Questionable Morality - Chapter 20
Questionable Morality
Chapter Twenty
Several months later –
" – the mysterious death of her uncle. Ms. Sato has
established a trust fund for the ECS slavery survivors, and is expected to step
down as CEO once Sato Industries is approved for incorporation. Public stocks
are expected to start low, but will gain momentum once the ECC approves the new
trade protocol. Her grandmother, Mia Sato, will appoint Ms. Sato's replacement.
"In other news – " Reed shut the broadcast off and
sighed heavily. As least she was still alive. She had left by the time he woke
– no note – no excuses. When he was able, he tried to contact her, but she had
never returned his call. The only clue he had as to her whereabouts and well
being were the continuous news stories about the missing heiress and how she's giving
everything away. He just hoped she was happy.
Being a sensible man, Reed realized their relationship would
end sooner or later. She was better off without him. He had nothing to offer
her anyway.
The chime sounded in the anteroom followed by a heavy knock.
"Malcolm? Are ya in there? I really need yer
help," Trip Tucker's voice called through the door.
Opening the door, Malcolm stared at the knot around the
other man's throat. Trip's finger was caught in the knot of the bowtie.
"I swear! It would have been easier to wear my dress
uniform, but Lita insisted on tuxedos," groused Trip. "If I didn't
know better I'd say her and Lizzie were conspiring against me."
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Reed simply smiled.
Tucker’s soon-to-be wife was due to deliver their twins any day now and the
wedding was haphazard at best. The bride insisted the groom wear a tux.
Everybody else could wear whatever they wanted. He had opted for his dress
uniform. It was less hassle.
Quickly undoing Trip’s knot, Reed righted it. “I’m assuming
you wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The groom grinned like a schoolboy. “Yer probably right. I
suppose I should count my blessin's that I finally wrangled Lita to the altar.”
Looking in the mirror and checking his appearance one last time, Trip gave a
side-glance to his best man. “So, ya hear anything from Captain Sato recently?”
Exercising the patience he had come to rely heavily on
around this man, Reed replied, “No, I haven’t.”
“Just thought I would ask,” Trip stated knowingly. It was
funny. He always thought Jonathan Archer would be standing next to him at his
wedding. Never in a million years would he have considered asking Malcolm Reed
to be his best man. But, after what they had been through, and Lita’s
insistence on playing matchmaker, Trip couldn’t resist. He had let Li Li get
away with murder to get her to marry him. Her final stipulation was he made
Malcolm Reed his best man. They had lucked out that the Intrepid was currently
stationed at Jupiter Station for retrofits.
Several months ago, Trip gave up trying to figure Lita’s
hormonal moods.
He really did have Lizzie to thank for his impending
wedding. She had arranged it all, and when she finally met Lita, he knew Lita
would have a difficult time refusing his sister just as he had his entire life.
What Lizzie wanted, Lizzie got.
Across the church, Lita’s maid of honor was due to arrive
any minute. Only he, Lizzie and Lita knew who the maid of honor was, and he
hoped Reed didn’t punch his lights out when he found out. Lita was convinced
the two loved one another, but he sure didn’t see what his wife imagined.
“Well,” Trip sighed nervously. “Thanks for yer help.”
--
“I brought another outfit. Are you sure this one is okay?”
Hoshi asked her very pregnant friend as she arranged Lita's veil.
Lita's smiling face beamed back at her in the mirror both
looked into. "I like what you have on. It makes you look hot. I, on the
other hand, look like a big white piñata just waiting for somebody to hit me
with a stick."
Chuckling, Hoshi helped Lita stand.
Smiling knowingly, Lita hugged her former captain. Hoshi was
drop-dead gorgeous in her fire engine red dress. The hem of the dress stopped
at her knees, but there was a slit up both sides, which exposed a healthy dose
of thigh. It was a killer dress and guaranteed to bring a man to his knees.
Hoshi had worn it several times when they had stopped for a little R&R. Lita
was sure this outfit would attract Captain Reed like a moth to a flame.
There was only one problem, though. Leaning forward, Lita
snatched the sticks out of Hoshi's hair, which had been held in a restrictive
bun. "There, that's much better," Lita chuckled.
Hoshi shrugged her shoulders. "Okay. Whatever you
want."
"That's right," pouted Lita mockingly.
"You've got beautiful hair. It's a shame to pin it up like that."
Glancing at her friend's swollen stomach, Hoshi smiled, but
the smile didn't reach her eyes. The long months of isolation and uncertainty
weighed heavily upon her.
She had gone back to her family compound, expecting to
die. There were no guards anywhere when she arrived so Hoshi had walked into
the garden. Standing at the edge and staring at the concentric patterns of
sand, Hoshi sighed. She kicked her toe into the sand and disturbed the sand,
smiling as she did so. That should be enough to disturb her father's Kami.
Someone cleared their throat and Hoshi started, but didn't
turn around. There was only one person who could sneak up on her like that --
her grandmother.
"Leave your father, Hoshi-chan," Mia Sato
chastised. "I want at least one of my children in the sands with me when
my time comes."
Hoshi turned and bowed her head in acknowledgement and
apology.
"I know he was a rotten bastard, but if I had to choose
between my two sons, I choose him," sighed Mia.
Hoshi saw the shadow of her grandmother's guard. "Who's
left? Who's left in this family? Who's calling me to fulfill my duties?"
"I am the only survivor," Mia stated simply,
"but I am not calling you to continue this family."
Waiting for the other shoe to drop, Hoshi chewed her bottom
lip. Her grandmother had always been the driving force behind the business. Mia
was shrewd, yet old.
"I'm calling you to dissolve the family. Contracts must
be honored. Loose ends must be tied, other strings must be cut."
Hoshi listened, still unsure as to what her grandmother
wanted.
"I need a figurehead," announced the elderly
woman. "I'm old and our business associates see me as feeble."
Resisting the urge to laugh out loud, Hoshi nodded for her
grandmother to continue. She couldn't fathom anybody seeing her grandmother as
feeble.
"Once I dispose of those associates, you will be free
to leave."
The words echoed in her mind…free to leave. Malcolm.
It had taken longer than she had expected to resolve her
grandmother's problems. She waited and bided her time, dreaming of Malcolm and
hoping he would try to contact her. Hoshi had no idea where he had gone and
made no attempt to contact him for fear it would somehow backfire on her.
Time passed and there was no word from him. The dull ache of
missing him had grown deep within her and she started to forge ahead with Sato
Industry business dealings.
"Mars to Hoshi." Lita snapped her fingers in front
of Hoshi's face.
"Yes, yes," Hoshi laughed. "I'm here."
"It's D-Day," announced Lita happily as she made
her way out the door.
Hoshi grabbed the train of Lita's dress and held it from the
floor. She put a plastic smile on her face and laughed in response.
--
Reed shifted uncomfortably and watched the procession of
bridesmaids walking down the aisle, each of them in various styles of dress,
all of them red. Lizzie Tucker appeared at the end of the aisle and started
walking.
That's when he saw her. He would have glared at Tucker, but
Reed couldn't take his eyes off his former lover.
Her dress was of a simple cut with a high collar. The length
was enticing without giving too much away. Her hair framed her heart-shaped
face and she smiled, nodding to someone off to her side. Her hands clutched the
bouquet of roses like a shield.
"Look at me," whispered in his mind.
As if she heard him, Hoshi's eyes suddenly locked with his.
Her smile faltered and her step hesitated. Quickly adjusting to the shock of
seeing him, Hoshi continued forward and took her place on the bride's side.
--
The ceremony was a blur and Lizzie insisted the photographer
have ample time to photograph the wedding party. Once that was completed, the
wedding party split up into different old-fashioned limousines for the
procession to the reception.
Finally, they were alone.
Looking down at her bouquet, Hoshi started to pick the
petals off one of the flowers. She was sitting across from him and stillness
loomed before them.
Her silence was enough to confirm his thoughts. She wanted
nothing to do with him.
Hoshi cleared her throat and shifted, the leather of her
seat creaking in protest. She couldn't even look at him. His silence was
deafening. He must really hate her. Concentrating on the flowers in her lap,
Hoshi damned the tears that threatened to flow.
She was the first to speak.
"She knew I was alive and never would have given up
searching for me," Hoshi started, as though in the middle of a
conversation. "I couldn't keep running. If we had stayed together, she
would have hunted me down and…killed anybody who got in her way."
He hadn't been sure if she was even real up to that point,
until she spoke.
Continuing, she finally looked up at him. "She needs a
figurehead for Sato Industries. There are problems with the business."
Hoshi hesitated, not sure if he was even listening.
The car stopped and the driver got out. The door opening
broke the spell between them.
Instead of the country club both expected, they had been
driven up a dirt driveway, which was surrounded by trees. At the end of the
driveway stood a modest cabin.
A sense of panic seized Hoshi, but it was quickly squelched
as their driver revealed his identity. Travis' grinning face peered back at
her.
"Captain Reed," Travis smiled in greeting. "I
have a message from Captain Tucker."
Reed nodded for him to continue.
Travis cleared his throat, unsure as to Reed's state of
mind. The man looked as though he were ready to kill him. "I quote, 'Sorry
for the skullduggery, but it's Lita's fault. Don't worry about the reception.
You two need some time alone,' end quote."
Handing Reed some keys, Travis excused himself. "These
are the keys to the cabin and the limo."
Hoshi watched in shock as her friend got into another car
and drove off. Leaning back into the seat, she sighed in relief.
Reed reached out and slammed the door shut. "Why didn't
you return my call? Why didn't you try telling me any of this before – "
"You called? Did you leave a message? I never knew. I
would have – " Hoshi's questions were cut off as Reed pushed her onto her
back and silenced her with his lips. It was a kiss of tempered desire and
unspoken love, which she returned wholeheartedly.
He felt like a randy teenager and her response had him rock
hard and ready to explode. Kneeling between her legs, he thrust against her
heat.
With little fanfare, he tugged her underwear over her hips
and rolled them down and off her legs, and pushed her dress up.
"Yes," Hoshi hissed, reaching for him and undoing
the clasp at his waist. She thanked whatever god available that he had regular
pants on and not that infernal uniform. Tugging his zipper down and reaching
in, she fondled his stiffness.
Moaning, Reed pulled her hand out of the way and guided
himself into her sultry heat. "Tell me," he panted, resting inside of
her and needing to hear the words.
Locking her legs behind his buttocks, Hoshi pulled him
deeper inside her. She pulled his head down and licked the shell of one ear.
"I love you," she whispered as if able to read his mind.
She was real and warm around him, and he knew this would be
the only time he would be able to convince her to stay with him.
Gasping, Hoshi felt him pulse inside her and rub her
clitoris with his thumb. "I love you," she repeated.
Bowing his head and slamming his eyes shut, he finally
succumbed to the rampant emotions she inspired inside him. The entire time they
had been together, Reed had thought she was his, but in reality, it was she who
possessed him. He nuzzled her ear and gave a strangled cry as he spilled
himself inside her. "I…love you too."
--
The soft sound of crickets spilled into the room, waking
Hoshi. Muscles she hadn't used in several months protested happily as she
stretched. The weight of Malcolm's arm rested heavily across her stomach. This
was such a change. There was no urgency or haste in their coupling…no threat of
interruption and no threat of destruction looming over their heads. It was just
them…and the crickets.
As gently as possible, Hoshi tried to move his hand as he
snored softly next to her. When she moved, his arm crushed possessively over
her.
"Where do you think you're going?" he growled
deeply next to her ear, which sent an electric shiver down her spine.
"The bathroom," she announced amusedly.
He nuzzled her ear and sighed, letting her go. The dreamlike
quality of the past few hours still made him nervous, but her scent lingered on
the pillow and he knew she would return. There had never been any smells in his
dreams. He watched her walk to the bathroom, admiring the view.
"I'll be right back," she smiled, looking over her
shoulder.
Reed stared at the door, trying to fathom how he would ever
let her go again.
Before he could dwell further on that train of thought, his
lover came back to him, her smile enough to wipe away the immediacy of his
thoughts. He wanted her and he would take her now.
Yelping as Malcolm flipped her onto the bed, Hoshi felt his
lips trail down her body as he crawled down her body.
Lifting first one of her legs, then the other, he placed
them over his shoulders, scooping his hands under her bottom. His gaze locked
with hers as he took her, his tongue immediately seeking her center and
lavishing it with glorying tenderness.
Watching him lick her soft flesh, Hoshi finally succumbed,
threading her fingers through his hair and thrusting her hips toward his face.
Kneading her ass with one hand, Reed fingered her trembling
orifice and quickly thrust his fingers in. He tasted and felt her release, her
musky scent forever ingrained in his memories.
Coming down from the fading release, a sudden burst of
energy overwhelmed her, and Hoshi pushed him away. Quickly straddling him, she
submerged his swollen phallus in her tightened sheath.
He couldn't close his eyes if he wanted to, the feel of her
hands on his scarred chest, the feel of her skin against his, the sight of her
writhing on top of him…he never wanted to wake. He came deep inside her as she
convulsed around him.
Intertwined, the lovers rested, stroking one another and
whispering the words both desired to hear. They were lost in each other, both
ignoring the call of their stomachs until finally the call could no longer be
ignored.
--
She stood in the kitchen, her robe pulled loosely around her
waist. As the coffee filtered into the pot, Hoshi walked around the cabin and
picked up the clothes they had hastily discarded yesterday. She heard the
shower click off and smiled.
Lita, Trip, and Travis had thought of everything. She and
Malcolm had even discovered two suitcases with enough clothes for several
weeks.
Her lover walked out, still half damp, his boxers clinging
to his thighs and crotch. Frowning, he held a PADD in his hand. One thing for
sure, the cabin was veritably void of technology with exception of the kitchen.
"Where did you get that?" Hoshi asked.
Handing her the PADD, Reed laughed, "I wonder who else
was in on this stunt?"
Hoshi read the message on the PADD out loud. "'Don't
worry about anything. Admiral Bryant has cleared you for two weeks. Don't you
have any other color underwear? Gomez.'"
She stared at his boxers and smiled.
"I'm going to have a talk with Lieutenant Gomez when I
get back," Reed surmised and scratched his beard.
Starting to laugh, Hoshi set the PADD on the table. "I
can just see her packing your bag." She clutched her sides as she imagined
the straight-laced lieutenant rifling through her superior's drawers.
He smiled as he watched his lover succumb to fits of
giggles. He had come to a realization in the shower – he wasn't ever going to
let her go again.
Approaching her, he noticed Hoshi sober.
"What is it? What's wrong?" she whispered, noting
the intensity in his eyes.
Gently tucking her hair back behind her ear, he leaned
forward and kissed her. "Marry me," he whispered against her lips.
She opened her mouth to speak, her eyes a dark storm of
uncertainty. The past several hours had been a heavenly dream for her, one that
she wished she would never wake from, but her obligations were not yet
fulfilled. The Vega faction was still lurking in the shadows, waiting and
biding its time; angry its lucrative trade connections had been cut.
Seeing her hesitation, he shook her gently, and as if
reading her mind said, "I'll protect you from them. You needn't – "
Pressing her lips against his, Hoshi silenced his plea.
"I stopped running the first time I left you. She promised me my freedom
then. I have to go back. I – "
"I won't let you go again," he warned, his voice
raspy with emotion.
"You have no choice," she countered.
--
A few months later –
Hoshi paced nervously along the promenade of the market,
wrapping her overcoat around herself to keep out the cool breeze of the Andorian
Spring. He had withdrawn from her that day, clearly hurt and not understanding
what she needed to do. When she woke, he was gone. A PADD sat on the pillow
next to her with a message – "I'll wait."
Her grandmother was unusually subdued when Hoshi returned
home. That had been almost four months ago. So much had transpired in those
four months. The ECC had bought out all shares of Lane Corporation and the
Chaffee Conglomerate, yet had amazingly enough left Sato Industries intact. All
business ties with Mars and Vega had been quietly severed, all debts magically
disappearing into oblivion.
Hoshi held no delusions. Deals had been spun behind her back
and bargains had been made. She didn't care, for she was finally given what she
had craved all this time – her freedom. Two weeks ago, Mia had informed her she
was free to go. No one would seek retribution against the old woman's family
and that included Hoshi.
Now standing on the deserted promenade, she waited, hugging
the life that grew inside her. Malcolm had been cold when Hoshi had called,
agreeing grudgingly to meet with her. Intrepid was currently stationed in the Andoria
System, Malcolm the military liaison between the two governments.
Looking at her watch, Hoshi felt the bite of tears at the
back of her eyes. It was ten minutes past the time they had agreed upon. Maybe
Malcolm had changed his mind, but then she caught sight of him.
His eyes never left her form as he took the stairs two at a
time. He had felt horrible for the way he treated her when she called. Her face
was so bright and the hope in her face had clearly extinguished when he reluctantly
agreed to meet her. He had been an ass and now he witnessed her tears. Damn Shran
and his long-winded speeches. It was thanks to him that he was late.
"I waited," Hoshi said in a rush of breath, still
clinging to herself, afraid that if she let go, she would fall apart in front
of him.
Drinking in the sight of her, Reed frowned. She was
beautiful, yet looked tired, her hair down and her arms crossed defensively in
front of her. There was something inherently different about her. Then a conversation
he had overheard between his first officer, Lieutenant Commander Gomez, and her
fiancé, Commander Mayweather, played in his head.
"I'm telling you, Em. I think she's pregnant.
Lita Tucker had given birth the day after her wedding. You would
think that, having recently given birth to two healthy boys, the
woman had better things to do with her time than constantly calling him to
check on Hoshi. Finally, he had told her to call Hoshi herself
and hung up.
Envy had crept into his soul as he envisioned Hoshi carrying
his children. That thought scared him, but at the same time enthralled him.
Closing the distance between them, Reed's eyes never left
Hoshi's. His hands traversed the supple curve of her cheek, her shoulders, then
her arms. Her eyes grew wider and his suspicions were confirmed. He snaked his
hand past her defensive posture and felt her thickening stomach, and smiled.
Seeing the acceptance in his eyes, she relaxed. "Marry
me?" she murmured hopefully.
His answer was sealed in their kiss.
FIN