Phantasms

Title: Phantasms
Author: Dominatreks
Email: Dominatreks@aol.com
Rating: R
Code: M/S, A/S, others
Catagory: Angst
Summary: Do we really want what we think we do?
A/N: some sexual situations, implied slash. This was a challenge given to me, to write a story like 'Delusions', but from Hoshi's POV

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Find anything you desire?"

Startled by the interruption of the low, even voice, Hoshi glanced up from the trinkets spread out over a rough blanket on the sand to see a woman watching her from deep within one of the bazaar's tent. As the figure emerged from the shadowed interior, Hoshi could see the woman was of average height, with eyes the same shade of the nearby dunes and her hair covered with a flimsy scarf of riotous colors like all the Rotherian women wore that had passed the age of Enlightenment. And like all Rotherian women, she looked timeless; Hoshi couldn't tell if she was 36 or 76.

A nudge from Malcolm made Hoshi realize she had been staring, but before she could answer the woman nodded, still watching Hoshi intently. "You have. But it's out of reach. Or maybe you haven't tried? Reluctant? Why? Scared? Maybe."

The woman paused, taking a step closer. A cold flush went through Hoshi, and she wanted to shrink away from that intense, pale gaze, but felt rooted to the spot.

"I think," the woman continued slowly, "you haven't quite realized it yet. That is, your spleen knows but your mind doesn't."

"Spleen?" Malcolm muttered to Trip, his tone loaded with meaning, as the other man choked back a laugh. "If you're ready, Hoshi?" he added, a bit louder this time.

"Wait." Darting back into the tent, the woman came back out with a small, intricately carved box. Easing the lid off, she lifted a necklace of what appeared to be deep blue glass beads that sparkled in the bright suns.

"This will open your mind and let you see." The woman thrust it at Hoshi as the human just stood there, watching the necklace turn in the light. Finally Hoshi took it, letting the beads slide through her fingers, lost in the color.

"How much?" Trip asked, cynicism tugging at the corner of his mouth as he waited for the sure to be outrageous amount. The woman raked a dismissive glance over him, so like one of his great aunts, and the smirk quickly vanished from Trip's face.

"Two compries only. Not much for something that will show you what you most desire." That pale gaze never left Hoshi's face as the woman closed the box and slipped it deep into her caftan.

Nodding, Hoshi unzipped a side pocket with one hand and fished around, bringing out two of the smooth, rounded stone compries, each with a single black hash mark on it.

Deftly plucking them from Hoshi's hand, the woman tucked the money away as Hoshi slowly slipped the necklace over her head, unbuttoning her Henley enough to ease it under her shirt, against her skin. A glance passed between her and the woman, a secretive smile appearing on both of their faces.

"Hoshi?" Unease prickling its way down his spine, Malcolm's eyes flicked from his crewmate to the woman and back to see Hoshi now smiling at him at him like nothing had happened.

"Ready? Apparently forgetting about the woman and the necklace, Hoshi continued down the crowded bazaar lane.

Malcolm and Trip looked at each other, then at the guileless woman at the entrance to the tent. Trip shrugged, and unable to do anything but agree with his friend, Malcolm led him to catch up with Hoshi.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As the shuttle cleared Rotherian air space, Archer looked around the small craft at his crew. "Everyone have a good time?"

Travis nodded as he made a few minor adjustments to their approach, Enterprise looming ahead. "Sure did sir. Great place to pick up birthday presents."

"The food was fan-ta-stic," Trip said, patting his stomach as he stretched his legs out in front of him.

"You ate bloody well enough of it," Malcolm grumbled good-naturedly. "I'm surprised you don't have a stomach ache by now."

"Cast iron, Mal, cast iron." Patting his stomach again, Trip grinned at him smugly.

"I had a wonderful time." Cecelia Deschamps, head of the Xenobiology department, spoke up. "It was incredible to finally meet another species, especially one that wasn’t trying to kill us. I think the Naheb was very impressed with you, Jon."

Archer chuckled, smiling down warmly at the brunette sitting next to him. Malcolm and Trip's eyes met, the pair sharing another glance. The rumor mill had previously connected the Captain and the Lieutenant Commander a few times, seems like it was right for once.

"Hoshi?" Archer finally asked, looking toward his quiet linguist. "Did you have good time too?"

"Hmm?" Turning from the shuttle's window, Hoshi blinked a few times. Her thumb was running over her uniform, near the shoulder, right where the necklace would be, Malcolm realized.

"Yes, I did," she murmured, smiling vaguely before her attention was captured by the shuttle docking within Enterprise.

Archer frowned slightly, but soon forgot about her abstraction as the hatch was lifted and they began to disembark.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Five days later, brushing out her hair as she readied for bed, Hoshi's eye was caught by the necklace lying on the glass shelf, reflecting the overhead light of the bathroom. It was such a deep, translucent blue, almost glowing with an inner light… Hoshi laid her brush down and slipped the necklace over her head, the beads shifting sensuously against her skin as she walked into the cabin, turning out the lights. Sliding between the sheets she settled down to sleep, not noticing as her restless, dream tormented body crushed the beads to a powder through the night, the fine blue particles working their way into her skin.