Chapter Text
“E lucevan le stelle,
Ed olezzava la terra.
Stridea l'uscio dell'orto,
E un passo sfiorava la rena…”
(And the stars were shining,
And the earth was perfumed.
The gate to the garden creaked,
And a footstep rustled the sand to the path…)
~ Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, Tosca
“I’ve never seen a tree with— what even is that? Glowing… glowing bark? Sap? Biology was never my—”
Malcolm trailed off, laughing, when Hoshi reached up across his back to bend down a slender branch of the tree they were admiring, so that its leaves rustled against his hair.
When he ducked, instinctively but not resentfully, she released the branch, and used the advantageous position of her now-free arm to draw him back towards the filigree-style bench and kiss him.
His face changed to even greater wonder and delight as he relaxed into their new position, his own hand rising to move the loose hair from her face.
It had been a year now of them being together, since Hoshi had impulsively turned an awkward mess hall conversation into a serious proposition and overcome Malcolm’s hesitancy with the confidence that they could handle whatever “awkwardness” might come up.
Captain Archer had readily agreed to let them spend their anniversary on a planet Enterprise had made promising first contact with, Attevagna VI, while the ship explored a nearby stellar nursery.
So now Hoshi was sitting under an improbably-glowing tree in the quiet park she’d been drawn to on their first visit, while Malcolm, at her side, brushed gentle kisses over her cheeks and temples (he was always so gentle, touching her as though he couldn’t believe he had her, even after a year), and something birdlike-sounding (actually, she’d discovered, more of a squirrel-thing) piped in the canopy to greet a vividly pink sunset.
“I love you.”
His voice, quietly earnest, breath fluttering past her face, could have warmed her had the garden been twenty degrees colder than its pleasant mid-spring climate.
It wasn’t a groundbreaking statement, at this point in their relationship; an affirmation of what they’d each said many times, as easy and comfortable as “Good to see you” or “Is this seat taken?”.
Hoshi leaned against the back of the bench, relaxing.
“We chose a good spot, didn’t we? It’s nice to just… be tourists, for two days. Leave all the diplomacy and mission reports to someone else.”
“You don’t care for writing mission reports?”
Malcolm spoke lightly, with a sly edge that had her shaking her head in smiling acknowledgement.
“Oh, it depends. With the right company…” — she reached out again to trace the contours of his high cheekbones — “I could see myself spending all day on them…”
“Well, that sounds like a waste of ‘the right company’.”
She pretended to mull that over, giving the statement all the seriousness it didn’t require.
“You know… if I had you to myself like this all the time, we wouldn’t have to worry about wasting any of it.”
Her tone was playful, but some of the wistfulness in her thoughts crept in.
Though she wouldn’t have given up an explorer’s career for the world, starship life was… not always the most convenient for romance.
Tight quarters, tight discipline, plans constantly disrupted by events ranging from ion storms to time-travelling saboteurs…
It was only natural to need a break every so often. And to wish, sometimes, that your breaks could be longer.
She let the fantasy continue, just for indulgence’s sake.
“We could run away to some quiet little corner, without even a communicator… That abandoned cabin we found in the woods, maybe, with the secret alcove under the fireplace. We could fix it up, live where nobody would ever find us among the trees, hide in the alcove if anyone ever did…”
The dream slipped away for a moment, a slightly more grounded thought intruding.
“Assuming they don’t spend much time looking, at least. I don’t think I could take being stuck in a dark little hole for long.”
Malcolm’s arm came around her shoulders.
“You could learn to communicate with the local wildlife, like one of those princesses in old films. If anyone tries to bother us, they’ll have to deal with a herd of alien deer first, and we’ll have plenty of warning to clear out.”
That brought back memories.
“Oh, I tried so hard to do that as a kid, you have no idea… I was convinced that with all that talent for languages, animals would be easier than people if anything. But sometimes, it’s… not a matter of talent. Though, if I’d had more time actually outdoors interacting with animals…
“I did manage to teach my parents’ conure a decent vocabulary,” she laughed. “My first student.”
“You could have put that on your Starfleet application. ‘Experience with interspecies communication since childhood’.”
“Who says I didn’t?”
The conversation petered out somehow, and they sat, both content to rest for a while with each other and the garden.
The stars were coming out…
Oh, right!
Hoshi had forgotten, after the eventful day and quiet evening — Why had she chosen a dress without pockets? Oh, well, it wasn’t something one could easily carry around all day — But it wasn’t too late, was it? Days were longer on this planet, anyway…
She disentangled herself from Malcolm and rose slowly, patting her hair back into shape and gathering up the bags of the day’s shopping and empty picnic basket.
“I, uh, have to get something from the hotel. Give me… half an hour? Forty minutes? Either way, I’ll be back before you know it, all right?”
He looked at her curiously.
“Sure you don’t want me to come with you? I don’t mind—” (she gestured a negative) “Fine, keep your secrets. I’m not going anywhere.”
Another soft kiss, with the gentleness that thrilled her as much as any display of passion could, and she left him sitting in the park, watching the tree’s light brighten as the sky dimmed.
Malcolm had fallen into something of a reverie waiting under the starlight, left for once with nothing to do and nothing to worry about.
It had been perhaps ten minutes since Hoshi’s departure, but his internal chronometer was disregarded for the moment.
His mind was replaying thoughts of her dark eyes shining against the stars, the warm light of the tree behind them outlining her hair against the night’s darkness, the way her magnolia perfume blended new notes into the scents of the alien flora…
Something was moving in the bushes. Something that wasn’t in his mind, was trying to avoid notice, and certainly wasn’t Hoshi returning.
Of course, this was a trip where he’d decided there was no need to be armed…
But whoever was watching him might not know that.
How long had they been there? Waiting for him to be alone, perhaps? At least they hadn’t gone after Hoshi— But who would be spying on him, on a strange planet he knew nothing of but peace and beauty?
He stood to confront the intruder, shifting his manner from calm lover to alert guardian.
“Who’s there?”
There was no response to his firmly projected challenge, so he stepped closer to the now-silent bush.
“I know you’re there. If you have an innocent reason for sneaking around, I’d like to—”
A woman climbed out from her hiding place, hands raised and eyes frightened.
Suliban.
Malcolm’s initial moment of fear was quickly tempered as he took stock of her.
Dressed in simple, worn clothes, nothing like the eye-catching bio-mimetic uniform Silik’s faction used.
Empty-handed, apparently unarmed— of course, that could all be a trick.
Still, he put his next question more softly.
“Who are you? Why were you hiding from me?”
And the stranger surprised him again, when a relieved smile transfigured her face.
“You— That voice— You’re human, aren’t you? From Enterprise? You were at the detention camp— in disguise, but I remembered when you spoke— I don’t suppose you’d recognise me. Asjeni. One of the inmates you freed. It feels like a miracle, meeting you again, when it was you who saved me the first time—”
Malcolm lifted a hand to brake the conversation.
“Are you saying you’re in some kind of trouble? I’m here on holiday, not as a Starfleet officer, but if you tell me what’s going on, there might be some way—”
“Not here. Someone else might see me— one of the people I thought you might be— We need somewhere safe to talk. Somewhere more private.”
It could have been a ruse to get him even more secluded, but something told him she was genuine, years of security instinct raising no warning signal.
“How about the woods outside town? They’re pretty out of the way, and there’s a place that ought to make a good hiding spot. If whoever you’re afraid of does show up, they’ll have their work cut out looking for you.”
Asjeni nodded, exhaling as though she hadn’t breathed freely for days.
“I felt sure I could trust you. There may still be a way to help the rest of my people— but I’ll explain when we’re safely out of town.”
They set out for the forest, Malcolm in the lead, both keeping an anxious eye out for unwanted fellow-travellers.
Asjeni explained as they walked, once the cover of the trees had fully enfolded them.
“When we cleared Tandaran space, I thought things could finally go back to normal. Attevagna was supposed to be a free system, but… my information was out of date. There’s been a change of government recently, and the new regime has close ties with the Tandarans, among its other oppressions.
“I ended up going underground, working to build an escape network for other people who want to get out… Well, until I was caught and imprisoned again.
“I spent months planning my escape, but when I finally got out, my contact wasn’t there to help me to safety — and then, I found you. If I can just talk to Enterprise, at least get away from here, I’m sure—”
Malcolm moistened his lips, searching for a response. What could he say to someone who clearly hoped for so much from him, without crushing a spirit that had already suffered enough?
Diplomacy wasn’t his job for a reason, and this called for more than just diplomacy… but with Hoshi not there, he’d have to do what he could.
“I’m afraid Enterprise is currently two days away, and out of comms range. It’ll be a while before either of us can talk to them.”
And was it really their place to interfere? Freeing that detention camp might have been the right thing, but he hadn’t forgotten the man who’d approached his captain in friendship only to try and enlist their aid for terrorism.
It wasn’t an experience he wanted to repeat.
Still… He did recognise Asjeni from the camp, now that he thought about it. She was telling that much truth, at least.
And if Enterprise hadn’t interfered then, she wouldn’t have been here now. Whether that made it their responsibility…
Or maybe he was asking the wrong question.
Enterprise wasn’t here, and he wasn’t here as its tactical officer.
Whatever decision he made, it would be Malcolm Reed’s responsibility alone, and if it were the wrong one…
Then Malcolm Reed would take the blame, not his crew, or captain, or planet.
And what Malcolm Reed wanted to do, had chosen as his career, was protect people.
He met her eyes authoritatively, watching their fear leave as quickly as it had returned when he spoke again.
“I might be able to help you, though. At least keep you hidden until my ship gets back, and then… We’ll decide how best to proceed.”
They reached the cabin, with its walls of strong wood that were nevertheless giving in to time and the elements — and its stone fireplace, artlessly sturdy to all appearances, which Hoshi had discovered the secret of in a crumbling journal in a dead language that still lay in the corner of a half-rotten shelf.
She’d dated the writing, from her brief study of Attevagnan history, at perhaps two centuries old. There was nothing left to indicate who’d once lived and been concealed here or why, even the rest of the journal filled with banalities presumably meant to throw less-voracious readers off the trail.
He caught up the book now, found the depression in the stone that was actually a trigger to swing it open over empty space, and laid out instructions as Asjeni cautiously descended to investigate.
“As far as I know, this place isn’t common knowledge; I only found it myself by chance. We should be able to talk safely here, and if anyone turns up, you know what to do.”
“Thank you.”
She climbed back out, apparently satisfied, and they sat on the floor to hold a conference, the cabin’s furniture being well past usable condition.
Three people were surveying the park, uniformed officers with the frilled ears, speckled foreheads, and white-streaked hair of Attevagnans.
Two were mid-rank police officers, the third — the chief of police, Commissioner Segnar.
An impressive figure, tall and straight-backed, middle-aged by Attevagnan standards and handsome by most species’.
One of the officers, finishing her circuit, reported to her commander.
“She’s not here.”
Segnar clasped his hands together, rhythmically beating them against the arm of the central bench as he spoke with a composure the action belied.
“Then we’ve missed her. She was here. Her accomplice… was in no condition to deceive me when I got the plan out of him.”
He cast his eyes around irritably.
“By now, she could be—”
And stopped, looking with more focus at the small waste receptacle near the bench.
Drew a pair of elegant but workmanlike gloves from his pocket.
Slipped one on.
Reached, mild distaste on his face, into the bin.
Removed a strip of yellow-brown, scute-like, organic material, and neatly dropped it into an evidence bag held out by the officer who’d stayed at his side.
“It’s the peel of an Earth fruit. I saw one in their ship’s dining area, when the captain kindly invited our highest officials to… ‘tour’ it.”
The man took in that knowledge as he sealed and packed away the bag.
“So our human guests were here.”
Segnar gave a short nod.
“Humans, who, as the Tandarans warned us, have Suliban sympathies. And now, we know why those ‘tourists’ from Enterprise came here. Asjeni must have contacted them somehow before the jailbreak.”
He looked to the woman officer.
“Do we know where our… guests are?”
She spoke quickly into a comms device, and reported with equal alacrity.
“The woman returned to her hotel room thirty minutes ago, and left again about ten minutes ago, heading back in this direction. The man wasn’t with her.”
The commissioner made a calculation.
“Asjeni couldn’t have reached this park earlier than twenty minutes ago, if she escaped the instant we lost surveillance on her cell and ran the whole way. It must have been the Lieutenant who met her here… He’s Enterprise’s tactical officer, the logical person to orchestrate such an operation. Perhaps his paramour wasn’t even aware of the plan, brought along only to give cover… Or perhaps not.”
He brought his hands together again, this time in a gesture of decision.
“Tarenen, wait here in concealment. Alette, get a search going for… Sato, but don’t alarm her. Whoever finds her will trail her, with any luck to a rendezvous with our gallant Lieutenant Reed and Asjeni’s whereabouts.
“If that fails… We’ll plan our next move then. I’ll await your reports at Headquarters.”
They went their ways.
Hoshi returned, more or less on time, to see nobody in the park.
Concern was her first reaction, but she tempered it.
The logical thing to do was pull out her communicator.
“Sato to Reed.”
Giggling internally at her over-formal instinct, when they were both firmly off the clock.
He replied seconds later.
“Hoshi! I’m sorry, you must be wondering… Meet me at the cabin. I’ll explain, I promise. I’m fine, it’s just that… Something came up. I’d rather tell you in person.”
The words only made her concern stronger, reassuring tone notwithstanding, but there was only one way to find out how warranted it was.
Her hand tensed around the small, square box she held as she left to follow his instruction, usually-sensitive hearing distracted by thoughts of things quite different than the soft footsteps carefully keeping their distance behind her.
At the cabin, Malcolm kept his promise.
Hoshi couldn’t help being dismayed at the turn their holiday had taken, couldn’t help, either, being glad for the opportunity to help someone in such need.
The best course of action, they decided, would be for Asjeni to remain hidden until Enterprise came to collect them, and the rest of the stay to proceed as normal; it wouldn’t do to be seen acting suspicious.
As they headed back towards the hotel, Hoshi debated whether to carry out the central part of her “normal” plans for the stay, under such changed circumstances…
If there was one thing she’d learned on Enterprise, it was that circumstances could always change. Waiting for “perfect” or “ready” could mean waiting forever.
She stopped at the edge of the woods, letting Malcolm notice and stop himself, savouring his questioning eyes with their cool grey amplified by the moonlight.
“Malcolm?”
She held out her hands, closed over the box, let him slowly open her fingers and remove it, felt an unaccustomed shake in his own hand as he realised what she was offering him…
“I… was planning on this happening in the garden, but… well, things are already going differently than we planned, and… I guess, maybe, there isn’t really such a thing as a ‘right moment’ for something like this. Not unless we take a moment, and decide for ourselves that it’s right.”
She put her hand over his again, opening the ring box for him.
“Malcolm Reed, you know that I love you. And I— would love to have you as my husband.”
His face moved silently, tongue slipping in and out in nervous silence.
He nodded, eyes still wide, and she knew that an attempt to speak would have shown her, again, the stammering (adorable) wreck her first advances had reduced him to a year ago.
She slipped one of the elegant platinum bands onto his finger, and his right hand explored, trembling, the understated diamond inlay outlining a figure on its surface.
He spoke, for the first time in… honestly, she hadn’t been keeping count.
“A dove?”
“It’s… what ‘colm’ means.”
She was suddenly bashful now, the two words enough to shake all her impulsive confidence.
“I know it’s not exactly the most ‘tactical officer’ design—”
“It’s beautiful.”
His voice was still shaking, but she knew he meant it.
He kissed her, as delicately as ever, while putting the other ring, with its intricate star design, on her own finger.
She loved him.
She…
She loved him.
When they arrived back at the hotel, she could still think of little else.
Segnar’s people went over the cabin as soon as the human visitors were safely away from it, but found nothing.
The only sign it might have hosted anything but a lovers’ tryst was recent ash in the fireplace, as though paper had recently been burned; but if it had, there were no traces left of that paper’s secrets.
So he planned his next move.
They took Malcolm from his hotel room before he’d even changed into his pyjamas, with a stun pistol that gave him no chance to fight or speak.
Half an hour later, Hoshi was woken by a courteous invitation to Attevagna’s police headquarters.
The reason wasn’t specified, but she got some inkling when she stopped by next door to tell her — fiancé —, and found no answer.