Work Text:
“Are you crazy?” hissed La’an.
Una shrugged. “What?” She adjusted her outfit once again, checking her reflection carefully.
“We’re supposed to be inconspicuous, not broadcasting our intentions. You look like-” La’an cut herself off. The real truth was that Una looked absolutely gorgeous, but at the moment she looked utterly ridiculous, too. When the two of them had volunteered to track grain shipments that were going missing on their way to the Martext Colony they hadn’t expected it to go quite as badly as it had. It had taken them days of careful observation to realize that whatever was happening was bigger than they’d anticipated. It had brought them to a port on the edges of Federation space.
Now they were trying for something bordering on disguises. Well, at least, La’an was. Una seemed to be trying to become some sort of showgirl. They’d suspected they were searching for pirates and that seemed to lead Una to the idea that she should dress as flamboyantly as possible. Yanking the feather from Una’s hair, La’an tried to ignore the attraction warring with frustration in her body.
“Hey! I thought that added to my charm.”
“That’s the last thing you need,” muttered La’an, rifling through a bag before brandishing a hat at Una. “Here.”
“What is that?”
“My old baseball hat.” La’an adjusted the back and reached up before pulling it down over Una’s dark hair.
Una leaned towards her reflection. “Is that a… dinosaur?”
“Yep,” said La’an, finishing off her disguise. “When I got back to Earth after the Gorn the headmaster at my school said I needed to be social. So I joined the damn baseball team. We were the Brighton Brontosaurs.”
“The… Brighton Brontosaurs…?”
La’an rolled her eyes. “I didn’t name them.”
“I didn’t say you did.”
“You ready?”
Una smirked down at La’an. “I don’t know. You tell me. What was wrong with what I was wearing before?” La’an scanned Una again, not dignifying her question with a response. Silently unbuttoning the rainbow waistcoat Una had donned, she threw it aside and reached for a leather jacket, helping Una slip it on. The hat hid her face well, and everything else was subtle.
Una smirked down at her and La’an stepped back, trying to put some space between them, the air suddenly feeling charged. “Do I have your approval now, Lieutenant?”
La’an cleared her throat, trying not to choke. “Always.” Una raised her eyebrows and La’an instantly realized her mistake. “I mean, except for the damn feather. Rein in your rampageous impulses, please.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Spinning around, La’an tried to ignore the way Una’s words felt in her body, somewhere between a gut punch and a caress. Get it together. “Alright, let’s go.”
On the station they fell back into the effortless pattern of working together they’d honed over many years. La’an worked in the shadows, listening carefully, remaining unnoticed. But Una… Una moved through the crowd like a panther. She was lithe and deadly, but so bewitching that most didn’t see her attacks coming before she charmed information out of someone. It was hard for La’an to remember to stay on task, to focus on her own work. She wanted to watch the way Una laughed at a joke, the way the hat shadowed her face but let the light hit the skin of her chest, exposed slightly under the jacket.
Shaking herself away La’an focused on the job at hand, trying not to think about the way Una moved her hands when she talked or the way she smiled crookedly when she was moving in on a victim. The feelings had been slowly building for so long she wasn’t even sure when they’d started. Now the frisson at Una’s touch and the distraction of her smile were almost-constant, as much La’an wanted to ignore them.
But there wasn’t anything there. It was all in her head, she was convinced. Sometimes Una would look at her too closely and La’an would open her mouth to confess, stumbling over words and talking it all sideways as Una looked on in polite confusion. And then, somehow, she always turned it into a conversation about duty rosters or ship’s security and Una pretended that La’an hadn’t just smashed egg all over her own face.
It didn’t matter. None of it mattered. They had always been just friends, and just friends they would always be.
----
A few hours later they were back on the dilapidated ship the Federation had supplied for their work, reviewing notes. The details were slim, but La’an had found a few leads that pointed her towards a smuggler working outside Federation space. She’d only caught rumors and a name - Vincent Mislar - but hopefully it would be enough to get them started.
They combed through all the details they could, but eventually La’an started to nod off, much to her chagrin. Once upon a time she’d been able to stay up for days, but after a few years in Starfleet she’d gotten spoiled and after two days without sleep there was nothing she could do to keep herself awake. After Una had shaken La’an awake for the third time she finally conceded, moving over to one of the uncomfortable bunks in the back of the ship, asleep before her head hit the pillow.
An indeterminate amount of time later she awoke with a bitten-off scream, sweat pouring down her body. Frozen, she only opened her eyes. Una was kneeling next to the bunk, blue eyes boring into La’an’s own. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “You’re safe.” Instantly La’an felt something in her release, leaving her feeling clammy and strung out, heart racing. She blinked slowly, trying to figure out what it was exactly her brain had conjured while asleep. For once everything seemed to dissipate into nothingness, almost more disconcerting than her normal haunting images of the Gorn.
When her eyes opened again Una was still watching her. It was like the universe was hanging between them. La’an’s heart stuttered and sped up again. “Move over,” whispered Una.
“What?”
“Move over.” La’an couldn’t even really figure out what Una was asking. It was like everything was mush.
Una leaned towards her slowly, seemingly trying not to startle La’an. Holding out a finger she poked La’an’s side. La’an jumped back with a strangled yelp. “What was that?!”
“Move over,” said Una forcefully, shifting to crawl into the bunk. La’an shifted even further into the wall, trying to make room in the tight space, totally confused. Una settled where La’an had just been and held out an arm.
“What?” L’a’an snapped.
“Come on,” said Una, gesturing with her hand. La’an shook her head. Una reached out and wrapped her hand around La’an’s shoulder, jerking her forwards. La’an had barely had balance before, but Una used her Illyrian strength and she found herself tumbling, her face slamming into Una’s chest. Instantly a blush painted her cheeks and La’an was tempted to bury her face even further to hide it from Una. But the only place to bury her face was…
She twisted quickly turning onto her side, getting her head over to Una’s shoulder and trying to get her clouded mind off anything but Una’s body. “Aren’t you supposed to be on watch?” she asked, suddenly realizing what Una’s presence meant.
Una waved a heretofore unseen PADD in La’an’s direction. “Got it, Lieutenant. I do know how to do my job-”
“That wasn’t what I-” La’an tried to pull back.
Una pulled her tighter. “Will you just relax?”
La’an tried to force her muscles to relax even as Una’s presence invaded her. It wasn’t often that someone held her. Actually, it wasn’t ever. And it was… nice. Having Una hold her made her feel protected, warm, secure…
Slowly, her eyes started to drift shut again.
Suddenly a thought occurred and she jerked upright. “Una, do you have-”
Una reached down with the arm that hadn’t been wrapped around La’an and grabbed a phaser, waving it towards La’an. “Got it. Come back.” La’an sank back into Una’s embrace, letting the comfort ease her back into complacency. “It’s okay. I’ve got it, La’an.”
----
Late the next day they infiltrated the club where Mislar’s connections usually worked. It was dark and loud, dancers spread across a packed floor as lights strobed across the room, disorienting La’an slightly. She parked herself at the bar, glaring at everyone that approached her. She just wanted to get her information and go, but it wasn’t going to be that easy. It would take time to disappear into the background, to let conversations swirl around her and fold her into the darkness. So she started drinking. It was something to keep her hands busy, something that never had much of an effect, really, but made her less conspicuous.
Her presence was ignored. She heard the bartender telling a person in a suit about a shipment. Someone leaned over the bar with a berth number at the port. Mislar’s name was mentioned, but the details got lost in the crowd. Shifting, La’an turned to face the dance floor, hoping that by turning her back on the bar she’d been even less conspicuous.
Silhouetted in the middle of the crowd was Una. The lights bounced off her hair and the wide expanse of skin revealed by her dress caught La’an’s eye. Taking another sip of her drink she tried to keep herself from staring. Una was her friend.
As she watched Una’s smirk and beauty drew someone in. La’an tried to wonder how much information Una was getting, but even as her security training analyzed the situation her body flushed. The other person reached out and touched Una’s shoulder and La’an filled with rage. Una leaned into it. La’an’s fist clenched and the hand holding her glass started to shake. The person reached out to touch Una’s face and something in La’an snapped. She threw back the rest of the drink, leaving the glass spinning on the counter as she made her way towards the pair. When she got to them Una was practically simpering as the person was clearly looking down at the low cut of her dress.
Just before La’an reached out to collar the other person, Una's gaze darted over to her. Her eyes widened slightly and La’an pulled back at the last second. The other person was still oblivious though, and La’an rudely cut between them and Una. She could hear them start to splutter behind her, but she only had eyes for Una. A flick of Una’s eyes and the movement of air gave away an incoming punch. La’an darted sideways, letting the fist come past and then grabbing it, spinning and turning it up and backwards, leaving the other person trussed up, their arm close to breaking. “Don’t ever touch her again,” growled La’an, shoving them away and sending them stumbling into the crowd.
A hand came gently to her shoulder, pulling her back around to face Una. She was smiling, but it only thinly masked concern. Her mouth moved, but La’an couldn’t hear her voice over the music. She shook her head, not understanding. Una leaned down, tugging La’an closer by the lapels of her jacket. “Are you alright?” Breath ghosted across La’an’s skin and she suppressed a shiver, her mind still on the person who’d hands all over Una’s skin. La’an wanted to touch Una all over, replace the ghost of the other person’s touch…
Suddenly she jerked back, embarrassed at the direction her thoughts were heading. Silently she chastised herself - Una wasn’t hers. She wasn’t anyone’s. And La’an’s thoughts were bordering on possessive-
“Hey,” said Una, having gotten closer than La’an had realized. She jumped and Una reached out to steady her. “La’an?”
“What?” asked La’an, trying to refocus.
“Are you okay?”
La’an was at a total loss, but the song came to an end and shifted to a new genre… something La’an recognized. Grateful for the out, she held out a hand to Una, who hesitated briefly before taking it. “I… don’t know how to dance.”
“What do you mean you don’t know how to dance? You’ve been out here on the dance floor for an hour.”
Una still looked a bit lost. “I mean… it didn’t matter before.” She glanced around the room where the dance floor had emptied slightly, leaving only couples locked in more intricate steps than what had been happening previously.
“May I teach you?”
“Excuse me?”
La’an pulled Una closer. “Let me teach you to dance.” La’an tried not to imagine them dancing together over and over again into the future, a couple the way she’d been imagining for so long. “You ready?”
A forced laugh broke from Una. “No.”
“It’s okay. I’ve got you.” La’an met Una’s eyes and carefully took the first step, leading Una gently. Almost instantly Una’s eyes went down, stumbling over her own feet. “Una. Eyes up here.”
Una glanced up, then back at her feet, stepping on La’an’s toes. “Sorry!” she blurted out.
“No, it’s okay. Just look at me, okay?”
Una’s eyes bored into La’an’s. It felt electric. Like Una was seeing everything. And for once La’an just let it happen. Let Una look at her, let her feelings ooze out of every pore, knowing the dark and the distraction of the dance would hide it all anyway. Una stumbled again, but this time La’an was ready for it, holding Una tightly. Una’s lips opened slightly and La’an imagined a gasp falling from them, sending a shiver down her spine.
Just as La’an realized what a colossal mistake it had been to agree to dance with Una, the song ended. Instantly she stepped away, lamenting the loss of Una’s touch, but knowing she needed space. “Thank you, La’an,” said Una earnestly.
La’an gave a curt nod and faded back into the crowd, regretting her slip immensely.
----
Luckily, the information gleaned got them out of the port and further outside of Federation space; La’an didn’t think she could take another night of watching Una gathering information. As they worked together in the ship she remained constantly aware of Una’s body and presence. Their journey didn’t take them much further, bringing them to an unofficial settlement nestled amongst an asteroid field.
“Alright, how are we going to play this?” Una was watching La’an earnestly, waiting for a plan that - quite frankly - wasn’t even remotely La’an’s best work.
“We’re just looking for information. I think we need to play this together. It would be dangerous to split up, especially without backup. You play it up like you have been and I’ll be your surly bodyguard.” La’an tucked another knife into her boot. They wouldn’t get away with openly carrying phasers, but that didn’t mean La’an didn’t have a few tricks up her sleeves.
“Stick together. Follow your lead. Got it. Anything else?”
La’an straightened up with a grimace. When Una said it aloud it seemed even worse. But she was looking at La’an with absolute trust. Finally she choked out a “No,” hoping she didn’t regret it.
Energy weapons weren’t allowed on the station, which meant that everyone seemed to have taken a note from Una’s book and were dressed like historical pirates. There were colorful waistcoats and lacy sleeves and - much to La’an’s horror - a feather in someone’s hair. Swords bristled from every person, and if she had to guess, she was pretty sure that none of those present would know how to use a bladed weapon, which just made them all the more dangerous. The last thing they needed was a fool waving one of those around, trying to play at something.
They made their way to the only bar. Una sat at a table, making herself seen while La’an ordered them drinks. As they sipped, La'an tried to get a read on the room. Una had instantly drawn attention, but no one immediately jumped to the bait, which seemed good. If someone had approached them immediately it would’ve raised all sorts of alarms.
The room seemed to ignore their presence for two whole drinks… which was when La’an realized they’d been made. Nothing had changed at all - the others in the room that good - but as she finished her second ale she realized something had shifted.
If she’d been alone she would’ve simply leaned over, stolen a sword, and dashed for the exit. But she wasn’t alone. She turned to Una, who was watching her carefully, ever aware of La’an’s movements. As soon as their eyes met, Una seemed to understand, her expression shifting only slightly. If they could use the element of surprise, they still had a chance. There were two exits from the bar. The door behind the bar seemed too great a risk, an unknown quantity, so La’an signaled Una towards the main exit, knowing the odds. Una smiled slightly and held up a finger. Wait. Una turned away from La’an and picked up her drink. It was still almost full to the top and as Una brought it to her lips, La’an couldn’t help but watch her in fascination. Her throat bobbed as she drank it down in big gulps.
When the empty glass hit the table and Una sprang to her feet, La’an was unprepared, still caught on watching the whole ale disappear so quickly. Her training kicked in and she was up only a split-second behind Una, whose long legs had brought her to the door rather quickly where she was dispatching three pirates. When La’an got close enough she commandeered a sword, rolling her eyes internally and hoping that Una was a better swordswoman than some of the fools across from them. As she brandished it theatrically La’an’s heart sank.
Trying not to lose the element of surprise she led them out of the bar and away from the direction they’d come, across the station. As she glanced behind them it seemed to have been the right call. The bulk of those waiting had been assuming they’d return to their ship, blocking the other way.
They were moving quickly, but someone finally got the jump on them, stepping in front of La’an with their sword up. Keeping her momentum, La’an went down, sliding into them and wiping them out at the ankles. They crumpled over her and she shook them off, getting back to her feet to continue just a beat behind Una. At the next junction Una made the decision on which way to go, directing them towards the opposite side of the station. “Ever stolen a ship before?” she called over her shoulder as they each dodged the swing of swords.
“No,” said La’an. The next swing came wildly across and she turned into it, pinning the blade and swinging around to elbow the pirate in the face.
“Shit.” The next pirate came in quickly. She seemed to finally be one who knew how to use her blade and La’an parried, giving it her full attention. When the next swing came La’an was ready, moving quickly to attack. Her blade caught the pirate’s cheek and she bared her teeth at La’an. It drove her into a flurry of attacks, exposing a weakness. Just before La’an disarmed her, she scored a hit between the open edges of La’an’s jacket, leaving a shallow cut and a jagged slice through the front of La’an’s shirt. She disarmed the pirate and knocked her out before turning to follow Una once again.
“I never said I couldn’t,” clarified La’an as they came around another corner.
Una stumbled. “What?”
“You asked if I’d ever stolen a ship. The answer is no. Doesn’t mean I couldn’t.”
Una risked a glance backwards and La’an smirked crookedly. As she watched, Una's face twitched before quickly swinging back around. She stopped suddenly and La’an almost ran into her back. “Double back, I think there’s a ship…” La’an took off again, hoping she hadn’t knocked Una too hard.
As they ran, Una yelled directions, guiding La’an. La’an followed blindly, with absolute faith until they were brought to the opposite docking ring. Coming to the glass as Una guarded her back, La’an quickly surveyed the docked ships. “That one,” she said finally, pointing to a fast, small ship. It would be easy to steal, and would likely outrun many of the bigger ships. And, if worse came to worst, they could hide it easily.
The fighting intensified as they made their way towards their chosen ship. La’an picked up more cuts, but nothing that couldn’t be handled with a dermal regenerator. Una maneuvered them around so that she was guarding La’an’s back as La’an pulled back the control panel for the doors and frantically started hotwiring.
It didn’t take long before she’d gotten the airlock doors open. She turned and yanked on the back of Una’s jacket, shoving her through first as she parried one last swing before stepping inside and jamming the doors shut. Una was looking at her expectantly. “You gonna do the thing?”
La’an blinked, wavering between the adrenaline and relief… and a very real Una, whose gaze was moving down, following the now-revealed skin of La’an’s chest and stomach. La’an gulped. “The thing?”
“Yeah. You know. The ship? We’re pirates now. What would we do? Haul out the… sails?”
“You’ve been spending too much time with Chris,” said La’an before diving under the ship’s control panel, pulling it apart to reveal even more wiring. Slipping the knife from her boot, she started cutting, grateful that so many ships still used outdated wiring. It took a few precious minutes, during which Una was blessedly silent, but La’an finally circumvented the security system and got them in. “You probably couldn’t name a single sail,” she said, popping her head out as Una took the pilot’s chair, hands already moving over the panel.
Una turned to La’an, eyes sparkling, and La’an knew she’d walked into something. “The spanker.”
“Excuse me?”
“The spanker. It’s a sail. Come on La’an.” Una winked and turned back to the panel, pulling the ship back from the station. As they moved away, weapons fire shook the ship. “Can you..?”
“On it, Commander.”
The firepower of the tiny ship wasn’t much, but after a few close calls and some lucky shots, they were going to warp, headed back towards Federation space. La’an leaned back in her chair. “You made that up,” she said into the silence.
“Excuse me?” asked Una, glancing over, face a mask of politeness.
“There’s no sail called a spanker.”
“Oh? Want to bet on that, Lieutenant?”
The honest answer was probably no. Because the raised eyebrow and look of humor La’an was getting indicated that she’d already lost. “Sure. What do I get if I win?”
Una glanced back at the control panel before standing. As she walked towards La’an’s seat, La’an felt the full force of the panther that Una could be when she wanted. She stumbled to her feet, unsure, backing up until she hit the paneling. Una took a final step, bringing herself close to La’an. La’an could barely breathe from Una’s closeness, the way she was looking at La’an. Una reached out to brush back a lock of hair that had escaped from one of La’an’s braids. “I already won, La’an,” she said quietly. Leaning down, she brushed her lips lightly against La’an’s, the brim of the baseball hat bumping into La’an’s head.
Before La’an even knew what was happening Una was pulling back. But La’an wanted more. She reached out, slipping one arm around Una’s neck to stop her retreat, the other yanking the hat off her head. “I think we both won,” she said, finally feeling the confidence she’d possessed before Una Chin-Riley had charmed her way into La’an’s heart. Pulling Una down, La’an brought them back together, this time for a heart-stopping kiss.