Chapter Three:

Hoshi Sato lay almost lifeless in bed. She was sound asleep, dreaming about something she could not quite grasp.

We do not understand. Now is not your time to know. Do not allow yourself to remember…

Hoshi could not figure out the language. The aliens attacked and yelled at the Enterprise crew while Hoshi frantically tried to figure out what they were saying. Jonathon Archer became impatient and angry that strange aliens would just attack them. He figured they were in these aliens' sacred space or they had broken some sort of rule. Whatever it was, they were not being reasonable at all.

"Status?" Archer asked.

"They are breaking off, sir," Malcolm Reed replied.

Archer was finally at ease … well somewhat at ease. He sat down and sighed.

*

The other ship came out of nowhere. The aliens contacted the Enterprise, speaking slowly. Sato translated what they were saying without any trouble and there was no more conflict. The word(s) Avree'shkree rang in Hoshi's mind.

Hoshi bolted upright in bed. She breathed heavily and looked around the room, but the only other inhabitant was her roommate. Hoshi laid back into her bed and thought about what had just happened. All of a sudden she remembered what had happened that day. The young woman rolled out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom, careful not to awaken her roommate.

She looked into the mirror. Nothing was different about her face or body, except she was sweaty. She looked at the time and saw it was five in the morning. The ensign closed her eyes and tried to think more about what had happened.

Hoshi looked at the PADD. The words melted away…

She opened her eyes and slipped off her pajamas. Stepping into the hot shower, she allowed the water to cleanse both her mind and body.

The ensign would have to tell this to the captain. He would want to know.

As the water ran down her face, it hit her: If she spoke her thoughts aloud they would disappear again. She would not remember.

There was another force working here, an idea that T'Pol would call illogical. Doctor Phlox would want her head examined, hell; she would want her head examined. Shaking her head slightly, Hoshi decided to think about it a little more before approaching the captain. If she did tell Archer, she would have to make him swear it to secrecy. They could not forget again.

***

Walking to the bridge with a mission was one thing. Actually getting there and remembering the mission itself was another. The linguist beat the memories into her brain and thought of them constantly. She was not going to forget again, no matter what.

Hoshi stepped onto the bridge, raking her brain for a way to discreetly speak with the captain. Her mind wandered to when she was in the mess hall the other day. Commander Tucker had been so sweet to her.

Think, Hoshi! Do not let your mind wander!

"Captain," Hoshi started.

The captain looked at her. Hoshi thought about the fact that there might be spies on the ship.

Think, Hoshi! Do not be paranoid! Not right now!

"Yes, ensign?" Archer responded.

Hoshi fumbled with her hands, "I need to talk to you about my quarters."

It was a lie. Sort of. She did start remembering in her quarters.

"OK," Archer paused, waiting for her to continue.

"In private, please," Hoshi sighed. She gave him a look.

"All right, my ready room?"

Hoshi nodded and followed. She continued to beat the memories into her mind. Keeping her focus on the task at hand, she did not want to forget a single thing. She had to remember.

***

Archer stared at his linguist, not sure if she was delusional or actually telling him the truth. If she were delusional, he would have Doctor Phlox make sure she was better again. If she were telling him the truth, then it would explain why no one remembered about seven hours of the day. But Archer had already told himself that it was OK.

Thinking about it, he realized that in all reality, his thoughts would be of suspicion if the entire crew's mind had been messed with.

"You're telling me you are the only one who remembers?" the captain looked intently at Hoshi.

Hoshi blinked. "I am?"

"Yes, you are the only one who remembers yesterday."

"Oh…" Hoshi thought. This was not good at all.

"This would explain a lot," he mused. "I wonder if T'Pol remembers. She at least pretended not to remember and then finished eating quicker than Trip and I did."

Hoshi looked around the room, feeling paranoid. "You can't tell anyone," she whispered.

"Why?"

"Because I would forget it again and so would you."

"But I don't remember it."

Hoshi blinked. Damn.

"Erm…maybe we can ask T'Pol?"

Archer sat down on the couch. "You just told me not to tell anyone."

Hoshi sat down next to the captain. "Maybe she is the exception?"

The captain shrugged. "I have no idea. But if these aliens wiped our memories then they can probably do it again."

Damn, Hoshi thought once again. This would prove to be tricky.

"We won't ask just yet, I will try to remember what happened and then I will ask her by myself as to not risk both of us not remembering," Captain Archer continued. "You're dismissed, Hoshi."

Hoshi nodded and went to her post like a in a zombie. She had to remember.

***

"There is the possibility …" the cloaked alien to the left replied.

"The possibility of what?" the one on the right asked.

"That someone can remember."

"But it doesn't happen often, does it?"

"Only in love does it happen."

"Love? Do the humans believe in love?"

"Some," the alien responded back.

"But memories can be erased once more, right?"

"Possibly. But the memories would return."

"What type of love? Affection? Eros?"

"True love."

The alien on the right bowed his head in thought, its face obscured by the cloak.

"True love? I thought only we believed in the such."

"Some humans do."

"How do you know this?"

"It was a thought one of them held."

"Who?"

"The one called Commander Tucker."

"But is he in love?"

"I am uncertain."

"Who is in love?"

"That is uncertain. My time to speak with them was too short."

"Find out!"

"I have already selected spies. We will find out."

"Who is leading them?"

"I will be leading them."

"Goodbye."

"Yes, goodbye."

The alien on the left disappeared, leaving the other one to his own thoughts. He sat down, trying to contemplate the river that ran through the sea of confusion.

*****

If this seemed confusing about Trip thinking about love, think about this: these aliens are obviously somewhat telepathic...