Part Five: Drinks, Anyone?
Life was good, damn good.
Hoshi lay under a cluster of several large beach umbrellas, enjoying the sight of Jon, Trip, Malcolm and Travis playing beach volleyball. They were all shirtless, chests glistening in the sun, muscles rippling. Not bad, Hoshi mused, not bad at all. Jon, who just celebrated his fifty-fifth birthday, looked damn good. Travis, the baby of the group, still had the hard muscles he sported as green ensign. Finally there was Trip and Malcolm, both in their forties and in great shape. In Malcolm's case, terrific shape, but Trip was no slouch in the muscle department. The laughter and good-natured bantering of the four men drifted on the breeze, nestled between the crash of the waves against the shore.
Next to her, sitting in a stadium chair and reading a padd, was T'Pol. The Vulcan woman had on a large floppy hat and was wearing a loose, flowing white dress. Her mate, Strenn, was asleep next to her. He was a scientist and a poet who had traveled to twenty-five different planets and spoke fifteen languages. Older than T'Pol, Strenn was considered as much of an iconoclast by his family as T'Pol was by hers. He treated her human friends with respect and consideration. Hoshi had immediately liked him, as he'd proved to have a very subtle sense of humor.
On her other side was Alison, reading an engineering journal while eyeing Jon and the rest of the men from time to time. When she looked at Jon, a goofy smile would appear on her face. The smile would then morph into a smirk and she would twist her new wedding ring around her finger. Three weeks ago, the former senior officers of the Enterprise watched them marry on the beach at sunset. The reception was then held in a little bar a mile down the beach. Instead of feeling put out that she was once more a bridesmaid and not a bride, Hoshi was happy for her two friends. Jon and Alison were a good fit for each other.
The final figures under the umbrellas were Liz, who was cheering on her husband and Malcolm, between sips of her drink and working on her needlepoint, and Phlox and his wife Vezda. Vezda was Phlox's third wife and an artist. She joined them four weeks ago and since then had done portraits of all of them singly and two group ones as well. Unlike Feezal, who Trip was still not comfortable around, Vezda was very attentive towards Phlox and hadn't tried to seduce any of the human men. Hoshi liked her very much and the two chatted away in several different languages.
All in all, Hoshi reflected, their Starfleet enforced vacation was proving to be just what they all needed. They were taking the time to really relax and have fun together. T'Pol was logically combining her visit with her former crewmates with a study of Hawaii's volcanoes and Strenn was inspired by the Hawaiian landscape to write some new poems. Phlox invited Vezda to join him, as he wanted to combine catching up more with his former crewmates with what he called a 'conjugal visit'.
As for herself, Hoshi viewed the whole thing as a godsend. It allowed her to avoid her mother, who was still mortified by the ignominious end to her only daughter's wedding. Her father, on the other hand, brought her brothers out for a visit last week and was happy he didn't have Hamilton as a son-in-law.
Hoshi sipped her water and laughed as Malcolm performed a gravity-defying jump and spiked the ball. It landed perfectly between Jon and Trip, who looked incredulously at each other. Over the sound of the ocean, Trip's cry of, "Sonuvabitch! How the fuck did you DO that?" rang out clearly.
Liz, Alison and Hoshi started to giggle. Phlox and Vezda stopped their conversation about their daughter's children, grinned, and then started up once more. T'Pol put her padd down and adjusted her hat, her eyebrows disappearing into her bangs. "One would think that Charles would understand by now that Malcolm is an intense competitor who uses all of his skills to win."
"One would think," said Liz in a wry tone.
"Trip is a bit obtuse when it comes to things like that," mused Alison.
"They've had one too many beers and Trip isn't thinking straight," decided Hoshi.
As Malcolm spiked the ball once more, leading to another blast of curses from Trip, T'Pol nodded in agreement. "I do believe that your logic in this matter is flawless, Hoshi." She picked up her padd and began reading again.
Finally, the game ended and the four men jogged their back to the stand of umbrellas. Jon collapsed next to Alison, breathing hard, while Travis easily slid next to Liz. Trip and Malcolm joined Hoshi, Malcolm grinning happily while Trip rummaged around in his cooler for beer. "Good game?" asked Hoshi.
Opening his beer bottle, Trip grimaced. "Damn it all, I still don't get how he can spike a ball so well..." He frowned when Malcolm leaned in to Hoshi, laughing.
Travis, who settled his head against Liz's thighs, grinned. "I told you, it's all vectors and angles. Malcolm can see and calculate those in his sleep, man."
"Well crap..." muttered Trip. Helpless with laughter, Malcolm fell back on the mat, pounding the ground. As the rest of group looked on in varying degrees of incredulity, Trip nudged Malcolm with his foot and scowled. "It ain't that funny, Mal. Jesus, I can't give you a drink these days without you getting all giddy."
As Hoshi giggled, Jon took a sip from Alison's drink and said in a sly voice, "Jeez Trip, I thought it was your magic fingers that were making Malcolm all giddy..."
Trip turned red and threw his shirt at Jon as the older man hid behind his wife. Malcolm continued to laugh, even as he too, turned beet red.
"No, it's the addition of the runaway bride over there that's making both of them giddy due to loss of sleep," piped up Liz.
"Giddy and loud," mock-groused Travis. "For a petite person, your voice really carries."
Hoshi felt her own cheeks grow hot as Phlox's and Vezda's chuckles joined in with the humans. T'Pol gave a sigh, like a teacher facing a classroom full of unruly children. "I will never understand the human fascination for being amused over sexual matters."
"Humans laugh over sexual matters because when one considers the logic of sex, there is none to be found, my wife." Strenn neatly sat up and stretched, his white shirt and pants not betraying a wrinkle.
Malcolm, finally sitting up and catching his breath, took Trip's beer and drank from it. "Y'know, I do think Strenn is right."
Trip snorted and snatched back his beer. "Don't start Malcolm, 'cause I'm in no mood to be philosophical."
"You never are, Charles," said T'Pol, her voice as cool as the breeze coming off the ocean. Her remark triggered another round of laughter.
Trip scowled and Hoshi felt sorry for him. Leaning over Malcolm, she gave Trip a quick kiss. "Everyone, stop picking on Trip. He's the one who suggested we come here, so cut him some slack."
Malcolm scooted over and draped an arm across Trip's shoulders. "That's right. So, I hereby declare that 'Picking On Trip Day' is over...at least until we've all had a bit more to drink, that is."
"Here, here!" said Jon, earning another scowl from Trip.
Turning to Hoshi, he whined, "Hoshi, darlin' help me out some more here."
Hoshi stood up and waved toward the small bar located at the edge of beach, in a shack under some palm trees. As everyone looked at her in confusion, a very petite woman, with curly hair and glasses popped up and ran over. "Can I help you, Ms. Sato?"
Feeling a wicked grin on her face, Hoshi nodded. "Yes. We need round of those Pineapple Passion drinks, both with alcohol and without."
The woman looked at the group and bit her lower lip for a moment. Then she smiled. "I'll bring out glasses and four pitchers, two with kick and two virgin ones. Anything else you all need?"
"Tequila!" said Alison. Next to her, Jon groaned. Throwing him a smile, she continued. "Tequila with wedges of lime and a salt shaker."
"Some of those pineapple kabobs would be lovely," Malcolm murmured, taking Hoshi's hand and pulling her back down on the mat.
Travis flashed a large smile. "Hey, since I don't have to drive anywhere, throw in a bottle or two of sake...chilled."
Liz rolled her eyes and sighed. "Hoshi, I'm not sure I can forgive you for introducing him to sake. It's all he wants to drink these days. I'll stick to the Pineapple Passion thingys."
Phlox and Vezda both cheerfully got up together. "Vezda and I would like a large pitcher of ginger ale, with lime in it, if you please. For now we're going to go for a dip in the water. We'll be back shortly."
The woman pulled out a pad of paper and pencil from her pocket. "Let me write this down, as I really do have a terrible short term memory. Two leaded Pineapple Passion pitchers, two virgins, sake, tequila with all the fixings, pineapple fruit kabobs and ginger ale with lime. Anything else?"
Hoshi looked around at the remaining members of the group. T'Pol pursed her lips tentatively. "Hoshi, are you sure this is a wise course of action? The last time everyone started drinking heavily, you passed out, Charles and Malcolm nearly mated in the transport, Jonathan and Alison exposed their buttocks to passing vehicles and Elizabeth nearly emptied the contents of her stomach onto Phlox."
At her words, Jon groaned and buried his face in the crook of Alison's neck, Travis and Liz guffawed, and both Trip and Malcolm sported almost identical blushes.
Hoshi settled back against Trip and Malcolm, who draped their arms around her. Trip planted a kiss on her shoulder, while Malcolm dropped a kiss on her forehead. "That's all true T'Pol, but in the end it was the catalyst for my not marrying Hamilton."
"She has a point, my wife," said Strenn, his voice and countenance serene.
T'Pol sat perfectly still for a moment. Swinging her head back towards the woman, she said, "I suggest that you also bring them a pitcher of Lemon Drops. I believe that is Hoshi's favorite drink."
The woman grinned and wrote on her pad. "I'll have all of this out to you in about fifteen minutes! I'll be right back with the fruit kabobs." She walked off, humming a tune, which Hoshi recognized from an old musical..possibly 1776 or something like that.
T'Pol turned back to the group of humans and Hoshi could swear that amusement lit the Vulcan woman's eyes. "I take it from your expressions that my addition to the orders was satisfactory?"
"Hell, yes, T'Pol." answered Trip for them all. "That was mighty thoughtful of you."
"Just make sure that you do not repay my thoughtfulness with unseemly displays of public affection," said T'Pol.
Hoshi grinned. "Don't worry T'Pol, we'll be good." She ignored Trip's and Malcolm's hands gripping her behind and tried not to giggle at the lusty looks they were throwing at her and at each other.
"I hope," said T'Pol dryly, "that this does not prove to be a case of 'famous last words.' I do not want to be the one to explain any uncouth behavior to Admiral Forrest."
"It won't be," promised Hoshi and everyone else shook their heads in agreement.
T'Pol merely arched an eyebrow and looked at her husband.
Life was good, damn good.
Hoshi lay under a cluster of several large beach umbrellas, enjoying the sight of Jon, Trip, Malcolm and Travis playing beach volleyball. They were all shirtless, chests glistening in the sun, muscles rippling. Not bad, Hoshi mused, not bad at all. Jon, who just celebrated his fifty-fifth birthday, looked damn good. Travis, the baby of the group, still had the hard muscles he sported as green ensign. Finally there was Trip and Malcolm, both in their forties and in great shape. In Malcolm's case, terrific shape, but Trip was no slouch in the muscle department. The laughter and good-natured bantering of the four men drifted on the breeze, nestled between the crash of the waves against the shore.
Next to her, sitting in a stadium chair and reading a padd, was T'Pol. The Vulcan woman had on a large floppy hat and was wearing a loose, flowing white dress. Her mate, Strenn, was asleep next to her. He was a scientist and a poet who had traveled to twenty-five different planets and spoke fifteen languages. Older than T'Pol, Strenn was considered as much of an iconoclast by his family as T'Pol was by hers. He treated her human friends with respect and consideration. Hoshi had immediately liked him, as he'd proved to have a very subtle sense of humor.
On her other side was Alison, reading an engineering journal while eyeing Jon and the rest of the men from time to time. When she looked at Jon, a goofy smile would appear on her face. The smile would then morph into a smirk and she would twist her new wedding ring around her finger. Three weeks ago, the former senior officers of the Enterprise watched them marry on the beach at sunset. The reception was then held in a little bar a mile down the beach. Instead of feeling put out that she was once more a bridesmaid and not a bride, Hoshi was happy for her two friends. Jon and Alison were a good fit for each other.
The final figures under the umbrellas were Liz, who was cheering on her husband and Malcolm, between sips of her drink and working on her needlepoint, and Phlox and his wife Vezda. Vezda was Phlox's third wife and an artist. She joined them four weeks ago and since then had done portraits of all of them singly and two group ones as well. Unlike Feezal, who Trip was still not comfortable around, Vezda was very attentive towards Phlox and hadn't tried to seduce any of the human men. Hoshi liked her very much and the two chatted away in several different languages.
All in all, Hoshi reflected, their Starfleet enforced vacation was proving to be just what they all needed. They were taking the time to really relax and have fun together. T'Pol was logically combining her visit with her former crewmates with a study of Hawaii's volcanoes and Strenn was inspired by the Hawaiian landscape to write some new poems. Phlox invited Vezda to join him, as he wanted to combine catching up more with his former crewmates with what he called a 'conjugal visit'.
As for herself, Hoshi viewed the whole thing as a godsend. It allowed her to avoid her mother, who was still mortified by the ignominious end to her only daughter's wedding. Her father, on the other hand, brought her brothers out for a visit last week and was happy he didn't have Hamilton as a son-in-law.
Hoshi sipped her water and laughed as Malcolm performed a gravity-defying jump and spiked the ball. It landed perfectly between Jon and Trip, who looked incredulously at each other. Over the sound of the ocean, Trip's cry of, "Sonuvabitch! How the fuck did you DO that?" rang out clearly.
Liz, Alison and Hoshi started to giggle. Phlox and Vezda stopped their conversation about their daughter's children, grinned, and then started up once more. T'Pol put her padd down and adjusted her hat, her eyebrows disappearing into her bangs. "One would think that Charles would understand by now that Malcolm is an intense competitor who uses all of his skills to win."
"One would think," said Liz in a wry tone.
"Trip is a bit obtuse when it comes to things like that," mused Alison.
"They've had one too many beers and Trip isn't thinking straight," decided Hoshi.
As Malcolm spiked the ball once more, leading to another blast of curses from Trip, T'Pol nodded in agreement. "I do believe that your logic in this matter is flawless, Hoshi." She picked up her padd and began reading again.
Finally, the game ended and the four men jogged their back to the stand of umbrellas. Jon collapsed next to Alison, breathing hard, while Travis easily slid next to Liz. Trip and Malcolm joined Hoshi, Malcolm grinning happily while Trip rummaged around in his cooler for beer. "Good game?" asked Hoshi.
Opening his beer bottle, Trip grimaced. "Damn it all, I still don't get how he can spike a ball so well..." He frowned when Malcolm leaned in to Hoshi, laughing.
Travis, who settled his head against Liz's thighs, grinned. "I told you, it's all vectors and angles. Malcolm can see and calculate those in his sleep, man."
"Well crap..." muttered Trip. Helpless with laughter, Malcolm fell back on the mat, pounding the ground. As the rest of group looked on in varying degrees of incredulity, Trip nudged Malcolm with his foot and scowled. "It ain't that funny, Mal. Jesus, I can't give you a drink these days without you getting all giddy."
As Hoshi giggled, Jon took a sip from Alison's drink and said in a sly voice, "Jeez Trip, I thought it was your magic fingers that were making Malcolm all giddy..."
Trip turned red and threw his shirt at Jon as the older man hid behind his wife. Malcolm continued to laugh, even as he too, turned beet red.
"No, it's the addition of the runaway bride over there that's making both of them giddy due to loss of sleep," piped up Liz.
"Giddy and loud," mock-groused Travis. "For a petite person, your voice really carries."
Hoshi felt her own cheeks grow hot as Phlox's and Vezda's chuckles joined in with the humans. T'Pol gave a sigh, like a teacher facing a classroom full of unruly children. "I will never understand the human fascination for being amused over sexual matters."
"Humans laugh over sexual matters because when one considers the logic of sex, there is none to be found, my wife." Strenn neatly sat up and stretched, his white shirt and pants not betraying a wrinkle.
Malcolm, finally sitting up and catching his breath, took Trip's beer and drank from it. "Y'know, I do think Strenn is right."
Trip snorted and snatched back his beer. "Don't start Malcolm, 'cause I'm in no mood to be philosophical."
"You never are, Charles," said T'Pol, her voice as cool as the breeze coming off the ocean. Her remark triggered another round of laughter.
Trip scowled and Hoshi felt sorry for him. Leaning over Malcolm, she gave Trip a quick kiss. "Everyone, stop picking on Trip. He's the one who suggested we come here, so cut him some slack."
Malcolm scooted over and draped an arm across Trip's shoulders. "That's right. So, I hereby declare that 'Picking On Trip Day' is over...at least until we've all had a bit more to drink, that is."
"Here, here!" said Jon, earning another scowl from Trip.
Turning to Hoshi, he whined, "Hoshi, darlin' help me out some more here."
Hoshi stood up and waved toward the small bar located at the edge of beach, in a shack under some palm trees. As everyone looked at her in confusion, a very petite woman, with curly hair and glasses popped up and ran over. "Can I help you, Ms. Sato?"
Feeling a wicked grin on her face, Hoshi nodded. "Yes. We need round of those Pineapple Passion drinks, both with alcohol and without."
The woman looked at the group and bit her lower lip for a moment. Then she smiled. "I'll bring out glasses and four pitchers, two with kick and two virgin ones. Anything else you all need?"
"Tequila!" said Alison. Next to her, Jon groaned. Throwing him a smile, she continued. "Tequila with wedges of lime and a salt shaker."
"Some of those pineapple kabobs would be lovely," Malcolm murmured, taking Hoshi's hand and pulling her back down on the mat.
Travis flashed a large smile. "Hey, since I don't have to drive anywhere, throw in a bottle or two of sake...chilled."
Liz rolled her eyes and sighed. "Hoshi, I'm not sure I can forgive you for introducing him to sake. It's all he wants to drink these days. I'll stick to the Pineapple Passion thingys."
Phlox and Vezda both cheerfully got up together. "Vezda and I would like a large pitcher of ginger ale, with lime in it, if you please. For now we're going to go for a dip in the water. We'll be back shortly."
The woman pulled out a pad of paper and pencil from her pocket. "Let me write this down, as I really do have a terrible short term memory. Two leaded Pineapple Passion pitchers, two virgins, sake, tequila with all the fixings, pineapple fruit kabobs and ginger ale with lime. Anything else?"
Hoshi looked around at the remaining members of the group. T'Pol pursed her lips tentatively. "Hoshi, are you sure this is a wise course of action? The last time everyone started drinking heavily, you passed out, Charles and Malcolm nearly mated in the transport, Jonathan and Alison exposed their buttocks to passing vehicles and Elizabeth nearly emptied the contents of her stomach onto Phlox."
At her words, Jon groaned and buried his face in the crook of Alison's neck, Travis and Liz guffawed, and both Trip and Malcolm sported almost identical blushes.
Hoshi settled back against Trip and Malcolm, who draped their arms around her. Trip planted a kiss on her shoulder, while Malcolm dropped a kiss on her forehead. "That's all true T'Pol, but in the end it was the catalyst for my not marrying Hamilton."
"She has a point, my wife," said Strenn, his voice and countenance serene.
T'Pol sat perfectly still for a moment. Swinging her head back towards the woman, she said, "I suggest that you also bring them a pitcher of Lemon Drops. I believe that is Hoshi's favorite drink."
The woman grinned and wrote on her pad. "I'll have all of this out to you in about fifteen minutes! I'll be right back with the fruit kabobs." She walked off, humming a tune, which Hoshi recognized from an old musical..possibly 1776 or something like that.
T'Pol turned back to the group of humans and Hoshi could swear that amusement lit the Vulcan woman's eyes. "I take it from your expressions that my addition to the orders was satisfactory?"
"Hell, yes, T'Pol." answered Trip for them all. "That was mighty thoughtful of you."
"Just make sure that you do not repay my thoughtfulness with unseemly displays of public affection," said T'Pol.
Hoshi grinned. "Don't worry T'Pol, we'll be good." She ignored Trip's and Malcolm's hands gripping her behind and tried not to giggle at the lusty looks they were throwing at her and at each other.
"I hope," said T'Pol dryly, "that this does not prove to be a case of 'famous last words.' I do not want to be the one to explain any uncouth behavior to Admiral Forrest."
"It won't be," promised Hoshi and everyone else shook their heads in agreement.
T'Pol merely arched an eyebrow and looked at her husband.