New Fic: Unexpected Revelation
Title: Unexpected Revelation
Author: Olli
Beta: rikkurd
Fandom: Star Trek: Enterprise
Pairing: T’Pol, Hoshi Sato
Rating: PG-13
Category: femslash, first time
Archive: Passion & Perfection
Summary: Things that could happen...
Feedback: Yes, please.
Disclaimer: No profit is intended in the writing of this story. Star Trek: Enterprise and its characters are the property of Paramount and Viacom.
T’Pol lay in a bed in sickbay and tried to meditate to handle the most embarrassing moment of her life. Because she didn’t show her emotions it didn’t mean she hadn't any. As a Vulcan she had learned to control her emotions and to suppress them if needed. After all, she was a living being. And the reason for her embarrassment was a seizure of Pon Farr. A virus she had been exposed to on a Minshara-class planet, not yet catalogued, had triggered this Pon Farr. Since it was not a regular Pon Farr it had not last for several days but only for a few hours until the doctor had removed the virus from her body.
Back on board the USS Enterprise she had been in the decon chamber with doctor Phlox, who had been exposed to the virus as well, but had reacted in a far different way. Since the human members of the away team showed a natural immunity against the virus; Phlox decided that he and T’Pol should return to the ship. The Vulcan had piloted the shuttle back to orbit while feeling the symptoms of the infection: The heat building up in her body; her hands shaking; the urge; the need; the want for... She couldn’t concentrate but was able to land the shuttle. Finally it broke through and she had managed to escape from the decon chamber.
After that everything was in a blur. She could barely remember running through the ship’s corridors in her undergarment searching desperately for the one who could give her release. However, there was one crystal-clear memory she could remember exactly: She had been able to get to the one person she wanted, the one person she needed and who would make her feel better...
After that, there had been nothing but darkness until she awoke here; and the first person she saw was the doctor fussing over her. He had explained to her that Lieutenant Reed had stunned her when he found her attacking Ensign Sato. She demanded to be released from sickbay immediately. She didn’t want to face anyone. But, the doctor had refused to release her until her hormones and body-chemistry were back to normal conditions. She was thankful that no one besides the doctor knew about the sexual nature of her seizure. The rest of the crew thought she had suffered through some kind of mental-health problem triggered by an unknown virus.
Phlox finally erected a privacy screen around her bed and left her alone.
Using one of the physical methods of meditation available to her, T’Pol began to slow and steady her breathing, hoping to achieve a state of deep meditation. After a few moments T’Pol released her breath in an annoyed huff. It wasn’t working. Still she hoped she would get some sleep and be allowed to return to her quarters in the morning.
*****
Phlox sat at his desk trying to figure out how to write a report for the captain that wouldn’t put the sub-commander in an embarrassing situation. The whole truth about T’Pol’s medical condition was already locked away in his medical logs never to be seen by anyone but himself. The sexual aspect of the sub-commander’s illness had surprised him. It was another new and interesting aspect about Vulcans he had not known about until this moment. It was clear to him that Vulcans must reproduce the same way most of the other species do. Nevertheless, about the details they were much more secretive.
While it was certainly fascinating, he knew he had to respect the wishes of his patient and he figured that T’Pol would not easily discuss this subject. Still the scientist in him would love to conduct just a little clinical research on Vulcan sexuality. Maybe in a few days, when the sub-commander had a chance to recover more fully, he would ask her about it. After all T’Pol was a scientist, she should understand his curiosity.
He was just closing the file as the door to sickbay whooshed open and caused him to look up. Involuntarily he smiled because he had heard T’Pol muttering in her semiconscious state as she had recovered from being stunned. He hadn’t understood much because the sub-commander had spoken in Vulcan, but there had been one name she had repeated more than a few times.
“Doctor,” the visitor greeted him.
“Ensign.”
“How is she?”
“You have nothing to worry about. The sub-commander will make a complete recovery,” the Doctor replied.
The sigh of relief from the human caused him to smile again. This would make for another interesting piece of scientific research, he thought. As far as he knew this could be the first known Vulcan/Human relationship.
Shyly, Hoshi looked over at the privacy screen at the other end of the sickbay. “Can I talk to her?” she asked.
“If she’s awake. And just for the record, there is nothing in the records about the two of you. What I heard will never be repeated to anyone,” the doctor added smiling.
“Huh?” Hoshi blinked in confusion at the doctor.
“I would also like to say that I think it’s a shame that the two of you hide it.”
Finally the pieces felt into place and Hoshi’s eyes widened as she finally understood Phlox’ hint. “But... but we are not... I mean... there is nothing...,” she stammered embarrassed.
The Denobulan looked sceptically at her. “No? But I thought...”
“Why would you think that?” Hoshi inquired.
“Because of the way the sub-commander called out your name as I was treating her. I couldn't understand her since she was speaking in Vulcan but it certainly sounded like she was talking about you. Or maybe, as if she was talking to you...” He smiled encouragingly.
“Uhm... Well... Then you know more than I do. Perhaps you could give us some time to talk privately?”
Smiling the doctor nodded. “Of course.”
Hoshi left the doctor and crossed the room over to where the privacy screen surrounded T’Pol’s bed. Carefully she poked her head around the curtain to see if the Vulcan was awake.
“Sub-Commander?” she queried stepping beside the bed.
“Ensign.” T’Pol looked at the human. If any other crewmember had visited her, she would have sent them away, but Hoshi was the one person aboard whose presence could not disturb her under any circumstance.
“How are you?”
“I need some rest.”
Awkwardly, Hoshi looked around as she tried to gather enough courage to talk to T’Pol about the events in the corridor. After all, T’Pol hadn’t sent her away immediately. “Do you remember what happened?”
“My memories of the events that transpired after we returned to the ship are not very clear.”
Involuntarily, Hoshi smiled about the Vulcan’s lengthy explanation. “I was walking through one of the corridors near the decon-chamber when the alarm went off. You rushed around a corner...” Hoshi’s voice trailed off and her smile fadded. “You didn’t look well... so to say.” It was an understatement because never before Hoshi had seen the Vulcan in such a condition: the sweat on T’Pol’s forehead, the clenched teeth, and most distressing, the mix of desperation and ferocity in the sub-commanders expression. She was only shortly able to wonder what could have put the elsewise so calm and controlled Vulcan in such a state. Hoshi looked at T’Pol fidgeting with her hands. “You reminded me of a predator stalking its prey.”
“I’m sorry, ensign. I never meant to scare you,” T’Pol said and looked back at the ceiling. Suddenly she had a sick feeling. Of all people aboard Enterprise, Hoshi was the last one she wanted to frighten. “Perhaps, it would be better if you leave me alone. I should rest,” the Vulcan said quietly.
Hoshi decided to ignore this comment. “I’ve seen pictures of some of the predators on Vulcan. But I don’t think you’re bulky enough to match a Sehlat,” Hoshi said smiling trying to lift the mood.
“Ensign, please. I think I should be alone.” Jokes were the last thing the Vulcan wanted to hear right now.
“Right. Well, I think we have a few things we should talk about,” Hoshi insisted.
“If I have to give you an order to get you to leave I can do so.”
“Then you don’t want to know what happened in the corridor after you tackled me to the floor and before Lieutenant Reed stunned you?”
“It is enough that I know that I attacked you. I am just glad that I did not hurt you.”
“And you spoke to me,” Hoshi said quietly. She couldn’t see any facial reaction from T’Pol but she saw her swallowing. “And since I am the only other person aboard who speaks Vulcan fluently I understood every word you said.”
T’Pol’s eyes remained fixed on the ceiling. She couldn’t believe that she had gone so far. That she had admitted her innermost feelings to another person. Not just any other person but to the person these feelings were directed at. It was not the proper Vulcan way to conduct oneself. Vulcans are always in control and certainly do not let feelings interfering with their obligations. “I will take full responsibility for assaulting you.”
“Nonsense,” Hoshi snorted.
This caused a reaction from T’Pol. She turned to look at Hoshi and raised an eyebrow.
“Even though you were obviously not yourself I knew you weren’t going to hurt me.'' Hoshi moved even closer to the bed and laid a hand on the mattress right besides the Vulcan's hand as she bent slightly over looking directly at the other woman. T'Pol didn’t move her hand away. “While you were pinning me down I knew you wouldn’t hurt me. I can’t explain how I knew it... I just... knew... Suddenly it was in my head.”
T’Pol returned the look. The human must be wrong; even if Vulcans are contact-telepaths humans cannot be affected by it. Humans and Vulcans are not compatible this way. It was a fact. For almost hundred years every Vulcan scientist who had researched humans had stated that the two species weren’t compatible. The longer she looked into Hoshi’s eyes the more her doubts vanished. What if it was true? What if they could establish a mental link? She knew she should ignore the warmth spreading through her body. What if she and Hoshi could be together? Could mate not only in a physical way but also in a mental way as well? But could she expect that this young woman would give herself so completely to another person?
“I do want to know how long you have felt this way,” Hoshi whispered interrupting T’Pol’s musing.
“I admired your ability to learn foreign languages from the first day I was assigned to Enterprise,” T’Pol replied whispering. “You are intelligent and brave.”
Hoshi blushed at that. “Brave?” she asked baffled.
The Vulcan looked her straight in the eyes. “Do you remember the alien ship we found two weeks after Enterprise left earth?”
The young linguist shuddered as the images of twelfe corpses hung to the ceiling like butchered livestock came back to her mind.
“Despite your fears you carried out your duties. Since then you have more than once overcome your fears and you are not even trained in emotional controll techniques.” T’Pol thought back at her own training. It had taken a long time to learn to controll her fears.
Hoshi smiled abashed. A sudden impulse let her move her hand and she touched the Vulcan's hand just for a moment before she made half a step back from the bed. “So I have learned two really interesting things about Vulcans today. I have to admit, I’m feel privileged to learn them from you.”
Again, T’Pol lifted her eyebrow. It wasn't the first time Hoshi had touched her but it was the most intimate gesture to have ever happened between them. “And what have you learned today?”
“That Vulcans can admit that they have feelings,” Hoshi replied. Then she looked for a moment at her feet and as she looked at T’Pol again she quirked a smile. “And,” she continued, “that Vulcans can curse.”
“Curse?” the Vulcan asked, once again quirking an eyebrow.
“I don't think I should repeat the word you shouted just before Lieutenant Reed stunned you.” Hoshi’s smile turned into a grin. “He asked me what you said.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“That I didn’t understand you.”
“You lied to him?”
Hoshi, still grinning, shook her head. “Not directly. I had to check the Vulcan database to find a reference to that word. And then I had to think about it for a while before I could draw a conclusion.”
“Thank you.” T’Pol replied.
“We’ve never talked much about personal things. Maybe we should start. You know, just to get to know each other better,” Hoshi suggested. “Maybe we find out that we are not compatible with each other and we end up just being friends. On the other hand, perhaps we find out that we... Well...” Hoshi smiled again. “We’ll see.”
“So you wouldn’t mind if I came courting you some day?”
Dumbstruck Hoshi blinked at T’Pol. “Huh?”
“I did some research about human mating rituals - just out of curiosity, of course.” The Vulcan’s expression never changed but suddenly Hoshi had the mental image of a smirking T’Pol.
The young linguist chuckled. “Wow. Now you are showing your sense of humour. It’s almost too much to handle what I learned today about Vulcans.” Again smiling, Hoshi took T’Pol’s hand.
Without thinking the Vulcan responded to the touch by slightly squeezing the human’s hand.
“I would like you to invite you to my quarter’s tomorrow evening for a cup of tea and some conversation,” T'Pol said enjoying the touch.
“Thank you. I will come. Then maybe you can explain to me why you waited so long to make a move on me and why it took an alien virus to get you to do so.”
“I will. But now I should rest,” T’Pol said simply. She did indeed have many things to explain to Hoshi. Things that cannot be found in the Vulcan Database but that Hoshi should know.
“Okay. Good night,” Hoshi said and finally released the other woman’s hand.
T’Pol watched the human vanishing through the curtain around her bed. She clapsed her hands above the sheet and looked back at the ceiling. If a friendship with Hoshi should come out of this she would be thankful. But if there was a chance for more T’Pol would surely take advantage of it.
The End