Chapter Eleven:
Hoshi paced in her quarters, deep in thought. She wondered about the aliens, if there would be any more encounters with them in the future…their future, Starfleet's future. It was all a great mystery to her and she couldn't sort it all out properly. Hoshi ran her fingers through her dark hair and then crossed her arms and flopped on the bottom bunk.
Carefully removing her jacket and shoes, she dressed down to almost nothing. Pulling her sheets up around her she let her mind dwell on last night. It was so beautiful; she loved Trip holding her in his strong arms. But more importantly, she loved Trip. It was a warm, fuzzy feeling that she had never felt so strongly for any man. He made her feel so safe and secure.
Wiping away a tear, she stuck her tongue out at herself. Why was she crying? Was this really true love for Trip? Or was it just superficial like what she felt for all the other boys.
No, he wasn't a boy. He was a very loving man who cared deeply for her. And she felt the same way.
***
Archer and Trip were almost silent while watching water polo. The only sounds they made were cheers for their team. Other than that, they didn't talk to each other. It was like they were only acquaintances and had never met each other but had gotten together just to watch a sport that they both enjoyed.
Trip didn't like the silence between him and his good friend. He knew Archer had thoughts on what was going on between him and Hoshi. All Trip knew was that he was madly in love with the beautiful, young linguist. She was everything to him and he knew then why he also started to remember before everyone else. That first afternoon they had spent in the mess hall was wonderful. He had wanted to take her in his arms and make love to her there, but that was neither the time nor the place.
The captain looked at his friend‚s face and wondered if he should break the silence and say something to him. He knew something was up between Trip and Hoshi, he just wasn't sure what it was.
Quietly, Archer had asked Malcolm if he noticed anything different between the three friends. Malcolm had only shrugged it off, but at the same time he seemed miffed at the thought.
"Trip, we need to talk," Archer finally broke the silence.
The commander sighed and looked at his friend. He nodded his head slowly, as if telling him to speak his peace.
"I've noticed a lot of tension between you, Hoshi and Malcolm. I was wondering if something happened between you and Hoshi that was causing it."
Trip thought for a moment, trying to speak intelligibly.
"Did Malcolm say something to you?"
"No, I asked him if here was something going on and he seemed… upset, maybe."
"Well, he walked in on us when Hoshi and I were takin' off our jackets," Trip said carefully. "He thought he was walking in on somethin' more and got a bit ruffled."
Somehow Jon didn't‚t fully believe what Trip had told him. "Is that all there is? Or is there more?"
Trip thought even more. He had to tell him; after all he was his best friend.
"Things got heated after Malcolm left, cap'n," Trip drawled.
Jon raised his brow and sat back to think.
"Heated? How so?"
"We kissed and laughed. It was different, but it felt right."
"She's an ensign, Trip."
Trip shook his head. He didn't care. What he was feeling was love.
"I don't care what her rank is," Trip said quietly.
Archer blinked. His friend really was in love.
"Is that all you two did?"
"The rest is really personal, cap'n," Trip said somewhat heatedly before calming himself. "She is amazing …"
Archer smiled and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. Trip stared in space remembering Hoshi's kisses. He had been so careful with her, making sure the moment was special for her.
"I support you Trip. You know that. I won't tell Starfleet. They can figure it out themselves."
Trip looked at him and smiled. "Thanks. I feel telling you about it."
Archer nodded and they went back to their water polo recording.
***
Sleep came easily for Jon Archer that night. After taking his uniform off and pulling on his sweatpants, he turned off the light. He fell asleep immediately after curling up. He dreamt of Mishkra talking to him.
He realized it wasn't a dream when he was roused out of his light sleep. The alien woman was sitting on the edge of his bed, dressed in an elegant strapless gown. Jon sighed when he looked at the time and realized she had been there for an hour. He had no recollection of what she had said.
"Captain," Mishkra began.
Jon pushed his blanket down and sat up. "No, Jon is fine."
Mishkra smiled and looked at his face. Humans were so similar to her people, yet so different. She moved closer toward him and placed a hand on his warm face. His breath caught in his throat as he wondered what she wanted.
"Thank you for being so patient with my people and our ways. Not many aliens we encounter are as patient as you have been. They always want technology and become angry when we refuse."
Jon looked at her sea colored eyes as they fluttered, turning a light blue instead. Tears filled her eyes when she stared at him longingly.
"Why did you come tonight?" Jon asked, putting his arms around her.
"I wanted to thank you."
The captain shook his head, knowing full well that was not the case. He gently placed kisses along the nape of her neck. Mishkra took comfort in his arms and returned his kisses with her own. Slowly removing her dress, she joined him under his covers. They made wonderful love that night that Jon would not remember in the morning. He would only feel relieved and refreshed.
Mishkra was not there in the morning.
But to Jon, it was all a dream.
A wonderful dream that he would remember as such.
Hoshi paced in her quarters, deep in thought. She wondered about the aliens, if there would be any more encounters with them in the future…their future, Starfleet's future. It was all a great mystery to her and she couldn't sort it all out properly. Hoshi ran her fingers through her dark hair and then crossed her arms and flopped on the bottom bunk.
Carefully removing her jacket and shoes, she dressed down to almost nothing. Pulling her sheets up around her she let her mind dwell on last night. It was so beautiful; she loved Trip holding her in his strong arms. But more importantly, she loved Trip. It was a warm, fuzzy feeling that she had never felt so strongly for any man. He made her feel so safe and secure.
Wiping away a tear, she stuck her tongue out at herself. Why was she crying? Was this really true love for Trip? Or was it just superficial like what she felt for all the other boys.
No, he wasn't a boy. He was a very loving man who cared deeply for her. And she felt the same way.
***
Archer and Trip were almost silent while watching water polo. The only sounds they made were cheers for their team. Other than that, they didn't talk to each other. It was like they were only acquaintances and had never met each other but had gotten together just to watch a sport that they both enjoyed.
Trip didn't like the silence between him and his good friend. He knew Archer had thoughts on what was going on between him and Hoshi. All Trip knew was that he was madly in love with the beautiful, young linguist. She was everything to him and he knew then why he also started to remember before everyone else. That first afternoon they had spent in the mess hall was wonderful. He had wanted to take her in his arms and make love to her there, but that was neither the time nor the place.
The captain looked at his friend‚s face and wondered if he should break the silence and say something to him. He knew something was up between Trip and Hoshi, he just wasn't sure what it was.
Quietly, Archer had asked Malcolm if he noticed anything different between the three friends. Malcolm had only shrugged it off, but at the same time he seemed miffed at the thought.
"Trip, we need to talk," Archer finally broke the silence.
The commander sighed and looked at his friend. He nodded his head slowly, as if telling him to speak his peace.
"I've noticed a lot of tension between you, Hoshi and Malcolm. I was wondering if something happened between you and Hoshi that was causing it."
Trip thought for a moment, trying to speak intelligibly.
"Did Malcolm say something to you?"
"No, I asked him if here was something going on and he seemed… upset, maybe."
"Well, he walked in on us when Hoshi and I were takin' off our jackets," Trip said carefully. "He thought he was walking in on somethin' more and got a bit ruffled."
Somehow Jon didn't‚t fully believe what Trip had told him. "Is that all there is? Or is there more?"
Trip thought even more. He had to tell him; after all he was his best friend.
"Things got heated after Malcolm left, cap'n," Trip drawled.
Jon raised his brow and sat back to think.
"Heated? How so?"
"We kissed and laughed. It was different, but it felt right."
"She's an ensign, Trip."
Trip shook his head. He didn't care. What he was feeling was love.
"I don't care what her rank is," Trip said quietly.
Archer blinked. His friend really was in love.
"Is that all you two did?"
"The rest is really personal, cap'n," Trip said somewhat heatedly before calming himself. "She is amazing …"
Archer smiled and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. Trip stared in space remembering Hoshi's kisses. He had been so careful with her, making sure the moment was special for her.
"I support you Trip. You know that. I won't tell Starfleet. They can figure it out themselves."
Trip looked at him and smiled. "Thanks. I feel telling you about it."
Archer nodded and they went back to their water polo recording.
***
Sleep came easily for Jon Archer that night. After taking his uniform off and pulling on his sweatpants, he turned off the light. He fell asleep immediately after curling up. He dreamt of Mishkra talking to him.
He realized it wasn't a dream when he was roused out of his light sleep. The alien woman was sitting on the edge of his bed, dressed in an elegant strapless gown. Jon sighed when he looked at the time and realized she had been there for an hour. He had no recollection of what she had said.
"Captain," Mishkra began.
Jon pushed his blanket down and sat up. "No, Jon is fine."
Mishkra smiled and looked at his face. Humans were so similar to her people, yet so different. She moved closer toward him and placed a hand on his warm face. His breath caught in his throat as he wondered what she wanted.
"Thank you for being so patient with my people and our ways. Not many aliens we encounter are as patient as you have been. They always want technology and become angry when we refuse."
Jon looked at her sea colored eyes as they fluttered, turning a light blue instead. Tears filled her eyes when she stared at him longingly.
"Why did you come tonight?" Jon asked, putting his arms around her.
"I wanted to thank you."
The captain shook his head, knowing full well that was not the case. He gently placed kisses along the nape of her neck. Mishkra took comfort in his arms and returned his kisses with her own. Slowly removing her dress, she joined him under his covers. They made wonderful love that night that Jon would not remember in the morning. He would only feel relieved and refreshed.
Mishkra was not there in the morning.
But to Jon, it was all a dream.
A wonderful dream that he would remember as such.
