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.
BETA: Qzeebrella
A Gift
By Olli
After her shift Hoshi stood in the turbo lift heading for her quarters. She wanted to shower, change clothes and... Party!
The lift stopped, the door hissed open and the ship's resident Vulcan, Sub-Commander T'Pol, entered the car.
"Ma'am," Hoshi greeted her.
"Ensign." T'Pol turned, clapsed her hands behind her back and faced the lift doors. "Deck C."
The lift moved on.
"Ensign?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
"May I have a word with you?"
Oh no! Hoshi thought. Please no more work! "Of course, ma'am."
The Vulcan turned her head and looked at Hoshi. "I have been told that for Humans it is custom to show... affection by giving a birthday present."
"Uh, yes..." Hoshi blinked surprised, not knowing what to think about this.
T'Pol drew a hand from her back, presenting Hoshi with a little grey cardboard box.
The young Human stared at it for a moment. "For me?" she finally managed.
T'Pol quirked an eyebrow. "Seeing as you are the only one in this lift whose birthday is today, yes, I would say it is for you."
Hoshi took the box and smiled at T'Pol. "Thank you." She opened it and stared unbelievingly at one of T'Pol's precious meditation candles.
Just at that moment the lift stopped, the door opened and T'Pol left the car.
"Uh, ma'am!" Hoshi called after her.
The Vulcan turned and looked at the Human. "Yes?"
"Ah... Maybe you want to join us at the party? At 1900 hours at Liz'... I mean at Crewman Cutler's quarters."
"Thank you, ensign. But I think the kind of party Humans prefer would be nothing for me." With that T'Pol nodded at Hoshi, turned and headed down the corridor.
The door of the lift closed and it moved again. Wow, Hoshi thought. That was the most unexpected gift I've ever gotten on a birthday. Had T'Pol really used the word 'affection'?
As T'Pol walked down the hallway, she kept a picture in her head of how Hoshi smiled at her.
The End