replied as she felt tears falling down her cheek.  She didn't know where they came from, they just flowed.  "You're okay, but Phlox wants you to stay overnight so he can monitor you."

            "Captain I'm sorry…I…" Hoshi said, not wanting to look at him.

            "You really need to stop saying that…" Archer replied with a gentle smile as he got up. "Get some rest." 

            She could hear muffled voices for a while as she closed her eyes. She tried to make herself stop shaking but it wouldn't work, she felt so cold, empty.   Her thoughts fell on Trip; she saw his face smiling at her as she drifted off. She thought she'd heard something about him bringing her here.  It was warm here, he would have done that, it was warm where he was. 

            She was walking down the hall of Enterprise toward her cabin. She was tired and she wanted her bed, her nice warm blankets and her pillow. Suddenly she felt cold as a blast of cold air hit her from behind. She turned looking down the hall and saw nothing. She began walking again and stopped hearing a faint sound behind her. She turned again, seeing nothing and continued walking.

            The noise was louder this time but she tried to ignore it, refusing to feel stupid for turning and seeing nothing again. She was paranoid, that was all there was too it.  The noise came faster sounding like footfalls. She hastened her step, her heart pounding in fear. She felt like they were on top of her and she spun to face her attacker.

            She was met by a fellow crewman who just passed her and smiled. She breathed out a sigh of relief, laughing to herself about being jittery. She moved to start back down the hall, she blinked and then she saw him…

            Hoshi heard herself screaming as she woke up. It was dark. Her side ached as she tightly pulled her knees to her chest. She remembered Archer and engineering. She remembered Trip's voice, the warmth that it brought.   She tried to calm her mind as it screamed at her in terror.  She shivered and felt her blood run cold as the memories, the corralled emotions, broke free from her grasp.  The darkness seemed to be whispering to her. She tried to ignore it but couldn't push it away. A shiver ran up her spine as she felt movement in the room.

            Hoshi pulled herself out of the bed, scanning the area around her. She saw movement again and stepped back in hesitation.

            "Lights!"

             The room was immediately illuminated and she spun looking in every section. It was empty.

*           *           *

It was almost one am and Trip tried to work. He had been staring at the data stream in front of him for what seemed like forever. His mind flashed endless images of what Archer had described in sickbay.

He honestly didn't know what to do. She was hurt, she was in pain, and she was scared. How could he know all of that and just sit here and do nothing? Then he realized he didn't have a choice. He was helpless on all fronts, as an officer and as a man.

            He knew the way he felt when he looked at her, when she was close to him. He knew that they'd started something back on Alagonia. Something that had lifted him, made him experience something he'd never imagined before, and now he could feel it slipping away. 

He needed to get out of there before he exploded.  Trip quickly left engineering and wandered the halls, not even knowing where he was going.   

            He found himself at the door to the cargo bay. He opened it and walked inside locking the door after him. With a rage, even he hadn't expected, he jammed his fist into one of the empty containers. It thudded loudly and he repeated the motion, willing all of the rage out onto the emotionless container.  He continued to pound on it, hearing the repeated thuds as they echoed off the walls around him.

            He finally stopped, out of breath, backing up and sliding down the wall to a seated position on the floor.

            Someone had hurt her.

            Someone had made her scared of him.

            Someone had taken her away from him.

            He couldn't let it happen. He couldn't let her go, not now.  He felt like he was clinging to his own breath, his own life.  It happened so quickly, this feeling of need, of wanting.

            Screw it.

            He wasn't going to let her push him away. Screw his job, screw Starfleet and screw the rules.

            A few minutes later he walked into sickbay. Trip expected her to be sleeping and Phlox playing watch dog. But as he walked in he found her leaning against the bed instead of in it, and there was no sign of Phlox. He moved forward and watched her jump, spinning to face him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she took a breath.

"What are you doin' out of bed?"

"I…I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd go to my quarters," Hoshi explained as she began to straighten the bed.

            "Phlox wants you to…"

            "I'm fine," she replied with a hesitant smile.

"You're fine?"

 "Yeah, just…"

            "You didn't look fine earlier," Trip replied, annoyed with her denial.

            "It's nothing, probably just that flu that's...."

            "Hoshi…"

            "What are you doing up so late? You really shouldn't…"           

            "You're runnin' again…" he said, softening his tone a little as he moved toward her.

            "I don't know what you're talking about…"

            "Talk to me."          

            "There's nothing to talk about..." she defended as her gaze shifted unsteadily to the floor. "I'm fine."

            "No your not," Trip replied as he saw her look up at him with frustration.

            "Trip…it really isn't…"

            "Yes it is, and pretending that you're fine…"

            "You don't know what you are talking about…"

            "Hoshi you collapsed!"

            "I am a little tired."

            "No…"

            "Trip, stop it," she said as she turned away from him.

            "No you stop," Trip replied, wanting desperately to touch her. "Stop pushin' me away."

            "I'm not," she replied sternly as she moved away from him.

            "Yes, you are!"

            "What do you want from me?"

            "I want you to stop lyin' to me, and stop lyin' to yourself," Trip exclaimed as she stared at him. "Archer told me what happened, and you're not fine.  How could you be? You're fallin' apart, baby, I can see it in your eyes."

            "I'm not…you…you don't understand!" She stumbled as she turned her back to him

            "Then explain it to me!"

            "I can't…"she replied as she spun and ran out of the room.

            "Hoshi wait…" he called, chasing after her.

            "Trip, just leave me alone," she pleaded as her voice cracked.

            She fled down the hall and he silently followed. He knew where she was probably headed and as she walked inside her quarters he followed making it in just as the door closed. As he stepped in he saw her leaning on the chair with her back to him.

            "Get out!" she lashed at him.

            "Hoshi…" Trip said as he stepped toward her. It was killing him to see her hurting so much. What was worse is that he didn't know what to do.

            "Leave me alone!"

            "That would be easier wouldn't it? Then you could crawl in your shell, and never come out again. You can turn back into that scared little girl that stepped on board this ship two years ago! Well damn it, I care about you too much to let you throw everything you've worked for away because you refuse to let anyone help you!" Trip paused as he watched her for any sign that she was listening. "Hoshi, you can get through this, I want to help you. We can get through it together, but you have to let me in."  

            He watched her struggle as she leaned on the chair. He was suddenly scared that he was pushing her too much. That she wasn't ready to tell him, to face what had happened.

             "Every time I close my eyes I see them," she said with a heaviness that revealed her struggle to hold on. "It happens all over again, I can't make it stop." He watched her crumble as she turned to face him, all of the pain and fear finally reflecting in her eyes. "I convinced myself that if you never knew, it never happened and nothing would change. I could just forget and make it all go away. I just want it to go away! I just want it to stop. I want it all to stop…"           

            Trip walked to her slowly, enveloping her in his arms.

She trembled against him, shaking him to the core. He pulled her closer into him and he felt her hide her face in his chest as she cried. 

"Don't let go, please don't ever let go…"

"I'll never let you go, darlin', not in a million years," he replied as he kissed the top of her head.

            "I'm sorry, Trip. I'm so sorry."

            "Its okay baby, you didn't do anythin' wrong," Trip replied as his arms stayed tightly wrapped around her frail, shaking form. "You're here now, and you're safe. Nothin's gonna hurt you anymore."

            He stood there silently as she cried against him. She felt so good in his arms. He realized that he needed the embrace as much as she did and he lost himself in it.  He felt her begin to calm and he began to pull back a little. He eased her down onto the bed with him steadying her with his gaze.  Her tears continued to roll down her cheek and he hesitantly reached out brushing them away.  He felt her recoil as if in pain, and instinctively pulled away.

            "No," Hoshi objected taking his hand in hers. Her eyes were weary and red from crying. Her beautiful face revealed her exhaustion as it paled against her deep eyes. He pulled her against him and she clung to him still trembling.  After a few minutes she pulled out of his embrace gulping back the unending tears as she looked at him. 

            "I can't do this alone anymore," she said as her gaze remained unwavering with his.  He instinctively reached for her face, cupping it in his hand as he watched her struggle. "God, this is so hard…"

            "Just take it slow darlin' I'm not goin' anywhere," Trip replied in a low soothing tone as he watched her eyes fall onto her folded hand in her lap.  He took her hand squeezing it gently and she took it, holding it between her own.

            "After I got cleaned up I headed down to the market. I was running late so I took a shortcut through an alley," she started, her voice shaking, as he watched her fight the images coming into her mind. "They…they came up behind me. I didn't even know what was happening until… it was too late. They kept saying something about how perfect I was… I couldn't fight back… I tried but they were…" she broke off, the emotion of the memory taking over. She began to sob and he pulled her to him, pushing back the rage that filled his chest as the imagery of what happened filled his mind also. 

            "Shhh, that's enough. Its okay, your safe now, you don't have to think about it anymore," Trip lulled as he kissed the top of her head, pulling her tighter against him. He felt a tear run down his own cheek as she wept against him.  

             "I'm sorry."

            "No, I'm sorry," Trip replied as he looked down at her.     

            "Why?" she whispered as he felt her brush his cheek, wiping away the tears that had fallen. 

            "Because I wasn't there," he replied as he took her hand in his own.

            "Trip I…"

            "Shhh..." he said as he covered her lips with his finger. He could see her trust in him trying to break though the pain and apprehension in her eyes. "You need to get some rest."

            Trip stood up from the bed and pulled down the covers. Waiting as she laid down on the pillow putting up no argument.  He spooned up behind her and pulled the covers over them both wrapping his arm around her waist.  He rested his head on his elbow as he watched her. She closed her eyes as he stroked her hair trying to get her to relax. She was so beautiful.

            "What about Phlox?" he heard her ask within a yawn.

            "Don't you worry about Phlox; I'll take care of him in the morning." Trip said as he pulled her closer to him. "Just sleep darlin', you don't have to worry about anything anymore."

            Trip didn't sleep as he protectively watched over her. He felt her tense against him a few times, but he would whisper to her and she would calm with his voice.

            The lack of sleep and her warmth against him was just beginning to lull him to rest when he heard the door beep. He rose up gently as not to wake her and was startled as the door opened. T'Pol stepped into the room when he saw her look up, seeing him. His heart stopped, and he watched her eyes fall on Hoshi. She tilted her head a moment and then turned leaving. 

            Trip laid there debating for a moment, and then slowly moved off the warm bed. He already knew he needed to talk with Phlox. Now it seemed he would need to do some explaining to T'Pol and probably the captain.

            He looked back to Hoshi's peaceful face, feeling that familiar warmth spread over him. He took it with him and heading toward sickbay.

             He wasn't exactly sure what he was going to say, but he would think of something. The important thing was that she was safe and resting. Something he knew she needed.

            As the door of the medical bay opened his hopes were squashed as he saw T'Pol standing beside Hoshi's bed talking to Phlox.

            "Commander Tucker, is there something you needed?" Phlox asked as Trip approached them.

            "I…" Trip started, unsure of what to say.

            "Here is the data pad you were looking for Commander, please try to not misplace it again," T'Pol interceded as she stepped toward him, handing him the pad.

            "Thanks, I will," Trip replied.

            "Well I have a meeting with the captain, if you'll excuse me," Phlox said as walked past him and out of the bay.

            "T'Pol…" he immediately said as the doors closed.

            "Commander," she replied as she walked to him.

            "What did you say to him?"

            "I simply explained that Ensign Sato was uncomfortable in sickbay and came to sleep in my room, as she has done for the past several days," she replied.

            He couldn't believe what he heard, he was in shock. T'Pol had actually lied to Phlox?

            "Thank you," Trip stuttered as he tried to absorb what happened.

            "Don't look so shocked, Commander," she replied as she walked past him.

            "T'Pol…"

            "Yes, Commander?" she replied turning back to him.

            "Why?" Trip asked as she studied him carefully.

            "I have found that humans need a feeling of safety. With Ensign Sato's recent experiences she has been stripped of that stability.  Last night she apparently found it again, with you. I saw no advantage in taking that comfort away from her," T'Pol replied.

            "Thank you, again," Trip said, as he handed her the data pad.

            "It is yours, I took it from engineering to make the charade look authentic," she replied.

            "Oh, thanks," Trip replied as she stopped, turning back to him.

            "Was she able to rest, Commander?" T'Pol asked with a softness he'd never seen from her before.

            "Yes, she's still sleeping," Trip replied.

            "Very well, I will inform the captain that she is…resting comfortably, and will not be joining him and the Ilkixa for breakfast."

            "Thank you," Trip replied with a smile as she turned and left.

            *           *           *

            They grabbed her arms and pinned her down, she couldn't breath. She tried to scream but couldn't. There was pain and she struggled to open her eyes. She saw the ceiling of her room.

            It was just a dream…

            She tried to move but couldn't and the panic took over as she saw two strange beings standing above her.  A scream finally escaped her lips but was quickly silenced as a coarse hand covered her mouth.

            There was pain and then blackness.

            Hoshi wearily opened her eyes to darkness and tried to move. She rolled over and felt herself fall to the floor, a blinding pain consuming her mind.  She lay on the floor, tears streaming down her face. Her hands spread against the carpet as the smell of bleach stung her nose.  

She lifted her head and recognized her surroundings. She was in sickbay, the doors were closed and everything was black.  Hoshi tried to pull herself up but was quickly stopped by the throbbing in her side. She pushed herself to move, commanding herself to ignore the pain as she reached out to the side of the bed pulling her self up against it.  It seemed to take forever but she was finally standing.  She searched the room again and heard alien voices out in the hall.  The fear threatened to envelope her but she pushed it back, eyeing the opening to the conduit. She moved toward it, agony in every step as the alien voices continued to approach.  She pulled herself up onto the ladder and scurried upward out of sight just as the doors opened. She heard them enter walking toward the bed she had been in.  She heard them grunt something watching as they inspected the room.

Hoshi held her breath as they searched. Her throbbing side screamed unrelentingly against her crouched position.  They both passed and grunted something else before leaving.  She felt the tears fall again as the pain stabbed at her.  She turned into the conduit, knowing it would be the safest place for her until she could figure out what had happened. Why she was in sickbay, and where the rest of the crew had gone.

She tried to remain focused on something other than the excruciating pain that threatened to halt her movement through the conduit. Her mind went to her day on the beach with Trip; she desperately wanted that day back. She wanted to take hold of that moment and cling to it.  

He was stubborn. Even with all of the efforts she had made to push Trip away he'd stayed. He gave her the strength to stop hiding, with his insistence that she wasn't alone.  Even though she had convinced herself it was the only way to deal with the pain.  For those few moments before she had fallen asleep, as he held her, she felt safe. Nothing could hurt her as long as she was with him.

She reached the opening out into the hall opposite the mess. She waited a moment listening for any movement. When she felt it was clear she opened the conduit and moved out into the hall.

She knew there was a weapons locker at the end of the hall and made her way toward it.  She reached out to open it and felt a hand wrap around her mouth.  She instinctively swung back with her elbow and turned to face her attacker.  

"Travis?" as she saw him lean against the wall in pain.

"Yeah," he grunted.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry…"

"It's okay, I shouldn't have snuck up on you."

"How…what…"

"I'll explain later, just open the locker," he said as she turned putting in her bridge code. The door opened and she pulled the weapons out handing them to him.  She also grabbed the EMK, knowing that they might need it.

She turned back and followed him down the hall. He stopped, opening the hydroponics lab and they both stepped in.

"What's going on?"

"We were boarded about three hours ago, somehow whoever they are were able to send an EM blast through the ship. I was in one of the shuttle pods when it happened, but everyone else was out like a light."

"Do you know why?"

"Not yet. At first I thought they just wanted the ship, but they searched the ship for something. The activity has seemed to die down, they must have found whatever it was they were looking for. "

"Have you seen the Captain or T'Pol?"

"No I haven't been able to get much past E deck."

"What about the bridge, who's navigating the ship?"

 "I don't know we could be drifting for all I know…" Travis replied as Hoshi leaned against the wall heavily. "Hoshi, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Hoshi replied as she forced herself to stand up straight.  "We need to find out who these aliens are, and what they want."

"Right, so what's the plan?" Travis asked as she opened the EMK and pulled out a hypospray.

"We should be able to wake up the others with this, when we find them."

"So you think we should try and find the Captain?" Travis asked as he face crinkled in pain. She nodded to him in reply. "Hoshi…"

"I'm okay, really…"

"You're sure?"

"Yeah," she replied with a smile. "We should split up."

"I don't…"

 "If one of us fails at least the other will still be free to try and find the Captain. It's better if we split up," Hoshi insisted as she charged her weapon.

"Okay," Travis agreed as she handed him a hypospray from the EMK. "Be careful."

"You too," she replied.

"The EM blast went off when everyone was still asleep.  I will try T'Pol and Malcolm's room they are on the east side of the deck. You should try Commander Tucker and the captain who are on the west."

"You sound like Malcolm."

"Thanks," Travis replied as he stepped toward the door. "See you in a while."

"Yeah," she replied with a smile as he disappeared behind the door as it closed.

Hoshi waited a few minutes and headed out into the hall. She turned the corner and stopped at the corner conduit. She crouched down pulling off the base and stepped inside closing it again behind her. Abruptly she heard phaser fire and held her breath as a group of aliens passed her.

She crawled through the small space, sweat mingled with tears of pain, fear and frustration dripping off her face. She went up three levels and stopped as she heard voices again.  They passed and she continued on. About fifty meters later, her elbow abruptly gave out beneath her and she lay in the conduit trying to summon the energy to move on. She was cold, her entire body ached and she wanted to just sleep. Hoshi forced herself to move and got back on her hands and knees.

She could do this.

She had to do this.   

She reached the West side of the deck and listened again at the opening to make sure the coast was clear. She slowly opened the conduit door and stepped out into the hall.  She pulled her phase pistol and made her way down the hall.  As she was about to turn the corner to the Captains quarters she stopped hearing movement. She waited and peered down the hall catching a glimpse of an alien moving around the corner and out of sight. She took a breath and moved down the hall. 

 She stopped at the door and reached out to open it. Before she could, the door opened and she was faced with an alien.  It was the first time she had looked at this new race full on; they were a dirty gray with tiny black eyes that reminded her of shark's eyes.  They had no nose from what she could tell, and towered over her, standing, she guessed, seven feet. It was only a moment before she fired the pistol as it charged her. He lifted her off the ground as she hit the wall of the hallway hard, knocking the pistol from her hand. The alien's hands wrapped around her waist and squeezed as she screamed in agony, she kicked at him and he released his hold of her. She landed on the ground seeing her phase pistol beside her. She reached out as the beast lunged for her, she quickly spun and fired. He fell limply on top of her, and she struggled to get out from beneath him.

She caught her breath, and grabbed the alien by the arm dragging him toward the door of the Captain's room. She reached behind her, opening the door of the room and dragged the alien inside. She fell to her knees, eyes closed, fighting the agony that swept through her.  She opened her eyes again and searched the room for Archer. Instead she found Trip slumped against the wall beside the bed. 

She ran to him, propping him against her as she pulled out the hypospray. She injected him and waited, he didn't move and she checked the hypospray.

"Trip, can you hear me?" she said as she pulled him toward her, clinging to him. "Trip…please wake up."

She felt a shiver run through her body and her side continued to scream at her.  She could feel herself breaking down.

"Damn it Tucker, you promised!" Hoshi yelled, tears streaming down her face. "You promised me I wouldn't be alone, I need you to wake up… please I can't do this alone…I need you Trip…please wake up…"

He began to stir within her embrace as she shook him.

"Trip, can you hear me…Trip, wake up…"

"Hoshi…"

"Trip open your eyes…I need you to open your eyes," she coaxed as she stroked the sides of his face.

His eyes finally opened and he looked at her in first in confusion and then in concern as he struggled to sit up.

"What happened, baby what's wrong?"

"Ugly aliens have taken over the ship…"

"What?"

"I came to find the captain and found you here. We have to hurry, I stunned one of them but they may be coming back," she explained as she helped him to his feet.

"Where are Malcolm and the others?"

"I don't know," Hoshi replied as he began to pace the room.

 "I woke up in sickbay, and managed to get away before they found me."

"What were you doing in sickbay…Are you okay? Did they…"as he walked to her, taking her face in his hands.

"I'm…" she started and then hesitated. "I'm okay. The important thing is getting the ship back."

"We need…" Trip started as she lifted a phase pistol to him. "That's my girl."

"We need to leave."

"Yeah, let's go."

*           *           *

Trip took her hand and led her out into the hall. They went back into the conduits, seemingly the best place to move around without being noticed.  Trip's first objective was to get as close to engineering as he could to see what damage, if any, had been done to the ship.  From there he would be able to access all of the data centers in the ship and hopefully figure out where this alien race had set up camp.  They made their way through the conduits at a steady speed and Trip stopped to catch his breath looking back at Hoshi, whose face was crinkled in obvious pain.

"You okay?" he asked as he moved toward her.

"Yeah, I'm just…"she started as he pushed the matted hair off her forehead.  "It's just my side, its okay. Let's just get to engineering. "

"You should stay…"

"No, I'm going with you," she insisted as she took his hand in hers.

"Okay."

They started back through the conduit and made it to the shaft just above the cargo bay. Trip stopped and opened the vent so they could see down and inside. As it opened, they saw a majority of their fellow crew lying unconscious. A few had awoken, and were being kept separate from the others.

"What do they want?" Hoshi whispered to him.

"I don't know. There's nothing we can do from here, we need to get to engineering and re group," Trip replied as he looked at her pale face.  She nodded in agreement and they climbed up two levels and directly above engineering. Trip stopped just before the corner leading to the opening.

"What's wrong?"

"I want you to stay here while I…"

"No."

"Darlin, it's too…"

"I'm going with you. You're not leaving me here."

"Hoshi, you're not…"

"No! I woke you up, Tucker, I made through this ship without you and I am not going to sit here and wait while you go off and be desperado…"

"Hoshi…" Trip watched her scolding him. He couldn't help but smile at her stubborn nature.

 "We do this together or not at all…" Trip pulled her to him smothering her words with a passionate kiss. They melted into the moment desperately clinging to each other.  They reluctantly broke the embrace and Trip took a breath searching her eyes. "That doesn't change my mind you know."

"I know, that's not why I did it."

"I know it's not," she replied with a steady gaze.

They stared at each other for a moment not needing words to tell each other how they felt before making their way to the conduit opening.

There was an alien guard standing outside the doors. Trip led them quietly to the right and they exited around the corner from the doors.  Phase pistols drawn, Trip was the first to move. He rushed the guard and got a shot off hitting the alien in the shoulder. Hoshi took aim and hit the alien in the hand before he got a shot off. Trip ran forward and the alien lunged toward him. Both of them fell to the ground in a roll of swinging limbs.

Trips pistol was knocked against the wall and Hoshi tried to get a clear shot on the alien, but it moved to fast. She heard the door behind her open and she spun sending a shot into the oncoming alien's chest. It stepped back but kept coming. She hurriedly backed up, firing another shot as he swiped at her with his fist. It made contact with her neck and she fell back stunned. As she recovered she saw the alien's attention turn to Trip. He stepped toward the physical battle and Hoshi sat up firing not once, but twice, and he finally hit the ground.

Just as he fell she watched Trip rise from the floor, the other alien motionless on the ground. 

"You're right they are ugly," Trip said to her as she got to her feet to join him, as they walked into engineering. Most of the staff was scattered on the floor unconscious. Hoshi immediately saw Malcolm, injecting him with a hypospray.  It took a few minutes for him to recover so Trip and Hoshi also injected several of the other crewmembers until they ran out.

They awoke one by one. Trip explained the situation.

"Have you seen the captain?"

"Not yet," Hoshi replied.

"How many of them are there?"

"It's hard to tell, we have been moving through the conduits. We saw five in the cargo bay. There was one in the Captain's quarters and then two here."

Abruptly they heard a banging from the back of the room. Trip and Malcolm backed everyone off to a corner behind the warp drive until they saw T'Pol and Travis step into view.

"Nice of you to join us," Malcolm replied.

"Are we too late for the party?" Travis asked with a wave.

Trip smiled, "not at all."

 "We should secure the cargo bay and go from there," Malcolm said.

"Agreed," T'Pol replied as she took a phase pistol from Hoshi. "Since the conduits seem to be the best way to move unnoticed we should split into two teams. One should approach from the ceiling of the cargo bay and the other taking a more direct approach."

"Hoshi, T'Pol and Travis should take the conduits and Trip and I will take the main door, agreed?"

"Yes," T'Pol replied as Travis, Trip and Hoshi nodded.

*           *           *

Hoshi crouched once again into the conduit as she followed T'Pol and Travis back to the Cargo Bay. They made their way to the opening quickly and Hoshi struggled to mask the pain and exhaustion that threatened her collapse.

She leaned against the wall of the conduit as Travis opened the vent.  The image was the same as before except with several different faces, Archer among them. 

Travis lifted the vent off its hinges and began to lower himself into the bay followed by T'Pol and Hoshi. They were just above the back wall, a ladder leading down to the ground.  They made their way down silently and found protection behind the stacks of canisters that littered the room. 

Hoshi took in the room, watching as the aliens herded the now awake crewmen to the opposite side of the room.  It made her sick to her stomach and she found herself trembling as her experience on the surface of Alagonia came flooding back.  Her side burned again and she touched it with her hand as if to make it stop.  The pain hadn't subsided, she had just grown accustom to it. She was cold but she was sweating and her pistol shook in her hand. She shifted hands trying to steady her self, feeling the pistol slide against her palm. She looked down seeing her palm covered in blood. She realized it had wiped onto her through her jumper. She was bleeding, a lot.

She heard the door open and shots being fired as the other team started the assault. T'Pol looked to her and nodded and they charged forward taking aim at the remaining aliens that were offering resistance.

*           *           *

Trip, Malcolm and several of the other crew they had awoken charged the room. Within minutes the surprise was lost and a barrage of weapons fire echoed the large room.

Trip and Malcolm continued their push into the room, slowly gaining control. He caught sight of Hoshi as she came through from the back.

Trip moved forward with Malcolm as the aliens began to move toward their unconscious captives.  He watched as Hoshi was spotted by one of the aliens. She ducked behind some of the canisters, the alien following her. Two more followed and Trip signaled Malcolm to head in that direction.  Trip saw Malcolm stop as they moved forward, finding Phlox amongst the unconscious crew. He leaned over and injected him while Trip shot the last of the aliens within his view. Hoshi came into his view again as she stunned another alien.

Trip saw movement to his side and realized for whatever reason Archer had woken up. He was struggling to his feet as one of the alien soldiers noticed also. The alien rushed the captain, using him as cover to exit the room. Trip stepped forward to go after them, but was pinned down by an eruption of phaser fire. He fired back and saw T'Pol and Hoshi run out the doors after them. 

"Malcolm!" he called across the room, getting frustrated with the little progress they had made. Malcolm nodded and they rushed the remaining aliens, quickly cornering them.  

"You got this?"

"Yeah, where are you going?"

"To the bridge," Trip replied as he ran out the door.

*           *           *

"They are headed for the bridge."

"We can't take them ourselves."

"We have no other choice," T'Pol replied as she turned the corner. They were met by two of the three aliens who abducted the captain.  Hoshi threw herself against the wall and returned blast for blast what the aliens were sending.

"There is a jeffreies tube a few meters back, if you follow it through to the right you will end up on the other side of this hall."

"It would be unwise for us to split up."

 "There is no way we are going to get past these guys without backup. The bridge will only be a few feet away. I will stay here and hold them off until Malcolm and Trip arrive." T'Pol looked at her and then did a double take. "You have to get to the captain, T'Pol…what?"

"Ensign, you are bleeding," she said as she continued to fire on the aliens. Hoshi looked down at her uniform and saw the blood had saturated it.

"It's fine, just go!" she demanded as T'Pol nodded in agreement and disappeared back down the hall.

Hoshi fired again and took a breath as they returned fire. She got into the rhythm of their positions and moved off time catching one of the aliens in the shoulder.  There was silence for a moment and as she fired down the hall again she saw an Alagonia charging toward her.  She hesitated a moment fearing that he was just trying to escape, he continued toward her with a menacing grin. Hoshi fired several times hitting him repeatedly in the chest.  The weapon seemed to have little to no effect on him and she went to fire again when her phaser went dead.

*           *           *

"Get off my ship!" Archer exclaimed as the doors behind him closed and he was met eye to eye with an alien who was slightly bigger than the others. From the other aliens actions Archer assumed this meant it was the leader. "What do you want from us?"

Archer listened as the alien said something to him that he had no comprehension of.  He secretly wished for Hoshi as the doors opened and the Alagonian Ilkixa was pushed into the room.  Kelth froze in terror as he was brought to the leader of the brigade.  To Archer's amazement, frustration and relief Kelth started a conversation with the being. After a moment he looked to the captain.

"Who are they, Kelth?"

"They are called Kuangis; they are from a planet on the other side of Xenthia," Kelth replied as the perspiration trickled down his forehead.

"What have they done to my crew?" Archer asked as Kelth turned and asked the Kuangis what he hoped was his question.

"He says that the crew has been stunned so that they will not impede his search of the ship," Kelth replied.

"Search of the ship? What are they looking for?" Archer asked in frustration as the alien became agitated and started yelling at Kelth. Kelth's fear of alien was evident, but yet he yelled back and the display went on for a few moments. The alien picked Kelth up by the neck.  "What do they want?"

"You're… ensign…" Kelth tried to cough out as the being continued to hold him in mid air.

"What?"

"Ensign Sato, they want Ensign Sato," Kelth finally garbled as the alien threw him across the room. He hit the far wall of the bridge gasping for breath.

*           *           *

Trip sprinted down the hallway toward the bridge; he heard footsteps behind him and slowed waiting around the corner to see who was following. Malcolm quickly came into view.

"I thought you were going to stay down stairs?"

"Downstairs doesn't matter if we don't get back control of the bridge. Any sign of T'Pol?"

"Not yet," Trip replied as they came to the turbo lift to the bridge. They took it up and as the doors opened they saw T'Pol waiting just outside the door her weapon raised, listening.  Malcolm and Trip each took a flank of her, waiting silently. Trip suddenly wondered where Hoshi was when T'Pol nodded and they counted to three…

*           *           *

Archer contemplated the situation as he watched Kelth struggle into a standing position.  The alien said something to Archer.

"What did he say?" Archer asked Kelth as he walked up beside him. "He is demanding that you return what you have stolen from them."

"What does that have to do with Ensign Sato?" Archer asked as Kelth spoke to the alien again.  He waited as the alien responded and then turned back to Archer.

"He says she has his people's secrets."

"There has to be some mistake, Hoshi doesn't have anything. Tell him I don't understand," Archer demanded.

Kelth turned and relayed the message and the alien became agitated. He began screaming the same word in frustration and pounding his stomach.

"What…what is he saying?"

"Inside…he keeps saying inside."

"What?" Archer demanded as he heard the alien continue talking. Kelth turned to Archer as he translated.

"Apparently your ensign was implanted with a norg while on Alagonia. "

"What's a norg?"

"It's a small data device that attaches to the inside of the body, virtually undetectable without the proper equipment.  They boarded Enterprise to retrieve it before it was delivered the Xenthian government, their enemies. As they were attempting to remove it from Ensign Sato she escaped.  They are not here to hurt anyone Captain; they just want what is theirs."

As if on cue the doors of the bridge opened and Malcolm, Trip and T'Pol entered, pistols drawn, all pointed at the alien.

*           *           *

All she could think to do was run. 

Hoshi dropped the phase pistol and spun, running in down the hall. The Alagonian chased her, easily making up the difference in the space between them with a few strides.  He tackled her to the ground pinning her easily beneath him as he covered her mouth with his hand. Hoshi looked up at him as her body struggled to break free.  He breathed in her face with a smile and she cringed.

"I'm disappointed you don't remember me, I remember you," he said to her in his native tongue as her blood ran cold. "How could I forget a creature so perfect, so gentle, and so frightened."

Hoshi bit his hand in response and he cursed her as she pushed him over, squirming out from beneath him.  He lunged for her and was met by a boot to the face. He reeled back and Hoshi took the opportunity to grab his phase rifle from his side.   She got to her feet aiming for his head as her mind began to swim. Her vision was becoming blurred but she fought to keep a steady hand against him.

"B'algon…you are lucky I stopped them when I did, if it weren't for me you'd be with child right now."

His words faded in and out of her mind as she watched him stand against the wall.

"You are too weak, you are no…" he scoffed at her as he stepped forward.

"Wanna make a bet?" Hoshi lashed back as she fired the rifle. The shot hit him in the neck and he fell into a lump on the floor.  The rifle fell out of her hands as she gripped the wall, the world around her going fuzzy. She needed to get to the bridge…she needed to help T'Pol…

She took a breath trying to clear her mind as she stepped forward. Her legs seemed not to be there as she fell to the floor. She felt the roughness of the carpet against her cheek as she tried to open her eyes. The blackness was warm though, and she stopped fighting it as it pulled her away.

*           *           *

  The alien lower his arms and barked something. In response, the two aliens holding the Captain stepped away. Malcolm immediately took the leader by the arm as Trip handed Archer a phase pistol. Trip and Malcolm escorted the trio to the back of the bridge as Archer turned to T'Pol.

"Is the doctor awake?"

"Yes, sir, he is attending to the crew in the cargo bay."

"Is Hoshi still in the cargo bay?"

"No, sir, she came here with T'Pol," Trip replied, as he made his way back to Archer's side.

"We were cut off on the way here and forced to split up," T'Pol explained.

 "Archer to Sato," Archer said with no response.

"Captain what is it?" Trip asked, a cold dread filling his gut.

"Our visitors were here to retrieve something.  We need to find Hoshi," Archer replied as he walked to the door.

"Captain, when I saw her she was bleeding, she may not have a lot of time," T'Pol explained as Archer grabbed two communicators out of the comm. box and stepped onto the turbo lift.

"Where?"

"E deck."

"Trip you're with me," Archer said as he handed Trip a communicator and the doors closed.

They headed down and Trip could feel his heart pounding as Archer stood silently next to him.  The lift stopped and they stepped out pistols raised.   

"Let's split up, if one of us finds her comm. the other," Archer said as he took the left.  Trip cautiously took the right fighting not to run, knowing that there may be stragglers wandering the halls.  He got about halfway down and found a bloody pistol on the floor. His heart skipped and he began a guarded sprint down the hall.  He turned the corner and saw an Alagonian lying against the wall and as the rest of the hall came into view he found Hoshi lying unconscious on the floor. 

"Cap, I found her…" he yelled as he knelt down, gently turning her over on her back. She was bleeding from her left side and he applied pressure to the unseen wound with the flat of his hand.

He heard rushed footsteps and looked up to see Archer's hasted approach. 

"Is she breathing?" he asked as he knelt next to Trip.

"I think so," Trip replied, fighting back the tears that threatened to come as he looked at her.  Archer reached out touching her forehead as he pulled out his comm.

"She burning up," he said as he pushed the button to the comm.. "Archer to Phlox."

"Yes, Captain."

"Where are you?"

"I have just entered sickbay, Captain, you will…"

"Phlox are any of the crew in life threatening danger?"

"Thankfully no, sir, I have just finished scanning…"

"Doctor, I need you on E deck 434 right now."

"Captain I…"

"Just do it!" Archer commanded as he snapped the comm. close and looked at Trip.  He had a heartbreaking look of fear in his face.

"It's not enough. I can't get the bleeding to stop…" Trip said in a broken voice as he looked helplessly to Archer. 

Archer unzipped his jumpsuit, pulling his arms out as he pulled off the shirt underneath. He handed it to Trip who lifted his blood soaked hand and pressed the shirt to her wound.

"Trip, she's gonna be okay."

"Yeah," he replied not taking his eyes off her face.

*           *           *

"Thank you again for your understanding, Captain."

"You're welcome. I am just hopeful that the next time our species meet it will under better circumstances."

"As do I."

"Captain Archer, please apologize to your ensign again on behalf of myself and my people.  I know there is nothing I can say that will take away her pain but, please know that I will do my best to ensure this does not happen again. Now that we know who was involved the matter will be investigated and stopped." Kelth said.

"I hope you succeed in your endeavor, Ilkixa Kelth.  For all our sakes," Archer replied as he shook his hand and watched as they exited the ship onto their awaiting shuttle craft.  Archer turned to T'Pol and they left the shuttle bay.

Archer and T'Pol left the shuttle bay and entered the turbo lift silently.

"Captain, if I may, I am impressed with you ability to control your sometimes blinding but always honorable sense of justice considering the events of the past few weeks."

"How do you mean?"

"You may have in fact just let the cause of all of Ensign Sato's, and this crew's recent emotional and psychical pain walk off the ship. Is that wise?"

"T'Pol, sometimes you just have to let go.  There is nothing that could have been accomplished by forcing the issue with either party. It is not going to make anyone, including Hoshi feel any better. If anything it will make matters worse and get us all in the middle of an impending conflict," Archer replied. "That is time better used to move on and away.  All we can do is learn from our mistakes. Learn and remember.  There is an old earth saying that I would use in this instance, what goes around comes around, and believe me, it will."

"Yes, Captain." T'Pol replied as she continued down the hall and Archer stopped at the sickbay doors.

 "I don't know, Travis, perhaps you should think about taking some combat lessons from Hoshi," Malcolm teased as Archer entered sick bay.

Malcolm, Travis, Phlox and Trip were standing around Hoshi's bed, laughing as Hoshi grinned widely.

Phlox saw the Captain enter and walked to him as he stood just inside the door otherwise unnoticed.

"So when will I be getting my communications officer back on the bridge. You have had her cooped up down here for almost a week now."

"In due time sir, the ensign still has some healing to do," Phlox replied as Archer's eyes caught Trip's unwavering gaze at Hoshi.

"She seems to be feeling better. They aren't causing too much havoc for you, are they, Doctor?"

 "No, Captain.  I suspect their jesting bedside manner is a welcome change for Ensign Sato," Phlox replied with a grin.

"It probably is, but let's try and keep the visits to a minimum. There is a starship to be run and I am sure that Hoshi is still in need of rest."

 "Yes, sir," Phlox replied as Archer turned to leave the bay. "Sir, I am sure that Ensign Sato would be happy to see you, if you would like to…"

"I'll come by later, I have something I need to follow up on."

*           *           *

Trip walked into sickbay and found Hoshi sitting up in her bed reading.

"You aren't supposed to be working."

"Hey, I thought you went to dinner?"

"Don't avoid the question," Trip replied with a smile as he walked to her and took a seat on the side of her bed.

"It didn't sound like a question."

"You know what I meant," Trip replied as he took the data pad from her hand and looked at it. "Warp mechanics, some light reading?"

"I thought I'd brush up so I can have an intelligent conversation with you one of these days."

"Ah, well I can tell you right now once you get out of here we'll have plenty of time for intelligent and not so intelligent conversation," Trip replied with a grin as she blushed.

"So what are you doing here, Commander Tucker?"

"Well, I saw Phlox was in the mess eating so I thought I would take the opportunity to return something to you."

"Return something?"
            "Yeah," he said as he pulled her bracelet from his pocket, and wrapped it around her wrist. "You, well T'Pol, left this behind in your room at the hotel. I kept meaning to give it back but with everything that happened…"

"Thank you, I don't know what I would have done if I lost it. My grandfather gave it to me as a going away present," she replied with a smile as his hand lingered for a moment.

"Well then I'm glad I didn't lose it."

"Yes, that is a good thing," she replied with a wider grin as he stared at her silently. "Hey, where are you?"

"Here, I'm just happy to see you smile again."

"I'm happy to be smiling," she replied as his eyes lowered to their intertwined hands.

"Hoshi, I know a lot has happened since we were on the beach on Alagonia but when I thought I lost you…I…I know it's going to be hard, and it isn't the perfect situation, but I want to try and make this work," Trip said as his tone lowered to almost a whisper. "I need you, when you weren't there it felt like I was missin' a part of myself. It made me crazy and I don't want to feel that way anymore."

"Trip everything has happened…"

"I know it has and I don't…"

"Will you let me finish please," Hoshi said as she squeezed his hand with a smile. "Everything has happened so fast. This little crush has turned into something I never expected but I'm not scared of it. I know that no matter what, we'll be okay."

Trip brushed her cheek with the back of his hand as she smiled. He leaned forward and kissed her gently. Her lips were soft and welcoming and they became lost in the embrace, not caring about the consequences and not hearing the door as it opened and Archer stepped in.

Archer stopped as he saw the embrace and stepped back out the door.  He sat in the hall waiting for the doors to open again. They did and Trip turned into the hall toward him.

"Hey, Cap, Hoshi's awake if you were plannin' to…
            "I know," Archer replied with a grave seriousness Trip hadn't expected.

"Cap?"

"I can't let you do this," Archer said as a look of realization washed over Trip's face.

"Who's askin' you to?"

"You know who."

"No I don't…" Trip replied as he walked out of the sight of the door.

"You know the rules…"

            "Rules made up by a bunch of bureaucrats that haven't been further away from home than a couple of miles, and are not on this ship!"

"That's not the point!"

"Yes it is, Cap. They aren't out here with us! They aren't here to see what we've become!"

"No they're not, but the rules are meant to protect us."

"Protect us from what?"

"Ourselves."

"Cap…"

 "To protect us from mistaking the emotion of extremities for something more personal, which is what you and Hoshi…"

"No! I am not going to let you trivialize this with symptoms of pressure or loneliness!"

"I'm not…"

"Yes you are. I understand that you have your duty as my Captain, but I am tellin' you right now if you make me choose between what I have in there, and what I might have out there, you might as well ask for my resignation right now."

"What about Hoshi?"

"She's not…"

"Is she willing to give up her career to be with you, because that is what you are asking her to do," Archer challenged as Trip's eyes went to the floor. "Trip, I know it is hard. I know that emotions happen and bonds are formed, but you knew the mandates of this mission when you signed on."

"That was before I…." Trip stumbled. "She almost died a week ago tonight. I don't regret telling her how I feel, I never will.  If anything, I hope that her knowing how much I care about her, and that she's not alone is helping her get through this."

"Trip…"

"The one thing I do regret is finding out that you think that this is shallow, or has been taken in anyway lightly. I thought you, of all people, would know that I wouldn't betray your trust if I wasn't sure it was worth the risk. You do what you have to do Captain, but I am not giving this up. Not for Starfleet and not for you."

*           *           *

The End?