The BLTS Archive - Three Truths: Humorous Truths Sixth in the 1000 Raps series --- Spoilers: Two Days and Two Nights Comments: If anyone would like to borrow any of these aliens, go right ahead. there are 3 Truths; each one can be taken separately, yet they hinge together, like a series-within-a-series, if that makes any sense). the title is taken with great respect from _"The truth must be told, however harsh it may be; it may redden your eyes, but it won't blind you."_ by the Ivorian writer Ahmadou Kourouma's 1968 book 'The Suns of Independence'. (yes, I found this in the same book as the other quotes). This takes place immediately after "Malcolm's Truth". I feel sorry for anyone in the path of the *Hssk'khr*--can you imagine how pissed-off they are? --- "I'm not insulting your egg line," Captain Archer reiterated for the tenth time. "I just want to know what you've done to my Chief Armory officer." "That is insult," said the Hssk'khr who'd spent the most time on and near the Enterprise Bridge. This one had been asked by Captain Archer to accompany him down to Sickbay. "You making suggestions of innuendo and--" an untranslatable sound, "between I and human...insult!!" The door to Sickbay opened just then. "You wanted to see me?" Captain Archer asked, stepping inside to get away from the cephalopod-like alien. "Yes sir," Lieutenant Reed replied. "I'm sorry for my behavior lately--" "That is good to hear," T'Pol said, having accompanied the Captain and Hssk'khr down here. "lately," Reed repeated, "but my wife is pregnant, so I was helping her." "Your wife?" Archer asked, trying to think of when the Lieutenant could have gotten married--which planet? Hoshi raised her hand. "That would be me." "You?" T'Pol asked. Like laughter, Hoshi had to remind herself, Vulcans weren't supposed to be able to be incredulous...no matter how it sounded. In Vulcan, Hoshi quipped, "At least my bum isn't the sole noticable feature of my body." T'Pol said nothing to that; she was struggling to stay perfectly still. The Hssk'khr noticed the cracks of a smile on the Lieutenant's face. "Did you know about this?" Captain Archer asked Dr. Phlox. Had Phlox been human, he probably would have been walking away slowly, whistling innocently. "Doctor?" "I knew of the Ensign's pregnancy," Phlox confirmed. "But I--" and he kept from lying. He was a sociologist, an anthropologist; so he forebore from saying that he wasn't. "But I only knew of their marriage after they informed me of it." "How long--? How long have the two of you been married?" Archer asked. "Remember Starfleet?" Hoshi asked. Archer nodded. "Before then." Nothing in the universe is truly instantaneous. Time itself is dividable into an infinity of spaces. So the delay was understandable: The room began to brighten, and something half emerged from the ceiling and half appeared out of thin air. Exact edges didn't exist for it: it faded into brightness along the sides, and lit up more and more towards the center. The Hssk'khr splayed its legs out, angling all those tentacles out like a lizard or crab's walking legs. Hoshi figured that was their way of prostrating themselves--which would mean that--"This is the Humorous?" she asked. "Indeed corrects," the Hssk'khr murmured, reverence in its posture. Shielding his eyes from the intensity of the luminous glare, Jonathan Archer said to his two Starfleet officers, "I wish the two of you hadn't lied about your relationship." The alien--if the Humorous was one--made a few CLICKing sounds. "Acceptible." There was, appropriately enough, a bolt of lightening and the roll of thunder to mark such an eventful event. --- BRASIL, Two Minutes Later: --- Hoshi blinked, and found herself standing in front of a roomful of eager young students who wanted to become linguists. She could see Malcolm sitting in the front row, giving her a look that was all reassurance. After the class was over, Malcolm stayed behind to help her put the class notes and papers in order. "Drachma for your thoughts?" he asked, since she seemed to be lost in thought. "I'd have to give you change, then," Hoshi teased. "No, I'd be in debt," Malcolm insisted in a teasing manner. Hoshi smiled, and pointed out to the first stars of the evening. "I can't help but wonder what Archer's up to," Hoshi said, "out there." She, after all, had never joined the Enterprise crew; and neither had her husband. They'd opted out of such an adventure, prefering to stay Earthbound for at least a few more years. "I'm sure he's having grand adventure," Malcolm said, nuzzling her neck, "but he's missing out on the finer things in life...like married life." Hoshi leaned back in his embrace, one hand gingerly touching the slight swell of her abdomen, where grew her completely human baby. "Even so, I just wish we knew for certain." --- The End