Work Text:
“Go! Shoo! Scram! Get out! Sod off!” Hoshi said, laughing as she pushed lightly at Travis, Malcolm, Trip, Shran, and the captain.
“Oi!” Trip said, shaking with his own laughter. “Is that any way to talk to your superior officers?!”
Hoshi grinned. “This is shore leave, the only orders I’ll be taking are to the bar. Now begone! This is girls day, so unless you want to be tickled until you squeal like one, you need to leave!”
“Does anyone get the impression we’re not wanted?” Malcolm asked, chuckling.
“Quite,” Shran said with smirk.
Talas gave Shran a look. “We love you, now go climb a mountain or something.”
Jhamel nodded, giving Shran a kiss on the cheek. “Perhaps your absence will increase the fondness in our hearts for you.”
Trip glanced at T’Pol, and she tilted her head thoughtfully. “It may be pleasant to relax separately. Perhaps it will provide a topic of later conversation.”
Travis grinned. “I can’t speak for the rest of you, but I’m not stupid enough to stick around for the tickle monster. We should get going.”
Jon shook his head, smiling. “Come on Porthos, we boys aren’t welcome right now.”
Hoshi sighed “finally!” as the menfolk departed, twirling in place with a delighted grin.
“Why was it essential to separate the men from the women?” Jhamel asked inquisitively.
Shrugging slightly, Hoshi explained. “Something different, mostly. We spend so much of our lives sharing each other’s company, I thought it would be nice to focus on us for a change.”
“Are we going to paint our nails and braid each other’s hair?” Talas asked sceptically.
Hoshi laughed. “We can if you want to, but I was thinking we could go to the complex downstairs with a bowling alley, indoor putt-putt course, and laser tag. We could also watch a movie that Trip had no say in the selection of, for a change!”
“You don’t wish to go outdoors?” T’Pol queried.
“Not today - I wanted to give Talas and Jhamel a chance to adjust to the climate where we can control it a bit first,” Hoshi answered.
Jhamel smiled. “Thank you for considering our comfort. I was rather hesitant about coming to such a warm and sunny place for shore leave.”
Placing a hand gently on Jhamel’s arm, Hoshi smiled. “It’s winter in Brisbane at the moment, so the temperature isn’t likely to get much above twenty-five Celsius. I’d never bring you here in summer, though T’Pol might enjoy it.”
“I was informed that this was to be a ‘summer vacation’ for your crew,” Talas said.
“It was!” Hoshi said with a nod. “And then the captain invited you along, and I adapted the plan to account for that.”
Jhamel’s antennae twitched as she asked, “what made you select Brisbane?”
“Several things,” Hoshi replied. “It’s warm enough to be pleasant for all of our crew, yet not so hot as to harm you. It’s actually warmer here in winter than it is during summer in some parts of the world. The latitude gives it a comfortable day length which won’t disrupt our sleep cycles. There’s a wide variety of things to do here, with even more in the surrounding region. There are beaches, mountains, forests, and farmland, for those who prefer to be outdoors. Libraries, museums, art galleries, theatres and concert halls with live performances of all kinds for those who enjoy cultural engagement. Amusement parks with rides and other attractions, complexes like the one downstairs with other forms of indoor entertainment - there’s a fantastic variety of ways to spend both the days and the nights.”
Talas raised a brow as her antennae twitched in interest. “It seems you went to a great deal of trouble in finding a suitable location.”
Hoshi shrugged. “It’s all in the database, it was pretty easy, really.”
“All the same, your thoughtfulness is appreciated,” T’Pol said. “What would you suggest we attempt first?”
“Ten-pin bowling,” Hoshi answered enthusiastically. “I had an idea about making it fairer on Jhamel…”
Explaining that she’d acquired blindfolds for T’Pol, Talas, and herself, the idea was to raise the rubber bumpers often used by children and beginners, have another of the group point them in the right direction, and all play without seeing what they were doing.
Jhamel smiled. “That sounds like a lot of fun! I may even hold an advantage.”
Though the game was a great deal of fun for all four ladies, Jhamel’s advantage in being accustomed to a lack of sight was not enough to compensate for Talas’s fiercely competitive nature and finely-honed sense of aim. The clear victor, she danced around ostentatiously in triumph, before giving Jhamel a kiss on the cheek.
“Well done my love! Your score was only slightly lower than Hoshi’s, you should feel proud!”
“Perhaps I shall do a little better with one of the other games,” she mused.
Talas put an arm around the smaller woman, giving her a gentle squeeze. “Let’s take a break for some food before we attempt them.”
T’Pol nodded. “A wise suggestion.”
With fries, vegetarian pizza, and glasses of freshly blended fruit juice before them, they sat comfortably on lounges, chatting amicably between mouthfuls.
“Did I hear correctly that yourself and Commander Tucker are making another attempt at a romantic relationship?” Talas asked T’Pol.
T’Pol looked up from her pizza, swallowing before answering. “That is accurate, yes.”
“Third time’s the charm, maybe?” Talas suggested.
“That is the hope. How did you hear of that?” T’Pol asked.
Talas grinned. “Shran stays up-to-date on all the Enterprise gossip, and then informs us of the most juicy details. He really is quite terrible at keeping anything secret, you should never tell him anything you don’t want widely circulated, unless he’s under orders to maintain your privacy.”
T’Pol arched a brow. “I shall keep that in mind.”
“And what about yourself, Hoshi? Anything happening between you and Malcolm yet?” Talas continued.
Hoshi almost choked on her juice, spluttering slightly. “I beg your pardon?!”
“Malcolm is an enthusiastic and thoughtful lover, equipped with both skill and proportion, making him a most enjoyable partner. You would be wise to pursue him,” Talas said before taking a large bite of pizza.
Gaping, Hoshi was rendered speechless for some time before finally regaining sufficient brain power to form a response. “What on Earth has Shran said about Malcolm and I?!”
Talas grinned. “Nothing at all. I’m simply observant, and it’s been apparent for years that the two of you are attracted to one another.”
“Uhhh…” Hoshi said intelligently.
Jhamel rested a hand on Talas’s arm. “My love, perhaps this conversation had best veer in another direction.”
Shaking her head, Talas disagreed. “No! It’s high time they get together, and if Malcolm refuses to make a move due to his ridiculous sense of propriety regarding their difference in rank, then it’s up to Hoshi to stake her claim.”
Hoshi sat quietly nibbling at a fry, contemplation creating a divot in her forehead, until at last she looked at Talas.
“How do you know all that about Malcolm?” she asked.
“We were intimate after making repairs to your weapons systems. Has he never mentioned it?” Talas responded.
Shaking her head, Hoshi let out a quiet chuckle. “No, he’s very discreet. I’d never have guessed, if you hadn’t said anything about it.”
“Add it to his list of admirable qualities then,” Talas said with a grin. “Along with the most gorgeous arms I’ve ever seen on a pinkskin.”
Hoshi laughed, nodding. “I can certainly agree with you on that much. Did he roll his sleeves to the elbows while you were working together?”
Talas nodded, reminiscing. “I’ve never known that alone to be such a temptation.”
T’Pol was blushing faintly, her attention laser-focused on cutting a slice of pizza into precisely even bite-sized portions. Jhamel’s antennae twitched, a small smile on her face as her bond-mate continued to discuss the many virtues of Malcolm Reed.
Pizza and fries finished, T’Pol sipped at the dregs in her glass before clearing her throat.
“Shall we proceed to either laser tag or putt-putt?” she asked.
“I think I would like to try laser tag next, if that’s alright with the three of you,” Jhamel answered.
Talas stood, grinning. “Let’s go shoot each other!”
It was decided that the ladies would walk around the area together to become accustomed to their field of battle, before donning their blindfolds once more in a bid to level the playing field for Jhamel. They described the layout as they walked, including rises, dips, walls, and bridges, helping the Aenar to become familiar with the space. Once again, Talas exhibited an uncanny ability to aim without being able to see her target, and was the victor - Hoshi trailing slightly behind her, T’Pol behind Hoshi, and Jhamel scoring only two hits fewer than T’Pol.
After a shorter rest break for drinks and bathroom visits, they moved on to putt-putt - opting to do nine holes of the mini-golf course rather than eighteen or twenty-seven. Once again they walked the course, describing things in detail to Jhamel as they went. As they came to play each of the elaborately themed areas, they stood at the tee-off position before donning blindfolds. With a hole-in-one each and every time, Jhamel was the unequivocal winner - Hoshi only trailing slightly behind with eight holes-in-one and the remaining shot below par. Talas was the surprise loser of the game, trailing significantly behind third-placed T’Pol, but her delight at Jhamel’s win overcame any disappointment she held for herself.
“Could we take a break for dinner?” Jhamel asked, after accepting a small plastic trophy from the staff member.
“The burger place next door looks pretty good,” Hoshi suggested. “They have a vegetarian range,” she added for T’Pol’s benefit.
T’Pol nodded. “I’m willing to give it a try, if it appeals to Jhamel and Talas.”
“We could look at what they have, at least,” Jhamel agreed.
Talas nodded. “It smells tasty. I’m game if you are.”
Taking a thorough look at the menu, Hoshi selected a burger with lamb, Talas with beef, and Jhamel with chicken, while T’Pol opted for a vegetarian burger and avocado fries.
“So when are you telling Malcolm how you feel?” Talas asked as she licked tomato relish from her fingers.
Hoshi blushed. “Do you really think I should?”
“Yes!” came a chorus from all sides, and Hoshi looked at T’Pol in surprise.
The Vulcan gave her a serious look. “You are not in the same direct line of command, it would not breach regulations. It has been obvious for quite some time that you are fond of each other, and in my admittedly limited experience, friendship is an excellent basis for a romantic partnership. I would not be making another attempt with Trip if that were not the case.”
Jhamel nodded, the softly spoken woman adding her agreement. “Romantic entanglements are strengthened by an established trust at their core. His skills as a lover and appealing arms notwithstanding, the bond you already share is a far more solid foundation for such a union than many possess.”
Smiling, Hoshi nodded. “You all make good points. I’ll… I’ll think about it.”
Dinner concluded, Talas pointed to a sign outside the complex with the bowling, laser tag, and putt-putt. “What’s the k-word?”
Hoshi grinned. “Karaoke - singing along with the music track of songs you select, with the words displayed on a screen. Most modern places have tactile support for vision impaired people, we should be able to request that for Jhamel, if you’re interested?”
Jhamel smiled. “That sounds like fun, and you won’t need your blindfolds.”
The four women walked back into the complex, booking a private karaoke room for their use, and a tactile PADD for Jhamel. The room held comfortable lounges, a table with a jug of chilled water and four tumblers, a set of microphones, and a sound system with a large screen which displayed videos to accompany the music and lyrics.
Opting for upbeat tracks performed by women, they spent almost an hour singing together, before emerging once more from the complex.
“I believe we were promised a movie selected by someone other than Trip,” T’Pol said with a smirk.
Hoshi laughed. “There’s a cinema the next street over, we could go for a walk and see what they’re offering?”
As luck would have it, a classic movie of female friendship was showing daily - the film about a trio of middle-aged women who united to defeat their philandering husbands after the death of an old friend. Ending with a song of empowerment, it left the audience smiling, and they crossed the street heading back to the hotel arm-in-arm.
The timing of their arrival coincided with the return of Porthos, Jon, Shran, Trip, Malcolm, and Travis, and Hoshi was pushed in Malcolm’s direction with little attempt at subtlety.
“Gooooood luuuuuuuck!” Talas called, and Hoshi shot her a look which silently screamed ‘shut up!’ before smiling at Malcolm.
“Could we talk for a bit?” she asked.
Clearly surprised, the tactical officer nodded, swallowing hard before saying, “uh, sure.”
Trip and Travis gave him knowing pats on the back, calling “see you later!” as the rest of the group headed for the lifts up to their suites.
Finding a private booth in a corner of the hotel’s bar area, Hoshi ordered a fruity mocktail, and Malcolm followed suit.
“What did you want to talk about?” Malcolm asked, after the server had brought their drinks to the table.
Taking a sip, Hoshi let out a shaky breath. “Us.”
“Us?” Malcolm repeated quietly, studying Hoshi’s face for any further clues as to what she might mean.
Licking her lips, Hoshi reached out to lift Malcolm’s hand from where it rested on the table, holding it in her own. “Us,” she said more firmly. “And the possibility of pursuing a romantic relationship.”
“Together?” Malcolm asked, scarcely daring to breathe.
Hoshi chuckled quietly. “No, with Porthos and Batty.”
Malcolm scoffed, and she gave a soft smile. “Yes, together - if that’s something you’d like as much as I would.”
Turning his hand to lift Hoshi’s to his lips, he kissed the back of it, eyes sparkling with delight. “I’d like nothing better.”
DeadheadDaisy (SGC247) Sat 06 Sep 2025 04:05PM UTC
Comment Actions
Anonymous Creator Sat 06 Sep 2025 04:32PM UTC
Comment Actions