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"Chocophoria"
Rating: PG-13 Please read and review! Thanks! Four “I do not understand this...obsession.” Lieutenant Travis Mayweather glanced over his shoulder at Subcommander T’Pol. The Vulcan watched as Crewman Cunningham rang the chime of the captain’s Ready Room. They all heard Archer’s muffled response, then Cunningham entered, letting the door slide shut behind him. “‘Obsession’, Subcommander?” Travis asked, confused. “Yes, Lieutenant. This obsession with a food substance.” T’Pol held the maroon-foil wrapped chocolate to the light. Her mouth was pulled down in a grimace of distaste. Despite himself, Travis snorted in laughter, and T’Pol turned her disdainful look on him. “Sometimes it’s just a personal preference, Subcommander. In the case of chocolate, there has been evidence that the chemicals make people feel good.” T’Pol nodded at the scientific explanation. “Endorphins.” “Yeah. Chocolate has anti-oxidants in its chemical make-up too,” Travis went on. “So it’s supposed to be good for your health...I think dark chocolate is supposed to be the best.” He decided to change the subject slightly. “Do Vulcans have a sweet tooth?” She didn’t quite shrug, but he could hear the grudging agreement in her tone. “There are desserts in Vulcan cuisine, Lieutenant, but personally, I do not enjoy them, as most are too sweet for my taste. I have sampled some Human desserts, like cake, but I would prefer not to indulge too often.” “Too bad.” Travis unwrapped his piece and popped it into his mouth. “When I was growing up on the Horizon, we took a shipment of Ndaian spice to Aldeberan once. Just the smell of the stuff was addictive. Paul and I took turns sitting in front of the cargo bay doors just to savor the aroma.” T’Pol raised an eyebrow and replied, “I believe Ndaian spice has a rather...hallucinogenic effect on the human brain, specifically the male brain.” “Well, yeah, but no one knew that then. Mom and my sister Lina thought we were nuts. Luckily, we reached Aldeberan and off-loaded the stuff before either of us did anything stupid. I think my dad ended up sleeping in the Mess Hall during that week ‘cause my mom was mad at him for some reason.” Travis chuckled and shook his head, then suddenly his eyes widened. “Whoa—“ The drastic change made T’Pol concerned. “Lieutenant? Are you well?” When he didn’t answer immediately, she asked, “Shall I call Sickbay?” Travis shook his head and held up a hand to stop her. “No, no, Subcommander...I’m all right, it’s just...whew!” He blinked and swallowed a few times. “That’s a powerful piece of candy! I thought for a minute I tasted some cinnamon and a touch of spiced curry. That’ll wake you up in a heartbeat.” His expression turned sunny once more. “I gotta ask Cunningham where he got it. This stuff’s pretty good.” Just then, the door opened and Cunningham walked out with his glass dish of chocolates. Archer said something that Travis didn’t catch, but T’Pol did, and she raised her eyebrow again. Cunningham chuckled in response and said, “I don’t think that’ll be good for Porthos, sir. I think chocolate’s bad for dogs, isn’t it?” “It’s supposed to be,” Archer agreed, “but for some reason he’s bent on getting a piece. You’d think it was covered with cheese or something. Don’t worry, Crewman, I’ll keep it away from Porthos.” “Thank you, sir.” The Ready Room doors closed, cutting off Archer’s reply. Cunningham nodded at T’Pol and was heading back to the lift, when he turned back to Travis. “Hoshi got the mokka from the Dnayu chocolatier, Lieutenant. The chef gave her a free tray and she asked me to distribute it among the crew.” Travis blinked. “How’d you know I was gonna ask that?” “Because everyone’s been asking me that, and everyone wants another piece.” Cunningham laughed and added, “Well, I think Chef’s got a healthy supply of it now, so it’ll be back.” “Great. I’d hate to think something this good was just a one-shot deal.” “Yeah, that’s what everyone else thinks too.” Cunningham stepped into the lift. “Good night, everyone.” The Gamma shift bridge crew returned the greeting. Travis glanced back at T’Pol , who seemed to be studying her piece of mokka, which was holding up considerably well, since it was warm on the bridge. “You gonna eat that or are you gonna analyze it first, Subcommander?” Travis asked, his tone both curious and teasing. T’Pol looked back at him and said, “Perhaps it would not be harmful if I consume a little amount of sucrose.” Then with a gracefulness that surprised Travis, she unwrapped the candy and put it in her mouth, closing her eyes to enhance the experience. After a few moments, she opened her eyes again and murmured, “Fascinating.” “What?” Travis asked. He wasn’t the only one who was curious; the entire Gamma crew was staring at her. “How was it?” “I experienced a childhood memory. Rat’sieka.” Seeing Travis’s curiosity, she clarified, “A summer treat for Vulcan children, made of saya and other types of fruit. It is refreshing, but not overly saccharine. I was able to eat it because I found the taste...agreeable.” “And you thought it tasted like this rat’sieka?” Travis asked. “I believe my brain interpreted the chemicals in the mokka as similar and linked it to my memory.” “Makes sense, if it tasted different for everybody.” Travis glanced around the bridge and received nods of affirmation. “It probably reminded us of pleasant flavors we’ve experienced in the past.” T’Pol nodded and looked at the crumpled-up foil, which she still held in her hand. “I would be curious to discover how this is possible. I believe this is the first time I have heard of a food substance with this strong of an effect on both Humans and Vulcans.” “Maybe you can write a paper on it,” Travis joked, then winced as he realized that T’Pol might be offended. He didn’t have to worry about it, for she was busy at her console, arranging a chemical analysis of the remnants of the mokka on the foil. It took a negative scan of the ship, a thorough checking of the records, and a precise recounting the supply of phase pistols in the Armory, but finally, Malcolm and his team came up with the correct number. It turned out that the three pistols hadn’t been missing after all. Bloody brilliant. I had to ruin my enjoyable evening with Hoshi for a false alarm, Malcolm groused. A part of him, the security officer, reminded him that it was better safe than sorry, and that he’d much rather have had a false alarm now than a potentially dangerous situation later. He said as much to his staff, who were embarrassed at the mix-up. “I would’ve sworn that three were missing, sir,” said Crewman Michaels. His face was as red as an overripe tomato. “I’m sorry.” “Better for us to find out now than later, Crewman,” Malcolm assured him. “Now, if there are no further crises, real or imagined—“ “Of course, sir.” Malcolm headed for the door, but before they closed behind him, he thought he heard one of his Gamma shift team mutter, “Someone didn’t get their chocolate tonight.” Yes, well, I suppose I should remedy that lack right now, he thought. If Hoshi still isn’t mad at me for having to deal with an imaginary phase pistol thief. Hoshi would understand, though. She always did. But he still hesitated in front of her door, for he wasn’t sure whether or not he’d still be in her good graces. The door opened, startling him. Hoshi was there, still in the red dress she’d gotten at the Marketplace, with a bright smile. He relaxed and said, “I’m sorry, Hoshi, it was a false alarm...” She grabbed his upper arms and pulled him towards her, surprising him with a passionate kiss. The rational part of his brain (the part still able to think, anyway) identified the taste on her lips: fruity, not unpleasantly so, and sweet. Pineapple? I hadn’t thought the Dnayu would have used an Earth fruit in their mokka... That was all he had time for before she pulled him through the door. |
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