Key
Sentences/ words that are bold and in italics, are direct thoughts.
Random italic words in a sentence are emphasis.
"Italics with speech marks" signify that what is being said within the speech marks is some distance away.
Bold is Onomatopoeia.
"Bold, italic, and speech marks" signify telepathic speech.
A/N- This one is for the lovely reviewers out there.
Disclaimer- I'll do anything to own something!
Chapter 3- Dimples
"Oh my gosh!" Hoshi gasped.
"Yeah, we know, they're-"
"Gorgeous!" She interrupted the Captain. She sighed when she saw T'Pol's fey beauty, and almost cried when she caught sight of Trip.
"Oh, look at those eyes, and the hair, and look! He has cute little dimples everywhere- on his knuckles, his knees…"
"He has dimples because he's fat." Archer stated.
"He's not fat. All kids his age are like this. Come here," she cooed to Trip, picking him up and cradling him in her arms. She then made her way to T'Pol, sitting next to her. "I guess she doesn't understand English, huh?" Hoshi asked Archer.
"No. She looks scared."
Hoshi pulled something out of her pocket that had the Captain and the Doctor moving closer in interest.
"This is a UT." She explained. "Trip and I have been working on it for a while, making it more portable and programming all the languages in our database in it. So far it only has the capabilities to translate Vulcan into English and the other way around, but it'll do."
"And you just happened to be carrying that thing around with you?"
Hoshi smiled at Archer. "I had been hoping to use T'Pol and someone who doesn't understand Vulcan to test it." She shrugged, then attached it to T'Pol's shirt front while the girl watched warily, and turned the device on. "It'll be a lot easier than me translating all the time."
"Hi." Hoshi smiled. She was surprised to see an answering smile.
"Hello." T'Pol answered. Her eyes flickered to Trip, then back again. "May I hold him? My cousin Rivek is his age. I'll be careful." She added hopefully. She seemed to lose her fear as soon as she could understand the humans.
"Sure you can. His name is Trip." Hoshi sat Trip on T'Pol's lap, who, to everyone's surprise kissed the boy on the head. He smiled happily and inserted his thumb in his mouth.
"That's a funny name."
"It is, isn't it? His real name is Charles, but he's the third Charles in his family, so he's called Trip, as in Triple."
"I like Trip." T'Pol glanced shyly back down at the boy, then turned a worried expression in the direction of the two men. "Who are they? And You?" She whispered loudly to Hoshi, cocking her head like a bird while waiting for a response.
"We're friends. My name is Hoshi, that's Jon, and that's Phlox. We're humans, and Phlox is a Denobulan." Hoshi told her, not sure how much she should tell her, or even how much she'll understand.
"Oh." She nodded.
Hoshi's gaze roamed the girl's face. "T'Pol, could I ask you a question?" When T'Pol nodded, Hoshi continued. "Why are you so un-Vulcan like?"
T'Pol flushed green. "I'm not a very good Vulcan. Father said I should have some control of my emotions- everyone else my age does. But I don't want to. I like to be happy, and feel excited. I'm scared that if I suppress my emotions, I'll never feel again. Mother agrees with father." She looked down as if she was ashamed, turning to Trip for comfort by hugging the little boy around the neck.
"'Pol." Trip uttered. "Pway?" He stared at her with his baby blues extra wide, in a look he seemed to know would melt any female to a pool of jelly.
"Okay. Play what?"
"You Mama I babbie. You singa song."
The adults watched transfixed as T'Pol proceeded to rock the younger child, singing a sweet song about a mother and baby who went sailing with the baby's father on Vulcan's biggest sea.
The comm. beeped just as T'Pol finished the song, Trip fast asleep in her arms.
"Lieutenant Reed to Captain Archer."
"Go ahead." Archer said, pushing the comm. button to respond.
"A ship just emerged from some kind of portal. They're hailing us on a Starfleet frequency."
"On my way." Archer strode out of the door, followed by Hoshi. Phlox decided to give the children a sedative to put them to sleep, and put them in T'Pol's quarters so they'd be more comfortable, and surrounded by the familiar. He hoped it might trigger their memories.
Archer and Hoshi arrived at the bridge, whereupon Hoshi opened a channel. The image of the bridge of a Starship appeared on the screen, and a woman stood up from where she had been sitting.
"I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation ship Voyager. We're a little lost. Perhaps you could help us?"
A/N- the end of chapter three- reviews please.