I got so lazy when it came to writing. Sorry, folks!
I see confusion is already finding it's way into the fic. O.o I think we'll have a slightly normal chapter or two, then...fun, fun, fun!
See Nemesis! Come on people! Take friends! Gather support so we can have another movie with the TNG crew! Woo-hoo!
...I'll stop advertising for now. Yeah.
…I've been consumed by LOTR. I'm cheating on Trip and Malcolm with Aragorn. Oh, my gawd, that is one good looking man! Not Viggo, Aragorn. I need Aragorn. I'm obsessed.
The beard. The hair. The unwashed look. The skill with a sword. *swoon* He's all raw sexual power!
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Universe 1
"Honey, I really need to talk to Captain Reed." Hoshi stood up from the table where several books of baby names -- human and alien -- had appeared. She had no earthly where Travis had gotten them, and she suspected he had more stashed away somewhere.
"Wait! What about T'Plana? Or T'Pel? You never told me if you liked Katherine..." He flipped a page in the current book he was pouring through, "Did you say if you knew any Klingon names?"
The linguist rubbed her eyes, stepping back from the table with a sigh. That was what she was what she had to put up with. The moment they'd gotten to their quarters, the baby books had been whipped out and names had been shot off in rapid-fire succession. "Travis, please, we have seven more months..."
"But in a few months we'll have to start baby-proofing everything and your morning sickness might get worse…"
She shook her head, kissing him before walking towards the doorway. "We'll find time, Travis. But right now, I need to talk things over with the captain."
Her husband sighed, giving her one of his patented 'I'm-oh-so-pitiful' looks. "Fine. I suppose we do need to work things out with him. Do you want me to come?"
"If you do, I'm afraid you'll tell the Captain that you're naming our child after him. I'll see you in a bit, honey."
She walked from their quarters, ignoring Travis's shout as the doors closed, which was undoubtedly another name.
The linguist almost had to laugh. She was going to Malcolm's quarters, and she hadn't lied about her reason for going to Travis. She'd given countless excuses as to why she had to go spend time with the captain, from talking about negotiations to correcting translations. Poor Lieutenant Wilkins had the worst reputation when it came to translations...but was really quite good at it. One of these days she'd have to apologize...one of these days.
But right now, she had to talk to Malcolm about this baby. She had absolutely no intention of sleeping with the captain tonight, if anything, she was going to break it off. That's the attitude, Hoshi. She thought to herself, tell him it's over. He'll have to listen to the pregnant linguist...
It seemed like no time had passed between the moment she'd left her quarters, to the moment the doors to Captain's Reed's quarters were opening. Hoshi braced herself, trying so desperately to figure out what had to be said as she stepped inside.
Malcolm was instantly on his feet, moving toward her. "Hoshi! I didn't expect you to come tonight..."
Hoshi's eyes dropped to deck below, her hands wringing uncomfortably as she murmured, "We need to talk...about the baby."
He stopped in his tracks, one hand running through his hair. He suddenly seemed so incredibly...nervous. "I knew this conversation was going to come eventually. You know I'll let you stay on board."
Hoshi could feel her nerve failing. Taking a deep breath, she returned to her gaze to her captain. "I know you will. You didn't throw Trip off onto the nearest Vulcan ship when he had Emma…"
"Then what's this about, Hoshi?"
"I'm…I'm…" She choked on her words for a moment. How the hell was she supposed to break up with her commanding officer? You're a communication's office, Hoshi. You know how to tell him in dozens of different languages. "I need to stop seeing you, Malcolm."
To her shock, he didn't look as if the statement came as a surprise. He simply turned his back to her, shaking his head. The stony demeanor he had suddenly adopted didn't hide the twinge of pain in his voice as he quietly replied, "I understand."
"I'm sorry, Malcolm." As if that statement would make up for the past year. It wouldn't erase anything. Not one damn thing. "Travis and I... we need to settle down now. There's a family now."
"I told you, Hoshi, I understand."
She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the cold tone that her captain's voice had suddenly taken on. She didn't even think about the words as they simply spilled from her mouth, "Malcolm, I'm not sure who the father is."
He whirled around, blue eyes wide with shock. "What?"
Panic suddenly enveloped the linguist. She hadn't meant to tell him that. He didn't need to know that, not now! She backed towards the door, hand slamming against the console as she forced words to come to her mouth. "Nevermind. I hadn't meant it that way." …Like there were so many ways it could be meant… "Nevermind."
The linguist stumbled into the corridor, waiting for Reed to come barging through the doorway, demanding answers, but he never did. As a wave of nausea, mingled with some unidentifiable feeling, hit her, she felt herself falling...
...Only to be caught by someone. Her mind just wouldn't believe what she saw. Malcolm Reed was standing behind her, 'brow arched in confusion. "Are you alright, ensign?"
"...Yes, I'm fine." Ensign? He'd so rarely called her that in private... Questions flooded her mind as she made her way back to her feet, leaning against the wall for support.
"Then if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing in the captain's quarters?"
I'm hallucinating. Its just hormones. Its just hormones... She shook her head and rubbed her eyes, and still, he was standing there. Only now she noticed that he was missing two pips... "But you're the Cap -- "
He'd changed. Malcolm Reed no longer stood where she was looking. This time, it was Lieutenant -- or possibly Captain, judging by his pips -- Archer that caught her fall as she fainted.
*********
"I want to know where the hell our armory officer and chief engineer went." Captain Archer ordered. The senior officers, minus two members, were gathered in the situation room.
"Captain, I assure you, there is no way to know what happened. I have scanned the bulkhead repeatedly, and have found results."
"I refuse to believe my officers disappeared." The captain's fist rammed onto the console in front of him. "Get whoever you need to help you analyze that bulkhead. I'm going to find my officers."
A feeling of breathlessness came over Archer as he moved away from the console. He suddenly noticed he was no longer in the situation room -- rather, he was outside his quarters. Just seconds after noticing that, a very pale Hoshi Sato collapsed into his arms.
((Uh, okay. I hatehatehate this chapter. It started out so well, too. This one may need a revision later on…
But I updated! You should be proud for that alone.
Still, reviews are freakishly addictive...))