Answers - Chapter 7 Answers

Chapter Seven

NC-17


Hoshi lay in sickbay, her throat raw from screaming, wishing she were dead. She had never known pain like this before. Never had her soul been stripped clean. She lay there drifting in and out of sleep, non-responsive to the world around. The pain. The pain. It kept repeating over and over in her head. The burning. The freezing. Blood was everywhere. A woman�s shrill voice screamed. Bodies were everywhere. A baby cried. She was being crushed. She was being lifted. There was light so bright, it hurt to look at it. There was darkness so harsh the universe didn�t exist. The darkness meant nothing. Nothingness is what she needed, what she craved. She wrapped herself in the solace of the dark, intending to die there.


Jon had little sleep to go on. The events of the last two weeks echoed in his soul. He had lost the only woman he ever loved. He had lost even the hope that he could have her. Her madness had taken her. He had lost his son as well. There were no pictures he could look at. There was no one to talk to about it. He only knew what Trip had told him. Henry was beautiful. He looked just like his mama with his daddy�s eyes. Jon was numb, unable to feel anything, almost envious of Hoshi�s madness.

His heart had shattered when she confessed to not loving him. Those pieces still loved her and the son she had given him. He sat by her bed trying to coax her back into reality to no avail. He remembered back to that night in the gym and cursed himself. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have been so reckless? His recklessness had gotten her pregnant. She never would have had to leave Henry behind if it hadn�t been for him. He caused her madness.

He was willing to throw his entire life away for her. He still was. Just because she didn�t love him, didn�t make his love for her stop. Thank whatever being watched over them that Trip had been there with her. He was jealous of his best friend, getting to hold his son. His son. Somewhere he had a son. Sometime he had a son. He couldn�t think anymore. He lay his head down on the side of Hoshi�s bed and rested.


Guilt was not a big enough word to describe what he felt. Trip had acted in haste. Upon finding out Henry could not exist � would not survive the trip through the vortex, he started thinking of ways to convince Hoshi to come back with him. She was bent on staying with her son. But when the Pardoxans informed him Hoshi and he would be dead in less than a year, he knew he had a tough decision to make. He was assured that Henry would be taken care of and held in the highest esteem as the godchild of the �healer of the great machine.� Henry would lead a good life. Hoshi had argued with Trip stating they had some time. They wouldn�t start to age right away. He kept urging her to think of Henry. He argued that Henry was better off with his mother alive in another time, then his mother dead in Paradoxan time.

The Paradoxans were sympathetic to Hoshi, but refused to let her stay. They didn�t want any part of death. The great epidemic had shown them something they didn�t care for � death. They had always been immortal. Trip and Hoshi argued for a good week even coming to blows a few times over the debate. Trip could see her desperation to stay there and die. He knew he had to get her through to their time as soon as possible. The longer they stayed there, the worse she would get. He laced her food that night with a sedative. He wished he could have laced his food too, but someone had to get them through the vortex. That someone was he.


Someone was here. She heard the door open and close and saw the light from outside � the light that was radiating from the presence in her mind. The presence was familiar somehow. It spoke to her, but not in any language she had learned throughout her life. The language was Paradoxan. �Mother? Mother are you there?� the masculine voice asked. �Mother, please�She isn�t answering. What do I do now?�

Hoshi hunkered down into her darkness and held her hands over her ears. She could feel footsteps next to her. Her head hurt � not that she could feel it. Someone touched her. She startled, not looking up and keeping her hands over her ears. They would go away if she didn�t hear or see them.

�Please go away! Leave me alone!� Hoshi pleaded with the intruder. She could tell the intruder was upset. She could hear muffled cursing. The vibrations on the floor increased and the cursing got louder. Strong hands wrapped around her arms and pulled her hands down from her ears. She couldn�t fight them.

��me mother!� the voice connected to the hands demanded. �I said look at me, mother! Mother, it�s me, Henry � Henry your son. Mother, we need your help!�

Hoshi didn�t want to look up. She was tired. A hand cupped her chin and forced her to look up. Hoshi�s eyes met those of a young man�s. The eyes were familiar, always filled with warmth. There were so many colors in his eyes � the color changing with his moods. They were an angry green right now. The young man�s dark hair was cut short.

�Mama, please!� the man pleaded.

�Mama?� Hoshi croaked.

�Yes Mama! I need your help.� Henry bent his tall frame next to Hoshi and stroked her hair, then her hands. �Henry needs your help.�

�H-Henry?� Hoshi stammered. �He�s just a baby. He was my baby. I left him.�

�I�m that baby, mother.�

Hoshi shook her head back and forth refusing to make connections and refusing to try to make any sense out of what Henry was saying.


Hoshi held Henry to her breast, coaxing his mouth to open. He greedily latched on and suckled. Hoshi had never known such contentment. She started to weep. �Damn hormones.�

Trip propped himself up in his bed. Henry�s cry for food had woken him along with his mama. �Ya need some help there, Hoshi?�

�No. We�re fine. Thanks.� Hoshi adjusted the shawl over Henry.

Trip looked at the domestic scene and tried to memorize the details so he would be able to tell Jon how greedily his son nursed.

Hoshi stroked her hand over Henry�s fine dark baby hair. She sighed.

�What�s wrong?� Trip asked.

�Nothing.� Hoshi answered with a sniffle.

�Jon would be over the moon right �bout now.� Trip smiled.

�Yes, Henry will make Jon very happy.� Hoshi switched Henry from one breast to the other.

�You would make Jon very happy too if you stopped knocking yourself down and gave Jon the benefit of the doubt. He won�t care �bout your past. Who you are is what matter�s to him.� Trip stated solemnly.

�I know.� Hoshi admitted.

�Then why are you hell bent on not being with him?�

�I- I� don�t know.� For the first time Hoshi contemplated a future with Jon. The old argument that he would be better off without her wasn�t working.

�Hot Damn! You do love him! I knew it! I was kinda worried there for a second, but I knew you would come around sooner or later.� Trip was like an excited child at Christmas time. He could hardly wait to share what he had learned.

Hoshi laughed at him and told him to be quiet.


�A Vulcan transport will rendezvous with Enterprise in two days to pick up Lt. Sato.� T�Pol informed Jon, staring at the back of his head. He rarely left Hoshi�s side and now was no exception.


�Mother. I need you to focus. The lives of the Paradoxans are in jeopardy. Trillions of lives may be lost, including my own.�

Hoshi felt a spark of panic.

�Here are the coordinates to an M-Class planet. When you arrive you will go to the southern continent. On that continent there are some ruins. Within the ruins there are four dials. These are what they look like.� A type of PADD was held up in front of Hoshi for her to read. She saw four �dials� arranged over a twelve square kilometer pattern. �The dials must be set to match the patterns on the watchtowers. That will open the vortex. The custodians have abandoned us. The vortex must be open. The Paradoxan�s system is degrading. Trillions of lives depend on you. My life depends on you, Mama!� Henry touched her face. �You are beautiful, just like they always told me.�

Hoshi reached out and touched him, hesitant at first, thinking it was a cruel delusion.


Jon heard T�Pol informing him of the transport. He didn�t react, but just sat there holding Hoshi�s hand, occasionally kissing it. He had fallen asleep at her side again.

A hand stroking his hair and a set of warm lips pressing against his hand woke him. He startled and looked up. Hoshi was sitting up, tears streaming down her face. �Jon,� she whispered. That was music to his ears.

Jon kissed the hand he held ravenously. �Hoshi, I-��

�I love you Jon.� Hoshi said quickly, not knowing how long she would be able to stand the pain in her head. She didn�t want to die, letting him think she didn�t love him.

�I know.� Jon kissed her lips smiling, thinking back to the first time he had told her he loved her and repeated the response she had given him.

Hoshi�s eyes gleaned over with pain. �I need a PADD. I have to write this down while I can still remember it.�

�Write what down?� Jon handed her the object she requested.

�Our son, Jon� He spoke to me. He needs our help.� Hoshi stated as she furiously entered in the data.

Jon stared at her blankly, thinking at first this was a dream in the twilight of his waking.

Hoshi stopped what she was doing and registered the expression on his face. She pinched him hard. �You�re not dreaming. And I am not crazy.�

�Ouch! What do you mean? How did our son talk to you?� Jon rubbed his arm and sounded perplexed.

�I�m not sure, but I think it may have something to do with the implant. That isn�t important right now. He told me that the Paradoxans need to open the vortex. Something is wrong. I don�t know what is wrong, but they can�t open the vortex on their side unless somebody on our side activates the dials.� Hoshi�s eyes were wild and she entered more data into the PADD.

�Henry is maybe four-months old now. You mean to tell me he is already talking?� Jon asked.

�Jon, Paradoxan time is not applicable to our standards. I spent my entire pregnancy there and hardly any time passed here.� Hoshi handed the PADD to Jon. �Henry says the Paradoxan system is degrading. These are the coordinated and instructions.�

Jon looked at the PADD and made a few adjustments to it. �We�re four days away at warp five.� Jon activated the comm unit at the door entering the coordinates on the keypad. �Ensign Mayweather, set in a course to the coordinates I just transmitted, warp five.�

�Sir?�

�That�s an order, Ensign.� Jon barked.

�Yes sir!�

Jon walked over to Hoshi and took her hand in his, kissing the palm. �Pinch me again and tell me this isn�t a dream.� The reality that Hoshi was responsive and declaring her love for him was overwhelming. His soul felt as though a spark had re-ignited it.

�I�ll do better than pinch you.� Hoshi grabbed Jon by his uniform collar and kissed him. The kiss whispered of the past, but screamed for the future.

The lover�s broke apart when they heard, �Hum-hmm!� Dr. Phlox wore his normal wide grin.

�Captain, I believe you are needed on the bridge. Lt. Sato and I have a lot to discuss and tests to run.�


Four days seemed like an eternity. They were two days away from their destination. Hoshi was released from sickbay and announced fit for duty.

Trip thought about approaching her, wondering how she would react. He didn�t have to approach her. The chime chirped. �Enter.� Trip said toweling his hair dry.

Hoshi walked in. Her fists were clenched with unresolved rage.

�Hoshi! I�m glad you�re feelin��� Whatever he was going to say was cut off as her fist connected with his jaw.

�I forgive you.� Hoshi stated blandly and handed the towel to Trip so he could wipe the blood from his lip.

�Thanks.�


Three days away and Jon couldn�t sleep. His arm was draped across Hoshi�s waist. Her breathing was even as she slept.

Jon stretched, flinching at the play of muscles he was unaware existed. Any pretense that he and Hoshi were uninvolved was dropped weeks ago. Hoshi had moved all of her things in yesterday. Jon was sitting at his desk going over reports that had been neglected.

Hoshi wrapped her arms around Jon�s shoulders and kissed his cheek. Next she nuzzled his ear, licking the shell and nibbling his lobe.

Instantly aroused at Hoshi�s advances, Jon grabbed hold of her hand and turned it palm up. He bit down on the pad of her thumb, tasting it too. His mouth trailed along her forearm, a place he knew drove her crazy. He was right.

�Jon, I want you now!� Hoshi pulled at his shirt, her movements frantic.

Jon obliged and started to remove her clothes. When she was naked, he lifted her to the edge of his desk, forcing her legs apart and rubbing his stubble along the inside of her thigh. He inhaled deeply, memorizing her fragrance. Hoshi tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but he held her steady and gently probed her entrance with his tongue. Hoshi rummaged her fingers through Jon�s sandy hair and squirmed, wanting more. He inserted his fingers, searching for the spot that would bring her release. He continued to lavish attention to her swollen nub, while stroking inside her. He drank his reward greedily as he felt her contractions around his fingers.

Jon kept his fingers inside her, reveling in the feel of her moisture and heat. He stood, undid his pants and released his arousal. Removing his fingers, he pressed into her. Her mouth sought his as it yelled out his name. Their coupling resounded throughout the cabin, sounds of pleasure escaping them. He picked her up, not breaking their link, and carried her over to the bed. He sat down taking her breast in his mouth. She arched her back deepening their connection. �Jonathan!�

Jon arched up at the sound of his name on her lips. �Hoshi!� He forced his hips up, impaling her core as deep as he could. �Hoshi. I want to feel the same thing I felt around my fingers.�

Hoshi rocked back and forth with Jon holding onto her hips. It wasn�t long before the sensation of Hoshi�s warmth coated his member. Jon answered by filling her.

Jon lost track of how many times they consummated their love. He held on to her as she slept. His thoughts were loud in his head, most of them revolving around Hoshi. He woke to the object of his thoughts.


�Mother, hurry! The cascade is upon us. It has claimed the lives of millions already.� Henry shouted.

Hoshi clutched the back of her head and crumpled in pain as the Enterprise entered orbit. Jon rushed to her, helping her up. �I�m okay. It was just loud.�

Trip walked onto the bridge and looked at the planet on the view screen. �Sir, the pods are prepped.�

�Good. Trip, you�re with Hoshi and me. Malcolm, you�re with Travis. We have to synchronize the dials exactly, or the vortex won�t open.� Jon nodded to everyone around the table.

Trip looked around the bridge as he walked to the turbo lift. An uneasy feeling settled over him.

TBC

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