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CHAPTER FOUR
A trilling song woke Trip the next morning. Birds, he realized. Rolling over he discovered Hoshi was gone. He shot up, alarmed, and hurried outside. He found her a few meters outside the door, sitting on a tree root beside Mila. Their heads were bent together over several bolts of material, and they were laughing, he saw with relief. For a moment, he paused, watching them in the morning light. The village was a bustle of activity again, with women weaving and men bent over fires. Children darted in and out, screaming with laughter. The adults chatted as they went about their work.
Just then, Hoshi spotted him and smiled. The smile gave him a funny twinge, which he blustered through by grinning at her.
"Good morning," she called.
"Mornin'." He joined the women. Without asking, Mila handed him a wooden plate of food. Realizing he was starved, he ate quickly. "What are you all up to?" he asked.
"Mila was showing some of the material that she wove," Hoshi replied. "It's so beautiful, isn't it? It's made from a fibrous plant. They use plant materials for everything—food, homes…isn't that amazing?"
"That is pretty impressive," Trip agreed, smiling at Mila. He set his plate down. "Hosh, can I talk to ya for a minute?"
She nodded and he led her away, out of Mila's earshot. "We gotta start focusing on gettin' outta here." She nodded again in agreement. "Now, I'm gonna go back to that temple and see what I can figure out…damn, I wish I had a tricorder. Anyway, you go talk to Katheba and see if you can get any more info on the Sh'ron or whatever else will help us. Ok?"
"On my way," Hoshi replied. Trip squeezed her arm and began the trek to the temple.
**
Just before sundown, he walked back into the village, face tense with frustration. The edge of the village was quiet, but he could hear laughter farther ahead. He continued in until he reached the central clearing. There he found the entire village population sitting on roots and blankets, laughing and eating together. Near the center, Hoshi sat on a blanket beside Mila and a male Jafari. When he approached them, they greeted him enthusiastically. He shook his head at the hopeful look on Hoshi's face; from the way her face fell, he knew she hadn't learned any more than him.
He sighed and dropped beside her on the blanket, accepting food and sweet water. Mila introduced the male Jafari as Tinor, her "companion."
"Trip," Tucker said, nodding.
"Yes, Hoshi's companion," Tinor said with a smile. Trip's eyes widened and he choked a little on the water. "'Scuse me?"
"Trip, can I speak to you privately?" Hoshi interrupted quickly, pulling him to his feet.
Away from the crowd, Trip said, "Does companion mean what I think it does?"
"Yes, pretty much. I spoke with Katheba today. She didn't give me any hints about getting home, but I did learn a lot about their culture. Apparently, many of them came here through the Sh'ron; those that didn't are descendants of those that did. The legend that the guide told us? Their entire culture is based on it. So they think that we are here because we are, well, mates."
They both shifted nervously, embarrassed. "That's what shekan means. A couple, sent here by Keyia—lifemates. It seems that no one has come through the Sh'ron for a very long time, which is why they were so excited to see us."
"But…where are we? Why can't we reach the Enterprise? Where's the city?"
"I don't know. Also—the Jafari guide said that those beliefs were old, long since abandoned by their culture. But everyone here is so young. They certainly don't look as if they came here eons ago." Hoshi shook her head. "I don't know; I can't wrap my mind around it yet."
"Well, I guess the question is, whadda we do now." Trip frowned, then sighed. "Is there anyway to reverse the Sh'ron?"
"Not that these people know of…but they believe they were selected by Keyia to come here, so why would they go back?"
Trip eyed the villagers, then looked back at Hoshi as an idea flitted through his mind. "Say, does that mean we were approved or rejected?"
Hoshi blushed. "I'm not sure, although it did cross my mind…" Tears welled in her eyes. "Trip, what are we going to do?"
"Hey. Even if we can't figure this out—which we will—Jon and Malcolm and the rest of the crew'll move heaven and earth to get us back. So don't worry. Ok?" She brushed at her eyes, and he slipped an arm around her shoulders, squeezing reassuringly. He looked up to see most of the village watching them with knowing smiles. He dropped his arm and stepped back. "Man, this place is startin' to creep me out," he muttered.