Title: S321 Progeny Author: ZenosParadox Rating: PG
Summary: RS, P. Reed and Sato discuss the future past of the crew. Coda for E Squared, Episode 21, season 3.
Notes: Mild spoilers for E Squared, 3 pages. Written May 8, 2004. Disclaimer: The characters belong to Paramount. This fiction was written solely for personal enjoyment.
PROGENY
Enterprise: E-squared timeline
"Inari fed Yashiko pineapple when we were having dinner with Travis and Katherine."
Hoshi Sato's one-year old son smiled shyly at the sound of his name as he sat buckled to the baby seat on the biobed. His three-year old sister, who was sitting next to him, was gently poking at the red splotches that began appearing on his face. With a lop-sided smirk, Inari gleefully observed, "He just like me!"
"Yes, he is, but now that you've tested your hypothesis, young lady, I recommend you not use your little brother for an experimental subject." Phlox called his aide over.
"I want help?" asked Inari with her most pleading, doe-eyed expression.
Phlox nodded sagely and said, "Very well, sit there and hold your brother's hand while he gets his hypospray."
Phlox moved back to where Sato stood watching her children. Her eyes held a definite gleam that moved him to say, "You were right, Hoshi. It was a way of keeping him alive."
"I wish Malcolm could have known them," said the woman simply.
Phlox shrugged and whispered, "You can't imagine the effort it took to persuade the Lieutenant to be a sperm donor in the first place. I had to explain to him the value of keeping a gene bank to introduce diversity in future generations. I had not expected to use artificial insemination in the first generation, however."
"Malcolm was too cautious, too worried about facing rejection--and so was I." Sato smiled sadly as she watched the technician play with her children for a moment. "On that last mission, I just kept telling him that I'd keep him alive, but we both knew he wasn't going to make it. That's the only reason he finally told me he loved me."
"You're still young, Hoshi. You could--"
"People have paired off and I have no regrets." Hoshi Sato looked at her children. "I have a full life, Doctor, and I've kept my promise to Malcolm. I like to think he's watching over us. Silly idea, isn't it?"
"Not at all, Hoshi. Not at all."
= = = = = = = = = = =
Malcolm Reed came upon a most unusual sight. It was late at night and Hoshi Sato was at the command center. She was sitting in front of a console, but he could see her shoulders shaking as if she were--crying?
"Hoshi?" He walked quickly to her and saw she had her hand over her face. He looked at the screen and was surprised to see the children's faces staring back at him. "What is it? Who are they?"
Hoshi could only shake her head, so Malcolm surveyed the screen again and read aloud, "Inari Sato, age 8; Yashiko Sato, age 6."
"They're gone, Malcolm. They're never going to be born now," said Hoshi.
"No, no, Hoshi, that was a different timeline. You're going to--"
"Die a frumpy old maid who never gets a card on Mother's Day," sniffed Hoshi. "And damn it, you're finding me crying again." She then mumbled something under her breath.
"What was that?" asked Malcolm.
"I said, 'I hate PMS!'" Hoshi raised her voice then covered her face with her hands again.
"PMS? But I thought all women were on--"
"We are, but I was due for a booster when--Damn it! Why did they put any medical supplies in Cargo Bay 2?"
"Ah, I see. We lost a lot of medical supplies stored there," said Malcolm with a nod. "But surely Phlox can manufacture--"
"It's not a priority," said Hoshi in a miffed tone.
"Ah," said Malcolm, being uncertain of what to say next. He looked at the screen and without thinking observed, "They look just like you, although the cheekbones are bit high. They're very beautiful children."
Hoshi sniffed, but a proud little smile did make its appearance. "They are, aren't they? And I guess this just means I'll have to look for the right man to give me the children in this timeline."
"Well, I for one am thankful we didn't repeat the experience. Maybe there's hope for me having a family and children."
"And maybe this time I'll be woman enough to keep the father."
"Why do you say that?"
"The children carried my last name, Malcolm. I probably did something to alienate the father. Or maybe I got involved with some jerk and realized it too late."
"Surely the records revealed their father? Wait, you didn't want to know who the father was, did you?"
"When we came out of the corridor all right, I thought it would be safe to look up the father. I mean, it's a different timeline." Hoshi was steepling her fingers a bit nervously. She looked at her friend and said, "There was no record of my ever marrying anyone; the field for the father had been reduced to a notation about Donor."
"I see."
"I may have had children, but I ended up alone like you did," sighed Hoshi.
"No, I wasn't alone," said Malcolm.
"What? I thought you said the Reed line came to an abrupt end?"
"And that's exactly what I meant." Malcolm turned to meet her gaze as he explained. "I died, Hoshi. Within four months of the incident, I was dead."
Hoshi took a moment to absorb the information. Now understood why she and Malcolm had not been together in the other timeline. She had assumed he was the father when she first saw her children's pictures. It had been obvious to her although she told Travis that she wanted the identity of the father to be a mystery. Then in the mess hall, Malcolm had revealed he had not married. Hoshi had mumbled something about there being more men than woman that sounded lame even to her own ears. She could only leave the table quickly because she had been stunned by Malcolm's disclosure. She had been so certain that he had fathered her children. She could understand his reluctance at revealing his own death in the alternate timeline.
Malcolm looked away from her and said, "You don't possibly think that means--"
"No, Malcolm, it doesn't have to mean anything about this timeline." She wiped her eyes, "And you know what? I'm going to take those words to heart. I can't mourn for children I haven't had. And I'm certainly not going to believe that you're destined to die out here in the Expanse."
"Trying to believe in happy endings, Ensign?" asked Malcolm.
"Just clinging to hope, Lieutenant. Now, I recommend you help me find some chocolate before I have another emotional outburst."
"Hm, I think I know just where to look." Malcolm offered her a hand up. "This mission could be dangerous. We'll have to work our way through the damaged area in the galley."
"Anything for chocolate," said Hoshi.
"Actually, there's some pineapple cobbler there, too," said Malcolm with a smirk.
"Self-serving beast," muttered Hoshi, but inside she appreciated the little ways that Malcolm watched out for her. She walked by his side determined to fulfill their present mission.
Hope it wasn't too convoluted. I think I got the names of the children, but it's just an approximation. I was caught with the idea of the abrupt end to the Reed line. My first thought was that he died, so here's a take with a minor tribute to Mother's Day.
Thanks for reading. No reviews are necessary.