DISCLAIMER: No profit is intended in the writing of this story. Star Trek: Enterprise and its characters are the property of Paramount and Viacom.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Title: Like Cats and Dogs
By Olli
"And you still don't want to tell me how this happened?"
"Ahm..... no."
"Well, that's your prerogative. But what ever you were doing, you should try to be more careful next time."
"Yes, Doctor," Ensign Hoshi Sato replied as she sat on an examination table in the sickbay of the USS Enterprise, naked to her waist. While she sat patiently with her arms crossed over her bosom, Doctor Phlox stood behind her tending to the wounds on her back. Involuntarily Hoshi smiled as she thought of the circumstances that led up to her visit to sickbay. And even though she refused to tell the Doctor how she got the wounds, she was sure the Denobulan could guess. Because there were eight long scratches on her back. Four on the left and four on the right starting at her shoulders and running down and across her shoulder blades to her ribs. Hoshi, still smiling, was surprised that she hadn't noticed the scratches until she was rolled onto her back and the scratches had come in contact with the mattress. With a sudden cry, she had jumped out of the bed and then had spent the next few moments breathing through clenched teeth as she had paced back and forth in the quarters hoping that the burning pain would go away.
"So, I think I'm going to cover the scratches with an o'oligth-membrane," Phlox declared finally. "It will release a natural antibiotic and sooth the wounds. In a few days the membrane will be absorbed into your body and the scratches should be fully healed."
Hoshi shuddered slightly at the thought of some kind of living organism being placed on her body that would slowly be absorbed. However, in the last year or so she had gotten used to the Doctor's sometimes odd but mostly effective methods of treatment. "Okay. You're the Doctor."
"I like a co-operative patient." Phlox smiled as he disappeared behind a dividing wall where he stored his collection of useful animals and plants.
Hoshi was still sitting on the examination table with her feet dangling over the edge when the door to sickbay hissed open and Sub-Commander T'Pol entered. She looked around hesitantly and then slowly walked across the room to Hoshi. The communications officer smiled at the Vulcan but the Sub-Commander's face looked like it was carved in stone.
"Ensign."
"Ma'am."
"How are you?"
"I'll be as good as new in a few days and all will be forgotten."
"Good."
It seemed to Hoshi that the Vulcan wanted to say something else but wasn't quite sure about where to start. She was also very reluctant to look Hoshi in the eyes.
"Will there be any...," T'Pol asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Scars? No... Well, maybe some, but very little the Doctor says. And they will all completely vanish in time." As she said this Hoshi saw something flicker in the Vulcan's eyes – just for a moment.
"I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you."
"It's all right T'Pol. It's not as if you had planned this," Hoshi smiled again.
"But I should have been able to control myself in a more appropriate way. It is unacceptable to..."
"...to mew?" Hoshi interrupted. It was obviously to her that T'Pol was horribly upset because of what she had done to the young Ensign. Back in her quarters the Vulcan had said much the same thing. And even though her face had been like a mask and her voice had been calm Hoshi had sensed T'Pol's shame. She had talked the Vulcan out of making an emergency call and then had convinced her that she should go to sickbay alone. Then she had left the Vulcan standing in the middle of her quarters looking very lost as she watched the Ensign leave.
T'Pol peered at the scratches. They didn't look as bad as they did the first time she had looked at them. But she still couldn't forgive herself for what she had done. She had never experienced such passionate love making as she had with Hoshi and had totally lost control. She had never expected that their first time together would end with Hoshi in sickbay. She didn't know what to do.
Hoshi noticed that T'Pol hadn't really heard her. "Hey!" Hoshi poked her lover's stomach lightly.
"Yes?"
"Did you know that you mew?"
Lifting an eyebrow T'Pol looked at the human. As far as she could remember, nobody had ever told her anything like that. "Mew? Like a cat?"
Smiling Hoshi nodded. "Yeah.. From the very first time I saw you, you have reminded me of a cat. Your smooth elegant movement, your beautiful pointed ears..." Hoshi grinned. "...and now you're scratching and mewing."
T'Pol clasped her hands behind her back and if possible stood up a little straighter. "Vulcans do not..... 'mew'," she stated flatly as she wondered why in the name of logic humans were always so interested in Vulcan ears? She would have to question Hoshi about that later.
"Well, I know at least one Vulcan who does mew if I arouse her to a certain point," Hoshi whispered leaning forward and wiggling her eyebrows.
That certain Vulcan was thankful that Hoshi hadn't spoken very loudly. "I do not mew."
"Oh yes, you do."
"No. I do not."
"Would you like me to prove it to you?"
"I... I do not think that would be a good idea." T'Pol replied thinking of the red streaks on the sheets she had stuffed into a laundry bag just before she had left her quarters to come and check up on Hoshi.
"Pah! Coward." Hoshi said hoping to shake T'Pol out of her mood. "You're just worried that you might be wrong and it would bruise your Vulcan belief in your superiority," she said teasingly.
Before T'Pol could reply Dr. Phlox came back. "Ah, Sub-Commander. Dropped by for a little visit?"
"Yes, Doctor. I heard Ensign Sato was injured and thought it prudent to investigate."
"Nothing to worry about. The Ensign will be back on her feet and ready for duty in just a few moments."
T'Pol nodded saying nothing and watched as the Doctor began placing the o'oligth-membrane on Hoshi's back.
Hoshi, who was staring at her feet as she waited for the symbiont to be placed on her back felt something cold and slick suddenly touching her and it caused her to yelp in surprise.
"Doctor?" Suddenly T'Pol was right besides the Denobulan.
"It's a normal reaction for most exothermic lifeforms, Sub-Commander," Phlox said surprised by the Vulcan's concern and the speed with which she had moved to Hoshi's aide. Almost as if she wanted to protect the Ensign, he thought.
"It's okay, and honestly, it feels very soothing," Hoshi said as she glanced over her shoulder at T'Pol. This seemed to calm the Vulcan and reassured she stepped back to give the Doctor more room to work.
Finally Phlox stepped back and looked at the Vulcan. "So, have I done it right?" he smiled.
T'Pol leaned in closer to inspect the Doctor's work. Turning back to look at the Doctor she nodded. "It appears to be satisfactory." She found him glancing from her hands to the wounds on Hoshi's back, then back at her hands. The Sub-Commander quickly stuck her hands behind her back prompting an even bigger smile from the Doctor.
"Thank you Sub-Commander." Turning back to Hoshi, Phlox said still smiling. "Ensign, please be careful for the next few days. No sleeping on your back and no gymnastics, but other wise there shouldn't be any complications."
"Thank you, Doctor." Hoshi hopped down from the examination table and slipped into her shirt. "Good night."
"Sub-Commander. Ensign," The Doctor acknowledged. "Good night."
"Good night, Doctor," T'Pol said looking back at Phlox before she started after Hoshi who was already on her way out of sickbay. She caught up with her in the hallway but before she could say anything Hoshi spoke. "So, would you like me to prove to you that you mew?"
"But your back?"
"I like it on top." Hoshi grinned at the Vulcan and wiggled her eyebrows. She reached out to lightly brush her fingers over the back of T'Pol's hand.
The brief touch caused a shiver to run through the Vulcan's body. Not only from the arousal she felt, but suddenly she knew that Hoshi had totally forgiven her. For T'Pol it seemed as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. Never before had she felt this way and without thinking, she returned Hoshi's gesture and touched her hand stroking the soft skin with her thumb for a moment. "Did you know that you make these quiet little noises when you are aroused? It sounds almost like you are barking," T'Pol said as she let go of the linguistics expert's hand and started walking toward her own quarters. She couldn't resist trying to get the last word in.
Hoshi stopped, rooted to the spot. "What? Are you.... are you saying that I.... bark?" she asked as she watched the Vulcan walking away from her.
Just before she disappeared around a corner, T'Pol looked back. "I could prove it to you if you insist."
After a second or two a wide grin appeared on Hoshi's face and she rushed down the hallway after the disappearing form of the lovely Vulcan.
The End