Chapter Seven –

"I'm going to die?"

He could hear the shock and panic in Hoshi's voice. "You're not going to die," he said, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her. "I won't let you. Not again."

Hoshi eye's sparked as she looked into his, her anger boiling to the surface. She batted away his hands and swung at him. "Why couldn't you leave me alone?" Her fist connected with his chest.

Malcolm stumbled back and she followed him to the floor. Straddling his hips, she pounded his chest. She ranted, her ramblings incoherent.

He caught her wrists and rolled them over, him straddling her now. "You aren't going to die," he repeated, this time with more conviction.

The sudden shift of orientation startled her and she listened to him.

"I'm going to take you to Enterprise. You'll be safe there. You'll get treatment there," he stated calmly.

Anger flashed in her eyes, but she started to relax underneath him. "Why did you come back for me?"

Malcolm adjusted his hold on her and held both her wrists in one of his hands. Because I love you, he wanted to say, but opted to brush her hair out of her face. "I wanted to save you. I wanted –"

"What, Malcolm? What do you want?" she asked softly.

Closing his eyes, he held his breath.

When he didn't respond, she said, "I fail to see how one person can make such a difference. Why did you come back for me?"

"You're important," he answered vaguely.

"To whom?" Hoshi retorted, trying to pull her wrists from his hand and succeeding. She could see the torment in his eyes and needed an answer.

This is crazy. He didn't have time for this, but she took the decision out of his hands as she reached up and pulled him to her.

Their lips met, hesitant at first and questioning.

It was the spark Malcolm needed as he crushed her to the floor, running his tongue along the edge of her lips and groaning as she opened for him. The dreamlike quality spurred his desire as he shifted over her, thrusting his leg between hers.

Hoshi opened for him willingly, tugging his shirt from his shorts and running her hands over his stomach. She moaned her acceptance, thrusting up and grinding her hips against him.

He could feel her heat against his. All he had to do was peel her shorts and panties down, undo his shorts and take her.

The shuttle terminal beeped. "Warp five complex to unknown shuttle, you are in restricted space. Change your vector or we will open fire."

Malcolm stood up and pulled Hoshi with him. "Give them your clearance code and request permission to dock."

Hoshi took a shuddering breath and pressed the com panel. "This is Ensign Hoshi Sato, clearance code Beta Charlie Omega Five, requesting permission to dock with Enterprise."

A long pause followed and Malcolm sat down in the pilot's chair. The warp five complex had verified her clearance by now and should be contacting him to get clearance from Enterprise.

Hoshi sat in the chair next to him, looking straight ahead.

Out of the corner of his eye, he looked at her. She was dressed in the blue tank top and shorts he bought her the other day, and the dream he had suddenly made sense. In his dream, he was confused by her early arrival and even more baffled by her attire.

"Just head to the quartermaster and get some uniforms." Malcolm adjusted the controls as the order to proceed was given. "It will be disconcerting for you," he explained. "When you step out of the airlock, I'll be standing there, waiting to great you…and suspicious of your sudden appearance."

She looked at him confused.

"I'm a difficult person to get to know. Don't try to," he continued. "Just be professional and aloof. Don't mention any of this to me or the threads will come undone." And I'll go insane.

"Professional and aloof," she agreed, trying to listen to his instructions.

The shuttle pulled alongside Enterprise and a voice with a familiar accent called over the com station. "Ensign, we weren't expecting you until the end of the month. The Captain isn't –"

"I've come to oversee the installation of the UT, sir," she interrupted.

"— available," Malcolm said over the com, sounding irritated he had been interrupted. "Please pilot your shuttle to the starboard dock. I'll meet you there."

The com link went dead.

"Just stay close to the UT when you aren't in your quarters," Malcolm started. "I'll send the antidote as soon as possible. According to the computer, you shouldn't start feeling the effects until day after tomorrow."

The shuttle gave a slight jar as docking procedures were completed.

"I – I'm scared," Hoshi admitted, frozen in her chair.

"You'll do fine," Malcolm calmed. "Just remember my instructions. Stay on Enterprise and you'll be safe. Away missions are fine too, as long as I am with you. Stay close to me on away missions. Do not leave Enterprise without the Captain or me. Do you understand?"

She looked at him, shaking. Her clammy clothes were sticking to her like a second skin.

Malcolm pulled her up from the seat and led her to the hatch. Carefully opening it, he pushed her through to the airlock. "You'll be okay," he repeated. "Just remember what I've told you." He closed the hatch.

Stepping into the airlock, Hoshi listened to the unfamiliar sounds – the sounds of her new home, Enterprise. A loud click and a hiss signaled the release of the shuttle and she turned to watch her…savior…fly away. Another click and a hiss and the hatch from the airlock to Enterprise slid open.

Hoshi shivered, her stomach churning and her nervousness showing.

"Ensign?" the oh-so-familiar British lilt called out.

Squaring her shoulders, she stepped over the threshold and looked into shocked, yet familiar azure eyes. "Lieutenant," she acknowledged. The man standing before her was the same man she had just left – just younger. The reality of the last few days finally settled into the pit of her stomach.

Malcolm stared at Enterprise's new communications officer. To say she was not what he expected would be an understatement. She looked as though she had just showered with her clothes on, her spaghetti-strap top plastered to her breasts, leaving little to his imagination. She looked pale and wet.

"Are you feeling well?" he asked.

Seeing his summation of her appearance in his eyes, she explained, "Yes. It was raining when I boarded the shuttle. You know how Macapa can be." The confused look on his face spurred her to continue. "Brazil…the rain forest."

"No, I wouldn't know," he stated dryly. "I don't really care for humid climates." He frowned, becoming more irritated. Commander Tucker was too busy polishing handrails, much less making sure his armory components made it onboard, to fulfill his role as first officer, so he got stuck greeting the new arrival. "Are your things in the airlock?" he asked, peering over her shoulder.

"My things are being sent shortly," she replied.

Malcolm gave her a curious stare, then motioned for her to follow him. What the hell did she think this was, a pleasure cruise? "Do you have the coordinates of your things?" he asked coolly.

Hoshi stared at his back, her eyes lingering on his backside. She could hear the annoyance in his voice. "No. Is that a problem?"

He cleared his throat and stepped onto the turbolift. "Your quarters are on E-deck," he paused. "It's just that the ship's quartermaster doesn't report for another week and supplies are limited to engineering components and ration packs."

"Oh," Hoshi replied, blushing. It's your damn fault anyway!

Malcolm mentally checked off the list of crewman on board and no one came close to her size except him. Bloody hell! Not only had his account been broken into, but now he had to part with a uniform and boots. He would have to dip into his savings to replace the uniform, undergarments, and boots. There was no way he would want them back. "I suppose you could borrow…have one of my uniforms. I'll have it sent directly."

Don't do me any favors, Malcolm, she thought to herself. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

Malcolm stopped and pressed a code into a panel. "These are your quarters."

She gave her best imitation of a smile, hoping he would just leave. Her nerves were frayed and her stomach churned. But he followed her into the cabin and started throwing switches. By the time he was done, she swore every light in the room was on.

Satisfied her cabin was fully functional, Malcolm flipped the light to her bathroom on. "I'll send some towels and…"

She started turning off some lights and felt exhaustion settle over her. She would have given in and collapsed on the sheet-less bunk, but her stomach wouldn't calm down.

"Is something wrong, Ensign?" he asked curiously.

"I – I –" Hoshi pushed him into the bathroom against the shower stall. Bending over the toilet, she grabbed the sides and started vomiting.

Malcolm turned his head.

Thankfully, the contents of her stomach were non-existent and she righted herself quickly. She went to the sink and rinsed her mouth out, a new panic sitting in. Was the poisoning already taking effect?

"Are you ill, Ensign?"

Still bowing her head, she rolled his eyes. How daft could he be? She spit into the sink. "I'm fine. Thank you. I'm sorry about shoving you in here, Lieutenant. I guess I'm just getting used to the artificial gravity."

She looked at him in the mirror, her eyes haunted…or was it hunted, and he chided himself for being too harsh in his assessment of her.