Chapter Eight: The Sound of You

"I'm so sorry, Commander," Hoshi stuttered. She bent to pick up the box and necklace from the floor.

"Its okay, Hoshi," Trip replied

She quickly put the necklace back into the box.

"That's really pretty. Is it a necklace?"

She nodded.

"Did you buy it while on Horienzi?"

She shook her head.

Trip chuckled. "You know, I don't have a third eye, Hoshi. Or maybe I do." He touched his face and heaved a fake sigh of relief when he didn't feel his "third eye".

Hoshi laughed. "Sorry, Commander. It was a gift."

"It suits you," he whispered, then winked.

Hoshi felt a little flush when he did that. She tried her best not to melt into a puddle of goo before him. He was obviously using his natural charms on her.

"I have to go," she said abruptly.

"What?"

"…eat. I, uh, have to eat."

"Alright. See you later, Hoshi." He smiled and walked away.

Hoshi stared at the empty spot that previously occupied Trip Tucker. She shook her head, this definitely was not good.

-----

"Hey, Travis." Hoshi greeted. She placed her tray across from him.

"Hey."

"So, did you have fun on Horienzi?" Hoshi asked.

"Oh, yeah!" Travis exclaimed. "I went hiking and did a little rock-climbing, well, it was as close to rock-climbing, as you can get. Their nature is beautiful, Hoshi. Have you seen some of the creatures?" Hoshi nodded. "They are such a colorful species."

"I guess you made sure you wouldn't hurt yourself rock-climbing again," Hoshi said, amused.

"Me? Nah. You know I don't repeat my mistakes." He smiled. "Well, I got to go. By the way, its movie night, and guess what they're playing?"

"What?" Hoshi asked, curiously.

"The Sound of Music," Travis mouthed, getting up.

Hoshi's eyes widened. "I love that movie."

"I know," Travis said. "I wouldn't let my best friend pass up an opportunity like that."

-----

The Sound of Music always reminded Hoshi of falling in love, all over again. The movie ended and Hoshi had to contain herself from singing along with "Climb Every Mountain." The lights slowly brightened. She stretched her arms over her head and yawned.

"Hey, Hoshi." Trip turned around and Hoshi realized she had been sitting in back of him.

"Hello, Commander." She gave him a sideways glance. "I didn't know you were interested in this movie."

Trip chuckled. "Well, mama always loved watching musicals, and I cannot tell you how many trillions of times I've sat through this one." He shrugged. "Guess it just kind of reminds me of home."

"So, what about you?" Trip asked, as they exited the mess. "Why are you interested in this movie?"

"Oh," Hoshi said, off-guard. What did interest her about the movie? The singing? The dancing? "The best part, I guess, is the Captain and Maria love story."

"Well, if you ask me," Trip said, "their love story wasn't all that great."

"Why do you say that?"

"For starters, they both wasted time being so stubborn about loving each other. I mean, he could have outright told her how he felt, and she didn't have to run away from what she felt."

"But that's the beauty, Trip…er…Comma…"

"Call me, Trip." He grinned.

"Love is complicated; so many emotions, feelings, reactions, and so forth. Love doesn't magically appear overnight. I think what was going through both the characters minds is, 'Am I really in love?' Because if you think about, how does one know when one is in love? That it's real, and not lust, or infatuation?"

"Wow," Trip said. "You sure are passionate about your thoughts."

Hoshi shrugged. "It's what being a communications officer is about. You have to read between the lines, so to speak."

They stopped in front of Hoshi's quarters.

"Well, this is me," she said. "Thanks for…walking me to my room, I guess." She laughed uneasily, looking down.

"Hoshi," he whispered. "Look at me." He lifted her chin with his finger.

Their eyes met.

He chuckled. "It's okay to breathe."

Was she not breathing? She didn't even realize she wasn't. "Oh," she whispered, her mind a jumble of thoughts, not knowing how any of them connected to this moment.

He leaned in closer, a lopsided smile on his face.

"No!"

Trip's head snapped up. "I…"

"I mean…I'm sorry…I have to get inside now. Early shift. Can't make the captain upset." Hoshi stuttered through her words, not able to speak coherently.

He looked at her with what seemed to be a pained expression. Or was it pain? No, Hoshi thought she was just imagining it.

"Uh, yeah. I should get to bed, too."

Hoshi blushed when he said 'bed'. It was the way he said it, or maybe it was just her imagination again.

"Goodnight."

"G'night, m'lady," Trip said, in his best deep Southern accent.

-----

Inside her quarters, Hoshi thumped her head against the wall. How could she have been so stupid to fall for him? Wait, was she even falling for him? She knew for sure, though, that she did not want to be another victim of Trip's charms.