Answers

A/N-Sorry for
the delay, but I had wrist surgery and I'm still recovering.

**'>*****

Chapter Four

--

Enterprise shook violently, and Hoshi clutched the side of the bio-bed so she
wouldn't fall. The com unit had been left on and she could hear everything that
was going on as orders and information were shouted across the bridge.

“It looks like
a Klingon ship, sir, but it's a configuration we haven’t seen before!” a
clipped British tone noed ted the captain as Jon walked onto the bridge and
barked, "Report!"

“Sir, we can't take another hit on the aft hull plating!” An urgent voice with
a southern accent shouted.

“Evacuate that area!" Jon commanded.

“Sir, we’re being hailed!”

“Surrender and prepare to be boarded! We claim your vessel for the honor of the
Klingon Empire! All of you will be shown mercy and be put to quick deaths,
especially the spy.”

Hoshi
recognized Bralx's voice and a snapshot of the specifications of a new Klingon
Bird of Prey played in her head. She just hoped he was on one of them.

“Doctor! Inform the armory to concentrate all phase cannon power on the Bird of
Prey's torpedo doors. They have a 4.6 second firing window, and need to fire as
soon as the door opens to release the next volley!” Hoshi shouted at Phlox as
she tried to get to a com unit. The Enterprise took another hit.

Phlox moved toward her to encourage her to lie down, but thought it prudent to
relay the message. He hit the com button, skipped all pleasantries and shouted
the instructions into the panel.

“Acknowledged,” the British tone responded.

Enterprise continued to groan and rock as she took another hit, then shuddered
violently as the shock wave from an explosion engulfed her.

“Status report!” Jon yelled.

Hoshi said a
silent prayer, hearing Jon's voice. He was okay.

“The Klingons have been destroyed, sir,” the voice with the British accent
sounded off.

“She took some bumps and bruises, sir, but nothing my teams can’t repair,” the
man with the southern drawl reported.

--

One Week Later

“You’re looking better, Lieutenant,” Captain Conners said with a smile, looking
at Hoshi as their debriefing session wound down.

“Thank you, sir.” Hoshi shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She had been
assigned to crew quarters awaiting transfer back to earth and had yet to feel
comfortable. “Sir, when is the transport going to arrive?”

“Didn't anyone tell you?” Captain Conners asked curiously. “You've been
reassigned to Enterprise. Admiral Forrest felt it best if you remained on
board, given your linguistic talents. You could continue your upgrades on the
UT software and run roughshod during first contact missions. I hope that isn’t
a problem.”

“No, sir. No problem,” Hoshi stated, feeling sick to her stomach and thinking
of living under Jon's command. A long-dormant dread stirred within her. Hoshi
turned the monitor off.

The door chime sounded, making her jump.

“Enter.”

“I’ve come to check on your progress, Lieutenant.” Phlox greeted her cheerily.
He and the steward were the only ones whom she had had contact with in the last
w a f a fact that had left her feeling disappointed.

Phlox took the obligatory scans of her and purred with contentment. “You know…
you are cleared for light exercise. Perhaps walking would do you good. Perhaps
you could have dinner in the mess. I hear some of the crew are anxious to meet
you.”

“Ok,” Hoshi agreed instantly, cabin fever making her skin crawl. Enterprise was
a big ship. She probably wouldn't run into Jon.

“I would be more than happy to dine with you. That way you don’t feel awkward,”
Phlox volunteered.

“That would be most appreciated,” Hoshi replied in his native tongue, earning a
wide grin from him.

“I haven’t spoken Denobulan since I arrived on Enterprise. This is a very
welcome surprise indeed. I look forward to our dinner.” Phlox left with a
bounce in his step.

--

Hoshi felt like all eyes were on her as she sat conversing with Phlox. Some
crewmen were polite and introduced themselves. Others went about their business
as though she were one of them. The doctor regaled Hoshi with anecdotes about
his adventures with the interspecies medical exchange and his wives and
children.

“Hey, Doc, how are those upgrades working for ya?”

Hoshi
recognized the southern drawl from the bridge.

“Just fine, Commander,” Phlox red and and offered a seat to the man standing
behind Hoshi. “Commander Tucker, this is our new communications officer, Lt.
Hoshi Sato.”

She turned in her seat and stared u the the engineer.

“Sorry, gotta
go. Nice meetin’ ya!”

Hoshi could hear the chill in his voice.

“That was quite odd. He is usually very amicable and sociable,” Phlox said in
puzzlement.

Hoshi shrugged her shoulders, knowing why she had been rebuffed.

--

Two weeks in
the Australian Outback with Jon, surviving recycled sweat and snake meat was
not Trip’s idea of a good time, but Jon was on top of the world. Two days out
he started talking about this girl he was dating. By day five he started
talking how all he had to do was convince her to marry him. Talk of marriage finally
got his attention as Trip sat across the fire with his mouth hanging open.

Trip never thought his buddy would fall that hard, especially seeing as he was
getting ready to ship out once his Enterprise was up and running. Trip had to
admit, he had never seen his friend so happy. Plus Jon wasn't breathing down
his neck all the time about Enterprise. Jon invited him to crash at his place
while he waited for transport to Jupiter Station. Besides, he wanted Trip to
meet Hoshi.

Trip would never forget the sound of Jon’s voice as he called out to Hoshi when
they got home. He would never forget the look on Jon’s face as his nd
nd
realized she was gone. There was no note, no message, and no trace of her in
his life. He took Jon out that night to drown his sorrows. He never spoke ill
of Hoshi in front of Jon, but he hated her for hurting his friend.

Trip didn’t know what to think now that Hoshi was on Enterprise. He undeum/od
Starfleet’s reasoning behind her assignment. The UT was on the fritz more than
it wasn't and her help was definitely welcome. But she had crushed Jon and
hadn’t looked back. He wasn’t the forgiving .
--

“Try that!” Trip yelled from underneath the UT console in Hoshi’s quarters.

Hoshi scanned some Vulcan text for translation. She knew Vulcan well and would
be able to tell if the UT was getting it right.

“Damn it to hell!” Hoshi heard a clatter and heard more cursing.

“Sir, are you okay?”

“Just fine, thanks,” Trip said with acid in his voice.

“Yo wel welcome,” Hoshi muttered with contempt.

“And just what the hell is your problem, princess?”

Hoshi bristled. “Permission to speak freely, sir?”

“By all means. Let’s get the air clear.” Trip wiped his hand on the pant leg of
his uniform and started collecting his tools.

“Ever since I arrived you have been barely civil to me. Do you have a problem
with me?” Hoshi asked.

“You’re damn right I got a problem with you. I was there when Jon got home and
you were nowhere to be found… no dear Jon note…no nothin’. You just left. You
were heartless. I guess you got you a piece and felt it was time to move on…”

“You know nothing about me! How dare you judge me! How dare you…” Hoshi got
hold of her temper and looked at her superior officer -- Jon’s friend. “Trust
me when I say this. He was better off out out me. He still is.” Hoshi walked
out, not caring where she was going. All she knew was that she had to get away
from there.

Trip stood there with his mouth hanging open. “Talk about the walking wounded.”

He didn’t know
what she meant about Jon being better off without her, but he could see the
hurt in her eyes, and hear the pain in hoiceoice and his hatred of her started
to thaw.

--

Hoshi was on full active duty now and Jon treated her like any other member of
the crew. They were invited to the surface by the Marlest government and the UT
was having a problem with their various dialects so Hoshi was asked to escort
Jon on the diplomatic mission.

As she sat behind him in the shuttlepod, Hoshi stared at the back of Jon’s
head, remembering what it was like to run her hands through his thick hair –
now peppered with a hint of gray. She looked away and made some adjustments to
her console, looking for something to do rather than stare at him. Not only had
he not approached her, but he had barely spoken to her. It was unnerving.

“We will be there in 15 minutes,” Jon stated flatly as he made adjustments to
their flight path. Just then the shuttle jolted and main power went offline.

--

Having little
light, Hoshi could barely see. After she got her bearings, she peered through
the darkness and saw Jon slumped over. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she crawled
over to him. “Shit! Jon, wake up! Wake up!” Hoshi shook him, undoing his
seatbelt and pulling him onto the floor.

“I’m ‘wake,” Jon groused, looking into her eyes. His hand cupped her face,
gently. “Still love you… never stopped.” His eyes closed and his body went
slack.

“Damn it, Jon. Wake up!” Hoshi yelled in desperation. She took his pulse and
relaxed. It was steady and his pupils were responsive. “I never stopped loving
you either,” she whispered.

Hoshi tried raising Enterprise, but a storm had moved in, the wind beginning to
buffet the shuttle back and forth. Cradling Jon's head in her lap, she brushed
a strand of hair from his forehead and placed a feather-light kiss there. She
leaned against the bulkhead and fell asleep.

--

He was tenderness personified as he pleasured her, tearing orgasmic moan
after orgasmic moan from her body. He whispered promises of the future and of love
to her, telling her how he wanted their little girl to look just like her.
Joy filled her heart. The future was filled with unlimited possibilities.

She heard her mother scream. “Murdering bitch. You should be punished! Punish
her!”

Jon’s eyes turned dark. “With pleasure.”

Her hands were bound and Jon was manhandling her. She panicked, fear rising in
her throat but she was unable to move or sm. “m. “I’m going to tear you apart,
whore!” He smiled as he thrust his cock inside her, ripping her to shreds. Her
hands were no longer behind her back but had knives thrust through them as Jon
pounded into her, his huge cock burning her wherever it touched her. She
screamed, begging for release, begging for her death.

--

“Hoshi! Hoshi! Shush, darling!” Jon shook her tenderly trying to release her
from the grips of her nightmare.

“re hre hurting me! Please stop,” Hoshi whimpered, opening her fearful eyes.
Her nightmare was soon forgotten as reality asserted itself. “Sir?”

Jon removed his hands from her shoulders quickly. He sat up and touched the
bandage on his forehead and winced.

“Enterprise to
Shuttlepod Two.” The static over the com was thick but the message was clear.
Their rescue was coming.

--

Those three words haunted him – I love you.

Whether they
were dream or reality, Jon did not know.

She permeated
his dreams – had done so ever since he had found her again.

Jon tossed his
ball against the wall harder. Having her on board was a self-imposed hell and
he had no one to blame but himself. He had requested her reassignment, listing
all the reasons she would be a valuable asset for Enterprise. Luckily, Admiral
Forrest had agreed and had approved the transfer, unaware of Jon’s true
motivation and feelings.

His thoughts
were filled with her daily, her touch, her taste, her smell, and the sound of
her laughter. He was in agony. He had to do something soon or he was going to
go crazy. Jon got dressed and went to the gym.

Jon paused when he walked into the gym and saw her, instinctively drawn to her
side. It was like watching years of longing dissolve, as though watching sand
melt away as the water from the ocean carried it away. He touched her hand, the
one that had been stabbed, and he immediately backed away, sanity and propriety
reasserting themselves.

Hoshi snatched his hand back, flattening his palm against her lips. The
movement spoke of desperation.

He pulled her
up and they kissed, their tongues mating as lovers do, creating sensual
friction. The only sound in the room emanated from them -- breathing, moans,
pants and gasps. Hands hastily divested each other of clothing as their
desperation spurred them closer.

Jon lay back
on the floor, letting her set her own pace and praying for her to hurry.

He didn’t have
to wait long and moaned as she straddled his hips and took his hardened sex in
her hand, sinking down slowly. His eyes rolled back into his head as the
sensation made his head swim.

“I dream of
you. I’ve loved you all along,” Jon gasped, feeling her tight sheath surround
him.

Jon reached forward, dipping his fingers within her folds and stroking the
swollen nub as Hoshi rocked back and forth.

Stilling on
top of him, Hoshi arched her back and made no sound as she came. The only
evidence she met her release was the expression on her face – half agony, half
bliss.

He shuddered
and spilled his seed inside her, feeling as though he were back in the past.

Cursing as she disengaged from him, Hoshi stood up and dressed, silently
berating herself up for hurting him again.

“Hoshi?” Confusion marred his expression.

She was walking out the door, but stopped and turned around. “Take a look at
the Washington News Herald stardate 2145, page 2 section B, and tell me you
love me then.”

*****