Rating: G
Genres: romance
Keywords:
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Hoshi scowled in annoyance. "I have to get on the Bridge" she said and briskly headed for the door.
Trip came in beaming."I believe I have found the perfect thing to give T-Pol for Christmas."
"What?" asked Hoshi.
"It is a secret. You will find out on Christmas morning along with T-Pol," Trip said happily.
"Okay, be that way. See if we care. What is it?" grinned Hoshi slyly.
"Not telling, so stop asking."
I hope she will like it then."
"Oh, she will, count on it. Gotta run. I have a lot of things to do."
"There goes a happy man," said Hoshi. "I wonder what he is getting her?"
"Don't get nosy, Hoshi. You will find out in due time," Reed said.
Not long after, T-Pol approached and asked if she could sit down. "I have a question that perhaps you can answer for me."
"What is that?" Hoshi asked, although she had a hunch what it would be. She was only surprised that the question had not been asked earlier.
"Humans have a tradition of giving a gift at Christmas. Is that True?"
“Yes, it has been a tradition for several centuries."
"What determines the kind of gift given?"
"Depends," said Hoshi.
"Depends on what?"
"On who is giving it, and who is receiving it."
"I want to be sure I understand. Gift giving is a very intimate thing on Vulcan."
"It can be here too. Let's say I give a gift to Anna Hess as a friend. I may give her a set of towels, a book, or something like that. However, if Major Hayes gives Anna a gift, it would be diffferent. They are more than friends or even good friends. He would give her perfume, jewelry, perhaps something very intimate. If the Engineering crew got together and gave Commander Tucker a gift it would be the same kind as a friend would give him. The difference is how close the one giving is to the one receiving."
"Let us say I gave a gift to someone on board . . . perhaps someone like . . . Commander Tucker. I believe that would be a gift to a friend? We are friends."
"Just friends? I thought you were good friends. He seems to be the only one on board that you are friendly with."
"Good friends then. But still it would be a gift from a friend to a friend?"
In a pig's eye, thought Hoshi. From that goofy look on his face whenever you are near him, I would say it has been a while since "good friends."
"It might be considered that," allowed Hoshi.
"So supposing I did get a gift for Commander Tucker, what could it be?"
"Yes, let’s suppose . . ." Hoshi said coyly.
"What do you think would be a fitting gift, one that did not seem too friendly, but friendly enough?"
Christ, thought Hoshi, why in Hell don't you just come out with it. You want to get him a gift that will tell him how you really feel. "Not too friendly." HAH!
"What to get Commander Tucker? Interesting question. What to get for a friend? He collects baseball cards. There are two that he has been wanting since I came on board. They would be not be too friendly and not intimate. He sure would like that as a gift—a whole lot."
"Do you know what cards they are?"
"I thought this was just suppose?" Hoshi said evilly
"Yes, of course. Supposing I did give him something, what cards should they be?"
"He has a very large and valuable collection of what he calls Major League players. So he has been concentrating on another league, which he says is the third Major, the Pacific Coast League. He has been collecting cards for that League for some time and there are two that he wants very much. One is for a guy named Hylus Lane and the other guy is Tony York. They are very rare, very expensive and very hard to find. I don't know if the Vulcan Embassy could locate them for you. Or, if it did, if you could afford them."
"This is all hypothetical. I was just curious about the tradition. It seems important to some of the crew. Thank you for the information. I have to go back to the Science Department now."
"Now what?" asked Reed who had just walked in.
"Didn't you hear what she said? She was 'just supposing' about giving a gift to Commander Tucker. I hope she can get those cards. They would knock his socks off."
"You said they were very rare, expensive, and hard to find? Good thing this is 'just suppose.' Besides why would she want to do that for a friend? Sounds like way too much trouble to me."
Hoshi sighed. "Because she is probably in love with him."
Malcom blinked. "That is different. Do you really think so?"
"Where do you think she spends her nights?"
"Her quarters?"
"No, in his."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I can turn myself into a fly on the wall whenever I want."
"I'm heading for the Armory I have to catch on some paperwork," Malcom left.
Why in Hell am I attracted to him, she wondered.
As Christmas drew near, Hoshi was concerned about T-Pol: Did she get those cards or not? Perhaps she had to settle for another gift. She didn't dare ask her but silently rooted for her fellow officers: I hope you did, T-Pol. It will make you happy and him.
Christmas morning Hoshi and Malcom were sitting at their usual table in the dining Hall. Trip walked in, followed a short while later by T-Pol. Both had a gift in their hands.
"Mind if I sit down?" Trip asked.
"Please," replied Hoshi. “What do you have in your hands?"
"It's a gift for T-Pol, I told you I was going to give her one."
T-Pol came up to the table.
"Sit," invited Hoshi. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to a small box in T-Pol's hand.
"A gift."
"Oh, for who?" said Hoshi, trying to keep a straight face.
"Commander Tucker."
Hoshi couldn't help herself. "I thought it was 'just suppose' I didn't realize you were serious."
"Hoshi!" snapped Malcom.
"Sorry," she said. "Imp in me. Just teasing you."
T-Pol did not look pleased, she was uneasy and Hoshi's crack didn't help at all.
Hoshi realized her mistake. Damn, she thought, I screwed it up good. Better keep my big mouth shut.
Trip sensing that things had gotten a bit out of hand said "Here," and handed T-Pol a fairly large box. "Open it."
T-Pol was startled and pleased. "I cannot accept a gift from you. This is not my tradition."
"No, but it is mine, and I can give a gift to anyone I want. Take it, please."
T-Pol took the box and handed Trip the small box she was holding. "I believe you say 'Merry Christmas' when giving a gift on this day."
"Yup sure do. Merry Christmas to you too!" said Trip.
"Open your gift," T-Pol urged.
"You open yours first. I gave it to you before you gave me mine."
"Shall we open each at the same time?" asked T-Pol shyly.
"Okay, we will do that," agreed Trip.
Both started to open their gift while watching for the other's reaction to the gift they recieved.
T-Pol looked at a clear plastic box. In it were vid's, about 50 of them.
"Jazz,” Trip explained. “Best of the old days. T. Monk, Oscar Peterson, Quincy Jones. Others. Push that button on the far left and it will tell who is on what vid. I found all of these over time and had them put on vids for you. There is also a small portable player attached so you can listen to jazz while eating lunch."
"Thank you, I love jazz. How did you know?"
"A little bird told me. That and I could hear it once in a while coming from your quarters. I believe you once told me you sneaked out in San Francisco to go to jazz clubs to listen to groups?"
"You haven't opened you gift," T-Pol pointed out.
"Yeah, sorry, wanted to tell you about that jazz collection. Trip unwrapped the small box, opened it, and took out two baseball cards. "Damn, Hylus Land and Tony York! Where did you find these? They must have cost you a fortune. Thank you." Trip started to lean over the table as if he were going to kiss T-Pol, remembered, and sat back down. "You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble and expense. I love them but . . ."
T-Pol gave him a pleased look. "It was my pleasure. My first time giving a Christmas gift to a friend."
Trip again was pointing out groups and individual artists in the Jazz collection.
"Maybe we can go to another table,” suggested T-Pol. “I doubt if Hoshi or Malcom are interested in Jazz."
"Good idea," said Trip standing up and moving to a table in the corner where there were no other crewman. T-Pol followed him.
Malcom started to say something but Hosh interrupted: “They want to be alone but can't go back to their quarters together. It would look a little suspicious."
"Trip forgot his coffee. I'll take it to him," Malcom said.
"Wait, here he comes to get it," replied Hoshi.
Trip walked up to get his coffee. He had strange look on his face.
"You don't look too happy for a guy who just got two baseball cards he has wanted for ages."
"I used my entire back pay and then I had to sell all of my baseball cards to afford the Jazz collection I gave her. I had to buy individual cuts from private collectors. Cost a fortune. But it was worth it." He took his coffee gave them a very happy smile. "She loves it."
"Sold all of your baseball cards!" exclaimed Hoshi in dismay. "All of them?"
"Yes, you can't believe how hard it was to find some of those cuts to put on vids and how much the collectors wanted. They knew how badly I needed them, so they gouged. I better get back to T-Pol now." He left.
"There goes a born husband."
"Born Husband?" Malcom asked.
"Yes, his woman is happy, so he is happy. A born husband will always put their wife first and be faithful."
"I don't understand one thing. Trip said he had to sell all of his baseball cards. What about the two he got from T-Pol?"
"Useless actually. He needs the complete set. But his card collection is gone and he won't be able to get it back. I bet he never tells her though. That was quite a sacrifice he made to make her happy. I wonder what sacrifice she made to buy those cards?"
"Why did they make those sacrifices?" wondered Malcolm.
"Love," replied Hoshi, "the reason she searched for, found, and bought the two cards she gave him: Love."
Hoshi looked wistfully at the table where Trip and T-Pol were sitting. Trip was animatedly showing T-Pol his gift and explaining what was there. His smile said it all: He was happy that he had pleased the woman he loved. Her face showed little, but her eyes reflected his pleasure and Love.
Finis.
I like this story. Nice interaction and I really like the relationship between Trip and T'Pol. Your writung is stronger in this story. Looking forward to future tales by you.
I agree with Dinah, this is your best one yet. Charming. Nice hints of TnT without being in your face. I thought Hoshi explained at bit too much, but it worked. I had no idea what Trip was going to buy and I liked the idea that he sold his collection for a gift for her - I wondered if he would really pay such a huge sacrifice - but again it works in this entertaining story.
This was a lovely holiday story. It says a lot about Trip and T'Pol's affection for each other that they'd work so hard to please one another. Silverbullet, I think this is the best story you've written so far. Very well done!
Thank you all for you comments. They are heartening.
Blue tiger. You are right, I nevr thought of that aspect. Yes, he would treasure them for that very reason.
I enjoyed this very much Silverbullet. When you are able to get the perfect gift for someone it is far more gratifing than anything you receive. However I disagree with Hoshi on one point.
Those two cards are not worthless. They will mean the world to Trip even without the complete collection because they were his first ever gift from the woman he loves.
I can't imagine him not treasuring them forever.
Ah, "The Gift of the Magi" updated to Enterprise... I, like WarpGirl, really enjoyed Hoshi's line, "Why the hell am I attracted to him." :p I'm glad I don't have to worry about Hoshi being a fly on the wall in MY house.
I always wished they played with T'Pol's interest in jazz on the show. . .so I'm very glad to see it here. A nice little romantic fic.
This story is capable of speaking to heart.
It is light and, without being "declaring", it says all.
Please, look at the quiet and still decidely meaningful interacting between Trip and T'Pol: behind any thought, any gesture, any word (said or not said) there's a whole world.
Malcom is splendid and Hoshi is, for me, what she is: a little and still caring imp.
:D:D:D
I have no problem with Hoshi's voice here. She has been presented every which way on the show, from meek and wimpy to "I broke his arm in a poker game" (or something). I think the thing everyone picks up on with Hoshi is that enigmatic smile, like "I know more than I'm letting on" *wink, wink.* From this fanfic writers have mader her the gossip. Works for me!
And, despite the teasing, she is routing for Trip and T'Pol, not competing with T'Pol. I like it. As for the Trip and T'Pol chemistry, I liked this line:
Trip started to lean over the table as if he were going to kiss T-Pol, remembered, and sat back down.
I should really read things twice before I review. One teeny tiny thing to watch out for, T'Pol saying things like "It's my pleasure," or "I love Jazz" dear that is not what she would say even in the show. At least not in the middle of the mess hall, in front of people. If you really want her to talk like that, I'd make sure they're in private. I know you want to make T'Pol more open to Trip. Who doesn't? Heck, I'd like show Trip to be more open to her. But those phrases can be slightly jarring in an awkward setting.
:) Great job SilverBullet i really liked this Christmas story. And the fact Trip & T'Pol both were trying to find the right gifts to give each other.
Been reading a lot of O'Henry Sillverbullet? Because this is seriously like his story where the woman sells her hair for a watch bobin abd her husband sells his watch for hairclips. Good news and bad news, let's get the bad news over with. I hate myself for this I really do, but I swore I'd always tell you the truth... Hoshi isn't Hoshi. Remember her job? She's the commuincations officer, not just a translator. It's her job to study people and cultures so she can either prevent a fight, or negotiate out of one. Or to be more specific to tell the Captain how. She would know not to joke about T'Pol having a gift right in front of her. You went out of your way to tell us that the only "friend" T'Pol had was Trip. So Hoshi would know not to tease. Also nothing she said or thought really sounded like the Hoshi I know. Except this brilliant line concerning Malcolm... "Why the hell am I attracted to him" It was very Hoshi in that case. Also I still can't shake off the feeling that the crew interacts like they're in a Warp 5 high school.
OK good news! YEY! Trip and T'Pol are the closest they've been to the TV Trip and T'Pol ever since you started writing. THIS IS WONDERFUL! You are improving by leaps and bounds and I am so very happy for you.