THE TURBOLIFT

The strong bulk holding Travis against the wall relaxed a little but still maintained a sharp enough hold so the pilot could not easily get away.

"Happy to see me, Trip?" Travis asked as he wriggled slightly against the older man's grip.

Trip did not reply. Instead, he began to kiss the base of Travis's neck, working his way to the side and up to his ear.

"Sorry that I left before you woke up – I was supposed to meet Hoshi for breakfast and I know you didn't have a shift until later that day and you were still sleeping so I… Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean it's the turbol-"

Trip moved his own mouth to Travis's to get him to shut up. Travis started at the touch but soon gave in and kissed him back.

When Trip broke the kiss to make eye contact with Travis for the first time since they had been in the turbolift, Travis began to prattle nervously again.

"I… I… Archer… sent me down to engineering to bring that padd – the one on the floor – to you in engineering and so I…"

Trip kissed him on the mouth again, pulled back and sighed, "Would you please shut up and let ME bring engineering to you?"

For the first time, Travis allowed his tense muscles to relax completely as he gave into the commander's engineering skills.

THE READYROOM

From where she was sitting, watching Captain Archer pace back and forth as he mumbled under his breath, Hoshi was growing increasingly nervous. She gripped the cool, gray armrests of the standard issue military chair and her leg began to fidget.

Archer drew himself up to his full height. How was he going to ask her to end her romantic interest with Travis when he was involved with someone himself? The best he could do would be to ask her to be discreet about it.

Archer finally sat down on the edge of the room's desk and took Hoshi's hands in his own. He remembered the first day he had met her – she had looked so young and innocent.

Over the years, he had become impressed by and proud of her linguistic and military skills. It would be safe to say he had developed some sort of paternal love for her and was uncomfortable with her relationship with Travis - or with anyone for that matter.

Archer felt like he was losing the daughter he never had to his own pilot. He gripped Hoshi's hands tighter and looked into her eyes.

"I've been rehearsing this for awhile now," he began, "But I still do not know exactly what I am going to say or how it will sound. I sincerely hope you understand that I have only the best intentions for you, because I do care about you deeply."

"Are you firing me?" Hoshi joked.

Archer laughed loudly at the very idea, "Firing you? No way… you are the most… amazing… linguist… and young woman I could ever hope to have serving aboard my ship. You are intelligent, athletic, funny… and one of the most beautiful women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing."

A small part of Hoshi began to panic. She began to retract her hands from Archer's strong grip, but he did not let go. Instead he continued.

"What I wanted to talk to you about today, though, is something completely different than your JOB on this ship."

Hoshi gulped, "Um… sir… I really am comfortable just doing my job. If I have been making mistakes lately, I am sorry. I will work harder to do a better job."

"No, no," Archer smiled and gazed into her eyes. If he ever had a daughter, he wanted her to be just like Hoshi, "I remember the first day I met you."

Hoshi's leg began to bounce faster and she bit her lip until it bled.

"You looked so young and innocent."

Hoshi gulped again. Archer's gaze had been wistful and held a hint of longing. Was he HITTING on her?

"But now you have had a chance to blossom. You are now in your prime. You have become a beautiful, independent woman."

He had always seemed like such a role model and almost father figure for her during their time together on the Enterprise. Had she misinterpreted his meaning when he had hired her personally? Was it because he wanted her linguistic skills? Or had he wanted something else all along?

Archer stood up again and released her hands. Now he had come to the hard part – bringing up her relationship with Travis. He placed a gentle, caring, fatherly hand on his young Ensign's shoulder, the way his father had done when he had given him advice.

"However, I understand that you may feel you sometimes need a man at night to make yourself complete. It is only natural for you to want to explore your sexuality with a, how shall I word this? Competent male…"

There was no doubt in Hoshi's mind anymore. Archer's touch and his tone – so… she did not know the word. Perverted came briefly into her mind.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Hoshi screamed as she stood up and knocked Archer's hand off her shoulder.

The hurt in Archer's eyes was evident. This was not going as planned. He must have been misunderstood, "Look, Hoshi-dear, I love you like a d-"

His explanation was cut short as he felt a foot connect with one of the most sensitive areas of his body. He doubled over in pain as Hoshi hurried towards the door.

She glanced back towards the man she once respected and loved as nearly as she loved her own father.

With tears in her eyes, she bravely faced him and stared directly into his eyes, "No. You only love yourself." With that she was out of the readyroom.

From where he sat on the edge of his desk, biting his lip and holding his crotch in pain, Archer concluded Hoshi was obviously quite smitten with Travis. It was time for a plan B. Trip would know what to say to Hoshi about her relationship with Travis.