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: Bev and GroovyGoddess.
Questions
By Olli
Hoshi wished that this shore leave would never end. The last week they had spent together here on Risa had been wonderful. As far as T'Pol had allowed it, they had been able to show their relationship in a way they could never do on Enterprise.
The room service had brought dinner and T'Pol and Hoshi were now sitting at the table looking over the delicacies. It was a light dinner, fitting the temperatures, the season and the region. There were plenty of little plates and bowls filled with mini portions, from which they could choose. Most of it were vegetable dishes and could be eaten cold. But there was still some meat and fish because Hoshi wouldn't give this up completely. Since their relationship had started T'Pol had gotten used to the sight and smell of meat though she would never eat it.
"Tomorrow is our last day," Hoshi said while she sceptically looked back and forth between two plates. Finally she took a little bit from both. Once again Hoshi had to admit that the Risan cuisine had a great variety that even after one week there were still new things to discover.
T'Pol was amused about this little scene. This was another part of Hoshi she liked: the uncertainty, the sceptically-asking look which was however so frank and at last the readiness to be open for all things new. "I've heard about a weather control system they are planning here on Risa. There is an institute in the city working on that project. They organize guided tours there."
"And what is so interesting about that?" Hoshi asked. "In the habitats on Mars and some Vulcan colonies weather control systems are working already for many years."
"Yes, but this system is supposed to control the weather of the whole planet," T'Pol replied while she fished with a fork a greenish-yellow ball out of a bowl with a thick marinade. For a moment she eyed it and then she carefully tasted it. It was better than she had supposed – what ever it was.
Hoshi looked stunned at the other woman. "The whole planet? Is that possible at all?"
"I do not know," T'Pol said calmly. She wiped the remaining marinade from her plate with a piece of bread sticking on her fork.
"I would like to see it," Hoshi answered and took another bowl.
T'Pol was amazed as always that it was so easy getting Hoshi to do something the Vulcan was very interested in. "Tomorrow morning we can fly in with a shuttle. We will be back here around noon and then we can eat and spend a few hours on the beach, if you like?"
Smiling Hoshi looked up from something that seemed to be cheese – or not. "That sounds good."
At the late afternoon of the following day Hoshi and T'Pol arrived back in their suite. The tour through the institute had been fascinating for both of them. The nice young guide had been able to explain everything, even complicated technical or meteorological processes, in a comprehensible manner. Not even the complicated questions T'Pol had asked let him forget his kindness. Hoshi had asked especially about the security of the system and patiently he had answered that all systems, according to their importance, would be threefold, fourfold or even fivefold available to prevent malfunctions or sabotage.
There would be for the whole year perfect holiday weather on Risa, he had declared but he, too, had admitted that Risa would be dependent on this technology in a special manner.
The two women had left the institute to have lunch in a street café. They had discussed if the advantage of perfect weather all the time would justify such an enormous intervention into nature's system. But finally they had agreed that they wouldn't find an answer to this question now, because the system would be functional only in a few decades time – if it would function at all.
They had spent a few hours on the beach after their return to the hotel but now they were in their suite again because in three hours they had to be at the shuttle port for their return to Enterprise.
The Vulcan lay stretched out in a tub filled with hot water, and rested comfortably against Hoshi. The temperature of the water was exactly right to be pleasant and relaxing for both women. The pleasing scent of risan bathing ingredients filled the room. Hoshi sat behind T'Pol and massaged slowly the skin of the Vulcan's head while she washed T'Pol's hair. The human's fingertips glided through the dark hair, from the temples to the back of her head, up to the top and then again the same.
T'Pol would never admit it openly but she enjoyed every single second.
The Vulcan relaxed more and more. Her eyes were closed, muscles steeled from years of self control became soft and loose. Her head followed the tender movements of Hoshi's hands.
Finally Hoshi roamed through T'Pol's hair removing the lather, then she gently took the Vulcan by her shoulders and willingly the other woman bent forward. As she sat upright she let her head fall back and Hoshi knelt behind her and took the shower to wash away the last remains of the shampoo. Once Hoshi had finished this, she wrapped her arms around the other woman and kissed her on the eartips – first on the left one, then on the right one. Slowly she sank back to the backrest of the tub and pulled T'Pol with her. The Vulcan didn't attempt to support herself, she knew that Hoshi would hold her. She leaned her head on the young woman's shoulder and Hoshi snuggled close to her.
They enjoyed the closeness and didn't speak a word for a while. After some minutes, T'Pol laid her hands on Hoshi's; softly she pressed them and asked, "You never answered my question."
"Huh?"
"Why humans are so fascinated by our ear tips?"
T'Pol could feel how Hoshi smiled.
"I can't say why humans generally are so fascinated by Vulcan ear tips, but I can say why I am so fascinated by your ear tips," Hoshi replied while she returned T'Pol's pressure on her hands.
"Why?"
"Because they are a part of you."
T'Pol opened her eyes, sat up and turned half around. She looked at Hoshi who smiled. The Vulcan took the human in a firm embrace. There it was again, this warmth deep inside her. T'Pol slowly pulled Hoshi onto her lap and leaned forward.
As their lips met a shiver ran through her body.
The End