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Sighing as Jay entered the room where she was working, Hoshi growled “nuqneH” in her harshest Klingon accent.
“I beg your pardon, Ensign?” Jay asked, momentarily stunned.
“The Klingon equivalent to ‘hello’,” Hoshi explained. “Though a more literal translation would be ‘what do you want?’”
Clearing his throat, Jay asked, “why am I being greeted in Klingon?”
Hiding a smirk as she turned back to her screen, Hoshi said, “you’re interrupting again, Major. This would go a lot faster if you’d allow me to concentrate before the Klingons arrive.”
“I only came to ask how things were progressing,” Jay said, brows furrowing slightly.
“Something you asked less than an hour ago,” Hoshi said, not hiding the frustration in her tone. “Klingons don’t have words for please or thank you, so do I need to tell you how impolite their equivalent to ‘please go away’ would be?”
Mercifully the MACO left without another word, and she returned her full attention to the task at hand.
“What now?!” Hoshi grumbled when the door opened again half an hour later.
“Lunch,” Janelle said, taking the seat to her left and wafting a bowl of pasta under her nose.
Sitting to Hoshi’s right, Liz’s tone was teasing as she added, “friends’ orders - for whatever those are worth when you’re the one in charge.”
Turning her chair, Travis grinned as he joined them. “You’re not you when you’re hungry. So eat something before you stab Hayes with a bat’leth.”
“Be easier to stab him with a d’k tahg,” Hoshi said, taking the bowl gratefully. “Bat’leths and mek’leths are better suited to slashing attacks.”
“Well, before you slit him from navel to nose,” Janelle said as she passed over a fork, “eat.”
Shovelling pasta into her mouth with gusto, Hoshi didn’t reply for a few minutes. When at last she paused for breath, she said, “thanks, you three. I hadn’t realised-”
Interrupting, Travis grinned and said, “how grouchy you were getting? Hayes noticed.”
“He’s really not that bad if you give him a chance,” Liz said gently.
“The last time I was hounded this incessantly for results we were racing to stop the Xindi from destroying Earth,” Hoshi muttered. “Which I can forgive when the entire planet is at stake, but this…”
Travis nodded, handing over a bottle filled with chilled water. “I can see how it’d be irritating.”
Giving Hoshi’s shoulder a squeeze, Janelle said, “must be nice to be so highly valued though. Any decent engineer could do what I’m here to do.”
“And yet Trip chose you,” Liz said with a knowing look. “Just as Commander T’Pol chose me. We’re the right people for this mission, in part because we work so well together - not only for our individual areas of expertise.”
“You’re starting to sound like her,” Hoshi said with an amused smirk.
Arching a brow in a fair imitation, Liz said, “it’s only logical to nourish your body, so that your mind may function at its best.”
Laughing, Janelle nodded. “Oh, that’s very her. Now as for Trip,” she winked as she imitated his accent, “keep your shirt on, Major - Hoshi will let us know when she’s ready.”
“I wonder how the away team are doing,” Trip said in the captain’s mess the following evening.
“I’m certain they are performing admirably,” T’Pol said, looking up from her plate of vegetarian lasagne.
Frowning slightly as he looked at Jon, Trip asked, “why exactly was Hayes sent with them, rather than someone from security?”
Swallowing a mouthful, Jon said, “Hoshi’s in charge of the mission. Anyone from security would have outranked her.”
“Ah, using the MACO-Fleeter divide to best advantage,” Trip chuckled. “Hayes doesn’t outrank her because it’s a separate command structure.”
“Exactly,” Jon said with a smile, tucking back into his meal.
Giving Trip a knowing smirk, T’Pol said, “apples and oranges may become quite complementary, given sufficient opportunity to grow together.”
With a quiet chuckle, Trip nodded. “Especially if the apple joins the oranges. Which I’m betting the MACOs will at some point, like you did.”
“What’s with the fruit metaphors?” Jon asked, obviously confused.
“Our first argument,” Trip grinned. “You were out of action after being shot, T’Pol and I were in decon. She said her Vulcan rank superseded mine, I said it was apples and oranges.”
Giving Trip a curious look, Jon said, “you remember your first argument?”
Shrugging, Trip grinned as he said, “I remember plenty of firsts between me and T’Pol.”
“I don’t want to know,” Jon said, shaking his head quickly.
“Nor do I wish for you to know,” T’Pol said archly, giving Trip a very married look.
“Admiral,” Soval said, rising from his desk as Maxwell was ushered through. “I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”
“Nor was I,” Maxwell said, taking the seat opposite. “I just received word from Enterprise.”
With a sigh, Soval resumed his seat and said, “Ensign Sato has been unsuccessful with the Klingon representative?”
Shaking his head with a smile, Maxwell said, “the opposite. She was a little too efficient at sweet-talking them. They want her to mediate a renegotiation of your entire treaty with them, given your change in government. Apparently she understands their language in a way that your people never have, and they appreciate that more than anyone anticipated.”
“They wish for Ensign Sato to act as mediator between the Klingon Empire and Vulcan?” Soval said, obviously stunned.
“According to the communique I just received,” Maxwell said with a nod. “From my understanding of things, you should be getting a notification through official channels soon, but given she’s Starfleet…”
Nodding thoughtfully, Soval said, “such requests require your approval. Which it would seem you have granted.”
Shrugging, Maxwell said, “if we can help to make the galaxy a little friendlier just by facilitating a conversation, I’m not inclined to say ‘no’.”
“What guarantee do we have that the Klingons will deal fairly in this renegotiation?” Soval asked, obviously concerned by the unexpected development.
“Ensign Sato knows how to phrase the insinuation that they’re unworthy of the Klingon afterlife, and the tone in which it sounds most effective,” Maxwell chuckled. “Apparently it’s an even graver insult than telling someone to go to hell.”
Arching a brow, Soval said, “it is indeed. It had not occurred to me that such usage may be beneficial rather than detrimental in negotiations.”
Smiling at the realisation, Maxwell said, “you negotiated the current treaty.”
“It seems I must negotiate the next with Ensign Sato’s assistance,” Soval said, doing a reasonable job of hiding the extent of his surprise. “Fortunately, her Vulcan is flawless.”
Beside T’Pol was undoubtedly Trip’s favourite place to wake of a morning, though he rarely had the opportunity given how early she typically rose.
“Mornin’, darlin’,” he murmured with a delighted smile when he discovered her at his side two days later.
“Good morning,” she replied softly. Though she didn’t smile, her expression was undoubtedly fond.
Shifting to kiss her cheek, Trip smiled again. “Did I wake up early, or are you having a bit of a lie-in?”
Touching her fingers to his, T’Pol said, “a little of each. There are approximately twenty minutes until your alarm.”
“Well, getting to wake up with you beside me is worth losing twenty minutes sleep every once in a while,” Trip murmured, his smile broadening.
“Do you find it particularly pleasant to wake beside me?” T’Pol asked, surprised.
Nodding, Trip said, “I’ve got the prettiest, smartest, most logical wife in Starfleet. Getting to wake up beside you is my favourite way to start the day.”
Arching a brow, T’Pol asked, “have you met the spouse of every Starfleet officer?”
“Well no, but I don’t need to in order to know I got the best one,” Trip said with a grin. “Maybe if Hoshi ever gets married you’ll have competition for the title, but until then…”
“You hold Ensign Sato in such high regard?” T’Pol queried.
Chuckling, Trip said, “she led one away mission, and the Klingons have asked her to mediate an overhaul of the entire treaty between their Empire and Vulcan’s reformed government. So yeah, I’d say she could rival you for best wife in Starfleet if she ever decides someone’s worth marrying. I got exactly the one I want though.”
Brow raised again, T’Pol teased, “you do not wish to trade me for a younger, more Human model?”
“Not in this lifetime,” Trip replied, wriggling closer to wrap an arm around her. “And as a percentage of life expectancy, you’re effectively younger than me anyway,” he added before proceeding to kiss her.
“Ensign, do you have a moment?” Jay asked on the final day of the away mission.
“I do as long as you’re quick about it,” Hoshi said with a smile. “How can I help, Major?”
Taking the seat opposite, Jay said, “I wanted to discuss our misunderstanding at the start of the mission.”
Brows rising, Hoshi said, “the part where your interruptions actually made it harder for me to be prepared in time?”
“I discussed it with the remainder of the away team, and they’re of the opinion that I was fortunate not to be shot with your phase pistol,” Jay said, then hesitated for a moment before continuing. “They agreed you’d have set it to stun rather than kill, but that’s small comfort when it comes to cohesive teamwork.”
“Cohesive teamwork relies on people trusting each other to do their jobs to the best of their ability,” Hoshi said firmly. “The captain forcing me to keep working when the continued existence of Humanity was at stake was necessary and understandable. Your constant check-ins during a peaceful away mission were more of a hindrance than anything else.”
Nodding slowly, Jay said, “I see that now. Perhaps it would have been better for a member of the security team to accompany you.”
Smiling as she shook her head, Hoshi said, “any of the team who can be sent without a more senior officer all outrank me. The whole point was for me to lead the mission. I was under the impression that Captain Archer had explained that to you.”
“He did,” Jay said thoughtfully. “Even so, I can’t help but think that a member of Starfleet would have left well enough alone.”
“We all have areas where we can stand to improve, Major,” Hoshi said with another smile. “Learning when to sit back and let people work may be one of yours.”
“Hoshi Sato, total badass,” Travis said with a grin as he threw an arm over her shoulders in decon. “How does it feel to know the Klingons love you?”
Laughing, Hoshi leaned into the one-armed hug and said, “it feels like maybe my temper can be useful after all.”
Sitting opposite, Janelle said, “of course your temper can be useful. Not everyone is as placid as the Vulcans.”
“I don’t think the Vulcans are anywhere near as placid as the outward impression they give,” Liz said carefully. “Logic is just the cage they employ to keep themselves contained on a daily basis.”
“Do you believe Commander T’Pol would be particularly impulsive without the restraint of Vulcan logic?” Jay asked.
Chuckling quietly, Travis nodded. “You didn’t see her when we first launched. If looks could kill, Trip and the captain would both be dead a dozen times over.”
Nodding, Liz said, “there was also that time with the Vulcan ship, in the Expanse.”
“The Seleya?” Jay asked.
“That’s the one,” Travis said. “From what I was told, she was screaming blue murder when they got her back to sickbay, given the effects of trellium poisoning.”
Offering a small smile, Liz nodded. “Commander T’Pol also lost control about a year prior to that when exposed to an alien pathogen. I had to assist Doctor Phlox in her treatment as they both required decontamination at the time.”
Looking thoughtful, Hoshi said, “maybe I’m a little more Vulcan than I’d realised.”
“An outward façade of calm, but ready to throw hands with sufficient provocation?” Janelle teased.
“Something like that,” Hoshi grinned.
With a quiet chuckle, Jay said, “after seeing a hint of your temper, I’d appreciate if you only unleash it during training sessions, or in actual combat.”
Leaning forward, Hoshi winked as she said, “I promise to only hit you when I won’t face a court-martial for doing so.”
Hoshi’s door chime rang later that evening, and she called a cheerful, “come in!”
“Hey,” Travis said with a grin. “You up for a visitor?”
“I am if the visitor is you,” Hoshi replied. “Make yourself at home.”
Taking a seat at the foot of the bed, Travis watched as she brushed her hair. “Has the captain heard back from the Vulcans yet?”
Hoshi leaned back against her desk and nodded. “Ambassador Soval is coordinating with Starfleet to organise a time for the negotiations to go ahead. It might take a while to set up, but once they do…”
“You’ll be the one facilitating it,” Travis said with a proud smile, then sobered slightly. “On the subject of speaking with Vulcans, I was wondering if you’d teach a class. It’s really not fair that you, Phlox, and Trip are the only three who’d understand anything T’Pol says if she loses control and the translator fails.”
“I offered, years ago,” Hoshi said softly. “She and the captain said it wasn’t necessary.”
Frowning, Travis said, “well I say you should teach us anyway. If you’re willing to give up some of your off-duty hours, I promise we’d make it worth your while.”
With a nod, Hoshi smiled and said, “sure. And if it happens to get back to the captain, and he happens to make it official, so much the better.”
“Janelle could mention it in engineering while Trip’s in earshot,” Travis suggested with a grin. “You know, just putting out feelers to see who might be interested.”
“She could,” Hoshi said with a smirk. “And Liz could mention it in the science labs.”
Grinning, Travis said, “and wouldn’t it be a shame if I talk about it just a little too loudly in the mess hall or sickbay…”
Pressing the back of one hand to her forehead dramatically, Hoshi said, “the captain himself might overhear you!”
It took very little time for most of the crew to sign up, and a week or so later the lessons became officially scheduled rather than off-duty, as Jon joined them.
“I’m sorry I never gave the go-ahead for this when you first offered,” he said at the end of his third lesson. “I really should have done.”
“Yes, sir,” Hoshi agreed. “You should.”
Chuckling, Jon said, “better late than never, right?”
With a shrug, Hoshi said, “I suppose so.”
“Lessons will have to go on hiatus when you mediate for the Klingons,” Jon said thoughtfully.
“T’Pol’s already agreed to substitute,” Hoshi said with a grin. “You’ll being going full immersion with her!”
Grimacing, Jon asked, “is that really necessary?”
Nodding firmly, Hoshi said, “yes, sir. It is.”