*****
Chapter Three

Hoshi sat in front of her console, staring intently at the jumbled symbols entrusted to her care. Maybe if I adjust the translation matrix… She ran the alien language through the Universal Translator and the translation was complete. Perfect. She smiled at her success, but her face quickly distorted into confusion.

Something's wrong. The symbols that she had managed to translate suddenly moved up and down sporadically. She tapped at her console, then pressed a few buttons.

"Is something wrong, Commander?"

Hoshi snapped her head up, turning to the owner of the voice--Travis. "No. It's probably only a temporary glitch."

She could feel beads of sweat gathering on her forehead. For some reason she started to feel hot.

Clearing her throat, she said, "Captain, may I see you in your ready room?"

"Of course," Travis answered.

-----

"Are you okay?" Travis asked as he watched Hoshi ease into the chair in front of his desk. Her hand rubbed the small mound of her belly.

Hoshi took a deep breath and gently wiped her forehead with her hand.

"I'm fine," she answered.

"Well." He eyed her warily. "What's so important?"

"This morning…I was coming to the bridge and when I got off the lift, I ended up in a part of the ship I'd never seen before."

Travis' expression was neutral.

Hoshi continued. "I met a man named Ensign Archer. He told me I was in the armory and that I wasn't suppose to be there, since it's been closed down for years." She stared at him, transfixed by his calm nature. "How is it that we have an armory?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Hoshi," Travis finally said. "You know we don't have an armory."

"But that's just it. I saw it with my own eyes."

"Maybe you should take a break. You're obviously stressed out."

"You think I'm some kind of nut?!" Hoshi started to become angry.

"What am I to think? You're starting to see things that aren't even real!" Travis turned his back to her. "You're dismissed, Commander," he said dead-toned.

She was infuriated. How dare he not believe me! But instead of turning this meeting into a yelling match, she took a deep breath and pushed herself out of the chair.

Reaching the door, she suddenly felt light-headed and the last thing she saw, were boots.

-----

Voices. She heard them and yet didn't hear them. They were around her and she didn't know why. Open your eyes.

Why was she so hot? Open them.

Why couldn't she hear them? Open!

Hoshi's eyes snapped open and closed immediately at the blinding lights.

She groaned softly and felt a hand lightly squeezing hers.

"Ah, Commander, you are awake." Phlox's voice was impassive.

She opened her eyes slowly this time. "What…what happened?" she croaked through her dry lips.

"Your husband brought you to sickbay when you collapsed in his ready room."

Hoshi sat up and instinctively placed her hands on her stomach.

"Oh, yes, you lost the baby."

The words sliced through Hoshi's heart like knives.

*****