*****
Pacing up and down the corridor and cursing, Malcolm finally stopped, causing his four-legged companion to look up at him with curiosity in his eyes. What had come over him? Why had he ever agreed to such foolishness? Movie night? He could watch any movie he wanted from the safety and seclusion of his assigned cabin. All he had to do was pull them up in the database, but something compelled him to say yes to her suggestion.
Porthos whined and shook him from his reverie. Embarrassed, Malcolm looked up and down the hall, hoping nobody had witnessed his indecisiveness. He approached the darkened mess hall like a man walking to his execution. The movie had already started and he pressed the button, stepping inside. The lights and sounds flickered as the beginning credits rolled and Malcolm was frozen in his place.
Hoshi saw him enter for she had purposely chose to sit close to the door to wait for him. All she saw was his shadowy outline - his body language revealed how uncomfortable he was. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed him this quickly? The story Travis related to her about the other survivor still played in her head. That man had never acclimated. Touching his sleeve gently, she whispered. "We're over here."
Malcolm's eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, he could see how crowded the mess hall was. "We?"
"Travis ... er ... Lieutenant Mayweather is saving our seats," she replied quickly and relinquished her seat on the end of the aisle to another crewman.
A shock traveled up his arm as her hand clasped his and she tugged him in the direction where Travis was sitting. A well-lit scene illuminated the room as Malcolm made his way down the aisle, the smiling face of Travis Mayweather greeting him near the middle of the makeshift theater. Two seats were vacant, one on either side of him. Travis moved to scoot over, but Malcolm stopped him, quickly taking the seat on the other side of the helmsman. The word self-preservation repeated over and over in his mind, and Malcolm knew it would be impossible to watch the movie, much less enjoy it if he had to sit next to her.
The title of the movie scrolled across the screen and Malcolm read the words halfheartedly, bending down he picked Porthos up and put him on his lap. Growing increasingly thankful for the dog, Malcolm realized he had the perfect out if things got too stressful for him. "North by Northwest," he repeated in his head. The title and plot escaped him and the thought occurred to him. Even if he had seen it, he wouldn't remember it.
Hoshi couldn't help but grin as the man held the beagle in his lap like the dog was some sort of shield. Rolling her eyes, she noticed the substandard colorization of the film that flickered before her. Commander Tucker struck again. He sure was a stickler for the classics. Covertly, so as not to disturb anybody, she got her PADD out and pulled up a synopsis of the movie. The blue light of the instrument highlighted her face as the plot of the movie flashed before her eyes. "An advertising executive is mistaken for a spy and is pursued across the country while he looks for a way to survive."
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but the sense of panic that forced its way inside of her started bubbling furiously. As the com officer, Hoshi was privy to all the gossip. She took no role in spreading gossip, only the role of censuring it and combating it with tactful truth. Already hearing the rumors about Malcolm and herself, she chose to ignore them, but the one rumor she had heard rang in her ears like an omen. A name really didn't define a person, nor did a rank, but Starfleet's reluctance to divulge Malcolm's record was very revealing in and of itself. Captain Archer had even voiced his suspicion and had inadvertently confirmed the general consensus on board.
They were all Starfleet, but there existed a level within Starfleet, which was clandestine and unspoken. After all, intelligence organizations weren't in the habit of advertising their covert operations.
Hoshi watched Malcolm as he shifted in his chair and adjusted Porthos on his lap. The dog was fast asleep, not really one to go without his naps. She crossed her fingers and hoped her attempts of forcing social interactions upon him didn't backfire. Was a movie really interactive though? They were sitting there in the dark, each person taking interest in the movie on their own level. Some even stood up as they realized they had better things to do than to suffer through the 'classics' Starfleet was so keen on sanctioning -nothing too violent and nothing too sexual. Essentially, movie night was a big bore, but an excuse to get together and socialize.
She settled back in her chair and watched the film.
--
The lights came on and a collective groan could be heard throughout the theater. Porthos jumped off of Malcolm's lap and started wagging his tail expectantly. Malcolm didn't know which he preferred more, the movie, or watching Hoshi try to stay awake during it.
"Well, Lieutenant Commander," Travis paused, not sure what to say, still uneasy about interacting with the man that sat next to him.
The first to stand, Hoshi stretched and yawned, wanting to make a hasty exit in the event anybody started asking her about the movie. As it was she certainly hoped nobody noticed her napping. What she really hoped was that nobody saw her drool or heard her snore. She was refreshed and knew she had been sleeping deeply.
Travis's communicator chirped and he answered it quickly, leaving the room to get away from the loud buzz of personnel socializing and joking around.
"Did you enjoy your nap?" asked Malcolm, as he stood to leave. He hadn't failed to notice how enticing Hoshi looked with her chest thrust out when she yawned
Blushing, Hoshi nodded. "It was very refreshing. Thank you."
They walked into the hall in silence and made their way toward the turbolift.
"How long have you had it?"
"Had what?"
"Insomnia."
She didn't answer him right away and merely shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I've always had it in one form or the other."
"You're a little young," he surmised, picking up the pace to the lift. The sooner he was back in his quarters, the sooner he could get away from her and the uneasy addicting feeling which traveled up and down his spine any time he was around her.
Stopping dead in her tracks, she pondered the meaning of his words, his tone of voice irritating her. "For what?"
The lift finally arrived and he followed her in. "Insomnia," he shrugged, noting the edge in her voice.
An uneasy silence fell between the two, Malcolm not knowing what to say next and Hoshi feeling badly for biting his head off.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled and looked down, her hair hiding her face.
The pose was very familiar to him, and instinctively Malcolm reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Looking at him with wide eyes, Hoshi smiled.
Pulling his hand back like a snake had bitten him, Malcolm quickly stuttered an apology. "I'm sorry."
Tired of stepping on eggshells around him, Hoshi finally spoke what was on her mind. "I obviously remind you of someone, have you figured out who yet?"
Her brashness shocked him and he shifted uneasily. Should he tell her that the memories involving her were entirely sexual, with exception to the nightmare? Damn, even that started out as sexual. How was he going to tell her? Why should he tell her? Hell, maybe he should show her. Maybe that would finally drive her away and he wouldn't have to deal with her anymore.
"I know this much," he murmured huskily and stepped closer to her. "Whomever you remind me of - we had great sex." Placing his hands on either side of her head, he pressed his body against hers. "It was dangerous and passionate, a physical sensation I've been wondering about."
Pushing against his chest halfheartedly, her eyes widened, her breath stopped and the pounding of her heart nearly deafened her.
Leaning against her, he crushed his lips to hers. Malcolm was taken by surprise when she responded to the kiss.
Who groaned first was a mystery and the only thing that saved them from deepening the kiss was the opening of the turbolift door.
He tore away from her and grasped Porthos' leash in his hand, letting the dog lead him for his brain was no longer rationalizing anything but the kiss he had just shared with the ship's com officer.
Standing there, shocked yet numb, Hoshi touched her lips and watched the lift doors close.
*****
Pacing up and down the corridor and cursing, Malcolm finally stopped, causing his four-legged companion to look up at him with curiosity in his eyes. What had come over him? Why had he ever agreed to such foolishness? Movie night? He could watch any movie he wanted from the safety and seclusion of his assigned cabin. All he had to do was pull them up in the database, but something compelled him to say yes to her suggestion.
Porthos whined and shook him from his reverie. Embarrassed, Malcolm looked up and down the hall, hoping nobody had witnessed his indecisiveness. He approached the darkened mess hall like a man walking to his execution. The movie had already started and he pressed the button, stepping inside. The lights and sounds flickered as the beginning credits rolled and Malcolm was frozen in his place.
Hoshi saw him enter for she had purposely chose to sit close to the door to wait for him. All she saw was his shadowy outline - his body language revealed how uncomfortable he was. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed him this quickly? The story Travis related to her about the other survivor still played in her head. That man had never acclimated. Touching his sleeve gently, she whispered. "We're over here."
Malcolm's eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, he could see how crowded the mess hall was. "We?"
"Travis ... er ... Lieutenant Mayweather is saving our seats," she replied quickly and relinquished her seat on the end of the aisle to another crewman.
A shock traveled up his arm as her hand clasped his and she tugged him in the direction where Travis was sitting. A well-lit scene illuminated the room as Malcolm made his way down the aisle, the smiling face of Travis Mayweather greeting him near the middle of the makeshift theater. Two seats were vacant, one on either side of him. Travis moved to scoot over, but Malcolm stopped him, quickly taking the seat on the other side of the helmsman. The word self-preservation repeated over and over in his mind, and Malcolm knew it would be impossible to watch the movie, much less enjoy it if he had to sit next to her.
The title of the movie scrolled across the screen and Malcolm read the words halfheartedly, bending down he picked Porthos up and put him on his lap. Growing increasingly thankful for the dog, Malcolm realized he had the perfect out if things got too stressful for him. "North by Northwest," he repeated in his head. The title and plot escaped him and the thought occurred to him. Even if he had seen it, he wouldn't remember it.
Hoshi couldn't help but grin as the man held the beagle in his lap like the dog was some sort of shield. Rolling her eyes, she noticed the substandard colorization of the film that flickered before her. Commander Tucker struck again. He sure was a stickler for the classics. Covertly, so as not to disturb anybody, she got her PADD out and pulled up a synopsis of the movie. The blue light of the instrument highlighted her face as the plot of the movie flashed before her eyes. "An advertising executive is mistaken for a spy and is pursued across the country while he looks for a way to survive."
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but the sense of panic that forced its way inside of her started bubbling furiously. As the com officer, Hoshi was privy to all the gossip. She took no role in spreading gossip, only the role of censuring it and combating it with tactful truth. Already hearing the rumors about Malcolm and herself, she chose to ignore them, but the one rumor she had heard rang in her ears like an omen. A name really didn't define a person, nor did a rank, but Starfleet's reluctance to divulge Malcolm's record was very revealing in and of itself. Captain Archer had even voiced his suspicion and had inadvertently confirmed the general consensus on board.
They were all Starfleet, but there existed a level within Starfleet, which was clandestine and unspoken. After all, intelligence organizations weren't in the habit of advertising their covert operations.
Hoshi watched Malcolm as he shifted in his chair and adjusted Porthos on his lap. The dog was fast asleep, not really one to go without his naps. She crossed her fingers and hoped her attempts of forcing social interactions upon him didn't backfire. Was a movie really interactive though? They were sitting there in the dark, each person taking interest in the movie on their own level. Some even stood up as they realized they had better things to do than to suffer through the 'classics' Starfleet was so keen on sanctioning -nothing too violent and nothing too sexual. Essentially, movie night was a big bore, but an excuse to get together and socialize.
She settled back in her chair and watched the film.
--
The lights came on and a collective groan could be heard throughout the theater. Porthos jumped off of Malcolm's lap and started wagging his tail expectantly. Malcolm didn't know which he preferred more, the movie, or watching Hoshi try to stay awake during it.
"Well, Lieutenant Commander," Travis paused, not sure what to say, still uneasy about interacting with the man that sat next to him.
The first to stand, Hoshi stretched and yawned, wanting to make a hasty exit in the event anybody started asking her about the movie. As it was she certainly hoped nobody noticed her napping. What she really hoped was that nobody saw her drool or heard her snore. She was refreshed and knew she had been sleeping deeply.
Travis's communicator chirped and he answered it quickly, leaving the room to get away from the loud buzz of personnel socializing and joking around.
"Did you enjoy your nap?" asked Malcolm, as he stood to leave. He hadn't failed to notice how enticing Hoshi looked with her chest thrust out when she yawned
Blushing, Hoshi nodded. "It was very refreshing. Thank you."
They walked into the hall in silence and made their way toward the turbolift.
"How long have you had it?"
"Had what?"
"Insomnia."
She didn't answer him right away and merely shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I've always had it in one form or the other."
"You're a little young," he surmised, picking up the pace to the lift. The sooner he was back in his quarters, the sooner he could get away from her and the uneasy addicting feeling which traveled up and down his spine any time he was around her.
Stopping dead in her tracks, she pondered the meaning of his words, his tone of voice irritating her. "For what?"
The lift finally arrived and he followed her in. "Insomnia," he shrugged, noting the edge in her voice.
An uneasy silence fell between the two, Malcolm not knowing what to say next and Hoshi feeling badly for biting his head off.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled and looked down, her hair hiding her face.
The pose was very familiar to him, and instinctively Malcolm reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Looking at him with wide eyes, Hoshi smiled.
Pulling his hand back like a snake had bitten him, Malcolm quickly stuttered an apology. "I'm sorry."
Tired of stepping on eggshells around him, Hoshi finally spoke what was on her mind. "I obviously remind you of someone, have you figured out who yet?"
Her brashness shocked him and he shifted uneasily. Should he tell her that the memories involving her were entirely sexual, with exception to the nightmare? Damn, even that started out as sexual. How was he going to tell her? Why should he tell her? Hell, maybe he should show her. Maybe that would finally drive her away and he wouldn't have to deal with her anymore.
"I know this much," he murmured huskily and stepped closer to her. "Whomever you remind me of - we had great sex." Placing his hands on either side of her head, he pressed his body against hers. "It was dangerous and passionate, a physical sensation I've been wondering about."
Pushing against his chest halfheartedly, her eyes widened, her breath stopped and the pounding of her heart nearly deafened her.
Leaning against her, he crushed his lips to hers. Malcolm was taken by surprise when she responded to the kiss.
Who groaned first was a mystery and the only thing that saved them from deepening the kiss was the opening of the turbolift door.
He tore away from her and grasped Porthos' leash in his hand, letting the dog lead him for his brain was no longer rationalizing anything but the kiss he had just shared with the ship's com officer.
Standing there, shocked yet numb, Hoshi touched her lips and watched the lift doors close.
*****