CHAPTER 3

Hoshi burst though the door, grabbed Sluggo off her bed and started dancing around her cabin.

"I got Travis, I got Travis, I got Travis," she chanted in a singsong voice before flopping down on her bed.

"Computer: Sato personal log.

"Travis decided to get back at me for the Jell-O incident by playing hard-to-get. He thought he was being so clever with his excuses. But flyboy got his."

Hoshi held up Sluggo, her main confidant, and indulged in a little bragging.

"First, he claimed he forgot our appointment. Next it was canceled because he was sick. Then he asked for the questions in writing, which naturally got lost.

"It was when he claimed I sent the second set of questions in Klingon that I declared war. Never mess with a woman who can swear at you in 40 different languages."

Remembering back on the delicious unfolding of Travis' demise, Hoshi had to chuckle to herself. She really had been a bit mean.

Travis had been sitting at a table, eating lunch and reading his new novel. Or at least trying to read it.

"Travis, dear, whatever is the matter?" Hoshi had asked sweetly as she took a seat across from him and sat down her salad.

Travis had shook his head and gestured at his PADD.

"Damn think put my new book in Klingon. Third time that's happened today," he had complained to Hoshi, looking up at her in frustration.

Hoshi batted her eyelashes at him in mock-sympathy.

"Oh, poor baby. Just like what happened to my list of questions I sent to you," she remembered telling him, before taking her first bite.

Travis had looked at her a bit suspiciously before giving up on his book completely, and instead filling her in on the latest bit of gossip.

"But putting his books in Klingon was only my first volley. He wasn't ready to give in ... yet"

Hoshi gave Sluggo a quick squeeze as the present faded back to the delicious past.

The next day a harried-looking Travis had barely made it to the briefing on time, earning him a reproachful look from the captain.

Travis had had Trip cornered as soon as the briefing was over, she remembered. Some frustrated mumbling and shrugging of shoulders followed.

Hoshi had waited until the commander left before wandering over to poor, dear Travis.

"More problems?" she had asked him.

Travis had nodded in response.

"First thing this morning I order coffee and I get Klingon blood wine," he grimaced. "Then the briefing notice was written in Klingon and the computer wouldn't translate the damn thing for me. Had to get out a Klingon dictionary to make heads-or-tails out of it. Almost made me late."

"Sounds like the problem is spreading," Hoshi had said with a straight face. "Better check all your books and reports just to make sure."

A light had dawned in Travis' eyes, and then an appreciative grin spread across his handsome face.

"He didn't mess with me anymore. Answered all my questions in record time. Now I have three down. Halfway finished.

"Computer: Pause recording."

Hoshi picked up her PADD beside her bed and glanced over Travis' answers. Who would have guessed he got seasick? What she could have guessed was his nickame: Superman. Kid used to drive his family crazy by making everything he could get his hands on into a ship so he could be a pilot like his father.

Hoshi stopped smiling when she scrolled down to the name of the next victim on her list: Malcolm.

"Computer: Resume recording.

"Malcolm is so frustrating! I still can't get his nickname out of him.

"But today was really peculiar. I bumped into him while I was headed to the gym, and could have sworn he came from the direction of hydroponics."

Hoshi remembered back to her brief exchange with the frustrating Brit.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," Hoshi had greeted him friendly enough for someone who was making her life difficult.

"Oh," he had replied, a short answer even for the sometimes-abrupt armory officer.

"Hmm...seems to have that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look," I thought to myself.

"Where are you headed off to?" I asked him.

"Ah...nowhere," he blurted out and then he just passed me by, like I was of no importance."

Hoshi shook her head and continued adding to her log.

"I have a gut feeling he's hiding something from me, something that I know is the answer to part of his questionnaire.

"Well, Lieutenant Reed, I will find out your little secret, and your nickname."