"Sono" Part Five
Disclaimers in part one.

Malcolm awoke to find Captain Archer looking down on him with a raised eyebrow and a smirk threatening to break through its tight containment.

He said, "Cold last night?"

Malcolm blinked in surprise, then realized that, sometime during the night, Hoshi had cuddled up to him and her head now rested on his shoulder. He moved his head down, chin digging into his collarbone, to get a better look at her.

She still had her eyes closed.

Malcolm looked up. Archer now had a full-blown grin.

Hoshi's sleepy voice said, "Yes, it was cold, Jon. Malcolm was warm." She sat up, opening her eyes. She glanced at Malcolm, but couldn't catch his eye.

Archer shook his head, chuckling, while Hoshi yawned like a seal. He said, "Well, get your gear together. It's almost time to leave."

Hoshi, still yawning, said, "Yes, sir."

Archer walked away, and Malcolm could swear he was muttering, "If she wasn't..."

He looked over at Hoshi, who was rubbing her eyes. Her hair was falling over her forehead in loose strands and he wanted, more than anything, to just lean over and kiss her.

She stopped rubbing her eyes and blinked at him. She asked, "Sleep well, Malcolm?"

"Yes."

"Cold?"

"No."

"At least I didn't drool on you."

"What?"

Her smile put him in mind of an imp. Malcolm tried to catch up to what she had said and by the time he had, she had looked away from him to the entrance of the hogan. Archer was standing on one side of it, talking with the Regent. Off to the side, at a respectful distance, was the Regent's u-ardan.

Hoshi stretched and stood. "Well, I guess we'd better get ready. I can't wait until we're aboard again to take a shower. I hate sleeping in my uniform."

There wasn't much for them to gather--the Regent had assured them that they would be provided for. So they checked that they had their scanners and communicators and phase pistols and folded the blankets they had slept under and made their way to the Captain and the Regent.

Hoshi combed through her hair with her fingers as they walked, pulled a clip from a pocket of her uniform and clipped her hair back to keep it out of her face. The hogan was almost empty of all its night-time residents and it took very little time to reach Archer and Tolias.

Archer smiled at them both and said, "Ready to go?"

Hoshi and Malcolm nodded and they all stepped out into the light that could be seen around the edges of the door's covering. The sun sparkled off the snow and shimmered through the light mist that hung in the air, even at this early hour.

Tolias said, "Captain, we would not let you leave without a token of our respect."

Archer said, "That's not necessary, Regent."

Tolias smiled and said, "I thought you might say that. You may not find it necessary, Captain, but we have enjoyed your stay. This is just an expression of that."

Tolias crooked a finger at one of the Epa-in outside and he came up to his regent, bowing low. Tolias said, "Bring the gifts."

The Epa-in bowed again and went into the hogan. He returned in a few minutes, bearing two small boxes. They were made of what looked like a dark wood, the grain unstained, embossed and reliefed in an intricate design.

Tolias took them from the Epa-in, presenting them to Hoshi and Malcolm. Hoshi took hers, her fingers caressing the carving. She opened it to find a leather-bound book. Malcolm wasted no time in opening his. He drew out a cloth drawstring bag.

Tolias said, "For the sey-na, a volume of stories of our people."

Hoshi opened the book while the Regent spoke. The paper inside was rough, hand-made. Illustrations in a golden-rust color covered each page, with a runic-like text running down the pages in black ink. She closed it and said, "It's beautiful. Thank you."

Malcolm was peering into the little bag. He said, "These are seeds."

Tolias nodded. "Yes."

Malcolm closed the bag and asked, "Why, if I may ask, sir?"

"They are symbols of life. You guard life. Remember that, when these have grown."
Tolias smiled at the puzzled look on Malcolm's face. "When Ensign Sato has read the book, ask her to explain to you."

Malcolm placed the bag back into the box and said, "Thank you."

Tolias turned to Archer.

"I have no tangible gift for you, Archer. What I do have is something you would want more--our assurance that if you and your ship ever have need of assistance we will with great gladness provide it."

"Thank you, Regent. That's all we were asking."

"You may be young in space, but we once were, as well. We do what we can."

Tolias made his culture's gesture of respect and then walked back into the hogan, his u-ardan following.

Archer said, "I think we've been dismissed."

"Seems so, sir."

Archer clapped Malcolm on the back. "Come on, Commander. Let's go home."