Title: Prophet
By: twk4258
Pairing: T'Pol/Hoshi
Fandom: Star Trek Enterprise
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Hoshi uses a turn in the conversation to let T'Pol know how she feels.***
Hoshi looked across at her companion kneeling in the traditional Japanese position of seiza as she was, and then as if there had been some prearranged signal they bowed to each other. Hoshi as was appropriate to the level of respect she had for T'Pol, lowered her eyes and gently touched her forehead to the floor. Just at the edge of her peripheral vision as she was bowing she noted that T'Pol had lowered her eyes as well and that fact was quietly noted. She would remind the Vulcan science officer later, that as the "elder" in this situation she was entitled to keep her eyes up and didn't have to bow as deeply as she did. As the Ensign returned to the fully upright position a quiet relaxed smile appeared on her face. There were a few more moments where they both reviewed the experience that they had just been through.
"Thank you, T'Pol for sharing this experience with me."
"Thank you, Hoshi Sato for introducing me to this ceremony."
Although T'Pol's response was delivered with the usual Vulcan emotionless calm, the young linguist felt a small surge of delight at the thanks.
"I remember my great great grandmother introducing the Tea Ceremony to me when I was a very young child. It was all just an elaborate game to me at the time. We would dress up in these beautiful ornate Japanese kimonos and she would very mindfully go through the ceremony, while I would run around like some sort of little spoiled brat. Occasionally she would manage to get me to sit quietly for a few moments and properly participate in the rituals."
Hoshi glanced over at the senior officer to try and determine her level of interest. T'Pol noticing the questioning look nodded at the Ensign to continue.
Looking thoughtful Hoshi continued, "Until you started to teach me Vulcan meditation techniques, I had not thought about these things in years. Now for some reason the memories of my great great grandmother and the many different ways she tried to introduce me to my heritage have started coming back to me."
With the same quiet, deliberate speech that she had maintained since Hoshi had entered her quarters T'Pol replied, "From the way you have described the Tea Ceremony and the other information we found in the databases, it would appear that we have succeeded in recreating the mental discipline of the experience, if not the proper experience."
"Yes, well if I remember correctly, there are many different ways that the ceremony can be performed, but it is definitely the mindfulness that is the important aspect," Hoshi acknowledged.
"As the one teaching you meditation, it was gratifying to see you take what you have learned, and begin to apply it other situations."
"It is a credit to my teacher that what she has taught me in one situation is so easily adapted to other situations," Hoshi smiled back at the lovely Vulcan noting a very subtle softening of T'Pol's features that she took as an acknowledgment of the compliment.
"At the rate you are progressing with your meditation practice, you will soon achieve a near Vulcan like control of your emotions," the science officer returned.
Taking a moment to carefully consider her words, Hoshi carefully replied, "While the thought of having the mental discipline that you have T'Pol appeals to me, I have not convinced myself that living without feelings is the total answer."
A very slight tilting of her head accompanied the beautiful Vulcan's inquiring, "Oh?"
"You see, while I have never fully researched the origin of this piece of pop-philosophy, I do think that there is some validity to the statement," the communication officer started. "I think it goes something like; There is an appropriate time and place to feel nothing. It is called death."
"That certainly sounds like an idea without any deep thought behind it," T'Pol responded while wondering where the young Ensign was going with this line of thinking.
"Yes, well for the first few meditation lessons while the memory of my fear was fresh in my mind, the idea of suppressing my emotions was very attractive. However as we went along some small part of my mind started to rebel," Hoshi stated thoughtfully as T'Pol continued to look at her. "I found myself reading poetry and prose that I had read before. Material that expressed strong emotion, and I found myself 'exulting' in the emotions that I felt as I read along."
Hoshi found she couldn't detect any change in T'Pol's demeanor as the Vulcan replied, "You are ultimately responsible for whatever level of emotional control you achieve Hoshi Sato. I know you are well acquainted with our history, and you know where emotions have taken us."
The young Oriental linguist found herself smiling as she replied, "I have reached the conclusion that the history that has been released by your people is carefully constructed to support your current behavior and interaction with the rest of humanity. I am sure that even you have had the suspicion that your history focuses on the fear, anger and other emotions to cover up the ignorance and stupidity of the leaders of those times."
There was a few moments of silence as T'Pol looked at Hoshi and considered the insight of the lovely young communications officer. The thought also occurred to her that her own respect for Hoshi rose another notch. While the insight needed further reflection, it told the Vulcan science officer that Hoshi was inclined to look beyond official explanations. She also found herself wondering what the linguist would think if she had access to the complete histories.
Judging by the silence from the beautiful Vulcan that she had indeed touched upon a valid point, Hoshi decides to continue with the previous concept that she was talking about, "I think the most compelling work that I reread in the last little while had to be 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran. In it, I find the best argument for emotion. The work is almost a celebration of strong emotion and for some reason after reading it, I always feel more truly alive and human."
"I do not believe I have read that particular piece of work," T'Pol replied.
"It is in the database," Hoshi offered. "Kahlil Gibran is often regarded as a poet philosopher, and The Prophet is probably his best known work. It's a story of a prophet in a foreign land who is about to return to his home. Before he leaves, however the people of the foreign land ask him to share of his knowledge. He then goes on to offer his insights on various topics that the people ask him about. Things like work, eating, love, .. you know everyday kinds of things. In some ways there is nothing really original about his answers, but the wording and his delivery are very moving."
"I will make an effort to locate the work and peruse it," commented the Sub-Commander.
Feeling just slightly embarrassed by what she was going to say Hoshi turned her eyes away from Enterprise's second in command and said, "There is also a small part of Gibran's writing that I am reminded of whenever I am in your presence T'Pol."
"Oh?"
"Yes, it's also in his work 'The Prophet'," Hoshi explained. "It reads;
And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy.
It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth,
But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted."
When Hoshi looked up and back into T'Pol's eyes it seemed that the intensity of the Vulcan's look had dramatically increased. Perhaps it was only her imagination, but with all the time they had spent together recently she liked to think she was becoming much more sensitive to the science officer's moods.
"And indeed you have enflamed my heart and enchanted my soul," the young Ensign murmured.
With a very small quiet smile on her face and a deliciously warm feeling that she had managed to communicate in perhaps a not so subtle way her feelings for the Sub-Commander, Hoshi bowed once again letting her forehead gently touch the floor and then gracefully rose up out of seiza and quietly padded out of T'Pol's quarters leaving behind a disquieted Vulcan. One who was wrestling with a strange inclination to go after the lovely communications officer and the sudden need to mediate and deal with the rising sensations she was experiencing.
***