The BLTS Archive- - Young Lovers
#1: On Safer Ground
by T'Lin ( LinkyS @ aol.com )

---

Note: This is the first story of my "YOUNG LOVERS" Series.

Disclaimer: Paramount/Viacom own the TREK universe, I only play in it.
No  copyright infringement is intended, nor do I make any money off of
this. Although  I do not own these characters, this original piece of
fanfiction is the  property of T'Lin, © 14 July, 2003.

Archiving: FFF, ASC*, EntSTSlash, BLTS and my own page -- all others,
please ask first.

Written for Round XI of the Femme Fuh-Q Fest.

Feedback greatly appreciated, publicly or privately.

---

The one thing that Hoshi Sato has learned about space travel, in the
relatively short time she has spent in space, is that the only thing
that travels  faster than their Warp-5 engine is gossip. She knew this
first-hand, as she had  been the subject of rumor and speculation on
two separate occasions ... and it  was far more difficult quelling the
rumors than it had been for them to get  started.

The first had involved T'Pol. They had been spending a great deal of
their  off duty time together, working on meditation and control
techniques to help  Hoshi overcome her fears and insecurities.
Apparently, their closeness had been  misconstrued by some of the
crew. In no time, the rumors were all over the ship  that they had
become lovers.

Of course, a romantic relationship was completely out of the question
... not  because Hoshi didn't find T'Pol attractive; she did. She had
even started  having erotic dreams about the beautiful Vulcan. But she
was a Vulcan, which in  and of itself was enough to dissuade Hoshi
from pursuing any kind of  relationship. And then, there  was the rank
thing. Starfleet has very strict  non-fraternization regulations, and
although T'Pol was not technically part of Starfleet,  she *was* a
superior officer. Her position as First Officer made her directly  in
command of every person aboard ship, save one.

As the rumors intensified, T'Pol decided to ignore them. Hoshi on the
other  hand, tried to refute them as best she could, which only seemed
to add fuel to  the rumor mill. Over time, however, the rumors seemed
to diminish ... as did  the time Hoshi spent with T'Pol. Occasionally,
when they worked together, a  comment or two would be overheard, but
one look from T'Pol usually put an end to  any further speculation.

The second time Hoshi had been part of the rumor mill, it had been
over a  misunderstanding between herself and Malcolm Reed. That one
was all the captain's  fault, as he had set her on a quest to find out
Malcolm's favorite food, for  a birthday dinner. Everyone assumed that
she was interested in him herself,  and put two and two together ...
but they couldn't have been farther from the  truth.

Hoshi and Malcolm both set out to put an end to these rumors ... with
minimal  success to date. The fact that she had wound up in his room,
shirtless, not  so very long ago didn't help. Needless to say, until
something better comes  along, the ship's rumor mill will churn up
what it has to work with.

Which at the present time, seems to be Elizabeth Cutler, and her
apparent  infatuation with the two resident aliens: T'Pol and Phlox.

At first, it was just T'Pol ... Elizabeth would volunteer to work with
T'Pol  every chance she got; rearrange her schedule so that their
breaks coincided;  requested 'Plomik broth' and other Vulcan
delicacies instead of the meals that  chef had prepared. T'Pol, of
course, was oblivious to Elizabeth's behavior.  After a few weeks of
following T'Pol around like a lost puppy, she seemed to  change tack
... suddenly, she was following Phlox around, asking questions,
offering to work in sickbay, and generally showing signs of
infatuation with him.

When they went to a movie together, things really started to heat up,
as far  as the speculation was concerned. Apparently, they had been
seen kissing, and  if the rumors were to be believed, he asked her if
she'd be interested in  being one of his wives ... he apparently has
three of them, and they each have two  other husbands.

It was when this last rumor started that Hoshi decided she had to step
in and  say something ... after all, Elizabeth seemed to be completely
unaware of  what was being said about her.

As luck would have it, Elizabeth was sitting alone in the mess hall
when  Hoshi entered, so lost in her own thoughts that it took Hoshi
three tries to get  her attention. When at last Elizabeth looked up,
Hoshi noticed the sheen of  tears in the beautiful blue eyes.

Pulling a chair around, so as to sit beside her, Hoshi set her tray on
the  table and took hold of Elizabeth's hand as she asked, "What's
wrong?"

"It's nothing," she whispered, as she pulled her hand away, and
scrubbed at  her eyes. Seeing the real concern on Hoshi's face, she
smiled weakly, and  added, "I've just been very foolish ... and didn't
realize it until now."

Hoshi looked around the crowded room and then back to her, whispering,
"Don't  let their rumors bother you, Elizabeth ... it's not worth it,"
seeing that  she was about to protest, Hoshi added, "I know ... I've
been there myself."

"Yes, but the rumors about you were just that ... rumors." She paused,
obviously trying desperately to keep from crying.

Hoshi was sympathetic, as she realized that Elizabeth Cutler probably
*had*  been chasing after Phlox, and possibly even T'Pol ... she
obviously needed  someone to talk to, but not here. "Come on,
Elizabeth ... let's take our lunch to  my room, where we can talk
privately."

"I don't want to impose on you," she said softly, although her eyes
were  begging for someone to talk to.

"It's no imposition, Elizabeth ... come on." Hoshi stood, and offered
her  hand to her.

She took Hoshi's hand as if it were a lifeline, and stood, saying, "If
you're  sure," then with a wan smile, she added, "and please, call me
Beth."

Hoshi smiled, "Beth it is." They picked up their lunch trays, and
slipped out  of the mess hall.

---

Lunch was forgotten. As soon as they were in Hoshi's quarters, Beth
broke  down; the tears she had been fighting off finally overwhelming
her. Hoshi caught  her, as her knees gave out and she cried. She
offered soothing tones and words  of encouragement, as she held Beth
to her breast, and gently rocked her.

After a while, Beth's sobbing subsided, and she pulled away,
embarrassed by  her outburst. "I'm sorry," she said, as she wiped her
eyes. Straightening her  uniform, she stood and added, "I probably
should leave."

"Nonsense, you obviously needed a shoulder to cry on," Hoshi replied
with an  encouraging smile. "I was more than happy to lend you mine.
Now", she added,  crossing the room patting the back of the only
chair, offering it to Beth,  saying, "how about letting me lend an ear
to listen, as well."

"If you're sure," Beth said, as she took the proffered chair.  When
she had  settled in, Hoshi sat on the floor, her back against her bed,
ready to listen  to anything Beth wanted to talk about.

---

"I've always had this ... flaw ... in my personality. I hesitate
calling it a  flaw, simply because, as a member of Starfleet, it is
considered a virtue to  seek out adventure and explore anything that
is 'different'." Beth hesitated  for a few seconds, then continued,
"That's all well and good, as long as you  have ... I don't know ... a
'filter', I guess, to help you decide when to stop."  Another pause,
then, "Seeking adventure, for the hell of it, isn't always a  good
idea ... but I can't seem to filter out those experiences that are ill
advised."

Beth fell silent then. Hoshi had been listening intently, silently
noting the  irony of their situation. With a smile, she leaned
forward, and placed her  hand on Beth's knee as she asked, "Do you
realize how perfect we are for each  other?"

Beth looked puzzled, so Hoshi told her about her insecurities and
anxieties  over experiencing things that are different ... how she
always wants to 'play  it safe' ... how, if it weren't for her
linguistic skills, she would never have  sought out the adventure of a
career in Starfleet. She explained how T'Pol  had aided her in
overcoming her anxieties, and how that led to the rumors that  had
circulated about them not so long ago.

When Hoshi finished, she took hold of Beth's hands and said, "when it
came to  T'Pol, I wish I could have pursued her, as you did ... but
ultimately, I  would have wound up in the same position as you ...
infatuated with an  unresponsive Vulcan, feeling sorry for myself."

Beth smiled, and with a nervous laugh, said, "Which is pretty much
where we  are, in any case."

"Not exactly," Hoshi said, rising up on her knees, so that she could
give  Beth a chaste kiss before adding, "Now, we have each other."

---

~the end of the beginning~