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Tarquin hummed to himself as he made his way through the human woman’s mind. Exquisite. It had been almost a century since he had found someone with whom he could merge; and this possible companion, Hoshi Sato, was almost perfect.
Out in space, where she hadn’t wanted to be in the first place; isolated, even amongst her peers. She yearned for real connections, real understanding, but had only ever had it with her grandfather, Michio. She had plenty of acquaintances, but very few real friends.
He sifted through her memories at his leisure, picking out moments he thought might serve his purpose.
She’d started this journey with trepidation, unwilling to rely on this “giant tin can” called Enterprise to protect her and her crew from the cold vastness of space. Rushed through training so she could be brought on board earlier than scheduled, pulled out of a life in academia, essentially demoted from her autonomy and seniority as a professor to being a junior officer being told what to do.
He found her subconscious resentment in snappy little exchanges with the Vulcan, or being treated as being afraid of every noise when the truth was, she could quite simply hear things no one else could, because of what everyone called her ‘gift’. That was another isolating factor - when things went right it was “Hoshi’s gift”, when they didn’t it was “Hoshi”.
Oh, she could put on a face, a social mask, pretend to be outgoing and congenial; but it hid her wall of solitude and aloofness. Tarquin could work with that, could use it to make her more amenable to understanding, visiting, staying.
There had been an interaction on her very first day on the ship that had set the tone for her relationship with one person. She’d asked the tactical officer a question about frostbite, and he took her seriously and answered her as such, without belittling her. Because of that, she’d felt she could trust Malcolm Reed. He didn’t lie to her to make her feel better, he was direct and sometimes too blunt, he treated her like the competent officer he expected her to be. She felt safe around him.
Having watched her in her bathroom mirror, Tarquin reached out to her. Upon her immediate suspicion and apprehension at the sound of his voice in her head, he decided to take on an appearance similar to that of the man she trusted to keep her safe. Barely two inches taller than she was; dark-haired, light-eyed, dressed in dark clothing.
“Ensign Sato to Security!”
Tarquin would have to find some other way.
“Hoshi? Are you alright?” No answer. Malcolm tried again. “Hoshi! Are you there?” His hand was already reaching for his phase pistol as he signalled for backup to meet him at the ensign’s quarters. His blood ran cold at the thought of what could be happening even as he pounded around corners in a frantic bid to get to her.
She was already opening the door as he got there, standing against the wall so he could dart inside, weapon at the ready.
“What happened?” His voice was sharper than he’d intended, and from the corner of his eye, he saw her flinch.
“There was a voice … and someone in the corner.” She pointed toward the right of her viewing port. Her voice was uncertain now, more so than when she had commed security.
Malcolm stood in front of her, shielding her just in case, his phase pistol pointed where she’d directed. His eyes swept the room; it was empty, and too small to be hiding anyone, but as Ensign Esk Parker and Crewman Fuller arrived, he directed Fuller to check the bathroom and Esk to stay on alert near Hoshi while he did a sweep of the room.
Nothing. There was nothing to be found. He’d known it from his first look as he’d barged into the room, but he was the Chief of Security; he couldn’t leave any corner unchecked, and he wouldn’t have, anyway. Not with Hoshi - Ensign Sato - looking so unnerved in her own quarters.
“Nothing?” The disbelief in her voice, in her eyes, made Malcolm uneasy. Though not as much as the fact that there had been absolutely nothing on the scans. Nothing in her room, no extra bio-sign at the time she’d called for help. No strange energy readings, no radio waves, no odd signals.
Whatever Hoshi had experienced, it was a phenomenon unique to her, and her alone. Still, he tried to be reassuring as he answered.
“I ran every scan in the book. There’s no sign of any intruder anywhere on the ship.”
“Maybe our sensors missed something.” She’d turned away from him, unwilling to meet his eyes as she made the claim. She’d know that it wasn’t something he’d take lightly; the safety of everyone on board was his paramount concern, and properly-functioning sensors played a major role in his efforts. She knew he’d have double-checked the sensors to be absolutely sure.
“I went through all the logs for the past 24 hours,” he said, keeping his voice low as he angled his body toward her, wanting to keep their conversation private to shield her from inquisitive eyes. “To say they were uneventful would be an understatement.”
She closed her eyes and groaned, frustration in every line of her body.
“This is good news.” He tried his hardest to be reassuring, but when she opened her eyes, he knew he’d failed.
“That I’m imagining things?”
“You're a little on edge. It's not uncommon to see the enemy out of the corner of your eye.”
She looked unconvinced, and by her body language he could tell that she was withdrawing into herself, leaning away from him as though rejecting what he was saying. “I thought that was called paranoia.”
As he launched into the tale of having imagined a Xindi in his quarters, he saw her eyes and mouth pinch tighter. Now anger and despair were seeping into her voice and expression. She struggled to look at him directly, and when she did, her stare was hard.
Malcolm was lost. He didn’t want to think that Hoshi was imagining things, but he had always placed his trust in things he could see. If he couldn’t see what was bothering her, putting that expression of uncertainty on her face, how could he fight it? How could he protect her?
Not only that, but everything he said and did seemed to be making matters worse.
Hoshi Sato was alone again. Tarquin knew that this was his chance. He’d spent a pleasant few hours skimming through her memories, finding ones that jibed with his assessment of her loneliness. Now was the time to entice her to visit.
“Hoshi.”
Her eyes went huge as all the computer screens changed to an image of his planet.
“That's where I'm waiting for you.”
He didn’t expect her to immediately press the comm.
“Ensign Sato to Lieutenant Reed. I need help in the Command Centre.”
Perhaps he could calm her again.
“Don't be frightened.” He changed what she was seeing so that all the screens changed to a picture of her. A spike of panic went through her mind, and he repeated her name in a bid to build rapport.
“I'm nowhere near your ship.”
He sent her an image of his castle; a stone corridor with light fittings, rugs. Surely that would entice her. But instead of settling, she ran, bursting through a pair of doors onto a balcony looking out over a cliff face.
And then that infernal Reed was there.
“Ensign Sato to Lieutenant Reed. I need help in the Command Centre.”
He was on his feet and out the door almost before she’d finished speaking. Once again he ran; she hadn’t sounded panicked, but her voice had been odd, worried, unsure. He drew his phase pistol as he ran; nothing was going to stop him from protecting her as best he could.
As he rounded the corner, she was in the corridor in front of him, reaching out as though she was pushing something. She stepped forward, then froze, looking around. Her body was almost rigid, uncertainty in the set of her shoulders as they hunched up toward her ears.
Coming up behind her, he reached out carefully and put his hand on her shoulder, saying her name just before he touched her to try and avoid giving her a fright. “Hoshi?” She jumped anyway, turning to face him, startled. “Are you alright?”
Her eyes were unfocused, as though she’d been looking out over a great distance. As he spoke, they zeroed in on him, clearing, and her hand came up to clutch his. Even so, he could feel her trembling. Her hand squeezed his hard; then she let go and stepped into him, burying her face in his chest, seeking reassurance. He holstered his phase pistol and held her until her trembling stopped, saying nothing, just patting her back, grateful that at least she wasn’t withdrawing from him this time.
When she eventually drew back, they looked at each other, one of their silent conversations passing between them. Finally her shoulders slumped and she closed her eyes, nodding in defeat.
“Come on,” he said reassuringly. “I’ll go with you.”
Malcolm watched Hoshi as she sat on the bio-bed. Even from the back, he could see the tension in her, her back rigid, her shoulders once again hunched.
“I'm not picking up anything out of the ordinary.” Her head dipped, then came up fiercely as the doctor spoke.
Malcolm knew he’d have to simply report his own findings - or lack thereof - as though she were any other crewman. “We still haven't found any ships nearby or any uninvited guests on board.” If it were possible, she stiffened even more at his words. She was withdrawing into a shell again, and his adherence to duty and procedures wasn’t making things any easier.
Her voice was brittle as she ignored him and spoke directly to Archer.
“I am not imagining it, Captain!”
“You have to admit it's a possibility.” The captain’s voice was careful, as though he was handling a skittish horse. Did the man not realise that Hoshi could read every nuance in his voice, and know that he was simply humouring her?
She made it clear with her next words. “With respect, sir, I know that my mind can be overactive sometimes, but that is not what's happening. This is real.”
Perhaps the determination in her voice made it through; if nothing else, she believed in herself. Her fears about hallucinations and an overactive imagination were concerns of the past. This was the Hoshi who was ready to search for answers. Despite his concern, he felt a thrill of pride at the way she was pushing back against the clear doubt she was facing from all three men.
Archer may have instructed that a security detail be posted, but Malcolm knew he’d be the one standing guard. He wouldn’t leave it to anyone else. His teams could handle the Armoury and Engineering; he would watch over Hoshi himself.
The other men had left; Hoshi was alone with the doctor. Perhaps the man could be put to good use; Hoshi seemed to trust him. As she fed the fish, Tarquin felt puzzlement in her mind.
“That's strange. It's—When the alien communicates with me, it's almost like he's inside my head, looking at things through my eyes, experiencing what I'm experiencing, and talking to him is like talking to myself. Does that make any sense?”
The Denobulan had moved away; this was his chance. Tarquin projected an image of the doctor to Hoshi.
“It makes perfect sense. Listening to your thoughts has been very pleasurable.” That was no lie. He was thoroughly enjoying himself, going through every one of her memories, nourishing himself on the thoughts of another.
“What?”
“I've been with you for several days. Studying your mind, your memories. Learning so many things about you.” How he had missed this! The opportunity to delve deep into the mind of another, away from his own thoughts; to grab hold of their experiences, live their memories as though they were his own!
"What do you want?” Her mind was troubled, but he sensed an opening.
“I'm only three light years away. My home is what you're seeing right now. All I want is to meet you.”
She objected, as he knew she would. And so he played his Xindi card.
At least this time Reed wasn’t around to bring an abrupt end to his pleasure.
On the bridge, Malcolm watched her go into the captain’s Ready Room. Her shoulders were back and she looked more confident. Had she had another experience?
Archer’s instruction to Mayweather came as no surprise; there must have been a reason Hoshi had gone in to speak to the captain. As she came out and her eyes met his, he knew he’d been right; she’d had another contact and this one had clearly given her more to go on than before. Her gaze was clearer, sharper, more direct than over the last day.
Hopefully they would find out what was happening and this would be over soon.
Hoshi was apprehensive but optimistic on their way down to the planet. There was a glimmer of light for Earth! She led the way into the alien’s room, pushing open the doors as in her vision. Looking for the short, dark-haired man with whom she’d been conversing.
Tarquin was nothing like she’d been expecting.
“I didn't want to frighten you, so I created a human image when I contacted you on Enterprise.”
And he hadn’t seen fit to tell her that she was only viewing an avatar, and the person she met would be very different?
She was not one to judge someone by their looks; but the sheer disparity between what she’d been led to believe was him, and the reality of his appearance, was so jarring as to render her speechless.
She saw the looks Malcolm and the captain exchanged - both at the sight of Tarquin, and the alien’s request that she stay with him while he worked. And all the while, the fact that he hadn’t told her he looked different, that he had kept her believing he looked like the security officer she trusted, preyed on her mind.
He asked you to come alone! And if you had, and you’d only found out then what he looked like, that he’d been lying to you? What then? What if you were here without Malcolm and the captain to back you up? Alone at his mercy? It was a deeply unsettling thought.
Which was why she was surprised to find herself telling the captain that she felt comfortable being alone with Tarquin. Still, they needed the information, and despite the fear for her she knew was driving Malcolm’s suggestion that Enterprise remain in orbit, time was a luxury they did not have.
“I can take care of myself, Captain.”
But she wished the real short, dark-haired man who made her feel safe was going to be with her on the planet.
Malcolm didn’t know what he’d been expecting when the alien turned to them - but he knew with absolute certainty that Tarquin was not what Hoshi had been expecting. She had never mentioned the alien’s looks, which she certainly would have if she’d seen them before, since they’d never seen anyone who looked like him.
And her unease was easy to read on her face and body language; he didn’t need to be a linguist to pick up her uncertainty.
“Thank you for coming to me.” Tarquin moved up close to her, ignoring the others as though they didn’t exist. She stepped back and looked away; the captain stepped in front of her, and the alien backed off.
But just for an instant, Malcolm saw a flash of anger in his eyes before he concealed it and played the role of a good Samaritan once again. His gaze never left Hoshi, though, and Malcolm saw how discomfited it made her feel. So he made it clear he was suspicious of Tarquin with a few well-placed questions.
“We didn't pick up any other biosigns. I take it you live here alone.”
The flash he saw in Tarquin’s eyes this time wasn’t anger, it was despair. And that made him even more concerned.
"It's an awfully big planet for one person.”
The captain had looked at him then, and he hoped that his meaning had made it through.
Still, he couldn’t stop Tarquin’s insistence that Hoshi stay with him while he assessed the artefact - or her insistence that she could cope.
The alien said he didn’t want to frighten her, but he’d let her think she was going mad, lied about what he looked like, and had wanted her to come to him on her own. And then he kept pushing his attention on her, making her uncomfortable. These were not the actions of someone who claimed he had good intentions.
She was finally here! Tarquin could scarcely contain his excitement at the prospect of a new companion.
But wait; she was not alone. She’d brought her captain and Reed with her. No matter; at this close proximity, he could assess the human males, Reed in particular, and see what danger, if any, they posed to him and his new companion.
They both felt extremely protective toward her, Reed even more so than the captain. Probing a little deeper, Tarquin realised that there was a far more personal reason for Reed’s protectiveness. Well, the man would simply have to understand that a better life awaited Hoshi here with him, than on that ship, where danger lurked around every corner.
Hoshi would not look at him, and the captain got between them. A surge of anger raced through him - how dared they try to keep him from his companion? - but Tarquin quickly tamped it down. He'd explained why he looked different from the avatar he had sent her; surely that should have been explanation enough? But clearly not, for now Reed was asking him impertinent questions, reminding him of his loneliness.
Tarquin felt Hoshi’s mind latching onto Reed’s sternness and protective behaviour. Clearly she needed to be removed from the man’s influence. If she spent enough time here with him, he could convince her that this was a better place for her - for them. So he sent a tendril of acquiescence into her mind, making it easier to have her assure the captain later that she was sure she would be fine.
He felt an inordinate amount of pleasure that Reed could not stop either Hoshi or the captain from allowing the plan to continue.
Malcolm went to Hoshi’s quarters before she left. She was packing, her movements rote, her body still tight with unease. But she was putting on a brave face, and he wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince him, or herself.
To augment that bravery with practicality, he gave her a phase pistol to keep close at hand. She made no demur, but packed it for easy access.
He hesitated before leaving.
“Ensign … you’ve been an exemplary pupil. I’ve rarely enjoyed sparring with someone as much. Very few people could best me as often as you have become able to. Remember that.”
He hoped she picked up on the message he was trying to convey, in his awkward fashion. By the look in those dark eyes, and the smile that touched her lips, he thought she had.
The sly stroke of Tarquin’s fingers on hers as he took her bag, made Hoshi feel ill-at-ease. She thought again of Malcolm, of how he'd praised her hand-to-hand combat skills. He'd given her a phase pistol, but he’d also been trying to give her a message. She didn’t want to dwell on it too long, lest her host pick up on it; but she hugged the thought to herself.
“You thought it was normal to go through your days alone. I'm sorry, I forget you're unaware of how much I know about you.”
“Are you reading my mind continuously?
“Not since you arrived. Now that you're here with me I would rather get to know you the way other humans do.”
If he was reading her mind, the blaze of sheer anger that had swept through her at that moment should have given him pause.
Everything was off-kilter. Tarquin was in her mind, and could be there at any time, and she wouldn’t know. He could invade her mind, but she knew nothing of his.
Hoshi was not a loner, but she valued her time alone to recharge, as did most introverts. This alien didn’t seem to get that, or only looked at her memories and didn’t understand the emotions that accompanied them.
Staying in Hoshi’s mind while she packed, Tarquin eased her thoughts into a more acquiescent frame of mind. She wouldn’t need half the things she thought she should pack, but he didn’t want to make too big a change and raise suspicion. Still, the pretty dresses and shoes would be far more pleasant for him to look at than her uniform and boots.
Of course, Reed had to try and throw a spanner in the works. Hoshi’s mind immediately became more settled when he appeared. This was going to be a problem. He was arming her, for one thing - as though Tarquin were a threat! On the contrary, he was going to keep Hoshi alive!
Miffed as he was at Reed, the excitement he felt when she arrived was unparalleled. He couldn’t resist stroking her hand when taking her bags from her. Of course, he was no longer reading her mind; but he hoped that the more overt expressions of his interest would show her why she should remain here with him.
He’d made sure the meals he’d offered her were ones she particularly enjoyed, from her memory banks, pleased that she commented on his efforts. When she tried to decline the Arakon dessert, he playfully pointed out that he knew what she was doing.
“You know, my stomach is a little unsettled.”
“You told your grandmother that every time she tried to serve you soba noodles. Now it's one of your favourite foods.”
Tarquin sensed her empathy when he explained why he was alone on the planet, and revelled in it. Of course she could understand! He raised his glass to her in a toast.
“To solitude. I think you're familiar with it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your parents learned you were gifted, so you spent your childhood with private tutors, studying languages. You thought it was normal to go through your days alone. I'm sorry, I forget you're unaware of how much I know about you.”
She frowned. “Are you reading my mind continuously?”
“Not since you arrived. Now that you're here with me I would rather get to know you the way other humans do.” There, that should make it clear how interested he was. But to his dismay, she excused herself, with the excuse that she was tired.
In her room, later, Tarquin offered her the book, noting that she had already changed into one of the pretty slip dresses. The time was perfect to remind her that he could offer her so much more than any human could.
“You don't have to feel alone.”
She raised the book and shook her head, smiling slightly. “I won't, I'll be busy with this.”
“That's not what I meant. You often feel isolated, even around other people. You don't have to.” They would never be alone again, if he had anything to say about it.
When Hoshi opened her duffel and saw the clothing she had packed, she was taken aback. Why had she packed these? These were not her Starfleet-issue pyjamas or shoes; she barely wore these in her own quarters. She would never have chosen to wear these on an official mission, let alone in a place where she felt uncomfortable and where the male alien hosting her had already made it clear he was interested in her as more than a guest.
The phase pistol went under her pillow. Then, with little other choice, she put on one of the negligees - she wouldn't be sleeping in her uniform, after all. Tarquin came to give her a book - now that was interesting. But once again he alluded to her loneliness and what he had seen in her mind.
A pity he hadn’t picked up on the very human desire for privacy! Did he not realise that people didn’t like having their minds picked through?
After he left, she reached into her bag, looking for more regular clothing. Her hand touched something soft, and she pulled out a familiar blue t-shirt. Thank goodness! She ran her fingers over the label, where REED was stencilled in fading ink. She hadn't returned the shirt to Malcolm after the Suliban incident, and now she was glad she'd hung onto it.
Quickly pulling it on over the negligee, she curled up under the covers, hugging herself. The shirt usually helped settle her mind; but not tonight. Enterprise - Malcolm - wasn’t in the vicinity; she only had herself to rely on. At least it gave her a more physical form of comfort, covering the skin the negligee bared. Eventually she dropped into a troubled sleep.
The next day she reached for her uniform, then hesitated. Malcolm was concerned that Tarquin wanted a more physical relationship. There was no way he was getting one, but she hadn't packed those dresses of her own volition; he must have been influencing her. Still, now that he had said he hadn't read her mind since she returned, perhaps it would be worthwhile using what he had done to further her aims - hers, the captain's, the crew's.
Much as she hated the idea, seeing her wearing the dresses he had enticed her to pack would make him think his ploy was working. And at least she would be doing it of her own volition. So, gritting her teeth at the idea of this being a necessity, she put on the blue halter-neck dress, wishing it was her uniform. The phase pistol had to stay under her pillow; there was nowhere to carry it.
The next hours were torture, seeming to stretch into days, as she found herself without her usual work with which to stay busy; all she had was the book Tarquin gave her, and fascinating as it was, it didn’t help settle her discomfort at not being with her crew.
And it didn’t stop her from wondering when, or if, he was in her thoughts. Her mind was foggy; she was struggling to think as clearly as usual, and she knew exactly whom to blame.
So she fought back, reliving combat training sessions, considering changes to the UT, or reciting the alien languages she knew as she read.
Then she found the graves.
Tarquin enjoyed having Hoshi in the house while he assessed the Xindi artefact. When he noticed her peering through the screen, he invited her into the room. Of course, she wanted to know more about the enhancer.
Allowing her to sit in his chair was a thrill; she was sharing a space he had been in only moments before! And the slip dress she wore bared most of her back to his gaze; he had made some excellent choices in steering Hoshi while she was packing.
Delighted at the way she’d managed to make the amplifier work on her first attempt, Tarquin closed his hands around hers; but she withdrew, saying she should let him get back to work. Never mind; the longer she stayed, the more chances there would be for physical contact.
And then she went outside, against his explicit request, and found the graves. And turned on him! As though he had killed them! Did she not understand that he had saved them, given them decades of safety and someone who could understand them, share their thoughts and hopes and fears and dreams?
“Do you really expect me to spend the rest of my life on a desolate world with someone I have known for less than two days?” The frustration at his sheer determination not to understand was grating at her.
“The others had similar doubts, but over time they came to appreciate what I had to offer them. No one will ever understand you the way I can.” How dared he! Rage funnelled through her. He had no idea who could and could not understand her, or how important her friends - her Enterprise family - were to her.
“I am grateful for your help and I'm happy to stay here while you work, but I have no intention of becoming your next companion!”
Tarquin confronted her in the conservatory, in his human guise. But it simply seemed to make her angrier. She needed to listen to reason!
"I'm giving you the chance to experience something you've searched for your entire life. It's the reason you study languages, to make unique connections with people.”
Her voice was hard. “I don't need you to help me do that.” Why wouldn’t she see?
“Then why do you seem so isolated? You live on a ship filled with your own people and yet there are many times when you feel alone. Stay with me. I'll teach you ways of sharing thoughts and emotions no human can.”
“I already told you, I'm not interested.” Despite her words, he could hear her voice shake.
“You're lying, Hoshi. I can hear everything you're thinking.”
Her voice hardened again. “What I'm thinking is none of your business!” How could she not want this? She was thinking of Reed again; he needed to nip that in the bud. Perhaps she needed a more personal reminder.
“Michio. Your grandfather. He's the last person you were truly close to, but he died a long time ago.” For some reason, that seemed to make her even angrier. “You can have that kind of connection again.”
When he stepped in front of her this time, Tarquin got the impression that if she had had the phase pistol in her hand, she would have shot him. Too much time spent with Malcolm Reed. Perhaps he should back down, let her find her equilibrium again. Soon enough she would realise there was nowhere else to go.
“I'm sorry. I know this must seem overwhelming. Think about what I've said. You're going to have a great deal of time.”
He dared - dared - appear to her in his human guise, and try to gaslight her? For all his rummaging around in her mind, he had no idea who she was, did he? And he refused to see that his every attempt at manipulation was only making her angrier, more determined to leave. He was fixated only on what he wanted, not her wishes.
Tarquin thought he was the only one who could understand her? Then he truly had no clue, had not looked deeply enough into her interactions with her colleagues and friends.
She spent much of her time with Phlox, Travis, and Malcolm; but also had friends outside of her inner circle - Trip, Liz, Janelle, Esk. Her friendship with Phlox was one of the reasons she was so unsettled by Tarquin taking on the guise of her jovial, caring friend. As much as she needed her time to recuperate and recover from the overwhelm of being around people, she still had people in her life for whom she would do just about anything. She didn't consider them her family for nothing.
And Tarquin had no idea, or refused to see, that in addition to her other friendships, there was one person on board the ship with whom she’d developed a bond born of understanding each other - having grown up in different types of isolation - in ways the others didn’t or couldn’t. The standoffish security chief could commiserate with her, and she with him, without saying a word, and that suited her just fine; he used his words with Trip, but she didn’t need them. She and Malcolm understood each other so well that they could have silent conversations just with their eyebrows. But clearly Tarquin was choosing to ignore this, or didn’t understand what he was seeing.
Malcolm was gentler than his occupation might suggest, carrying an incredible amount of baggage, but kind, encouraging, and totally committed to duty and his job. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t see herself in him sometimes. And that was another thing Tarquin didn’t understand.
“Have you given any more thought to my offer?”
“I can't stay here, you know that.” She was merely being polite; but Tarquin had resumed his forays into her mind and could feel her trying to hide her thoughts from him. That was never going to be possible, but he would show her the error of her ways once they were properly together.
“I understand. I was foolish to think it was even a possibility.”
He regretted having to play this trick on her, but it was for her own good. Soon enough she would see that.
She had replaced the dresses with her uniform; a pity. But if she obeyed the orders of her captain, that would no longer be a problem. Morianna Taal and the other companions had left many beautiful dresses that would be suitable.
In his guise as Archer, Tarquin played into the role of avuncular leader, speaking to her sense of responsibility.
"I won't order you to do this, Hoshi, but it may be our best chance of finding the weapon before it's too late. With any luck, it'll only take a few weeks, maybe a month. We'd come back for you as soon as the mission's over. I don't need to tell you what's at stake, Ensign.”
He felt her unease, but she knew the urgency of their mission. “I'll go back to my quarters and pick up a few things.”
“There's no reason for you to leave. Just give me a list of what you need and I'll have it sent down.”
She kept coming up with reasons why she needed to go back to the ship, but he was well able to counter all of those, despite the growing frustration in her mind. Then she thought of Travis - not Reed - and he was elated. It must have been this elation that made him slip up.
“Sir, I might not see my friends again.”
“I'm sure Travis will understand.”
Suspicion bloomed instantly. “I was just thinking about Travis. You're a regular mind reader.”
Matters went from bad to worse in an instant. ‘Archer’ reached for her and she pushed past him, storming out of the room.
Every hour since they had left Hoshi on that benighted planet had felt like a day; every day had felt like a week. Malcolm was struggling not to think about what might be happening, and focus on the mission instead. He knew it was what she’d have wanted.
But they were approaching the planet now, and soon she would be back with them. With her family.
Then the lights went out, and so did his console. Even the view-screen went dark.
Hoshi.
She stormed into Tarquin's study, wrath crackling through her mind.
“Nice try. What were you planning to tell my Captain when he got back? Were you going to appear as me and beg him to let me stay? No, you can't do that, can you? I'm the only one on board that you can play your tricks with.” She was so angry!
He had no choice but to do it. She needed to understand how serious he was about having her stay.
“Enterprise has already returned. Their fate is in your hands.”
That gave her pause. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I can't let you leave, Hoshi. I've waited too long to find you.” Why couldn’t she understand that?
He felt anger spike through her. “What's happened to Enterprise?”
“If you agree to stay, they won't be harmed. They'll be free to leave orbit.” The anger became shot through with unease. "You'll be happy here, I promise you.”
But she wouldn’t listen. So he had to explain exactly what the consequences were. It was truly up to her; she needed to make the right choice, or their deaths would be on her head.
“There's no power on your vessel, and there won't be until you agree to remain with me.”
This time, horror and disbelief raced through her mind. “You would kill over eighty people to keep me here?” He needed to make her understand!
“I don't want to kill anyone. That's why it's essential that you agree to stay.” He watched her look around the room in despair, felt a moment of resignation cross her mind, and rejoiced; then a flash of what would Malcolm do?, and she picked up the enhancer. Instantly his insides turned to ice. “You mustn't do that. It's very fragile.”
“I'm counting on that. Now, undo whatever you've done to my ship or you will never contact anyone again with this thing.”
No. No, she wouldn’t. Would she? He called her bluff.
“An empty threat, Hoshi. As long as you're with me I won't need to contact anyone else.”
He felt her blast of rage. “As long as I'm with you. Another sixty, seventy years, and then what?” She held it out in one hand; he could feel that it was too heavy and too large for her hand; he could also feel her fierce conviction that she would do whatever it took to save her crew. “What'll you do when I'm grave number five out there? Without this you will never find another companion. You will be alone for the rest of your life.”
She wasn’t bluffing. Her thoughts had gone from chaotic to cold, clear, still. Images of Reed, Mayweather, Archer, Phlox, Kelly, other crew, circulated at the back of her mind. She was determined that they would live, and that she would be with them. Or … he couldn’t believe the threat she made clear. He tried one last time.
“Please, think of what I can offer you.”
Her mind hardened. “This is your last chance.”
Once again rage channelled through her, this time with fear - fear that he might hurt them, hurt her family. And she swore if he did, she would hurt him. No matter what she had to do, she would make him pay.
Tarquin wasn’t quite gloating, but he certainly seemed triumphant. She’d bet Malcolm would have had something to say about that.
What would Malcolm do?
She grabbed the egg, and watched Tarquin fall to pieces. Cold, calm clarity settled across her mind. Whatever it took. If she broke this thing, and needed to stay here, she would. But it would not be as easy as Tarquin thought. And if he let her people die; she would kill him. She let that thought circulate in her mind until her determination and anger finally made it through to Tarquin, and he caved.
Far above, unseen, Enterprise came back online.
The shuttlepod made its way through the atmosphere and Malcolm set down at the same spot as before. Hoshi was outside, holding something white that sparkled. He walked up to her and said her name, and she spun around.
The smile that blossomed on her face when she saw him and the shuttlepod took his breath away. It had been too long since he’d seen that smile. He would do anything to keep that smile safe.
Anything.
Malcolm sternly pushed away the little ache in his chest when she told them how Tarquin's mention of Travis had helped her realise that she was still being manipulated. All that mattered was that she was free, she was home, she was here.
Then she turned to him, and with a mischievous look, told him that when the chips were down, she’d asked herself one question: What would Malcolm do?
His heart seemed to grow three sizes. He tried to contain the sudden burst of joy he felt, tamp it down behind his shields, but she looked at him. She saw him.
And that smile returned.