*****
Jon sat forward in his chair. Mukai's argument was solid, and he knew he couldn't argue it. She had been surprised about Malcolm's memory loss and the Malcolm's condition upon being rescued. She was convinced Malcolm was in danger, that forces were moving against her husband. If she was able to track Malcolm down, they were not far behind her. The Vulcans were due to rendezvous tomorrow. Time was of the essence.
The door opened and his musings were cut short. Watching Malcolm walk wearily into the room, Jon noticed Malcolm walk to the opposite side of the table next to him. Malcolm never took his eyes off of Mukai and her gaze never left Malcolm. It was obvious Malcolm didn't remember his wife, but the look in his eyes was actually one of suspicion and that puzzled Jon. Mukai, on the other hand, was frozen, her eyes wide and wet, filled with emotion.
"Malcolm, would you like me to leave so that you can become better acquainted with your wife," asked Jon, standing.
Malcolm paled. "My wife?"
Blanching, Jon realized Hoshi must not have told Malcolm about Mukai's claim on him.
Malcolm stared at the woman across the table, unable to comprehend his connection to her and noticing her clenched fists and lowered head. "I...I'm sorry, but I don't remember you."
She looked up sadly. "That's not important, Malcolm. What is important is that you come with me immediately. I can take you to someplace safe and – "
"I'm not going with you," stated Malcolm simply with a shake of his head.
"Malcolm, you at least need to hear her – "
"I don't –"
"But, you're in danger!" insisted Mukai.
"From whom?" Malcolm asked, leaning forward onto the table and glaring at the woman. Something about her didn't set right with him and he didn't trust her.
"Malcolm, you really should hear what she has to say," Archer asserted, trying to keep the conversation from turning hostile.
Malcolm glared at the solemn woman across the table, not wanting to listen, yet needing to.
Hesitantly smiling, Mukai addressed Archer quietly, unable to understand Malcolm's hostility toward her, yet realizing he would listen to the Captain. Archer was his voice of reason at this point. "Thank you."
She turned her gaze back to Malcolm. "Your captain was explaining that his com officer helped hack into the Starfleet database. That's what tipped me off that you were still alive. Shortly after that, I received another alert that somebody was looking into my file. That hit did not originate from Enterprise. If I was able to find you, those who wish us dead are sure to find you. They are ruthless and will stop at nothing to capture you." She paused, her darks eyes wild with unshed tears. "If they realize that you are alive, they will kill anybody who you've been in contact with for fear that they know something. They will hunt every last – "
"I'll go," whispered Malcolm, feeling as though he had been kicked in the gut. By virtue of just knowing him, Hoshi was in danger. Intuition guided him to the right decision regarding her safety even though the intuition for self-preservation screamed for him to stay where he was.
Surprised Malcolm had given in so quickly, Jon quietly outlined the rest of the plan he and Malcolm's wife had devised. "We'll buy you as much time as you need to get away. From what your...wife has told me, these individuals won't stop until your dead, so we'll arrange for an accident and have you cremated with enough DNA evidence to back up the story. I've got Dr. Phlox working on creating some tissue as we speak."
"Yes, yes," Mukai said nervously. "That will have to do for now. Hopefully, that will buy us enough time. My ship is capable of warp four. If you could stall them as long as possible, that will take us out of sensor range."
"How long do I have?" murmured Malcolm sullenly. "When do we leave?"
"Now," Mukai affirmed.
--
She didn't want to think. She didn't want to feel, and welcomed the numbing quality of her work. Looking at her console, Hoshi watched the minutes tick by. Malcolm's future wasn't hers to claim.
The door to the bridge opened and Captain Archer strode grimly up to her. "Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander Reed is leaving within the hour. You have the rest of the day off." He hadn't been too pleased when Malcolm had informed him of the intimate nature of his relationship with Hoshi, but there hadn't been any regulations broken, so Jon simply nodded his understanding and came to relieve Hoshi. His com officer deserved more than a simple goodbye from Malcolm, but even Jon could understand Reed's reason for leaving. He would have done to same to protect someone he cared about.
Without argument, Hoshi nodded and walked off the bridge. Indecision gripped her as she contemplated going to Malcolm's quarters and seeing him. Would his wife be there? Had seeing her triggered any memories? She punched the button to his deck, finally deciding that she wasn't going to let him go without answers to her questions. He owed her that much.
--
Standing in the middle of his cabin, Malcolm realized he had nothing to call his own. Not even the clothes on his back were his. Mukai had gone back to her ship, giving him an hour to collect his things and say goodbye. He was wary of the woman, unable to explain his trepidation around the veritable stranger. On the other hand, her presence excited him. Perhaps, she was the key...the key to unlock his memory.
The sound of his door chime pulled him away from his thoughts.
"Come in," called Malcolm, hoping it was Hoshi wanting to come in. He wasn't disappointed.
Smiling uneasily, Hoshi closed the door behind her. "How much longer do you have?"
"An hour," replied the sullen man.
"Good," whispered Hoshi, approaching him. "That gives me just enough time to show you how much I do love you."
--
Shedding no tears as she walked him to the airlock, Hoshi felt the tears threaten as they ultimately reached their final destination. Malcolm's hair was tousled and their clothing was somewhat lacking in professional decorum. They had both lost track of the time and had been rudely interrupted by a hail from Mukai, which didn't allot them any time to compose themselves.
No words were spoken and no promises made as Malcolm kissed her one last time then walked through the airlock.
The Kami was roughly the size of two shuttlepods thrown together. It was made for transport with jutting connectors for running cargo pods. When the Kami had no cargo, the ship was capable of warp four. Malcolm stepped through the hatch and watched as it closed behind him, a sense of alarm suddenly overriding his calm. The air was musky and heavy, as though various spices hung in the air.
Grasping an upper railing, Malcolm steadied himself as the ship disconnected from Enterprise and went to warp. Mukai piloted the ship with quiet efficiency, hardly acknowledging the return of her husband.
Various weapons from various species peppered the inner hull, showing the ship's mistress's fondness for her collection.
The console to her left beeped and Mukai quickly answered it. "Yes...I don't know...Yes...I'm transmitting the coordinates now."
Warily, Malcolm approached 'his wife'. "What was that?"
Calmly removing her headset, Mukai leaned forward and reached for something underneath the piloting console.
He didn't see it coming, nor did he hear her cruel words as his world went dark.
"Why couldn't you just stay dead? This time I won't make the same mistake."
*****
Jon sat forward in his chair. Mukai's argument was solid, and he knew he couldn't argue it. She had been surprised about Malcolm's memory loss and the Malcolm's condition upon being rescued. She was convinced Malcolm was in danger, that forces were moving against her husband. If she was able to track Malcolm down, they were not far behind her. The Vulcans were due to rendezvous tomorrow. Time was of the essence.
The door opened and his musings were cut short. Watching Malcolm walk wearily into the room, Jon noticed Malcolm walk to the opposite side of the table next to him. Malcolm never took his eyes off of Mukai and her gaze never left Malcolm. It was obvious Malcolm didn't remember his wife, but the look in his eyes was actually one of suspicion and that puzzled Jon. Mukai, on the other hand, was frozen, her eyes wide and wet, filled with emotion.
"Malcolm, would you like me to leave so that you can become better acquainted with your wife," asked Jon, standing.
Malcolm paled. "My wife?"
Blanching, Jon realized Hoshi must not have told Malcolm about Mukai's claim on him.
Malcolm stared at the woman across the table, unable to comprehend his connection to her and noticing her clenched fists and lowered head. "I...I'm sorry, but I don't remember you."
She looked up sadly. "That's not important, Malcolm. What is important is that you come with me immediately. I can take you to someplace safe and – "
"I'm not going with you," stated Malcolm simply with a shake of his head.
"Malcolm, you at least need to hear her – "
"I don't –"
"But, you're in danger!" insisted Mukai.
"From whom?" Malcolm asked, leaning forward onto the table and glaring at the woman. Something about her didn't set right with him and he didn't trust her.
"Malcolm, you really should hear what she has to say," Archer asserted, trying to keep the conversation from turning hostile.
Malcolm glared at the solemn woman across the table, not wanting to listen, yet needing to.
Hesitantly smiling, Mukai addressed Archer quietly, unable to understand Malcolm's hostility toward her, yet realizing he would listen to the Captain. Archer was his voice of reason at this point. "Thank you."
She turned her gaze back to Malcolm. "Your captain was explaining that his com officer helped hack into the Starfleet database. That's what tipped me off that you were still alive. Shortly after that, I received another alert that somebody was looking into my file. That hit did not originate from Enterprise. If I was able to find you, those who wish us dead are sure to find you. They are ruthless and will stop at nothing to capture you." She paused, her darks eyes wild with unshed tears. "If they realize that you are alive, they will kill anybody who you've been in contact with for fear that they know something. They will hunt every last – "
"I'll go," whispered Malcolm, feeling as though he had been kicked in the gut. By virtue of just knowing him, Hoshi was in danger. Intuition guided him to the right decision regarding her safety even though the intuition for self-preservation screamed for him to stay where he was.
Surprised Malcolm had given in so quickly, Jon quietly outlined the rest of the plan he and Malcolm's wife had devised. "We'll buy you as much time as you need to get away. From what your...wife has told me, these individuals won't stop until your dead, so we'll arrange for an accident and have you cremated with enough DNA evidence to back up the story. I've got Dr. Phlox working on creating some tissue as we speak."
"Yes, yes," Mukai said nervously. "That will have to do for now. Hopefully, that will buy us enough time. My ship is capable of warp four. If you could stall them as long as possible, that will take us out of sensor range."
"How long do I have?" murmured Malcolm sullenly. "When do we leave?"
"Now," Mukai affirmed.
--
She didn't want to think. She didn't want to feel, and welcomed the numbing quality of her work. Looking at her console, Hoshi watched the minutes tick by. Malcolm's future wasn't hers to claim.
The door to the bridge opened and Captain Archer strode grimly up to her. "Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander Reed is leaving within the hour. You have the rest of the day off." He hadn't been too pleased when Malcolm had informed him of the intimate nature of his relationship with Hoshi, but there hadn't been any regulations broken, so Jon simply nodded his understanding and came to relieve Hoshi. His com officer deserved more than a simple goodbye from Malcolm, but even Jon could understand Reed's reason for leaving. He would have done to same to protect someone he cared about.
Without argument, Hoshi nodded and walked off the bridge. Indecision gripped her as she contemplated going to Malcolm's quarters and seeing him. Would his wife be there? Had seeing her triggered any memories? She punched the button to his deck, finally deciding that she wasn't going to let him go without answers to her questions. He owed her that much.
--
Standing in the middle of his cabin, Malcolm realized he had nothing to call his own. Not even the clothes on his back were his. Mukai had gone back to her ship, giving him an hour to collect his things and say goodbye. He was wary of the woman, unable to explain his trepidation around the veritable stranger. On the other hand, her presence excited him. Perhaps, she was the key...the key to unlock his memory.
The sound of his door chime pulled him away from his thoughts.
"Come in," called Malcolm, hoping it was Hoshi wanting to come in. He wasn't disappointed.
Smiling uneasily, Hoshi closed the door behind her. "How much longer do you have?"
"An hour," replied the sullen man.
"Good," whispered Hoshi, approaching him. "That gives me just enough time to show you how much I do love you."
--
Shedding no tears as she walked him to the airlock, Hoshi felt the tears threaten as they ultimately reached their final destination. Malcolm's hair was tousled and their clothing was somewhat lacking in professional decorum. They had both lost track of the time and had been rudely interrupted by a hail from Mukai, which didn't allot them any time to compose themselves.
No words were spoken and no promises made as Malcolm kissed her one last time then walked through the airlock.
The Kami was roughly the size of two shuttlepods thrown together. It was made for transport with jutting connectors for running cargo pods. When the Kami had no cargo, the ship was capable of warp four. Malcolm stepped through the hatch and watched as it closed behind him, a sense of alarm suddenly overriding his calm. The air was musky and heavy, as though various spices hung in the air.
Grasping an upper railing, Malcolm steadied himself as the ship disconnected from Enterprise and went to warp. Mukai piloted the ship with quiet efficiency, hardly acknowledging the return of her husband.
Various weapons from various species peppered the inner hull, showing the ship's mistress's fondness for her collection.
The console to her left beeped and Mukai quickly answered it. "Yes...I don't know...Yes...I'm transmitting the coordinates now."
Warily, Malcolm approached 'his wife'. "What was that?"
Calmly removing her headset, Mukai leaned forward and reached for something underneath the piloting console.
He didn't see it coming, nor did he hear her cruel words as his world went dark.
"Why couldn't you just stay dead? This time I won't make the same mistake."
*****