Chapter 6: Happy endings

Hoshi winked at the doctor and settled on an empty bio-bed. She composed herself for a moment, and then began, "Captain Archer selected Malcolm and me to go down to the planet Vasga with him, to meet the Chieftain and make first contact on behalf of Earth. When the captain landed the shuttlepod on the platform, a large crowd of people had gathered around it. The Chieftain and three council members met us on the landing padd. They wore beautiful, long, multi-layered robes with vibrant colors." Hoshi turned her head slightly. "All the men and women there were wearing colourful garments. I'm not sure if that was their standard dress, or in honour of our welcome."

She shrugged. "After the captain introduced us to the delegation, they led us down the platform to their city hall. Halfway there, though, we stopped at a paddock. The Chieftain explained that it was custom for all visiting females to put a garland of flowers around the neck of a Zartu."

"What is a… Zartu?" Phlox queried.

"It's an animal that looks a lot like a hairy pig, but it is the size of a horse and has big tusks."

"A giant boar." Lieutenant Reed had opened the curtain with one hand, while tugging at his collar with the other. "I put the cooling pack on the side table," he told the Doctor.

Phlox nodded his thanks. "Please continue, Ensign."

"Zartu are worshipped by the Vasgot. They are a symbol of fertility and prosperity, or so the Chieftain told me. By placing the garland, I would bless their people, as well as mine. So we all stepped inside the pasture, along with some of the crowd, who were watching our every move with great interest."

"Now I know what it feels like to be a celebrity," Malcolm noted drily. "They were coming so close that I wanted to tell them to just bugger off." He added in a serious tone, "They made my job much more difficult."

Hoshi, buoyed by this confession, continued, "The Zartu was grazing about fifteen meters away. One of the women placed a garland with bright red flowers in my hands, and the first few meters I was almost pushed toward the animal by eager bystanders. I must admit that I felt intimidated by the beast, but I didn't say anything." Hoshi laughed humorlessly. "I wasn't going to cower in front of the captain and the leaders of this alien world."

The lieutenant remarked cynically, "I thought the red garland was a bad sign."

"Red is not universal in attracting animals, lieutenant," Hoshi chided him, adding impishly, "and I thought they were pretty." Malcolm shook his head.

"I slowly walked to the Zartu, who seemed to become more active."

"Agitated," corrected Malcolm.

"Yes, agitated, almost as if he didn't like the smell of me."

"It didn't like your perfume?" The armoury officer sounded astonished.

Hoshi made a swipe at the lieutenant, who took a step back, and chuckled.

"Perhaps the Zartu could sense your anxiety." Phlox offered.

"That's what I thought too, so I bit my lip, straightened my shoulders and walked on."

Malcolm continued, "Captain Archer and I were both worried. Even from where we stood, we could see the Zartu moving with unease. The captain asked the Chieftain if we were allowed to come closer as well, but he answered that any man would bring imbalance to the offering. When I mentioned to him that the beast seemed agitated, he laughed and told us that Zartu are peaceful creatures," the lieutenant said indignantly.

Hoshi wrapped her arms tightly around her body. "When I finally got close enough, the Zartu acted like it was ready to bolt," she said softly. "I took a deep breath, and then reached with the garland toward the Zartu." She paused, almost reliving the moment. "It made a sudden move towards me, and I panicked, took a step backwards, and slipped on some Zartu-dung."

"By then I thought it time to intervene," the lieutenant said angrily. "I truly believed Hoshi was in danger. If not being impaled by this beast's tusks, she could be crushed. So I stepped out of the crowd, and took my phase pistol, ready for anything…" he stopped, let out a breath, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, not ready for anything," he relented. "I didn't expect to become a rugby football."

It was clear to Doctor Phlox that Lieutenant Reed was still blaming himself for the incident, but was starting to come to terms with it. "What happened?" he asked cautiously.

Hoshi interceded before the armoury officer could respond. She looked at Reed. "The captain told me that the people of Vasga weren't too pleased with the appearance of a weapon. A dozen Vasgot, men and women –- " Malcolm cringed at her words. " -- grabbed the lieutenant, and pushed him to the ground. They thought Malcolm was planning to kill the Zartu."

"I almost wish I had," the lieutenant groaned, rubbing his jaw carefully.

Hoshi smiled sadly. "When I scrambled up again, the Zartu had fled to the other side of the field. I turned around to see Captain Archer and the Chieftain trying to pull a group of angry Vasgot apart. I didn't realize immediately that you were somewhere underneath those bodies."

"I can't remember much of those last moments, I must've blacked out for a minute."

"You did seem out of it when we finally got to you, but you were conscious by that time." Hoshi looked puzzled. "I still don't understand how you could keep hold of your phase pistol with all the confusion."

"It's rule number one at basic weapons' training: never lose your gun." He said smugly.

"Boys and their toys," she countered sweetly.

"Hoshi!"

She seemed unfazed by his outburst, while their sparring match greatly amused Doctor Phlox.

"As it was," the linguist continued, smiling at the furrowed brow of Lieutenant Reed, "the captain franticly apologized to the Chieftain for the commotion we caused, and we left the planet in a hurry." She turned toward the doctor, "You know the rest of the story."

"An amazing tale, indeed."

"Trip will never let me live this one down," the lieutenant muttered darkly.

"It wasn't exactly my finest hour either," Hoshi admitted.

The armoury officer shook his head. "It wasn't your fault. I should have been able to protect you."

"My hero," she said.

Malcolm turned to glare at her, but, seeing the sincerity in her eyes, his features softened. "Anytime," he replied softly. Then his half-smile turned into a lopsided grin. "Do you know what's on the menu for tonight?"

Hoshi answered, "Nope, but I hope they still have a piece of that double chocolate cherry cake that Chef has been raving about."

"You and your chocolate," Malcolm chuckled as they walked to the exit.

At the sickbay doors, Hoshi paused. "Doctor, would you care to join us?"

Humans are an intriguing species, but what defines them in the end is their friendship and loyalty. It humbled Phlox to know that they had included him in that friendship. The Denobulan's smile widened, "I would be honoured."

He looked at his microscope. Those bacteria can wait for another day.Who knows how many treasures this manure contains. Perhaps even a cure for the common cold?

Doctor Phlox chortled inwardly, turned off the lights, and ambled after his two friends.

THE END

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