Disclaimer: Paramount owns all.
Rating: This Chapter is tame. Easily PG-13. Just lots of boozing and some violence.
Enme approached Hoshi and held out his hand.
"Hello, my name is Commander Enme."
Hoshi looked puzzled and glanced at T'Pol.
"I'm sorry," said Enme, "I thought this is how humans greeted each other. If I've been misinformed. . ."
Hoshi lifted her hand and shook the Romulan's hand.
"No," she said, "I'm just surprised. My name is Lt. Sato. Hoshi Sato."
"Well," said Enme, "allow me to extend my apologies on behalf of the Romulan Star Empire for any unpleasantness caused by your abduction, which was not sanctioned by the military, the government or the young man's family."
Hoshi looked into the man's eyes. They weren't honey-green like T'Pol's but grey. Still, she could see that they were related. The set of the eyes, the shape of the nose. . .the line of the jaw. . .these two were related.
"You'll be staying with me at my residence. I'm afraid its rather spartan, and you two will be bunking together, but it's the best I can do. We can't have two Starfleet officers staying among the miners."
"We need to contact our ship," said T'Pol.
"That will be taken care through channels, I assure you," said Enme, "We're currently working out a way to return you to your ship without compromising the security of this facility or inadvertently blowing Enterprise out the sky."
T'Pol raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"That's gracious of you," said Hoshi.
"I agree," said Enme, "Now, I have arranged a midday meal for you, but before that is served, I thought Lt. Sato might be interested in accessing our Romulan language and literature database. My understanding is that Starfleet's knowledge of our beautiful language is rudimentary at best."
Hoshi blinked and looked over at T'Pol for permission. Her commanding officer nodded.
"Thank you, I would like that," said Hoshi.
Enme gestured to the shadows and a very eerie vampire-like alien emerged.
"Follow him," said Enme, "and he'll see to it that you have all the access you need."
"I'll see you later, Lt," said T'Pol, reassuringly.
Hoshi nodded and followed the Reman through a doorway, thinking she was putting a tremendous lot of faith in these Romulans.
"So," said T'Pol to her brother, "did our father send you to rescue me?"
Enme laughed.
"No," he replied, "He sent me to rescue Ston. Our father doesn't think you needed rescue."
"Ston is an unbalanced young man," she replied cooly.
"You are damn right he is. We didn't know how much until this incident, and to be honest I don't know what will become of him. His little stunt with the dilithium might make him beyond even our father's help."
T'Pol didn't respond.
"We'll make sure he never comes near you again," said Enme, "That is something I can promise."
****
Malcolm paced up and down the armory, examining the data about the minefield. They would be there within 48 hours and he was the only one who could get the sensors ready. Trip, meanwhile, was sitting on the floor in the corner and Malcolm could smell the bourbon from where he stood at the console. He had returned to the ship to find the chief engineer three sheets to the wind, something that was understandable but not at all helpful.
"I'm sobering up," said Trip, "I'm sorry Malcolm. You know this isn't like me."
"Well," said Malcolm, "it's not often your wife gets snatched by a crazy Romulan. I'll give you a pass. I'm not so sure the captain would."
Trip snorted at that.
"It was his idea," said Trip.
Malcolm exhaled. That wasn't as much as a surprise as it should have been.
"He knew we wouldn't be able to do anything to help them for a few hours," said Trip, his eyes closed, "so we decided to kill some pain while waited."
"I'm not your therapist or your CO," said Malcolm, who knew that the hardest part of any mission in deep space were the waiting hours.
"Nah," said Trip, "You're my friend, though. Thanks for working so hard on this."
Malcolm walked over to where Trip sat and stood next to him, arms folded.
"You know I care about both of them like they are - family," said Malcolm, contemplating how much terror Trip must be feeling. He had only just begun to connect with Hoshi, and he was nearly overwhelmed with fear for her. Trip and T'Pol were married, had had a child together and might even be some how mentally linked together. Their bond was far stronger. It wasn't surprising that Trip found himself unable to deal with the empty hours of waiting.
"Why don't we go to the mess hall and get you some coffee?" asked Malcolm as he extended a hand to Trip.
Trip let his friend pull him up to a standing position and found that he wasn't as wobbly as he had been even a half hour earlier. The last time Trip had remembered drinking that much in one sitting was in the very early days of the mission to the Expanse. Lizzie's death combined with hours and hours of idle time had not been a good combination.
"Maybe Phlox can give me something for the hangover," said Trip.
****
What Romulans called "tea" and what Vulcans called tea proved to be very different. Both beverages worked on the same basic principle - heating leaves in water - but what T'Pol sipped while seated across from her brother would be highly unpalatable to most Vulcans. Strong spices had clearly been added to the leaves and debris from the brewing remained floating in the liquid.
"You're not supposed to consume the leaves and spices," said Emne, when T'Pol had reacted to the bitterness of their taste her mouth.
They were sitting at a small table in Enme's residence, which was the VIP guest house for the mining colony. The window overlooked some austere mountains.
"We terraformed this place for a year before beginning the mining operations," said Enme, "Some thought mining should begin before the atmospheric processing began, using domes and EV suits. However, the initial atmospheric processing can ignite some of the mining byproducts. So, patience was in order, and Romulans are not nearly as patient as you Vulcans."
T'Pol continued to ponder the complex flavors of her tea. It was stronger and spicier than the spiciest human tea she had ever tasted. Romulans certainly were different from Vulcans, despite their shared physiology.
"May I ask you a question?" said Enme.
T'Pol nodded.
"Do really suppress all your emotions?"
"Yes," replied T'Pol, "It merely requires a disciplined mind."
"Yet," continued Enme, "Vulcans have relationships. You have children. You marry."
"We have affection for our families," she replied.
"But you married an off worlder. . .how does that work?"
"Very well."
Enme laughed. Vulcans were a strange and fascinating people, though he was very grateful that he had not been born among them.
"I wonder how Vulcans will react to a different way of life," said Enme, more to himself that to his sister. Father had said over and over that she would have made a magnificent Romulan, but Enme wasn't so sure about the rest of her people.
"They don't plan to reject logic," said T'Pol.
Enme looked at her. Did she really not know that unification was the plan? Did she not understand the Empire wanted to bring its distant cousins into the fold and show them a better way of life? He was a solider, not a spy, but he assumed that someone in T'Pol's position would understand the truth.
"That Vulcan stubbornness might cause unnecessary pain," said Enme.
"So might Romulan ambition," replied T'Pol.
Enme smiled. She had a point. It was one thing to conquer inferior races, as was Romulan habit. He wondered if his people were really ready to face the Vulcans, who while culturally different were their intellectual and physical equals.
"If things do go our way," said Enme, "you might be in a position to help your people adjust. You'll have a high position in the Empire thanks to your paternal bloodline. Vulcan or not."
Enme was amazed. Her face showed no reaction, one way or another. He had no idea what she was thinking. Vulcans were different.
"I am Vulcan," said T'Pol simply, "no political circumstances will ever change that."
Enme figured it was best not to press the issue, and suddenly recognized that he had found a sibling that he actually liked, and they would be fighting on opposite sides of a war. It was an unpleasant thought. Fate was cruel.
Across the table, T'Pol assessed her newly found brother. He clearly wasn't a lunatic like Ston. He was simply a Romulan and different from her. He looked Vulcan in his features and coloring, but he smiled, gestured and laughed more like - a human. On the other hand, Romulans lacked the idealism and openness of humans - not to mention their compassion. She found herself very grateful that she had not been taken to Romulus by her father.
****
Archer stared the unusual-looking Vulcan on his viewscreen.
"I'm the Captain of this ship," said Archer, "and Commander Tucker's commanding officer. Anything you have to say to him, you can say to me."
Javon did not react.
"I believe that, Captain. However, I told the Romulans that I would contact Commander T'Pol's husband, not her Captain. They have very strict protocols, and I agreed to abide by them. In their eyes, family supersedes military rank under these circumstances. Please respect that."
Archer sucked in his breath and paced.
"Well, Starfleet sees it different. . ."
"Captain Archer," said Javon, "if the Romulans viewed your officers as military prisoners, you would never see them again. Since they view this incident as a family matter, they intend to return them."
Archer froze.
"Understood," he said, "I'll patch you through to Commander Tucker."
Archer felt the beginnings of a massive headache, and it wasn't from navigating the special nuances of Romulan culture.
****
"So, they are both fine," said Malcolm, relieved. He also hoped to show equal relief for both his colleagues, rather than any special concern for Hoshi. It was far too soon to reveal their personal relationship.
The captain, Trip and Malcolm were in the ready room. Trip was also relieved to learn this news from Javon, but he remained concerned because T'Pol had not found a way to let him know. Getting to white space over light years required a great deal of concentration, so Trip hoped that would explain her absence from his mind.
"Yes," said Trip, "It seems they were rescued from their abductors this morning."
"By Romulans," said Malcolm, "What's the old expression? Out of the frying pan into the fire."
"Javon thinks they will release them to us," said Trip, "but he advises that we steer clear of the minefield until we hear from them, through him or another channel. They might decide to contact us directly. He says they can be unpredictable."
Archer shook his head. Under normal circumstances, the lives of two crew members would absolutely be the priority. Unfortunately, these were arguably wartime conditions. Wartime conditions meant the intelligence they could gather about the mine should take priority.
In his mind, Jon resolved not to consult Starfleet on the matter. Besides, he hoped that Hoshi and T'Pol would be able to provide more than enough intelligence.
"We'll steer as clear as we can from the mines," said Jon, until we hear from them.
Trip thought of bringing up the bond and the fact that he could theoretically contact T'Pol. He planned to try as soon as this damn meeting was over, but he didn't want to fail and make an ass of himself. First, he resolved to find out if he could connect with her again.
"More waiting," said the Captain, "just what we need."
****
Hoshi Sato looked around at a magnificently decadent spread of food. Romulans, she recognized, were not vegetarians like their cousins. The last time she'd seen such a consumable assortment of dead animals was aboard the Klingon ship. There were a few recognizably vegetarian dishes, some may have even been of Vulcan origin.
T'Pol's non-crazy brother was at her side, pointing out the origins of each dish. No wonder they are disinclined to make contact, thought Hoshi, once you actually get in the room with one of them, they don't shut up about anything.
Enme was more than a head taller than she, and he was clearly in magnificent shape. Although she knew cultures varied across systems - even across planets - she recognized something very aristocratic in the young Romulan officer. His manners were impeccable, and he carried himself with grace.
She glanced over at T'Pol, who was her usual emotion-less self. No sign that being kidnapped or trapped on a Romulan mining colony with her long-lost brothers was at all unusual.
"So," said Enme, "I assume you, unlike my sister, are more adventurous with your palate. Try the Reman pigeon. It's delectable."
Hoshi reached out and grabbed a helping of the interesting poultry. She glanced around for signs of the Remans. She had attempted to converse with the one who had guided her to the library about their language, but he had only spoken to her in Romulan. Reman was forbidden, he said.
She looked over at Enme, who shot her a flirtatious look. She reminded herself that he came from an aggressive planet that thought nothing of enslaving races they deemed weak or inferior.
The dining table here was low to the ground, and T'Pol had already seated herself on one of the pillows. It was a little like a traditional Japanese table, though there was no hole for one's legs. Instead, you were supposed to sit cross-legged or lounge sideways, propped up on one of the pillows.
"We're working on getting a transmission to your ship," said Enme, "but they've left the space station. We haven't got their frequency."
"I'm the comm officer," said Hoshi as she sat cross-legged on one of the pillows, "I can give you that."
"That may yet be necessary," said Enme.
Hoshi wondered for what reason they wouldn't accept any help from her or T'Pol. It might be a cultural thing. Maybe Romulans didn't accept help from their inferiors. A Remen appeared out of the kitchen door with a bottle of Romulan Ale. Enme gestured at their glasses, and soon the alien filled their glasses.
"Have you ever tasted Romulan Ale, Lt Sato?" asked Emne.
"No," said Hoshi, examining the shimmering blue liquid in her glass.
"It's one of our civilization's crowning achievements," said Enme as he lifted his glass.
Hoshi lifted her glass and gestured in a toast.
Enme looked at her, puzzled.
"It's a human custom, called a toast. One salutes, makes a proclamation honoring either a person or event and then the parties clink their glasses together before drinking. There are variations, but that's the basic premise."
Enme smiled with delight. He held aloft his glass.
"I salute my first contact with Vulcans and Humans."
Hoshi raised her glass, and she was surprised to see T'Pol do the same. They clinked them together.
"I am quite certain that I couldn't have found more beautiful examples of your respective races," continued Enme before sipping.
Hoshi sipped.
"Thank you," she said, "and thank you for rescuing us."
"I can't say it was my pleasure, since I'm still furious at my brother. However, I will say that meeting you has been an upside of this assignment."
He looked her straight in the eye and turned up the charm quotient.
Just because it's obvious, thought Hoshi, doesn't mean it's not effective.
Hoshi looked over at her commanding officer and saw that her face was still the usual Vulcan mask. She did, however, sip on her glass of Romulan Ale.
"So, did you read any interesting Romulan literature in our database? The Epic of Grakon is one of my favorites."
Hoshi nodded.
"I read that one. You're meters are different from Vulcan. . ."
The two continued to converse for awhile, and then T'Pol stood up.
"Forgive me," she said, "but I must use the facilities."
Enme gestured to a corridor and continued his conversation with Hoshi.
****
The Romulan Ale had a bit of an effect on T'Pol and not an unpleasant one. She wasn't drunk but she felt a slight bit of euphoria. Certainly, she was happier than she should have been under her current circumstances.
In the small bathroom, she closed her eyes and concentrated. It would take Trip a few moments to connect with her, especially if he wasn't alone.
Soon, she was in white space. He appeared.
Where have you been? Are you all right? We got word from Javon this morning that you'd been rescued but when I didn't hear from you. . "
Hoshi and I are both fine. They plan on releasing us to you, and they seem honest in their intent. We're on our way to the mining colony.
That's where you are?
Yes. They are currently making plans for a transfer. However, they don't wish Enterprise anywhere near the minefield.
Understood. We were planning on staying away, at least for now.
He approached her and pulled her into a hug. She responded in kind.
Hey, are you okay? You seem kinda woozy.
Romulan Ale.
Trip smiled. Romulans did treat their prisoners well, at least in his experience.
I must return to the table. I don't wish for our hosts to know I can communicate with you this way. I will see you soon. Hopefully in person.
With that, she was gone. Trip opened his eyes in his quarters, feeling only slightly less alone that he had been.
****
Later that afternoon, Hoshi and T'Pol found themselves alone in the plush guesthouse, besides the Reman servants. Both were wearing fine Romulan style robes and relaxing on chaises in the main living room. Hoshi was working on her third glass of Romulan Ale in as many hours. T'Pol had explained to Hoshi that she had been in communication with Trip. Although it wasn't a total shock, the bond was fascinating to Hoshi. She was also amazed that T'Pol had admitted its existence, even under their circumstances.
"Did Trip say how Malcolm was doing?" asked Hoshi.
T'Pol lifted her head to look at her colleague.
"No."
Hoshi sighed.
"May I ask you a personal question, Commander?" said Hoshi.
"You may ask. I can't promise I'll answer."
"What was it like for you and Trip when you first - you know - started to be more than friends. Things were crazy in the Expanse and both of you were in constant danger - it must have added to the stress of things. . ."
T'Pol lifted an eyebrow. She was astute enough to realize something must be going on between officers Sato and Reed.
"It was the stress of the Expanse that brought us together," said T'Pol, "without it, I doubt we ever would have embarked on such an unconventional relationship."
Hoshi took another sip.
"You guys weren't attracted before that?"
"We were attracted. We just had the self control not to act upon it. However, I do not regret the events of the Expanse. They have enhanced my life a great deal."
Hoshi leaned over.
"I know it is none of my business, but when exactly did you two become more than friends. There were lots of rumors. . ."
T'Pol suppressed her annoyance. Hoshi's prying was typically human in that she was no doubt seeking to analog her relationship with Lt. Commander Reed to T'Pol's relationship with her husband.
"We became sexually involved around the time we had the sphere builder aboard the ship," said T'Pol in a clipped tone, "However, we had developed strong feelings for one another before that. Vulcans often wait years before engaging in sexual relations with their mates, even after marriage. We can develop strong attachments to our mates without a physical expression of it. . ."
"So you were in love with Trip before that?"
"In a manner of speaking," said T'Pol, not liking to think of some of the traumas that had occurred back then.
"I suppose it makes sense," said Hoshi, "You work closely with someone over the years. There's a spark but you ignore it because you don't want things to get weird - then something happens and the spark becomes an explosion and then. . ."
T'Pol's face remained a mask.
"I'm fond of Lt. Commander Reed," said T'Pol, "He's a good officer. He would make a fine mate for any human woman."
Hoshi thought about this. Vulcans could sometimes see the world so simply.
"I suppose. Whatever problems we face would be small compared to what you and Trip went through, and you two are still together."
T'Pol was silent.
"I'm really happy for you two, by the way," continued Hoshi, "I know things must have been hellish for you last year."
T'Pol took a deep breath. It was not a Vulcan custom to express such sympathy or admiration or happiness, but she accepted it in the spirit in which it was given.
"Vulcan mates bind themselves together in grief rather than allowing themselves to be torn apart," said T'Pol, "I did not believe that Trip would understand that at first, but he did."
"That's really nice," said Hoshi softly.
"Yes," said T'Pol.
"I hope Malcolm isn't too worried about me," said Hoshi.
