Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“And then tomorrow, we’ll meet here in Doctor Migleemo’s office to talk about the senior science officer training! I’m so excited to have you as my study buddy!”

Tendi moved as though to grab T’Lyn’s hand in delight but the Vulcan maneuvered out of her reach. She had never met an Orion before now and she wondered if the species was always so casual with physical contact? It would cohere to the High Council’s cautioning of female Orions’ power of seduction.

Tendi continued the tour of the ship, talking excessively while pointing out her favorite conference rooms and Jefferies tubes. She weaved them through the Cerritos, going deck by deck until they reached an unusually quiet hallway.

Mercifully, the stench of humans was dulled in this part of the ship. She could smell incense and Tendi’s natural chlorophyllous scent.

“And here are your quarters!” Tendi brightly motioned to the plain door. “This is the Vulcan section so it won’t be as loud as the rest of the ship.” Then she sharply gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth, “Oh my gosh! I totally forgot! You’ll want to stop by sickbay to pick up your Vulcan welcome package.”

Logically, she should extend curtesy to Tendi. It was entirely possible she had simply forgotten.

Yet T’Lyn’s gut told her it was unlikely a ‘welcome package’ existed. She had been warned about Starfleet’s enjoyment of ‘pranks’ on new officers. So she was confident that it was an attempted ruse to embarrass her by going to sickbay to request it and then be laughed at for gullibly believing her.

After all, why had she not recalled this ‘welcome package’ when Tendi showed her where sickbay was? She suppressed the urge to frown as annoyance flooded her.

“And then the meditation room is the last room at the end of the corridor. I can show you if you want?”

T’Lyn nodded but when Tendi tried to grab her hand again, she finally said, “Perhaps no one has informed you, however Vulcans are touch-empaths. Please refrain from touching my hands as it is an intimate gesture.”

Tendi’s face went dark green, “Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!”

“You were unaware.” And that was a surprise to T’Lyn, who assumed it would be basic knowledge taught at Starfleet Academy. Due to her accelerated study at the Academy she could not confirm but perhaps it was more likely that Orions had flawed memories?

It was bewildering that an Orion would even be in Sciences. But Surak’s Logic taught Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations so T’Lyn extended to her some trust that the Orion brought more to Starfleet than merely her limitless energy.

Logically, if she was in the senior science officer training program she was either gifted or particularly charismatic. At the moment, with her disarming smile, beautiful features, and contagious elation- T’Lyn presumed the latter.

“Water, room temperature.” T’Lyn requested from the replicator. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Tendi’s baffled expression.

Tendi put a green hand on her shoulder and gently guided her closer. “You know,” she leaned in as well and lowered her voice as though she were relaying covert information. “You can replicate as much ice as you want… They won’t put you or your commanders in a scary alien dungeon and threaten you with eels to make you testify in a trial that actually turns out to be a really thoughtful party celebrating a classified mission that you can’t talk about.”

The hyper specific strangeness of her second run-on sentence made T’Lyn speculate there was a story behind the outlandish statement. Still, she didn’t want to know.

She blinked. “I was not under that assumption… Water is most optimally absorbed when at room temperature.”

“Logical.” Tendi moved back and snapped a ‘finger gun’ at her. Then at the replicator she said, “Five-liter container of ice, cold.”

The machine produced the requested item and the Orion heaved the comically large container into her arms. It seemed like an unnecessary amount of ice. Tendi smiled at her and turned to leave after a quick, "I'll see you later, T'Lyn!"

T’Lyn took a sip of her water. Her face betrayed no emotion but internally, she was completely disturbed that Starfleet was as bizarre as rumored.

The first few days on the Cerritos had been… an adjustment. Everything was different from the Sh’vhal and T’Lyn was motivated to prove to the High Council that she did not belong in Starfleet and that her banishment was completely unwarranted.

The entire ship reeked of humans, the crew was deranged, and each day was a new crisis. In addition, the Vulcans she should’ve been commiserating with were imitating humans. Junga laughed at a replicator incident in the cantina. And T’kon was never an option. He smiled at her the first time she approached. It unnerved T’Lyn to see Vulcans so removed from their Logic.

Was she so unhinged that High Command thought she belonged here?

Today’s shift had primarily been sitting in the Geophysics lab, studying past planetary scans. While satisfying mentally, she felt she would benefit physically from the walk. She was rested enough to skip her sleep schedule and she anticipated that, for once, the normally rowdy Cerritos might be quiet.

The lights were dimmed once 0200 hit. Although she wasn’t sure what purposed this served for humans in space. During her stroll, she'd only been stopped by the cretaceans in Stellar Cartography. Everyone else was content to go about their duties as she explored the quiet ship.

She entered the cantina to hydrate before bed. She easily could’ve replicated something in her quarters but she was already out and wanted to experience an empty cantina free from the overstimulating noises. As the door whooshed open, her eyes scanned the room and found it to be empty except for one person.

Her fellow science trainee sat sideways in the corner of her usual booth with her legs resting on the seat. She held a padd in her lap and her tongue was poking out from her plump green lips in concentration. She didn’t even notice the door open; her eyebrows were furrowed, engrossed in whatever she was doing.

It was odd that she was awake at this hour.

T’Lyn walked to the replicator at the bar. “Water, room temperature.”

The hydrating liquid appeared with a shimmer of reassembled matter.

“Oh, hi T’Lyn.”

“Greetings.” She briefly turned her head and noted with interest that Tendi remained focused on the padd. She sat at the bar so her back was to her.

She’d yet to observe the Orion not conversing excitedly. It was refreshing. She was able to properly hydrate without interruption and eventually returned to her room.

“Who the [fuck] are you?” Doctor T’Ana asked in lieu of greeting.

“Provisional Ensign T’Lyn. I was assigned to the Cerritos seven days ago.”

The Doctor went to rummage through a cabinet, “How did you last a [fuck]ing week with all the human stink? Didn’t your liaison tell you to swing by for your welcome basket?”

T’Lyn’s gaze flicked over to Tendi, who was across the room prepping microscope slides with a grin. It was illogical how excitable she could be over even inconsequential matters... “I assumed the Orion was attempting to deceive me with a ‘prank’.”

The Doctor huffed, “Not her style.” She handed off a packet, “Here, olfactory suppressants. Take one, once a week.”

“Appreciated.”

“Pop one now and then go do that write-up with Tendi.”

T’Lyn did as instructed. She immediately noticed her sense of smell diminish and after a week of meditating through headaches from overstimulation, it was a relief. She slipped the packet into her pocket and went to join her fellow trainee, who she'd misjudged. Perhaps she was as caring as she appeared.

Tendi was writing her analysis, talking endlessly while studying the sample under the microscope. T’Lyn read over the training's objectives and attempted to ignore her melodic voice, though it was difficult. She craved the quietness from when she'd encountered her at the cantina.

“I could look at this capsid structure all day...” Tendi sighed happily, “Like how could something so deadly be so beautiful under a microscope?”

T’Lyn didn’t respond as she presumed that was not a legitimate question but that did not deter Tendi.

“It’s like it has its own colorful nebula encased inside! It reminds me of this other disease the biofilters once caught, it was like tie-dye; that’s a human thing. I learned about tie-dye when I was in San Francisco for the Academy! And anyway, it was so pretty! Do you have a favorite capsid structure? Obviously, I’m partial to this one-”

“Ensign Tendi,” T’Lyn said sharply, cutting off her ranting. While Tendi was kind and so unlike what she assumed an Orion to be, her excessive chatter was bothersome. She met her startled gaze, “I request silence while we work.”

Tendi’s green eyes shined with hurt and she looked away. T’Lyn ignored the illogical guilt she felt welling. Her attention flicked back down to her notes but in her peripheral she saw Tendi open her mouth to speak, only to close it again without a word.

They continued to work in T’Lyn’s bidden quietness.

The Vulcan had scarcely begun her own analysis at the microscope before the red alert klaxon rang out. They abandoned their studies to report to Doctor T’Ana as did the rest of the Medical staff on shift; T’Lyn stood between Lt. Junga and Nurse Westlake to nonverbally offer her assistance should they request it.

“Doctor T’Ana, prepare for injured.” Captain Freeman’s voice rang over the comms. “Ensign Sherwyn was also injured in his attempted mutiny-" at this, Nurse Westlake raised his hand to cover his mouth in surprise. A mutiny was unexpected, especially from an Ensign. “Keep him locked up and get him ready for the brig.”

“Aye, Captain.”

Only a few moments later, the sickbay doors opened. Who she assumed was Ensign Sherwyns was being led with his arms locked behind his back by two security officers she didn't know. A group of Security and Command crew followed, covered in blood and bruises.

“T’Lyn, you’re with Westlake, get the restraints and sedatives.”

She nodded and went to retrieve the requested items though she kept her attention on what else was occurring in sickbay despite the rest of Medical talking and treating the others injured in the mutiny.

“Woah, big guy. What happened to you?” Doctor T’Ana asked.

She quickly glanced over after obtaining the restraints to see Shaxs, the Chief of Security, holding his hand against his bleeding stomach. “Those mutinous clowns broke Kayshon’s arm and then stabbed me with his knife.”

T’Lyn and Westlake each took a side and began to strap down the Ensign, who fought and struggled to escape Securities’ holds. He was growling nonsense.

Behind her, Kayshon said, “Zinda, his eyes red.”

“It was the entire away party, T’Ana. Something strange's going on. Lt. Dirk would never-”

Doctor T’Ana called out, “Tendi, scan Sherwyn while I prep for surgery.”

Tendi moved to stand beside her to scan the Ensign before he was injected with the sedative Westlake was currently prepping. T’Lyn watched the readings with interest.

“I’m seeing increased cortical and enkephalin levels and… Doctor, I think his N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors are blocked.”

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow at the implication. “The readings would indicate the Ensign is suffering from psychotomimetic effects.”

Doctor T’Ana stopped between them in her scrubs to confirm their analysis, “Yeah, this chuckle[fuck] is drugged up. Tendi, start creating an antagonist.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

Tendi went to the biochemical synthesizer panel, which left T’Lyn with Westlake, treating the Ensign’s injuries. His wounds were minor compared to what he and the intoxicated landing party had inflicted.

Once they had completed his treatment, Westlake excused her. “T’Lyn, you may go observe Tendi. She should be just about done.”

T’Lyn crossed the room to stand by the Orion. The antagonist’s structure was on screen but the unusual compound gave her pause. “This is not a direct co-agonist.”

“Well I thought a competitive co-agonist would be better since we don’t know what species everyone in the landing party is.”

T’Lyn wordlessly requested control of the panel, which Tendi acquiesced to with confusion evident. She explained, “I must confirm your work is correct.” Tendi had yet to prove her capabilities and if T’Lyn could prevent an error, she could include it in her weekly report to the High Council.

The Orion gave a weak laugh, “Oh, I already ran the simulation!”

“It will only take a few moments.”

“Um, T’Lyn, I should really start synthesizing the-” she huffed and took a step back when T’Lyn ran a separate diagnostic simulation with her own algorithm to confirm the compound’s effectiveness. “Right, okay…”

The compound was unconventional but surprisingly, fully functional. Once satisfied with the results, she began the synthesizing process and Tendi went to notify Westlake that the hypospray would be available within minutes.

With the landing party cured and the Security team patched up, the daily crisis concluded with enough time to finish their training requirements for the day. Tendi had appeared vaguely annoyed since they had resumed their work that they were now cleaning up. She grumbled incoherently under her breath and kept her narrowed eyes fixated on the paperwork and slides she stacked with shaking hands.

In hindsight, T’Lyn recognized that her behavior might have offended her. She was unsure of an appropriate way to compliment Tendi’s science skills without reminding her of the unintended slight but she felt the need to try. They would be working alongside each other for, potentially, the duration of her banishment. Logically, she should reduce opportunities for interpersonal conflict.

“It was a productive shift.” T’Lyn commented, standing with her arms behind her back. Tendi’s blazing green eyes met hers and T’Lyn’s grip on her wrist tightened. She followed her instincts and decided honesty would be the best justification. “Your innovative compound was distinct from my expectations.”

Tendi turned her head away, lips pursed. Then she exhaled a tense, “Thanks.” She grabbed her study materials and in a much cheerier voice said, “Bye Doctor T’Ana.”

The Doctor put her tricorder in her pocket and looked between the two. “Tendi, you go ahead. I need to talk to the Vulcan in my office.”

Tendi nodded and, despite her earlier irritability, waved goodbye to T’Lyn, who just watched her for a moment before following the Doctor into her office. T’Lyn took a seat in one of the chairs in front of her desk.

Doctor T’Ana stalked over to the door to press the panel so it closed. Then she rounded to growl, “I’m going to give you some advice, so listen close.” T’Lyn nodded, unsure of what was happening.

“You need to get your head out of your [fuck]ing [ass].” T’Lyn’s eyes widened in alarm. She had never been spoken to that way, but the Doctor continued gruffly, “These ears aren’t just for looks, I heard the whole thing.”

Trepidation pooled in her stomach but she neutralized her expression and listened to the Doctor.

“In a crisis, you gotta be able to trust your fellow officers’ abilities. I put Tendi in charge of the synthesis ‘cause she’s talented and I know her strengths and skill level. And you wasted time checking her work when she didn’t ask you to ‘cause you know better? 'Cause she’s Orion?”

“I merely-”

“Don’t bull[shit] a bull[shit]er.” The Doctor huffed and shook her head. “You’re in Starfleet now. There are over one-hundred different species on this ship alone. Leave your superiority complex at the door. Got it?”

T’Lyn had never been so thoroughly told off. “Apologies Doctor.”

Her pupils contracted until they were just a line in her yellow irises as she glared at T’Lyn and then she said. “Good, now get the [fuck] out.”

T’Lyn nodded respectfully and made her exit. She was accustomed to hearing about her shortcomings- too hotheaded, too immature, illogical, unhinged- but she’d never been called intolerant; though there was little opportunity to be reprimanded for that with the lack of diversity within the Vulcan fleet.

She acknowledged her actions were too overbearing and she'd been unfair to Tendi. She would strive to improve.

A week later, T’Lyn was once again strolling around the quiet ship in the midnight hours. And once again, she encountered Tendi in the cantina. She sat in the same position with her legs in the seat, crossed at the ankles, with a padd in her hands.

It wasn’t until she passed the booth that Tendi looked up and smiled, “Hey T’Lyn.”

She was gratified they had recovered from her miscalculation last week in sickbay. She had altered her preconceived notions of Tendi’s abilities and attempted to be more tolerant of her excitable personality. “Greetings.”

Then Tendi returned her focus to the padd. T’Lyn sat at the bar but was distracted from ordering anything from the replicator.

Previously, she thought it was odd that she was awake at this hour but had assumed it was a bout of insomnia. Now she wondered, perhaps Orions did not sleep either?

She recalled the chapter on Orions in the accelerated Academy course was one of the shortest. Starfleet warned of the Orion women’s potent pheromones, of their enjoyment of pirating, and how the two were often combined to steal starships and then place the crew into slavery. Meanwhile High Command emphasized their mimicry ability to create a false sense of camaraderie, how Orions were a matriarchal society, and how intimate bonds were often forged among a pirate crew to inspire and reward loyalty. Both materials mentioned their family house structure under one organization called the Syndicate and the near constant warring between Orions- with the distinction there were multiple subspecies of Orions.

Yet nowhere did either militaries give the indication that Orions needed less sleep than humans.

She had expected, dreaded in her own way, a long and loud conversation from Tendi now that they were on good terms again. However, the customarily appreciated silence lay over her like a stifling blanket.

Logically, if she had a question it was best to ask it.

T’Lyn swiveled the barstool around to face Tendi. “Do Orions not require sleep?” She wished she had her own padd to document her response.

Tendi appeared surprised at the sudden question then carefully chose her next words, “I just couldn’t sleep.”

Her instincts told her Tendi wasn’t telling the truth so she raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Well,” Tendi amended quickly, “Orions sleep in two-hour intervals so I usually take my first rest when Boimler, Rutherford, and Mariner go to sleep. Then I stay up working on projects; like this one, I’m trying to synthesize a way to give Goopy a voice, until I need my second rest.”

T’Lyn nodded, “I see.”

Though she didn't know what a ‘Goopy’ was. Nor why Tendi had been reluctant to divulge that information.

“Do you sleep?”

“Vulcans rarely require sleep.”

Tendi gave her a toothy grin as she questioned, “Do you like to sleep?”

“I sleep when necessary, otherwise it is illogical when I could be productive.”

“How… efficient!”

“Indeed.” T’Lyn then asked, “Do you spend most nights here?”

“I don’t like staying in my bunk between my rests since I don’t want to wake my friends up. Sometimes I hang out in Engineering to listen to the warp core. Or I’ll go to the holodeck. But I do end up here a lot because it’s so quiet and this booth is really comfortable and I can get a lot done.”

She had not anticipated enjoying the conversation past satisfying her curiosity. However, Tendi -though still bubbly- was not hyperactive and that increased her palatability. It was as though she had dropped the energetic mask she postured during the day. She sounded… softer.

T’Lyn preferred this side of Tendi.

“You stated you were developing a voice synthesizer? Is this a personal project or for our training?”

“Personal,” Tendi lifted her legs off of the booth and slid over so she wasn’t in the corner of the booth. She placed the padd facing the adjacent seat and offered, “Do you want to take a look?”

“Very well.” She slid into the booth.

Per her notes, ‘Goopy’ was a gelatinous creature Tendi created and cared for. The ridiculousness of her personal project was astounding to T’Lyn. “This type of project would never be allowed in the Vulcan fleet... Yet, it provides you with an opportunity to explore efforts you would not normally be exposed to. Your study has merit.”

She looked up from the padd and was stricken by Tendi’s indulgent smile. She was used to wide grins and amused smirks but this- she appeared almost understanding or fond.

Illogically, T’Lyn’s throat felt dry so she swallowed and returned her attention to the padd.

“Were you allowed personal projects in the Vulcan fleet?”

T’Lyn scrolled through more of her notes as she answered. “To an extent, though it was not encouraged. I-“ she stopped. It was illogical to feel embarrassed by her reassignment. Her actions resulted in the consequences, but she wanted to maintain respect from her peers... She did not want to be seen as damaged. Yet when Tendi nodded reassuringly, she continued.

“I developed and implemented untested personal algorithms to improve standard scans and shield function. My Captain determined I was… rebellious and unstable for following my intuition to do so. I was reassigned to Starfleet as a result.”

“Aww, it’s kind of funny!”

T’Lyn was startled by her statement. She looked at her, confused. Surely, Tendi didn’t think her banishment was amusing? “To what are you referring?”

“That the High Council doesn’t think you’re a good Vulcan for your analytical creativity just like how my family doesn’t think I’m a good Orion for loving science." Her rueful smile turned brighter as she continued, "But we can both just be ourselves here in Starfleet! We can explore our own interests!”

T’Lyn hummed in thought at Tendi’s insightful comment. It still felt like an insult that High Command doubted her Vulcan-ness and determined she was not fit to serve on the Vulcan fleet. She wanted to prove to the High Council that rational nonconformity was acceptable and not something to be shunned and cast away.

However, she conceded to Tendi’s point. She would not be punished for thinking differently here. They were allowed to be as unusual as they desired.

“You are correct.” She met Tendi’s green eyes and felt a pull, understanding her more now.

Chapter Text

“Oh, hey T’Lyn.” Tendi pretended to act surprised, even though the Vulcan had joined her in the bar at exactly this time every three days for the last two weeks. Since her promotion and moving into her new quarters, she no longer needed to go to the bar to avoid disturbing her friends' sleep. But she went anyway so they could hang out. It had become their ritual.

“Greetings.” T’Lyn sat with perfect posture across the table from her. “You do not have your padd.”

“I’ve got the holodeck reserved soon, I just wanted to grab a snack.” Tendi slid the plate closer to T’Lyn and smiled, “It’s dried Orion fruit, but it’s sour so be careful.”

T’Lyn’s eyes flicked down to the plate and then back up at Tendi. “Vulcans do not eat with their hands.”

Tendi frowned, worried she had offended T’Lyn. How had she never noticed that?

She leapt up and went to the replicator to request, “Fork, room temperature.” Then she placed the replicated utensil on the plate, “You don’t have to try it but in case you wanted to.”

She sat back down and popped a piece of the fruit into her mouth. The familiar tingle of the sourness reminded her of when she was younger. It was her favorite treat after a long day of pirate training. “Are you doing anything tonight? Would you want to go to the holodeck with me? Wait, have you used it yet?”

“I have not utilized the holodeck. It serves no logical purpose.”

“Sure it does!” She grinned when T’Lyn picked up the fork to try a piece of the fruit. T'Lyn remained expressionless as she ate. And while she wanted to know what she thought of it, she powered through. “You can explore cities! Or you could play kal-toh with Tuvok or hang out with T’Pau or T’Pol or Spock! Or code your own story!”

Tendi was thrilled when T’Lyn speared another piece, “Kal-toh would be acceptable.”

“So, do you want to join me?”

“I suppose.” She acquiesced with minimal enthusiasm.

“Awesome! We’ve got Holodeck 2 at 0300.”

Tendi was so excited! As much as she loved their bar time, which was really just them in the same booth on their padds working on whatever side projects they had going, hanging out somewhere else felt like a huge step for their friendship!

“So! Anywhere in particular you want to check out?”

“I will allow you to select our setting.”

Tendi’s anxiety spiked, knowing she needed to pick an impressive enough place to convince T’Lyn the holodeck was fun. The easy answer was to pick a place on Vulcan but she only knew the tourist traps and T’Lyn would judge her so hard for that.

So maybe somewhere like Vulcan: a desert. Luckily, when she first arrived on the Cerritos a year ago she had scrolled through the entire catalog of programs and, although she had never run this specific one, she thought it sounded perfect.

She smiled, maybe a little smug, as she requested, “Computer load program: Desert Resort.”

In a moment they were standing in the middle of a resort’s plaza next to a massive pool filled with crystal clear water. They were beside a covered bar; probably what Starfleet officers used this program for. As such, there were plush chairs next to tables of different sizes to accommodate any party.

Amongst the pale concrete and white furniture, the green palm trees fronds stood out. The trees towered over them and were scattered around the plaza and then out into the arid surroundings.

Tendi turned to look at the resort behind them, which was a modest one story building so as not to block the impressive view of the mountain range not far away. The sky was so blue and this place was really pretty. She was definitely going to add this program into her regular rotation.

She spun back around to gleefully gauge T’Lyn’s reaction. The Vulcan gave away nothing. She nodded once, “This is a sufficient scenery.”

The impassiveness was so damn attractive (No! Shut that down!) but it hit her confidence like a phaser blast. No, she needed to look on the bright side- she didn’t sass her choice so that was a win!

Tendi grinned and nodded to one of the tables. “We can set up over there.”

T’Lyn nodded and waited for Tendi to sit before she chose the seat opposite her.

“Computer, replicate a kal-toh board.”

The Vulcan game materialized on the table between them. Tendi had only read one book on kal-toh but it didn’t offer any strategies, just meditation mantras to say while playing. So, not useful but at least interesting.

T’Lyn pressed the base and the little metal rods, t’an, formed a chaotic nest.

Dark eyes studied the cluster and Tendi was so absorbed in watching her plan and predict each move. Her pupils bounced slightly as she mentally followed the consequences of a certain placement. She could tell when T’Lyn dismissed a move by the way her gaze flicked to the side as though to delete the simulation she was seeing in her mind.

T'Lyn settled back in the plush chair and raised her hand to rest against her cheek. Her long fingers covered her mouth and chin and she ran her index finger along her bottom lip in contemplation. Tendi had never seen her not sit still and it felt like a privilege to see T’Lyn this relaxed and that brought a smile to her face.

It was another minute before she moved her first t’an. Then their eyes met and Tendi realized it was her turn and she should probably stop staring at her.

T’Lyn’s move must’ve been subtle cause the cluster looked the same as when they started.

The only helpful thing the kal-toh book taught her was that the game was not about balance but about finding seeds of order in the midst of profound chaos. She didn’t exactly understand how that wasn’t considered finding balance but she assumed the explanation meant more to Vulcans, who apparently struggled with volatile emotions. Wait, maybe she did learn more from that book than she realized…

Focus.

She was unfamiliar with the density of the t’an so calculating movement based on gravity was out- if that was ever even an option. Gosh, what if it generated its own little bubble of gravity to mimic Vulcan gravitational forces?

Oh no, how long had it been her turn. She needed to do something…

It felt a little reckless but she moved a piece to stand on its end on top of the cluster and immediately looked to T’Lyn for her reaction.

Her eyebrows were raised in surprise and it felt like such a victory. “Impressive.”

She knew blind luck wouldn’t last her forever but at least she knew the weight of the t’an so she could better guess her next move. Then it was her turn to be surprised when T’Lyn moved her next piece so soon.

She thought of the game’s end goal, the geometric shape it was supposed to fall into, and relocated her next t’an. The bottom portion fell into place and she hadn’t expected that but would take it! Especially when T’Lyn nodded her approval.

But maybe she read that wrong because the next moment, T’Lyn placed the t’an and the kal-toh was competed. But Tendi didn’t even care about the defeat because she was delighted by the way the corners of T’Lyn’s eyes creased with happiness just the slightest bit.

“Wow!” Tendi huffed out a laugh, “That was a quick game.”

“You performed admirably despite your languorous effort.”

Tendi gave her a wry smile, knowing she was out of her element with this game. She didn’t want her to get bored so she suggested, “Would you rather play against a Vulcan?” Don’t take it personally, she reminded herself. “We can load up a hologram.”

“Very well,”

Who to pick…

“Computer load hologram: Spock 2259.”

A young Spock materialized with his hands behind his back, standing near the end of the table, and took in his surroundings. He then looked to them. He raised a sharp eyebrow at her but then spoke directly to T’Lyn, “Curious. An Orion in Starfleet. How do you navigate the influence of her pheromones?”

Tendi felt her face heat up and she was not about to deal with nonsense pheromone questions. “No! Nevermind! Computer end Spock hologram.” He disappeared in a flash.

T’Lyn looked vaguely amused. “Perhaps someone more tolerant.”

Tendi laughed and agreed. “Okay what about… Computer load hologram: T’Pol 2268.”

For being 180, T’Pol didn’t look a day over 40 (well, in non-Vulcan years). “Curious. An Orion in Starfleet.” Ugh, really? But T’Pol nodded at her. “Commendable.”

Tendi sighed in relief and stood so T’Pol could take her place. She almost offered her hand to shake but remembered at the last moment that Vulcans don’t touch hands. “Hi, I’m Tendi and this is T’Lyn and she wants to play kal-toh with you.”

T’Pol quirked an eyebrow at T’Lyn, who clarified. “I would not have worded it that way. However yes, I invite you to a game.” T’Pol took the seat across from her while Tendi sat on the adjacent side. T’Lyn then said to her, “This is an adequate facsimile.”

She guessed that was supposed to be a compliment.

Tendi settled in as they began their game. She kind of wanted to talk to T’Lyn and ask her questions since they were supposed to be hanging out but she didn’t want to disturb the game. And T’Lyn seemed content with the silence or was concentrating. Maybe both.

Then she half-expected the two Vulcans to talk but that also didn’t happen. And she was starting to feel a little restless just sitting there, watching their strategic game slowly unfold in a way she couldn’t really appreciate. And wow, it was so quiet too, how did the resort not have music playing or something? And she didn’t realize she was tapping her thumb anxiously against her thigh until T’Lyn’s sharp eyes met hers.

“Do you mind?”

Tendi immediately stilled, laughing sheepishly. “Sorry!”

T’Pol tilted her head and suggested, “Perhaps you require some form of stimulation.”

That was super sweet and understanding of her. And definitely true. She nodded. “Yeah, I’m going to go grab something from the bar. Be right back.”

She made her way to the bar and looked around for a book or something. She finally found a copy of a bartending instruction book, which might be pretty interesting and give her ideas for new drinks to request at the cantina.

Since she wasn't in a hurry to return, she leaned against the counter. She looked over at the two and sighed. She didn’t regret inviting her per se, but it wasn’t going how she expected and it was really hard not to feel bummed that their hanging out was so unlike anything she was used to.

Then it dawned on her: maybe this was how Vulcans socialized. They shared the same vicinity and didn’t feel the need to talk and that was enough.

After all, T’Lyn could’ve easily turned down her offer to check out the holodeck- she could’ve stuck by the opinion that the holodeck was an illogical use of time. But she’d agreed to spend time with Tendi doing something she normally didn’t have an interest in. She was trying to be her friend.

Tendi’s heart filled with warmth. Under that aloof exterior, T’Lyn was actually kind of sweet…

She went to join the two at the table.

“In your absence, T’Pol won.” T’Lyn shared and then returned her attention to the game.

It really didn’t seem like much but she cared enough to keep her updated so she grinned. “Aww, well I'm sure you'll win this one!”

T’Lyn nodded, deadly serious, and even though Tendi had the book open, she wasn’t reading a word of it.

After two more games, T’Lyn suddenly said. “Computer end T’Pol hologram.” She stood and Tendi’s book fell to the ground as she stood too freaking out, thinking she was just going to leave.

“Tendi. It occurred to me that you did not show me your preferred activity on the holodeck.”

Her panic eased.

“Oh. Well I just- I thought you wouldn’t like it.” T’Lyn gave her a blank stare, but she was taking an interest so Tendi caved, “All right… Computer load program: Tendi 191144.”

The program loaded around them and, in an instant, they were standing on an Earth beach. The sand sank beneath her boots and the waves of the blue ocean crashed to their own rhythm. The air was tinged with salt, carried by the slight breeze.

This particular program she’d customized to her preferences. She’d designated large areas of the beach with different sands from around the Earth so looking down the shore in the distance, the color gradually darkened in an ombré concluding with volcanic black sand. She loved having all the variety!

T’Lyn’s hair was already getting ruffled by the breeze but she looked as impassive as ever. “Is this a program you run alone or with a hologram?”

“Alone. I just think it’s really relaxing here and I like having something to do with my hands!” She squatted down to run a hand through the finest grains of sand and sighed. “I love sand. It’s soft and smooth and soothing and it slides right through your fingers. We don’t have sand on Orion, just sharp pebbles.”

She looked to the water and aww, there was a seagull floating on the waves bobbing up and down! “And I love the sounds of the ocean. And when clouds roll by but never quite block out the sun.”

“The setting is serene.”

“I gotta show you my favorite thing to do though.”

T’Lyn nodded. “Proceed.”

Tendi's stomach fluttered with happiness at her interest but she stood and led them further down the beach to the coarser sand. She took her time. She wanted to enjoy this stroll with T’Lyn by her side. Sometimes the shift in sand caused her to slightly lurch towards her and it was kind of funny how T’Lyn adjusted to accommodate her shift to maintain distance. They moved like two magnets of similar polarity.

In the distance some of her previous sandcastles stood proudly close to the shore. There was one almost as tall as she was that she couldn’t bring herself to destroy so she’d saved it to the program and it kind of spiraled from there.

“You construct sculptures out of sand?”

“Well I don’t know about sculptures, but that is a great idea! I might have to try that!” Oh, she could make so many cute sand animals or sculpt a giant tricorder… She’d have to widen the perimeter of this batch of sand.

All her sandcastle building items were on the beach, ready for use. She picked up her supplies and then chose a spot close enough to the water that they wouldn’t have to walk far but away enough they wouldn’t be sitting in wet sand.

“Computer, replicate a colorful beach towel.” The requested cloth appeared in her hands.

She smiled and laid the towel out on the sand but sat beside it to take off her boots and socks. She grinned up at T’Lyn, “Here, so you don’t get sand all over your uniform.”

“Appreciated.” T’Lyn sat with her legs folded under her and waited until Tendi had rolled up the bottom of her pants and her sleeves. She looked at the many plastic pails and shovels. “How do we begin?”

“Right, so to build a sandcastle, you need the right ratio of sand to water. Too wet and it all falls apart, too dry and it won’t stick together.”

T’Lyn reached down to rub sand between the pads of her fingers, “Have you perfected this ratio?”

Tendi grabbed the bucket but before she bounded off to grab the water she answered, “Not yet! But I think I’m close! Be right back!”

At the edge of the ocean was one of her favorite spots. Her toes sank into the wet sand and the ebbing and flowing water lapped at her ankles. She went in a little deeper to let the pail fill with the salt water. When she turned back around, T’Lyn was in the process of rolling up her sleeves- even though it was against regulation (not that they were on duty but it still felt a bit stunning!)- and Tendi grinned at her effort.

Chapter Text

Tendi practically vibrated with excitement while T’Lyn prepped the controls for the shuttle they were taking down to the planet’s surface for a dilithium survey.

“Wow! My first away mission as a Lieutenant Junior Grade!”

T’Lyn tensed, assaulted by the memory of Boimler’s charred body landing in front of the shuttle from the explosion. She didn't want to repeat the experience of witnessing a colleague’s death- especially not that of her 'study buddy'.

She bit her tongue to keep from reciting the statistic that'd proved right. Logically, if Tendi was unaware of the high statistics of failure, she wouldn't consider it a probability and her judgement would remain unclouded.

“Yosemite, you’re cleared to undock.”

They landed the shuttle in a clearing, only a few klicks away from the cave’s location. Tendi talked excitedly the entire time, entertaining herself while T’Lyn remained focused on their surroundings. The planetary scan suggested the planet was uninhabited, but that was the origin assumption to many Starfleet misadventures.

The cave entrance was located under the base of a dusty, red mountain. They needed to descend on the fallen boulders to reach the opening. The presence of the boulders and loose rocks was concerning but surely Starfleet had been monitoring the cave’s stability for a while before sending a team to investigate a potential dilithium mine.

They clicked their lights on as they entered the cave. T’Lyn swept her light across the floor while Tendi’s passed along the walls.

“There are signs of natural disturbance.” T’Lyn warned as they entered.

Tendi’s boot accidentally kicked a rock that bounced and skidded along the ground. She had the decency to sound sheepish for not heeding the warning. “Sorry.”

Their tricorders were flipped open and the familiar beeping of scans and reports echoed off of the rock around them.

“The scans for dilithium remain faint.”

Tendi nodded, “I’m seeing the same thing. According to the scans it’s over two thousand meters in this direction.”

They hadn't traversed far into the cave before the tunnel walls expanded into a larger auditorium. Curious. A faint colorful glow on the ground ahead of them caught her eye and T’Lyn went to investigate.

“Fascinating.” The tricorder scan revealed, “This moss has not been cataloged.” She knelt down to take a sample.

Tendi stopped her geographic scans to look. “Oh wow! Luminous moss! What’s the composition?” She stood next to T’Lyn to view the tricorder reading.

Then the ground underneath them began to sway. At first gently but with a building force. Tendi held out her arms to keep her balance, teetering as the shaking intensified. The sound of falling earth echoed and Tendi yelled as she could hardly keep her balance from the now violent shaking. T’Lyn reached up to grab her forearms and they used each other to keep steady.

Rock chunks fell from the walls and then from the ceiling. A large mass landed dangerously close and Tendi pulled T’Lyn’s head to her stomach, curling her body to protect her as the cave crashed all around them.

As pieces fell, rolling rocks that smashed and scattered on the floor were all they could hear. The thundering cracks of rock on rock were deafening and they were surrounded by the echoes. But T’Lyn gripped Tendi’s hips, using every muscle in her core and arms to keep the Orion standing. Tendi had ceased yelling, yet her palms remained pressed against her skull and back with the same panicked force. Then she noticed the shaking was slowing down.

“The earthquake is concluding.” She said into Tendi’s hold but Tendi didn’t release her until the last rock dropped and the swaying stopped.

Tendi breathed out a sigh of relief. “Oh my gosh,”

T'Lyn let her hands fall from Tendi's hips and they surveyed the area around them. Tendi’s tricorder lay broken on the floor. Gravel chunks were strewn everywhere and it was considerably darker now. Faintly, she could detect light in front of them and then behind them.

And alarmingly, she could smell copper and she hadn't been hit by anything.

“You are injured.”

“Am I?”

T’Lyn stood and quickly searched her for injuries, assuming the adrenaline would keep Tendi from noticing. She checked her skull and spine before her hands glided over her shoulders. Tendi hissed as her right hand passed over her left shoulder blade.

“It’s okay, it’s probably just a small cut and a bruise.”

Judging by the minor damage to her uniform, the injury did appear to be nonthreatening and T'Lyn's illogical worry eased. Still, the Orion wasn't out of danger. “Then if you are mostly uninjured we should complete the survey and escape before there is more seismic activity.”

“Um, I think the cave entrance got buried.”

T’Lyn shined the tricorder light to where they'd entered, large boulders blocked the path but small streams of light shone through. “You are correct.”

T’Lyn clicked her combadge. There was no chirp. She looked to Tendi, who smiled ruefully, “Communications go down all the time in caves, but it’ll be okay! We’ll just have to go deeper and hope there’s another way to get out.” Then in a chipper tone said, “You can keep scanning for the dilithium!”

They stayed close as they navigated a narrow path that regularly increased and decreased in elevation and height. Despite now being deep into the cave, “The scans remain faint traces.”

The walls of the cave gradually widened and then T’Lyn noticed how their footsteps resonated. She shined the light up and the cave had opened into a dome ceiling. In the center of the dome was the remaining pillar of minerals like a wide column, holding the earth above them.

“Wait, T’Lyn, turn off the light.”

When the flashlight clicked off, they were cast into darkness but it wasn't pitch black. T’Lyn hadn't even taken a step before Tendi’s hand grabbed her elbow. The Orion often invaded her personal space with unexpected touches, but she was becoming accustomed to her generous physical contact. As such, she recognized Tendi simply could not see as well and needed to be guided or she was reaching out for comfort. In their proximity, she could smell the grass-like scent she understood to be Tendi’s sweat. Perhaps out of anxiety from their situation?

“It appears to be originating from the far side of the cave.”

T’Lyn clicked the flashlight back on and they traversed a bit deeper. She turned the flashlight off again. At the same time they noticed a beam of light streaming down, illuminating a wall on the far side of the cave.

They went over and stood under the light of the opening- about 16 meters up...

“[Fuck].”

“I echo your sentiment.”

Tendi laughed nervously and squeezed her arm, “Maybe we should keep looking?"

From under the faint glow of the sun beam T’Lyn noticed sweat glistening, beaded on her florescent green forehead. The cave was slightly chilled so it wasn't external temperature triggering the perspiring. It appeared as though Tendi was already fatigued and venturing further in the cave would only exhaust her further. T'Lyn studied the wall they'd have to climb, finding that there should be plenty of holds for them as well as a potential ledge near the top.

“The local seismicity is an unknown variable.” T’Lyn pointed out. “And the mountainous terrain will only increase in altitude the further in we travel, unless we cross completely. Then there is no guarantee the caves will elevate to an exit or survive another tremor.”

“You’re right.” Tendi sighed and released her before looking at the cave wall they would need to scale. “But what about the survey?” It seemed she wanted to delay the climb yet that was irrational.

“Our partial survey showed insignificant deposits that Starfleet can chose to pursue or not. Logically, it is not worth the risk to continue searching.” T’Lyn slipped the tricorder in the pocket. “Let us begin.”

The frequent quakes and the apparent sedimentary rock layer caused small natural grooves. Unfortunately, some of the holds were slick from water erosion. T'Lyn had to move carefully, blindly running her fingers along the groove first to test for a potential slip. Tiny pebbles stuck to the pads of her fingers but it was better than risking a fall. And while the ridges were enough for their hands, the bulky Starfleet boots were slowing them down. Sometimes it took five adjustments before she could even find the right angle for her boot to rest on.

The sheer climb was also challenging in that there was no opportunity to rest. Below her Tendi hissed in pain occasionally, most likely discomfort from muscle strain, but there was nothing practical T’Lyn could do to aid her.

“You know,” Tendi panted out, “Doctor T and I like to go climbing in the holodeck. We usually go for 100 meters. Of course, there we’d have our gear and safety protocols on. You should join us!”

It was reassuring Tendi had rock climbing experience, however this was entirely different from climbing with safety ropes and harnesses. “Our concentration should be on the task at hand.”

“Right.” Tendi laughed weakly. “I just talk when I’m nervous.”

Understandable given their current elevation but she needed Tendi to be careful and not think about the danger. Boimler’s obsession with the risks was what caused his erratic behavior and ultimately his brief death.

She needed Tendi’s attention solely on the climb and not on trying to make conversation.

It was an underhanded tactic but T’Lyn sharply said, “You may suffer from an anxiety disorder.”

The pointed jab did the trick and Tendi stayed silent aside from the occasional grunt of effort.

Mercifully at about 10 meters, T'Lyn noticed a small ridge with potentially enough room for them to rest on. It was more than the halfway point but the increased danger of a tilted hold above them gave her pause. She lifted herself onto the moist ledge first, it had barely enough space for her to sit with her legs dangling over the edge but she had to lean forward to keep from hitting her head on the ceiling and that felt a little precarious. She watched Tendi with hovering hands for any signs of needing assistance and when the Orion was beside her, she wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her as far back onto the ledge as possible.

It was logical to minimize her risk of falling. Her safety was her priority.

Tendi wiped away sweat from her forehead and massaged her sore shoulder as she took a few calming breaths.

After a minute, she declared, “Okay, ready.”

The remaining 6 meters was at least at a 11 degree incline and the fall would be straight down. As long as they went slow, it should only be mildly more challenging than what they've already scaled. However she anticipated the most dangerous aspect would be climbing out onto the top.

“I will ascend first so I can then assist you to the surface.”

T’Lyn really didn’t want anything to happen to Tendi. Despite her overexuberance, there was no denying that she was brilliant, respectable, and infectiously pleasant to be around. She valued their camaraderie and her death would be traumatizing to witness.

She withdrew her arm, fingertips dragging across her back due to the lack of space, and looked into Tendi’s green eyes that were brimming with anxiety.

“You are capable.” She attempted to boost her confidence. “Be mindful of each hold.”

Tendi squeezed her arm. “You be careful too, T’Lyn.”

T’Lyn nodded then she maneuvered to the adjacent wall to begin her climb. The holds were deeper to her relief so finding the proper angle for her boots to rest on wasn't such an ordeal. She only hoped Tendi wouldn't be unnerved by the hazardous angle of this climb.

She knew she could get out but she was concerned about her colleague. Orion musculature was better than a human’s but leaner than a Vulcan. Her endurance also seemed to falter, her species evidently built more for bursts of activity rather than sustained effort.

Finally the cave wall began to flatten again and T’Lyn grabbed the edge of the cave’s cliff. The top layer felt sandy so she carefully pulled herself up, using her forearms to crawl up and out of the cave. Even with her superior strength, it'd been a difficult maneuver combined with the strain of the climb.

She stood on the plateau surrounded by the gravelly mountain terrain where shattered earth and boulders were littered around from the rockslides from the mountains. She quickly calculated the best way to haul Tendi up.

“Whenever you are comfortable to continue, I am here to assist.” T’Lyn called, keeping her voice calm despite the admitted spike in trepidation. She concentrated on a controlled release of adrenaline for her muscles to use and waited in a wide staggered stance, ready to grab Tendi as soon as she was visible.

Meanwhile below, the Orion struggled, exhaling pained breaths that echoed up and caused T'Lyn's heart to hammer in her side. She had to suppress the compulsive probability calculations and the illogical scenarios that flashed through her mind's eye: a slip, a started yelp, a sustained scream, impact, silence... Her hands flexed and she breathed deep as she tried to focus only on the present moment.

It was an excruciating few minutes.

Then green fingers gripped the edge of the cliff.

Tendi cried out in pain as she lifted her weight onto her arm and reached her other hand up. T’Lyn grasped her forearm while Tendi’s hand wrapped around hers. Confident in her grip and her stance, she pulled her up slightly then leaned down to grab any other part of Tendi that she could, which happened to be the side of her jacket. Holding her additional weight, her boots skid in the sand and they shared a wide-eyed look.

Tendi let out a panicked noise as she scrambled up the cliff while T’Lyn used her momentum to leverage her up and over the edge, which sent them spilling backwards with Tendi landing on top of her. The air was knocked out of her but all she felt was relief.

Safe. She was safe.

Her hands were fisted in Tendi’s uniform jacket while Tendi held her midsection just as desperately. T’Lyn stared up at the cloudless sky as she caught her breath again and relaxed the flow of her adrenaline.

“Thank you, T’Lyn.” Tendi panted, head resting at the curve of her ribs.

T’Lyn was grateful that, so far, Tendi seemed to have avoided the first mission mortality rate. But... There could always be more seismic activity or the cave could suddenly sink...

With those thoughts, she said, “We should return to the shuttle, you require medical attention.”

As much as she didn’t want to, she released Tendi’s uniform. Then she detached from her emotions until they were once again safely aboard the Cerritos.

Doctor T’Ana raised an eyebrow at the two officers covered in dust and sand. “What the [fuck] happened now?”

“Oh, the usual. A cave in.” Tendi replied brightly.

Starfleet was even more reckless than anticipated.

The Doctor scanned T’Lyn first and they said at the same time:

“I am uninjured.”

“You’re cleared.”

T’Lyn planned to take her exit at this point to begin her mission log but then Doctor T’Ana scanned Tendi and huffed, “Broken shoulder blade, kid. I’ll go grab the equipment, pick a bed.” She waved her paw and turned to grab the supplies.

T’Lyn eyed Tendi inquisitively, who was refusing to look at her. Tendi surely would’ve known there was a fracture and her avoidant behavior supported the assumption. The Orion took a seat at the edge of one of biobeds, but T’Lyn followed her.

“Curious.” T’Lyn said dryly as she studied Tendi’s scan on the screen. Blunt force trauma to the body of the bone had caused a sizable crack. It would’ve been quite painful for any species... “Tendi, you assured me that you were not seriously injured after the cave in.”

Tendi smiled guiltily, “I know but even if I had told you, we still would’ve had to climb out of there.”

“Perhaps.” After all, they had not explored the cave in full due to T’Lyn’s insistence. It was unlikely there was another, safer exit. And even though there hadn't been more seismic activity or aftershock, it was an unknown variable at the time.

So, T’Lyn conceded that Tendi was correct.

However...

It had been an irresponsible decision to not inform her. Yes, their emergency hypospray would’ve been useless- it could’ve only treated the abrasion. But perhaps she could’ve pulled Tendi up a different way as she most likely caused her further pain. Tendi had been injured protecting her during the cave in, she was sure she could’ve thought of something to ease her discomfort or minimize her effort.

T’Lyn had noticed her struggle- the excessive sweating, the sounds of her pain- but Tendi had told her she was uninjured. She should’ve known it wasn't merely fatigue. She tried to suppress her irritation at being misled, but it was difficult when the injury was displayed on the screen.

“Here.” Doctor T’Ana placed the hyposprays and the regenerating instrument on the bed. “Call me if she passes out.” Then she stalked back to her office.

Her voice slightly wavered with anger as she asked, “Would you prefer to sit or lay down?”

“I can sit.”

T’Lyn walked around the biobed to have access to her injury. She guided the fabric laser down Tendi’s spine, cutting through the layers to reveal the expanse of her back. Her green skin was mesmerizing, T’Lyn had never seen so much of her exposed...

But she stayed on task and she pushed the fabric away from the wound to begin. She injected the hypospray above the broken bone. The mixture contained an analgesic, a rarity for Doctor T’Ana, and Tendi visibly relaxed as the pain reliever set in.

“Oh, that’s better.” Tendi sighed.

Illogically, it annoyed her that the Orion had been in pain and not told her. That she had purposefully deceived her. It was impossible to know how their escape would’ve gone if Tendi had disclosed the injury and it was irrational to be angry at Tendi for protecting her.

And yet.

Tendi was particularly skilled in throwing the Vulcan’s existence into chaos.

T’Lyn began the first setting for the regenerator and slowly hovered the tool over her injury. Hotheaded as ever, she said, “It is as impressive as it is reckless that you scaled the cave’s wall with a fractured scapula.”

She could’ve passed out mid-climb, she could’ve fallen and died and T’Lyn would’ve witnessed her closest companion’s death. She swallowed to keep her throat from tightening.

Oblivious to her displeasure, she looked over her shoulder to smile at her. “Thanks!”

T’Lyn shook her head, “That was not intended as a compliment.”

Tendi laughed nervously and turned back.

She worked in silence, detaching from her emotions to treat the damage as precisely as possible. She adjusted the setting and slowly swept over the fractured bone again. It took two more thorough passes before she was satisfied and then she began the muscle and ligament repair.

Tendi peeked over her shoulder at random intervals, but T’Lyn refused to meet her searching eyes. The sooner she healed her, the sooner T’Lyn could meditate and Tendi could sleep. It was too early for her first rest but even T’Lyn was fatigued from the mission.

She set the instrument to dermal regeneration- the last step. It was fascinating to watch her green flesh mend and meld under the device’s orange light. It closed the edges together seamlessly, covering her copper blood and musculature.

Evidence of the abrasion disappeared and she turned off the regenerator. She saw no flaws in her skin and it was like nothing had ever happened visually. Even though it was not protocol, T’Lyn ghosted her fingers over the smooth skin where the injury had been to physically verify that there was no scar tissue and that she was fully healed. Brushing her bare back felt like there was a pleasant static charge crackling through her fingertips.

Tendi shivered as she neared the base of her neck.

T’Lyn realized how unprofessional her action was so she pulled her hand back and stated flatly, “I have completed your treatment.”

Before she could try to make her escape, Tendi twisted to grab her wrist. She tugged the Vulcan in front of her. Tendi gave her a small smile. “T’Lyn, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the fracture but I’m not sorry for trying to protecting you.”

T’Lyn's breath hitch in her chest, but her face remained emotionless. Even as Tendi gazed at her with earnest, green eyes. Even though it felt like electricity was passing between them.

“You two! No flirting in my sickbay! If you’re done, get the [fuck] out!” Doctor T’Ana yelled from her office.

Their trance was shattered. T’Lyn straightened, blushing green and clasping her hands behind her back. Tendi’s cheeks were dark green too but she laughed at their shared embarrassment.

“I will not include that in the mission log.” T’Lyn promised, to make light of their situation.

“I mean, you could...”

T’Lyn was disarmed by her flirtatious statement but she had to make a hasty exit when Doctor T’Ana scampered out of her office with a feral growl.

Chapter Text

A stage was set up in the back of the cantina. Five rows of chairs were lined up and crew members randomly filled the seats. T'Lyn had yet to locate Tendi but she did see Ensign Barnes and Lt. jg. Rutherford in the back row. Their relationship was tumultuous according to the stories Tendi shared. They had what the humans referred to as an 'on-off relationship' wherein there are multiple attempts to establish longevity. The two had been ‘on’ since Rutherford’s promotion.

As she passed the Trill, who already had her saxophone laying in her lap, she nodded respectfully even though she didn't know her well. “Barnes.” T’Lyn greeted. Then, “Mr. Rutherford.” And took a seat next to him.

“Hey, T’Lyn. This is going to be so great!”

T’Lyn had her reservations but kept them to herself. Had Tendi not request she observe the show, she wouldn't have attended. She activated her padd and saw that the lineup was an available tab. There were ten expected talents, each scheduled for 15 minutes in the showcase. She dreaded how long this was going to last.

She would be hesitant next time in indulging in her friends’ wishes.

“Ah! T’Lyn!” Tendi’s high tone hurt her ears but it was forgotten when the Orion launched herself into the empty chair next to her and wrapped her arms tight around her while nuzzling into her. “I didn’t think you’d come!”

“You requested my attendance.”

Tendi released her and beamed, full of energy. It was then that T’Lyn noticed she was not in uniform. She was positive her outfit- a tattered black top cut off jaggedly at her midsection and equally worn dark pants- was Mariner’s idea. It was quite flattering and she looked even more aesthetically pleasing than usual. T’Lyn found her eyes wanting to wander down to Tendi’s exposed midriff; worse, she wondered what it would be like to touch the the tempting softness of her stomach... She tore her gaze away to look at her padd instead.

“I’m so excited! And did you see the lineup?”

“I was reviewing it.”

Boimler was scheduled to perform second, then Ensign Barnes was fifth, while Tendi and Mariner were eighth. She didn't know the rest of the talents and would spend that time discreetly continuing to reading mission logs of infamous Starfleet ships- their ordeals might be useful one day, though it was doubtful a Vulcan ship would ever engage in some of the convoluted solutions she’d read about.

Tendi leaned in to read the list, “Aww, Bingston is up first! That’s going to be great! He’s so cute when he performs!”

She had no knowledge of who he was or how Tendi knew him, though she seemed to be acquainted with most of the crew. She didn't know what made him ‘cute’ either but she assumed Tendi was referring to his personality based on her inflection. “We shall see.”

Tendi giggled and then her attention turned to Mariner, who sat next to her in the row. “Mariner! You shouldn’t be drinking! You’ll forget what we’re even playing!”

“D, we were drinking when we wrote the songs. I'll be exploiting state-dependent memory.”

“That is theoretically apt, though irresponsible.”

“Thank you, T’Lyn!” Mariner raised her glass and then tipped it back while Tendi scoffed.

Tendi put a hand on her knee and squeezed, “Be right back,” then the Orion was bounding down the row only to stop two meters away and chat with Barnes and then ultimately Rutherford. It was fortunate they weren’t attempting to have a conversation while she was between them.

T’Lyn pulled up her padd only to be disrupted again.

“Hey T’Lyn,” Boimler greeted, standing above her in Tendi’s spot. He leaned against the back of the empty chair in the row in front of them and it slid forward and he lost his balance. He straightened, crossed his arms over his chest and deepened his voice when he asked, “Ready to watch me do my thang?”

“No.” T’Lyn stared him down with a bored expression, finding it amusing how easily he squirmed.

“Yeah, understandable.” He cleared his throat and said, “Sorry, I’m just nervous.”

“Dude, stop being weird. Save it for the show.” Mariner pulled on the back of his uniform so he would sit on the other side of her. Boimler required his routine confidence boost and she was appreciative that Mariner had taken on the role.

On her padd, T’Lyn selected the next mishap that plagued Voyager. The ship had gotten trapped in an event horizon so she would also need to read the Chief Engineer’s log after the Captain’s for a more technical explanation.

Around her, the endless chatter continued but since her posting on the Cerritos, she had become proficient at tuning out the noise. However, this time she was disturbed by Rutherford’s tendency to gesticulate and his elbow crashed into her arm.

“Sorry, T’Lyn!”

T’Lyn did not like how close the chairs were and she was beginning to think her efforts to study were futile. She could feel her exasperation building. Had she been on the Sh’vhal, there would be no ‘talent show’, no commotion, no distractions-

Tendi was a blur of green down the aisle before she crashed down into her seat again. Her radiating exuberance reminded her that on the Sh’vhal, she would not have friends…

T’Lyn took a calming breath and put away her padd for now. She could read when the show started, when there would be fewer opportunities for disruptions. It was nearly time for the performances to begin anyway and she noticed most of the seats were now filled.

Beside her, Tendi’s legs bounced excessively and then the lights of the cantina went out only for the spotlights to illuminate the stage. Impossibly, her fidgeting worsened.

“Baby girl, you’ve gotta chill.” Mariner laughed and T’Lyn looked over to see her put a hand on Tendi’s shaking leg. “You’re gonna wear yourself out before we get a chance to play.”

T'Lyn agreed. “You are expending a surprising amount of energy considering you are seated.”

“I can’t help it!” Still, Tendi rested her hands on her legs as though to physically stop them. “This is the first time you’re going to see Mariner and I play!”

“Then logically you must ensure you are calm in order to perform properly.”

Tendi sat back in her seat, seeming to heed her advice. “You’re right.” Mariner pat her leg affectionately before her attention returned to the stage.

The first crewman, Bingston, took the stage wearing a flowing white shirt under blue overalls. He addressed the crowd with a, “Hello my honey, honeys.” Then music began to play and he launched into his performance with a pleasant baritone range.

His flair for the dramatics complemented the songs that contained witty contextual ambiguity. It was an entertaining act. She watched the entire performance, which she hadn't anticipated.

As he bowed to the crowd and accepted their applause, Tendi leaned into her space to say, “Him and his boyfriend invited me to his rehearsal last week, they both work in Sciences on delta shift.”

She nodded, filing the information away though she doubted it would ever be advantageous.

Boimler walked out onto the stage next. She could see and smell his sweat from the back row. He awkwardly stood with his violin and bow, waiting until the chatter in the crowd had died.

“Yeah! Get it, Boimler!” Mariner hollered, most likely with the goal of embarrassing him. His face blushed as red as his uniform.

He pulled the violin up to his neck and said, “This one is called ‘Seasons,’ it’s about my dad.”

She had to suppress a smile when Mariner grumbled, “Oh god. Not his daddy issues.”

Tendi snickered quietly but calmed again when he began playing. The tune was tolerable, though she could not watch his uncomfortable dancing. She activated her padd to inconspicuously read during his performance.

“T’Lyn,” Tendi admonished in a whisper, but her voice shook with amusement.

“Nah dude, she’s got the right idea. I should’ve got a drink or something. And I know I’ve already had three but this is a lot even for Boimler.”

The two spoke softly while T’Lyn read Lt. Torres’ justification for releasing warp particles to locate the event horizon’s entry point. She had to admit the idea was inspired.

She only listened to the next few performances. She did not know the officers participating nor were they as entertaining as her studying. The show continued swiftly enough with her attention preoccupied by Voyager’s misfortunes.

Barnes was next and Rutherford’s leg collided into hers as he stood to hug his girlfriend. “You’ll do great, Matty!”

“Thanks Sam!”

Then his elbow knocked into her arm again as he sat back down. It was illogical to be annoyed; his bulky frame simply did not fit within the margins of the chair.

She leaned against Tendi’s shoulder to offer him more room. She'd much rather invade Tendi’s personal space than continue to be bumped. She knew the Orion wouldn't mind. In fact, Tendi didn’t even seem to notice how their shoulders were pressed together- she was too focused on the stage.

Out of respect for Barnes, she laid her padd on her lap to watch the performance. The Trill began to play her saxophone; the melody was jazzy and relaxing.

“Thanks, T’Lyn.” Rutherford whispered. “She’s been practicing so much for tonight.”

T’Lyn nodded in acknowledgement as she didn't want to speak during her routine. It was elegant music, though not her preferred genre. But as soon as Barnes was back in her seat, T’Lyn resumed reading.

The next two talents were unremarkable but she could feel Tendi’s anticipation building as her turn neared. Luckily, she was not bouncing in place since their sides were pressed together but she did fidget excessively with her hands.

And then finally, it was time.

“We’re up, Tends.” Mariner started towards the stage with Tendi following close behind.

The Orion threw an excited smile over her shoulder but then stopped. “Oh wait!” Tendi flew back down the aisle, hopping over Boimler’s legs that were in the way. He was asleep, cradling a drink to his stomach.

“Here, you’re going to need these.” Tendi pressed something into her hands, with her touch: a surge of excitement, anxiety, and fondness, and kissed her cheek before bounding off with a giggle.

T’Lyn sat there, stunned by her affection. She could feel the blush burning across her face and she brought a hand up to touch the tingling cheek that Tendi had kissed. It felt as though her lips had left her skin singed by electricity. She subtly scanned the crowd to see if anyone noticed but everyone was absorbed in their own world.

She dropped her hand to examine what Tendi had given her.

Silicone earplugs.

She would’ve benefited from these for the entire show. She fit them in her ears as the stage lights began flashing to signal the start of the next performance.

Mariner slid two large amplifiers to either side of the stage. Then she returned with a blue electric guitar slung over her chest. Tendi followed with her drumkit strapped to her hips. Tendi grinned and waved to them in the back row and Rutherford eagerly waved back.

Mariner addressed the crowd though T’Lyn couldn't hear what she said. The Orion hit her drumsticks together over her head and then they began.

To say she was grateful for the earplugs would be an understatement.

The most accurate description of the music was booming. The guitar wailed and the drums thundered and she was sure the entire ship was rumbling to the beat.

The song was dulled due to the earplugs but she felt it- and that was abundantly enough. The intensity of the bass shook her, reverberated in her chest. Some crew in the crowd held their hands to their ears but others cheered. Boimler had thrown his drink across the room on accident from sheer surprise.

This powerful, angry melody was fitting for Mariner but it was unexpected for Tendi. But the Orion was clearly enjoying herself, expression serious but playing energetically. By the mid-point of their allotted time, T’Lyn had become accustomed to the way her heart seemed to pound in time with the bass.

Still, even her friends’ passions couldn't inspire her to enjoy the music. They were no Krog on the Rocks.

Their performance did have one benefit though- she could admire Tendi’s outfit unreservedly. She'd always recognized the Orion was attractive and the revealing outfit (comparatively to the uniform) accentuated the pleasing curves of her figure. Her observations were deeply inappropriate yet it was illogical to deny her attraction.

At the conclusion of their song(?), Mariner smashed her guitar against the floor and the two hopped off the stage. T’Lyn removed the earplugs and pulled up her padd again until Tendi and Mariner returned to their seats.

“Well! How did we do?! Did you like it?!” Tendi was shouting, her ear drums no doubt damaged. She put a hand over her mouth, having seen her wince. “Sorry, I’m yelling.”

T’Lyn answered honestly, “Your performance was… startling.”

“I know it probably wasn’t your thing but thank you for coming to watch! That was really sweet!” Tendi threw her arms around her and hugged her tight.

T’Lyn accepted the affectionate gesture and compliment with a nod, not feeling the need to remind Tendi (again) that she had invited her.

Chapter Text

Had T’Lyn known there was yet another party scheduled for today, she might’ve avoided the bar altogether. The rambunctious Cerritos crew celebrated at only one volume: thundering. Her sensitive ears were not appreciative of the yelling, the literal noisemakers common at these festivities, or the purposeful slamming down of glass cups but she’d mostly become accustomed to the discomfort. Another ship’s crew were still here too, contributing to the rowdiness. Days like this truly felt like punishment.

She longed for a single normal week wherein the crew didn’t act like the Cerritos was a cruise ship.

As the door to the crowded bar closed behind her, she scanned the room to best plot her course to the replicator. Her trek was only disrupted once by the drunken conga line led by Lt. Stevens. She respectfully nodded to the visiting Commander Saavik sat at the corner of the bar, ignoring the upheaval.

T’Lyn replicated her glass of water, room temperature, and decided to go greet the other Vulcan, who appeared more orthodox despite her posting at Starfleet. Especially considering Junga and T’kon were sipping fruity drinks together at a table, smiling at a colleague’s joke. Starfleet might allow her to follow her instinct without reprimand, but she dreaded the idea of conforming completely to human culture as they clearly had.

It would be refreshing to talk to another stark follower of Logic.

Perhaps Commander Saavik could even notify the High Council of her effectiveness in a time of crisis. It would be an impressive note on her record. T’Lyn made purposeful eye contact with the Commander-

And then Tendi slammed into her, wrapping an arm around her and pressing a wet kiss to her cheek. T’Lyn blushed at her affection, her face was possibly as green as Tendi’s.

“T’Lyn! I’m glad you came!” She was clearly inebriated based on the slight slur to her words, her clumsy hug, and her unfettered exuberance at an all-time high.

The Vulcan Commander quirked a disapproving eyebrow and T’Lyn’s strategic plan to converse with her began to dissolve. The Commander probably assumed she was another asinine Starfleet officer…

If it hadn’t been such an embarrassing display in front of another Vulcan, T’Lyn would’ve simply enjoyed her warmth. As it were, the familiar prickling irritation of being judged flooded her. Perhaps if she wasn’t as hotheaded, she would’ve spoke with more tact to her closest companion. Then again, she always seemed to say the wrong things around Tendi.

“Your affectionate gestures are inappropriate.” T’Lyn said with a slight bite. She tried to contain her frown but it was admittedly challenging despite their audience.

Tendi flinched away like she’d been burned. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She anxiously wrung her hand around her wrist and nodded to the group. “Uh, come join us if you want.” Then she retreated, gaze lowered to the floor.

T’Lyn wiped away the lingering wetness on her cheek with her sleeve. Since the talent showcase, T’Lyn had wondered if Tendi would be boldly amorous to her again. Irrationally she questioned: why had she chosen now? ...Naturally, Tendi would choose now, when she had alcohol in her system and wanted to physically share how excited she was regarding T’Lyn’s presence.

The Commander turned away and stood to speak with her Captain, so T’Lyn abandoned the idea of starting a conversation.

She tipped back her glass of water and suppressed her frustration and disappointment. It was illogical to dwell on the Vulcan’s judgement or a plan fraught with unrealistic expectations.

She joined the beta shift group at their usual table. Compared to the raging party, their brand of obnoxious was one she was acclimated to and found mildly entertaining. She still longed for the normalcy of the Sh’vhal but her friends reminded her that Starfleet wasn’t entirely awful.

T’Lyn immediately noticed Tendi’s withdrawal. She’d been conditioned thus far in her posting on the Cerritos to expect Tendi to lean into her space when they talked, to expect a hand to grip her forearm when there was a tense moment, to expect an arm thrown around her shoulder for a quick greeting.

Now she no longer had to worry about her personal space being invaded by the Orion. Tendi had not so much as brushed by her elbow in days.

Her upbeat and outgoing nature hadn't faltered. She cheered at their shared victories. She appeared thrilled when they studied together. She vibrated with excitement when they talked about science.

And she kept her hands firmly to herself.

It was disconcerting.

As part of their senior science officer training, they were assigned bridge duty three times a week. Somehow, the Cerritos was always bumbling into dangerous situations.

The ship rocked violently as it was attacked by this week’s aggressive foe. Several members of the crew fell off balance. Even T’Lyn had struggled to remain standing, especially when Tendi accidentally fell into her.

“Sorry!” Tendi apologized, looking panicked. She quickly righted herself, almost fearfully putting distance between them with her eyes wide, palms up in surrender, and her shoulders tensed.

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow, confused by her body language. “Your apology is illogical, it was not your intention to fall.”

She couldn’t dwell on it though as Billups announced that shields were down to 60%.

Once Shaxs detonated the attacker’s warp core and the battle had ended, everyone on the bridge cheered. Tendi laughed and bounced in place, full of energy and relief. Casual affection guided by emotion was how Tendi operated, a fact T’Lyn had adapted to and gradually learned to appreciate, so T’Lyn anticipated Tendi would excitedly pull her into a victory hug.

She did not receive one.

Instead, the Orion abandoned her at their post to skip across the bridge and throw her arms around Barnes. The Trill seemed as surprised as T'Lyn at the affection, she knew the two weren't close except through their mutual esteem for Mr. Rutherford, yet she returned the enthusiastic hug with a laugh. The redirected affection was pointedly clear that something was amiss between the two study buddies.

It was then that T’Lyn considered she might’ve been too harsh that night at the bar.

There was yet another party on the Cerritos just a few days later. And truthfully, she could've replicated a drink in her room but some twisted part of her was beginning to find the endless festivities amusing. When she returned to the Sh’vhal, she wouldn't miss the noisy celebrations but perhaps she would remember the antics with fond amusement.

At the bar’s replicator T’Lyn braced herself to be drunkenly pounced on. She predicted Tendi’s inebriation would cause her to finally reach out. Except she ordered her preferred drink- water, room temperature- with no affable interruptions.

T’Lyn sat at their usual booth, in their usual configuration which put the Orion across the table from her. Her green eyes danced with joy at her arrival but Tendi merely waved while the rest lifted their drinks in welcome.

And she shouldn’t have minded. For the first few weeks on the Cerritos, she had craved distance. Vulcans enjoyed their personal space and she was no exception.

Yet as she watched Tendi so freely give affection to others, she began to feel neglected.

Tendi pressed her body against Westlake and rested a hand on his back, trying to order something from the crowded bar.

She shook Boimler by the shoulders as they screamed happily in unison.

She wrapped an arm around Rutherford as they sang karaoke.

She looped her arm through Junga’s and leaned against her as they decided to drunkenly traverse to the bathroom.

She threw olives at Honus’s mouth and high-fived him when he caught it.

She sat in Mariner’s lap, head thrown back in laughter.

She jumped into Manhaver’s arms for a hug.

She reached out to them all.

Except her.

No, with T'Lyn, Tendi maintained a purposeful and respectable distance that felt like a chasm between them.

It was illogical just how bothered by it she was.

T’Lyn decided she needed to repair their companionship. After all, it was her lapse in control that led to Tendi’s withdrawal. That night at the bar, she'd been frustrated by Tendi disrupting her plan and embarrassed by the Vulcan Commander’s critical judgement. She never would’ve complained about Tendi’s affection otherwise; she enjoyed her warmth and attention. Her snapping was an emotional response- it supported Sokel’s theory that she was damaged and unhinged.

But whenever her Vulcan-ness was in question, she became illogically defensive and angry but labeling Tendi’s outgoing nature inappropriate had been a mistake.

Her wording was not concise and clearly Tendi had assumed she meant it in a different connotation: that Tendi’s actions were unseemly and perverse, which explained her panic when she accidentally fell into her.

T’Lyn had inadvertently revoked her consent in haste and lacked the social skills to inform Tendi of her error.

Logically, she should attempt to resolve the miscommunication. However, it was not in her nature to reach out, to offer comforting touches, so she couldn't mend the situation non-verbally. And she’d yet to find a logical, non-accusatorial way to phrase, ‘I don’t appreciate being excluding from your affection.’ Though it was a marked improvement from her original, reckless impulse: ‘I miss your touch.’

A week later, they were stranded together. Separated from the rest of the landing party due to a sudden blizzard, they took shelter in the outpost’s remote, abandoned communication center. Together they restored the station enough to send a distress signal though Tendi had needed to go out in the storm to resolve a crucial wiring issue.

Logically, the one emergency foil blanket they’d found in a locker should’ve gone to Tendi. Her body heat must’ve suffered outside in the sub-zero winds. And the room’s temperature was uncomfortably chilled and dropping.

Yet, illogically, Tendi refused.

“No, you take it.” Tendi shook but insisted. “I’m sure we’ll be rescued soon!”

It was unlikely given the severity of the storm; the view out of the window near them was blindingly white. Still, the Orion placed the blanket over T’Lyn’s shoulders and settled next to her an agonizing distance away.

T’Lyn wrapped herself in the blanket and laid on the floor. She observed her companion with a concerned frown. Tendi curled her body to preserve heat but her teeth chattered, muscles spasming beyond her control. They should be sharing the blanket to increase their chances of survival...

But Tendi would rather freeze than follow protocol if it meant touching her.

And she was to blame.

If she had said unprofessional perhaps it would not have escalated to this point... It was uncomfortable to witness Tendi wither in the cold, her green skin growing paler by the minute. She needed to say something.

“Your aversion to me is illogical.” T’Lyn’s voice was flat, not betraying how emotional she did feel. “We will perish of hypothermia without exchanging body heat.”

Tendi looked away, conflict raging in her expression. “I just-“ then gave up on what she was going to say with an irrepressible shiver. She moved to lay next to T’Lyn as far away as the blanket would allow. While they were technically under it together, only their arms touched and half of Tendi’s body was exposed.

"Lieutenant." She said firmly to criticize her ridiculous behavior. She had given her permission. Why could Tendi not understand?

"T-This is good en-enough! I f-feel warmer al-already!"

The cold air seeped in between them and Tendi trembled violently and T’Lyn lost patience with her stubbornness. Impulsively, she flung the top of the blanket off of them and bodily rolled the Orion on top of her. Tendi squeaked at their closeness and tried to wriggle away. She pinned her down with one arm then once the blanket was over them both, T’Lyn locked her arms around her back so she couldn’t escape.

Tendi yielded, pressing her cold face into her neck. “Sorry,” her voice quivered, “I know you don’t like me touching you.”

“That is incorrect.”

She sighed, hot breath warming her throat. She didn’t believe her.

A beat of silence passed as T’Lyn recognized she was handed the perfect opportunity to address Tendi’s reluctance.

“Is that assumption why you have been physically distant?”

“Well yeah,” Tendi mumbled, “You said…” She winced in her arms. “And I didn’t want to creep you out.”

“I have never been ‘creeped out’ by your outgoing nature.” T’Lyn clarified. She couldn’t admit aloud how pleasant her attention was, but hopefully she would sense her true meaning.

“But at the bar…”

“I was… Tactless with my phrasing.” She admitted lowly. Tendi rose and fell with her deep breath before she continued, “I was merely inconvenienced by your affection that day. I planned to converse with Commander Saavik regarding my banishment however there was a high probability the conversation would be futile irrespective of your interruption.”

“You don’t know that!” Tendi tried to squirm out of her hold again but she would not relent. “And I totally messed it up for you!”

“Your self-deprecation is unwarranted.” Then she looked into her green eyes and declared, “I consent to your affection.”

Against all Logic, she wanted her affection.

Tendi eyed her in wonder. “T’Lyn…” She must’ve finally understood what T’Lyn couldn’t manage to say. All her tension melted away in her arms. Softly, she promised, “I’ll try to be better too. If I see a Vulcan around, I’ll try to hold in my excitement.”

“That would be appreciated.”

Tendi smiled and they shared a quiet moment, warmed by their reconciliation and their closeness. Then she asked, “Er, can I move now? My hands have been squished between our boobs this whole time.”

“I noticed.”

Tendi laughed as T’Lyn released her. Instead of resituating by her side, she took a more comfortable position atop her. Her legs still between her own, though lower now. Her head resting on her chest while her hands slid under T’Lyn’s shoulders. T’Lyn adjusted the blanket so it covered Tendi up to her neck and wrapped her arms around her again.

“I’m not squishing you, am I?”

“Negative.” Admittedly, her body weight was a pleasing pressure.

“Good,” she snuggled into her and sighed happily, “Because you’re so warm.”

The previous instance they were in this position, T’Lyn had held her with desperation after the close call in the cave. And now, it was to follow protocol- though the subtext shined through.

Their ever-developing bond awoke a dangerous desire: T’Lyn wanted her like this again, but with a licentious context.

Chapter Text

Tendi walked down the dim, empty hallway towards the bar to meet with T’Lyn and grab an after-midnight snack. She clutched her padd to her chest, looking forward to reading and taking notes on Dr. Bashir’s academic rant on the ganglia and how to identify preganglionic fibers and the postganglionic nerve. He seemed like such a cool person. Plus he was the youngest Carrington Award nominee ever!

Even though Tendi was focused on her senior science officer training, she thought it would be so great to beat his record while she climbed up the ranks. She was only two years younger than he had been and she could be the first Orion nominated!

The idea made her feel like skipping down the carpeted hallway but she reined in her excitement. Her face was actually hurting from smiling so big but when the bar doors whooshed open and she saw T’Lyn already sitting at their booth, she grinned wider.

She was so glad they had talked about the misunderstanding and made up. And admittedly, her crush had grown after T’Lyn basically confessed she liked when Tendi was overly-affectionate (just not around other Vulcans!) She wasn’t sure how the other woman felt, especially since Vulcans tended to suppress those kinds of emotions, but she hoped that T’Lyn might like her too.

But even if she didn’t, Tendi was happy to spend time with her as her science bestie!

Tendi dropped off her padd on the table. Tonight, T’Lyn sat in the middle where Mariner usually was so Tendi could take the adjacent seat near her. “Hey T’Lyn!”

“Greetings.” The Vulcan looked up from her own tablet. “I must ask you a question.”

“Okay, one second!” Tendi replicated an Orion fruit dessert and two spoons. It was pretty cool that Vulcans were vegetarians because Orion cuisine had plenty of meat-free options! When she slid into the booth, she placed the bowl in the corner so T’Lyn could try it if she wanted. She prompted, “What’d you want to ask me?” before digging in.

“What project fulfilled your genetic engineering requirement?”

“The Dog.”

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow, “Elaborate.”

Tendi bit back a smile when T’Lyn picked up the spoon and took her own sample of the dessert without preamble. It sent a thrill of intimacy through her chest.

“So, I wanted her to be like a canine from Earth. I took some inert carbon and built her from scratch. I hand-edited all 6 billion sequences.”

T’Lyn nodded, maybe actually impressed. “May I see her DNA?”

“Oh my gosh! Yes!” Tendi pulled up The Dog on her padd and handed it over. “I made her 5% faster and 6% smarter than a normal dog.”

“Her protein bonds are fascinating. You were able to include the Cas9 snipping without any cellular degradation.”

Tendi’s pulse quickened at her praise. She noticed! “Y-Yeah.” She managed to stammer out.

T’Lyn absentmindedly took another spoonful of the treat as she scrolled. Tendi hummed quietly and tried not to openly stare at her friend. She wasn't all that successful.

The corner of T'Lyn's lips upturned. “The mitochondria reorganization is amusing.”

"I thought so too." It took all of Tendi’s self-control not to throw her arms around T’Lyn and kiss her. Her face heated up at the thought of finally finding out how soft her lips were but more so, no one had properly understood her project until now… A single happy tear slid down her cheek but she wiped it away before the Vulcan noticed.

“Curious. Did you intend for ‘The Dog’ to hover and conduct lightning?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t know dogs weren’t supposed to do that! We don’t have any on Orion.” Tendi scraped the last of the dessert out of the bowl before she went to dispose of it and the utensils, while T’Lyn continued scrolling.

Once she was back in the booth, T’Lyn asked, “What became of ‘The Dog’?”

“She went to The Farm- that’s what they call Division 14’s medical spa.”

It was cute how T’Lyn’s pupils shifted the smallest bit as she recalled, “Division 14, unsolvable space illnesses and science mysteries.”

“Yep! I know she’s happy there but I do miss her.”

“As her creator, are you not allowed to visit?”

“I’m not sure, the medical spa is for anomalies only so probably not.” Then she remembered and reached out to grab T’Lyn’s forearm, “Oh! But she did write me a letter a few months ago, you know to keep me updated on her life. She’s such a good girl.”

“The canine wrote to you?” T’Lyn’s tone held a hint of skepticism.

“Yes! And she mentioned a medical mystery that would’ve been so fun to help cure! It totally would’ve satisfied our medical breakthrough requirement of our training too.”

T’Lyn returned her padd, their fingers so close she could almost feel the burn of her skin. T’Lyn must’ve noticed too because she tore her hand away to place it in her lap, but her voice remained flat as she said, “Considering the frequency that the Cerritos is involved in accidents, I anticipate we will naturally fulfill the requirement.”

The briefing room was packed when Tendi and T’Lyn walked in. They exchanged a curious look and went to stand behind Dr. T’Ana, who had her arms crossed, sitting in one of the chairs around the table.

Unable to resist, and since the meeting hadn’t started yet, Tendi said, “Thanks for choosing us for this mission, Dr. T’Ana!”

She grumbled and swiveled the chair to look at her, “Yeah, whatever. It’s just ‘cause you two are the least annoying [fuck]s right now.”

“She means we’re her favorite.” Tendi whispered conspiratorially to T’Lyn, who had no business being so adorable as she observed the exchange silently.

“Tch,” Dr. T’Ana rolled her eyes. “I’ll [fuck]ing remember this [shit] next time, Tendi.”

She giggled as the Caitian proved her right with all her cursing- a sure sign of familiarity. She looked over at T’Lyn, who glanced between them and seemed unsure about the exchange.

Then meeting her eyes, T’Lyn said, “Fascinating.”

Her heart must've audibly skipped a beat from how cute she was because Dr. T’Ana turned the chair back to face the table and huffed, “You two better not start that [shit].”

The doors whooshed open. “Woah, are we all going on an away mission?” Mariner asked as she strolled in fashionably late to the meeting. “Must be a party.”

Ransom stood in the front of the room and said, “Now that we’re all finally here… We’ve received a distress signal from the capital city of Bracas Prime. Since we’re the closest ship in range, we’ve been assigned to investigate. All communications to the planet have been severed.”

Mariner punched a fist in the air, “I love a rescue mission! Hell yeah!” She shook Boimler’s shoulder wildly.

“Our scans of the city came back with some weird biosignatures so we’re taking a Science team down as well.”

Tendi grinned when Dr. T’Ana sighed.

“Lt. Kayshon and Ensign Haubold will assist in case things get hairy.” The two security officers puffed out their chests at their mention, “The main government buildings are under some kind of dampening field so no scans, no comms, no transports from the ship while inside. We don’t know what to expect so everyone be on guard.”

They materialized in what would be a sophisticated courtyard if not for the scary number of disfigured bodies and the random looping trails of purple ooze. The massive brutalist buildings surrounded and towered over the quad, casting hard shadows on some of the bodies. Tendi cringed; this was her least favorite part of Starfleet. It always hurt her heart to think of the civilians that died from the mysterious circumstances that Starfleet couldn't predict.

“[Fuck]ing [shit].” Dr. T’Ana cussed.

Tendi immediately went to analyze the ooze while Dr. T’Ana searched for survivors and T’Lyn scanned a body. Kayshon and Haubold stood watch, listening for any disturbance over the beeping of the tricorders.

She hummed as she read the composition of the goo. The tricorder suggested a similarity to Bracan blood however the plasma and platelet levels were alarmingly higher than average, contributing to the slime-like texture. There was an overwhelming odor in the air, not from the bodies as expected, but the almost-fruity smell of a lithium compound.

The second group of the away team beamed down and Boimler gasped in surprise at the carnage. “Uh, sir. Are we sure we can handle this?”

“We have to, we’re the only ship in range. We have the opportunity to help anyone in need.” Ransom said in his inspiring Commander voice and it did help.

“Yeah dude, we got this!” Mariner punched Boimler in the arm.

“There is phaser blast nadion particles on most of these bodies.” Dr. T’Ana said, “Decent chance there are survivors somewhere here.”

Ransom nodded, “Their last transmission originated from one of their government buildings. They might be holed up there.”

Tendi went over to T’Lyn, who had begun to walk away from the body she was scanning. “Hm, there is a faint trail of nucleonic particles.”

“And look at this weird signature,” Tendi showed her the readings, it read like it was biochemical. “It’s weak, but it’s like it follows the trail.”

T’Lyn suggested to Dr. T’Ana, “Perhaps if we have a source sample, we could determine the signature’s influence.”

“You two, go with Kayshon. Watch out for whatever the [fuck] did this.” Dr. T’Ana picked up the bag of medical supplies but chucked a backpack in T’Lyn’s direction, who caught it with ease.

Kayshon nodded, phaser rifle at the ready. "Unzak, when he guided the florkas to their roost.”

“Let’s go find these survivors.” Ransom said, heroically nodding at each individual in his little group before they took off towards the main building.

Then they began their own trek. T’Lyn led them into one of the large buildings. The entrance opened into an expansive room that might’ve been used as a waiting area- it was lavishly decorated with plants and plush benches. It was overlooked by a balcony ten meters up. “I wonder what this place is for. It’s really pretty, but I kind of expected the trail to come from a hospital.”

“That theory would seem more probable and it is possible. The particles and biochemical signature branch off in several directions, I am merely following the strongest trail I observed.” T’Lyn navigated them through a huge archway and led them deeper into the building, which was starting to become more and more of a winding labyrinth.

The hallways forked off randomly and there were no signs, no paint on the walls, no windows into the rooms. The only differentiating factor of each hallway were the trails of purple ooze. Some were on the walls, some were in a puddle, she had no idea how one trail was up on the ceiling…

The ooze and random bodies were starting to concern Tendi, so she studied the biochemical signature on her tricorder while following Kayshon and T’Lyn. She had to pause her analysis when they began to descend some stairs behind an unassuming door.

She had no idea how the civilians didn’t get lost in the building and it made her feel uneasy. The only good thing was they hadn’t heard a single sound the entire time besides their footsteps, so maybe the building was deserted. Oh, and the lights were on! That was definitely another good thing going for them.

It took another few minutes of hallways and then more stairs and more random doors and they had to be at least eight floors down before T’Lyn stopped.

“What is it, T'Lyn?”

And then she saw the movement down the corridor. Kayshon stepped in front of them, “Rapunki, when he joined the Seven. No, uh, greetings.” The figure gave no indication of hearing them, it remained hunched over a pool of ooze. “We are Starfleet, we are here help you.” Kayshon tried to talk to the figure again, to no avail.

“Is it consuming a citizen?” T’Lyn asked, her flat tone not betraying the horrific question.

Tendi automatically reached out to grab T’Lyn’s sleeve for support. It was a bad habit but she used her as an anchor while she stepped a little closer to get a better look. And yes, as she squinted down the hallway, the figure was definitely eating something. Maybe it was eating the ooze! That seemed like a better thought.

“Karno, when his mind was fogged?”

“Um, I think this is a zombie situation…” Tendi said, unsettled.

T’Lyn held her tricorder up. “There is a greater number of particles here. The source is near.”

Kayshon advanced on the figure and it wasn’t until he crossed a pool of ooze that the person reacted, turning its head. The pale blue citizen was streaked with the purple ooze all over its face and hands.

Tendi’s tricorder began beeping. She and T’Lyn looked at the readings: there was a sharp spike in the biochemical signature. The next moment, they heard rapid foot falls and looked up to see the citizen running towards them and Tendi barely had time to shriek in surprise before Kayshon shot his phaser rifle.

More purple ooze leaked out of its mouth but then it tried to sit up again and Kayshon blasted it again and then it finally went still. “My rifle was set to kill. Uzani, with gilded armor.”

“We should quickly gather a sample.” T’Lyn suggested to her, eyes flicking down to her hand still fisted in her shirt.

Tendi released her with a blush, “Sorry, yes.” As they walked down the hallway, Tendi grabbed the vials out of T’Lyn’s backpack.

Kayshon tried to tap his combadge but it didn’t chirp. He tried one more time before sighing. “Shaka, when the walls fell.”

T’Lyn knelt down by the body and Tendi gave her a vial, carefully avoiding touching her hands. Then she took her own sample of the purple ooze that had a large concentration of the biochemical signature.

T’Lyn grabbed the last vial and followed the particle signature around a corner out of sight. “Fascinating.”

Tendi and Kayshon went after her and when they turned into the new hallway, they saw the wall was covered in a red dust. T’Lyn obtained a sample and barely had time to secure the lid before they heard more footsteps echoing in the hall.

“[Shit]!” Tendi yelled as about ten zombies ran towards them.

Kayshon pointed in the opposite direction, “Mirab, with sails unfurled!”

They blindly sprinted deeper into the building but the zombies were not deterred. If anything, more seemed to be joining the chase. They basically had a mob of zombies chasing them within a few more twists and turns in the building and the creatures were starting to catch up with them.

When they came to another fork in the hallway, Kayshon ordered them to split up with a, "Uzani, his army with fists open!"

Tendi and T'Lyn took off in the other direction and when they turned into the next passageway they realized nothing was chasing them. They stopped and shared a confused look. Tendi peeked around the corner and there wasn't even one zombie behind them. Weird... “We should try to help him, right?”

“He is trained for this.” She reminded her, “And we must protect the samples.”

And yeah, it made sense but that didn’t mean she liked it. She sighed unhappily, but T’Lyn was right. She carefully put the sample she had collected and then T’Lyn’s in the pack. She needed to look at the big picture. If they could cure whatever was going on, it would be a lot more helpful than trying to rescue Kayshon.

T’Lyn pulled out her tricorder. Tendi knew it was bad when she frowned. “There are multiple trails but none match the strength of the original.”

“This building is a maze, how are we going to get out of here?”

“Either we attempt to retrace our steps or find a new route.”

“Okay, I think that was a main hallway, so maybe one of these doors has some stairs behind them? Ugh, why didn’t they label anything?” Tendi pointed down the other side of the hall, “Can you check that way? I’ll check this way.”

The first inconspicuous door opened with a whoosh into a deceptively large room filled with machinery. She shut it with a click of the panel and continued down to the next one, “Come on, come on.” She whispered anxiously under her breath.

She'd have to do some research on the Bracan people, who she assumed had some kind of echolocation or something. Oh, or what if they could see different wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum and it's really nicely painted and decorated and they just couldn't see it! Or... Then her musing was cut short. She gasped and pulled out her tricorder again to read the biochemical signature. Suddenly the properties made sense!

With renewed energy, she checked a few more doors until one opened up to a stairwell.

“T’Lyn, this way!” Tendi whisper-yelled, beckoning her frantically.

The Vulcan joined her, but there was something off about her gaze. But as soon as they were in the stairwell with the door closed behind them, she eagerly grabbed T’Lyn’s arm to share her breakthrough, “I think the Bracans, er, the zombies communicate with each other using the signature trail, that is actually something like pheromones. It’s attached to the nucleonic particles-”

“And the particles conduct the biochemical signature long-range.”

“Yes! It’s such a good adaptation!” Then her smile fell, “But that’s bad for us.”

“Correct.” T’Lyn said, blinking forcefully.

Tendi didn’t know what that was about, but anyway. “At least we know where all those other zombies came from when they were chasing us. We’ll have to be extra careful at avoiding them.”

The staircase only went up two levels because nothing could be easy! The building must normally operate with security clearance measures like Starfleet’s combadge, though luckily the systems were down. Her other working theory was that this was a hellscape designed by Q.

But once at the top of the stairs, her comms crackled to life once again. She let out a relieved laugh before activating her badge.

“Dr. T’Ana? T’Lyn and I have been separated from Kayshon. He was attacked-"

“By zombies, yeah. We’ve got them over here too, kid.” Dr. T’Ana cut in. “You’ve gotta make it to the rendezvous point in the courtyard and get backup. We're swamped here.”

Tendi looked over to T’Lyn, who was blinking rapidly. “Okay, we’re on our way.” Then once the comms cut, she asked, “T’Lyn, are you okay?”

“Tendi, is your vision being affected in any way?”

“No?” She didn’t like that question. Dread pooled in her stomach.

T’Lyn grimaced, clearly uncomfortable. “I encountered a gas within one of the rooms. It was presumably hazardous. My central and peripheral vision is diminishing.”

“What?!” Tendi leapt into action. She moved to dig around in T’Lyn’s bag, hoping Dr. T’Ana had given them a medical tricorder or some kind of hypospray. It was a long shot considering the plan wasn’t to split up but she sighed in relief when she at least found the medical scanner.

Tendi waved the sensor over T’Lyn’s face and gauged the readings. “Oh! Your eyes are filling with fluid!”

“Ah.” T’Lyn nodded calmly. “That explains my symptoms.”

How the hell was she so calm?!

“Oh no! Oh, damn it! Dr. T’Ana has the medical supplies!”

How was she supposed to help? She couldn’t!

Her heart pounded in her ears and it was getting hard to think over the noise of panicked thoughts in her head. What could she do? She almost tapped her combadge to request medical assistance but that'd be a dumb idea. The other half of the away team had no idea where they were any more than she and T’Lyn did.

Anxiety for T'Lyn, for their situation, had a tight grip on her chest and she ran a hand through her hair, more stressed than she could ever remember. She’d been through worse but it didn’t feel like it in the moment. She felt like running wildly through the building screaming, not that it would do any good but it might make her feel better. “No. Okay, I gotta focus!" She talked herself down, "We need to get to the rendezvous point.”

She had to get T’Lyn out of here.

How was she going to do that?

Not by standing here! They had to keep moving.

Tendi almost held her hand but remember at the last second how intimate that was and she grabbed the Vulcan’s wrist, “T’Lyn, it’s going to be alright! We just have to go up six more levels and find the exit without running into any zombies! Easy enough!”

She sounded manic to her own ears but it was really hard to recall how she should keep her patient calm.

“You possess a great deal of optimism considering our dire circumstances.”

Her joke landed flat but her panic eased. Able to breathe again, Tendi put away the medical sensor and then she kept a firm hold on her wrist as she led them into the new hallway. Her plan was to turn right and open every door if she had to until she found a way out. And the plan was working up until a door whooshed open and there was a zombie staring blankly at the wall in the room.

“[Shit]!” She smacked her hand over the panel button to close it back and yanked T’Lyn into the room across the hallway. T’Lyn stumbled after her and she felt bad for being so forceful but she expected the zombie to start chasing them. She slammed the side of her fist against the panel and pushed a protective arm across T'Lyn to have her lean against the wall as she awaited the creature-

But nothing happened. She didn’t even hear any footsteps.

“Huh, that’s weird. Why didn’t it chase us?”

That question was forgotten the moment she looked over at T’Lyn and saw liquid brimming on her lower eyelids. Tendi sucked in a sharp breath and her thoughts raced erratically anew. T'Lyn couldn’t be crying right? She didn’t know a lot about Vulcans but she knew they didn’t cry. But she’d much rather it be tears than the alternative.

Oh gosh, oh no.

“This is most unpleasant.” T’Lyn’s eyes fell close. The clear liquid gathered in the corners.

[Fuck]! [Fuck]! [Fuck]!

Her heart constricted as a wet drop rolled down the Vulcan's pale cheek. All the alarms were ringing in her head: Bad!!

“Ugh, we don’t have any bandages…” What could she do? What- then she gasped, “T’Lyn, rip one of my sleeves off!”

T’Lyn’s voice was still somehow even, if not a bit barbed, as she pointed out, “Covering my eyes would be illogical. It will not heal nor prevent further impairment.”

“Just do it!” Tendi snapped, she immediately apologized when T’Lyn recoiled. “I’m sorry! I just- it looks like you’re crying and I hate it. I feel like my chest is on fire.”

She probably shouldn’t have said that and made it about herself but [shit], she must’ve been on the edge of a panic attack because it was getting hard to breathe. She felt completely unhinged.

But when T’Lyn obeyed her command without a snarky comment, literally blindly ripping off her sleeve from the shoulder- a single thought rose above the anxiety threatening to drown her:

T’Lyn needed her.

Then more specifically, T’Lyn needed her to not be a nervous wreck.

Tendi gripped her own arm so hard she thought it would break but she used the pain to ground herself as she tried to remember that she was trained for situations like this. And it was difficult to focus but nothing was harder than knowing how vulnerable T’Lyn was at the moment. She took a deep breath and then tended to her.

She gently wrapped the sleeve scrap around her face, careful to avoid pinning her ears. She had to stand digitigrade and lean into T’Lyn to tie a knot in around the back of her head and it was only then, pressed against her, that she noticed T’Lyn’s respirations were slightly higher than normal.

T’Lyn was freaking out, just subtly, in her own Vulcan way.

Once the covering was secured, Tendi stepped back to adjust and smooth the edges down. T’Lyn flinched almost imperceptibly when Tendi’s thumb softly wiped away the trails of liquid off of her cheeks.

She already missed her dark eyes and her observant stare and the way that when T’Lyn looked at her, it felt like her heart would stop. Tendi cupped T’Lyn’s face in her hands; she needed her to know, “I’m going to get us out of here.” She promised.

T’Lyn leaned into one of her palms and Tendi melted. After a moment, the Vulcan said, “I trust you.”

And that steeled her resolve, her panic washed away. She channeled her Mistress of the Winter Constellations persona- she could navigate any situation with confidence and a level head and that’s exactly what they needed.

Tendi held T’Lyn’s wrist as she finally took a look around the room she had pushed them into. It looked like a courtroom of some kind with the long table on one end of the room and the single lectern, but she couldn’t care less because there was spectators’ seating one level above them.

“There might be stairs in here.”

Before Tendi could start guiding her, T’Lyn gently broke free of her hold, only to trail her hand up Tendi’s bare arm until she grabbed her above her elbow. “Proceed.” And it was a lot easier to maneuver her this way. T’Lyn was so practical!

Once she found the stairs behind another door in the far corner of the room, they carefully climbed up another level. Wary of zombies, they stayed silent as they wandered the building looking for a way out.

They had made it up three more floors when her comms chittered again.

“Rajik, when he fell in the chasm.”

Tendi chirped, “Kayshon! Oh, thank goodness! Where are you? I mean what level because we don’t know where we are either.”

“I believe I am on the fifth level. Do not worry about me. Arnock at the race of Natara."

Tendi didn’t even consider waiting for him or trying to find him. She wouldn't make T'Lyn backtrack with her and there's no way in hell she'd leave her somewhere. They were only two levels away from escaping! The comms fell silent again.

Before they continued, she wanted to check in. “T’Lyn, are you okay?”

“My condition is unchanged.”

And it hurt her heart to finally notice the sleeve also covered up her expressive eyebrows. T’Lyn definitely would’ve given her a sassy eyebrow raise for that question.

Tendi smiled ruefully, “Right. We’re almost out of here.”

But this corridor wasn’t cooperating at all. She went right in the next fork in the hallways but each side held nothing but what looked like regular offices or break rooms. She turned the corner and stopped with a hitched inhale.

One zombie stood in the hallway, blankly staring at the floor.

“Damn it. There’s a zombie. We’ve gotta go back,” Tendi whispered, she began to turn around but T’Lyn stayed where she was.

“Tendi, how many entities are there?"

“Just the one. But it’s right there in the middle of the hallway!" Tendi once again tried to lead them away but T’Lyn did not budge. "We can’t sneak past it!”

“I have a working hypothesis that the creatures only attack when attacked. If my instincts are correct, we will be able to sneak.”

That was an interesting postulation. “They did only chase Kayshon… But he didn’t start the fight, the one zombie started running at him.” She pointed out.

And honestly it was kind of funny they were quietly discussing this with a zombie right around the corner, but it could be considered more evidence for T’Lyn’s hypothesis.

T’Lyn countered her argument, “Perhaps the other group provoked them and a signal was sent through the strongest trail of particles.”

“Then when Kayshon attacked, the rest of the ones in the building came out of hiding!”

“Correct.”

It was a lot of assumptions but T’Lyn had trusted her through this ordeal, so she could trust T’Lyn now, “Okay. Let’s test your hypothesis.”

Tendi and T’Lyn rounded the corner. She opened the first door on the right to quickly peek inside and even when it whooshed open, the zombie didn’t move. They quietly snuck past the creature, testing two more until she finally found a staircase.

Who knows how long it would’ve taken for them to find another set of stairs if they had turned back… Once safely in the stairwell that would lead them the final two floors up, she rounded to face the Vulcan. Since her dark eyes were covered, Tendi’s gaze fell to T’Lyn’s lips.

“T’Lyn, you are cerebral.” Tendi breathed out, in awe of her science bestie. Then she grinned when T’Lyn’s cheeks turned green. It would be so inappropriate to kiss her right now, but she very much wanted to. Gosh, she'd wanted to for a while... Instead she said, “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

They carefully climbed the stairs and as Tendi reached for the panel, her comms crackled to life again.

“Tendi! We’re in deep [shit] here!” There was a huff of pain, “[Fuck].”

She grimaced, fearing for her friends. “Mariner, we’re almost there. Just hold on!”

The hallways were suddenly wider and the pattern of purple ooze stains looked familiar. They were so close! She kept an even pace for T’Lyn despite her spike in energy. Honestly, she probably could’ve cried when they finally stumbled out of the building. It felt like they had been lost for days though only a couple of hours had passed.

She was so glad to see sunlight and the courtyard! “We made it, T’Lyn!”

T’Lyn dropped her hold when Tendi moved to wrap her arm around her waist as she pressed her combadge. “Cerritos, please get a lock on T’Lyn. It’s a medical emergency.”

T’Lyn’s turned her head to ‘look’ at her. And Tendi had side-hugged her plenty of times but she’d never appreciated how attractively sharp the Vulcan’s jaw was from this angle. “You are going to assist the others?”

Captain Freeman’s voice sounded through the comms, “We’re beaming Shaxs and the rest of the security team down, we haven’t heard from anyone else in the away-party.”

“Yes Captain.” Then to T’Lyn she said, “I’ve gotta help our friends. And I love Westlake, but you’ll need Dr. T’Ana.” Tendi pressed a kiss to T’Lyn’s shoulder. “Give those samples to Junga. I’ll see you later.”

She didn’t even realize her unintentional joke until T’Lyn’s lip twitched up before the Cerritos energized the transport.

The first thing T’Lyn noticed was that she was laying down on a comfortable surface. Mind foggy, she almost allowed herself the indulgence of slipping into unconsciousness again and resting further but then she became aware of Tendi’s silvery voice.

It took another half-second to recognize that she was reading a mission log. She listened as her mind slowly overcame the anesthetics.

“- returned to Starbase One, one of the oldest, most venerated space stations in the Federation, newly repaired after the Klingon War. Here the crew will be adjourning for some much-needed rest and relaxation. While I have agreed to assist the Captain with a diplomatic matter-”

Her eyelids felt heavy still but when she finally managed to open them, her perfectly recovered vision was filled by Tendi’s mint green face. It was illogical how her heart rate increased upon seeing her. She was sure Tendi noticed based on the quick flick of her gaze over to the monitor.

Then the Orion saw she was awake and she gasped, “T’Lyn!” She jumped up from the chair stationed at her side, awaiting her recovery; it was a thoughtful gesture.

“It is a comfort to see you.”

Tendi simpered at her amusing attempted amorous advance. “You’re probably still woozy from the anesthetics.” She reached out and lightly brushed her fingertips over her bangs. Her affectionate touch was pleasant.

"The crew was rescued?" She asked, beginning to think more clearly.

"Yeah, Junga synthesized a cure for the virus and a compound to counteract the biochemical signature. You've been out for a few of hours." Tendi regarded her so warmly and her fingertips trailed down the side of her face. Pleasant tingles followed in the wake of her gentle touch. “I’ll go get Doctor T’Ana.”

She fought to keep her eyes open but soon, she and the CMO returned.

“There was a [fuck]ton of damage to your inner eyes, but I was able to save them. Your surgery was a medical breakthrough, thanks for the [fuck]ing paperwork, kid.” Doctor T’Ana grumbled, fondly she supposed based on Tendi’s chuckle. “I’m signing off on both of your requirements as long as you contribute to the paper.”

“Aww, thanks Doctor T!”

It was highly anarchic but considering what Starfleet had subjected them to, T’Lyn didn’t argue. “Appreciated, Doctor.” She could provide insight on the symptoms felt while the medical event was occurring and then her Medical training requirements would be completed. She looked to Tendi, recalling their conversation a few nights ago. Fighting a smirk, she said, “It seems I was correct.”

Tendi scoffed indulgently, “Is that your Vulcan way of saying ‘I told you so’?”

“Get a [fuck]ing room.” They both looked away from the other and Doctor T’Ana rolled her eyes, “Tch, there’s some tests we gotta run now that you’re awake.”

Tendi walked her to her quarters. When they stepped inside, she hugged her tight. T’Lyn felt safe in her arms though she did not return the gesture. Although Tendi hadn't inspired confidence at first during the medical emergency, she overcame her own anxiety to protect her. T’Lyn couldn’t deny that it was an attractive trait and she appreciated her efforts.

She pulled back and their eyes met. It was charged, electric. Then the Orion’s gaze fell to her lips. Her instincts told her she wanted to kiss her, practically confirmed when Tendi began to lean closer. It was not a typical form of affection for Vulcans, it was unnecessary. The initiation of touch telepathy shared all the intimacy a pair would need. Her previous sexual partners were orthodox that way, so she had never experienced a kiss.

Still, she was intrigued by the action and how it could be the catalyst to spark a chain reaction that would cascade into a physical connection... Sexual desire without an overwhelming biological imperative to soothe was a new experience for T'Lyn yet Tendi had coaxed out this want that felt illogical to indulge and equally illogical to ignore... She was undeniably curious and willing to find out how the press of her plump lips would feel with their bodies entwined...

But while she highly valued scientific exploration with Tendi, it'd need to be another time. It wouldn't be wise to experiment when her careful emotional control was compromised due to the recent distressing events.

Despite her own desire, she quietly stopped her. “I am physically attracted to you,” She admitted and Tendi’s freckled cheeks darkened with a blush. “However, I must meditate. It has been a challenging day.”

“Oh yeah, of course!” Tendi released her and moved a step back, raising a hand to nervously rub the back of her head. “Sorry, you’re right. It’s been a crazy day. I’m just so glad you’re okay! Maybe next time! Have a good night, T’Lyn.”

Maybe next time.

She was gone before T’Lyn could properly respond. She went to light her candles, adding her relentless attraction to Tendi to the abundant list of matters she needed to mediate on.

Chapter Text

“Tendi!” Mariner yelled from across the cantina, making the Orion jump. T’Lyn glanced up from her padd as a purple object flew past and hit Tendi in the face. “I got us matching Chu Chu shirts!”

Tendi didn’t seem upset about the greeting, instead she grinned wildly as she unfurled the clothing. “Oh my gosh! Thanks Mariner!”

“I’m gonna go grab us some shots! Trust me, the lights are so much more intense with some alcohol in your system.”

Tendi shrugged on the shirt over her uniform jacket, then she looked at her. “T’Lyn, are you sure you don’t want to go with us to the Chu Chu Dance? It’s going to be so much fun!”

“Affirmative, I have no interest in this event.”

Vulcans studied music for its mathematical properties and she was certain this ‘Chu Chu Dance’ would be about channeling emotion into expression instead. As well, it would be some time before T’Lyn indulged her friends’ invitation to a musical performance after the showcase. She expected Tendi to pout but she gave her a sympathetic look.

T’Lyn was going to return her attention to the padd but she noticed at the last moment that Tendi’s shirt had a tag sticking up above the back collar of her shirt. She reached over to rectify the issue. Her fingertips lightly touched the back of Tendi’s neck above her jacket and then down to the offending tag to tuck it in.

As their eyes met, Tendi’s were wide in wonder and her cheeks burned dark green. She couldn’t suppress her own blush, feeling the heat spread across her face at Tendi’s reaction. T’Lyn withdrew her hand and looked down at the padd again as the Orion thanked her.

“It was a logical action to adjust your clothing when it was amiss,” T’Lyn said as much to herself as to Tendi, who she intuitively knew was smirking at her but she didn’t want to confirm.

Mariner interrupted the moment by placing seven shot glasses down on the table, some of the strong-smelling liquid spilling on the table. “Three for you, four for me. Let’s go!”

“That is an excessive amount of alcohol to consume at once.”

Mariner settled in the seat across from T’Lyn and collected her allocated shots in front of her. “That’s the idea, T’Lyn.” She lifted her first shot and Tendi laughed and clinked their glasses before they drank the liquid. She pushed another one towards Tendi, “Come on, we’ve gotta get wrecked.”

T’Lyn would never understand how inebriation was considered an enjoyable experience…

“I kind of want to remember my first Chu Chu Dance, Mariner!” Yet she complied all the same with a growing smile. “No more after this!” And they drank their third shot.

“We’ve got about ten minutes. I’ll save this one til then. Maybe I’ll convince you to take another with me.” Then she looked out into the bar and she frowned deeply, which was unexpected. “God dammit, look. Jen's going to the Chu Chu Dance with Castro. They’re totally [fuck]ing.” She downed her last shot angrily despite her plan.

Tendi and T’Lyn looked in the direction of her attention. An Andorian and a human had entered the bar, they were wearing matching shirts too but theirs were a bright yellow. She was unsure of the significance between the two women and Mariner, but she must have a shared history with one or both.

Tendi noticed her curiosity and confirmed, “Mariner and Jen, the Andorian, used to date.”

“Yeah and it was going good 'til I [fuck]ed up a few months ago.”

Tendi had to lean over in the booth but distance did not deter her in her efforts to comfort her friend. She put a hand on Mariner’s arm and insisted, “That wasn’t your fault, Mariner! The Captain-”

“No, I gave Jen the stupid candle back.” She sighed, regretful for the apparently significant action. She shook off Tendi's comforting touch, “I told her to give it to Castro, looks like she did.”

T’Lyn analyzed the two as they stood at the bar, there was nothing overly affectionate about their stance. “Curious, what indicates that they are in an intimate relationship?”

“Well for one, they walked in together-”

“That is subjective at best.” T’Lyn countered.

Tendi nodded, “Yeah, it is a stretch.”

Mariner looked a little annoyed but she continued, “Okay two, they’re wearing cutesy matching shirts.”

“So are we, Mariner!” Tendi scoffed and gestured to their clothing, “That doesn’t mean we’re sleeping together!”

“Well, I mean, if you aren’t doing anything later…” The human said suggestively and something unpleasant bubbled in T’Lyn's chest. She wondered if they did share some form of attraction -or worse, if they'd been intimate before- until Tendi giggled and covered her hand with her mouth.

“Mariner!” She sounded equally scandalized and amused.

Mariner grinned then winked at T’Lyn, “She’s cute, right?” T’Lyn was still unaccustomed to the frequency in which the human teased her friends, though admittedly it was a strange relief to know Mariner had no real interest in Tendi. But then Mariner looked at Jen and Castro again and her smile slid off her face. “And three, I dunno. I can just tell. She always stood that way next to me.”

“They’re best friends, Mariner!” Then Jen and Castro kissed at the bar and Tendi amended her statement. “Um. Okay… I guess they are together!”

“Do you still feel a romantic attraction to her?”

Mariner scoffed, “No way.” Then at their shared doubtful look she said, “But even if I did, who cares! She’s with Castro and tonight, Boims and Tendi and I are gonna have an awesome time at the Chu Chu Dance!”'

“That’s the spirit!” Tendi cheered.

“Come on, Tends. Let’s go make sure Boimler grabbed good spots.” It was uncharacteristic for Mariner to be early to an event but her excitement levels matched Tendi’s. Though perhaps she also didn't want to confront her emotions regarding Jen, who remained in their eyesight at the bar.

T’Lyn stood from the booth rather than have Tendi shift around the entire table. It was logical, though her stance beside the seating was strategic. She anticipated Tendi would affectionately bid her a good evening; invariably the Orion exceeded her expectations.

“Thanks, T’Lyn!” And utterly unnecessarily, Tendi’s posterior slid against her hips as she maneuvered out. T’Lyn was pleased by her purposeful action, by the mischievous glint in her eyes during a quick glance over, by the way she bit her lower lip to try to hold in her amusement.

“Catch you later, T’Lyn!” Mariner threw an arm around Tendi’s shoulders and Tendi reciprocated by wrapping an arm around the human’s waist. They chanted loudly as they exited the cantina.

T’Lyn returned to her quarters to continue reading official mission logs. Those from Voyager, though chaotic and unique circumstances, were an informative read.

And during her recovery from the Bracas Prime incident, Tendi had begun reading her the mission logs of the Enterprise. She recalled how at peace she was while listening to her voice, how relieved she was to see her. Then after walking her to her room, Tendi had wanted to kiss her...

They had not yet had a chance to discuss T’Lyn’s confession of attraction, though Tendi certainly shared her desire. She felt her heart rate pick up at the thought and she had to suppress the illogical reaction and the way inappropriate thoughts for Tendi flooded her- even though according to Captain Janeway’s logs, Starfleet was not keen on policing ‘fraternizing’ between officers on the condition that they used best judgement and discretion.

And T’Lyn was certain she and Tendi could navigate a physical arrangement in private and remain professional while on duty.

Her attention returned to Captain Pike's log of the day he assisted Science Officer Spock with his V’shal dinner, which was highly unorthodox for a non-Vulcan to participate in but especially a superior. It stood to reason that Captain Pike was involved and helpful. But when he stated Spock had been briefly turned human, T’Lyn was stunned.

To have his half-Vulcan physiology suddenly ripped away must have been unpleasant. The challenges of the V’shal ritual would be even greater she assumed- she knew of it in theory, but her own past betrothal had not evolved to that point, for which she was gratified. She then understood the need for the Captain’s assistance and the ensuing antics.

The conclusion of his log mentioned the rebellious, unauthorized mission undertaken that cured Spock. She selected the Enterprise’s pilot’s log next.

“Naturally Christine asked me to fly the shuttle due to my skills. Uhura went with us since she’s the Communication’s queen.”

Lt. Ortegas’ missions logs were astonishingly casual. It was incredible that Captain Pike accepted this as an official documentation.

“Well after flying the shuttle into interdimensional space, I thought we died. Like actually died, it was freaky. We all woke up and the Kerkhovian jerked us around for a bit like she did on the bridge. So, Christine had to tell this floating energy being that she and Spock were lovers and had feelings for each other. Like even though Spock was a lot easier to get along with since he was human, Christine missed his Vulcan side. It was sickeningly cute and it worked.”

T’Lyn’s eyebrows raised in surprise. She had been unaware of a romantic connection between Spock and Nurse Chapel. Of course Vulcan history would exclude an affair with a human from their books, even if Spock was Sarek’s son with Amanda Grayson, a human woman. But even High Command couldn’t arrest the rumors of Spock’s relationship with his Captain Kirk, his reputed t'hy'la- his beloved and chosen mate for life.

And until then she hadn’t considered the frequency in which Vulcans coupled with humans and other emotional species. However, Vulcans’ penchant for emotional species did reassure T’Lyn that an attraction could be pursued. At least Tendi was Orion-

Then her combadge chirped.

“Rutherford to Tendi, Mariner, Boimler, and T’Lyn. Meet me by Jefferies tube 582, we’ve got a situation!”

T’Lyn set her padd down and made haste to the specified location while her cohorts all groaned, with Mariner protesting the loudest. “But dude! The Chu Chu Dance! It hasn’t even started!”

“Mariner, I think something's wrong with the Captain! She punched out Lundy and high-fived Ransom.”

That was unusual for the Captain, even by Starfleet standards.

Mariner chuckled, “Good for Carol but wait-”

“Didn’t we just see the Captain in the hallway near the concert?” Tendi finished her observation.

“Oh [shit].” Boimler huffed, sounding winded from the running. “This sounds like a good and evil transporter split. You know, like Kirk and the dog-creature-thing and Sulu almost freezing to death on the planet?”

They all arrived at the tube at same time. Tendi and Boimler were leaning on each other as they caught their breath. He too had a matching shirt, though his was two sizes too big for his lanky frame.

“I was in the tubes when I heard the Captain, Shaxs, and Ransom walking down the hallway. Then a minute later, I heard Lundy scream so I went to go check on him and saw the duplicates.” Rutherford explained as he typed code into the map by the transporter room and then he cheered.

“Yes!” The map now showed three blue and three red dots, moving along the ship on random decks and directions. “I was able to use the combadges to locate the commanders, since the not-evil ones came through first they had the oldest time stamps for transporters.”

“Aww, good job Rutherford!” Tendi praised but then Mariner stepped up to the map to tap one of the red dots.

“[Fuck]! Security is gonna have their hands full with evil Shaxs, that dude is a bear. So, looks like it’s up to us to round up the Captains and the Ransoms.” Mariner punched her fist into her hand, which would’ve looked commanding if not for the lopsided, bright purple Chu Chu shirt she had on over her uniform.

“I’ll go track down my mom- uh, my moms. And Ruthie will get the transporter ready to re-fuse them. Tendi, T’Lyn,” she pointed at the red dot by the cantina, “You go after the bad Ransom, since you’re both great at kicking ass and taking names.”

“Right,” Tendi exuded confidence and T’Lyn nodded her agreement.

“Boimler,” she pointed at a blue dot by the Commander’s quarters, “Go try to talk down the good Ransom since you’re great at kissing ass and taking names.”

“Got it.” He sounded oddly proud of her assessment.

“Rutherford, let the Security team know about the Shaxses. Let’s go!”

“Okey dokey!”

Tendi and T’Lyn took off in the direction of the morally compromised Ransom. As they ran down the hallway, they noticed a discarded Command jacket that most likely belonged to the Ransom. Then a few meters later lay a crumpled tank top. It was to T’Lyn’s relief that he hadn’t shed his pants too.

There was a flood of screaming crew exiting the cantina. “He’s gone crazy!”

T’Lyn peeked in with Tendi right behind her with a hand on her back. Ransom held an Ensign by his jacket as he repeatedly punched him in the face. “Olivia is my wife! You think you can eat churros in front of me?!”

T’Lyn didn’t understand that but she felt Tendi cringe. “We’ve gotta stop him!”

“I will incapacitate him.”

Tingles followed her touch as Tendi’s hand trailed up to give her shoulder a firm squeeze, “Let me distract him first. Wait here while I get his attention.”

She watched Tendi walk in, her posture perfectly innocent. Her voice was bright despite the violence in front of her, “Uh, Commander Ransom?”

He stopped mid-punch; his gaze raked slowly up her body. T’Lyn had not been concerned for her companion until then. Her eyes narrowed and she was prepared to rush in to defend should he attempt to attack her.

“Lt. jg. Tendi.” Ransom released his hold on the bloodied Ensign, who sprinted out of the cantina and past where T’Lyn was waiting. Ransom flexed his bicep and ab muscles as he ran a hand through his hair. “You know, I’ve never been with an Orion woman before.”

Tendi chuckled apprehensively and moved around him at a reasonable distance to put a table between them. “Oh, that’s so interesting, sir.”

With his back now to the door, T’Lyn snuck into the cantina.

“But, uh, I actually wanted to talk about something else.”

He swaggered closer, “Tell Papa Ransom about it.”

T’Lyn nerve pinched him before he could reach her and he crumpled into her arms. She met Tendi’s green eyes.

“Thanks, T’Lyn,” Her name fell so softly with such fondness. T’Lyn's throat felt dry and she nodded though the gratitude was superfluous; she would logically strive to protect her in any situation that called for it. Her gaze flicked down to follow when Tendi’s tongue laved over her bottom lip. The Orion was distractingly attractive...

She recognized she was behaving illogically- the focus should be on the mission. Perhaps they needed to resolve their sexual tension before it did become detrimental to their work… She lifted the unconscious Commander's torso by his arms. “We must return the bifurcation to the transporter room.”

The Orion grabbed his ankles and together they hauled his muscled body down the hallways. “Do you think everyone else was able to get their duplicates?”

One of the bay doors opened as they passed by, a Security Ensign crawled out and tapped his combadge. “Doctor T’Ana! Do you have those tranquilizers ready yet?”

“I’m on my way! [Fuck]ing hell.”

As they walked past, T’Lyn glanced into the room and Shaxs was throwing crates at the Security officers and yelling about the borg. The door closed, sealing in the chaos. She said to Tendi, “It would appear not.”

She appreciated the way Tendi huffed out a laugh as she usually did at her dry observations. Then their pace quickened when a roar rang out behind them. From down the hall, she saw an unknown Lt. guide an uncharacteristically calm Shaxs into the transporter room.

“Good job, ladies.” Boimler said from his place on the transporter with an arm around Ransom, who was crying softly into his hands.

Tendi and T’Lyn placed the other Ransom personality on the transporter. He would most likely be out for another ten minutes, humans were particularly susceptible to a Vulcan nerve pinch. The Orion crossed the room to the LCARS panel to stand next to the cyborg. “Rutherford, were you able to fix the issue?”

“I think so. I recalibrated the primary power source and activated the dielectric barrier discharge for the filter. I just need to bring the transporters back online.”

The doors whooshed open and an angry Captain Freeman entered with her arms locked behind her back by Mariner and the other Captain Freeman. “Are we ready to fuse everyone back?”

“Let me go! I’m the god damn Captain! This is my ship!”

T’Lyn nerve pinched the aggressive Captain Freeman and she crumpled in their hold. “We are awaiting the alternate Lt. Shaxs.”

“I hope he’s not giving anyone too much trouble.” This Shaxs said, gaze down on the floor.

Rutherford and Tendi were quick to comfort the timid clone, “I’m sure he’s barely hurting anyone, Papa Bear!”

“Yeah! Doctor T’Ana was going to tranq him."

Mariner dusted off her hands once the other Captain was on the transporter. “Think they need help?”

Kayshon and three Security officers carried in Shaxs, who had five tranquilizer darts sticking out of his chest. "Mosaro, when the lake was smooth.”

“Yeah finally.” The one officer with the black eye grumbled. They tossed him onto the transporter.

“Okey dokey, let’s bring back our morally balanced commanders!”

And a few minutes later, with their commanders re-fused and the crisis averted, the group walked out of the transporter room and down the hall. “I can’t believe we missed the [fuck]ing Chu Chu Dance because of this [shit]!”

“I’m sure they’ll be back, Mariner!” Tendi was optimistic as ever, though she too must’ve been disappointed by the missed opportunity. “Oh! Or maybe they’ll do an encore tomorrow! Wouldn’t that be cool?”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t hold my breath, D.”

As they rounded the corridor to the cantina, T’Lyn bid them goodbye since she'd rather continue her studying. “I will return to my quarters.”

“Night dude!”

“See you later, T’Lyn!” And to the group, it sounded like a parting but T’Lyn understood it was a question. She nodded and Tendi beamed.

As she walked back to her quarters, she repressed her growing anticipation to be in proximity to her again.

Chapter Text

“Do you want to walk me to my room?” Tendi’s half-lidded eyes could’ve been from sleepiness or an attempt at seduction but either way, the request was well received.

“I will.” T’Lyn stood from their usual booth, hands clasped behind her back in her preferred relaxed pose.

Tendi looped her arm through T’Lyn’s and rested her head on her shoulder before leading T’Lyn out of the cantina. She had to calculate and match the Orion’s steps so their physical closeness didn't result in an awkward cadence. She didn’t want to give Tendi any reason to break this hold she had on her.

The empty carpeted hallways soaked up the sound of their footsteps. Each rounding corridor, she expected them to be interrupted by someone but they remained in their private bubble. They entered the lift and Tendi called out, “Deck five.”

The computer chimed then complied. It was a short journey up from the cantina but Tendi once again rested her head against her shoulder. She enjoyed her casual affection and hoped she wasn't reading the situation incorrectly... T’Lyn kept her gaze straight ahead, but she was tempted to peek down at Tendi.

The doors whooshed open and they went through another long hallway, anticipating building with each step, before they arrived at Tendi’s quarters. The computer chimed in recognition of her combadge and her door opened automatically, closing when they’d gotten inside the already lit room.

Tendi pivoted from T’Lyn’s side so they could face each other. She wasn’t much shorter but T’Lyn did enjoy how the Orion had to look up at her. The familiar electricity sparked between them. Green eyes searched hers and once again, she could read her intent.

This time though, she could satisfy her curiosity and desire.

She tilted her head in question, inviting her in. Tendi smiled and wrapped her arms around T’Lyn’s neck, slowly pressing their bodies together and bringing their faces close.

“Is this okay?”

T’Lyn admired the way Tendi went after what she wanted. Her gaze flicked from T’Lyn’s eyes to her mouth and it was difficult to not notice when they were this close. She nodded minutely. Tendi's eyes slid shut and she finally closed the distance between their lips.

At first it was just the press of their lips together. It was… remarkably pleasant. A kiss was such a simple action but coupled with Tendi’s hand snaking up to hold her cheek plus the sensual press of her body, T'Lyn's brain was flooded with a unique satisfaction from her affection. She understood the appeal now. Tendi's eyebrows rose with her own appreciation and then the warmth of her breath ghosted over her lips as she pulled back to gauge T’Lyn’s reaction.

“Er, it might feel better if you close your eyes.” It sounded like she was trying not to laugh.

T’Lyn nodded, now aware of her faux pas. She tried to let go a bit of her control and follow her intuition and Tendi’s lead.

“I see.” T’Lyn hesitantly put a hand on Tendi’s hip and leaned close, barely an inch from her lips, and let her eyes fall close. “Proceed.” She requested.

She felt Tendi smile against her lips as they met again. This time Tendi pressed a little harder and T’Lyn did her best to match whatever she did. She tilted her head and the slight twist sent a thrill down her spine.

She broke away again, waiting for T’Lyn’s assessment. T’Lyn rested her forehead against Tendi's. “Highly effective, it was pleasurable.”

“If it’s okay, I’d like to keep going.” Tendi’s breath was hot on her mouth. The hand on her cheek carded through her hair and moved to the base of her skull, fingers gently scraping the sensitive skin. The press of her hips implied her invitation.

It was a natural request given their sexual tension and increased intimacy.

Her attraction to Tendi was unwavering and indulging in the desire did not seem illogical. Their physical attraction was mutual. Their emotional and intellectual bond was strong. Both women were uncommitted. Their working relationship was respectable and Tendi demonstrated a strong ability to separate work from her personal life.

And based on her research, Orions seemed to have few sexual inhibitions. Therefore, sex guided by attraction without romantic connotations or expectations of commitment must be common; which was preferable considering T’Lyn would not be in Starfleet for the long-term. She didn't want Tendi to become attached only for T'Lyn to return to the Sh'vhal.

However, this was new ground for her in many ways. She’d never been intimate with someone who wasn’t a Vulcan. She would need to regulate her strength to avoid injuring the Orion. As well, she'd never had sex when she wasn't under the influence of Pon Farr... Would her emotions still be heightened and hard to control? And without a mind meld, how would sex feel? She did self-stimulate on occasion but she treated it as a quicker form of meditation to soothe her bodily desires; there was pleasure, but it was muted, more of a relief than a release.

Sex was a baser instinct she didn't pursue, not because it wasn’t appealing in theory, but because connecting with others was difficult when they found her immature and chaotic. She thought she might enjoy it, perhaps too much, since it'd be nothing like her previous experiences.

And while part of her worried about losing control, the other part of her was all for sharing this experience with Tendi.

She nodded against her, claiming her lips again. Tendi moaned, her mouth opened slightly and T’Lyn matched her. Their new kiss was hot and wet and stoking the fire building between her hips. It was addicting.

This time when they broke the kiss, they were both out of breath. But she wanted more. T’Lyn gave her a moment of reprieve before she dived in for another searing kiss.

Tendi slotted a thigh between hers, increasing the heat between them. She moved, twisting her hips to feel the pressure Tendi offered her. It was good but she needed leverage... T’Lyn’s hands cautiously ghosted from Tendi’s hips to her lower back. Measured, though still following her instincts, she glided her hand down to slope of Tendi’s backside causing her to buck into her. They swallowed each other's moans and the pressure between her legs built deliciously.

Tingles followed Tendi’s hand as she gently caressed T’Lyn’s neck down to her chest. With a gentle press a though to push away, she signaled a pause and concerned she did something wrong, T’Lyn straightened and her hands fell to her side. Tendi removed the hand in her hair to fan herself while she caught her breath, smiling sheepishly.

“Woah, that was hot.”

Her concerns were banished. She felt the corner of her lip twitch up in amusement and pride. “Is that not the point?”

Tendi huffed out a laugh, “I was just going to suggest shedding some layers... and continuing on the bed?”

“An appealing suggestion.”

She pressed a promising kiss to her lips.

T’Lyn savored on the peaceful and satisfied feeling pumping through her blood as they stared at the plain ceiling together.

Tendi’s breathing evened out and she giggled jovially. “Wow,” she shifted onto her side and draped an arm across T’Lyn’s midriff to cuddle into her side. Skin on sweaty skin. Her head lay on T’Lyn’s shoulder and she commented, “That mind meld was amazing.”

“It was not a mind meld.” T’Lyn clarified, “That would be far too invasive for you while my emotional control is… otherwise occupied.” And still was. She felt like a teenager learning to suppress the powerful emotions coursing through her. She would need to meditate soon to bring her control back into focus.

“Oh, okay. Was that what your Pon Farr would be like?”

T’Lyn flinched and sat up abruptly, disrupting Tendi at her side. Her cheeks flushed with heat and she knew her eyes were opened wide in alarm. She schooled her horrified expression but there was no doubt Tendi saw.

But she had not anticipated that.

Pon Farr was a taboo subject. It was deeply embarrassing to be a part of the ritual, to have her Logic and control ripped away, and even the mention evoked the shame and helplessness of it. It brought forth repulsive memories- begging, burning for a mate, and willing to do whatever to quell the painful emotional storm. Letting a stranger touch and dominate her while she was unable to truly consent.

She’d only been through four in her life and had nearly died from stubbornness during her last one, unwilling to give into the biological imperative to return to Vulcan and participate. She’d been locked in her quarters on the Sh’vhal and loath to involve anyone else out of mortification for days. Days of pain and fire gnawing at her brain as it cooked under the blood fever. Disgracefully, she’d given in to the primal drive while docked at an outpost.

This remarkable experience with Tendi was the complete opposite of her Pon Farr. Clearly, she knew nothing of the ritual and that was for the best. It was a Vulcan’s shame.

“That is a highly invasive question.” She said to shut down the conversation. Still, she recognized her tone was harsher than necessary.

“Oh.” The surprise and hurt in her voice was unmistakable. “Right, I’m sorry...”

She hadn't intended to upset her but she was unwilling to discuss the reality of her past sexual experiences. Tendi, kind and sympathetic, should've been understanding rather than wounded by her reticence... Overcome and distressed by how their coitus had taken this turn, T’Lyn was stuck in her rigid posture with her head turned, staring down at Tendi. She wasn't certain what she should do or how to handle this.

Regrettably, Tendi reciprocated her rigidity and moved away, nearly to the edge of the bed, to sit up and pull a pillow in her lap to cover her body. She hunched over it and kept her gaze to the corner of the bed. “That was stupid of me to ask.” She’d never heard her so upset.

But Tendi's unhappiness was aimed at herself, which was illogical... Still recovering from their activities, T’Lyn felt more emotion that she would normally suppress. Her heart twisted for her closest companion, knowing she'd ‘[fuck]ed up'. She had dismissed the innocent query quite rudely- how was Tendi to know about the seriousness of Pon Farr when she was influenced by Starfleet humans, who infamously thought it was a kink to downplay and fantasize about or laugh at.

And her callousness had negatively affected Tendi’s self-esteem.

T’Lyn dreaded their distance, remembered how unpleasant their disharmony had been. She felt empty and cold without her by her side. Her blood turned to ice when she saw the wetness in Tendi’s eyes despite the Orion refusing to look at her. The two marks T’Lyn had enjoyed creating on her skin were on display with her head turned away, dismayed. She needed to repair this misunderstanding...

She laid back down, illogically wishing she could take it back. If she'd been able to control her overreaction, she wouldn’t have disrupted their contentment. How did she continuously lose control around the Orion?

“Your apology is illogical.” She felt so vulnerable, naked and looking up at her. “You were unaware of the… severity of such a private matter and-” T’Lyn purposefully reached out and presented the palm of her hand. “Given our current intimacy and the concentrated effect of the empathetic connection, your question was reasonable.”

She was completely exposed as Tendi finally looked at her. The fear of further rejection shined in her green eyes and it nearly made her shake, but T’Lyn took a deep breath and offered sincerely, “I hope that when my Pon Farr does arrive, you would agree to assist me as our tryst was vastly more pleasurable than I have ever experienced.”

Even if she returned to the Vulcan fleet and they would need to meet somewhere in the universe, she would if Tendi agreed. She'd never felt so good, so tended to. And she couldn't say that to her but she hoped she understood.

Tendi hesitantly smiled and it was like she was able to breathe again. A green hand rested on hers and T’Lyn gave her a taste of the relief and fondness that was currently flooding her. Then she deepened the connection as she recalled their intimacy; the feeling of her body high, how safe she felt in Tendi’s care, and the addicting and dangerous fascination of her that she would eventually need to meditate on.

Tendi gasped and T’Lyn eased off on the connection, worried it was too much for her.

“Is that what it’s always like for you?” She sounded amazed and as always, scientifically curious.

“Correct.” T’Lyn removed her hand from under Tendi's but kept her arm outstretched, offering the Orion her place from before T’Lyn lost control.

“Thank you for sharing that.” Tendi then quickly said, “You didn’t have to but I’m so glad you did.” She discarded the pillow and settled back by her side, “Do you want to stay the night?”

Vulcans rarely required sleep but she could sense fatigue setting in. She'd meditate with Tendi in her arms and then rest with her.

“I will.” They maneuvered to pull the covers up over them. Despite being sufficiently warm, she wrapped her arm around Tendi. Her hand rested at the small of her back and her fingertips were tempted to draw patterns on her smooth skin.

Understanding her want to be closer, Tendi snuggled in.

They were still working on their communication. Being two different species from radically different cultures made these situations unfortunately common yet T’Lyn was confident they could talk through anything.

Chapter Text

Maybe if they hadn’t all been in Rutherford and Boimler’s room sitting on the floor together around a table, the cosmic rays wouldn’t have sent their brainwaves bouncing between each other.

Then again, maybe if the Captain hadn’t ordered a full stop to scan the cosmic rays, they could’ve just sped by and left the anomaly to be documented by another team.

Mariner loved shenanigans as much as the next person but they’d already done this. She as T’Lyn huffed, probably the first time this body had ever expressed so much emotion, and grumbled, “This is just like the damn Minuki mask. Like how many cosmic rays do we scan before we stop [fuck]ing doing it?”

“Our mission is exploration, it would be illogical to not scan anomalies.” T’Lyn’s flat tone sounded menacing in Tendi’s voice. Hell, it was just freaky to see Tendi’s face so blank. Usually she was so easy to read and her face journeys were actually hilarious to watch but now…

She shared an uneasy look with the boys- well Boimler’s body and her own body- and they wore matching grimaces.

“Is that what I sound like?” Rutherford asked, a bit horrified.

“No!” The three confirmed emphatically.

Tendi stared ahead and, although her expression was emotionless, she radiated irritation. The unnerving silence that followed allowed them to finally notice how badly the ship was thrown into chaos. Although muffled by the door, they could hear yelling, and running, and crying. But still no red alert, so they stayed in the safety of the room.

“Hey, maybe we should put a puzzle together!” Mariner bounded up to grab the largest puzzle they had- a crew picture of Enterprise (NC-1701) that would’ve made a nice holonovel series cover.

“Damn, look at that thicc, thicc chest on Spock.” Rutherford then turned to Boimler, “How do I zoom in with this thing?”

Mariner dumped the puzzle pieces on the table and gleefully suggested, “Let’s go around and summarize our favorite mission log from Pike’s era!”

“You’re such a nerd.” T’Lyn snorted, “I’m in.”

“I’ll go first!” They all, minus Tendi, exclaimed at once.

22 minutes later:

“Seriously, why are we still not in our right bodies?” T’Lyn had one arm on the table and her head resting in her hand. She was still looking for puzzle pieces, ignoring Tendi’s offer to complete it for them.

“Yeah it is pretty weird. Usually our problems would've worked themselves out by now.” Mariner was studying the cover picture, trying to figure out where the pieces she fit together actually went in the picture, “Maybe it’s another breakdown in Command?”

There was more shouting outside the door and what sounded like a herd of elephants stomping past in a hurry. Hopefully not literally, but it was Starfleet so who knew.

“Ugh. This implant is tamping down my anxiety…”

“Is that not beneficial?”

“Oh! Here, this is what I do when I need a distraction.” Boimler’s hand reached over to Rutherford’s cybernetics and fiddled with the menu settings. “It takes you to your happy place.”

It was cute how Tendi’s mannerisms shined through as Rutherford pouted, “I dunno Rutherford. Maybe we should help-“

He clicked the button. Then Rutherford immediately stilled.

Tendi was herself again! And dressed in a tropical outfit! The sun was warm on her green skin and her toes sank slightly in the cool sand. The crashing of the waves and the screeching of the earth seagulls filled her with joy. She looked around her but everything else ceased to exist when she spotted T’Lyn.

The Vulcan was dressed in a revealing swim suit. Her top was tight enough to create a tempting amount of cleavage and her toned, long midsection was on full display. She wore a sarong with a slit on one side that exposed her creamy leg all the way up to her hip.

Tendi felt her knees go weak.

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow, “As flattering as your ogling is, we should continue our trek to the tidepool. There are a multitude of organisms to scan and catalog.”

She gasped happily and looped her arm through T’Lyn’s. Unable to contain her energy she began to skip down the beach while T’Lyn walked calmly beside her. Sand flew up around her and Tendi giggled with delight whereas T’Lyn was stone faced.

They arrived at the tidepool and it was brimming with unfamiliar organisms. Overcome with joy, Tendi linked their hands together and spun in a circle like she’d seen in the holomovies. T’Lyn matched her movement and soon their twirling was dizzying and Tendi shrieked with glee. Still, T’Lyn was emotionless.

Her Vulcan control was so hot.

Tendi stopped their spin and purposefully fell back and T’Lyn quickly maneuvered them so she landed first with Tendi on top of her. Long thin fingers trailed up her arm until Tendi looked at her and T’Lyn’s lips betrayed the slightest hint of a smirk.

Tendi’s heart threatened to explode.

This was her happy place!

Rutherford sat there with a goofy grin on his face.

T’Lyn scoffed, “Well, at least she’s having fun.”

“Can we share our favorite mission log from Kirk’s era now?”

“Yeah, why not.”

Chapter Text

In the repair bay, Tendi happily worked on one of her favorite side projects: the Sequoia. She and T’Lyn were on their backs, half underneath the vehicle as they tinkered with the important electrical systems, and Boimler sat on the floor next to her. He usually helped with passing tools but he wouldn’t be today, another issue of Fleet Academy was published.

“Holy [shit]!” He put a hand on her knee to shake her, needing to share his energy. His excitement was cute, “Tendi, guess what this week’s quiz is about?”

She hummed as she thought about it. Last week’s issue featured the personality quiz, ‘What Division Are You?’ Without a doubt, the magazine was aimed at younger audiences but Boimler eagerly read anything he could about Starfleet. Especially when the magazine was produced by the same people as Fleet, his absolute favorite.

“Oh! ‘What Planet Should You Explore?’” She guessed.

“Okay that would be cool, but this one is ‘Which Captain Are You Most Like?’ Can you believe it?”

“Oh neat! Who are you hoping for? Riker?”

“I have no idea! Ugh, there’s so many legendary Captains… I can’t choose just one!”

Tendi snickered and looked to T’Lyn, who was tinkering around with a coil. She didn’t even seem to be paying attention to them. It'd been disappointing when Rutherford canceled their plans last minute to hang out with Barnes and her friends but luckily, T’Lyn was interested in shuttle system restorations!

“Thanks for helping, T’Lyn! There’s just so much to fix!” She stamped her feet happily.

T’Lyn looked to her, stoically giving nothing away, and then back to the coil. It definitely wasn't the same as working with her best friend but she enjoyed any chance she got to spend time with her... Whatever they were now. Bang buddy? It wasn't as cute as science bestie or crush and she was more than all those words to Tendi anyway. They were close -it wasn't a label but it was accurate!- and the thought of growing closer made her heart soar...

Off-handedly, T'Lyn suggested, “Tendi, would you care to repair the proximity sens-oars next?”

“Why would I-” then she followed the sensors path that T’Lyn was laying under. Cheeky… “I mean… Yes! Good idea, T’Lyn!”

It excited and amused her to invade her space so obviously with the new context of their relationship. She felt the heat of her skin even through their layers, the beckoning titillation. Tendi pressed right up against her, savoring the contact and the warmth she radiated, with her arm resting on T’Lyn’s flat stomach as she tried to get a good angle inside the open panel to repair the sensor. And honestly, they probably didn’t even need the pretense, Boimler was too absorbed in overanalyzing the quiz.

“Wow! Even this second question is intense-”

It was nice that T’Lyn also wanted her close! Even though it was not that efficient with the soft rise and fall of her breaths... Weirdly, a twinge of pain, like a headache almost, jolted through her and disappeared quick while she repaired the sensor circuits above her. So wrapped up in the work, Tendi flinched in surprise when T'Lyn's fingers stroked down the buzzed hairs of the back of her head.

"Apologies." T'Lyn murmured with mirth.

Tendi giggled quietly and happiness from her affection flooded her chest. T'Lyn wanted to touch her... It didn't sound like much but considering she was a no-nonsense Vulcan? Tendi was over the moon! She nuzzled the side of her face into T'Lyn's midsection.

T'Lyn's fingers glided through her hair once before she resumed her own repairs. Tendi pressed a kiss to T'Lyn's ribs and then refocused.

Their cute cuddling position was less practical when she had to reach over her, even flush against her, as close as she could get, there wasn’t enough room and she couldn’t see what she was doing anymore… The weird ache in her head struck again.

The sensors wrapped all the way around the bottom of the ship and Tendi knew it would take hours to repair the entire circuit. For some reason it stressed her out. This was supposed to be just for fun but suddenly it felt like she needed to get these sensors operational... Why was she cuddled up to T’Lyn when there was so much to be done? She abandoned the idea of working anti-clockwise around the ship and moved away to resume where she originally left off. A chill rushed through her, making her miss the warmth of T'Lyn's body.

“Should you not repair the wiring next?” T’Lyn advised.

The wiring was also over her and Tendi recognized her intent but there was something strange going on. Of course she wanted to be close to her but she couldn’t. Her mind went foggy… "Um..."

"Tendi?"

She opened her mouth, wanting to tell T’Lyn she was feeling weird but it was like she couldn't form the right words. Then she remembered she was holding the circuit repair tool. She refocused. “I’m fixing the proximity sensors.”

“-do you think Riker would want to help-”

It was a complex process, especially with the interdependent systems that were in her way. And some of the panels were blocking her from the interposers.

“Boimler." He didn’t stop talking. “Bradward!” She nudged him with her foot and he smacked her boot away.

She huffed, super irritated that he wouldn't help, and pulled herself out from under the shuttle. What was his problem? “I need a damn hyperspanner to decouple these fits.”

“Uh, I’m busy.” He gestured to the stupid quiz. “Go get it yourself.”

“I already am.” She dug through the tool bag until she found what she needed.

She settled under the shuttle again but this time underneath the stern of the shuttle. These damn panels were in her way, she needed them off before she could return to the repairs.

“-supposed to be answering these questions truthfully? Cause I don’t like any of these options-"

Mercifully, when she activated the hyperspanner she could no longer hear his rambling. The loud whirring drowned out everything.

Under the noise, someone called her name. Vaguely she recognized T’Lyn’s voice and it diverted her attention. She could always capture her attention... She stopped the machine and tilted her head back to look at her, “Yes?”

“Is that currently necessary? It is shrill.” There was a flicker of pain in her dark eyes and the foggy part of her brain said that was bad! She needed to stop! But she couldn’t remember why. T'Lyn was important, her comfort was important! But the repairs were her priority- she couldn't just not use the hyperspanner! Could she do something else productive while also being mindful of T'Lyn? Her mind blanked until she looked at the circuits again.

No, she was wasting time trying to figure it out.

“I need to finish this. Can you grab some ear plugs?” And she recognized she was being short but the stress outweighed her need to be polite.

T’Lyn sounded confused but said, “I will return when you have completed this dissonant phase of the repairs.”

“Yeah, okay.” She was being rude. Why? She should be sad that T”Lyn was leaving! What was going on? They were supposed to be hanging out… She sucked in a breath, eyes wildly scanning for something that made sense. What the [fuck]- then she saw the interposer and her awareness to the world clicked back into place.

Tendi shook her head and activated the hyperspanner again. She could apologize later, if she didn’t get this fixed she was going to go crazy.

In between the whirring of the hyperspanner, she could still hear Boimler chattering on about the quiz but she no longer could understand his words…

The next few hours passed in a blur. Tendi had worked her way around to the bow and she had a full blown headache now but she only needed a couple more hours to complete the repairs! The bay door opened and familiar, quiet footsteps entered. She didn’t have to look to know T’Lyn was back. She should be happy, but she was mostly annoyed at the inevitable disruption.

That wasn’t right. Pain slashed through her mind and her headache worsened.

“Mr. Boimler, have you completed your assessment?”

“No.” He replied curtly, “I’m on question 6.”

“When I departed, you were on question 3.” T’Lyn pointed out. At least she had missed the hours he spent on question 4… Not that Tendi could even remember what he had been droning on about. That was weird, right?

“Look, I’m never gonna finish this with you giving me the third degree. Go bug Tendi.”

Tendi groaned. If she could reach him, she would’ve kicked him.

T’Lyn moved to stand beside where she laid and called her name. “Tendi.”

Her thoughts went cloudy again but she felt the need to answer T’Lyn. She sighed and came out from under the shuttle, knowing she wasn’t going to leave her alone. “Yeah?”

“You have both missed your evening meal.” T’Lyn eyed her curiously and Tendi was having a very difficult time maintaining eye contact. Even though she did like looking at her… Still, the compulsion of her task nearly outweighed whatever pull T’Lyn had on her. “Is your hunger causing your irritability?”

And yeah, maybe she was being short-tempered. Why? No, why wouldn’t she be? But also, “We can eat whenever.”

“Are you well? I cannot find the logic in your behavior.”

Another question!

“T’Lyn!” Tendi ran a stressed hand through her hair. “Come on! I’m a little busy!”

“You have been repairing the shuttle for 3 hours. Your preoccupation to this degree is unhealthy.”

It was like T’Lyn wasn’t even listening to her! She might as well have been talking to a wall! She couldn’t ignore her task anymore. Her brain felt like it was melting. “And I gotta finish it!” She crawled back under the shuttle and the stress didn’t abate. The foggy part of her brain hurt, nothing was making sense. She pressed her hand to her temple but it did nothing to ease her confusion or pain. She worked on the repairs with one hand while ignoring the screaming parts of her that demanded she to talk to T'Lyn about what was happening.

“Ugh!” Boimler groaned, “This is killing me!”

T’Lyn gave up on her, walking away. “Mr. Boimler, what is the nature of the question you are having difficulties with?”

“Okay get this: Where would I take a vacation: Risa, a vineyard, the Delta Quadrant, or DS9.”

“The options appear highly transparent for the overall purpose of the quiz.”

“But I have to pick! And I’m not gonna go for a vineyard. I grew up on one, we only dried grapes but still! They’re awful.” He was using his deep Captain voice to convey just how serious he was. Tendi rolled her eyes. “But Picard loves vineyards so if I don’t pick it, I won’t be Picard! Ugh! Just everybody shut up and let me focus on this!”

It was quiet for the first time in hours.

And then T’Lyn said, “There is something anomalous occurring. You are both irrational. I will return with answers.”

The bay doors opened and closed and without T'Lyn there to distract her, Tendi could finally keep working in peace.

“He has his own vineyard! Of course I gotta pick that but-"

After she tuned out Boimler.

Not even five minutes later, the ship’s red alert klaxon went off. Tendi could’ve pulled her hair out. Whatever nonsense was going on was going to have to wait! She was in the middle of something!

Even Boimler was ignoring it. “-just three more questions! I can do this! I’m going to get who I want-”

Then he and the red alert were going off. And holy [shit]. It was all way too damn much! Her headache was getting worse. She almost turned on the hyperspanner again to drown them both out. “Can someone turn off that [fuck]ing alarm?!”

No one did. She’d have to work through it. As the minutes passed, her headache intensified until it felt like she was going to pass out. The tool in her hand clanged to the floor as she curled into a ball in some futile attempt to feel better. She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the horrible pain in her brain.

And then it was gone. And so was the mental fog. She blinked back to reality.

Tendi crawled out from under the shuttle. Her back hurt from laying on the floor for hours. And she was kind of hungry… But mostly just confused. What the hell was all that? She leaned against the vehicle next to Boimler, who was still freaking out about the quiz.

The bay doors opened and T’Lyn walked in. Her hair was slightly disheveled and there was something in her eyes that radiated smugness. “Have your symptoms abated?”

When she saw her, it all rushed back. Well, kind of.

“Woah, was I acting crazy?” Tendi put a hand to her forehead. The memories of the last few hours were fuzzy and trying to recall them hurt her head. She definitely snapped at T’Lyn, which she was unhappy about. “Jeez, sorry I was so angry.”

“Oh yeah, what happened anyway?” Boimler asked offhandedly, eyes still glued to the padd.

“We drifted too close to a singularity. The entire ship was under the influence of radiation that affected the prefrontal cortex, which caused the crew to become irrationally obsessed with trivial tasks.” T’Lyn’s eyes flicked over to the shuttle and Tendi knew it wasn’t her fault but she smiled sheepishly. “Vulcans and Betazoids were the only ones unaffected. Junga took sickbay when Dr. T’Ana had to be sedated for attempting to perform a thoracotomy to cure acid reflux... Myself and T’kon took the bridge to rescue the ship from being crushed by the gravitational forces.”

“Holy [shit]! T’Lyn, you saved everyone!” Tendi praised, clasping her hands together in front of her chest.

Boimler groaned. “[Fuck]ing damn it! I got Sisko… I know I’m not as bold as Janeway but I was kinda hoping for Picard. I wanna captain a starship! Not a starbase!”

She couldn’t believe he was still worried about the quiz when T’Lyn had just saved all their lives. And Sisko was awesome! “Boimler!”

“I mean, uh! Good job, T’Lyn!’ He cheered completely unauthentically. Then he sighed, “I’m gonna go take this quiz again. See you two later.”

T’Lyn offered her hand to help her from the floor and Tendi smiled and grabbed her forearm to pull herself to her feet. As she released her, she looked up at her. They were probably way closer than they needed to be… But since the bay was empty, Tendi rested a hand on her chest above the swell of her breast. “You must be exhausted from saving the ship.”

“I am not.” Her gaze flicked down to Tendi’s hand and then back up. She tilted her head slightly, “Regardless, would you care to accompany me to my quarters?”

Tendi grinned at her unexpected proposition.

T’Lyn was bolder now that they had established their sexual relationship. Last time, she’d almost seemed unsure, probably just because it was their first time together and she didn’t know what to expect. It was understandable and she had relaxed after they talked.

It had been good and fun (well besides when Tendi had carelessly mentioned Pon Farr) and although it kind of sucked T’Lyn only wanted to be bang buddies, with her logical disposition and her posting being provisional, it made sense. Tendi was undemanding and more than willing to pander to her attraction to T’Lyn.

“Yes, I think you do deserve a reward.”

T’Lyn quirked a sharp eyebrow up. “Intriguing. I am anticipating claiming my recompense.”

Plus her confidence was hot.

It did feel a little weird walking down the hallway together to go to her quarters, even weirder that they were hanging out when it wasn’t the middle of the night. But she wasn't complaining and it was quickly forgotten when the doors to her room whooshed close behind them.

Tendi stepped close, eyes pausing at her lips before continuing up. She almost couldn’t tell where T’Lyn’s dilated pupils ended and where her dark irises began. Nevertheless, she was thrilled to be her sole focus.

T’Lyn’s hands were at her side instead of behind her back. Ready. Awaiting Tendi’s initiative. Vulcans were so endearingly cute. She could want but was patient enough to wait for permission to be illogical.

Tendi would only be teasing herself if she didn’t kiss her now. She was so irresistible… So she took that half-step forward and held T’Lyn’s hips and closed the distance between their bodies with a tug. T’Lyn’s strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and as she urged her impossibly closer, Tendi leaned up to kiss her.

The familiar press of her lips made her heart smile. Then the way one of her hands roamed from her back to caress her side from her hip up to under her breast made her burn. When she gently groped her over her jacket, she moaned at her teasing touch.

And as much as she wanted her, she could’ve kissed her forever. She was such a good kisser, able to synch to her effortlessly but also willing to experiment. Tendi slid one hand up to tangle in her soft hair. She reveled in the way T’Lyn kissed just a little harder when her fingertips scraped the nape of her neck.

T’Lyn’s purposeful bump of their hips reminded her that they should probably be [fuck]ing instead of making out tenderly. So she held the back of her head and then squeezed T’Lyn’s hip with the other and then she guided her back.

T’Lyn inhaled sharply through her nose when Tendi pressed her against the wall.

She shifted her hips away from T’Lyn’s and the Vulcan protested wordlessly with a tight grip on her tricep. But Tendi thought she’d like her next idea better.

Tendi rested her palms on T’Lyn’s thighs. She couldn’t resist shaking her head fondly. “You’re so cute.”

T’Lyn looked away, green flooding her cheeks. Tendi saw the way her throat moved with a swallow before T’Lyn regained her control. She sat up with perfect posture to resituate the pillows flat and as she moved to grab the covers-

“Wait, let me clean us off.” Tendi didn’t care if they left a mess of sweat and arousal in her bed, she always recycled the sheets on her own time. But she felt bad since T’Lyn’s space was way more sacred.

She padded to the bathroom to wet a washcloth, shivering in the cold of the room. For whatever reason Starfleet, or at least Cali-class ships, made it so individual temperature control for quarters only existed in the main room. She had installed a not-approved-but-not-banned workaround for her own bathroom; she should offer the same to her! She escaped to kneel beside T’Lyn on her bed.

T’Lyn watched her, eyes half-lidded and expression passive, as she took her time running the wet cloth across her skin. Over her thighs, between them, up to her hips, and over her stomach (captivated when T’Lyn’s muscles twitched, which she was sure she was doing on purpose at this point). She stood, returning to the bathroom to clean herself off.

“Do you require sensuous proximity?”

Tendi had to translate the Vulcan formality. And then she had to figure out if T’Lyn was implying that she would begrudgingly cuddle if Tendi wanted her to or if she really wanted to cuddle but couldn’t seem needy because she was a Vulcan. “If you don’t want me to stay or you have something else you need to do, I can go rest in my quarters! But I definitely wouldn’t mind cuddling with you… It’s nice! And you’re so warm.”

Tendi felt ectothermic; the ship was always too chilled but T’Lyn was all strength and heat. When they were together, she wanted zero distance between them. She wondered if T’Lyn felt cold like she did...

“You may remain.”

And it was a good thing she couldn’t see her smirk.

Chapter Text

They were in the Merced’s cantina for the joint celebration for the excellent diplomacy of Captain Freeman and Captain Durango. The Merced’s booths weren’t as comfortable or as large as the Cerritos but Rutherford, Boimler, and Mariner all squeezed in the middle of the booth while Tendi and T’Lyn took up either side.

Mariner took a sip of her drink and then hummed in question. Boimler followed her eyes and squinted. “Wait is that P’jok? I thought he got promoted to the Ventura.”

“Maybe he was transferred?” Rutherford supplied, leaning into Mariner to get a look at the Vulcan at the end of the bar.

Mariner grinned as she asked, “Tendi, didn’t you have a huge crush on him?”

Tendi blushed and tried to hush them with a sharp, “He’s right there! Be quiet!”

T’Lyn turned her head enough to look at this P’jok out of the corner of her eye. He was a Command Lt. and he was, objectively, visually agreeable. And judging from the twitch of his ears and the puff of his chest, he was listening, having heard his name.

The group was immune to their own volume when they drank and continued as if Tendi hadn’t reprimanded them.

“Remember? She said he could do anything and called him a snack.”

P’jok subtly looked Tendi over and then his eyes met T’Lyn’s. She returned her focus back to the group, who were oblivious to his attention. She tilted her head in question to Tendi. She'd never been called a ‘snack’ by her lover but perhaps she knew the slang wouldn’t be as well received as her other compliments.

Boimler and Mariner laughed as Tendi insisted, faced heated. “That’s way out of context!”

Rutherford clicked his implant, “Ooh! Her heart rate's accelerating!”

“No, don’t! Don’t look at my heart rate!”

Mariner nudged Rutherford and laughed. “She’s totally got a thing for Vulcans.” Then she winked at T’Lyn. “You better watch out.”

How amusingly true.

T’Lyn’s lips twitched into a smirk. “Noted.”

Boimler and Rutherford were in hysterics at Tendi’s embarrassment. Her green skin glowed darker and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Come on, talk about something else!” She petulantly demanded, sliding further down into the booth with a pout.

Boimler wiped away a tear and sobered up, “Fine, fine.”

“Hey T’Lyn,” Mariner nudged her and nodded to the bar, “I gotta get a refill.”

T’Lyn rose from the booth to allow Mariner out and she noticed Lt. P’jok walking over, intention shining despite his blank expression. He stood in front of T'Lyn with his hands behind his back, shoulders squared in perfect posture. She mirrored his pose and gave a short nod in a silent question. His dark eyes searched hers.

She could feel the others staring at them.

“I have yet to make your acquaintance.” He said evenly. “I am Lt. P’jok.”

“Provisional Lt. jg. T’Lyn.”

“Provisional? Are you here on assignment from High Command?”

“Correct.”

P’jok cocked an eyebrow. “Do you intend to return to the Vulcan fleet?”

It was a simple question though she wished to avoid the complex implication, especially considering her friends’ rapt attention. Still, she answered truthfully. “Yes.”

He nodded. “May the rest of your assignment be insightful.” Then boldly, “You may tell the Orion I am currently betrothed.”

The Orion.

He had been listening to the entirety of their conversation, he should know Tendi’s name or at the very least address her himself. T’Lyn’s eyes narrowed at his uncouth dismissal.

He continued, head tilted slightly as he noticed her reaction. “However, should you require a motive to remain in Starfleet, I would be amenable.”

If he wasn’t a higher rank than her, he’d be on the receiving end of sharp criticisms. As it were…

“If I remain in Starfleet, it will not be to enjoy your presence.” Then in her own hotheaded way, she reiterated with an incline of her chin. “I have no interest in you nor will I ever. {Begone}.” She hissed the last word in Vulcan and the universal translator granted her the intended snub.

He bowed sarcastically, T’Lyn even saw him roll his eyes. He made to walk away until Mariner, very purposely, tripped and spilled a strong-smelling liquor all over him.

“Oh! I’m so sorry dude!” She didn’t sound apologetic in the least. “How clumsy of me!”

P’jok strode away and Mariner signed a rude gesture with her hand at his retreating figure before she grabbed her backup drink from the bar and slid into the booth. T’Lyn sat and her first concern was Tendi, considering his disrespectful bigotry. Rutherford had a hand on her shoulder but otherwise she appeared unaffected.

Boimler shook his head. “I’m just gonna say it. He’s a jerk.”

“[Fuck]ing [ass]hole more like it.” Mariner scoffed. “What’d you say to him in Vulcan anyway?”

“I impolitely insisted that he depart from this room and not return.”

Her friends laughed, but T’Lyn could hear the tension in Tendi’s. Then Mariner held up her glass, “To T’Lyn, for telling that [bitch] to [fuck] off.”

They all clinked glasses and drank.

Later once back on the Cerritos, T’Lyn walked Tendi to her quarters and waited until they were inside to say, “You appeared unhappy earlier. I found myself stunned by P’jok’s prejudice, but do not allow his uncouthness to affect you.”

Tendi waved her off with a laugh, “Yeah, who knew he was that big of a jerk?”

“I am of the opinion that most Vulcan males are disagreeable in personality and unappealing in appearance.”

“Yeah, I prefer Vulcan females.” Tendi teased with a smile and T’Lyn's heart skipped a beat. “But I wasn’t upset about him,” she scoffed, “I haven’t thought about him once since he left the Cerritos.”

T’Lyn waited for her to disclose the true reason she was upset but she did not, which T’Lyn inferred it was something to do with her. There seemed to be some inner conflict as they gazed at each other. She recalled the conversation in the cantina and at once, she realized Tendi was upset T’Lyn had said she planned to return to the Vulcan fleet. And Tendi either didn’t want to burden her with her feelings or didn’t want to admit it.

Even though she had childishly blurted out to P’jok that there was possibility she would remain in Starfleet, that wasn't her goal. Her departure was an inevitability, yet illogically, T’Lyn didn’t want to acknowledge it either. She worried it would disrupt their newly established arrangement and she wanted to savor Tendi’s presence and affection as long as she could...

Still, it was late. “I should allow you to sleep.” T’Lyn said, breaking their silence. “Rest well, Tendi.”

Tendi wrapped her in a quick hug, “Good night, T’Lyn.” As she stepped out of her embrace, the Orion looked up at her to ask, “Will I see you later?”

It wasn't their usual night to meet. T’Lyn’s agenda dictated that she should decline, but she found she didn’t want to reject her offer. Not when she was just reminded that their time together was limited. She could reschedule updating her projects to tomorrow night…

“You will.”

Chapter Text

Tendi nuzzled her face into T’Lyn’s shoulder, not ready to fully awaken from her second rest. She knew she needed to get up, the Vulcan probably had other things to do than cuddle with her, but she appreciated the comfort. She tightened her hold around T’Lyn’s midsection and was soothed when T’Lyn’s fingertips drew small circles on her back.

Tendi blinked away the sleepiness enough to finally keep her eyes open. It was then that she noticed T’Lyn was reading a padd; it was a good idea! And it definitely eased her guilt about monopolizing her time while she took her rest- even if it was only two hours.

Their fraternizing had been going on for almost two months now and Tendi was amazed at how easily they fell into this cozy state. There had yet to be a night when they were together that they didn’t cuddle as Tendi fell asleep… T’Lyn didn’t give away what few feelings she did feel with words or expressions but it was difficult not to read into how affectionate she was once the door whooshed close.

And she was sure that her Vulcan upbringing was, at least in part, to blame. She’d been physically and emotionally distant for who knows how long-

Wait.

Did she not know how old T’Lyn was? Oh gosh, she’d have to hack her medical files or just ask.

Maybe eventually.

Well anyway, potentially decades of-

Wait.

Did T’Lyn have a mate? Oh no, she’d never asked. She'd assumed that if T’Lyn was wanting to have sex with her that she was uncommitted, but that wasn’t necessarily a given.

That could be why she was so affectionate... She emulated whatever relationship she potentially already had. But if she already had a mate, she really wasn’t interested in Tendi besides physically (even their strong intellectual bond wouldn’t matter if her mate was Vulcan. She didn’t know for sure, but she’d heard rumors about Vulcan mates being telepathically connected). And it was fine if T’Lyn was only here for a good time, but that didn’t mean it was a pleasant thought.

Well. Okay. At least one of those topics she could find out about thanks to the Cerritos' schedule that she had wanted to talk to T’Lyn about anyway.

She tilted her head to look up at her and said: “So there’s shore leave next week!”

“I am aware.”

“Are you going to visit Vulcan?”

T’Lyn hadn’t looked away from the padd yet. “Negative. My intention was to remain on the ship.”

“What? Don’t you have someone to visit on Vulcan?” Smooth. She could’ve high-fived herself.

“Negative.”

She beamed and continued, “Then wouldn’t it be nice to get out and explore? This starbase has three different cities to sightsee! And a Quarks! Oh, and there’s a cruise ship docked year-round! I think they even do shuttles to nearby planets.”

T’Lyn’s eyes flicked from the padd down to her and then back. She didn’t look impressed.

Tendi was hoping T’Lyn would go on shore leave so they could hang out somewhere. It felt a little much to ask her to spend the entire week with her but, truthfully, she wanted to. T’Lyn was like her favorite person on the Cerritos and her other friends would be too busy with their own plans. She knew Mariner had a couple dates lined up on the starbase, Boimler wanted to follow Ransom around Risa, and she didn’t want to be the third-wheel with Rutherford and Barnes…

So she decided to risk it. Slightly nervous for an immediate rejection, she snuggled her cheek into her shoulder again. Then she suggested, “Would you want to go somewhere together?”

“Where?”

At least it wasn’t a no!

“I’m not sure...”

“Then I reserve my agreement.”

Gosh, she wasn’t making this easy. But Tendi was used to her reticence regarding non-work events. She needed to find the right angle that T’Lyn would be interested in...

“Is there anything you would want to see? I think this starbase has a few arboretums, but it’s mostly bars and shops… Or like I said there’s other planets we could visit like um, oh! We could go to Risa! There’s shuttles to there from the starbase.”

T’Lyn said nothing, which meant she wasn’t interested in her ideas and didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but she did at least put the padd on the bedside table to focus on their conversation.

“No?” Tendi’s fingers drummed gently on her ribs.

“Vulcans do not take vacations.”

Of course, she thought it was illogical to not work, even though relaxing was as good for the body as it was the mind. Well, not that she needed to relax she supposed. Vulcans had all that under control.

But really…

Tendi lifted up onto her elbow to properly meet T’Lyn's dark eyes. “You’d pass up the opportunity for us to have a whole week to do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted?” To emphasize her meaning, she hiked her leg over T’Lyn’s hip.

T’Lyn’s blank expression cracked with the slightest raise of her eyebrows as she considered it. She placed a hand on her knee, smoothing her palm up her thigh. “I had not considered that implication.” Tendi giggled. “I believe Risa hosts a Vulcan district and there are several geological features worth surveying.”

“You’d really go to Risa with me?” Tendi asked excitedly.

“Admittedly, the idea now seems… Stimulating.”

Tendi full on laughed and buried her face into her neck, “Ah! We’re going to have the best time!”

Her door chimed at 0700 on the dot the day of shore leave.

“Enter friend!”

Tendi turned to greet her, breath catching at the first time seeing T’Lyn out of uniform. She wore a plain, soft blue Vulcan robe open over a more casual, equally simple, ensemble. She had her away bag slung over her shoulder.

“Greetings.” Her dark eyes raked up her form too. Then noticing the empty bag in her hands, she said, “You are not ready.”

Tendi smiled, “No I am! I just need to pack a few things.”

“That implies you are not ready.” T’Lyn cocked an eyebrow to convey her tease and Tendi huffed out a laugh.

“I’ll only be a minute.”

Tendi haphazardly ran around the room gathering items to shove into her bag. T’Lyn stood out of the way and waited, watching and probably judging her chaos. When Tendi opened her closet door to grab some clothes, T’Lyn spoke.

“Curious.”

“Hmm?”

“Were you posted in Engineering?”

That was a weird question. Tendi looked over her shoulder, “No?”

“Does Mr. Rutherford keep a spare set of boots in your closet?”

Then she understood, T’Lyn had seen the yellow boots... “Oh! No. Those were O’Conner’s.” She returned her focus to the clothes she needed to pack, not wanting to delay them as she tried to explain. “Uh, he was this engineer that spiritually ascended after saving me in a ship-wide emergency during my first month on the Cerritos.”

There was no need to mention the kiss they had shared... She had such a type: hard to get and ready to leave…

If T'Lyn was confused or surprised, her voice didn’t betray her. “Ah. The boots hold emotional significance.”

“Yeah, I’ve never been able to throw them out.” It kind of felt wrong to discard them when he had sacrificed himself for her... Tendi then shut the closet door, “But anyway, I’m ready to go!” She probably packed way too much but they would be gone a week.

“We look like we’re going to different places.” Tendi giggled as she moved to stand next to T’Lyn. She supposed they always would since she had no reason to wear the robes.

Tendi’s current outfit was appropriate for their hiking plans in the late morning so she looked more butch than usual with her hiking boots (that boosted her height up just enough that they were eye-level), form-fitting cargo pants, and plain grey t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her mid-bicep. She had fancier clothes for their evenings out and she couldn’t wait to see what T’Lyn would wear! She was always so pretty...

“I am unable to predict who will blend with the locals.”

Tendi scoffed good-naturedly at her sarcasm. “I could always borrow your robes!” T’Lyn didn’t seem displeased by the idea judging by the green on her cheeks.

This was going to be fun! Excited to start their first vacation, she pulled her into motion with a careful hand on her wrist. “Come on! Let’s go!”

Tendi hooked her arm through T’Lyn’s as they exited the shuttle and stepped onto the sunny planet. The Vulcan district, of course, borrowed traditional architecture and aesthetics from Vulcan cities. The austere yet pretty buildings of the main city were laid out in perfect order. Located on the plateau past the city center, she could see the villas, each one boasting a great view of the Risan volcano (though it was hard to miss from anywhere in the region).

As they made their way to check-in, Tendi was glad to have this opportunity to explore this area with T’Lyn. The last time she had visited Risa on a mission with Dr. T’Ana, they had chosen to stay in the Klingon district. That trip was such a blur with all of the unfortunate mishaps in their efforts to capture a fugitive, but she did remember a few things vividly. One being the infamous Risan slogan!

She giggled, ready to confuse the hell out of T’Lyn like Dr. T’Ana had a year ago. “I just remembered! I need to tell you something!”

“Yes?”

“There’s only one rule on Risa-“

T’Lyn interrupted with a doubtful glance, “That seems unlikely.”

“WHORSOR.”

Tendi grinned when T’Lyn merely blinked and said, “I require an explanation.”

“What happens on Risa, stays on Risa! WHORSOR. Dr. T’Ana taught me that when we were here!”

“Oh…” T’Lyn nodded, accepting the new information. “I was unaware.”

Check-in was an easy process and they were assigned and given access to their vacation house, a cute adobe-style building. They could’ve stayed in the city to have better access to the hiking trails out to the geological points of interest around the district but these villas were a little more secluded, which was preferable.

“Aww, cute! Look at the welcome basket!” She put her bag down on the reading chair and went to inspect it. “Sparkling water, fancy! Some snacks, and oh! They even left a little booklet on Risa!” As she flipped through it, she told her, “There’s some recommended locations and restaurants for this region!”

And despite her initial hesitation to vacation, T’Lyn had collaborated on an itinerary. They focused more on which locations they wanted to visit (they were decidedly skipping the caves and the rock climbing cliff) while scheduling free time and meal times generically without a definite plan, but the booklet might have some interesting suggestions too.

The next few pages were the same until she arrived at the new section, Pleasure Planet. Her cheeks heated up at all of the available options for adventurous couples, then her face burned when she continued to flip and there were illustrations.

T’Lyn must’ve noticed because she moved to stand next to her. She showed her one of the more… intense positions. “Can people even do that?”

Tendi grinned at the way T’Lyn’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Evidently… However, it would be impractical for us.”

Oh, she really didn’t need to think about them like that. Even though this was a sexually motivated vacation, they probably needed to at least check out the rest of the villa. “Maybe we should keep looking around?” Tendi suggested with a laugh and set the book down on the table.

Their little villa was functional, unadorned with pictures or trinkets. The windows offered enough of a view with the volcano anyway. The lava flowed down the conical mountain into a fault line like an infinity pool. They could admire it on their patio that was fenced in by thick risan plants so there was at least some privacy from the neighboring villas.

The furniture, while simple, did look comfortable. After they located the bedroom, T’Lyn said, “I must unpack.” So Tendi sat on the mattress and looked around the simple room. On impulse, she checked the bedside table which was empty except for a copy of The Teachings of Surak. She shook her head at the classic Vulcan book and waited on T’Lyn to get settled so they could go for their scheduled hike.

After the hike and while in town, they had grabbed a light lunch at one of the cafes. By the time they returned to their villa, Tendi was ready to unwind with a cold drink. She stopped by the replicator to request just that and then took a seat on the couch while T’Lyn disappeared into the bedroom.

As always when she went on shore leave, the quiet was surreal. There was no creak of the ship, no hum of warp, no yelling in the hallways (not that she really missed that one but it was notable). Tendi didn’t usually do well without stimulation but she had nearly worn herself out on the hike from her excitement.

She needed a few minutes to recharge… Her eyes closed and the ice clinked as it melted in her drink and she probably would’ve fallen asleep but then she distantly heard T’Lyn’s footsteps out of the bedroom.

She blinked her eyes open again and she noticed T’Lyn had an adorable dusting of green across her cheeks.

“I reviewed the welcome material.” T’Lyn clasped her hands in front of her, booklet clutched in her fingers. “If you are agreeable, there are several sexual positions I wish to experience with you.”

Her tiredness and her cold drink were instantly forgotten. Tendi lit up and bounded over, heart racing. “Oh my gosh yes! Show me!”

She was maybe a little overeager and she self-consciously wondered if she should play it cooler with T’Lyn but ugh, she’d never want her to think she wasn’t excited by her. But she also hoped she didn't think their sex was boring in any way, she loved any type of intimacy they shared! It was always fun and satisfying and made her feel so close to her... But for the Vulcan to be so bold with her desires... [Fuck], Tendi wanted to give her whatever she wanted.

T’Lyn handed over the brochure and recited the page numbers and allowed Tendi to flip to them. Tendi was very okay with these. Even if one was a bit surprising… She slid the booklet into her back pocket and took a step closer to her. Now that she was out of her boots, she once again had to look up at T’Lyn and she enjoyed that simple thrill.

She smiled at how blown wide T’Lyn’s pupils were but otherwise the Vulcan appeared perfectly composed, waiting for Tendi to make the first move.

Tendi was all too willing. She wrapped her arms around T’Lyn’s shoulders and leaned close. Before their lips met, she asked, “Which do you want to try first?”

Tendi tried not to act like too much of a tourist as they were escorted to their table but the restaurant’s shiny pavilion was beautifully designed. They sat on the floor on some comfortable pillows. The thin table between them had an open flame at one end with a small cauldron over it and the other end was the food replicator. Or a transporter. She was never sure with Risan restaurants if they actually cooked the food or replicated it.

Tendi guessed, based on what little she knew of Vulcans and the cups already replicated on the table, that tea was boiling on the flame. She’d like to try it but she had no idea how she would.

“Er, how am I supposed to pour this?” Tendi reached for the handleless tea kettle that was over the open flame but couldn't risk actually touching the heated vessel. “It’s scalding!”

Her mouth fell open when T’Lyn picked up the horribly shaped kettle and poured her a cup.

“Wow! Thanks, T’Lyn! Didn’t that hurt?” Tendi held her palm out and T’Lyn mimicked her, showing that her skin was greener from the heat but not burned. She was tempted to touch her hand but refrained.

“Negative. Vulcans can more easily handle heat.” Then as Tendi lifted the cup, T’Lyn suggested. “You should allow it to cool.”

Tendi put the drink back down, glad she hadn’t tried to drink it. T’Lyn hadn’t poured herself anything so she assumed she didn’t want tea. Tendi activated the matter synthesizer and requested a water for T’Lyn.

“Appreciated.”

They put in their requests. T’Lyn was excited (decidedly not her words) to try Minaran spinach, the orange variety that was infamous for tasting bad to most species. Apparently not Vulcans though. Meanwhile Tendi delighted at how good her food was. She hadn’t known what to select so she let T’Lyn pick for her.

“You’ve gotta try this!” Despite the fact that T’Lyn probably had eaten the dish before, she speared a sample on her fork and held the bite out for her. T’Lyn leaned forward to accept the offering.

The Vulcan appeared pleased, though she was blushing. Tendi then remembered they were kind of in public. “I’m sorry. Was that embarrassing?” She had promised T’Lyn not to be too much…

T’Lyn shook her head, “It was acceptable.”

They had yet to get out of bed after Tendi awoke from her second rest. They didn’t have anything planned until the early afternoon so even T’Lyn wasn’t in a hurry to get up. Tendi was simply enjoying their casual touches. It filled her chest with warmth at how domestic the morning was. As she traced over her abs, she was reminded of a particular want from the previous day.

“Hey, can you lay on your stomach?”

“That is an odd request.”

It probably was considering how out of nowhere that was but T’Lyn indulged her, clearly curious as to what she had planned. She folded her arms under her head, turned in her direction. Tendi was thrilled at the show of trust and she laid on her side next to her, head propped up by her hand so she could properly see the beautiful expanse of T’Lyn’s back.

“Is this okay?” She ghosted her fingertips along and around her spine.

“It is a pleasant sensation.” T’Lyn’s eyes fell close.

And Tendi smiled as she drew on her pale skin, rubbed her muscles in an impromptu massage, and asked T’Lyn to talk about her favorite subjects or lessons from when she attended the Vulcan Science Academy.

Out of the non-sonic shower, Tendi weighed her options for what to wear. They still had a few hours until their excursion so she could wait to put on the outfit she had planned for their trek to the volcano. So she was leaning towards something cozy.

The planet was so warm, especially here in the Vulcan district. Honestly, it might’ve been a little too warm but she wouldn’t complain. Not when the familiar cold of space awaited them when shore leave ended.

She would, however, use it as an excuse to tease T’Lyn… Well, and she found going topless comfortable. She pulled on a pair of gym shorts and nothing else and exited the bathroom. T’Lyn was no longer in bed, which wasn’t a surprise.

When she entered the living room, it took an impressive amount of control not to laugh at T’Lyn’s double-take up from her padd.

“Tendi…”

“What?” T’Lyn’s eyes darted down in silent question or just to check her out. And Tendi explained, faux innocent. “Well usually it’s too cold on the Cerritos for me to go topless and we always have to be ready for a red alert. But not here!”

“Tendi,” she probably imagined the way her voice shook, “I am unable to concentrate due to your lack of attire.”

She giggled. “Do you want me to cover up?”

T’Lyn’s eyes met hers before falling to her chest again. “Negative...”

Tendi smirked and grabbed the Enterprise model she had been working on from the table. There was one nacelle on the NCC-1701 that was refusing to cooperate with her adjustments.

She sat in the chair adjacent from the couch so that she could occasionally look at T’Lyn, because when wasn’t that one of her favorite hobbies? Now though, as she tinkered with the starship, she felt T’Lyn sneaking glances and honestly, it was super affirming that even though they’d slept together so many times that she had this effect on her.

The third time they peeked at each other in synch, Tendi huffed out a laugh. “Do you want me to put on a shirt?”

“I maintain my thoughts on the matter.”

A Vulcan and her mate were seated across the restaurant’s terrace from them and Tendi noticed how they held hands over the table.

“Aww, that’s romantic!” Tendi knew that it was a special thing for Vulcans but even for non-Vulcans it was really sweet. Like they couldn’t even not touch each other for the duration of their meal.

“Vulcans are not romantic.” T’Lyn corrected, “Romance is merely stereotypical behaviors without Vulcan discipline.”

Tendi laughed incredulously, “What do you mean?”

“The action is not necessarily a romantic act.” T’Lyn explained before taking a bite of a nice-looking plate of Vulcan food she didn’t get the name of.

“Okay yeah, I guess but it just seems like a weird distinction. Wouldn’t you only hold hands in public with someone if you were mates?” T’Lyn nodded. “Then that’s the implication! It’s romantic, but with a different connotation.”

“It is an intimate act certainly, however a romantic or emotional dimension is not guaranteed. Vulcans share intimacy but not romance and that is not to the standards of most species.” And the way T’Lyn said it, Tendi got the feeling she didn't think Vulcans could be involved with an emotional species… “Romantic emotions do not align with logical intimacy.”

“Okay but what about when Vulcans are with another species?” Her eyes flicked over to the Trill and Vulcan couple. It wasn’t the original issue but she wanted to argue a Vulcan could be romantic. Not only for the sake of convincing her, but because Tendi couldn’t or didn’t want to believe T’Lyn’s affection held no trace of a romantic interest. T’Lyn was so soft sometimes that it made her ache. Tendi had actual relationships that weren’t as warm as what they shared as bang buddies. “If an emotional species thinks holding hands is romantic and the Vulcan knows that and still holds hands, wouldn’t it be romantic and intimate?”

“A relationship is most effective when expectations align.” She sounded so definite.

“Easier you mean.” She didn’t mean to sound annoyed but she couldn’t believe T’Lyn was just dismissing the fact that Vulcans did have romantic relationships. They were a great number of famous mixed Vulcan couples! They’d hung out with Spock on the holodeck! Well, briefly...

T’Lyn eyed her curiously, “Elucidate.”

“I just mean that any species could be together and make it work if they wanted to.” Was that too transparent? It felt like they were so obviously arguing about them at this point.

“I concur, though it would be illogical to disregard rational barriers such as physical or emotional needs. As well, many species must consider special circumstances. Vulcans, for example, differ in that a relationship should not disrupt their emotional control- this is more effectively completed with a logical partner, who will not view certain actions as ‘romantic’ or not.”

Tendi took a sip of her drink to hide her grimace. That stung. It felt like being called out considering she’d been thinking about her own mixed feelings and how to interpret T’Lyn’s actions and words.

She wasn’t going to give up though. “But even to your point about Vulcans being different, look how many have fallen in love with humans! They’re crazy emotional!”

“The Vulcans that choose to mate with humans or any other emotional species have compatible expectations, otherwise it would be illogical.”

The Vulcans that choose to. T’Lyn once again separated herself from that possibility.

She could feel herself getting upset so she bit her lower lip and leaned back in her chair to study T’Lyn, who ate with such precise and proper grace that it should be illegal to do so in public. She looked beautiful and elegant in her formal mossy green robes. T’Lyn was alway certain of what she wanted and nothing was without logic. Though that did make her wonder how fraternizing with her study buddy was logical…

But clearly an emotional species was not what she wanted. Even if they were good together.

She was so stupid to have a crush on her but she wasn’t going to make that T’Lyn’s problem. Talking about feelings with honesty was important but irrelevant when she didn’t want to do anything about it. She wasn’t exactly thrilled by their ‘arrangement’ as T’Lyn called it. But she was happy with it. Content with it. Having fun with it. It was easy enough to pour her feelings out with every touch, every kiss. Even if she couldn’t say it. It was enough for her.

She would deal with her emotional fallout after T’Lyn left for the Vulcan fleet.

And reminded that they were limited on time, Tendi regarded her with a pained smile. Somehow, she even made crushing her hope and her heart a fun experience with the way she talked logic at it. Tendi was resigned to enjoy her while she was around. She tossed her own opinions to the back of her mind and focused on their nice meal on their awesome shore leave. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense!”

Her concession might’ve surprised T’Lyn judging by the slight raise of her brows but Tendi knew logic would always win over emotion with her. There was no point in continuing to counter.

In a wine bar, a round board on the wall displayed several numbers inside various rings. “What’s that? It kind of looks like this human game called darts I saw some cadets play in the Academy.”

“It is the Vulcan version.”

Tendi was going to ask what made it the Vulcan version until she saw that the numbers on the screen randomized. They watched the game play out, her hip cocked to one side to lean against T’Lyn’s, and she tried to learn the rules. “So, no number is repeated?”

“Correct. A number between one and nine hundred ninety-nine.”

“And the numbers that are hit get multiplied?”

“Correct.”

“So how do you win?

“The first team obtain a score equal to two billion, two-hundred twenty-one million, one-hundred twenty-three thousand, one hundred and fourteen within fifty turns is victorious.”

“Holy [shit]… Really?”

She saw T’Lyn’s lips twitch. “Do you still wish to participate?”

She easily could’ve taken it as a challenge but, honestly, it sounded like a fun way to bond. She wrapped her arms around T’Lyn’s waist and smiled up at her, “Will you help me?”

“Very well.”

“Yay!”

One Complicated Game Later

They were escorted out of the bar by a stern Risan employee and Tendi was giggling. She should feel bad for embarrassing her, but she could see the slightest crinkle of amusement in the corner of T’Lyn’s eyes.

“I’m sorry. Was it that bad?”

“Until this night, I had never experienced a match unfold like that.”

Tendi laughed and hooked her arm through T’Lyn’s. “But we did have people cheering at one point!”

“Incorrect.” T’Lyn matched her cadence as they strolled back to their vacation house. “You must be referring to when the Bajoran yelled: ‘Your pagh is weak, [bitch].’ After you ricocheted a dart from his head.”

She snickered at hearing T’Lyn cuss for the first time ever. Her voice shook as she defended herself. “That Vulcan guy snuck up behind me! And I still hit the board!”

“It is endearing how unskilled you are at Vulcan recreational activities.” Tendi wasn’t really upset but she did give her an exaggerated pout. She saw T’Lyn sneak a glance at her when she didn’t respond and then in her flat tone said, “Let us return to our villa. I am anticipating other endeavors you are skilled at.”

Tendi grinned so wide it hurt, absolutely elated and stunned at her tease.

Tendi laid half on top of T'Lyn while they cuddled following her first rest. The feel of her bare skin under hers was tempting despite having gone a few rounds before she slept, but Tendi held her tighter and tried to resist while she thought about how amazing this vacation had been so far. They still had a few more days until they were due to report back to the Cerritos, “I wonder if our friends are having a good shore leave too. I still can’t believe they gave us a week off! Even Shaxs, who never takes shore leave, was telling me that he and Dr. T’Ana were going gambling on the cruise ship.”

“Tendi, I am curious.” Tendi hummed at T’Lyn’s pause. “I understand it is against protocol on Risa to speak of your previous experiences and, as an Orion, your fraternization would be considered standard, however how did you navigate a sexual relationship with your superior?”

Tendi recoiled to look at her. “What?!” Where the [fuck] did that come from? She must’ve been hearing things.

T’Lyn tilted her head, confused by her confusion. “Yourself and Dr. T’Ana visited Risa previously, correct?”

“That doesn’t mean we slept together!” She searched her dark eyes manically, trying to understand how T’Lyn could’ve assumed that based on a silly comment. How could she think that all Orions [fuck]ed around? That it was expected? How could she think that about her?

T’Lyn was almost frowning. “I misunderstood.”

“T’Lyn…” Tendi should’ve been angry. She should’ve been indignant that T’Lyn still held such stereotypical views about her, after all these months of proving Orions were more than what Starfleet or the VHC recorded. She should’ve been raging. But instead she felt hurt welling in her chest. Dismayed, she asked, “Do you think I’ll sleep with anyone because I’m an Orion?”

“I apologize if I offended you.”

She didn’t even register the apology. T’Lyn’s comment about the Engineering boots in her closet made sense now- she thought they were Rutherford’s... Did she think she slept with all of her friends? Didn't she know Tendi wasn't like that? She shook her head and shifted backwards, away from her, “Who else do you think I’ve [fuck]ed?”

T’Lyn sat up in the bed and thankfully didn’t answer her question, she didn’t really want to know, instead her eyes narrowed, “I do not understand your discontentment with my logic.”

“What?!”

“Risa is a known prurient location infamous for sexual activity. You stated Dr. T’Ana introduced you to the Risan slogan. It is well documented that Orion culture values the act of sex without conflating it with emotions so there was no risk of attachment from fraternizing.” She actually sounded frustrated that Tendi wasn’t conforming to her messed up assumption. “We are in Risa, we are sexual partners. By the transitive property, it is a logical conclusion.”

Tendi felt like she’d been stabbed through her stomach and T’Lyn had twisted the knife deeper. Wounded, she laid back in the bed with a hand pressed to her forehead and she closed her eyes. T’Lyn had justified her reasonings with their relationship. There was no point in asking her if she only started sleeping with her because she was Orion. Tendi knew the answer; T'Lyn hadn’t said it explicitly but the implication was clear.

No strings attached sex was fine and was expected for their situation. She knew what she signed up for considering T’Lyn couldn’t wait to leave Starfleet. But she thought the Vulcan was worth the (probable) emotional instability. Tendi had broken her 'no hooking up with coworkers' rule for T'Lyn, so it hurt to hear she only risked fraternizing with her because she thought Tendi was immune to developing 'attachments'.

“Tendi?” She prompted calmly, like she hadn't just insulted her and bruised her heart.

“Give me a damn minute!” Immediately, guilt overwhelmed her; T’Lyn didn’t deserve to be yelled at. She opened her eyes to meet her hard gaze, “I’m sorry.” She’d tried not to snap at her ever since her overreaction on Bracas Prime; haunted by the way T’Lyn, blind and needing her, had jerked away after being startled by her outburst.

She implored, softer. “Just… Can you give me a minute? Please.”

T’Lyn nodded and stared ahead at the wall, obeying her request. Knowing her, she was counting down the literal minute.

Tendi sighed then studied the alluring nude figure of her lover, taking note of her perfect posture even in bed. She was missing her typical headband so her dark hair partially covered her cute ears. She saw the tense set of T’Lyn’s jaw, the way her eyebrows were slightly furrowed; she was concerned or confused. Maybe both.

She took the time to consider the issue. In a way, T’Lyn’s assumption of her, of Orions, did show that maybe she was looking out for her… She counted on Tendi to not develop feelings. And if they didn’t get serious, there would be no harm when she left. Just a good friend and fun times, which was what they were doing really.

But it wasn’t because she was Orion!

It was because of their chemistry. It was because she- an emotional, nerdy, scientist with hyperactive tendencies- was attracted to her- a logical, analytical, genius with, admittedly, very few social skills.

And it was hard to stay mad at T’Lyn when she had provided her logic, even if flawed. They didn’t talk about their past partners and they didn’t talk about exclusivity, so she was using the knowledge she had. And the negative information on Orions was vast, and true to an extent but still a stereotype… It wasn’t fair to be upset with her...

Still a little disappointed but unwilling to drag this out, Tendi broke her requested silence and asked, “Would you rather be the big spoon or the little spoon?”

T’Lyn’s attention snapped to her with an eyebrow raised, totally baffled. After a couple seconds, she finally said, “I do not understand your query.”

For the first time since they started fighting, Tendi gave her a small smile. “Either I hold you from behind or you hold me, like how spoons slot together.”

“Ah.” T’Lyn seemed to buffer for another few moments. “You wish to ‘cuddle’?” Tendi smirked, remembering not too long ago when T’Lyn would refer to it as ‘sensuous proximity’. “I believe we should finish our discussion.”

She really was making her reconsider her request, but T’Lyn didn’t seem dismissive, just taken aback. So she explained, “I just want to feel closer to you, T’Lyn. We can still talk.”

T’Lyn nodded, accepting her reasoning. “Then if it will facilitate our discussion and your comfort, I suppose I-” she stopped. “Do you have a preferred ‘spoon’ position?”

Damn it, of course T’Lyn would defer to her preference.

Tendi didn’t know what would be better. She did want to hold her, to give herself and T’Lyn that experience. But she would like to be held, to remind herself T’Lyn did care in her own way; though it wasn’t fair to throw her into a situation she was unfamiliar with while she thought Tendi might be angry or upset.

“I’ll be the big spoon this time,” Tendi pat the bed. “Lay down with me."

She laid her arm out for T’Lyn to rest her head on. T’Lyn settled, positioning her hands under her cheek. Tendi curled up behind her, having to guide her knees to bend because the Vulcan did not usually lay on her side. She wrapped her arm around T’Lyn’s thin frame and pressed her forehead against her shoulder.

“I dislike being unable to see you though perhaps that is part of the appeal for this position?”

Tendi nuzzled into her back, smiling against her skin. It was so funny to her how T’Lyn could call her out effortlessly. Borderline tactlessly. Her voice shook with laugher, “Maybe a little.” Then she tightened her hold on her midsection, “It feels like it’s easier to talk to you.”

“Understandable. Vulnerability can be difficult.”

Tendi slid her hand from the curve of T’Lyn’s ribs up to her hip. She squeezed the bone and ghosted a finger up and down her side as she spoke, “So we never talked about this but I am exclusively sleeping with only you. And I haven’t been with anyone else on the Cerritos.” Then she added, “Not that we have to be exclusive or anything but you satisfy me.” She pressed her lips to her shoulder, thinking of all the care and orgasms T’Lyn had given her.

“I know Orions have a reputation and it’s fine for anyone to want what they want but I’m really not like that.” Her hand rested on her right upper quadrant to feel her rapid heartbeat. “What you said hurt me,” T’Lyn couldn’t hide the way she tensed when they were pressed against each other. “But I’m not upset anymore. I understand what you were thinking.”

Then brighter, she clarified. “But just so you know! Dr. T’Ana and I were on Risa for a mission, but I’m sure she did delve into the local culture.” She giggled quietly, thinking about how the Caitian had flirted incessantly in the Klingon district. “I wouldn’t know personally though.”

She drew random formulas over the skin of T’Lyn’s midsection as she waited for her to speak.

“I believe I am properly informed now.” And she paused and Tendi thought that was really all she was going to say. Then she said, “I apologize for my assumptions."

Well, she didn’t give much more away.

“Your logic made sense for what you knew.” She flattened her palm over her abs. And her heart ached a bit since she’d been so open with T’Lyn and she wasn’t interested in sharing the same reassurances. But then again, T’Lyn probably wished she was that kind of Orion because even though exclusiveness was a good thing to Tendi, it might not be for her…

And maybe this wasn’t the best cuddling position because she couldn’t read her at all. The silence stretched on a beat too long so she asked, “Are we okay?”

“Yes… As well-” she untucked her hand from under her face and reached for Tendi’s forearm, directing her to hold her tighter with a slight pull. “I am content with our arrangement.”

Her anxiety washed away. She gladly held her close and told her, “I am too.”

T’Lyn nodded and returned her hand under her head. She minutely leaned back against Tendi.

They had just returned from the Festival of the Moons, a cute lantern lit walk through the botanical gardens under the two full moons. It had been an eventful day.

T’Lyn was reading on the couch while Tendi finished snacking on some risan dessert crackers. She was already thinking about what they would do tomorrow, they only had two more nights of shore leave… She had enjoyed their little bubble of domesticity they created.

It was probably as close as she was ever going to get to something real like she wanted and even though that thought was torturous, she wouldn’t let her dreams tarnish the reality she was enjoying.

Tendi leaned back and wrapped an arm around T’Lyn’s shoulder, leaning in close to read the book she had picked up from the library. It was all about Risan culture. Even though her reading rate was much quicker, T’Lyn did angle the book more towards her so she could get in a few paragraphs.

Unable to resist physically praising the thoughtfulness, she pecked T’Lyn on the cheek.

“Your accuracy is unimpressive.”

Tendi grinned, “You just want me to kiss your lips.”

T’Lyn turned to look at her, tilting her head slightly: obviously.

Tendi pressed another kiss to her cheek, then the corner of her lips, and then she hovered over her mouth, breaths mingling. And she knew she would break first, T’Lyn was too stubborn, but maybe one day she’d surprise her. Tendi pecked her lips. “There!”

T’Lyn did surprise her, just not in the way she thought.

“I am unsatisfied.”

Her tease was astonishingly cute. Tendi breathed out a laugh, gleeful at her boldness. She kissed her, gentle and tender. When T’Lyn reverently ran the back of her finger up and down Tendi’s neck, Tendi felt electricity.

She pulled back to ask, “Is it okay if I distract you again?”

“Yes.” She set her book aside.

Tendi climbed onto her lap and T’Lyn’s hands wandered, making her moan and squirm closer. She tilted her head and deepened the kiss by parting her lips and running her tongue over T’Lyn’s lower lip. The Vulcan allowed her entrance and Tendi held T’Lyn’s face between her hands. She felt a familiar pull even though their hands weren’t touching- T’Lyn must be able to begin the empathetic sharing with touches to the face too. But that was bad because she was feeling way too much.

How could she not?

T’Lyn’s hands wrapped around her wrists to bring them away from her face. And damn, it was a good thing she couldn’t feel her apprehension.

But why had T’Lyn even sought out her emotions?

Instead of pulling away though, T’Lyn’s hands slid to her backside and then under her thighs. Tendi did break their hot kiss with a “T’Lyn!” when the Vulcan stood from the couch with her in her arms. She wrapped her legs around her automatically, even though she knew T’Lyn was strong enough.

Tendi was so turned on at her show of strength as she walked them to the bedroom, at how she gently laid her down on the bed. T’Lyn seemed more passionate, needier as their time on shore leave dwindled.

It was their final day on Risa and they were walking back into town from the transport that had taken them to the geysers out by the edge of the region. They had managed to see everything on their itinerary, which was impressive considering how often they were preoccupied with other things.

But she was glad they had added a lot of flexibility for moments like this as well. Cause suddenly she was craving something sweet and they were about to pass a canteen. “Oh! Do you want an ice cream?”

“Negative.”

“A smoothie?”

“I am unfamiliar with that.” T’Lyn admitted.

Tendi gasped in glee. She couldn’t believe she was going to introduce T’Lyn to the greatest drink ever. “Okay cool! You gotta try one!”

It was the last morning of their amazing shore leave... Tendi hadn’t wanted to pack her stuff away yet but she knew T’Lyn would be ready to go as soon as she was done with her shower. Her away bag was already sitting on the table.

It made sense that T’Lyn was eager to get back to work- it was actually impressive that the Vulcan had managed to unwind for an entire week. But Tendi was right there with her. She missed the Cerritos and all the wonderful chaos that seemed to follow the ship. She missed scanning and the soothing beeps of the tricorders. She missed her friends too and couldn’t wait to hear what all they'd done during their vacation.

She would need to be careful about what she told them of her own shore leave. She didn’t even know if T’Lyn wanted them to know they spent the time together… But luckily her pirate training gave her a lot of experience in dodging questions and steering conversations so she’d just not say anything unless T’Lyn did otherwise.

Tendi finished packing and sighed as she sat on the couch. She heard a padd buzz but she didn’t think it was hers. While she waited, she picked up the Risa booklet and fondly flipped through it.

When T’Lyn exited the bedroom, Tendi told her, “Oh, while you were in the shower, your padd went off.”

“Thank you for informing me.” T’Lyn went to retrieve the device. “I will check the message and then we may go.”

In the quiet of the villa, Tendi heard T’Lyn’s irregular inhale. It was subtle, and if they hadn’t just spent an entire week together she might not have noticed either, but whatever she read must’ve been a big deal if she reacted like that. She wanted to ask but T’Lyn put the padd away and shouldered her bag.

“We should make haste. We cannot miss our shuttle.”

Tendi took one last look around the villa and let out a wistful sigh. Then she brightened, anticipating all the fun that awaited them on the Cerritos.

Chapter Text

Illogically, T’Lyn considered deleting the last message from the High Council representative so she wouldn't have to be reminded of her inadequacies every time she opened her padd.

In her previous weekly report, T’Lyn had included her observations of the geological features of Risa in an effort to incorporate a little substance. The week of shore leave, she'd admittedly done little that the High Council would appreciate and they'd replied as much.

“Exploration of Risa serves no logical purpose when the Vulcan databases are up to date.”

They'd not said anything else and T’Lyn bristled each time she read it. She doubted that the representative meant to convey that any personal development was illogical. Instead it appeared to be a criticism of her Logic to visit Risa rather than work when she was on provisional assignment.

Despite the months that had passed, T’Lyn felt no closer to being reinstated. The High Council still considered her impulsive and a liability. Though it was hardly surprising she'd made no progress; she'd allowed herself to assay the freedom of Starfleet, to be so pleasantly distracted by Tendi...

Their trip to Risa was a memorable indulgence and proof that the High Command was correct regarding their assessment of her. She'd surrendered to her desires, but at the time it hadn’t seemed so illogical.

Was her attraction to Tendi another form of rational nonconformity? Why did it have to be considered as such? How could the attachment she felt for the Orion be more illogical than when a Vulcan cherishes their mate? How was there ever Logic in sentimentality? In intimacy? Why were Vulcans encouraged to feel only for specific bonds yet reject others?

The more she considered it, the less logical it all seemed and that was like a double-edged sword. Her theoretical refutation of Vulcan standards only further isolated her and thus disproved her Vulcan-ness.

It was as though she would fail no matter her choices…

She continued to her other tabs on her padd but didn't read many entries before she realized it was time for her evening meal. She deactivated the device and stood from her desk.

When she arrived outside of the cantina, the doors hadn't opened yet however T’Lyn could already hear the uproarious revelry within. The crew had only returned from shore leave three days ago and were already eager to host nonsensical events as an excuse to party.

Tonight’s theme was Cowboy Cookout.

Even with a fresh dose of the olfactory suppressants, her nose was assaulted by the heavy smell of charred meat and the ever-present sharp odor of alcohol.

Someone had set up a holo-emitter to project a campfire where several tables usually were. And tonight, those sleek tables and chairs were replaced with rustic benches and barrels, on which several members of the crew sat on. Even the commanders were participating. Commander Ransom had one arm around Lt. Stevens and the other around Lt. Dirk. They were swaying and singing out of key and passing a bottle of alcohol around.

T’Lyn navigated to the replicator and then through the crowded cantina, bemused at how many officers readily exploited the excuse to dress up in ridiculous costumes. Naturally, the beta shift was a part of that demographic.

Leaning against the bar, Mariner wore a black jacket and a pair of black and white chaps with blue pants underneath. Then at the table, Boimler’s ensemble shined with multiple small stones glued to his clothes around the shoulders, his hat was equally as flashy. Rutherford’s hat was comically large and he had on a matching pale-yellow outfit with Barnes. Tendi’s frayed vest had a decorative border of hanging threads. Her tanned cowboy hat sat slightly askew on her head and T’Lyn fought the compulsion to remedy the misalignment.

As she slid into the booth, the group at the table welcomed her with various rural slang.

Tendi’s eyes danced with delight across the table from her. “Isn’t Earth culture so neat?”

T’Lyn pointedly didn’t answer as she found she couldn't indulge nor stifle her enthusiasm in this instance.

“Seriously, this is almost as good as Captain Freeman day.” Boimler said, eating a large spoonful of his stew.

“Gotta agree with Boims.” Mariner approached with a devious grin and a black cowboy hat in her hand. “T’Lyn, here you go!”

“No.” She stood to allow Mariner into the booth.

“Come on!” Mariner plopped the hat on her head as she passed and T’Lyn immediately took it off again. “Keep it on! You’re like the only one not wearing a hat.”

She placed it in the corner of the booth. “That is acceptable.”

“It would be so funny!” Barnes nodded in agreement with Mariner.

She asked them, “Why would I desire for my appearance to be humorous?”

“Wait,” Rutherford said, “I didn’t think Vulcans were vain.”

“Yeah isn’t that illogical?” Mariner asked before stuffing a significant amount of chips into her mouth.

“We appreciate beauty,” at this T’Lyn met Tendi’s gaze before she subtly appraised her outfit. And when Tendi grinned, T’Lyn focused on Mariner again. Because other than on Tendi, “The pastoral hat is not aesthetically pleasing.”

Mariner scoffed into her nachos. “Fine, but at least try this guacamole.”

T’Lyn avoided sampling the green dip due to the unanticipated intervention of a particular song being blasted through the speakers. She winced at the sudden raucous cheering and subsequent laughing and scrambling of the crew over to the other side of the bar. Mariner jumped over the table to join the fray with the rest of the group following close.

T’Lyn was sure she would never become accustomed to the unexpectedness of Starfleet. She watched, fascinated, as the rowdy crew moved mostly in synch to an apparently celebrated dance. Some non-humans, endearingly Tendi included, were clumsily learning the moves.

She turned away from the divertissement and activated her padd. Before arriving at the cantina, she had been reading mission logs of the Enterprise 1701-D.

T’Lyn had read to Stardate 43917.4 which was, remarkably, centered around the last diplomatic mission of Sarek before his death. The Enterprise-D was due to host planetary negotiations with Sarek acting as the Federation ambassador.

She hadn't known about his second wife- it was standard for Vulcan history to exclude mentioning mate names if they produced no offspring- yet she was unsurprised to learn Perrin was human too. She however had not anticipated the log entry to contain Captain Picard’s mention of Sarek shedding a tear during a string concert.

Vulcans did not cry. It was illogical.

It was uncanny to read about a respected Vulcan losing control in such a manner. In Vulcan history, his death had been reported as natural due to old age. Yet if he was emotional compromised, perhaps that was not the case…

T’Lyn looked up from her padd as the song concluded and the crew howled in amusement. The beta shift group clamored back into the booth, Mariner choosing to hop over the booth behind T’Lyn to reach her spot in the corner.

“Tendi, go grab the shot glasses, let’s get wrecked!” Mariner popped open a glass bottle in the shape of an Earth serpent. “Cobra whiskey time!”

“Like this actually contains snake venom?”

“The ethanol would denature the venom.” Tendi assured Rutherford as she set down their shot glasses.

T’Lyn added, “If the mixture is synthetic alcohol, it is unlikely activated venom is utilized.”

“This better be the real thing!” Mariner said as she poured everyone a portion, “I wanna taste some snake venom!”

For their first drink, T’Lyn accommodated her friends by clinking her water against their glasses and took a sip as they all downed their alcohol in synch.

Boimler and Tendi both shivered in disgust while Barnes shook her head. “That was awful.”

Mariner was already pouring each of them more, so T’Lyn resumed reading the log while they conversed and drank.

Doctor Crusher reported to Captain Picard it was likely that Sarek was suffering from Bendii syndrome, a rare degenerative neurological disease. It was causing Sarek to telepathically project his emotions onto the crew of the Enterprise- his irrational anger and frustration from the disease was the source of the outbreaks of violence.

Fascinating.

T’Lyn would do further research on Bendii syndrome. More than likely, if Sarek died from the effects of the disease, the Vulcan Science Academy completed a postmortem examination and potentially found a cure.

Her reading was disturbed again when Bingston sang loudly, “Gather ‘round for a group photo!”

It was astonishing how they all eagerly obeyed his wish. Mariner once again bound over the table, though with far less style in her intoxication, while Boimler crawled out from under the table.

And this time, Tendi insisted, “Come on, T’Lyn!” She beamed at her and held out her hand. Her freckled cheeks were flushed dark green, “You’ve gotta be in the picture!”

T’Lyn hesitated for a moment before she held her hand, Tendi’s bubbly elation surged through their connection, and then she allowed herself to be towed from the booth. The crew was practically dogpiled on each other in front of them in an effort to get into the picture that Bingston was taking in a typical ‘selfie’ position with the crew behind him. Tendi wrapped her arms around her and her cowboy hat skewed even more as she tried to lean their heads together.

“Everyone say fromage!”

T’Lyn absolutely did not; though she did have to suppress a smile at Tendi’s joyful laughter.

The next day, the picture from the party was hung on the back of the bar wall. T’Lyn’s eyes were drawn to Tendi immediately. Her striking green skin was impossible not to notice in the sea of agrarian inspired colors and then she was held close beside her in the Starfleet deep blue Sciences jacket. Half of Tendi’s face was blocked by the cowboy hat, but she was clearly jubilant. The candidness perfectly captured the moment.

She moved on from admiring the picture to replicate her evening meal but on her way, she was stopped.

“Provisional Lt. jg. T’Lyn,” Commander Ransom summoned her over to the table he shared with Lt. Dirk. She obeyed and then stood at attention, “I need you to report for duty tomorrow at 2030, I have a special mission for you.”

Highly unusual. “Am I being reassigned to this shift?”

“Negative but I’ll tell you all the details tomorrow, it’s just a one-off thing.”

“Yes sir.”

He flashed a smile, “Great. Dismissed.”

T’Lyn stood in Commander Ransom’s office the following day; the room smelled strongly of human sweat and, strangely, cinnamon. Ransom completed his repetitions of chin-ups before he dismounted with a dramatic flourish and then he briefed her.

“Here’s the deal: we’re throwing a big party for Doctor T’Ana’s birthday. Honus is on medical leave and we need to make a good impression with the guest of honor. I need you to cover the bartending shift for tonight.”

In a second T’Lyn thought of ten responses that might be considered insubordinate, but it was that unhinged impulsiveness that landed her in Starfleet originally. She was meant to learn how to control her reckless ways during her banishment.

Yet this task was outside of her normal responsibilities. It was also something she did not wish to participate in. The crew’s normal exuberance was exhausting. During parties, their rowdiness only intensified. To be in the middle of it, facilitating it, would be overstimulating.

She navigated her concerns prudently, “If I may, Commander, why is a bartender required? There are replicators at the bar that can provide-“

“This party is a big deal,” Ransom interrupted to explain, “We can’t just use replicators.”

T’Lyn wondered if there was another singularity event occurring that could explain his peculiarity. Less sensibly, she asked, “Is an Ensign or Cadet unavailable for this position?”

“Are you questioning my orders?” He challenged her from his place behind the desk.

“No sir.”

“Good. Because this is really gonna impress your commanding officers." He pointed to himself with a smug grin, "And Doctor T is a big softy for you. She wanted you there specifically.”

While she did strive to be respected as a capable scientist in the eyes of her superiors, she had little interest in pursuing camaraderie with the bridge crew when not on duty; especially through obsequious means.

Although her commanders’ influence may assist in ending her banishment either directly or indirectly… Any praise would yield few results but perhaps their favor would invite more opportunities, selective studies or away missions, that would be more remarkable to the High Council. They would understand that she had improved and reinstate her.

The return to the Sh'vhal was her main objective. Even if she wouldn't be allowed to be herself there. Even if her commanders in the Vulcan fleet only called her successful breakthrough projects adequate or acceptable or, more commonly, an illogical use of time.

Even if her colleagues there were drones, programed all one way and unwilling to think outside of parameters. Even if they never pushed the boundaries of science or enthusiastically provided ideas for her to implement. Even if they never cheered or invaded her personal space or included her in their planned activities…

Those were the Vulcan standards and she would accept them. Her efforts would ultimately validate her logic and solidify her Vulcan-ness. That was worth pursuing despite the positive aspects she would lose when she left Starfleet.

As it were, Commander Ransom was giving her an order and Doctor T’Ana requested her presence.

She dreaded the chaos that awaited her during this ultimate assessment of her imperturbability. “Yes sir.”

“Great!” Ransom reached under his desk and pulled out a comically large, wide brimmed hat, “Here’s your sombrero, you gotta wear it.”

T’Lyn’s hand clenched into a fist behind her back. She hadn't anticipated the request evolving into something more ridiculous. “It is not my culture.”

“But it is your uniform.” Ransom finger gunned after he handed it over. “Party starts at 2100, go brush up on how to mix the top one hundred popular drinks ordered in Starfleet.”

“Yes sir.”

At 2100 and not a moment sooner, she placed the sombrero on top of her head. The tips of her ears were uncomfortably positioned against the liner; however, she would grow accustomed to the sensation soon. Just as she had grown accustomed to her lack of sense of smell due to a purposeful double-dose of suppressants. It seemed logical since she anticipated that the alcohol and human stink would be more concentrated.

She moved behind the bar and familiarized herself with the layout of the stock. She moved several ingredients into more logical locations in expectancy for their frequent use, considering their inclusion in cocktails higher on the popularity ranking.

Satisfied with the now logical arrangement, T’Lyn felt properly prepared. She had memorized the ratios, the instructions, the formulas of the most commonly ordered cocktails and she understood the purpose of each component in the overall system.

She turned around to several eager faced crew members. T’Lyn regarded an unknown Ensign first.

“Nimbous Negroni.” Then, “Can you make it dry?”

T’Lyn froze as she tried to process the request. How could she possibly craft a desiccated drink with liquid ingredients? “I do not understand.”

“Oh, it just means don’t make it sweet.”

It was then she realized should have studied bartending vernacular.

Only half of an hour had passed and while she had been busy, there was a great deal she had observed in the short time. Between crafting the cocktails, she listened to the prattling crew. Secrets were shared, gossip whispered, and drama unfolded. It was an unexpected source of entertainment. She anticipated informing Tendi of what she'd learned- she knew the Orion would enjoy the gossip.

At the counter, Livik drunkenly flirted with Barnes and T’Lyn hadn't anticipated her to be so receptive of his attention. Her cheeks were flushed and they were close, their hands on the bar almost touching. Perhaps Mr. Rutherford had competition for the Trill…

Fascinating.

Then her attention was diverted when Lundy stepped between Asif and Livik. “Nice hat. I would like a tequila sunrise.” Then he asked, “Do you know how to make it- virgin?”

T’Lyn was taken aback. She was unsure of the intention of his ambiguous sentence structure but mostly “I do not understand. Virginity is an outdated human social construct.”

“Yeah man,” Asif interjected heatedly, “Don’t call her a virgin! That’s totally inappropriate!”

Lundy shook a palm in surrender, “No! I did not mean-“

“And anyway, there’s nothing wrong with being a virgin.” He fiddled with the collar of his jacket. “You know some people just haven’t found the right-“

“It means no alcohol in the cocktail!” Lundy spoke over him.

“Oh.” Asif returned to his drink.

“Perhaps you should have stated that originally.” T’Lyn said, suppressing her exasperation at the incessant slang she was unfamiliar with. This shift duty was so far removed from what she knew.

Lundy sighed, “Can you make a tequila sunrise with no alcohol?”

T’Lyn poured the man his sugary beverage and he smiled in satisfaction. “Excellent. Thank you. That is a pretty sunrise.” Just when she thought she was finished interacting with him, he said, “It would be a shame to drink it. Could I also have a mind meld?”

She did know that cocktail, however Livik abandoned Barnes to put a hand on Lundy’s shoulder and twist him around. “Did you ask her for a mind meld?”

“Yes, it would be quite-“

“You’re way out of line, Lundy! You can’t just ask a Vulcan for a mind meld! That’s inappropriate.”

T’Lyn poured the man his requested drink and walked away as they argued inanely.

The beta shift group arrived to the party after an hour of similar nonsense. Mariner, squeezed between Boimler and Tendi with Rutherford crowded at Tendi’s side at the end of the bar, immediately tried to flag her down.

“Yo T’Lyn! What are you doing back there? Nice hat.”

T’Lyn did not get to answer as the rest of the group launched into their own questions in rapid fire.

Boimler asked, “Yeah, how’d you pull bartending duty? I’ve never been asked…”

“Wait, where is Honus?” Tendi looked around. Her green eyes shined with concern. “You’re not by yourself, are you?”

Rutherford scoffed, “Why do we even need a bartender when we have replicators?”

T’Lyn prepared their preferred drinks, “I do not understand my posting here however it was ordered by Commander Ransom.”

“Okay, I know we agreed to assume the best in people and the commanders had too much character to be mean but doesn’t this seem…” Tendi trailed off, worriedly looking to Mariner for advice.

“Nah baby girl, it’s been way too long for it to be hazing.”

“Oh good!”

Tendi's relieved laugh was interrupted as Mariner clarified, “It’s definitely just a prank. I mean look at that hat.”

T’Lyn was inclined to agree.

The next hour was a blur of requests. Most she knew from her studies:

“Dagger of the mind.”

“Enara window cleaner.”

“Fuzzy navel.”

Though there were more she learned:

Boimler squeezed between Billips and an unknown cadet. “Prune juice spritz for me!”

“I am unfamiliar with this concoction. What alcohol does it contain?”

“None! It’s just prune juice and carbonated water.”

T’Lyn did not think that sounded particularly appealing but prepared the request beverage as Boimler and Billups chatted.

“You went to Risa, didn’t you, Bradward?”

“Oh yeah! Great weather, see my tan?”

Billups squinted his eyes and then said, “…No!” He downed the last of his peach daquiri. Then as T’Lyn passed Boimler his non-alcoholic drink, Billips asked her, “What about an Orion hurricane?”

Was it a drink she did not know? Possible. They had been talking about the weather. Was he attempting to make small talk with her? Equally possible. “Orion weather patterns do not produce hurricanes.” At his confusion, she understood it to be the former. She asked, “What is your requested drink comprised of?”

Then she began to assume everything was some cocktail the crew was outright making up to prank her. However that assumption soon failed her too:

Castro was leaning heavily against the bar, eyes blearily open but a giant smile on her face, when she asked T’Lyn, “Hey, can you pass me a glass?”

“What alcohol is in it?” It was a mechanical response at this point.

“…None. I just want one of those martini glasses behind you.”

Doctor T’Ana arrived halfway through the second hour of her celebration party. The crowd applauded and welcomed her. She was surrounded by the bridge crew, Nurse Westlake, and a few more Lts.

However Lt. Shaxs split off from the group once they had taken some tables and pushed them together. He waved her over from his place at the bar.

Shaxs let out a rumbling laugh. “Nice hat.”

She'd heard that twenty-three times already that night. She didn't acknowledge the tease. “What drink do you require?”

“Pour ten shots of tequila into a glass.”

T’Lyn did as requested and then watched with curiosity as he took it over to Doctor T’Ana, who scrambled up his back to sit on his shoulders.

“Thanks for the party, [fuck]ers!” Then she threw back the drink and the crew started cheering and chanting as she gulped down the pure alcohol.

“You’re my hero!” Mariner yelled out when she’d drank it all.

“You’re [fuck]ing right I am!” She threw the cup across the room and it shattered against the wall and the party goers hollered in delight.

T’Lyn would never understand their obsession with breaking glass containers.

Lt. Dirk had suggested they attempt to do ‘the wave’ but in shot form. He explained his idea- a line of shot glasses for everyone at the bar that they would take one after another to mimic the flow of a wave.

It sounded astoundingly pointless.

And highly unlikely to happen.

T’Lyn had set out the glasses and chosen a Cardassian tequila to pour. However the patrons at the bar refused to not touch the glasses while she filled them up.

Each fifth person would pull the same ‘joke’ as though the crew was a hive mind. They’d take the shot she just poured and nudge the person next to them, “Oh! Looks like I need another!”

T’Lyn suppressed her irritation to the best of her ability, though she could feel her mental discipline slipping when people started chanting at her: “Fill ‘er up!”

She looked away from the anarchy at the bar, trying to block it out for a moment, and noticed Tendi in the background. She was shoving Mariner up onto the beta shift table.

“Hey! Everyone shut up a second!” Mariner shouted above the noise. The crew at the bar quieted and swiveled in their seats to look at her. “I uh, I’m apparently! Gonna make a speech! About Doctor T!”

And as she distracted them, Tendi hopped behind the bar. Her eyebrows were drawn together in worry and she moved to stand beside her, to put a comforting hand on the small of her back. She wrapped her hand around T’Lyn’s that held the tequila bottle and gently tugged. “Let me.”

T’Lyn, still overstimulated, relinquished and watched her.

Tendi glided to the end of the bar then upended the bottle, walking down the line and filling each shot glass messily. Taking the suppressants had been a wise move.

Once the shot glasses were full and the counter soaked, the Orion returned to her side. She placed a hand on her hip, “Do you want me to stay back here with you? I could wear the hat.”

T’Lyn appreciated the offer. Tendi’s loyal and protective qualities were attractive in a way that made her heart illogically flutter. However it wouldn't be logical to subject Tendi to this ordeal, so she told her, “Negative. Enjoy your evening.”

Tendi’s eyes momentarily flicked down like her answer disappointed her but then she smiled up at her, “You got this, T’Lyn.” She sprang back over the counter and Mariner stopped her rambling speech.

The crew at the bar turned back around and yelled happily. Lt. Dirk began ‘the wave’ with a shout of, “To Doctor T’Ana!” then shot back his alcohol with the subsequent patrons following in an impressive display of temperance considering how long it took to fill the glasses.

That commendation of control was immediately forfeited when seventy-five percent of the shot glasses were then thrown to the ground to shatter loudly. She inwardly winced at the piercing noise.

“Can you do any tricks?”

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow at Haubold. “’Tricks’?”

“Yeah, you know, like flipping the bottle up in the air before you pour it.”

It seemed unnecessary however she no doubt had the ability. She gauged the weight of the bottle then it only took a simple calculation to flick the bottle in the air, angling it so the liquid poured perfectly into the cocktail mixture when she caught it.

“Holy [shit]!” Haubold gripped Dahae’s shoulder and shook her excitedly. When T’Lyn tossed the bottle again and caught it with her other hand without looking, they both were in awe.

Unfortunately, that then became its own request along with drink orders. At least the math was stimulating.

Pon Darra had asked her for five different cocktails with the caveat that she prepare them all at the same time with various ‘tricks’. It was an interesting challenge.

T’Lyn was currently selecting the liquors to utilize when she noticed something out of her peripheral. She turned her neck, following the green hand up the blue jacket covering her arm. She was prepared to level an eyebrow raise at Tendi for her audacity to reach behind the bar but her breath caught in her throat when she pivoted and Tendi’s face was as close as the wide brimmed hat would allow.

She almost thought Tendi was going to kiss her in public and her heart raced.

“Sorry,” Tendi smiled guiltily, glassy eyes looking up at her. “I didn’t want to bother you.”

T’Lyn handed her the bottle that she couldn’t quite reach despite most of her upper body hanging over the bar with Manhaver holding her legs against the counter.

Tendi winked, “Thanks!”

T’Lyn felt her ears grow warm, but luckily the green was hidden under the flamboyant sombrero. Then Tendi signaled Manhaver to pull her back over and the two threw their arms around each other and he lifted the bottle over his head in celebration.

T’Lyn resumed preparing Pon Darra’s drinks, eyes glancing over to the beta shift table in interest as Tendi stood on the table and shrieked with glee as she poured alcohol into Mariner’s waiting mouth.

Her carefree exuberance was so difficult not to notice.

“T’Lyn, come’re.” Doctor T’Ana beckoned at the counter of the bar. Her arm movement was erratic and exaggerated in her drunkenness.

It had taken three hours to finally say to the guest of honor, “I hope you are enjoying your celebration.”

“What the [fuck] are you doing back there, kid?”

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow. “Commander Ransom assigned this shift duty to me, indicating you requested my presence.” She looked over to the Commander, boisterously yelling with Dirk and Shaxs.

“Those jocks are [fuck]ing with you.” Doctor T’Ana huffed over the rowdy party, “I told them to leave you out of it, but Ransom wanted to see you in a goofy hat. He’s a [fuck]ing [ass]hole sometimes.”

T’Lyn suppressed the sharp spike in annoyance, though she was sure she was frowning. She doubted any other Vulcan could've resisted considering the depth of her frustration. The Commander had wasted hours of her time and compromised her emotional stability for an idiotic prank.

She removed the offending hat and evenly said, “Thank you for informing me, Doctor.”

“Hey, uh, grab me one of those bottles before you leave.” T’Lyn did and Doctor T’Ana nodded at her. “Thanks, kid.” Her voice was still gruff but she sounded almost fond. Despite the turbulence of their first meeting, T’Lyn did recognize the Caitan treated her struggles with compassion- an illogical but appreciated consideration. She returned her nod before she made her retreat.

T’Lyn exhaled a tense breath, eyes clenched shut as she tried to quiet her mind. Admittedly, she had a difficult time concentrating on meditation when she needed it most. It fueled her fear that she was an abnormal Vulcan- one who masked instead of fully suppressed due to their lack of mental discipline when challenged with intense emotions. Despite the decades spent on trying to master repression and detachment, she always seemed to suffer from an excess of emotion.

Such as now when her annoyance was a needling that only became more irritating the longer she attempted to suppress it. Every other emotion caused by the aggravating shift she suffered through could be identified and accepted and discarded yet the Cerritos and its crew continuously developed new ways to test her patience. However, she must adapt or move past it. And if it could not be suppressed then it must be resolved with rationalization...

She squared her shoulders and focused on the facts. Logically, this trial was temporary and her posting in Starfleet would end. And, notably, she would not be subjected to anymore asinine occurrences. Ransom’s reasons for assigning the shift to her was for his personal amusement. It was illogical in every aspect. She had to accept it as humans being humans- they allowed their emotions, their need for entertainment, guide their choices.

Though it was unnerving to know that illogical hijinks could be facilitated by superiors. Since she couldn't defy an order, she must be able to persist.

It only made her long for the normalcy of the Sh’vhal. Even though the High Command subjectively disapproved of her unconventional ideas, their expectations were clear, their goals similar, their behavior rational…

There was a chime at her door.

Predicting it was regarding the abandonment of her post prematurely, she snuffed out her meditation candle and stood at attention with her hands behind her back.

“Enter.”

Tendi stepped in with a hesitant smile, scanning the dimly lit room until she saw T’Lyn, and walked over to her. She trusted she wasn't showing emotion but something caused Tendi to clasp her hands in front of her chest as she usually did when she was concerned. “Hi, T’Lyn.”

“Greetings.” She relaxed her posture marginally since it wasn’t Commander Ransom and Lt. Shaxs there to sentence her to the brig.

Beholding Tendi, she was reminded that returning to the Sh’vhal would not be without it’s losses. She would have to abandon her brilliant ‘science bestie’, her vivacious friend, her tender lover. Forsaking her would be an arduous task, but was her attachment to Tendi more important than redemption? It wasn't allowed to be according to Vulcan paradigms...

“Was there something you required?”

Tendi’s smile faltered. “I just wanted to check on you. That seemed like a tough shift.”

“I did not derive satisfaction from bartending and I hope it will not be a required task again,” She disclosed. It had been highly unnecessary and she wished to work more within the scope of her interests.

The Orion stepped closer to embrace her, arms resting on her shoulders. Her hand gently carded through her hair, fingertips brushing against at the base of her skull. T’Lyn welcomed her comfort. Tendi made her feel safe and that was a powerful solace now when she’d had the least agreeable shift in her Starfleet career so far (albeit this was a distinct category of unenjoyable compared to the distressing event on Bracas Prime.) She rested their foreheads together and a sense of peace washed over her as the empathetic connection took hold. Tendi's bright feelings, her contentment and care, cast away the negativity that clouded her mind.

Tendi pressed a kiss to her lips and bumped their hips together. “Can I help you relax?”

Logically, T’Lyn should continue meditating- she had a personal responsibility to maintain complete emotional control. Yet… T’Lyn did want her. She wanted to soothe the difficult day with Tendi’s affection. She wanted to enjoy what time they did have before she returned to the Sh’vhal.

Nevertheless, wasn't it illogical to give into her desires? She'd chided herself for it mere days ago. However, it was logical to avoid further stressors- such as rejecting Tendi, which might upset her and thus distress T’Lyn. And, she considered it further, perhaps mutual pleasure, yielding to her gentleness, would be physically, mentally, and emotionally beneficial. And since T'Lyn could meditate afterwards when Tendi was resting, there was no reason to refuse her offered intimacy.

“Vulcans do not need to relax.” Still, even as she said it, she ducked down to kiss her.

T’Lyn didn't find laying on her side natural, however the position was far more than acceptable in this situation. Tendi lay facing her so they could languidly kiss following their sexual intimacy. They were entangled and she appreciated that aspect; able to slowly run her hand up and down her side or across her back while Tendi’s hand cupped her cheek or caressed her jaw.

Their current amorous affection was pleasant, especially with Tendi’s fondness flowing through their connection. However, wolfish from her enthusiastic attention and care, T’Lyn pulled back only for Tendi to try to chase her lips.

“I ne-” she stopped, that wording was far too honest. Even though after the satisfying few hours with her, the desire was compelling enough to seem like a necessity.

Tendi’s eyes opened to meet hers. “Hmm?”

“I request a change in position.”

“Oh sure,” Tendi agreed brightly, “Do you want to spoon or something?”

“Negative…” T’Lyn paused to compose the right phrase but Tendi appeared to assume she was apprehensive. She traced a fingertip up and down the point of her ear and it was distractingly enjoyable, “I would find it gratifying if you would lay on top of me.”

If it was a strange request, Tendi didn’t show it. “Okay.”

They detangled and after T’Lyn was comfortably on her back, Tendi moved to hover over her and then she laid her nude body on T’Lyn’s. Her legs between T’Lyn’s, her head resting between her breasts, and her arms pressed above the side of T’Lyn’s chest so her hands slotted under T’Lyn’s shoulder.

“Like this?”

“Yes.” It was as they had been when they were stranded during the blizzard. Her long-held craving was fulfilled and she savored her pleasing pressure. The Orion rose and fell with her deep breath. She reveled in being under her. “Are you comfortable as well?”

“Yeah.” After pulling the covers up so they wouldn't be cold, she wrapped her arms around Tendi’s shoulders. Peaceful and soothed, her meditation efforts while Tendi rested would be more effective. Tendi nuzzled her face into her skin, “But when I fall asleep, I might drool. Sorry.”

“The forewarning is appreciated.”

Tendi’s body shook with soft laughter and T’Lyn was contented.

Chapter Text

“Ugh, I gotta go change for the dance…” Tendi groaned and ran a hand through her hair. “Just… No pictures, okay guys?”

Mariner and T’Lyn replied at the same time:

“No promises.”

“Very well.”

Mariner snickered at Tendi’s departing glower. They remained in the hallway until she returned. The human leaned against the wall and hissed but didn't reposition. She said, “Hey thanks for popping my shoulder back into place. It [fuck]ing hurt but now it hurts way less.”

There was no doubt minor damage from her improvised aid. “It is advisable you report to Doctor T’Ana for a neuromuscular scan when we return to the Cerritos.”

“No kidding.” Mariner puffed out, “But you know, I think what sucks the most is all I got from the stabbings is one really deep scar instead of like-“

“Four.” She had been stabbed in the shoulder four times in less than a day on Orion. The dangers Starfleet and the High Command warned of were as described, yet she had not anticipated the accuracy of their reports based on Tendi’s prior insistence that Orions were judged harshly.

If anything, Orion was more hazardous than reported.

“Four separate scars!”

T’Lyn assumed her enthusiasm for improperly healed wounds was due to their physical proof of her struggles and ‘badass’ attitude. However she was not privy to enough of Mariner’s past to understand the need to posture.

“And it was super cool of you to throw out your notes, I know that meant a lot to Tends.”

Admittedly, T’Lyn only comprehended how acutely inappropriate her report was after Tendi’s chagrined request. Despite Tendi’s own discomfort and reluctance, she'd allowed T’Lyn to document her observations the entirety of the day. It was an accommodating sacrifice that deserved to be reciprocated.

Potentially to the detriment of her career.

Still, “It was logical.” She assured Mariner.

When Tendi returned in barely any clothing, merely a bronze colored bikini top and shendyt, there were various new tattoos decorating her skin.

T’Lyn’s eyes widened in surprise while Mariner laughed giddily, “Tendi! I didn’t know you were tatted up, girl!” She made a suggestive noise of approval.

Was this her usual appearance on Orion and she removed all but the one around her thigh for Starfleet? The black Orion script and flowing patterns across her green skin were captivating and she hoped Tendi wouldn't cover them after the ceremony. T'Lyn wanted one night with her to run her fingertips over them and trace the symbols with her tongue...

The only unappealing detail on Tendi’s tantalizing body was the faint contusion around her neck from D’Erika’s attack.

Tendi crossed her arms over her chest, which only increased her visible cleavage. Illogically, T’Lyn felt lightheaded. “No, I’m not! They’re just for silly Orion ceremonies.” When she shrugged and shifted her stance, the latinum chain tied around her waist clinked.

“Seriously dude. Just when I thought she couldn’t get any hotter.” Mariner joked, nudging her elbow into T’Lyn’s arm.

“I concur.” She readily agreed given social lenience from Mariner’s compliment.

Tendi blushed but complained, “I can’t wait to get this over with…”

The Warrior Queen, now in gilded armor for the ritual, joined them. “D’Vana, my light, have you been eating?” Shona asked as she pat Tendi’s soft midsection, “You’re skin and bones.”

“Mom!” Tendi whined petulantly.

Tendi was alluringly full-figured, yet not up to standard? T’Lyn nearly rashly asked if Orions preferred a corpulent body type for females, however considering the incident in the scentuary she held her tongue. Not to mention it would be unsuitable with the matriarch present. She would ask Tendi later, in private.

And even though she had destroyed the padd containing the notes to the High Council, she made a note on her personal padd and, curiously, when she looked up again, Shona was regarding her carefully with a frown. Then Shona’s attention turned, a gracious smile once again on her face, when her husband joined the group.

He dutifully put a hand on Shona’s shoulder, standing behind her. T’Lyn made another note of the body language though she was unable to establish if it was due to her status as Warrior Queen, the expectations of males in the matriarchal society, or a display of affection.

Tendi could clarify that as well. And if it was an affectionate gesture, would it hold the same connotations between two females?

“Mariner, so sorry about your shoulder.” B’Rt smiled, abashed.

The bloodstain on Mariner’s shirt had grown but the human did not complain of the pain to him. She'd been favoring the injury all night but she sounded genuine as she dismissed his apology. “It was just part of the experience B’Rt!”

B’Rt then informed them, “The dance is ready to start!”

T’Lyn had utilized decades worth of practiced control to maintain an impassive guise while spectating the erotic dance, her eyes never leaving Tendi’s body, drinking in her sensual gyrating. Mariner had been less composted; it was amusing how often the human had muttered ‘Holy [shit]’ under her breath.

Tendi’s face was deep green as she approached them afterwards. Illogically, T’Lyn hoped Tendi knew how much she enjoyed the display.

“I’m going to go change, be right back guys.”

Mariner made a noise of protest, which stopped Tendi. “Wait so, can we go back to Slit Throat? I wanna check out that hump dungeon again too.”

“Well, the party is scheduled for two more days, so maybe after that?”

“Holy [shit], I love Orion.”

They were led into a grand hall for the banquet. Food and drink were available and from her place by the door, T’Lyn watched Mariner pile food onto the latinum plate. T’Lyn would eat however it seemed to be hors d'oeuvres at the moment so she'd wait until the main course when, hopefully, utensils would be available.

Mariner returned to her side and was eagerly shoving the finger-foods into her mouth. T’Lyn supposed they hadn’t eaten since they departed from the Cerritos. Her ravenousness was justified.

Shona stopped by a few minutes later, again in her less formal attire. A hunk, not her husband, followed with a tray. “Miss Vulcan, I know you don’t eat with your hands dear, I share your sentiments.”

He presented a plate of fruits and pastries that she gratefully took along with the fork. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Shona smiled and walked away with the hunk.

Tendi, once again in casual attire and without the markings -T'Lyn suppressed her illogical disappointment-, joined them a few minutes before the speeches began. She had to speak to the crowd, praising her sister and wishing the couple a happy marriage. Despite her aversion to participate, her poignant oration stirred tears in the groom’s eyes.

And after several courses of food, the guests were allowed to stand to mingle again. A band of electronic instruments played while the hall erupted in conversation.

A cheery hunk delivered a tray of cyan drinks to the trio. T’Lyn took one simply out of curiosity for the bouquet of the alcohol- and she anticipated Mariner would drink it when she didn’t.

The sour fermentation was masked by a potent flowery aroma. "Curious. Does this contain pheromones?”

Tendi grimaced at her question but admitted, “There are, uh, traces usually.”

“Really? So what the hell is this?” Mariner asked, even as she had one glass in each hand.

“Orion delaq.” Tendi sniffed the liquid and her nose crinkled, “It’s super strong, Mariner...”

“Nah! I’ve had it before. I love Orion hurricanes. But, uh, why does it look different? Isn’t it usually like purple or green or red?”

“That wasn’t delaq, Orions only sell substitutes for export.”

“Then I can’t wait to try this!” Mariner clinked their glasses together.

Mariner nearly gagged during the first shot, while curiously Tendi drank the concoction effortlessly. She recalled the Orion’s exaggerated reaction to the snake venom alcohol less than a week ago, had that been an effort to hide her background? Or was it a matter of previous exposure? The fact that she was Orion?

The human then downed the second one, “Okay that one went down smoother.”

“Wait, Mariner,” Tendi tried to stop her after she traded an empty glass for T’Lyn’s full one. “That might not be-“

Mariner drank it and then let out a satisfied sigh. Another hunk swept by to take the empty glasses.

The human suddenly pitched off balance and Tendi caught her. “Mariner?”

“Woah, I feel like someone just tranqed me.”

Tendi scoffed, “You took three shots of delaq!”

“I remember.” Then she blinked. “I think. Woah.”

T’Lyn and Tendi exchanged a concerned look.

“Hol’ on. I gotta-“ She pivoted and held out her arm, extending it in the air like she was resting it against someone. “What’s your name handsome?” She asked no one.

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow. “Is her strange behavior expected?”

“It’s a hallucinogenic.” Tendi explained with a giggle, “It’s usually not so… powerful.”

T’Lyn observed as Mariner had a one-sided conversation. Then she looked to Tendi. “Curious, do you hallucinate as well?” The Orion’s cheeks were slightly flushed but otherwise appeared unaffected.

Admiring her, T’Lyn’s gaze dropped to the dark shadow on her throat. Tendi must've noticed because a hand went to her neck to rub the side of it. “I’d probably need five to get as bad as she is.”

“Tends,” Mariner latched onto her again, “Logan here, she had a really great idea. The oil baths, right? The oil baths would be so good right now.”

Tendi had to wrap her arms around her to keep the human standing as she teetered dangerously. “Uh, maybe tomorrow Mariner.”

“You better. I’m gonna remember.”

“I’m not sure you will.” Tendi said with a laugh.

Mariner pressed their foreheads together, looking deeply into her eyes. Tendi looked vaguely scared at their closeness. “Oh, I will.” She threatened. Then the seriousness was gone as she twirled away. Mariner went straight for the couch and promptly collapsed on it.

“I am concerned for her well-being.” Humans were fragile and she did not know how advanced Orion medicine was.

“Yeah… Maybe we should take her back to her room…”

B’Rt joined them, most likely having witnessed the spectacle. “Looks like Mariner isn’t used to Orion delaq.”

“We were about to get her a hypospray.” Tendi explained as T’Lyn moved to pick up the human but B’Rt stopped her.

“Have one of the boys do that.” He waved his hand and a shirtless hunk appeared.

T’Lyn easily could have transported the lean human and Tendi looked exasperated at the assistance but they followed him back to the guest rooms. The hunk laid her on the bed before bowing and taking his leave.

Tendi retrieved a medical kit from Mariner’s away bag and programed a hypospray to help their friend metabolize the alcohol faster and recover through the hangover. Convinced Mariner was safe and only needed time to sleep off the effects, they locked her in and retreated to Tendi’s bedroom next door. Then they had a moment of privacy after the exceptionally long day.

Tendi put a hand on her hip and T’Lyn stepped closer. Finally she could acknowledge a concern that bothered her all evening.

“Your contusion…” T’Lyn’s fingers brushed over the darker green skin, warmer from the pooled blood.

Despite her pacifism, she'd been prepared to defend Tendi when her sister had held her against the wall by her throat. She remembered her thoughts clouding illogically from the surge of anger at the sight, at knowing Tendi was being harmed. She would've intervened if not for Mariner.

Still, she'd been surprised by Tendi’s combat prowess. Why did she so effectively conceal her abilities on the Cerritos?

Tendi shrugged off her concern, “Oh yeah, D’Erika can be pretty awful when she wants to be.”

T’Lyn was gratified when Tendi stepped into a hug, pressing their bodies together. She ducked her head to the crook of her neck to kiss her bruised skin. “Perhaps you require a hypospray?”

“I think she left a couple more bruises,” Tendi guided her hand to the bare skin of her midsection and then up along her ribs.

T’Lyn felt her excitement and her anticipation. Logically, she should ensure her lover was properly healed. “I could remain to tend to you.”

Tendi’s voice was low, her breath hot on her ear. “Would you?”

“I will.”

After providing attentive care, T’Lyn remained to lay with her though they agreed to get dressed and stay on top of the covers in case there was an unexpected visitor.

After her second rest, they conversed on her bed. T’Lyn sat cross-legged with Tendi’s head in her lap. T’Lyn stroked her fingers through Tendi’s hair as she gazed down at her. She feared she could become accustomed to this peace.

The Orion’s eyes were closed and she had an easy smile on her face, amused at their dialog. Her limitless inquisitiveness was fascinating. Even after dozens of questions, Tendi showed no signs of stopping.

“Have you liked Orion?”

“It has been a noteworthy experience.”

“Would I like Vulcan?”

“Most likely given your interests and your acclimation to higher temperatures.”

“What's your family like?”

It was the first question that caused her to stumble from their rhythm.

“They are…” Strict. Critical. Cold. Distant. Faultlessly Vulcan. Where had they failed with her? T’Lyn's gazed dropped. “It is unimportant. I would not subject you to their disapprobation.”

Tendi was far too sensitive; she would not appreciate their Logic. And there was no logical reason for Tendi to meet her family unless they were to become mates.

And just the hypothetical caused her to illogically freeze. Made her heart skip a beat.

Tendi as her mate… She allowed herself to fully appraise the idea. T’Lyn had yet to ever find her unstimulating, their rapport was satisfying, Tendi was blindingly attractive, her patterns of behavior demonstrated many admirable traits: protective, generous, intelligent, adaptable, affectionate…

It was alarming to realize Tendi could be an exemplary mate.

She had paused her comforting ministrations, perhaps had even missed a question, and Tendi opened her eyes, “T’Lyn?”

Fortunately there was a diversion.

She motioned for Tendi to move and the Orion sat up. “Mariner’s door has opened.” T’Lyn explained as she climbed off of the bed to sit on the ottoman at the foot of Tendi’s bed.

The bedroom door swung open a few moments later.

“So the oil baths.” Mariner barged into Tendi’s room with a grin, “Is this like a Japanese onsen situation? Or are we talking old school Roman style?”

“Wow!” Tendi slid off of her bed to stand near T’Lyn, “You actually remembered!”

“Commendable given your state of impairment.”

“I told you.” Tendi moved to stand by Mariner, who wrapped her good arm around her. “T’Lyn, you joining us?”

Starfleet was infamous for communal nudity and showers. Many species considered Vulcans prudish but that would be illogical. Nudity was a primal state: natural and vulnerable.

Instead it was simply that Vulcans were private. Their communal showers had stalls. Their lower decks didn’t sleep in a hallway, they were given quarters to share with two roommates and even those quarters had their own compartment for sleeping.

And T’Lyn was certain Mariner had seen Tendi exposed -perhaps not as intimately as she had- however, she would prefer to maintain her privacy in regards to the human.

“No, perhaps another time.” She would derive more pleasure from the bathing exclusively with Tendi.

Mariner chanted in excitement as they left the room.

Alone and curious, T’Lyn decided to explore the estate during her impromptu down time. She retrieved her padd from her room to make personal notes of questions she wanted to ask Tendi.

T’Lyn had wandered into a hallway filled with impressive, detailed portraits of the Tendi lineage. One side were of the family, while the opposite was dedicated solely to the generational Mistress of the Winter Constellations.

She stalled in front of Tendi’s portrait to admire how the Orions viewed her. Her ‘science bestie’ wore a dark, intimidating expression, there was no hint of the brightness she preferred to exhibit. Her pose was unconquerable- shoulders back, hands together in front of her on the sword piercing the ground, stance wide.

The dissonance of her personality was compelling.

Her musing was cut short when a hunk walked through. He smiled politely. “Miss Vulcan, do you require any assistance?”

“Negative, thank you.”

The Orion bowed and proceeded on his way and T’Lyn was left to admire the portraits until she finally turned the corner. Then there were various antiquated weapons lined sporadically on the wall.

She had meandered through several more decorated hallways when she encountered the Warrior Queen. Shona was paused in front of a realistic painting of the estate. She turned and hailed her politely, “Miss Vulcan, did you rest well?”

“Vulcans do not require sleep as often as other humanoid species.”

“Ah,” Shona laughed lightly. “Then I hope you found something to entertain you through the night.”

Illogically, T’Lyn was unsettled by the comment. Did she know she stayed with Tendi last night? Orion society was open on such matters but their arrangement was not public knowledge. She kept her face carefully blank and did not respond. However, Shona raised another question.

“I suppose my daughter asked you come along but was there another impetus for agreeing?”

T’Lyn noticed her mechanical cadence, a familiar yet marked difference from yesterday. She said, “I am curious about Orion culture.”

“Oh, yes. Vulcans do enjoy learning.”

“Indeed.”

“Wonderful. We’re just so pleased to have a scholar visit.” Shona nodded and pivoted to make her leave, “Well Miss Vulcan, you let B’Rt or I know if you need anything.”

There was an unnerving quality to their conversation, however T’Lyn was unable to identify what specifically. She was hesitant to dismiss her intuitive concern.

There were multitudes of guests seated at the grand table as they feasted on the evening meal interposed by the continuous wedding merrymaking. Shona was at the head of the table with B’Rt on her left and Tendi on her right. T’Lyn was seated between her comrades.

Shona and B’Rt had been discussing the schedule for the revelry with Tendi and D’Erika before the conversation shifted and their attention turned to T’Lyn. Fortunately, she was well-versed in diplomacy.

“Miss Vulcan!” There was little doubt that Tendi learned her excitable and personable behavior from B’Rt. “Are you having fun with the festivities?”

“It is a diverting experience.”

“Great!” B’Rt raised his drink in a show of amity. “The party will go until pretty late at night but if you get bored, my wife has an impressive collection of books in our library. Just ask one of the boys to show you where it is.”

She nodded her appreciation. “That would be agreeable.”

“And are you enjoying Orion cuisine?” Shona asked.

“It is unique.” It was. The fruits were sour and the vegetarian cuisine was sweet. She would need to ask Tendi if this was typical, was strictly for the celebration, or a family preference.

The matriarch chuckled, “Oh dear, is it that bad?”

T’Lyn didn't think she had implied that with her compliment. Tendi subtly put a hand on her thigh under the table. It was risky yet undeniably grounding. “No, it is acceptable.”

“High praise!” B’Rt grinned and nudged his wife.

“Mom! Dad!” Tendi admonished.

“D’Vana,” Shona gracefully waved her off, “I want to know how we can make the Vulcan feel more at home.”

That was an impossible goal. “My home is located on an outcropping of jagged rocks in the Viltan Flats.”

The house Tendi, minus her lover, laughed at her answer. She didn't understand their glee, she wasn't being purposefully amusing. She felt Tendi’s thumb brush over her skin as though to soothe her.

Shona smiled, “You’re adorable dear. I hear that Vulcans prefer spicy foods, is that right?”

“Correct.”

“Of course, you can’t feel pain in the heart so you go for pain on the tongue.” Shona took a delicate sip of her drink, eyeing her over the latinum rimmed drink.

It was a common misconception that Vulcans didn't feel emotions, however it was the opposite. The intensity of which they felt their emotions would be almost unbearable to other species, which was why suppression was necessary. She was certain they wouldn't value the full explanation so she said, “That is an incorrect but amusing assumption.”

“Please, can we talk about the merger?” Tendi interrupted, squeezing her thigh before removing her hand. “D’Erika, will you be resettling his clan?”

“Naturally sister.” D’Erika ran her index finger across her husband’s cheek and he blushed.

While they talked, Mariner pulled her sleeve and leaned in to ask, “Yo, were they making fun of you?”

“I… am uncertain.” T’Lyn admitted, observing the Warrior Queen cautiously.

Even with Tendi’s arms around her, T’Lyn said, “I do not believe it will be wise to remain this evening.”

“No one would be paying attention if you don’t leave,” she rested her head against T’Lyn’s neck and one hand traced where the two fabrics of her shirt met. “They’re too busy with the party…”

T’Lyn wasn’t so certain, especially given Shona’s inferences earlier today. In addition, “I am concerned about Mariner.” Yesterday they had the luxury of knowing she was hungover. Tonight, she was wired.

“She does like barging in…”

“As well, I wish to explore the library your father mentioned.” It would be an interesting insight into Orion literature.

“Oh, sure!” Tendi pulled back to look at her and grin, “Did he tell you where it is?”

“Yes,”

“Okay great. I’ll come find you after my first rest.”’

There was a knock on the door. Tendi shared a confused look with her, obviously not expecting the company. Regrettably, Tendi stepped away from her then said, “Come in?”

A massive Orion woman ducked through the doorway and entered. She appeared to be a warrior given her size and the ornamental leather armor she wore.

“I apologize Mistress D’Vana. I didn’t know you had company.” When she bowed, her pulled back curly hair bounced. Though unlike the males, she did not kneel. “I wanted to offer my services for the night. It has been some time-”

Tendi interrupted with an embarrassed laugh, “Oh! That’s okay, B’eth! We can talk later.” A dark blush spread over her cheeks as she hastily correctly, “In the morning I mean!”

T’Lyn was astonished at Orion’s reverence of Tendi and a little disconcerted by her willingness to serve her- in every sense of the word. She suppressed the strange, illogical flare of possessiveness.

“Very well, Mistress D’Vana.”

It wasn't her right to know if Tendi would've accepted her offer if she hadn’t been around. It'd admittedly be uncharacteristic for Tendi, yet she'd been startled to learn more of her background and personal life.

She wouldn’t ask, she wasn't eager to inadvertently insult her again. Still, she would wonder.

When the door shut, Tendi rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “Uh, we were close before I went to the Academy.”

Despite offering the explanation unprompted, T’Lyn was unsure of the validity of her statement and it made her uncomfortable to doubt Tendi.

The silence stretched a bit too long so she made her leave. “I should allow you to rest. I will be in the library.”

“Right.” She sounded disappointed but she still gave her a small smile. “See you later, T’Lyn.”

As T’Lyn walked through the hallway towards the library she was passed by Tendi’s parents. B’Rt followed Shona dutifully with a hand on her shoulder. He waved happily to her and bid her a goodnight. Then as soon as she turned the corner, they began to talk about her. She paused out of sight.

“You know, she’s not so bad for a Vulcan, my love!”

“B’Rt, you simple man...” Shona chuckled fondly, “She’s using our hospitality as an excuse to spy for the High Command. She’s been taking notes the entire time and we’re going to be on some list. Those judgmental bastards have been wanting revenge since we destroyed their surveillance system on the third moon of Moy.”

“But she’s Starfleet, sweetie.”

“Darling, she’s Vulcan. Their own come first.”

T’Lyn frowned and continued towards the library. It was a truthful observation, at least to her original intentions, though she was no longer turning in a report. Her intuition to distrust Shona’s attention proved to be correct- her insincere kindness and subtle mimicry was exactly what the High Command warned about.

Oddly, T’Lyn almost instinctively knew when Tendi was on her way to the library after her first rest. It was remarkable that their schedules were so synchronized.

Tendi found her currently reading a collection of myths regarding a goddess that supposedly created Orion and split the families into the Syndicate.

“This is fascinating.”

Tendi shrugged, never impressed with her culture. “It’s not very scientific.”

T’Lyn conceded with a nod.

“Anyway I was hoping,” Tendi smiled and held out her hand, “We could go down to the lake house. I wanted to show you my favorite place.”

T’Lyn hummed in agreement and stood. “That would be acceptable.” Tendi dropped her hand as T’Lyn went to replace the book form where she had taken it. Instead of holding hands, as that was an intimate gesture not suitable for public nor their status, she clasped her hands behind her back and expected Tendi to loop an arm through hers.

Tendi didn’t take her silent offering. She led her out of the house and through the well-lit courtyard. The night guard swung down as they neared the gate exiting into the forest.

“Mistress D'Vana,” he fell into a kneeling bow, “Do you require an escort?”

“That’s okay E’Za. We’re just going down to the lake house.”

E’Za looked up in alarm before averting his eyes back down, “I shall send out patrols but we will not bother you, Mistress.”

“If you think it’s necessary,” Tendi awkwardly agreed, “But I think we’ll be fine.”

“Of course. I only wish to be cautious.”

T’Lyn watched the exchange with interest until Tendi pulled at her elbow. “Come on, T’Lyn.”

The pathway changed from brown stone to gravel as they exited the gate and went down the stairs into the forest.

“Sorry about that,”

“You do not enjoy their servitude?”

Tendi shook her head emphatically, “They aren’t slaves or servants! We protect them and their families from other Syndicate houses or rival clans or rogues. We kind of adopt them into our house! We provide anything they need and they just work for us.”

“I see.”

It became darker as they walked deeper into the forest, away from the lights of the courtyard and under the canopy of trees blocking the moon’s light.

“So do you think Mariner was serious about going back to Slit Throat?”

“Yes.” T’Lyn confirmed, “I believe so.”

Tendi groaned, “I’ll have to call Madame G...” Then she brightened, “But Mariner will enjoy the club a lot more without all those daggers in her shoulder.”

“Will you indulge in her other request?”

“The hump dungeon?” Tendi snickered, “I don’t know. I did go to high school with a really sweet Orion who opened their own club… They always used to talk about using their pheromones, uh, consensually. I guess I’ll have to call them tomorrow too.”

T’Lyn had some concerns regarding the chemical manipulation but recalled that some males, like Nya’al, illogically sought out pheromones. The morally gray ethics was not something she wanted to debate with Tendi.

Instead she asked, “Curious, is the location we are visiting your favorite or the ship graveyard?”

“I love them both! This one is just closer. And actually, I even love laying on the roof of the house but here at the lake will be more private.” Tendi did hook her arm through T’Lyn’s then.

She enjoyed her warmth as they strolled through the dark forest.

Ahead a single light shined down the path. The orange glow above the door to what looked like a fishing shack attached to the dock illuminated the area. A cabin sat parallel to the water.

They stepped onto the creaking wood of the dock. T’Lyn knew how to swim in theory, but had never done so due to her career in space. Her every move was carefully measured.

Finally at the edge, Tendi plopped down and situated to let her legs dangle off of the end. T’Lyn copied her pose and Tendi shifted closer so their shoulders and thighs were pressed together. Then Tendi laid back with a contented sigh.

“This is it, my favorite place.”

T’Lyn rested beside her and observed the expanse of stars above them. The distant suns glowed brightly against the dark sky. She had to admit, “It is aesthetically pleasing.”

Tendi kissed her deeply, pushing her back into the fishing shack and tangling her fingers in her hair. They moaned in synch as Tendi inserted a thigh between hers. T’Lyn gripped Tendi’s hips and guided her into a slow rocking motion against her. Their heated kiss turned languid and breathless as she fanned the fires of their arousal; Tendi cupped her face in one hand and the other clutched the front of T’Lyn’s shirt.

Through the empathetic connection, she basked in Tendi’s warm emotions. Their shared desire threatened to burn them both. Yet even brighter was Tendi’s joy, her glowing affection.

Tendi broke their kiss to bury her face into her neck. “You’re driving me crazy, T’Lyn.” She panted out.

“The sentiment is mutual.” T’Lyn assured, voice low. And while the stars were an impressive sight, the shack’s wood wall wasn’t exactly comfortable. So she asked, “Should we return to your bedroom to continue?”

Tendi pushed back just enough for T’Lyn to see the gleam in her dilated eyes. “How about somewhere closer?”

She didn't wait for T’Lyn’s answer, she grabbed her wrist and led her to the cabin. After inputting the keycode, the door unlocked with a click then Tendi flipped on the lights.

The lake house, unlike the rest of the Tendi’s property, was quaint. The front door opened to a seating area centered around the fireplace. There was a kitchen in the back corner and then a single room with the door closed. The curtains were pulled closed on all the windows except the ones facing the dark water.

T’Lyn swallowed in anticipation as Tendi closed and locked the door behind them.

“Now, where were we?” She laid a hand on T’Lyn’s chest and guided her backwards until the back of T’Lyn’s knees hit the plush couch.

They were dressing afterwards, intending to return to the estate so Tendi could have her second rest.

T’Lyn had only pulled on her underclothes when Tendi’s attention snapped to the adjacent wall. She was instantly on alert, watching as her expression hardened and her green eyes narrowed.

Tendi put a finger to her lips as a signal to keep quiet and then she hastily threw on her shorts and shirt. T’Lyn didn’t have time to put on the complicated Orion shirt so she slipped on Tendi’s jacket.

The Orion crouched low and T’Lyn mimicked her movement and Tendi guided her against the wall by the window. She peeked outside from the corner of the curtain but there was nothing anomalous bathed in the light from the lake house.

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow but Tendi mouth ‘Stay here’ before sneaking barefoot to the door. She opened it silently and slipped outside. T’Lyn strained to listen for whatever had set Tendi off then a few seconds later: a battle cry. She heard the impact of flesh, the sound of a blade cutting through the air, and then a gurgled voice.

T’Lyn promptly exited the lake house. Tendi’s knee pinned the olive-skinned Orion’s hands to her back, she unforgivingly held the attacker by her hair to force her head up from the dirt and she pressed a dagger to the side of her throat.

“You really thought you could try to assassinate me?” Tendi scoffed and her voice was harsh as she reminded the would-be-assassin, “You’re a pitiful prime and I am the goddamn Mistress of the Winter Constellations.”

The change in disposition was as disconcerting as it was perversely attractive.

She dug the blade into her neck, enough for dark green blood to spill. “Who sent you?”

“They said you had gone soft.” The assassin then laughed and turned her head enough to glare at T’Lyn. “I knew the Mistress joined Starfleet but I never would’ve guessed she’d let a Vulcan [fuck] her.”

T’Lyn was unruffled by the remark, though it was fascinating how much animosity was shared between Vulcans and Orions.

But the uncouth comment earned the assassin retaliation. Tendi’s eyes flashed dangerously in the low light spilling from the cabin and she yanked her head back further while seeming to grind her knee into her back. “Who're you working for?”

The assassin yelled out and gave one last desperate thrash and Tendi sighed and blindly tossed the dagger behind them into the lake. The splash that followed was almost comical in contrast to the origin scene.

Tendi put the assassin into a breath blocking headlock and T’Lyn stepped closer, “Can I be of assistance?”

“That’s okay.” Her tone remained serious and rough.

When the attacker fell limp in her arms, Tendi unceremoniously dropped her to stand, radiating fury. Her gaze was hard though she didn’t meet T’Lyn’s eyes as she walked over to input some codes at the lake house’s panel.

T’Lyn was unsure of what to do but when Tendi turned to face her, she had seemingly reverted to her exuberant self yet there was almost a hesitancy to look at her. Tendi gave her a small smile and she reached out to caress T’Lyn’s bare midsection. “We should probably finish getting dressed before the guards get here.”

T’Lyn didn't understand her shift in mood however it was logical to attempt to enliven her. She placed her hand on Tendi’s to feel her sharp spike in excitement when she tensed the muscles beneath her fingers. Tendi’s eyes danced with amusement and the tension melted from her. T’Lyn fought a smug smile, “Agreed.”

Tendi held her hand and pulled her into the house to resume dressing. Tendi’s ensemble was less complex but they both were slowed by the many accessories.

“Is this my buckle or yours?” Tendi asked holding up the item in question.

T’Lyn indulgently fit it around Tendi’s bicep and it complemented her musculature. “I believe it is yours.”

Tendi blushed dark green. They helped each other with the various fastenings and when the Orion pressed against her and wrapped her arms around her unnecessarily to attach her belt, T’Lyn savored the intimacy.

They were touching, becoming distracted, standing too close considering the guards would arrive at any moment.

And eventually dressed, they exited the cabin just as the guards were carrying the would-be assassin away.

Tendi looped her arm through T’Lyn’s and they walked back to the main house. “Sorry about what she said. Some Orions really have a problem with Vulcans! I hope no one has been too rude while you’ve been here.”

T’Lyn seemed to be a target for Shona’s mocking and suspicion. And the entire estate referred to her only as ‘Miss Vulcan’ despite readily learning Mariner’s name.

Still, T’Lyn informed her, “I am not affected by emotional considerations.” Their slights were inconsequential.

“I love how logical you are.” Tendi pecked her shoulder and T’Lyn’s chin lifted with confidence.

T’Lyn found the steam room pleasing. Tiered wood benches sat on one side of the snug room facing an impressive mosaic mural that decorated the entirety of the wall. She was unaccustomed to the humidity however the warmth was soothing.

The room was private and dedicated solely for the use of the immediate family. As such, they didn't moderate their physical closeness.

Tendi sat on the bench behind her, idly stroking her fingers through T’Lyn’s hair while she rested between her legs. The Orion’s skin against hers was sticky with sweat but she had never disliked the sensation nor the subtle fragrance.

It was difficult to conjure up an example of anything that T’Lyn disliked about Tendi in general. Perhaps her volume? Though in private she did her keep her voice low. Perhaps her tendency to hide significant portions of her background? Her dishonest streak was troubling…

In all the months they talked, Tendi had never mentioned being a powerful figure in Orion culture... She was curious, “Do you appreciate any aspect of your Mistress of the Winter Constellations persona?”

T’Lyn enjoyed Tendi’s soft nature, however her assertive and minacious image was intriguing and tempting. She was unsure if she would find Tendi appealing if that was her prevailing personality, especially in a sexual context, as she didn't think she’d truly enjoy anything as much as their tenderness. Or how heady it was to be the source of Tendi’s pleasure that she so unreservedly expressed. Wearing the hardened mask, she would lose that opportunity.

“She’s confident, she has to be.” Tendi spoke in third person as though she didn't identify as the Mistress. “And that can be useful.”

There was strength in both personas. It was arousing to know she chose to explore space as a scientist with unrestrained and unashamed eagerness yet she could easily command, demand, veneration whenever necessary.

“Indeed. You are formidable.” She agreed.

“Yeah?”

At her prompting, she continued, “The unexpected demonstration of your combat capabilities was arresting.”

Tendi chuckled softly. As her fingertips scraped down her scalp, moving in soothing circles, she asked, “What else do you like about me?”

“Your cleverness, which corresponds with your remarkable intellect.”

“Mm.” Tendi sensually rubbed her hands across T’Lyn’s bare back. “And?”

T’Lyn closed her eyes to further appreciate the sensation. It was only natural to admit next, “Your… enthusiasm for touch.”

“Orions are very physical.” Tendi explained as her fingers kneaded her shoulder muscles with a sure pressure.

“Or is that a quality specific to you?” She challenged.

Tendi leaned forward to wrap herself around her and one hand stroked up and down the swell of her breast. She barely refrained from arching her back at the teasing touch.

“Maybe…” Tendi pressed a kiss to her temple, “Maybe I just love touching you.”

Knowing she couldn’t see her expression, T’Lyn smirked. “That is fortunate as I take pleasure in your gratification.”

“Oh, I know.” Tendi giggled. Her hand reached up to T’Lyn’s chin to guide her to turn so she could press a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

The flush on her cheeks was not due to the heat of the steam.

After the steam room and the oil baths, the two had an afternoon meal with Mariner, who'd planned to join in on the hunks’ daily group workout in an hour. Her motivation for doing so was obvious. Tendi laughed and she promised they’d meet her later.

T’Lyn assumed she and Tendi would take a walk around the grounds.

Instead Tendi asked, “Want to go see what stuff my dad wants me to get rid of?”

It could be an enlightening opportunity to learn the origins of the material items Tendi valued. Her room on the Cerritos held many emotionally charged items, she imagined it'd be similar here. Logically, she should accept the offer to understand her life on Orion.

“I will,” T’Lyn followed Tendi through the large house. “Though I am unsure why the space is required considering the size of the estate.”

“Oh, he’s probably just rearranging stuff. He’s been in retirement from his pillaging job for thirty years.” Once outside they walked towards an adjacent building to the main house.

They arrived at the garage, which housed various sedans and a workbench with tools lining the wall. The box they intended to review the contents of was against the back wall.

“What items have you placed in storage? Are they relics?”

“Just of my past,” Tendi said with a laugh, “I can’t remember what I packed away so it’s going to be a surprise for both of us!”

Tendi retrieved two pillows from a nearby sedan to place on the tiled floor for them to sit on. Side-by-side they opened the box.

Tendi pulled out a strangely shaped device, “Ohhh, so this is where I put that multikey…” She then motioned for T’Lyn to pull something out. “If I remember right, these are things from the year before I went to the Academy! My mom and dad had me move into a smaller room in the house before I left for Earth and I guess I missed unpacking a box.”

T’Lyn pulled out two books, handing one to Tendi while she retained the other. Its cover was soft but plain, giving no indication of what was inside so T’Lyn opened the book to the first page.

It appeared to be a collection of pictures. In the center of the page was a photo of the giant warrior from yesterday, B’eth, and Tendi was hanging onto her back with one arm wrapped around her shoulder. Tendi’s eyes were closed with happiness and she was smiling wide.

T’Lyn admired her carefree expression and when she turned the page, her breath caught.

The first photo showed B’eth smirking at the camera with Tendi kissing her cheek and on the next page was one of them sharing a kiss on the lips. She was smiling against her mouth- she appeared blissed. Had they been in love? Whatever they used to share, clearly Tendi had downplayed their connection and the Vulcan had to suppress the annoyance that burned through her.

“Curious. You were in a romantic relationship with the warrior?” T’Lyn hadn't anticipated that based on what information Tendi had volunteered and she glanced up to see Tendi give her a guilty smile.

“Oh. Yeah… But only for a couple of years!”

Years.

And Tendi had only stated that they were close.

Illogically, her mind instantly flooded with imagined inappropriate situations between the two: Tendi’s hands sliding over her skin, Tendi worshiping her massive muscles, B’eth dominating her and making her keen in pleasure, B'eth witnessing her come undone from her touch, B'eth satisfying her in a way that perhaps T'Lyn couldn't...

“Ah.” There was a hoarseness in her voice, she subtly cleared her throat.

She turned the page and the two were sitting under the blue tree from the courtyard. Tendi sat between B’eth’s legs, resting against her with a book in her hand, and B’eth, perhaps asleep, had a giant arm slung across Tendi’s front. The casual, candid scene offered a glimpse into the depth of their bond.

She disliked it.

T’Lyn felt a flare of some ancient emotions that fueled a desire to fight a perceived competitor. It was not logical.

She said, “You did not disclose that earlier.” But only afterwards questioned if it was too invasive. They did not speak of past relationships.

Yet why had Tendi lied about the nature of her connection with B’eth?

“Well it was a long time ago, I didn’t think I needed to.” She shrugged but she sounded vaguely amused as she continued, “I don’t have any other exes by the way, but why does it matter?”

It was a valid question. T’Lyn was irrationally protective, though she would not admit it. These pictures were from years ago, before they knew each other so she shouldn't assume they're still sentimental photographs. Yet…

“Emotional species often hold illogical attachments that tend to linger.” And when Tendi avoided the admission earlier, it cast doubt on her motivation for doing so.

What logical reason was there to not divulge the truth to T’Lyn? Did she truly believe it was unimportant? Was she embarrassed? Was it to mitigate this awkwardness? To avoid suspicion if they spent time together?

The last rhetorical was nonsensical. T’Lyn and Tendi weren't in an exclusive arrangement. Part of her almost wished she had requested it when they discussed it on Risa, but that would be highly incongruous with their unofficial status and inevitable future.

To request it would be to admit their attachment was deeper than the informal arrangement they shared.

And T’Lyn acknowledged the truth of that.

Yet she had a career to consider. Her objective was to be reinstated to the Vulcan fleet. She couldn't abandon her goals for a romance. She felt the crushing weight of her baggage with that word but it would be the proper term if she were to involve herself with Tendi, who would request that she meet her romantic expectations. Choosing to remain for an intimate relationship would be an emotional decision. And it was as un-Vulcan as one could be.

“Why does that make you uncomfortable?”

T’Lyn recognized Tendi was attempting to coax out the underlying reason. Fortunately, she was as capable of omission, even if she wasn't as practiced as the Orion.

“It would be illogical to cater to nostalgic sentiments.”

Tendi gave her an incredulous look before she huffed, “Okay, T’Lyn.”

She placed the book in the pile to return to Tendi’s room.

Then there was a tense silence between them. It was obvious Tendi was disappointed in her detached answer, so under the pretense of reaching into the box to pull out the next item, T’Lyn shifted closer and put a hand on her thigh.

It didn’t matter what she pulled out, her query would've remained the same: “Fascinating, what is its importance?”

Her gambit was successful. Tendi leaned over to wrap an arm around her waist. She laid her head on her shoulder and launched into an explanation.

Tendi called Madame G to talk and the club owner extended another welcome.

“[Fuck] yeah!” Mariner celebrated, “Holy [shit], this is gonna be awesome!”

T’Lyn had her doubts. “Returning to the nightclub does not seem particularly enjoyable.”

“If you want to stay here T’Lyn, that’s okay.” Tendi offered gently.

Mariner scoffed and threw an arm around T’Lyn’s shoulder. “Sorry T’Lyn but you’re gonna go along for the ride.” Then she gasped, “Tendi, are we doing a hump dungeon too?”

Tendi winced, “I don’t think that’s a good idea Mariner.”

“Oh, come on! Just one lap dance and one cage shower and then we’re out.”

Tendi blushed a dark green, scandalized. “Mariner! You don’t even know what that is!”

“But I want to find the [fuck] out.” Mariner laughed deviously. “T’Lyn at least needs to experience a lap dance.”

“No, I do not.” T’Lyn insisted. She was unfamiliar with what exactly it was but if Mariner was elated by it, she imagined it was quite embarrassing.

Mariner huffed, “But T’Lyn! You’d love it! A big hunk grinding down on you?”

“No.”

“All those muscles flexing right there in front of you?”

“No.”

Tendi snickered at their bickering and cut in, “Mariner, she doesn’t want to but you can.”

“She’ll want one when we’re there, you’ll see.” Mariner promised with a wink.

“Improbable.”

Tendi rolled her eyes. “Alright, but later tonight remember- you asked to go!”

“[Fuck] yeah!” Mariner picked Tendi up into a hug. When she released her, she punched a fist into the air, “This is great! I can’t wait to hit on a baddie at the bar.”

“Oh, you want to, uh, meet someone?” Tendi tried to ask delicately.

Mariner’s answer was unsurprising. “Duh! I’ll make out with a hot Orion.”

“Okay, this has to go,” Tendi unclasped the buckle on Mariner’s leg. Mariner and T’Lyn shared an intrigued look while Tendi dug through a draw until she found two gold bands to fit on her biceps. “There!”

Mariner flexed, the bands fit just under her lean muscle. “Yo, so these are like some Orion code?”

“Yeah, these mean you’re, um, an available option.”

“Fascinating.” T’Lyn noted the similarities between her and Tendi’s outfit: the fastenings on their arms. “And I assume the buckles imply that we are not?”

“Yes…” Her drawn-out answer was unconvincing. T’Lyn kept her face carefully blank despite her displeasure- how many times had she omitted the truth during their visit? “But if you are interested-“

“Negative.”

“More hunks and babes for me!”

Tendi put a hand on Mariner’s shoulders. “So if you see these two gold bands on women, go for it! But that doesn’t apply to the men.”

“Okay.”

T’Lyn found the covert rules interesting.

“The guys will approach you if they’re free and looking. But if they don’t have any gold that usually means they’re not… claimed.”

“Got it. Now let’s get it!”

Tendi snorted at Mariner’s shouts and whistles for an encore. T’Lyn erased her expression before Tendi finally turned to look at her. Her cheeks were a darker green, either embarrassed or bothered by the display and she was smiling in amusement.

“I tried to warn her.” She gave one last squeeze of her thigh before withdrawing her hand as Mariner bounded over.

“Tendi! Holy [shit]! Orion entertainment goes hard.” She cackled at her own joke then held up her hand for a high five. Tendi slapped their palms together with a grin. She slid into the booth on the opposite side, face flushed. “So you never could resist one, huh?”

Tendi blushed and insisted, “She was just kidding! I haven’t-“

“Ever or in a while?” Mariner teased, knowing how to successfully navigate Tendi’s selective truths.

The Orion laughed nervously and avoided the question by taking a shot. Mariner rolled her eyes and then looked to T’Lyn. “So? Are you gonna try it out?”

“No. I observed the spectacle from here.”

“But dude! It’s so different with all that hunk in front of you and you’re in the splash zone!”

Tendi dissolved into giggles while reprehending, “Mariner! Stop! Gross!”

“Says the Mistress of the Cage Showers.”

They roared with laughter and T’Lyn watched, expression flat but amused at their glee.

“Okay, you’ve had your lap dance and cage shower, are you ready to go now?”

Mariner sighed and took one last shot then said, “Yeah, let’s roll. I don’t think anything’s gonna top that. This was like everything I wanted.”

Back on the Cerritos, T'Lyn was failing to meditate through her resentment. She kneeled on the floor of her quarters with a lit candle in front of her and her activated padd beside her. Because she didn't turn in her observations on Orion culture to the High Council, her weekly report was lackluster once again and the representative informed her: “Your productivity is not up to standards.”

T’Lyn suppressed her irritation as she reread the negative assessment. Impulsively she considered rewriting her destroyed notes but it would be illogical and unethical. Why would she break the trust of her closest companion for the Council that banished her, that deemed her insubordinate, unhinged, and recklessly emotional?

She chose to dismiss the message. She selected a separate tab to prepare for her discussion with Tendi regarding their visit to Orion.

Chapter Text

Things had changed between them since their adventure on Orion.

Tendi’s bravery and her impressive combat abilities were highly admirable; her background also explained her high pain tolerance and secret talents. And even when her sense of moral duty waivered petulantly, it was almost endearing. Her persona as the Mistress of the Winter Constellations, though appearing to be a source of embarrassment for Tendi, was surprisingly attractive.

Yet despite her indisputable gravitas on Orion, she chose to leave her home to pursue her passions and T’Lyn found Tendi’s dedication to science was her most impressive trait. She defied the expectations applied to her by her own people to simply be herself: a charming, eager, brilliant Starfleet scientist scanning anything she could.

However not everything from the trip was positive. She'd been unnerved by Shona's manipulative mimicry but even more displeasing was that before their adventure, she considered Tendi too scrupulous to be dishonest yet... Tendi had often interjected to the contrary of T’Lyn’s more obvious observations on Orion culture. She understood her distain for generalizations however T'Lyn's notes were regarding her experience on the planet. It seemed cavalier for Tendi dismiss the reality of Orion, even if she was ashamed by it.

Far more concerning was how she'd lied about personal details. It was unfortunate to realize how frequently Tendi casually manipulated the truth.

And it was now a source of discomfort for T’Lyn.

Though she could often instinctively know when Tendi wasn't being truthful due to her changes in tone or posture, T’Lyn wanted honesty. She’d studied and analyzed these instances for a pattern and every known incident could be traced to what she assumed was Tendi’s need to ‘save face’. Egos. The downfall of many.

She understood the irrational behavior of those that don't practice Logic, but Tendi should have no reason to lie to her. Meaning, she wanted from Tendi what that lack of posturing represented: that T’Lyn would accept her truth in spite of any repercussions that may follow. She wanted Tendi’s trust.

So she planned to discuss the matter with Tendi and had prepared data. The Vulcan woman held her padd to her chest after she rang the door chime.

“Enter friend!”

The door opened with quiet whoosh and Tendi stood from her place on the floor next to ‘Goopy’, her gelatinous creature in a beaker.

“Hi T’Lyn!”

“Greetings.” T’Lyn, not wanting anything to come between them, now held her padd behind her back. “D'Vana," it was a pleasurable experience to say her elegant name for the first time. "We must discuss a serious matter.”

Her green eyes widened in alarm. T’Lyn could hear the increase in her heart rate. “Yeah?”

“I have observed a troubling pattern of behavior and wish to remedy this. You frequent falsehoods,” Tendi’s eyes flashed at the analysis but she continued, “And although I understand this to be a part of Orion culture, I request that, within my presence at least, you commit to truthfulness.”

“T’Lyn!” Tendi erupted, taking a step forward. Her eyebrows were drawn together, anger apparent. “Why do you keep doing this? That’s not- Orions aren’t just liars!”

“I apologize if I offended you.” And their discussion did sound familiar, but she was certain in her observations of Tendi. "My assessment was based on our time on Orion." Still, it occurred to her, “I suppose your father’s statement on the frequency of dishonesty could have been a falsehood too. Fascinating.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away, “Well I’m not going to lie to you though.”

T’Lyn handed off her padd with examples: she’d put the cave in incident at the top, since that had been a senseless lie of omission. She included mostly incidents on the Cerritos but there was no denying the sheer number of prevarications she'd tried to pass as truth on Orion. "You made a list?" Tendi scrolled, frowning deeply.

“As you can see, there have been multiple instances. And while others may simply be accustomed to your recurrent dishonesty or even find your unimportant mendacity endearing; I do not. I request integrity and reliability. Even if you believe the truth is contrary to my sentiments or ‘damages your reputation’.” She verbally airquoted for Tendi’s benefit.

“You really think I'm just a liar... These aren't even a big deal!” Tendi's eyes were narrowed as she forcefully shoved the padd into T’Lyn’s chest for her to take. All their previous disagreements were resolved peacefully with difficult conversations. The aggression distressed T’Lyn. She’d only known her lover to be gentle- though she had witnessed this hostile side of her aimed at others.

She hadn't anticipated such a negative response. Vulcans logically strived to improve themselves but perhaps confronting the Orion's shortcomings was causing her to feel attacked while vulnerable and she naturally lashed out. This was not her intention. “Tendi, I believe that your anger is misplaced.”

“I don’t see anyone else calling me a [fuck]ing liar!” She yelled, her hand sharply gestured to her otherwise empty room. The other stayed clenched at her side. She seemed to shake in anger. It was concerning. T'Lyn had, too many times, experienced Tendi upset. Irritated during the singularity. Hurt on Risa. But never truly angry. Logic could not be called upon to predict her next move.

She thought back to their time on Orion and how Tendi had told her it was false that Orions do not primarily resolve disputes with violence. Was this another deception? It had appeared accurate based on their stay. Tendi may sway her emotions in many ways but never to violence.

Even off of Orion, she'd witnessed Tendi fight with Rutherford, often merely a shove or a debilitating hold since she didn't want to actually hurt her friend. And though Tendi only yelled at Mariner or Boimler, she respected their ability to withstand her fury.

It was unpleasant.

“Raising your voice is unnecessary.” She kept her tone even despite her own perturbation, “I do not appreciate this emotional reaction.”

Tendi’s teeth ground together before she snapped, "I can't just detach from my emotions like you can T'Lyn! You think I'm just some lowlife Orion! And I'm angry! And I'm trying really hard not to [fuck]ing lose it but, ugh!"

T’Lyn kept her expression carefully blank even as she wondered how this discussion had escalated so badly. This was intended to be a reasonable request. Had she not been concise enough again? “Perhaps I should have-”

"No." Tendi interrupted her with a scoff, “I can’t [fuck]ing do this right now,” and bent down to grab the gelatinous creature in the beaker and she held it tight to her. She stormed out, bodily pushing past her, “I gotta go.”

T’Lyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath to suppress her confusion and displeasure. The conversation hadn't concluded as expected and it was troubling. She predicted that Tendi would comply with her request once she overcame her illogical defensiveness. However it made her question if their attraction and overall compatibility was enough to begin deliberating whether the Orion could be an appropriate mate. Would it be worth all of the inevitable emotions?

T'Lyn never felt more Vulcan, a model stoic compared to her unfettered expressiveness, yet further from her religion than when she interacted with Tendi. Tendi so unreservedly showed her emotions; she had no rules of suppression to follow. Her unrestricted affection was intoxicating. Her exuberance endearing. Her happiness contagious. She basked in her warmth. Tendi caused her to feel so many, usually, positive and powerful emotions...

It was illogical to continuously involve herself with an attachment that could compromise her careful control, yet so far she was unwilling to abandon their arrangement. It seemed dishonorable to do so now. Their bond was significant to her.

Still. Tendi's reaction was not ideal.

She stood in Tendi’s empty room for a moment before exiting and making her way back to her quarters to meditate using kal-toh. Most likely alone. T’kon and Junga usually declined her request to play as they favored life drawing or meditating in silence.

Once she completed a round or two, she could find a project to work on until her scheduled meal time.

T’Lyn replicated her meal and looked over at the beta shift table. The group was boisterous as ever, though she heard a tightness to Tendi’s laugh. T’Lyn was no stranger to meals alone. She didn't enjoy the company of her coworkers on the Sh’vhal as they didn't enjoy hers. But this was different. This group had welcomed her with relentless socialization and did their utmost to ensure she didn't feel like an outcast.

Illogically, she felt her throat tighten a bit at the thought of losing her group’s camaraderie. She'd become dangerously accustomed to feeling like she belonged.

“T’Lyn! Get that fine Vulcan ass over here girl!” Mariner hollered from across the cantina, waving an arm above her head.

T’Lyn tamped down her relief. She walked over to sit next to Mariner. Unfortunately, this put her in direct eye contact with Tendi across the table. Normally this was her preferred seating arrangement as she enjoyed looking at the Orion but currently…

A flash of emotion shined in her green eyes before she averted them, pouting as she leaned forward towards her food. It was an improvement that she was no longer angry, but the situation was troublesome- they needed to talk through the disagreement soon. She was clearly still upset.

“Greetings.” She said to the others, suppressing her emotions regarding Tendi’s sustained withdraw that she felt partially responsible for.

“Sup, T’Lyn.” Boimler was attempting to be ‘cool’ again. “How was science stuff today?”

“Routine yet stimulating.” T’Lyn took a sip of her water.

They all looked to Tendi to elaborate like she usually did with overwhelming enthusiasm but the Orion remained focused on pushing around her food on her plate.

“Okay… Well Mariner, Ruthie, and I were just telling Tendi about bridge duty.”

“Yeah! Q showed up, it was crazy!” Rutherford exclaimed, “Does he bother Vulcan ships? Anyway, he transported the whole bridge crew to an alternate dimension where we had to make chalk-sterpieces about math. It took forever! The ship was on autopilot for like an entire shift and no one noticed!”

They three shared a laugh, falling into each other as they incoherently brought up what she presumed were ‘inside jokes.’

She pointed out. “It is an automatic pilot. It should be unassuming and steady.”

“Yeah, but gamma shift was so confused when we all got transported back covered in chalk dust!” Boimler’s voice shook with his laughter.

Mariner held out her hands, which were patchily covered in the substance. “We’re scrappy! We don’t wash our hands.” This caused Boimler and Rutherford to fall into another round of laughter.

T’Lyn truly didn’t know what to say. Sometimes the unpredictability of their conversations made her feel like she was trapped in a rogue AI’s holodeck program.

Mariner’s hands then fell and her eyes flicked between Tendi and T’Lyn. “Did… Did something happen today?”

“Oof, don’t tell me you got stuck in a mirror universe.” Rutherford shuddered, “It’s always so hard to go back to normal after seeing things you shouldn’t.”

She raised an eyebrow at him, assuming he spoke from experience. “No.”

The three looked between each other, having some secret wordless conversation with various facial expressions, eye movement, and noises. T’Lyn tried to focus on consuming her broth but their shenanigans were difficult to ignore.

Finally Tendi slid out of the booth with a huff, “I need to go throw some clay.” She took her tray and slammed it into the replicator’s waste container. Perhaps she was still irritated...

The three watched her leave and then their attention snapped to T’Lyn.

“Okay, spill.” Mariner invaded her personal space, leaning in and pressing her knees into her thigh. “We haven’t seen Tendi this pissed off since Rutherford said he wanted to paint their stupid little Bird of Prey model blue instead of green.”

“Ugh, last weekend was the worst.” Rutherford rolled his eyes, “I’m glad we could use the Mark Twain holodeck program to come to a compromise. 0B5C58 was such a great idea!”

“Yo, weren’t you forbidden from using that [shit] program?”

“Technically yes and I got an official warning from Shaxs but it was worth it.”

“So that’s why I got a warning. Boo, I was hoping they’d give us both a freebie.”

“Oh man, I had no idea that’d get you in trouble too-”

“Dorks, focus.”

T’Lyn put her spoon down. “I am the source of Tendi’s ire.” She admitted, hoping to gain their perspective. “I have observed in the months of my posting a total of thirty certifiable falsehoods from her, albeit the majority were inconsequential. With some notable exceptions,” she amended. “I requested Tendi to be more truthful and she has not taken it lightly. I fear… Perhaps I lacked the appropriate tact for conveying my intentions when we spoke.”

“Aww dude no,” Mariner put a hand on her shoulder. “It sounds like she’s overreacting.”

Rutherford looked down at the table as he said, “She thinks she’s the public image of all of Orion for Starfleet so she tries so hard to be perfect.”

“I agree with this assessment.”

“And you called her out.” Boimler winced as he thought about it. “Geez, no wonder she’s all bent out of shape.”

“Tendi does have a short fuse.” Rutherford agreed with his roommate.

Boimler laughed, “Oh yeah, she’s a powder keg with all that simmering rage barely contained under her lovable exterior. But she’s a complete badass ‘cause instead of being a jerk all the time, it’s only every once in a while!”

“And when she is nice, she’s the sweetest person ever! So, you know, pretty well rounded.”

“And she’s totally going to calm down about this.” Mariner moved around the corner of the booth to sit next to T'Lyn, “Here, let me out. I’ll go talk to her.”

Mariner had never seen the pottery room this empty. Just one figure sat hunched over her spinning table, muttering under her breath.

“Scooch over, D.”

Tendi glanced up, looking equally miserable and annoyed, and slid over on the small bench. Mariner sat with one of her buttcheeks hanging off but Tendi usually responded better to physical closeness.

“I get it, baby girl. I’d be fuming too.” It was never fun to be called out. She’d probably be in the brig from whatever scene she would’ve caused if someone called her out on her own destructive tendencies.

With T’Lyn’s flat tone and unemotional nature, she could imagine how condescending their talk had accidentally sounded. Mariner wrapped an arm around Tendi’s waist and rested her head on her shoulder. “But she’s Vulcan dude. They’ve got all these noble standards. It’s actually why I’ve never dated one.”

Tendi nearly squished the pot she was working on between her hands. Her voice quavered as she insisted, “We’re not dating.”

Mariner pulled back in time to see her dark green blush. She smirked, “Ooo, I know, but I’m guessing you’ve thought about it though?”

Tendi blushed harder and lifted a shoulder. “How could I not? She’s so smart, and pretty, and can circumvent system defenses effortlessly, and we’ve been through so much...” Then she scoffed, “But she thinks I’m a [fuck]ing liar just ‘cause I bend the truth every now and then!”

She slammed her fist down onto the vase. “Ugh! I feel like I have ants crawling on my heart! It hurts! I can’t reach the itch!” Her frustration petered out with an unhappy sigh. “Why can’t I do anything right? No wonder she doesn’t like me.”

“Okay chill, D. No need to spiral.” Mariner grabbed her clay messy hands and grinned. “I have an idea. Let’s keep talking over some sparring. Or if you don’t want to talk at least you get to kick some butt and I get a good workout.”

Tendi gave her a small smile back. “You’re a good friend Mariner.”

T’Lyn looked at her reflection in the mirror. The fluffy graying-blonde wig sat perfectly atop her head with her edges glued down like Mariner explained. The thick matching eyebrows arched to match her sharp Vulcan eyebrows. Finally, she placed the big fuzzy mustache under her nose and the hair completely covered her mouth and most of her cheeks.

Her current outfit was unlike anything she’d ever worn before. The white linen suit pants were slightly loose but comfortable. The silk undershirt and white vest with the many complicated fastenings was more form fitting. At least the long suit jacket was reminiscent of Vulcan robes however she would prefer to omit the limp bowtie.

This was the required attire for Mr. Rutherford and Boimler’s convoluted scheme. It seemed highly illogical but perhaps it was necessary and she was grateful for their intervention. Tendi hadn’t looked at her outside of a professional obligation since yesterday and it was unpleasant. While Tendi was certainly responding emotionally, T’Lyn felt some responsibility due to her inadequate approach.

Logically, she should attempt to resolve this incongruity so their arrangement could continue. Tendi’s presence in her life was far more positive than negative. More so, this episode highlighted just how entrenched they were with each other- how deep T’Lyn's attachment to her was. Every other quarrel they had reconciled from, no matter who was to blame, made their bond stronger and together they could continue to improve their communication. They could recalibrate from this if Tendi would accept her terms.

She exited her room to make her way to Holodeck Three as per Mariner’s instructions. An Ensign tripped over himself as he walked past her, staring at her the whole time. One or two other coworkers completely stopped to gawk at her.

Boimler and Mr. Rutherford stood at the archway, chests puffed out and talking in loud, strange accents.

“Mighty fine of you to join us,” Boimler made what she presumed to be the sound of laughter.

“After you, my dear gentleman.” Mr. Rutherford waved his arm and the archway opened.

She stepped into the holodeck’s materialization of a river boat from Earth’s history. She felt the gentle swaying of the deck under her feet. They walked into the busy bar area where holograms were drinking and laughing and the tinkling of a piano played in the background.

She scanned the room and her breath faltered for a moment when she laid eyes on Tendi. Her green skin glowed, bright and shocking, like a rare bioluminescent flower, against the ridiculous white outfit. Even with the bushy eyebrows and thick mustache that dominated her normally soft face, she looked striking.

Rutherford gestured to the empty seat next to Tendi. As she settled, she noted the impressive view out of the window at the rolling coast as they slowly cruised up the river.

Boimler bowed lightly in front of them. “Gentlemen, I thank you kindly for joining us in this noble endeavor to reach an understanding without any lingering resentment.”

Rutherford pulled out a tobacco pipe from his front pocket to use as a prop. “Now you two’ve been bickerin’ like stuffy businessmen and it’s high time to settle it.”

“Weave your delicate feelin’s out in the open like a spider’s captivating web.”

“And I say, remember your decorum gentlemen!” Mr. Rutherford put a hand on Boimler’s shoulder, “We’ll be on the top deck, admirin’ the grace of America if’n you do require our services further.”

The bartender came by just in time to give them each a glass of whiskey and they clicked their drinks together jovially and left, guffawing so strangely that even the holodeck characters stopped to stare.

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow as they left and turned to face Tendi, who also seemed really unsure of this. “This is highly illogical.” She muttered before she cleared her throat. She aimed to mimic their accent and deepen her tone, “I-“

Tendi’s bushy eyebrows were to her hairline as she looked to her to continue. However, T’Lyn was unfamiliar with these references that seemed to fuel the purpose of the holodeck; they both would be, neither were from Earth.

Wholly out of her comfort zone but wanting to try, she drawled out. “I… do not know how to proceed.” She stressed and stretched syllables like Boimler and Rutherford did and Tendi giggled quietly.

“I, uh, reckon-” the word was forced out, foreign on her tongue and hesitant, “I don’t either.” Tendi ducked her head in embarrassment and in her regular voice continued, “Ugh, this won’t work. Maybe we should just-”

As Tendi stood up from her chair, T’Lyn stood too but said in her normal cadence, “I do wish to converse with you.”

“Without the goofy accent?”

“Preferably.”

Tendi’s laugher was like a soothing balm. Perhaps they would be okay. She sat back down with a sigh, ripping off her wig in a fluid motion to worry the edge in her hands. T’Lyn sat too, gaze focused on the Orion. The quiet settled over them again but she could tell Tendi needed a moment to collect her thoughts.

Finally, she said, still staring down at the wig, “It’s really hard being the only Orion on board. When I was first being stationed here, I went through fifteen interviews with Security to make sure I wasn’t going to be a double-agent and steal the ship or something. Even after graduating top of my class at the Academy… We have such a bad reputation so I try to paint Orions in the best light to prove the stereotypes wrong.”

T’Lyn recalled her own harmful assumptions about Tendi when she first arrived on the Cerritos months ago and how greatly Tendi disliked when she called her culture into reference.

“And sometimes I omit details about a few things or I bend the truth because I don’t want you or anyone to have negative judgements about Orions or me.” Tendi looked up, her green eyes shining bright. “I care about you and your opinion. You're amazing and I just want you to like me...”

Tendi’s eyes flicked down at T’Lyn’s hand like she wanted to reach out but she met her gaze again as she continued, “I’m sorry I overreacted about all this. I shouldn't have yelled or gotten so defensive. You’re right of course. I do need to be more honest. You’ve never lied to me and I shouldn’t lie to you, no matter how harmless it seems to me. I hope you can forgive me.”

T’Lyn appreciated her earnest speech. Tendi’s admiration of her was open and freely given. But it was not missed by her that she still struggled to accept T’Lyn wasn't just her lover but her friend. Surely Tendi knew she held her in high regards...

“Your apology is accepted.” T'Lyn enjoyed how her green eyes lit up. "As well, I wish to assure to you that I respect you, Tendi."

Tendi pulled T’Lyn to her feet and into a hug. She instantly felt lighter when she lifted one arm to wrap around her. Before they got too caught up in their reconciliation, T’Lyn had one more thing she needed to mention.

“In retrospect, I should have anticipated how difficult a conversation that was. I recognize too that my phrasing may have been inadequate. I apologize for the distress my unclear reasoning caused.”

“What do you mean?” Tendi pulled back to look at her. Her hands loosely gripped T’Lyn’s arms, not letting her leave their embrace yet.

“I stated that you needed to be trustworthy yet that was- I intended to convey that I understand your fear of judgement. However, I would like you to feel as though you could tell me anything. Ultimately, I sought your trust.”

“Aww!” Tendi tackled her into a hug. Both of T’Lyn’s arms wrapped around her and she allowed herself to enjoy the affection. “But apology not accepted.” T’Lyn stiffened in her embrace in surprise as her words misaligned with her actions. “Because this whole thing was totally my fault and I’m so sorry for everything.”

“Your first apology was sufficient.” T’Lyn bumped the side of their heads together and mimicked Tendi’s tight hold. Suddenly she heard Tendi’s breath hitch and felt her shoulders shaking against her body. T’Lyn pulled back to examine what the issue was and her heart constricted at the sight of Tendi’s tears.

Most illogical.

Tendi sniffed and said in a watery voice, “Sorry, I’m just so happy! I hate fighting with you.”

From that, T’Lyn inferred that their reunion meant so much to Tendi, she could only express her relief via tears. It was incredible to witness.

T’Lyn reached up to wipe a tear from her freckled cheek; her green skin so smooth under her thumb. From that short brush of skin, Tendi’s powerful feelings danced along her connection.

“So emotional…” Despite observing Tendi experience an impressive range of the emotional scale in the last half-hour, she felt the corner of her lips curve up slightly, overcome with fondness. She rested two fingers against her cheek to savor the warm sentiments that flowed through their link.

She had never felt this level of affection for anyone. The attachment she felt for the Orion was intoxicating and it complicated her future plans.

Tendi, already so close, was leaning forward, eyes still shimmering. She could read the intention and she fell victim to the magnetic pull between them. Kissing was a comfort, a pleasurable experience. They'd kissed plenty of times before, but those were with sexual connotations: a pleasant means to a satisfying end. However she was aware it could hold different implications in charged situations like this. She knew she shouldn't entertain this deeper affection until a decision on her career was finalized. Yet she rested their foreheads together against all Logic. Their connection swirled her thoughts into a dizzying, illogical desire. She couldn't deny the mutual want to convey their current feelings, a wordless hint of their evolving bond.

Tendi’s eyes closed and she tilted her chin up. Their breaths mingled and all it would take was the smallest movement for their lips to meet. She decided to give in, to let herself kiss her.

Then the archway opened behind her, making them jump apart in alarm. Captain Freeman entered with Shaxs and Ransom at either side and they struck a heroic pose before Freeman ordered, “Computer, end program.”

The holodeck’s image faded away and left them standing in a black and yellow gridded room. T’Lyn and Tendi side by side stood at attention, both flushed dark green. They must’ve looked ridiculous in their current outfits. Behind her, she heard Boimler mutter, “We are so screwed.”

“You two! The brig! Now!” Captain Freeman pointed at the boys. “I specifically forbid you from this [shit].”

“Captain,” Tendi spoke up. Her Mark Twain wig sat on the floor but she still wore her thick eyebrows and mustache. Somehow she looked even more out of place. “They were just helping us work through something.”

“It’s fine if you two run it.” Freeman waved off their explanation and snapped her fingers.

Shaxs and Ransom set their sights on their targets. Shaxs picked up Rutherford with both arms and held him against his chest. “Sorry baby bear.” Meanwhile Ransom threw Boimler over his shoulder and began to do deep lunges and counting his reps.

Freeman nodded at the Science officers. “As you were, gentlemen.”

The bridge crew exited with Rutherford and Boimler pleading for mercy and then the archway closed and left them standing in the inactive holodeck.

“This ship is odd.” It was a generous understatement.

Tendi nodded in agreement as she removed her facial hair and eyebrows. “Do you want to stay? I think they had the holodeck reserved for another thirty minutes.”

She did want to continue the positive social interaction that they’d built today. “Computer, load program T’Lyn 5050.”

A tropical beach suddenly surrounded them. Krog on the Rocks’s vibe tube hits played lowly from the radio in the sand. Waves rolled in but they were high enough up the beach to avoid the water just yet. Tendi gasped and immediately fell to her knees to scoop up the sand. “My favorite!” She cheered, “We can build another sandcastle!”

“Indeed.” T'Lyn found her enthusiasm endearing and she was pleased at her satisfaction.

“But first, we should probably-“ Tendi stood up and shrugged off her suit jacket. Now in just the form fitting vest and undershirt, T’Lyn drank in the attractive sight. Then Tendi stepped in front of her and placed a hand on the top of her chest. “Here, let me.”

She pulled the itchy wig off of T’Lyn and threw it by hers in the sand. She knew her hair probably looked disheveled but she was immobile, hands clasped behind her back. She let Tendi do what she was going to do to her as always, so willingly. She relished her tender attention. A green hand came up to partially block her vision to carefully pull one eyebrow off and then another. Then finally she peeled off the mustache.

“Much better.” Tendi giggled as the offending facial hair was thrown into the pile.

“I concur.” She suppressed the urge to smirk. “Thank you.”

Tendi smiled gently. Her hand fell from T’Lyn’s chest finally breaking the trance. Tendi then sat on the sand but then pat the ground beside her as an invitation. T’Lyn shed her own suit jacket and sat on her knees next to her.

“So what kind of sandcastle should we make?”

Chapter Text

It had been a highly unusual evening. They normally only sought each other out after Tendi’s first rest but given the intensity of the latest away mission, she requested cuddling to assist in falling asleep. T’Lyn acquiesced her need for solace following the stressful day.

So T’Lyn laid in bed with Tendi, who was, as always, using her as a pillow. Instead of her usual position on her shoulder, the Orion had chosen to sleep lower with her ear to her heart. Endearingly, she had said it was a comfort to listen to. And then before she had fallen asleep, she had laced their fingers together loosely.

Maintaining the empathetic connection while she slept was new, however T’Lyn had been enjoying the peacefulness of her sleeping so she hadn’t broken her hold.

It wasn’t wise and T’Lyn feared the implications.

She wasn’t supposed to encourage a deeper affection, one without sexual connotations, but this was hardly the first time they had physically comforted each other without having sex. And once she had rationalized the first misstep, it was easy to fall into the pattern of behavior.

Still, she didn’t want to say no to Tendi when she asked. Instinctually, it felt wrong to even consider. She wanted to comfort her. Her emotional wellbeing was important and T’Lyn’s attachment to her only continued to grow.

It was hard to even admit what she knew her affliction was.

Because love was dangerous.

She had been warned of the perils of passion all her life. Without the proper Logic, it was the gateway to other harmful, powerful emotions: jealousy, shame, rage, grief… Those erratic emotions were far harder to control and suppress, which was why Vulcans sought logical partnerships rather than passionate romances.

She had already experienced jealousy during their time on Orion. The illogical possessiveness had been unpleasant and it was disagreeable to be reduced to such a base emotion.

She had no interest in suffering the others.

Yet she could not fault their bond. Their affection was logical and mutually beneficial. And despite what Vulcan society might think, Tendi would make an appropriate mate. She was undoubtedly emotional- cheerful and kind, fiery and sensitive- however she was not a detriment to T’Lyn’s control at least in that regard.

Rather their status was what impaired T’Lyn’s emotions on Orion. When she had analyzed her thoughts that triggered the jealousy, it simplified to a lack of security. Which would not be the case had they established themselves.

So her concerns over the hazards of love could be, at least partially, dismissed with the simple implementation of a courtship.

Though, irrefutably, a formal relationship with her would not be without its challenges. Yet even through their various ordeals, Tendi was steadfast in her efforts to preserve and strengthen their unintended affection. T’Lyn was certain Tendi would not capitulate to stressors of an official relationship should they pursue one.

And logically, that would be their next step if she weren’t endeavoring to be reinstated.

As it were.

The situation was… complicated and, currently, unresolvable. Rather than dissect her options, she chose to be productive and study more mission logs. So T’Lyn suppressed the mounting apprehension for her future.

She took a deep breath and focused on Tendi’s tranquility. Then on the amusing awareness that Tendi’s drool was soaking into her tank top.

T’Lyn carefully maneuvered to pick up her padd on the bedside table without disturbing the Orion. The attempt was made more difficult due to not wanting to break their connection. However once she was able to secure the padd, she continued her reading.

T’Lyn had selected the logs of the crew of Deep Space Nine. The disasters that had struck were fascinating: Cardassian aphasia, a stolen symbiont, Zanthi fever, a self-destruct sequence. And even more remarkable were the reckless solutions the crew enacted. It was against all probability that the space station would survive the Dominion War.

She had yet to arrive to the point in history of the war. The current stardate she was reading featured a visiting Trill science team attempting to generate an artificial wormhole. It should prove to be an interesting endeavor.

While she read, Tendi’s fingers twitched in hers and, knowing she was asleep, T’Lyn illogically brushed her thumb across her hand.

T’Lyn was on the bridge at the Science station analyzing the probe scans of the M-class planet Errikang VII. Its axil tilt combined with being the furthest away from their class-A sun meant the away team was contacting the planetary government during their six-year long night season.

It wasn't technically first contact with the populace but the original efforts were impeded by Q, who had even wiped all data concerning the planet. After having read the Enterprise-D mission logs, T’Lyn concluded he had done so simply to aggravate Captain Picard.

Tendi’s data packet arrived at the terminal and considering the size of the file, she assumed the Orion had been relentlessly scanning while Ops negotiated their admission into the Federation.

“Ransom to the bridge. Captain, we’ve completed the paperwork and are returning.”

“Excellent. Freeman out.” Then Captain Freeman asked the bridge crew, “Any chance we can set up communications for them while we’re here?”

The Cerritos only had fabrications for installation of ground communications which wasn't an option so T’Lyn responded, “Negative, Captain.”

“Yeah, sorry Captain, with their atmosphere we’d need to build a satellite.” Billups added.

T’Lyn felt an inexplicable panic- it was distant and muted and not her own- that she had to suppress a moment preceding Billups reporting, “Captain! The Yosemite’s experienced a power drain.”

Tendi was part of the away team. Was she the source of the emotional surge? That was concerning, she mused until she observed the dangerous depletion. From a quick calculation, the shuttle had a mere 3.1 seconds before they'd be on backup power. Perhaps it was-

Backup power drained at 500% the level of the primary systems. T’Lyn’s eyes widened in alarm as the shuttle suffered a total loss of power.

“Life supports are down!” Billups flew into action on his console.

The Captain tapped her combadge, “Lundy! Lock onto personnel, beam them directly into sickbay.”

The bridge fell into a silence as they looked out of the view screen at the drifting shuttle.

“Energizing!”

“We’ve got’em Captain.” Doctor T’Ana reported from the comms.

T’Lyn was relieved but pushed the emotion aside when the Captain ordered, “Barnes, use our tractor beam and bring the shuttle into the repair bay. Billups, send someone down to figure out what happened. T’Lyn, go check it out as well. This has science mystery written all over it.”

“Yes Captain.”

It would've been illogical for T’Lyn to divert her course to sickbay to inquire on the conditions of the away team so she continued to the repair hanger. Life supports hadn't been down long enough to harm the occupants though whatever caused the drain could've negatively affected them…

But that was unlikely as the ship hadn't recorded any cosmic anomalies. It was indeed a mystery and not the only one.

As T’Lyn awaited the shuttle, she tried to tap into the source of the strange panic she felt earlier. Even veiled and distant, she could confirm that the feelings were reminiscent of Tendi’s. How had she established an empathetic link to her?

“Hey T’Lyn!” Rutherford greeted as he entered the hanger. “A level-1 diagnostic! This is gonna be great!”

It was obvious why Tendi had chosen to befriend the Engineer- their elevated level of enthusiasm was a significant trait to share.

“Indeed.”

Rutherford readied his implant for scanning. “Wow! Whatever happened drained everything.” He then laughed, “I can’t wait to check out the systems!”

She considered the possibility his cybernetics were influencing his excitable personality although the Vulcan implant should logically suppress his emotions. Then, amusingly, she questioned if Tendi’s choice to pursue a friendship was influenced by his enthusiasm or simply the fact that the implant was of Vulcan origins. She did have a clear preference...

Finally, the shuttle eased into the hanger and they began their analyses, though she did need to tune out his constant muttering and singing. As well, she would need to restore minimal power in order to access the last readings on the panel- the data might reveal more information.

As she exited the shuttle to begin the charging, Tendi and Mariner walked into the bay.

T’Lyn’s attention flicked over to inspect Tendi for injuries yet that was not logical. She'd already visited sickbay and even if she sustained any damage, it would most likely not leave physical evidence.

“Yo!” Mariner nodded at the shuttle, “Did you figure it out?”

“I must restore power before I can analyze the system.” T’Lyn then asked Tendi, perhaps she would know. “Are you aware of any anomalous readings prior to the incident?”

“No, but I wasn’t at the helm.” Illogically, she appeared apologetic. “I was transmitting my data.”

“Mariner?” T’Lyn had to turn back towards the vehicle as Mariner had begun to unload crates from within the shuttle.

“Yeah I dunno, it was weird. The systems just went down.”

She expected Mariner wouldn’t have been aware- the human was nonchalant and purposefully inattentive until a disaster required her commanding skills.

Mr. Rutherford shouted from inside the shuttle, “There’s gotta be a reason hiding here somewhere!”

Mariner toted a small crate in her arms, probably gifts from the planet that she wished to keep for herself, and said, “Well good luck!” and then left the bay.

Now practically alone besides Rutherford’s grumbling, she asked her lover, “Were you injured?”

“No,” Tendi assured softly. “Lundy transported us before we even had time to worry about oxygen.”

She assumed as much. T’Lyn nodded, pleased to know she was healthy, before she resumed setting up the charging; it wouldn't be a time-consuming process.

“Do you need help running diagnostics, Rutherford?” Tendi offered, stepping into the shuttle.

“Come check out these readings!”

T’Lyn had returned to the Science station to analyze the readings. There was a slight inexplicable increase in gravitons, but otherwise the shuttle had been operating as normal until the power began to leak at a rapid rate.

Tendi returned to the bridge an hour later. “We couldn’t find anything wrong with the shuttle, it was so weird.”

“You verified the central power linkages?”

“Yeah!” She wore a confused frown as she moved to stand next to her. “It’s like the power just-“

All systems went offline at once and the bridge fell into darkness. T’Lyn felt Tendi grab her sleeve only to release her when the power was restored.

Captain Freeman emerged from her ready room. “Report.”

“We’re checking the systems now, Captain.” Billups activated his combadge. “Livik?”

“I’m running diagnostics sir. That surge took reserves down to 90%.”

T’Lyn ran a scan of the ship and Tendi gasped and pointed at the power transfer system. “A graviton flux!”

It was a low-level one however, “You are correct. Our power was converted.”

“I’m going to start running simulations.” Tendi split off onto the panel next to hers.

Meanwhile T’Lyn attempted to isolate the origination of the flux. There was a high probability that whatever had affected the Yosemite was now happening to the Cerritos so she concentrated on analyzing the systems in the repair bay to see if there was anything anomalous.

Yet, “I cannot identify anything unusual utilizing the internal sens-oars.”

Then there was another fluctuation. Tendi gently crashed into her in a frenzied effort to see the current readings on T’Lyn’s screen. Since their physical closeness could be explained by the emergency, T’Lyn saw no logical reason to move away from her. “It appeared to be a focused graviton pulse.”

“The graviton field is increasing…” Tendi glided a hand through her hair and T’Lyn felt the echoes of her spike in stress.

“Red alert.” Then Captain Freeman paced across the bridge, “Billups? Any day now.”

“I’ve only got bad news, Captain. Life support systems will fail in a couple of hours and that’s only if there aren’t any more power drains.”

The probability of which was low.

Captain Freeman’s frustration bled into her next question, “And we have no idea what’s causing it?”

“Sorry Captain.”

Tendi put a hand on T’Lyn’s shoulder, “If you can’t find the source as it is now, what if we made the power drain easier to detect?”

“How so?” It was a worthwhile proposition.

“We could use ionized tritium gas! And we could trace the particle flow!”

T’Lyn was impressed as she calculated the probability of success with Tendi’s resourceful idea.

Boimler interjected nervously, “Um, tritium is super toxic, right?”

“Only at highly concentrated levels.” T’Lyn corrected him before she informed the Captain, “Releasing the gas throughout the ship at one part per million should suffice to locate the drain utilizing a scan without harming the crew.”

“Do it.” Captain Freeman ordered.

She could feel the hint of Tendi’s excitement, her determination. They were undoubtedly linked somehow…

T’Lyn modified the biofilters to temporarily ignore the tritium gas while Tendi coded the strategic release. Once the biofilters were altered, T’Lyn helped her with the calculations.

“We’ve got hull fractures, Captain.” Billups updated with concern.

“Ladies, how long until we can start the scan?”

T’Lyn observed the sections of the ship that weren't yet at the appropriate level then said, “Approximately five minutes, Captain.”

Tendi bit her lower lip. “But I think we need to shut down power, the graviton field has increased by 60%.”

With the continual increase, the hull fractures would only worsen until failure.

“Put life support on emergency power, take everything non-essential offline.” Captain Freeman ordered. The lights dimmed in the bridge. T’Lyn monitored their power levels as the graviton field level steadied.

Then Barnes reported, “Um, Captain, we’re being pulled back towards the planet.”

T’Lyn looked up from the panel to the view screen and indeed, their course was changing. It was confounding and not ideal.

“What? Full impulse away!”

“No effect on our bearing.”

Boimler grasped his purple hair and he yelled, “We’re going to crash into the planet!”

“We’ve got 10 minutes until we hit the planet’s atmosphere.” Barnes updated, perhaps in an effort to ease his fears.

“Lt. Boimler. Send out a distress signal.” Captain Freeman halted her pacing to sit in her chair. “Even if this works, it sounds like we’ll need a jump.”

“Yes, Cap’n.”

It was a tense minute as Tendi evenly flooded the ship with the tritium gas. T’Lyn had the scan prepped for her signal, all she could do was observe and wait.

The Orion’s tongue poked out of her mouth from her intense focus and then she saw her beam before she said, “T’Lyn! Start the scan! We’re at one part per million.”

T’Lyn activated the program. She'd coded it to scan key areas of the ship first, “It is not in the nacells, however it is originating in the lower decks.” The field’s tighter wells were still spread between three decks. The sensors still weren't strong enough, “I am uncertain which one.”

“How we narrow down the search?” Captain Freeman once again stood to pace, “What if we evacuate the lower decks and increase the concentration?”

T’Lyn shook her head. She knew that wouldn’t be an option. They needed something else…

“I’m not sure the filters could clear it out in time when we did locate the source,” Tendi answered and nervously tapped her fingers against the panel’s edge, “And the EV suits aren’t rated for concentrated ionized gas…”

How else could they find the drain? Then it struck her. It was a reckless idea. The slim margin of success versus the risk of failure meant it would never be sanctioned on a Vulcan ship, however she suggested, “We need the warp core online.”

“But that’ll-“ Tendi gasped, understanding her idea. “T’Lyn! Oh my gosh, that’s genius! That’ll feed power into the graviton field!”

“Correct.” T’Lyn’s confidence surged at her approval. “It should produce a large enough power drain to locate the source.”

“Uh, but isn’t that going to slingshot us closer to the planet’s gravity well?” Boimler asked, twisted in his seat at the helm.

“It’s risky,” Tendi confirmed and then addressed the Captain, “But it’s our best chance.”

Captain Freeman nodded at T’Lyn and Tendi, “Make it so.”

Her plan was being implemented. The Captain trusted her judgement and her idea. T’Lyn felt validated.

Billups tapped his badge. “Rutherford and Livik, fire up the warp core and find a way to slow our acceleration towards the planet.” Then he walked towards the turbolift. “We’ll buy you some time, Captain.”

“I’m counting on it. T’Lyn, be ready with that scan.”

T’Lyn would only need a few moments to find the epicenter once the graviton field surged, but she nodded then to Tendi said, “Perhaps you should preemptively arrive at one of the lower decks.”

“Good idea." Tendi tapped her combadge, "Mariner meet me at turbolift five on deck twenty-three.”

“Sure thing, Tends!”

She squeezed T’Lyn’s shoulder before she made haste off of the bridge.

It was only a minute later that the ship lurched faster towards the planet as the graviton field increased once again. The accelerated rate of power conversion combined with the ionized tritium gas narrowed it down almost precisely.

T’Lyn pressed her combadge. “Tendi. Deck nineteen. Corridor eight ninety-seven.”

“Got it.”

“We’ve got five minutes until we start plummeting.” Despite the bleakness, Boimler’s voice no longer shook with fear.

The planet was growing closer on the view screen and the bridge crew was silent as they all listened to the comical dialog of Tendi and Mariner through comms.

"Man this turbolift is slow."

Then there was the sound of their running.

“Mariner, don’t rip off that panel! This isn’t even the right corridor!”

“Oh, my bad.”

Captain Freeman held her forehead with her hand, clearly exasperated.

“Down this hall.” There was a loud crash and the squeak of a toy that made Barnes and Boimler look at each other in confusion. Tendi gasped. “Mariner! Did you take that from the planet?”

“That could be anyone’s stash of contraband.”

“Mariner!”

“They said it was like a nightlight!"

“Get it off my ship!” Captain Freeman ordered sharply.

A moment later, T’Lyn noticed an alert that Airlock Seven had just been purged. A flash exploded in space that made her shield her eyes against the brightness. The glow then dimmed and took shape, appearing as some creature, and it flew towards the planet.

“Graviton levels have returned to normal, Captain.” T’Lyn was curious as to what type of life-form it was, but undoubtedly it was as majestic as it was destructive.

“Aww, I kind of wanted to scan it Mariner…” T'Lyn could picture Tendi's pout, “What else did you take?”

“Lt. Mariner.” Captain Freeman cut in.

She casually answered, “Yes, Captain?”

“Go to the brig.”

She sighed. “Aye, aye.”

“Billups,” The Captain then called, “How soon can we restore power to all systems?”

“Give us an hour, Captain.”

“Barnes, full impulse to a safe distance away from the planet.”

Then Captain Freeman turned her gaze to T’Lyn, who stood at attention to anticipate her next order. However, the Captain nodded and gave her an encouraging smile, “Excellent work, Lt.”

T’Lyn acknowledged her words with a reciprocated nod and she fought to keep the corner of her lips from curving up. She felt useful.

T’Lyn was so rarely praised for her work, it was unnecessary as it was an expectation. The pride she felt at the commendation was illogical so she suppressed the emotion but understood the significance.

Captain Sokel had never found merit in her personal projects or even in her successful programming that saved the Sh’vhal. Had this situation occurred on the Vulcan ship, despite the improbability of such a scenario arising with a strict crew that wouldn’t have taken gifts from the planet, Captain Sokel wouldn't have authorized her idea. He would've deemed her illogical for even suggesting something so perilous.

Yet she'd saved the Cerritos.

The ship’s systems were once again online by the time Tendi arrived onto the bridge. She was grinning but she lit up when T’Lyn met her eyes. “T’Lyn!” She enthusiastically hugged her, pressing her cheek to T’Lyn’s, letting her feel the depth of her glee and admiration. “That was fantastic! We make such a great team!” She released her, saying in a calmer voice. “I’m going to be so sad if you leave.”

If?

Her wording was impossible not to notice. Tendi seemed to register her slip. She nervously chuckled and moved to return to her station, keeping her gaze carefully averted.

Yet T’Lyn was stuck because she realized that it was getting harder to anticipate leaving the Cerritos. Their shared scientific victory was exhilarating.

Despite finding the Cerritos' endless revelry obnoxious and the crew illogical, these successes caused her to reconsider her stance. Her unconventional plans were encouraged here. And as much as she disliked it, she did fit in. And that left her feeling like she wasn’t truly Vulcan.

Illogically, she merely wished to be herself and for that to be enough. It seemed possible on the Cerritos. When had her punishment transformed into sovereignty?

Tendi was sad Mariner hadn’t let her scan the ‘nightlight’ while it was in the cube. T’Lyn had said the lifeform was remarkable as it majestically flew through space and back to its planet. She can’t believe she missed it!

The beta shift had just finished having dinner by Mariner in the brig. She said it wasn’t necessary but it was tradition at this point to keep her company when she ended up behind the forcefield.

Afterwards they were walking back and she waved goodnight to the boys, who were considering a late-night holodeck adventure. She expected T’Lyn to continue up to her deck but instead the Vulcan asked, “May I accompany you to your quarters?”

T’Lyn did save the ship again and Tendi would gladly spoil her with some kissing or sex if she wanted. She loved making her happy! “Sure!” She wanted to loop her arm through T’Lyn’s but there was a possibility to run into another crewmember so she resisted the urge, reminding herself there would be plenty of affection soon.

Once in her quarters and the door had whooshed close, Tendi hummed happily as she began to strip off her jacket. But when she looked up to smile at T’Lyn there was a strange confusion in her normally impassive gaze. It made her stop.

Oh no, did she assume T’Lyn wanted to [fuck] when she really only wanted to talk? She inwardly cringed and before she could start pretending to simply be changing into her sleep clothes, T’Lyn spoke.

“Tendi, I am curious…” Her hesitation was really weird. “Have you experienced anything… unusual lately?”

That was an incredibly vague question.

“Er, in general?” There were like ten bizarre things that happened today but all of them were because they worked in Starfleet.

“Concerning your emotions.”

Was that a criticism? She didn’t feel like she’d been more emotional or anything. “…No?”

T’Lyn nodded distractedly, but that must not've been the answer she wanted. So Tendi asked, “Um, should I have?”

“Negative.”

Tendi eyed her carefully, but the Vulcan’s impassive expression gave nothing away. “Okay... Can I ask why?”

“It is nothing of consequence.” Oh sure, she could keep secrets. T’Lyn must’ve seen her frown because she continued, “During the shuttle incident, I… felt something. I do not believe it was my emotions.”

Tendi was taken aback. “You think you felt mine?”

T’Lyn nodded.

Tendi’s eyes searched hers, trying to understand. The Vulcan definitely wasn’t touching her then so there was some kind of long-distance link. How had that happened? Was it only momentary? Or was it permanent? Was it all emotions? She had a thousand questions but she was sure T’Lyn didn’t have any answers since it seemed to take her off guard too.

On one hand, it was a little troubling that T’Lyn could possibly feel her emotions at any time. And on the other, it was an unexpected and intimate development. It was like what she'd read about with Vulcan mates but without full telepathy- or so she hoped! But was it because they had been sleeping together a lot more?

Her wondering was cut short when, surprisingly, T’Lyn closed the distance between them. Her warm hands landed on her hips and guided her closer. “Perhaps it was anomalous. Do not let it concern you.”

“Wait.” T’Lyn was trying to distract her by taking the initiative and it was hot. But she was curious. “Can you feel my emotions right now?” Tendi skimmed her hands up T’Lyn’s breasts to undo the flap of her jacket, trying to focus on the sweeter feelings for her instead of the obvious sensual ones.

“Negative.” Tendi was a little sad but also kind of relieved; her emotions would be way more honest and upfront than even her latest streak of slipups. It was getting so hard to not tell T’Lyn she loved her.

T’Lyn shrugged off her jacket and tossed it over the back of her desk chair with a precise movement. She continued, “It would be unnecessary currently as I can surmise which emotions are afflicting you.” Then her hands returned, sliding up her side and then around to her back. Pleasant tingles ran down her spine.

Tendi gripped her bare arms, basking in the feeling of her heated Vulcan skin warming her. She felt that same warmth in her heart, so at ease in her arms. She kissed her jaw and then her cheek before she challenged. “Really?”

“Indeed.”

T’Lyn surprised her again when she crashed their lips together with a rare urgency.

The Vulcan was deflecting but she couldn’t make T’Lyn talk about it, especially when she was clearly as confused about whatever happened which might be nothing. So Tendi put it at the back of her mind and focused on the needy way T’Lyn moved against her.

T’Lyn rested on her forearms, her body pressed against Tendi’s below her. The Orion was breathless, still recovering, and she looked so beautiful. Her satisfied smile filled T’Lyn with pleasure and fondness. She felt warmed and contented and she couldn’t resist claiming her in a languid kiss.

Tendi’s arms tightened around her. And when T’Lyn pulled back for a momentary respite, Tendi sighed happily. T’Lyn nodded in agreement but before she could dive back in, Tendi whispered, “I don’t want to lose you…”

Tendi had never admitted something so sentimental and it made T’Lyn’s breath hitch. She’d felt the depth of her affection and she’d suspected Tendi was emotionally attached, but to hear her confess it…

T’Lyn was stricken, wrecked by the intensity of the feelings Tendi incited.

The aching tenderness and devotion for their bond. The impulse recognition that she didn’t want to abandon her either.

And with that, the crushing devastation from the realization she could no longer willfully deny the situation she’d created.

Then Tendi kissed her hard, pressing with bruising force. A wordless, desperate display to complement their raging emotions. She could feel through their link that their sentiments aligned: passion and pain.

Her adoration. Her love. Her longing. Her lamenting.

T’Lyn wanted to soothe their inner turmoil by holding her tight. She broke the heated kiss to flip their positions. Her body sang being underneath her so she wrapped her arms around her to hold her down and she kissed her fiercely. Tendi responded in kind, moaning into her mouth. They moved against each other; their rhythm conducted by ardor and desire.

She attempted to be mindful, to savor the harmony but dread lay just beneath her awareness. She feared that she didn’t want to leave her. Tonight. Tomorrow. Ever.

The intense desire scared her because her interests were at a crossroads.

And afterwards, satiated and placated, Tendi tucked herself into T’Lyn’s side and was asleep within minutes.

T’Lyn’s mind buzzed despite her fatigue. She'd not slept in almost a week but she needed to calm her thoughts before she could consider resting with her.

It was alarming to realize she wouldn't be averse to aligning her life with Tendi’s in order to nurture the feelings she had for her. To redefine their relationship.

Yet she feared the implications of remaining in Starfleet. She feared she was being influenced due to her illogical attachment; Tendi’s companionship was an incentive though she wasn’t the only reason she preferred Starfleet. And if T'Lyn decided to stay, that decision would prove that the High Command was right- that she did belong here. That she was unfit to serve in the Vulcan fleet because she was damaged. She still wanted to demonstrate rational nonconformity had a place in the Vulcan fleet, yet why did she strive for their validation?

Logically, she should not cave to emotions. To desires.

Logically, her career should be where she was most useful and productive.

There were too many warring factors to consider. T’Lyn cleared her mind, her decision would not be made tonight. She let the tension melt from her muscles. Then Tendi’s soft breathing lulled her to sleep.

T’Lyn dreamed that night.

Captain Freeman was seething. An immense dismay weighed down on her as she watched her paced in her office, passing T’Lyn repeatedly before she exploded. “How did you miss this? What happened?” She scoffed and demanded, “What kinda Vulcan are you anyway?”

Then the door to her ready room opened and Captain Sokel walked in. “She isn’t.”

T’Lyn’s teeth ground together. None of her emotional detachment efforts were working.

“Go deal with what you [fuck]ed up.” Captain Freeman ordered harshly.

And T’Lyn somehow knew the mission had failed because of her. She walked out of the ready room and the bridge was in chaos, but she looked out into the expanse of space and the Great Koala spoke Koalanese and she could understand the strange noises.

Shon-ha’lock.

She was suddenly aware of Tendi’s weak heartbeat. She didn’t even know where the Orion was but she was injured. When the slow rhythm stopped, the silence was deafening. Overwhelming panic gripped T’Lyn.

And she was distantly aware the bridge didn’t have a statue of Surak but it made sense to see one there by the Science console. Her panic turned to dread as the idol fell to the floor and shattered at her feet.

A figure appeared from the turbolift. T’Lyn knew them and knew what they had done. They had purposefully set her up for failure. Then her Logic failed her and it was all too much.

Suddenly, T’Lyn was attempting to attack the unknown figure. Shaxs and Kayshon held her back, arms wrapped around her stomach as she fought their hold to get to them. Aggression would never be logical, but she didn’t care- she had lost control. The white-hot fury that consumed her felt horrible but justified.

“T’Lyn! Stand down!” The Security officers’ arms tightened-

T’Lyn startled awake, her reality blurred and she flinched violently at the arm wrapped around her stomach. She grabbed the limb holding her down and flung it away to sit up, heart pounding.

“Ow!” Tendi hissed as her shoulder was forced back. She sat up and was instantly alert from the rude awakening. “What’s happening?”

She was dazed from the vivid dream. She dreamed. T’Lyn hadn’t dreamed in a decade.

She calmed her physical reactions with a deep breath and suppressed the emotions flooding her and negatively affecting her. However, it was difficult to smother the shame from her overreaction; she could’ve unintentionally flung Tendi across the room. “Are you injured?”

She was careless. Dysfunctional.

“What? No. Are you okay? What happened?”

“I apologize.” T’Lyn said evenly, once again masking her control. “I… dreamed.” It sounded trivial to say aloud and the disgrace threatened to drown her.

Tendi breathed out a sigh of relief but when her hand reached out to cup T’Lyn’s face there was the slightest wince from the movement of her shoulder. She had injured her…

What kind of Vulcan was she? It was illogical to react to the imagined scenarios in her sleep.

Tendi swiped her thumb over her cheek. Her concern and affection flowed through the link. “I think you had a nightmare, but I’m guessing that’s unusual for you?”

“Correct.” Tendi’s hand fell when she turned away. She moved to the edge of the bed, unable to look at her as she said, “I must meditate.”

“Oh! Yeah, of course.”

T’Lyn dressed mechanically, she appreciated that Tendi feigned going back to sleep instead of watching her leave.

T’Lyn knelt in her room with a lit meditation candle in front of her.

The dream was an obvious bid from her subconscious to resolve her dilemma. She knew she needed to, it was illogical to continue to delay her considerations.

If she broke the dream’s thematic sequences down, perhaps she could determine an answer.

Captain Freeman and Captain Sokel.

Starfleet encouraged her analytical creativity and her skills were better utilized here. And after the best day in her Starfleet career, she'd been less eager to return to the Sh’vhal. Yet, she recalled how aggravated she'd been after the bartending ordeal. Did one satisfying day cancel out the other trying days on the Cerritos? The frustration?

It was rarely the duties she found taxing, instead the social aspects were challenging. The relentless parties. The forced engagement. Still, there were times where the festivities were entertaining and she'd found a community in her coworkers here.

No. Where was the Logic in valuing the camaraderie of her fellow crew?

Where was the Logic in deriving satisfaction from her successful but reckless solution being implemented?

Captain Sokel intended for her to learn how to control her unhinged inclinations but they were only being supported in Starfleet. Returning to the Vulcan fleet was the only logical way to promote the change her former Captain wished to see.

By remaining, continuing to justify her rational nonconformity, she was shunning her culture in favor of her selfish desires. She was exactly as the High Command believed- a liability. Still, she thought there was merit to her unorthodox ways and she wanted the High Command to recognize that too.

Yet was her desire for redemption, to be reinstated, a way to satisfy her ego? That would be an illogical action.

T’Lyn shifted in her pose. Nothing was clear.

Shon-ha’lock.

The engulfment. First, a sudden, unhealthy fascination.

Yesterday had been a particularly rewarding day for their connection. It was satisfying to solve a science mystery with Tendi as her partner. And Tendi’s confession still caused her heart to skip illogically. And she did seem to have some unexpected emotional link with her now.

Yet T’Lyn was certain her bond with Tendi was not Shon-ha’lock. The relationship they'd forged was done so gradually. A curiosity transformed into an understanding, a companionship evolved into an attachment, an appreciation grew into fondness.

And all the while, they'd shared many disharmonies and were overly aware of each other’s faults.

What they shared was far from ‘love at first sight’.

Second, the engulfment was a warning against losing oneself. Was she experiencing that?

High Command would think yes. On Orion, T’Lyn had given up valuable notes for Tendi. Was Tendi more important than her goals? She'd prioritized her emotions over her Logic…

Third, the fear of losing love. More so, what extreme would she go to in order to keep love.

T’Lyn swallowed. This implication was more difficult to dismiss as there were numerous facets.

Tendi was extraordinary. She would be an ideal mate.

So would T’Lyn’s judgement be negatively affected? In their work, dangerous situations occurred near daily. Could she be trusted to not endanger others if it meant Tendi’s survival?

Thus far, her rationality was intact. She'd sent Tendi to the center of a graviton flux that could’ve ripped the ship apart where she stood.

The next facet, she'd already considered: jealousy, possessiveness.

Emotional species were prone to abandon all for passion. However she trusted in Tendi’s devotion. Tendi’s attention hadn’t waivered yet, even through their tougher miscommunications. They'd been able to navigate many obstacles and it felt stable- for what they had.

The final aspect was the loss itself. Could she not choose her?

T’Lyn knew she wouldn't be able to navigate a long-distance relationship so losing her was the only outcome if she didn't remain in Starfleet. And staying was too much of an emotional response. How could she choose an emotion, love, over Logic, her career?

That was the antithesis of Vulcans.

If the most logical answer was to return to the Vulcan fleet, she would.

Therefore, ultimately, she could lose her and that wouldn’t be ideal however it would have to be acceptable.

So no, it wasn’t Shon-ha’lock.

Logic.

She aspired to be a true Vulcan, one that did not abandon Logic.

Clearly she feared the possibility that she would fail in those endeavors. That if she stayed in Starfleet any longer, her fortitude to follow unbending reason would falter.

Yet who’s definition of Logic did she need to conform to?

The anger.

T’Lyn felt as though the course of her life hinged on this one decision.

To stay.

To be reinstated.

And she was angry at herself for being unable to decide. She was at a crossroads and either fork caused her stress.

T’Lyn didn’t meet Tendi for breakfast and now she wasn’t in the lab as scheduled either. Tendi tapped her fingers against the countertop, the only sound in the otherwise empty room. It was super weird that T’Lyn would be late for a shift…

Was she still meditating? It was apparently uncommon for Vulcans to dream and whatever nightmare she’d had must’ve really messed with her. She’d nearly thrown her across the room to get away from whatever was haunting her psyche.

Tendi thought perhaps T’Lyn had taken a sick day to meditate until Bingston Jr. waltzed in fashionably late.

“Traded shifts just to hang out with you babe.”

She inwardly grimaced, not from him, but the possibility that T’Lyn felt bad enough to trade shifts. It was possible Bingston Jr. did just want to hang out but maybe she should go check on her after her shift? Oh but she probably shouldn’t disturb her when she was meditating...

She put on a grin for her friend. “Aww! We never get to work together! This is going to be so much fun!”

“Let’s start compiling,” He grabbed the equipment out of the locker, “And you can tell me if this rumor about a couple becoming a throuple is true.”

Tendi loved to hear gossip, though she did her best not to spread it. “Did you hear it from Hans?”

“Mmhmm, he’s never wrong.”

Tendi really didn’t want to disturb T’Lyn but it'd been two days. Two long days of what felt like avoiding her, going as far as trading shifts so she wouldn’t even have to professionally interact with her.

Admittedly, there'd been a lot going on. T’Lyn weirdly feeling Tendi’s emotions. Tendi stupidly telling her she didn’t want her to return to the Vulcan fleet. The nightmare. Was it too much all at once so T’Lyn was purposefully creating distance?

She knew Vulcans were complex and she knew T’Lyn was stubborn. When she was caught in a problem, she would overanalyze until a breaking point. Tendi hoped she’d be able to help somehow because her withdrawal filled her stomach with a nauseating unease. Hopefully T’Lyn could give her a little reassurance too.

Luckily T’Lyn was the only one in the meditation room so Tendi didn’t have to feel bad about disturbing anyone else.

The Vulcan was so pretty in her robes, but it was a sure sign that she was having a hard time. Tendi’s heart ached for her. She didn’t know what was going on and she wanted to make her feel better somehow.

Maybe she should’ve checked on her yesterday.

She took a kneeling position beside her and put a hand on her shoulder, feeling the burn of her skin through the soft robes. She swiped her thumb in a soothing rhythm and smiled when she felt T’Lyn relax a little under her touch.

Taking it as a good sign, she asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Then T’Lyn was frowning as she regarded her from the corner of her eye. She looked so unhappy. “Negative.”

They’d always been able to talk through their relationship problems, why was this different?

“But it does help!” Tendi squeezed her shoulder gently in encouragement. “Like sometimes you realize-”

“This is a personal matter.”

The coldness caused her to pull her hand away and she fought a grimace, feeling hurt at her reticent.

Why didn’t she want to talk? Vulcans were private but they’d been through so much together. Why didn’t she feel like sharing her problems with her?

T’Lyn’s gaze returned forward before she closed her eyes again. A silent dismissal. A reminder of her place- that she was great for physical comfort but not good enough for her to confide in. The pain gave way to frustration.

“Okay, T’Lyn.” Her tone calm and serious, but hopefully not as angry as she felt. She wasn’t sure how successful she was since T’Lyn’s scowl deepened. “Just let me know if I can help."

If T’Lyn didn’t want to talk with her, fine. She didn’t want to snap at T’Lyn any more than she wanted to be snapped at. So she left her alone.

Walking back to her quarters, she wondered if T’Lyn blamed her for the nightmare… Anxiety gripped her as she was reminded of their talk on Risa. Vulcans couldn’t be involved in a relationship that made them emotional, it would be illogical. She wondered if that was where they were headed.

She hoped not.

Maybe T’Lyn just needed more time to meditate…

The third day was unbearable. T’Lyn didn’t switch shifts for their weekly bridge duty and it was 100x worse than after T’Lyn told her not to touch her. Because at least then, Tendi had known what she had done wrong.

She had to stand within the same vicinity of her for six hours without speaking. Without meeting her eyes. Without catching her sneaking glances at her like she was.

Luckily there was plenty to do to keep her busy but it made her so sad. Her chest hurt whenever she thought about it took much, whenever she didn’t distract herself in time. She couldn’t tell if feeling heartbroken was overreacting because T’Lyn wasn’t talking to her.

Was she that upset by her dream? Did she just need more time? Or was she freaking out because Tendi had told her not to leave?

It was feeling a lot like the situation with O’Conner. Her anxiety was latching onto the idea that T’Lyn hated her. It was a stupid assumption, T’Lyn would tell her, right? But even if her anxiety was wrong about that, T’Lyn was avoiding her. And she had no idea why.

She wanted to demand answers, she wanted to yell, she wanted to shake her. But she didn’t want to coerce T’Lyn into talking to her about whatever was bothering her. And she couldn’t yell, not anymore. Not after their last fight, the memory of which still made her cringe in embarrassment.

She just needed to know what was happening. If T’Lyn decided they needed to break up even though they weren’t really together, then fine because she would know she could start grieving.

What she was doing now- pitching back and forth from questioning if she was being dramatic to wondering how she could possibly think this was anything but horrible news for them- it wasn’t healthy for her.

Tendi would talk to her tonight after her second rest if she didn’t see T’Lyn before then.

When T’Lyn had read Tuvok’s mission logs, she'd admired his critical and detached summaries. She’d needed to read a biography of the Vulcan male to learn he was mated. Meanwhile Harry Kim had mentioned his girlfriend three-hundred and fifty-two times in total- she couldn’t predict how many times he would’ve mentioned her in his personal logs…

Tuvok was the model traditional Vulcan with the exception of enlisting in Starfleet. Clearly he didn’t see any faults with Starfleet and both militaries praised his accomplishments.

Then T’Lyn had read Spock’s mission logs and had found him to be as venerable and logical as the High Council would report. Despite not directly benefiting Vulcan through the Expeditionary Group, the cultural board used his triumphs as proof of Vulcan’s admirability. Even though he was only half Vulcan and had chosen to enlist in Starfleet. He even went against his father’s wishes by not attending the Vulcan Science Academy according to his Captain Kirk’s very personal mission log.

Reading about both Vulcans had been informative yet the important distinction was that they'd chosen Starfleet. Neither were banished.

However, she'd just completed reading the mission logs for the Enterprise NX-01 and found that T’Pol’s circumstances were similar to her own.

She knew the High Command’s version of T’Pol’s posting and it was distinct from what she'd read. The High Command buried her commendable efforts and attributes, instead it listed familiar shortcomings in her discharge paperwork: that she was reckless, emotional, and not fit for duty.

Yet in the logs, T’Pol was a pioneer. She was honorable and meritorious in her victories as the Science Officer and as the Subcommander.

And interestingly, T’Pol released her betrothed on Vulcan due to not wanting to leave her posting on the Enterprise. She ultimately resigned from the Vulcan fleet to accept a commission from Starfleet and she had an eighty-year marriage with her Captain Archer…

Were her choices out of Logic or emotion?

T’Lyn felt a dull spike in Tendi’s anxiety moments before her door chimed. T’Lyn deactivated her padd with quiet exhale as she wasn't ready to speak with her yet. She'd been deliberating for a few days, but it was a null timeframe compared to the potentially lasting effects the decision would have on the rest of her life.

Still, she did not wish to ignore her lover. “Enter.”

Tendi stepped inside and bit her lower lip as the door slid close behind her.

“Greetings.” T’Lyn stood from her desk but kept a respectable distance between them.

“Hey T’Lyn,” Tendi’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Um, I just wanted to talk. We, uh, we haven’t in a few days! And I’m kind of sad, but if you still need space, just let me know!"

T’Lyn had felt the trace hurt during their shift today, but the Orion hadn't said anything to her. They'd focused on their assignments so she had assumed she understood... She fought not to frown, she should’ve anticipated how her withdrawal would negatively affect her. She recalled her own illogical emotional reaction when Tendi had stopped sharing physical affection. “I apologize if I hurt your feelings.”

Then Tendi said, “And I wanted to make sure we were okay.” One hand fluttered out like she was going to reach out to touch her before snapping back to her side.

T’Lyn was unsure of how to answer- her future, and perhaps their future was under consideration. So she stayed silent. Green eyes met hers, searching for something, beseeching. It was difficult to maintain her composure being the target of such a gaze.

When Tendi stepped forward, T’Lyn stepped back because she knew her resolve would crumble if she allowed Tendi to comfort her. Her defenses were already cracking under the weight of Tendi’s unhappiness.

Tendi pouted and T’Lyn ached. She hoped Tendi had been telling the truth when she said that she couldn’t feel her.

“Is it because of what I said?” She asked, dejected.

I don’t want to lose you.

The memory of her soft whisper still elicited the devotion and devastation she felt at that pivotal moment. Undoubtedly, her admission was a catalyst however she was not culpable for T’Lyn’s inability to resolve the predicament she’d created for herself.

“Negative.”

Tendi wrung her hands together fretfully. “Did- did I do something wrong?”

“Negative.” T’Lyn didn’t hesitate this time. It was illogical that Tendi readily assumed responsibility.

But now the Orion expected her to elaborate. She couldn’t and, logically, she shouldn’t concern Tendi with her personal struggles. Divulging to her would be irrevocable. As it were, her indecision was unsustainable so she would have her answer soon.

“Just talk to me about whatever is bothering you!” Tendi demanded desperately.

At her exhortation, her grip tightened around her wrist- the only sign of T’Lyn’s distressed state. She derived no pleasure in being the source of her pain yet she couldn’t indulge her wish. It seemed needlessly cruel to reveal that she was debating about abandoning her. Refusing her was excruciating in way she’d never felt before and T’Lyn’s emotions were bubbling dangerously to the surface.

Emotional detachment was currently failing her. However she wouldn’t allow herself to succumb to the stress.

“Tendi.” Despite how weak she felt, she managed to keep her voice even. And Tendi slumped, defeated, as though she knew what T’Lyn was preparing to request. “Please leave me.” She heard Tendi’s heart stutter and felt her faint hurt. T’Lyn attempted to appease her. “I must continue to meditate however I will speak with you soon.”

Thankfully, some of Tendi’s distraught emotions eased. She nodded and walked out like she wanted and she derived no relief from it. T’Lyn sat at her desk, looking at the wall Tendi had pinned her against. The memory of her need and affection cracked her chest open.

T’Lyn needed to make a decision. Whatever she decided about her career would dictate her resolution with Tendi and stalling was only hurting the Orion’s self-esteem. There was no kairos and it was illogical to continue to dissect her choices. She couldn't allow her emotions to cloud her judgement. She needed to be impartial.

Recapitulating her conflict allowed her to confront the most jarring question: redemption of her Logic or acceptance of her emotions?

She knew what she should choose. She knew what she wanted to choose.

Her assignment for the day appeared on her padd. She was to report to the Captain’s ready room at 0930 for the briefing and then the transport room at 1000 to welcome the Betazoid diplomats.

In the transporter room, she stood behind the Captain and Commander. The Betazoids materialized from the shimmer of particles. They were each holding an unnecessarily large vessel of alcohol.

“Welcome to the Cerritos.” Captain Freeman diplomatically greeted them. “Commander Ransom and Lt. jg T’Lyn will be joining us on the tour of the ship.”

“Excell-“ the woman she recognized as Dolorex stopped and turned her head towards her cohorts. The one called Katrot had an eyebrow raised towards Cathiw.

Cathiw stepped off the transporter and walked over to T’Lyn. “You Vulcans and your strong emotions! Yours are running wild right now, dear. What’s the matter?”

It took all of her control not to frown, especially when the Captain and Commander exchanged a look. She focused on detaching from any emotions that Cathiw was sensing.

She couldn’t tell the diplomate she was incorrect either so she raised an eyebrow at her assessment.

“Stop teasing her, Cathiw.” Dolorex put a hand on her friend’s shoulder, “She’s going through it right now.”

Vulcans do not 'go through it'.

Cathiw rolled her eyes but it was Katrot that laughed before she tried to disguise it by clearing her throat. “Sorry baby.”

And T’Lyn had read about Vulcans who could protect their minds from telepathy but she clearly could not.

“Aww, sweetie. Don’t feel bad. You’re still young.”

“I am 62 years of age.”

“Cathiw, come on.” Dolorex took a sip of her drink before she continued, “The Captain and her First Officer want to show us around.”

“Yes, right this way.” Captain Freeman motioned towards the door. When she glanced at T’Lyn, she seemed amused but concerned.

That was her breaking point. It was as T’Lyn had told Tendi, Vulcans had stronger emotions and it was their responsibility to use discretion. Though she deeply enjoyed Tendi’s companionship, she was losing control on the Cerritos.

Logically, she should attempt to withdraw from the situation.

She began composing a message to her former Captain.

Chapter Text

Composing and intending to send the message to Captain Sokel had been T’Lyn’s futile attempt to withdraw, even though remaining was in her best career interests. She'd needed to demonstrate that she was Vulcan enough to resist the desires that begged her to stay. To not abandon her misguided goals. To prove that the High Command was wrong and she didn’t belong here.

And then communications were blocked, hindering that last effort.

She had been frustrated at everything.

At the High Command.

At Starfleet.

At the Betazoid diplomats.

At the crew of the Cerritos.

At herself.

In the locker room with Mariner, she'd divulged her fear that something was wrong with her. It'd been difficult to admit but the evidence was pounding at the door and clearly, she was unable to resolve the issues herself. Mariner had convinced her she was Vulcan enough without High Command's validation and that they weren't worth pleasing.

Finally discussing her struggles allowed T’Lyn to realize she'd conflated the validity of her Logic with High Command’s assessment. And that she was incorrect to find fault with her reassignment. Starfleet was better for her. Her skillsets were better utilized and cultivated here.

And despite her difficulties in controlling the inner turmoil as a result of her circumstances, she was also incorrect to believe she wasn't truly Vulcan.

She was Vulcan as a mother[fuck]er.

Once her distress had cleared, her mind unclouded for the first time in days but her suppression mechanics were noticeably weakened following the crescendo.

She'd informed Mariner that she would continue to study the Cerritos’ chaotic ways, though in truth, T’Lyn acknowledged that should the opportunity arise, she would accept a commission from Starfleet. Her career potential in Starfleet was favorable and, logically, she should be where she was most productive. She could remain with those that motivated and encouraged her: Tendi, her group, Captain Freeman, Doctor T’Ana.

Even more pleasing, with that decision, she could plan to request a formal relationship with Tendi. If the Orion would have her anymore as it was possible she found her unappealing now...

She'd hurt Tendi’s feelings with her temporary retreat. She maintained that she couldn’t have spoken with Tendi regarding the matters of her conflict and giving her disingenuous reassurance would’ve been unethical. However, if she'd been more forthcoming about her need for solitude, she was certain Tendi would’ve understood. Yet she hadn’t given her any context or explanation.

Worse, she'd hurt her physically after her nightmare and she'd lost control of her emotions descending the crew into newfound chaos.

Her illogical behavior could've persuaded Tendi that she was disgraceful and no longer an appropriate mate…

Though the illogical fear was contrary to their history; despite all their disagreements, Tendi had yet to renounce their arrangement. T’Lyn hoped that commitment would endure.

With her turmoil calmed and the diplomats delivered, T’Lyn planned to disclose her personal struggles to her. The topics of conversation that were previously unspoken- her provisional status, their bond- could be properly discussed. She’d told Tendi long ago about her banishment, yet had never elucidated on why she desired redemption; she finally would. As well, she would confess the depth of her attachment and she hoped her suppression mechanics would hold long enough to share with Tendi the sentiments she evoked. Then she'd wait for Tendi to accept or reject her.

If Tendi rejected her, T’Lyn’s heart faltered at the thought, then she could request reassignment to another Starfleet vessel.

However should Tendi accept her, she could inform her of her intentions. T’Lyn was overcome with exhilaration at the possibility; she desired to see the elation on Tendi’s face.

She attempted to suppress her excitement; it was illogical. Even though she was no longer projecting, her emotions remained heightened. Unfortunately, T’Lyn did require additional medical attention for her Bendii Syndrome that the Cerritos couldn’t offer so her formal request to court the Orion would be delayed until she returned, in the unlikely event of complications.

Still, it was logical to proceed with declaring her interest. She didn't want Tendi to doubt their connection anymore.

Tendi wrung her hands together as she walked to T’Lyn’s quarters. She’d acted so crazy under T’Lyn’s influence, she cringed thinking about it. She’d been so anxious about her withdrawal that she’d cried thinking that T’Lyn wanted to talk to her; she’d chased her down, demanding to be her friend.

It was super embarrassing.

Yeah, she wasn’t in her right mind, but that display probably scared an already freaked out T’Lyn, who clearly knew how much Tendi loved her and wasn’t interested. She suspected that T’Lyn must’ve been debating ending their ‘arrangement’ and she’d understand if she definitely wanted to call it off now.

It pained her to a great degree to know they were probably over.

She considered turning around with each corridor she went through however she was worried for T’Lyn. If she was projecting emotions she must’ve been in a bad place mentally and Tendi hated that she'd contributed to her stress. She wanted to apologize and check in on her friend- if that’s all they were now.

Tendi chimed her door and a moment later, T’Lyn said, “Enter.”

She took a deep breath and stepped inside T’Lyn’s quarters for potentially the last time. Pain radiated in her chest, making her want to run back out. But it was all over for her when she saw T’Lyn in her meditation robes.

The need to make sure T’Lyn was okay outweighed any emotional self-preservation.

“Hey T’Lyn,” Tendi practically shook when their eyes met. It was so nerve-wracking to not know where they stood with each other. And she wasn’t sure what T’Lyn was thinking but no one would ever guess the Vulcan had experienced emotional turmoil just an hour ago. She appeared perfectly impassive. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay! But if you want me to go, I can.”

“Please remain.” T’Lyn said, stepping closer. “I intended to seek you out, I wish to converse with you.”

Vulcans really didn’t give much away, only hints in their body language. And currently, T’Lyn’s shoulders were squared, but her chin was tilted down slightly: she was unsure. More importantly, her hands were by her side like she wanted to reach out.

“Tendi, I apologize for your heightened emotional state-“

“Oh no, I was going to apologize.” Tendi interrupted, rubbing the back of her neck. “I was a little much.”

T'Lyn smirked and her posture seemed to relax minutely, “Your request for matching tattoos was unexpected.”

Tendi felt her cheeks burn. It wasn’t exactly a lie that she’d dreamed about it but it was an Orion ritual for mates that she had no business really thinking about with T’Lyn. They weren’t serious. The friendship bracelet though… She’d die if T’Lyn gave her something physical to represent her importance in her life.

“Your apology is unnecessary.” T’Lyn assured, “Your enthusiasm was understandable given that I had not communicated properly in the prior days.”

Tendi’s gaze fell, “Yeah, I was upset but I know you were going through a lot.” She shifted her stance, feeling restless from the echoes of hurt over the last few days.

“Correct and today I was… distressed and unable to suppress the intensity of the amalgamated emotions regarding several compounding issues.” As T’Lyn spoke, Tendi met her dark eyes again. Her tone was flat as always, but the slightest furrow of her sharp eyebrows that betrayed her. “I lost control due to my inability to send a message to my former Captain requesting to be reinstated in an effort to escape my stressors.”

Tendi’s heart was on the floor at the confirmation T’Lyn wanted to leave. Not just leave but escape. And no doubt her ‘stressors’ included her… “Oh.”

“However,” T’Lyn was quick to continue, “Mariner assisted me in resolving my inner conflict concerning my negative self-perception.” Well at least she had talked to someone, but she was a little disappointed that T’Lyn didn’t feel like she could talk to her about it. “I have realized that I do not need to prove my value nor my Vulcan-ness to the High Command.”

Tendi did remember how T’Lyn had been so hesitant to admit she was banished. She knew she wanted to be reinstated but she had no idea she’d tied her self-worth to their approval.

“And ultimately, I have decided it is logical to remain in Starfleet.” She couldn’t help but to smile at how proudly T’Lyn announced her decision. “I apologize for any undue stress my deliberations caused you.”

“I’m happy for you, T’Lyn!” And she guessed it made sense T’Lyn didn’t want to talk to her about leaving. It really wasn’t Tendi’s business as much as it hurt to acknowledge that.

T’Lyn gave a short nod like she usual did to accept her support. “Before this decision was made, I had to consider the implications for us. I was conflicted as our arrangement had developed further than I had anticipated and evolved beyond our informal implied agreement.”

Tendi so wasn’t ready for this except the Vulcan didn’t look like she was about to break up with her. Her heart rate picked up when T’Lyn stepped closer again. She could read the fondness in her relaxed expression and hope bubbled up in her chest.

“I… care for you.”

From her logical lover, that was a passionate declaration and she was stunned as she looked up at her soft dark eyes. Was this the same Vulcan that was only [fuck]ing her because she was an Orion? That had argued Vulcans couldn't develop romantic attachments? She was tempted to smack herself across the face to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

Tendi’s breath hitched. “You do?”

T’Lyn nodded again.

"Holy [shit]!" Tendi slapped a hand over her mouth, sheepish at her ineloquent outburst. "Sorry, this is just-" her heart swelled, nearly bursting. "Woah."

T’Lyn liked her back! She couldn’t even find the words for how happy she was! She wanted to tackle her into a hug or kiss her senseless or start crying and she was sure those were her own feelings and not something T’Lyn was accidentally projecting.

Except T’Lyn looked like she wanted to say more but seemed to struggle. Her pupils bounced like she was looking for the right words. So Tendi reached out, taking her hand, in case that was what she needed.

And apparently it was.

T’Lyn’s tension eased as she felt the familiar pull and then she lifted a hand to place two fingers to Tendi’s cheek. Their emotions swirled before being dominated by T’Lyn’s. Instead of the usual lustful ones or the shared, dazing bliss, she felt her blinding adoration. It made her gasp to feel how much she cared for her. Then T'Lyn shared her contentment, letting it wash over her, soothing the intensity of her Vulcan emotions that made her heart pound.

Tendi was beyond thrilled.

She laced their fingers together and T’Lyn’s devotion warmed her chest. It actually felt like T’Lyn was injecting sunshine into her veins. She grinned, “Wow.”

“That was perhaps unwise given my compromised emotional control.” T’Lyn admitted as she let her fingers fall from her face and she gently slipped her hand from Tendi’s hold. “I do not wish to overwhelm you. However, I was unsure of my ability to properly convey my... attachment to you.” She spoke quietly, stumbling over the emotionally charged word.

“Thank you for sharing that.” She knew this conversation must be difficult for the logical Vulcan. Despite how wide she was smiling, Tendi tried to peck a kiss to her lips. “You know how I feel! But I’ve really wanted to tell you that I love you.”

It felt so good to finally say it.

T’Lyn’s contented half-lidded gaze was adorable. “I am gratified to hear your sentiments. I was admittedly concerned given my transgressions.”

“Yeah not talking to me wasn’t very logical…” Tendi’s only-sorta joke was maybe too soon.

“I was referring to my loss of control.” T’Lyn didn't appreciate her tease. “I could not discuss our potential dissolution. I assumed it would hurt your feelings and I wished to prevent that.”

“That’s sweet but shutting me out hurt too.” Tendi understood her intentions and was touched that she even considered her feelings given her logical disposition, but suddenly being cut off without an explanation was horrible. If T’Lyn had told her that she needed a few days before they could talk, it still would’ve been awful but not nearly as anxiety inducing.

T’Lyn’s gaze dropped and Tendi felt bad. Maybe she was being too harsh, after all, she'd withdrawn before she'd asked Rutherford and Boimler for help and they'd organized the Mark Twain thing. She pulled her into a hug and loved the way T’Lyn’s arms locked around her so she couldn’t leave the embrace.

“No, you're right. That was a tough place to be! It was a big decision!” She acknowledged and she squeezed her, “But in the future, if you need space, please talk to me. Even if you needed to meditate for a month or something, I only want a little warning!”

“I see.”

“I’m just glad it’s over!” She couldn’t wait to start this new chapter of their relationship and take T’Lyn on their first real date! She was going to make her feel so loved and happy and supported and-

T’Lyn loosened her hold, “Indeed…” But she didn’t sound all that convincing and dread pooled in her stomach. Tendi pulled back and gripped her shoulders while T’Lyn’s hands lightly held her hips, “I will not request to be reinstated to the Sh’vhal however I must return to Vulcan.”

Tendi felt like she’d been kicked in the chest. Her question came out in a rush, “Not like forever right?”

The corner of T’Lyn’s lips twitched up. “I do not anticipate so.”

“Oh good!” Tendi breathed a sigh, smiling. She squeezed her shoulders but wished they could hold hands.

“My Bendii Syndrome requires treatment and most likely a procedure.”

Oh. So it wasn’t just an emotional imbalance, she had an actual neurological disorder. “Bendii Syndrome? Like what Spock’s dad had?”

“Yes.” Her tone was almost amused.

“I wish I had my medical scanner!” And as cool as it would’ve been to get the readings, she inwardly winced when she realized how insensitive that sounded. Especially considering it was T’Lyn suffering with the disorder… Tendi bit her lip then said, “Sorry, that’s inappropriate. Especially as your- wait." She just realized, they'd confessed their feelings but they hadn't actually talked about labels yet. "What are we? Can we be girlfriends?"

“That would be the logical progression.”

Tendi teased, “Just logical?”

“Negative.” T’Lyn softly confirmed and Tendi grinned. “To be your girlfriend is a pleasing prospect.” She melted when T’Lyn gave her a slow kiss. She’d always loved kissing her but it was even better now. They were girlfriends!

After they parted, T’Lyn said, “However, once I have recovered, I request the opportunity to complete various Vulcan rituals regarding establishing our relationship.”

How cute!

“Oh, I’m curious!" She had no idea what to expect or what the significance of the rituals would be, but she was excited for T’Lyn to teach her when she got back! And she realized they’d have to talk about their relationship expectations but, for now, she felt like she was floating. "Sounds like fun!"

Then she asked T'Lyn, “When's your shuttle going to be here?” It wasn't ideal that she had to leave after they'd shared their feelings but T'Lyn's health was the top priority. And she'd gladly wait for her. And in a lot of ways, they'd been in a relationship this entire time so there was no rush. The only difference was that now, Tendi could express her feelings whenever she wanted and she knew T'Lyn felt the same!

“0500. I must pack and prepare to turn in my pending assignments.” Still, she didn’t try to break away.

“How long are you going to be gone?”

“Unknown.”

Tendi kissed her again, already missing her. She knew they couldn’t get too crazy because of T’Lyn’s emotions so she kept it chaste, which fit their newly redefined relationship. “Can I hang out with you until my first rest?” She didn’t want to delay her since she had a lot to do, but she did want to get some quality time in before she left.

“That would be agreeable.”

“Yay!" She hoped they could cuddle and talk! But not about anything that might stress her out... So maybe something interesting like what projects she was in the middle of or how her review of the mission logs were going. Or if T'Lyn didn't want to talk, maybe they could put on Krog on the Rocks and hold each other... That sounded so nice! Especially since she wouldn't be able to fall asleep in her arms for an indeterminate period of time.

"Okay, one last hug!” Tendi nuzzled her face into the crook of T’Lyn’s neck and peace settled the racing of her heart. It was like a puzzle piece was clicked into place, it felt right. They'd always felt right to her though.

Even better was T’Lyn’s reciprocated embrace and dry reply. “That seems unlikely.”

Tendi giggled and sighed. “You’re probably right.”

T’Lyn was recovering from the surgery she’d endured yesterday. She'd traveled to the Vulcan Medical Institute to undergo the recommended procedure to prevent further neurological degradation originating from her Bendii Syndrome. It was the first time anyone so young had been through the process however early-onset Bendii Syndrome wasn't as rare as expected. It seemed hers was a triggered response to a stressful event.

The Vulcan brain was fascinating. The same mechanisms that allowed for total recall or telepathy could also, in response to extreme strain, effectively neutralize channels of the brain, leading to deterioration or death. When the Doctors had allowed her to review the research material, she illogically wished Tendi had been there; she would've thoroughly enjoyed the scientific data and it would've been pleasurable to listen to her animated appraisal.

During her recuperation, the Healers advised her that it was imperative that she not abandon Logic. And she hadn’t strayed from Logic but she understood their guidance nonetheless. She would visit a Vulcan master regarding her excessive emotions next week once she was no longer under observation.

“Go! Go! Go!” The room cheered on the contestants.

Tendi’s hands were sticky, covered in the red fillings of the four apple cranberry pies she’d managed to devour. But she was sure she was one bite away from her stomach exploding.

She tapped out and the crowd gave a whining “Aww!” The screen at the front of the room changed, marking her name with an ‘x’ but at least they kept her number up. Four was definitely her personal best!

Tendi pat Rutherford on his shoulder. She had to rehinge her jaw, smearing pie filling all over her cheeks in the process, before she could tell her best friend, “You’ve got this!”

“Mmfhmm!” Rutherford was like a woodchipper but for pie and he showed no signs of stopping. It was probably extra motivation that he had a good view of Livik, who was currently in the lead with six pies eaten. Even though they were in the same division, they were super competitive with each other.

Tendi retreated to the loser’s corner. Boimler, who had managed to eat three pies but probably filled up on water, had a bucket in his lap while Mariner, who had eaten four too but a lot quicker than anyone else, was asleep on his shoulder. She had really thought Mariner was going to win when she took the lead!

Every step hurt so she held a hand to her stomach and slid down the wall to sit next to the two. She groaned because sitting was way more uncomfortable but she couldn't possibly get back up now. “Next time, I think we should practice with a different flavor than what's picked.”

Boimler gave a pained sound of agreement.

The crowd continued to shout at the contestants and Tendi had to smile as she looked at the leaderboard. The Sciences division wasn’t leading but Bingston’s boyfriend, Rala, was at least still competing.

Tendi giggled to herself when she imagined what T’Lyn would think of the silly contest: unnecessary and illogical. She sighed wistfully, missing her blunt attitude, and wiped the pie off her face with the back of her sleeve.

Still, she did wonder if T’Lyn would’ve cheered her on if she asked…

A week later, T’Lyn entered the cave where the Vulcan master, Dar’os, lived and practiced. Within the cave, several torches formed a circle around a larger fire in the center of the clearing. Shadows cast from the fire danced over the calming gold and white colors of the master’s robes.

The woman did not stand from her ritual position however she did gesture to the cushion front of her. “Greetings. You are troubled.”

T’Lyn nodded and copied her pose. The fire beside them illuminated only half of the master’s face, aged with wrinkles.

“I am T’Lyn. I request your assistance in learning to fully suppress what I feel. I fear my discipline has faltered.” She planned to explain her Bendii Syndrome but snapped her mouth shut when the Vulcan master’s hands traveled to the side of her head.

“Your emotions lay closer to the surface and are more difficult to control. It is the burden of many Vulcans.”

In some ways, that was a comfort to hear. Her hands then touched her face, assuming the mind-meld positioning.

“My mind to your mind, your thoughts to my thoughts.”

Dar’os searched her mind gently, scrolling through memories like one might scroll through data on a padd. “Your regulation weakened here.” Her voice echoed as they watched the memory of T’Lyn’s vision failing on Bracas Prime. “I will dull the memory.”

But T’Lyn then recalled that after the blackness had consumed her sight, Tendi protected her. It'd been a pivotal moment for them. It was illogical to cling to a memory that essentially traumatized her yet Tendi-

“It is not the fullara,” Dar’os explained, interrupting her concerns. “You will be capable of recalling the memory and I will not dampen your attachment.”

If the Vulcan master didn't find the emotional dimension of their bond illogical, then T'Lyn supposed she shouldn't either.

And they shared the memory of walking through the doorway and how the machinery had created a haze inside the room, perhaps from being unmanned by their citizens. The sting was lessened, the gradual loss of vision wasn’t as distressing, the feeling wasn’t as uncomfortable.

Then Dar’os retracted from her mind. One hand dropped and the other went to T’Lyn’s forehead. “You also hold contempt for yourself. It is illogical to compare your abilities to an ideal.”

It was another thing that she needed to hear. The master pulled away and T’Lyn opened her eyes. Expressing gratitude wasn't a Vulcan custom but T’Lyn was grateful for her assistance. She saluted Dar’os, who returned the gesture. “Live long and prosper.”

Trekking back to her home in the Viltan Flats took all night yet it allowed T’Lyn the opportunity to appreciate the tranquility of her homeplanet and the return of the calm within her mind.

The booth looked so empty, well it kind of was since only Rutherford and Mariner were seated there. Barnes wasn’t beside him today, which wasn’t too weird since she did like to have dinner with her friends a few times a week. And Tendi had no idea where Boimler was. But she’d heard great news about her girlfriend!

Tendi had barely sat down before she excitedly announced, “T’Lyn said she should be cleared to report for duty next week!”

“That’s great!” Rutherford cheered.

“Yeah good thing too,” Mariner crunched into a chip, “She told me she hadn’t not worked for longer than a week in 30 years or something.”

Tendi wasn’t exactly surprised to hear that T’Lyn had been messaging Mariner too- they’d definitely struck a bond if T’Lyn had felt comfortable confiding in her. She wondered if T’Lyn had told her about them. They hadn’t established if they were going to keep their relationship a secret in order to avoid filling out the dreaded relationship form that Starfleet required.

As much as she’d love to announce it shipwide, she didn’t want to give the Captain a reason to split up their shared duties. It wasn’t super likely, after all Barnes and Rutherford were allowed to work together, but it was always a possibility. Especially on the bridge... And at the very least, they’d be barred from going on away missions together and that’d make her sad.

Boimler plopped down in T’Lyn’s usual spot and immediately launched into a story about his day. “You wouldn’t believe what happened-“

“Wait, wait!” Mariner interrupted, “Lemme guess, you were kidnapped by one of those visiting diplomats because they wanted to adopt you as a pet?”

“How did you know that? Do I still have my collar on?” Boimler touched her throat and Mariner snorted.

“Nah, dude, I saw the way that General was looking at you.”

Tendi giggled but it was completely true. Even she’d noticed and she’d only been in the conference room for a few minutes to assist with Dr. T’Ana’s presentation.

Boimler shrugged a shoulder up, “I’ve got a natural magnetism.”

Mariner scoffed, then her eyes narrowed. “You’ve probably got another parasite on you.” She lunged at him, messing up his purple hair as she checked his skull. Boimler protested repeatedly and tried to swat her hands away while Rutherford and Tendi laughed at the two.

Tendi knew all that was missing was T’Lyn’s stoic eyebrow raise at the scene. It was going to be so great to have her back after three long weeks away!

Chapter Text

T’Lyn was unsurprised to see the beta shift eagerly waiting in the shuttle bay. Mariner nodded, Boimler and Rutherford waved. And Tendi, green eyes bright, grinned wildly in her excitement and launched at her as soon as she stepped foot on the Cerritos.

“T’Lyn!” Tendi cheered and threw her arms around her. “I’m so glad you’re back!”

If the rest of the group weren’t watching and waiting their turn to greet her, T’Lyn would’ve relaxed into her hug. It hadn’t even been a month that she was on Vulcan but she was gratified to be reunited with her girlfriend.

She had informed her family of her intention to pursue a formal courtship with the Orion. They had some reservations as most Vulcans did about her species, yet they called her too obstinate to listen to their Logic. They criticized how unconventional she had been regarding her former betrothed, who had been assigned to her, and she reminded them of the decade she had spent conforming to their expectations to her own personal detriment.

Her family begrudgingly extended permission; they simply requested that she perform the proper rituals during the process. Orthodox Vulcans had a multitude of important rituals and ceremonies but she agreed, already knowing she wanted to perform a few, and reminded them that Tendi still had to accept her.

The courtship practice took years with the ultimate purpose to be established as mates in a marriage union. She supposed traditional dating also culminated to that goal but as an implication rather than a logical declaration of intent. She predicted that verbalization would be the most socially and culturally challenging aspect between them.

As such, to bolster her appeal, T’Lyn felt the need to improve herself before the courtship process began. Not only was she still healing from the effects of her Bendii Syndrome, but she did not think herself an appropriate option as a mate yet.

Of course, she had a lifetime to continue to better herself but the delay in beginning the rituals would also allow Tendi, and herself, time to adjust to their newfound status. Without so much uncertainty for the future tinting their actions, she expected a pleasant peacefulness instead.

“We missed you!” Tendi, glowing and bouncing in joy, stepped back from the hug and clasped her hands in front of her chest. Her illogical excitableness was endearing as no one had ever been so enthusiastic to see her. The rest of beta shift smiled from behind her. “How’re you feeling?”

“I have been cleared for duty.” She assured.

Mariner stepped up to put a calming hand on Tendi’s vibrating shoulder. “Glad to have you back dude.”

She nodded. “I am gratified to return to the Cerritos.” Mariner smirked, knowing her simple admission reflected her unchanged opinion to remain in Starfleet. “I must deposit my personal effects and collect my assignments.”

“Dinner later?” Rutherford asked in his typical cheery tone.

Boimler eagerly added, “We’ve gotta catch you up on all the wacky adventures you missed!”

“Very well. I am certain each calamity was managed with grace and Logic.”

They all looked at each other with wide eyes before bursting out laughing. Through his laughter, Rutherford cheered, “Oh my god! T’Lyn told a joke!”

T’Lyn was pleased her humor was well received. She gave Tendi one last look before she departed from the group.

She anticipated the return to normalcy- the specific brand of chaos on the Cerritos anyway.

She entered her untouched quarters and her icons and statues would need to be arranged around the room again, but that was not her priority. After dropping her duffle bag off, she reported to Doctor T’Ana's office.

“Welcome back, kid. Here’s all your [shit],” Doctor T’Ana sounded fond despite her gruffness and she shoved a stack of padds across her desk.

“Thank you.” Then T’Lyn informed her of the specifics of her surgery and how a follow up would be necessary.

“Yeah, yeah. No problem.” Doctor T’Ana waved a paw, “We can do those neural scans in a month. Now get the [fuck] out of here, I’ve got [shit] to do.”

Back in her quarters, she read through the various padds to familiarize herself with the SSO training lessons she’d missed. And she knew the group wanted to apprise her of the misadventures the Cerritos bumbled into, however there was now a finished mission briefing for the Betazoid incident complete with the security tapes.

Curiosity overwhelmed her.

In hindsight, it was obvious she was the source of the emotional overload. Since her early-onset Bendii Syndrome was atypical, it presented with a proximity-based effect and the spike in unchecked emotions began when she stepped into the cantina. Then the sharp increase in concupiscent behavior didn't spread until she talked to Tendi.

How transparent.

The recording in Medical was the only part that made her pause. Logically, she knew she was emotional compromised and the three Betazoids were specially trained and had debilitating weapons.

Yet.

She found her battle strategy lackluster. She hadn’t even lasted four seconds against the Betazoids in combat; her ability to protect was in doubt. She had allowed herself to be backed into a corner and only attempted to go on offense once before she was overwhelmed. It was shameful. Her skills were inadequate.

As such, it was logical to train to avoid defeat again. She determined the best course of action would be to consistently practice Suus Mahna using Security drills on the holodeck. So T’Lyn booked her time in the holodeck for late in the evening, when Tendi would be taking her first rest. She hoped she and Tendi would converse at length afterwards.

Tendi had barely been able to sleep- she was so impatient to talk to T’Lyn! Well, in a private conversation. They'd talked a lot- mostly Boimler and Mariner- during dinner, but the Vulcan had spent most of the meal listening with a flat expression, occasionally quirking an incredulous eyebrow at the crazier aspects of the events.

To be fair the pie eating contest and those aliens stealing Boimler and the telepathic goo that took over the ship and Badgey attacking the Cerritos while she and Boimler were held hostage by a megalomaniacal computer were only some of the things that T’Lyn missed.

And thankfully, when Livik and Barnes and Rutherford- the Cerritos' newest throuple- had mentioned the vacation to Ferenginar, they had emphasized how platonically Tendi had gone along with them to platonically pretend to be Rutherford's platonic wife since the Ferengi Newlywed Discount couldn't be used by all three of them. T'Lyn's eyes had narrowed almost imperceptibly during that retelling but Rutherford left out the worst details. He'd probably erased those particular memories and she envied him. She shuddered recalling the sexy chocolate statue of him she'd had to eat.

Heading to the bar with a padd in hand to hang out with T’Lyn filled her with the same giddiness she used to feel when they were just becoming friends nearly half a year ago. She beamed when the doors whooshed open and T’Lyn was waiting for her in their usual booth. Even from across the room she saw the slightest relaxing of T’Lyn’s posture.

Some small part of her had worried that T’Lyn wouldn’t find their relationship logical anymore. After all, she’d had brain surgery! With one of the explicit goals being to diminish her emotions! Plus she’d seen a Vulcan master to strengthen her logic! And Tendi still didn’t understand how Vulcan relationships were justified outside of producing offspring which they were never going to do.

But those concerns were shot out of an airlock as she sat adjacent her and T’Lyn regarded her with a soft expression. Gosh, she’d missed looking into her dark eyes...

“Hey T’Lyn.” Tendi situated so her knee could rest against T’Lyn’s.

“Greetings.”

They’d already talked about Vulcan and the Cerritos adventures earlier in the day. And she expected at some point they would talk about them but first Tendi wanted to tell her all about the science mysteries they’d encountered.

She handed off her padd and launched into the incidents. Despite her excitement, she kept her voice low for T’Lyn’s benefit; she always tried to be mindful of her volume when they were alone.

Tendi loved watching her study the available information and then listening to her analyze the data felt so right. T’Lyn’s mechanical cadence was soothing and Tendi rested her head in her palm and was overjoyed to be together again! She listened to her delicious voice and studied the small mannerisms she'd missed so much while T’Lyn offered up her own theories and action plans before Tendi would explain what the Cerritos had ended up doing.

They hadn’t even gotten through three scientific anomalies before Tendi blurted out, “I really missed you.”

Her brilliant mind and logical deliberations. The way her cheeks tinted green. Her subtle hints of affection- like now when T’Lyn pressed against her knee.

T’Lyn set the padd down. “To facilitate privacy, perhaps we should be in closer proximity."

Tendi grinned and moved to take her usual place in the corner of the booth with her legs stretched out in the seat and T’Lyn inconspicuously shifted so their shoulders touched. She was cute… Tendi barely resisted the urge to kiss her. The bar was empty but anyone could walk in.

Under the table, T’Lyn’s hand closed over hers. Tendi enjoyed the warmth of her hand, the pull in her mind. She laced their fingers together and then she felt T’Lyn’s fondness swirl in her chest.

“I missed feeling you too.” Their empathetic connection was definitely more muted than before but Tendi had assumed some aspects of T’Lyn would change when her control returned. Still, “I’m glad the Vulcan Science Academy developed a treatment! Do you feel different?”

T’Lyn nodded. “I am more easily able to suppress my emotions.”

“Oh, that’s great!”

“Indeed. However, my recovery is not complete. The damage to my limbic system will continue to reverse over time, yet I must be more mindful as my emotions are closer to the surface until my amyloid levels return to baseline.” Then softly she asked, “Do you await me?”

Maybe that was her way of saying she wanted to take it slow for now? Which was fine and understandable!

“For as long as you need.” Tendi promised. She rested her head on T’Lyn’s shoulder and her peace was amplified between them- it was blissful.

As much as she wanted to close her eyes and bask in her presence, she needed to be ready to break away in case. They probably should be in one of their quarters or the holodeck so they wouldn’t have to worry about being interrupted, but before she could suggest it, T’Lyn spoke again.

“The Healers stated a great stressor weakened my suppression abilities and I was more susceptible to emotional imbalance and projection. I believe the triggering event was the mission on Bracas Prime…”

Yeah, that'd been traumatic enough. Flashbacks ran rampant at even the mention. The smell of the lithium in the purple ooze, T’Lyn’s watering eyes and how she flinched away… She mentally shook away the upsetting memories.

Tendi squeezed her hand in comfort. “That makes sense.” Then she wondered, of course her condition must’ve gradually worsened but, “Oh wait, so if the protein levels were building since then… Does that mean you could’ve been projecting other times?”

“I believe so.” T’Lyn admitted. “Whenever I was distressed.”

“Holy [shit].”

“Indeed.”

Tendi thought back to some of their more fervent moments and realized maybe there had been something abnormal.

Like even though it had been stressful, she remembered feeling like she was having a full-blown panic attack on Bracas Prime… And the intense, crushing heartache during their fight after the first time they had sex… Then when T’Lyn had told her not to lie anymore: she had been angry but then furious...

In some ways, it did absolve Tendi of past guilt about those particular overreactions. It even eased the memory from before the Betazoid incident when she’d asked T’Lyn for some reassurance and the Vulcan had asked her to leave. That level of hurt must’ve been her projecting too…

“Huh. That actually explains a lot!”

“I had considered that as well.”

Tendi laughed, feeling lighter. She was still embarrassed by what happened but it was easier to dismiss now that she knew it wasn’t all her. But, “Wow! I’m just glad you didn’t give up on me when I got so emotional!”

“I accept your emotional nature.” T’Lyn reassured her. “And your regulation was compromised. Do not dwell on it.”

But there was apprehension flowing through their empathetic connection. “What’s wrong, T’Lyn?” It was unusual for T’Lyn to not withhold her negative emotions and she wondered if that was another part of her regulation that was still healing.

“Were the experiences distinct?”

“Not like when the Betazoids were onboard- that was intense! But yeah. Like I remember my feelings being kind of extreme when we fought about- after we got back from Orion. But I didn’t feel that way when we were on Risa so I don’t think you were projecting then.” She’d probably been too confused to be distressed.

T’Lyn nodded. “Do you recall when-“ she stopped and like a valve had been shut off, her emotions stopped flowing through their link.

It was a little disheartening to have her walls come up but she assumed there was a reason so she focused on how much she loved her and waited, stroking her other hand up and down T’Lyn’s arm in encouragement.

“Do you recall your feelings when we were last intimate?”

The wording and the memories of that charged night made her face heat up. The last time they’d had sex had been incredible but it wasn’t the orgasms so much as how emotionally close they’d been. She’d never felt that level of intimacy with anyone and suddenly her apprehension made sense.

T’Lyn was worried she'd influenced Tendi into saying what she said, which had been the catalyst for their relationship.

But that wasn’t true at all. They’d had one of the best days ever together and she had felt so cared for that her feelings had slipped out. She’d said what she felt but her emotions definitely weren’t heightened like the other times.

She dared to kiss T’Lyn’s shoulder in the empty bar before she assured her, “You weren’t projecting.”

Tendi didn’t even need the return of her feelings through their connection to know how relieved she was. All the tension left her body at that confirmation. “I am gratified as I was emotional compromised.”

Tendi felt a thrill from her admission. “Me too.” She lightly teased. “You were wonderful and I didn’t want you to go.”

T’Lyn didn’t say anything but Tendi felt a swell of adoration that warmed her heart.

Tendi nuzzled her cheek into her shoulder. And they must’ve been talking a while because tiredness washed over her when she closed her eyes.

T’Lyn definitely felt that because she said, “It is nearing your typical scheduled second rest.” Then she brushed her thumb over her hand once. “May I accompany you to your quarters?”

The heaviness of her eyelids was forgotten in her elation at the unexpected request. “Of course!”

It was like their first night all over again.

She looped her arm through T’Lyn’s as they walked towards her quarters. And when they arrived, Tendi held her and they shared a kiss for the first time since her return. It was slow and simple, but the press of her lips felt perfect...

T’Lyn seemed to melt against her and Tendi wasn’t ready to be apart from her again just yet. She asked, “Do you want to stay? You could rest with me.”

“I will.”

They prepared for bed like they had so many times before. And finally, being back in her arms was like coming home. She automatically wrapped her arm around T’Lyn’s midsection before she remembered that last time it had caused T’Lyn to freak out during her nightmare. She withdrew to instead rest her palm between her ribs and asked, “Is this okay?”

T’Lyn let her fingers trail down her arm and with a slight pull, guided her arm across her body again. They loosely held hands and T’Lyn’s pleasant emotions soothed her. She felt so safe and warm and she snuggled into her shoulder and sighed happily.

“Good night, T’Lyn.”

“Rest well, Tendi.”

T’Lyn had meditated while Tendi rested. After months of being unable to mentally benefit from the practice, she enjoyed the pleasant calm that followed. The change in her mental state had been so gradual she hadn’t realized just how out of control her thoughts were. In a perverse way, she did long for the addicting highs but her current mostly-suppressed emotions were far healthier.

And previously she'd been unable to truly clear her thoughts while under the influence of their empathetic connection but it was nearly effortless now. She knew indulging in Tendi’s emotions was a fundamentally illogical choice at this stage in her recovery yet one she made readily.

She was gratified her procedure hadn’t dulled all of the powerful feelings Tendi evoked as illogical as that was. She still held an unbending affection and a deep emotional attachment and she was so very grateful. She still wanted to learn everything about Tendi- her past, what she wanted for her future, for their future, how she could be an acceptable mate to meet her standards.

Tendi awoke and was abuzz with energy immediately. She kissed her before she propped herself up on her arm to be able to look at her properly while her other hand slid up and down her midsection and side absentmindedly.

T’Lyn took the opportunity to also admire her beauty, drinking in every detail, finding her disheveled hair amusing yet charming. She wanted to refamiliarize herself with every part of her. She lifted her hand to stroke her cheek with two fingers before guiding her close for another kiss.

Tendi hummed happily against her lips. Then when she pulled back, she lit up, “Oh, so now that you’re back! I wanted to ask how you think we should do this- us! I was thinking… That we keep our relationship secret.”

T’Lyn wasn’t against it but the request was distinct from her expectations for Tendi considering her outgoing nature. “Curious.”

“Not that I have any doubt about us!” Tendi reassured quickly.

She hadn’t been considering that until her hasty refute.

If Tendi thought she wasn’t an appropriate girlfriend, she didn’t want lies or placation. She needed to hear her reasonings though they most likely stemmed from their previous disharmonies- specifically the Betazoid incident. And while her damaged suppression mechanics caused her to be inconsistent and tempestuous when challenged by difficulties, she hoped to prove to her that she was once again rational, logical, and steady.

Still. “It is only logical to have reservations considering the situation before I left for Vulcan.”

Tendi sighed unhappily, “That’s not what I meant!”

“Proceed.” T’Lyn said as she attempted to soothe her by brushing her hand up her arm. She hadn’t intended to upset her, she wished to assure her of her understanding if she did have hesitations.

“It’s nothing like that. I love us being girlfriends! I just meant, Starfleet would have us fill out a form.”

T’Lyn was aware of the relationship form, she’d read about it in several ship logs. Although the mission entries never mentioned names, it did reference the existence of the practice.

Vulcans were required to disclose similar information; however it was typically regarded as a next of kin notice considering Vulcans rarely agreed to a formal relationship that wasn’t an option for a lifetime commitment.

She imagined Starfleet’s system allowed for easy updates or corrections given the capricious nature of humans and their penchant for attention fueled relationships.

“And you do not desire to?”

“Well, they could reassign us. But for sure we wouldn’t be allowed to go on away missions together...”

They weren’t often assigned away missions together anyway yet the ones they did share were remarkably advantageous to their scientific studies but dangerous.

She was aware Tendi could defend herself, however T’Lyn would prefer the opportunity to observe and mitigate the risk of harm- as much as she could with the unpredictable disasters that plagued Starfleet. “That is displeasing.”

“I thought so too.” Tendi reached for her hand to idly play with her fingers.

The Orion’s positive feelings warmed her and she enjoyed her soft touching. “I assume the only benefit of the form would be transparency?”

“Yeah or like if you or I had a hormonal event, we could both get medical leave.”

“...I was unaware Orions had hormonal events.” She had withheld that detail for months.

“Sorry! I didn’t tell you.” Tendi laced their fingers together and rested their hands between T’Lyn’s ribs. “I kind of thought you wouldn’t be here for my next heat cycle.”

T’Lyn’s disapproval to the omission was illogical as there was truth to her words. Instead she focused on learning more since, unsurprisingly, neither Starfleet nor the High Council had information regarding the Orions’ biological event. “Could you provide details?”

“Oh, um, well it’s like every two years for about five days. It’s not as big a deal with some suppressants.”

Almost a week. That was a significant amount of time but T’Lyn was certain she could endure. “When is your next cycle?”

Tendi gave her a pained smile, "Um... In about 16 months..." T'Lyn blinked in surprise. “I had it a couple months before you arrived on the Cerritos.”

That was unexpected and, given the implication, troubling. She suppressed her illogical jealousy but still inquired, “I find myself curious as to who assisted you.”

“Rutherford and Mariner-“ T’Lyn frowned at the disclosure even as Tendi launched into an explanation. “But it’s not what you’re thinking!”

T’Lyn’s eyebrow rose with skepticism. After all, there was typically only one way to assist with a hormonal event…

“Remember, I haven’t [fuck]ed anyone else on the Cerritos! With the suppressants I just need a lot of physical affection so one of them would like cuddle with me while I slept or hold my hand while we ate. But it was all super platonic!”

“Ah.” T’Lyn envied her for having an option to effectively ignore the hormonal event. Vulcans were not so fortunate… Yet looking into her kind, green eyes she acknowledged that the threat of Pon Farr was not daunting now that Tendi was her girlfriend.

“Of course, if you wanted, I wouldn’t need suppressants next time…” The Orion slyly suggested.

“We will fill out the forms prior to your event.” Then T’Lyn cleared her throat and the tips of her ears went hot as she admitted, “My own biological imperative is easily remedied and not due for five years.”

Tendi squeezed her hand. “So we just need to make sure Hans, the Gossip King, doesn’t find out about us until then! Which means… It’s totally not fair but I don’t think we can tell our friends either.”

“It is logical to minimize the risk.” She had no ethical issue not informing them- they were not entitled to complete transparency of their private lives.

“But if you ever feel like we need to fill out the form sooner or we should tell someone, we can!” Tendi leaned over to kiss her.

T’Lyn retreated only enough to say, “Vulcans are private. I am agreeable to concealment to prevent the prohibition of shared away missions.” Then she brought her into another kiss. She savored the feel of her lips and how her contentment and love enveloped her.

T’Lyn sparred with a hologram in the designated area in the gym. The overly-padded mat under her feet was unstable, giving way with each step, but it did provide another obstacle to overcome during battle.

The hologram, a towering Cardassian, punched and kicked and bared its teeth as T’Lyn dodged its attacks. It had been programed with infinite stamina, which would be a test of her own endurance. She couldn't incapacitate a hologram with a Vulcan pinch and she couldn't wait to strike until her opponent tired as was her usual fighting styles. It was a unique challenge.

As she blocked its jabs and returned a kick to its side, she distantly heard the door to the gym whoosh open behind her.

“Sup T’Lyn!”

“Freeze program.” T’Lyn turned and raised an eyebrow at Mariner, who looked to be in only underclothes considering how insufficiently her body was covered.

Mariner approached her with a grin, “I always wondered what you did while us humans were sleeping.”

According to her internal clock, it was 0315. “Curious that you are awake at this hour.”

“Yeah, couldn’t sleep.” She began to stretch her arm muscles as she explained, “So I thought I’d head to the gym to wear myself out.”

The Logic of her plan was flawed. It was possible she could exercise to the point of fatigue however more probable was that the release of endorphins and endocannabinoids would cause her to feel more awake. Regardless, she doubted the human would listen to the science of brain chemistry so she simply kept silent and returned her attention to the hologram.

Yet Mariner interrupted her before she could reactivate the program, “So what are you doing?”

“Suus Mahna.”

“Oh sweet!” Mariner did some nonsensical hand motions. “Vulcan jujutsu. My buddy Amina was telling me about how Durga totally kicked ass with that.”

She knew neither of the people she mentioned but it was unimportant. “It is an effective means to subdue an opponent.”

Mariner then suggested, “Hey! I should teach you some human martial arts.”

She considered it. Logically, expanding her range of fighting styles was advantageous. “That would be agreeable.”

“Sweet!” She grabbed a pugil stick from the equipment rack and tossed it for T’Lyn to catch.

“Now?”

“Sure, why not!”

T’Lyn didn’t have a counter so she agreed. “Very well.”

Tendi, T’Lyn, and Boimler exited the conference room after briefing the Captain on the craziness down on the planet during their away mission. Tendi had known this for a while but it seemed like the Captain was finally realizing that Boimler was a magnet for weird danger. She barely reigned in a giggle at the memory of Captain Freeman pinching the bridge of her nose and asking, “Why is it always you?”

As they arrived at a junction in the corridors, T’Lyn paused. “Myself and Mariner will be unable to join you for the evening meal. I am studying anbo-jyutsu under her tutelage.”

“Ooh! Getting some private lessons in huh?” Boimler laughed and nudged Tendi, expecting her to join in. He was completely oblivious to her horror at his implication. Did he think they had that kind of relationship?! “At least she can’t land you in sickbay.”

T’Lyn quirked an eyebrow up. “Curious. She has injured you to that extent previously?”

“Oh yeah!” He pointed to a discolored streak of skin by his hairline. “She beat the crap out of me once.”

“Then perhaps you should join our lessons.”

“No way, I’m never anbo-jyutsu-ing against her again. But I'm sure you'll have a good time!"

T’Lyn nodded, eyes flicking to Tendi as she said, “Enjoy your meal.”

Tendi and Boimler continued on to the bar and she steered the conversation back towards their mission. They replicated their meals and joined Rutherford and Barnes and Livik -the three of them were so cute!- in the booth.

“Hey guys!” Rutherford greeted before he inconspicuously used their arrival as a distraction to reach for Livik’s plate.

“Don’t steal my pudding.” Livik smacked Rutherford’s hand away.

“Aw, come on! I gave you some of my food yesterday!”

“I don’t care-“

Barnes, from the other side of the bickering boys, asked, “Are T’Lyn and Mariner coming?”

“No,” Tendi answered, “They’re in the gym.”

Boimler was taking giant bites of his burger but stopped long enough to say, “They’ve been pretty close. It seems like anytime I ask Mare to do something, she’s hanging out with T’Lyn. It’s like they’re training for a competition or something.”

T'Lyn's interest in martial arts seemed to appear out of nowhere which was suspicious… And Tendi’s irrational medical paranoia proposed the idea she'd been brain damaged by her surgery. No, she couldn't spiral into the worst case scenarios. After all, it was entirely possible those nights they hadn’t been meeting up, she'd been training and this was nothing new. And even if it was brain damage or this was simply an interest unrelated to the surgery, Tendi needed to support her. She wanted to support her.

It would be so cute to watch T’Lyn compete and win! “Is there an anbo-jyutsu competition scheduled?”

Boimler made an unsure noise and dove back into his meal.

Tendi shrugged and tuned back into Rutherford and Livik’s playful arguing. She studied Rutherford, smiling at the way he glared at Livik’s lips, and remembered how crazy obsessed she’d been trying to cure his non-existent SMD. She’d felt so possessive and scared he’d leave her because she didn’t trust in their friendship. She’d tried to control and change him and she definitely wasn’t at her best that week.

She wasn’t going to do that again.

Tendi wasn’t even sure she could since it was different with T’Lyn. The last thing in the universe she wanted to do was to pressure her into changing. Her girlfriend had conformed to enough strict Vulcan standards in her life…

Tendi’s door chimed on schedule, “Enter friend!”

And she probably could have said something else, but T’Lyn was her friend. And her girlfriend.

Her favorite person really.

T’Lyn entered, ever stoic with perfect posture and so hot. Tendi stood from the bed to give her a kiss and hold her hand.

Then T’Lyn rested two fingers on her cheek and Tendi leaned into her touch. She’d touched her like this before but now she could ask, “What does this signify?”

“It is an intimate Vulcan gesture, commonly utilized as a greeting.”

“Aww, that’s so cute!” Tendi dropped her hand to return the greeting on the opposite side of T’Lyn, but the corner of T’Lyn’s lips twitched. “What?”

“This is atypical.”

That was her polite way of saying she was doing something ridiculous by Vulcan standards. Still, Tendi grinned because she imagined it did look pretty funny. “Oh, so what should I do?”

T’Lyn withdrew the hand touching Tendi’s face but then brought her other up to place two fingers against hers. “This is customary.”

“Got it.” And the touch plus T’Lyn looking so deeply into her eyes made Tendi’s knees weak. It was intimate and romantic, no matter what the Vulcan might’ve argued in the past…

T’Lyn guided Tendi’s hand from her face only to press the pads of their fingers together. “This is also acceptable. It is not required to be on the cheek.”

“Oh, but is it kind of like a kiss if I,” her fingers traveled back to T’Lyn’s face to tap against her cheek twice. She giggled at how T’Lyn blushed. “Or is that weird?”

T’Lyn’s contented expression was confirmation enough but she answered, “Negative.” Then she reached up to hold Tendi’s hand and bring it back to their sides. The Vulcan also held her other hand- she was so adorable. “And for Orions?”

Tendi hummed in thought, delighted at her curiosity in her culture. “I’m not sure there’s an equivalent. At least in terms of a greeting!” She leaned forward to peck a kiss to her jaw and her heart skipped a beat under T’Lyn’s rapt attention as she pulled away. The way she tracked and observed her every move was so sexy to her. Vulcans were intense in the best way. She squeezed her hand as she said, “I’d say that’s the most romantically intimate type of kiss.”

T’Lyn nodded. “Understood.”

Tendi’s breath hitched when T’Lyn pressed a lingering kiss to her jaw. Even more irresistible was the electricity that followed as her lips skimmed up her jawbone and then down her neck. Her head lulled back and her entire face burned at the soft kiss to her throat.

“And this is purely sexual?”

“R-right.” Her heart hammered in her chest and she couldn’t see T'Lyn's smirk but she felt it.

She was trying really hard not to initiate anything sexual but T’Lyn was testing her resolve. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, gosh she so wanted her. But she worried the heightened emotions would negatively effect T’Lyn’s healing.

T’Lyn pulled back and [fuck], her pupils were blown wide and Tendi could feel how much she also wanted her.

But no! Her emotional regulation wasn’t fully recovered. She could wait. They could wait! So she blurted out, “We should do something fun! Oo! Like read personnel files of famous SSOs. I bet there are some juicy details we had no idea about.”

T’Lyn’s expression remained impassive even though her voice held a note of confusion. “Very well.”

“Yay!” Since Tendi was already dressed in her sleepwear, she grabbed a padd and flopped onto the bed, laying horizontally. And after T’Lyn changed into her night clothes, Tendi pat the area at her side. “Come here. Use me as a pillow.”

“A reversal of our standard roles.” T’Lyn rested her head on her stomach.

She laughed and T’Lyn bobbed with her, looking up at her past her chest. Tendi gently brushed her fingers through her dark hair. “Where should we start?”

“Perhaps at the beginning.”

“Okay! T’Pol was the very first! Well, that stuck around anyway.” Then she handed off the padd for T’Lyn to read since she loved listening to her voice.

Chapter Text

Tendi always felt breathless whenever T’Lyn wore something other than her uniform. She didn’t even have to be showing more skin as evident by her breath catching when T’Lyn walked out of the bathroom in the traditional Black Ops spy ensemble. Her arms and legs were fully covered but it did hug her form a bit more than the standard jacket and slacks.

“Wow!” She dropped her padd on the bed to clutch her hands to her chest, feeling her heart pound. “You look amazing!”

T’Lyn appeared vaguely disbelieving but said, “This is the required attire. Mariner insisted on a competition to determine who could fare better in combat despite the inevitable outcome.” Tendi grinned at T’Lyn’s confidence. “She has programmed a training simulation of an incident similar to our encounter with the BIA agents and I find myself curious.”

Oh.

Was that why T’Lyn was training so much?

Tendi deflated a little at the thought. “T’Lyn, you really don’t have to prove anything. It was three against one…”

“It is logical to improve myself.”

Tendi nodded, but she had a feeling it was more than that. She stood from the bed to walk over to her and embrace her. T’Lyn returned the affection, holding her hips and guiding her closer. When she pulled back, she asked, “See you tonight?”

“If you are available.” T’Lyn gave her a kiss. “I will be in my quarters reading after my training.”

“Okay.” Tendi pressed a parting kiss to her cheek then released her. “Have fun!”

“The purpose of training is not amusement.” T’Lyn corrected dryly but the glint in her eyes gave away her intention. She was teasing her! Tendi pretended to balk but dissolved into giggles only a second later and T’Lyn smirked. “I hope your evening is enjoyable as well. I await you.”

[Fuck]. Tendi’s entire face burned, ecstatic and touched by the simple phrase. Vulcans were so romantic.

The pieces rattled in the base of the three-dimensional chessboard as Tendi carried it through the corridors on her way to T’Lyn’s quarters. She wasn’t an expert at the game but she was excited to give her a challenge compared to when they’ve played kal-toh. At the very least, it was going to be fun!

She neared her door but before she could press the chime, it opened at her proximity. Her eyebrows shot up. T’Lyn had added her combadge to be recognized and immediately let in? Aww, that was incredibly sweet and trusting! Especially considering how Vulcans loved their privacy!

Tendi grinned as she walked in, knowing she would definitely do the same for her quarters.

“Greetings.” T’Lyn was kneeling on the floor in her improvised meditation area.

“Hey T’Lyn! I was thinking we could play chess tonight!”

T’Lyn snuffed out her meditation candle and stood with her hands behind her back. “That would be enjoyable.”

While Tendi kicked off her boots, T’Lyn moved a thin table away from the wall into the middle of the room. After Tendi had set the chessboard down, T’Lyn stepped in front of her to hold her hand. Then, almost reverently, she pressed a kiss to her jaw and then lips.

This had been her usual greeting as of late and it was so adorable! The artificial gravity matrix must have gone offline because Tendi was floating with happiness. T’Lyn, although not able to verbally express her feelings, shared her love through gestures and attention. It left her practically glowing.

She gently tapped two fingers against T’Lyn’s cheek twice, delighted at the smallest upturn of the corner of her lips, before brushing down to her sharp jawline.

T’Lyn lifted her other hand so they could press their fingers together but Tendi saw a flash of green and gasped. “Oh my gosh!” She extracted from her to carefully grab her wrist and inspect what turned out to be a horrible injury. Her knuckles were torn open and the dorsal side of her hand was covered in a dark green bruise.

“What happened to your hand?!” Before T’Lyn even opened her mouth, Tendi detangled. “Hold on! Let me get a hypospray!” She ran into the bathroom to retrieve the untouched medical kit. Why hadn’t T’Lyn even tried to heal herself??

She was prepping the device as she walked out, but she took T’Lyn’s good hand and led her over so they both sat on the edge of the bed.

She was faced sideways to properly examine her injury: the skin covering her knuckles was mangled, an emerald bruise radiated from the wounds. The back of her hand looked worse, which made her suspect she might have a fracture. Tendi gently felt her metacarpals and one was definitely broken somehow.

“How did this happen, T’Lyn?” She injected the hypospray above her knuckles. It was only a weak mixture of a generic anti-inflammatory and a mild antibiotic so she didn’t have to calculate a dosage, but it was better than nothing for now.

“It is a minor injury from training.”

Breaking a Vulcan bone wasn’t easy and her training should’ve been on the holodeck… Did she turn off the safety protocols? She knew some people like Mariner did because ‘it felt more realistic’ and Tendi was convinced she had some kind of pain kink like Dr. T’Ana. But there was no way T'Lyn was going to do anything she didn't want to, regardless of Mariner's probable encouragement to be reckless... So she couldn’t understand why she would risk harm unless…

Their training simulation today: she wanted to prove something. Was she trying to punish herself for the Betazoid incident?

“T’Lyn,” she held her unfurled hand on her lap and looked into her dark eyes. T’Lyn’s inexpression gave her no clue to what she was thinking and she wasn’t even sharing her emotions though she readily tuned into Tendi’s. So she just had to ask, “You’re not hurting yourself on purpose, right?”

“Negative. That would be illogical.” Tendi released the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding, relieved. T’Lyn explained, “The safety protocols were deactivated from Mariner’s use of the simulation.”

Except she wasn't unobservant, she would've known that... But even giving her the benefit of the doubt, Tendi was still confused, “Well, why didn’t you go to sickbay?”

T’Lyn inclined her head towards her meditation area. “It is logical to utilize an ancient Vulcan technique for healing. It is rare I am afforded the opportunity to do so.”

“What if there was an emergency?”

“Vulcans disregard pain.”

Tendi pouted and stroked her thumb under the bruised knuckles. “T’Lyn, I don’t like this.”

“Your concern is unwarranted.” And Tendi’s chest ached at her dismissal but more than that, she was frustrated that her girlfriend thought she shouldn’t worry about her! T’Lyn must’ve felt it because her attention shifted up from their hands.

“I’m sorry T’Lyn but that’s not true!” The hard edge in her tone softened as she told her, “I want you to be healthy and happy…” Then not wanting to offend her by implying she couldn’t control her emotions, she amended, “Well, as 'happy' as a Vulcan can be.”

Finally her blank mask fell with a frown. “I must improve myself… I do not wish to be overwhelmed in combat again.” T’Lyn said, though her voice was low. Like it was shameful to admit was wasn't perfect.

She held herself to such high standards... Tendi wryly smiled, “That’s understandable but kind of an impossible goal!”

“Perhaps.”

But the problem really wasn’t her exercising and preparing, “You don’t have to train until you hurt yourself.”

“As I previously stated, I am not.” There was a hint of exasperation in her tone.

And Tendi’s annoyance returned full force because she didn’t deserve her snarky comment. She was only worried about her! Her eyes narrowed and she nearly snapped back that the broken hand in her lap told another story, but for once she bit her tongue.

T’Lyn was probably just irritated at having to repeat herself. And since T’Lyn said it was an accident and Vulcans didn't lie, she had to accept it as the truth despite feeling like something was off.

“Okay, T’Lyn.” She dropped her gaze to ghost a fingertip around the edge of her bruise and her frustration melted. Their skin tones nearly matched and Tendi hated it. She focused on how much she loved her and hoped T’Lyn would understand her concern and her request, “Then just promise me you’ll activate the safety protocols next time. Or at least get healed. Please?”

T’Lyn finally shared her emotions as she softly promised, “I will.”

Tendi breathed deep, soothed by her warm affection. She kissed the back of her hand and gave her a small smile.

Then, perhaps a slip in control or a willingness to be vulnerable, she felt a muted physical pain through the connection. Right. Her injury needed healing and not via the stubborn Vulcan’s way... She could insist they visit sickbay right now but she had a feeling T’Lyn would argue. Fortunately, she did used to be in Medical and could easily patch her up here. She just needed the equipment!

T'Lyn's apprehension flowed through their link when she carefully directed her hand away from her lap. “I need to sneak a regenerator out of sickbay. I’ll steal another hypospray too. Be right back.” Tendi pecked a kiss to her forehead just under her short bangs and left before T’Lyn could protest.

Steal probably wasn’t the best phrase for an ex-pirate to use, it wasn’t even accurate either. She was just borrowing the supplies! She’d return and restock everything before Dr. T’Ana or Nurse Westlake could even bother to care.

Then back in T’Lyn’s quarters and once the bone was mended, T’Lyn flipped her hand over and presented two fingers. Tendi gladly touched her and shifted closer when the Vulcan shared her appreciation and adoration.

With all that past them, “Do you still want to play chess?”

T’Lyn nodded. “That would be agreeable.”

They sat on the floor and set up the multitiered board. Before the first piece was moved, Tendi rested her hand on the table and T’Lyn clasped her healed hand in hers.

Tendi moved the first piece then observed her girlfriend. She smiled as she watched T’Lyn plot her next course of action, her pupils tracking the predicted moves up and down the board. The Vulcan was always so serious about these games and it was cute- she couldn’t resist squeezing her hand. T’Lyn’s focus didn’t falter but her pleased emotions seep into her bones. Tendi sighed happily, reassured by her contentment.

It was right after their shift and Tendi accompanied T’Lyn to her quarters since she had another hour before she was supposed to meet Boimler for their semiweekly hangout in the shuttle bay. Today was the release of a new issue of Fleet magazine so she should actually get there a little sooner- there’s no way Boimler wouldn’t be anxious to start early.

But T’Lyn wasn’t joining them today, not wanting to interrupt their friendly bonding ritual. Instead, “You’re sparring with Mariner again?” T’Lyn had told her about their first hand-to-hand martial arts session a few nights ago, apparently Mariner was tired of losing at anbo-jyutsu.

“Correct. I must change into the culturally appropriate robes. At her insistence.”

Once in her quarters, she retrieved the clothes from her closet while T’Lyn stripped out of her uniform. “Aren’t you worried about hurting her?”

“Mariner wears protective gear and requested that I not ‘hold back’. She is adamant that she can ‘take whatever I give’.”

Sounded more like flirting to Tendi but it wasn’t out of character for Mariner. She shook her head and smiled, “Yeah, she is tough!”

When Tendi turned towards T’Lyn, she was arrested at the sight of her lean form on display in just her boyshorts and sports bra. T’Lyn had changed in front of her a few times since her return but she still didn’t know what section of her body she most wanted to look at. Cause wow. Her girlfriend was gorgeous. And it seemed like her arms were a little more defined and she just wanted to caress and kiss the outline of each muscle.

She blushed when T’Lyn turned towards her and she finally regained control of her motor functions. As she helped her slip into the robe top, she said, “You’re really getting into these martial arts lessons!” She wanted to see her in action. Oh, or even better: demonstrate her new skills on her…

Gosh, she’d love it if T’Lyn would effortlessly knock her to the mat and then kneel beside her. And while looking down at her with a hint of smugness, she’d lean over her and request a reward for besting her…

Tendi bit her lower lip at the fantasy. She had to ask, “Would you want to spar with me?”

T’Lyn’s wide eyes flicked up from messing with the fastenings of her robe pants and then back down. “Negative.”

“Oh...” The refusal was unexpected and a little disappointing but it was possible T’Lyn wanted this hobby for herself. Which was understandable! A little brighter, she suggested, “Well, maybe we could do something else together!” Then thinking T’Lyn might like something more physical to go along with her zeal for training, “Like if you don’t want to go to the beach or have a holodeck adventure, we could do an agility course or something?”

“The beach is acceptable.”

She beamed at her. She used to think T’Lyn chose the beach program to indulge her but she was starting to suspect she liked the scenery. “Okay! We can book time later this week.” Then she fastened the cloth belt around her tightly.

Tendi synchronized a kiss to T’Lyn’s jaw and a Vulcan kiss to her other cheek.

Her girlfriend’s hand raised to touch the back of her fingers. “Curious, are you available tonight?”

“Yeah, oh! Before I forget,” she withdrew her hand to flatten the lapel of her robe. “Tomorrow night, Rutherford and I are going to hang out while he’s on delta shift! He likes the company.”

T’Lyn nodded. “Very well. I await you.” She kissed Tendi’s forehead and Tendi’s heart threatened to explode.

Later in the evening, Tendi was on her bed, laying on her stomach and kicking her feet in the air as she listened to some soothing Klingon Acid Punk and read an interesting scientific journal.

When her door whooshed open, she turned onto her side and smiled at T’Lyn, who was back in her uniform and looked freshly sonic showered. Her shoulders were squared back but her posture relaxed minutely when she stepped into her quarters.

Tendi paused her music and rolled away from the edge of the bed since that was typically T’Lyn’s spot.

“Greetings. I had a most curious evening.” T’Lyn announced, slipping off her boots and shedding her jacket.

“Yeah?”

“Following our sparring, Mariner suggested we conclude with a brief holodeck adventure.” She joined her in bed, situating the pillows under her head to comfortably lay on her side too. “She then attempted to show me her more… promiscuous simulations.”

“Oh no.” Tendi snickered and couldn’t resist shifting closer and tangling their legs together. “Was it the nude Olympic one?”

T’Lyn’s cheeks flushed green. “Correct. Though I ended the program before I witnessed anything, the title was disturbing enough.”

“Well that’s good!” Tendi said with amusement.

“If she had abandoned her effort there, it would have been preferable.”

Her smile fell. It was less funny to know T’Lyn had expressed aversion and Mariner had assumed she wanted other options. “I think I should go yell at her.”

T’Lyn placed a hand on her hip. “Unnecessary though appreciated. It was… informative.”

Tendi laughed tensely. Oh, that sounded horribly suggestive but she knew T’Lyn didn’t mean it like that. Still, did she really want to know what Mariner showed her? She was such a wild card, it could’ve been anything. Curiosity got the better of her. “Um, what makes you say that?”

“I assumed the holodeck had restrictions on subjects based on the few demonstrations in your roster. Clearly a crewmember can produce any program or replicate a hologram of any person…” She then cleared her throat, “I was also unaware that the crew fornicated with holograms.”

Tendi winced. Oh no, her brain was coming up with the worst scenarios of the two of them and the endless possibilities on the holodeck. She knew T’Lyn wouldn’t do anything but Mariner was less predictable. Her voice wavered, “Yeah, I guess some people do!”

T’Lyn then detangled, shifting to lay on her back. The distance confused Tendi and nervousness bubbled in her stomach. The Vulcan's dark eyes looked at the ceiling before she asked. “I am curious if you have ever done so.”

What a weird question, but at least she hadn’t implied it would’ve been expected since she was an Orion… She never wanted to fight with her about that again.

But her averted gaze spoke to her reluctance to hear anything other than a refute. Luckily for her, Tendi had read the cautionary tale of Barclay and was so thoroughly unsettled and grossed out, she could honestly tell her, “Never.”

T’Lyn nodded and Tendi moved to snuggle into her side, wanting to be closer after the unexpected conversation. The Vulcan pulled and bunched up the end of her tanktop so she could touch the skin of her lower back.

After another moment T’Lyn asked, “And you have no interest?”

What an even weirder question.

With her left over pirate skills to read people plus knowing her girlfriend pretty well- Tendi understood this wasn’t just simple curiosity. And since it was unlikely T’Lyn was asking because she wanted to [fuck] a hologram, it sounded more like a request for reassurance. She had no idea why though.

“No? Especially not now.” Tendi answered, kissing her jaw.

T’Lyn’s tiny smirk said exactly how pleased she was to hear that. Tendi could only imagine what horrors Mariner showed her to make her question that… She wrapped an arm around her and Tendi pressed a lingering kiss to her soft lips.

T’Lyn, so effortlessly, stalled her from pulling away with another long kiss. And then another as she guided them to laying down so Tendi had to lift up on her forearm with T’Lyn below her. Their hot, wet kiss melted her brain enough that she let out a moan.

T’Lyn drew her even closer so she was half on top of her. Tendi was getting lost in how good she tasted and the feel of her hands on her. It'd been such a long time since they'd had sex that the urgency between them built fast.

If T’Lyn was spurring her on, maybe she felt like she could handle it... Against her better judgement, Tendi pulled back to raise up on her hands and she resituated to press their bodies together. She hovered over her and smiled, admiring her dark hair fanned out on the pillow and her lust-filled eyes. She ducked down for another kiss.

T’Lyn’s hand snaked up from her hip, traveling between her breasts and flattening over a collarbone so her thumb stroked the bottom of her throat. Pure, pleasant electricity sparked and followed her sensual touches. Then warm fingertips brushed up her neck to her face. She gasped at the powerful surge of desire that blazed through her. She kissed her hard as her entire body lurched forward and crashed into her.

“Apologies.” T’Lyn murmured against her, probably now bruised, lips.

And she so wanted to keep going and, any other time, it wouldn’t have been a big deal really but that momentary lapse in regulation was enough to remind her that T’Lyn might not be ready.

Maybe she was being overly cautious, after all it’d been two weeks since she’d been back- so over a month since her surgery- but T’Lyn’s emotional control was at risk.

Tendi broke away with a pant and damn, T’Lyn’s half-lidded gaze was so sexy. [Fuck]! It hurt to watch her face fall in confusion when she situated lower to rest her head on her ribs and wrap an arm around her stomach, effectively dousing the heat of the moment.

T’Lyn’s heart hammered in her ear.

“Sorry. I got carried away,” she mumbled into her tank top. It was true but she also didn’t want T’Lyn to think she’d done anything wrong.

“Your apology is illogical.” T’Lyn rested a hand on Tendi’s back.

Tendi shivered at the small brush of her fingers up her neck. She burned with want but she squeezed her midsection tight and reminded herself that recovery took time.

Chapter Text

T’Lyn exited the lab with Tendi at the conclusion of their shift and Mariner was leaning against the wall, inspecting her nails and waiting on her.

Her girlfriend noticed too so she smiled at her. “I’ll see you afterwards for our study picnic! I’ll bring your favorites.”

“Appreciated.” T’Lyn was curious as to what Tendi thought her preferred nutriments were.

“Don’t beat her up too much.” Tendi jokingly requested.

But it was Mariner who replied, “I won’t!”

Tendi laughed when T’Lyn raised an eyebrow. “A human cannot inflict the necessary force to produce even a contusion on a Vulcan.”

“Yeah, I said I won’t.” Mariner smirked and T’Lyn’s eyes narrowed at the surface truth but the layers of irony. Then just to goad her, Mariner told Tendi, “I did almost beat her once.”

“That is incorrect.”

“No, remember-“

“I do not as there was no such moment.”

Tendi giggled and bid them goodbye on her way to the shuttle bay. “Have fun you two!”

T’Lyn nodded then she and Mariner began towards the gym in the opposite direction.

“You thought Boims and Ruthie were bad.” As they walked, Mariner’s hand brushed T’Lyn’s thigh before she created some distance between their bodies. “You two are just as disgusting. It’s cute.”

“We are not cute.” T’Lyn insisted, finding it difficult to maintain a flat tone at her tease.

“Oh please, you two are joined at the hip.”

At that observation, T’Lyn wondered if others had begun to suspect their covert relationship. “Incorrect. Our work duties are often identical, but we are not inseparable.”

Mariner nudged her, “I’m just messing with you, dude.”

The gym was busier than normal though one sparring mat was available for them to utilize. In the locker room, T’Lyn went to change in the stall per usual; Mariner had no qualms about stripping in the common area. Then in exercise appropriate clothes, they exited to do the muscle ‘warm ups’ that the human needed.

Continuing their conversation, Mariner stretched her triceps and said with a wink, “But I do think she’s into you.”

T’Lyn was very aware and she suppressed the flood of affection for Tendi that the observation brought forth. She chose not to answer, hoping the lack of reaction would deter her.

It didn’t.

“So, do you like her?”

T’Lyn dismissed the question, not wanting to lie about a significant fact. “This conversation is irrelevant. Focus on your stretching.”

“Don’t wanna talk about it? If you’ve got a mate back on Vulcan-"

“Your excessive talking implies you are ready to spar.” She interrupted. It was illogical to react to Mariner’s nettling yet her patience was waning and clearly the human would only continue if she remained silent.

Mariner persisted. “I mean we can stretch and talk. Come on, man! Even Vulcans get lonely. You know T’Pol-"

“Your matchmaking efforts are misguided.”

“Well if you don’t like her…” Mariner then moved to stretch her hamstrings. Her palms went flat to the floor and, meeting T’Lyn’s eyes from her bent over position, she asked, “Do you like anyone?”

T’Lyn finally leveled a glare at her. Her illogical stubbornness to pursue a private matter that didn’t concern her was extremely nonsensical. Stiffly, she asserted, “Mariner, I will not continue this conversation further.”

“Okay, fine. Fine.” Mariner straightened, “Let’s go.” She threw an arm around her shoulder, “But you should let her down easy if you’re not interested, dude. You know how sensitive she is. Do you want me to break the news?”

“Your assistance is unnecessary.”

T’Lyn dreaded the way Mariner gave a non-committal shrug.

“Well come on,” they went to the sparring mat. “I can’t wait to turn my brain off and let loose with some violence.”

“That is an illogical and highly ineffective strategy.” T’Lyn critiqued in disbelief. “It explains your repeated losses as one must anticipate and prepare.”

Mariner shook her head and aimed a jab at T’Lyn’s midsection and then blocked her counter. “See? You just gotta go with your gut.”

Instinct was a valuable tool- T’Lyn had been lectured countless times in her life for ‘following her gut’. However what humans claimed to be intuition while fighting was actually a logical understanding of their opponent and reading their intent based on minute motions.

While she illogically bragged about one successful defensive maneuver, T’Lyn decided to lay her flat with two moves. Mariner huffed and stood. “Now you’re asking for it! I’m taking the kid gloves off.”

“The implication of purposefully restraining your abilities to allow me victory is amusing. Human denial is fascinating.”

Again, they took up a sparring stance. They were nearing three weeks of training together so T’Lyn could predict her every action based on body language and the way her eyes shifted in battle.

She blocked and dodged since it was not reasonable for a Vulcan to unrestrainedly fight a human that wasn’t in protective padding, especially now that she was certain she'd learned everything she could from her. This had been the final form of martial arts Mariner had wanted to teach her.

She had surpassed her self-proclaimed cha’DIch.

In Mariner’s frustration at the repeated successful defensive maneuvers, her attack became wilder but it only made her intentions even more obvious. T’Lyn shook her head at her need to win- everything was an important competition to her.

“Fight back.” She demanded, pushing back errant locks of hair from her face.

“If you wish.” T’Lyn once again subdued her in less than three moves.

“You know what,” Mariner’s scowl transformed into a devious smirk. “We should do that BIA sim again.” She stood and dusted herself off before challenging, “We’ll even turn the safety protocols off again.”

The human was only suggesting it as a means to wound T’Lyn’s confidence since she’d yet to best the holodeck characters. Still. It was a tempting proposition. Perhaps she had trained and learned enough to endure the difficult simulation… It was logical to accurately assess her progress, yet T’Lyn recalled Tendi’s concern and unhappiness at her broken hand from the previous attempt. Her girlfriend’s indirect request was to not do it again however she had only directly asked her to seek treatment if she was injured.

She would do that.

Because although Tendi might have excused her inadequacies, T’Lyn wanted to be satisfied with herself.

And if Mariner wanted to see her fail, T’Lyn wanted to demonstrate her growth. “That is agreeable.”

“Hell yeah!”

Tendi walked into the bar and was instantly waved over to the booth by Mariner, who was surrounded by empty shot glasses. She was also covered in bruises and the bandage on her cheek made her look badass- she had to love that for her image.

“Woah, Mariner.”

“Yeah. I think the last time I got this wrecked was on Orion.”

That wasn't what she meant but Tendi giggled and sat in T’Lyn’s usual spot adjacent her. “I still don’t understand why you drank that much delaq.”

“False sense of security. This delaq isn’t even close to the OG stuff. I can’t believe I’ve been lied to my whole life. Wait. I can’t believe I can’t believe it! Orion pirates lie. Duh.” Tendi frowned at her friend, offended at the stereotype, and Mariner quickly added, “Not you though!”

Tendi barely repressed a growl but tried to move past her indignation. “I’m going to go grab a few drinks.”

She carried as many as she could back to the booth and Mariner separated one for each of them. They gulped down the synthehol and knowing how much Tendi loved her Starfleet stories, Mariner said, “Lemme tell you about the time on DS9 when Deanna Troi’s mom showed up and she actually had Zanthi Fever. She threw the entire crew into the most ridiculous romantic drama.”

Tendi gasped and vigorously nodded. “Oh my gosh, yes! I love that kind of medical wackiness!”

And as Mariner regaled her, they laughed and drank and were on the verge of getting rowdy. Empty glasses surrounded them and she really had to pee but wasn’t ready to lose the synthetic buzz yet.

Then the mood shifted when Mariner shot her a rueful smile out of nowhere.

“What?”

Mariner sighed and pushed another shot over to her. “I tried man.”

“What?” She repeated, wondering just how impaired she was. Had she zoned out and missed what the [fuck] they were talking about?

“You know I’m like the ultimate wingman but when I told T’Lyn that you liked her, I couldn’t get her to crack. I’m sorry dude.”

Her eyes widened in understanding. [Shit]. They were talking about her while sparring, which probably put T’Lyn in an awkward position. Aw, poor T'Lyn…

Mariner’s guilty look reminded her that she was expecting her to be distraught at the news. “Oh.” She played along, looking down at her drink before continuing in a lighter tone, “Well that’s okay! Don’t worry about it, Mariner.”

Tendi was taking another shot when Mariner said, “Those Vulcans sure know how to string us along.”

She nearly choked. “Us?”

Holy [fuck].

“Uh, I meant you?” The correction was completely unconvincing.

“Mariner, do you like T’Lyn?” She hissed her question quietly. The buzz from the synthehol faded fast in her adrenalized state.

“Ugh, I know! Friends aren’t supposed to be into the same person but I can’t help it! She can totally kick my butt and when she argues, she gets so pissed off. God, it’s [fuck]in' hot.” Mariner fanned herself for emphasis. “But it’s just like a dumb crush! It's no big deal.”

Tendi’s thoughts and emotions were raging. Mariner and T’Lyn were so alike in disposition and attitude, it made sense why they became friends fast. And she completely understood Mariner having a crush on T’Lyn. She was great. But Mariner only liked riling her up, which pissed her off to think about her purposefully annoying T’Lyn, who deserved nothing but respect and kindness. But clearly they both enjoyed their amicably hostile friendship.

And she wasn’t jealous necessarily but there was a natural concern from knowing she technically had competition with someone as hot as Mariner, who could effortlessly coax out another side to T'Lyn. And with that, the familiar, irrational fear of being abandoned gnawed at her heart, making her chest feel hollowed out.

But no. T’Lyn was with her because she wanted to be and that was huge for a Vulcan. She needed to trust in her.

But what she really needed to do was steer this conversation away from her girlfriend. She did her best to sound nonchalant and not let her voice shake from anger or sadness. “So… So wait, you don’t still like Jennifer?”

“I do! I don’t know. I know she doesn’t want to get back together with me though. And that's- it's whatever." She grimaced and after stumbling, it didn't sound like whatever. "'Cause things are going good with Barbara but we’re keeping it open and casual since we’re on different ships and I haven’t seen her since shore leave like forever ago…”

She sounded so confused. And Tendi did kind of feel bad for her, but only for a moment because then Mariner knocked back a shot and continued, “But T’Lyn? She’s here and I don’t know. She’s cool. She’s not like other Vulcans, you know what I mean?”

Yeah. T’Lyn was special…

It felt hard to even breathe at the thought of missing out on her brilliance and her expressive eyes and their cute banter and her caring touches and doting sweetness and everything that made her love T’Lyn…

And the ache was back anew.

She drank half of a cocktail in one go, willing the synthehol to kick in, and grumbled. “I don’t think I wanna talk about this anymore.”

Mariner cringed, “Sorry dude. I thought we were commiserating. I didn’t mean-"

“It’s alright.” Tendi did a shot with her. And it so wasn’t okay to bend to her fears or think of T’Lyn like a possession she could lose but she didn’t like Mariner having a crush on her. “You know, she probably has someone back on Vulcan.” She casually lied.

But she’d only promised T’Lyn that she’d be truthful.

“Yeah, those child marriages or whatever.”

“Uh. I don’t think it’s exactly that but-"

“No, you’re right.” Mariner lifted her glass for Tendi to clink. “So who cares! Here’s to getting over our stupid feelings!”

Tendi was starting to feel impaired again and Mariner was looking drunk off her ass and slightly miserable. So she requested, “Mariner, can you tell me about Captain Ramsey? I just read that the Oakland’s SSO charted some interesting life forms and while following them for data, Captain Ramsey nearly got the ship swallowed into a quantum filament!”

“She would.” Mariner chuckled. “Okay. Amina acts all serious but when the doors close-"

T’Lyn awoke when Tendi stirred in her arms. As of late, she enjoyed partaking in the short sleeping period. She leaned her chin against Tendi’s forehead and savored her contentment. Tendi usually would launch into a discussion about whatever scientific phenomenon she’d dreamed about and T’Lyn found her mental hyperactivity fascinating and their conversations stimulating, but the quiet following her first rest lingered. It wasn't uncommon for her to simply share gentle affection in silence.

Over her tank top, Tendi lazily stroked random patterns on her midsection. It was a pleasant sensation and T’Lyn waited a few minutes until she, regrettably, had to disturb their sensual proximity.

“I must meditate.” Tendi unlatched following a quick kiss to her jaw. T’Lyn returned the gesture and crawled out of bed. While she pulled the covers up on her side, she told her, “You may remain if you wish.”

“I’ll be quiet.” Tendi promised. Then she sat up to reach for her padd and the sheets fell into her lap. And because Tendi had taken to sleeping topless again and they hadn’t had sex yet since her return, T’Lyn’s mental functions momentarily short-circuited. T’Lyn was as appreciative as she was distracted.

T’Lyn’s eyes roamed down to her chest before meeting her gaze again. Tendi’s green eyes danced with amusement but her unrelieved desire for her was not comical. T’Lyn’s throat was dry yet she said, “I will rejoin you in two hours.”

The mental clarity following an effective meditation session provided her incomparable security. T’Lyn breathed deep before opening her eyes for the first time in the two hours. The flame of the meditation candle was steady, just as she felt. She extinguished the fire with a pinch to the wick and the heat diffused too quickly to be painful to the Vulcan.

Tendi had silently read the entire time and T’Lyn appreciated her consideration. At some point she had laid back down, reading with the padd held aloft. T’Lyn joined her under the covers and Tendi shot her a smile but she wasn't satisfied. She wanted a physical reconnection with her girlfriend.

“May I?” T’Lyn held out her hand for the device and after Tendi gave it to her, she placed it on the bedside table.

“Hey!” Tendi protested with a laugh.

“Apologies.” The sheets fell backwards when T’Lyn moved to hover over her, knees on either side of her hips. “I request your attention.”

Tendi’s arms wrapped around her and pulled her closer. She grinned, “You always have it.” Then she glanced at the padd, the corner of her eyes crinkling with joy. “Especially now.”

T’Lyn kissed her and was flooded with pleasure. She'd been anticipating touching, tasting, pleasing her for weeks now.

She rested on one forearm to trail her other hand up her side. She bit back a moan as she caressed her breast- Tendi had no reservations, arching into her, sighing into her mouth.

“T’Lyn,” Tendi breathed her name and she couldn’t endure anymore.

T’Lyn burned, her brain seared with need. She rolled them over so Tendi was on top of her and her situational awareness outside of their bubble of intimacy was lost. All she could feel was Tendi’s skin, the pressure of her body. She could only hear the way their lips moved and how they breathed. Every sense was Tendi.

She urged her closer, gripping her hips. The Orion kissed her fiercely as she tried to grind down into her.

As she was reaching between their bodies to assist, Tendi pulled back. Needing her, T’Lyn tried to chase her retreating lips.

“Sorry,” Tendi groaned, out of breath.

T’Lyn settled, returning her hands to slowly rub her sides. She assumed she needed respite for oxygen from their heavy kissing however then Tendi weakly attempted to push away with another apology.

T’Lyn held on, confused.

For the moment, she suppressed her desires- an impressive feat truly- in order to think logically. It was fine if Tendi didn’t want to have sex but her repeated sense of guilt at stopping was illogical. She’d already stated apologies were unnecessary. So was there a motivation behind her sustained disinclination besides a lack of desire?

“Tendi,” she reached up to cup her cheek and Tendi’s affection and arousal sent a fire through T’Lyn’s veins. If she wasn’t unpassionate...

Her reluctance was confounding.

She was attempting to phrase her bewilderment without sounding accusatory or disappointed when Tendi leaned into her touch and asked, “Are you okay? Is this too much?”

Too much?

Then she realized she was halting due to her concern over her recovery.

It was considerate, if not vaguely insulting. Except it was illogical to be offended so she suppressed that sentiment.

And, after all, T’Lyn had suffered an instance of dysregulation in their connection last week, so her worry for her emotions was logical. Yet inaccurate at the present time. Admittedly, her emotions were heightened; however, it was within manageable levels.

She stroked her thumb across her cheekbone and she wanted to demonstrate her control but she couldn’t risk influencing Tendi. So she merely answered, “Negative.”

Tendi’s expression remained neutral and carefully guarded. “Will it be too much if we keep going?”

“Negative.” At least, it was improbable, especially at this stage. With less proteins clogging her synaptic functions, emotional control wasn’t as much of an ordeal.

And that was enough for Tendi to sink back into her arms. She smiled, beautiful and gentle. Her green eyes were alight with love. “Do you want to?”

It was illogical to ask a question so evident. “Since my return.” T’Lyn dared to confess and Tendi surged back to her like a magnet. She moaned and her pleasured noise was everything T’Lyn craved. Tendi pushed her body closer, a knee going between T’Lyn’s thighs that made her gasp.

“Tell me if-”

“I will.”

Tendi sat on the floor of her room, reprogramming one of the many T-88 tricorders that she and Rutherford stole forever ago. She used this illicit one for testing before she brought a suggestion to Rutherford or Billups.

Her door whooshed open and she smiled at T’Lyn. It sent a thrill of intimacy down her body whenever her girlfriend casually joined her in her quarters. It was always preplanned but still.

Tendi set the T-88 down beside her and leaned back on her palms to look up at her, “Hi, T’Lyn!”

“Greetings.” She held a padd in her hand and her eyes flicked to it before focusing back on her. “Mariner’s holodeck program to simulate an escape from a Cardassian torture facility was fascinating. I am coding a similar one, though far more challenging.”

“Oh neat! That sounds like fun!”

“Would you care to review the progress?”

“I’d love to!” Tendi extended her legs and pat the space between them. T’Lyn raised an eyebrow like she hadn’t anticipated cuddling but complied, sitting cross-legged.

Tendi grinned as the Vulcan sacrificed her perfect posture to recline and lean against her. She curled around her, wrapping her arms tight around T’Lyn’s midsection, and nuzzled her face into the back of her neck, enjoying the feel of her soft hair, then she propped her chin on her shoulder.

She knew it wasn’t necessary for T’Lyn to put a hand on her knee, but she did it anyway to touch her. And those kinds of small choices were what made Tendi love her more and more.

“I also request feedback.”

Tendi was careful of her volume despite her excitement at her effective coding and the creativity of the program. While it was focused on combat and strategy, T’Lyn also included opportunities for hacking into the facilities’ systems. She softly shared praise as they went through the lines of code.

“Perhaps,” T’Lyn tilted her head to rest against hers. “We could collaborate on a project for the holodeck.”

Tendi kissed her shoulder, smiling against her jacket. “I love that idea!”

It was dinner time and the bar was loud and lively, but Tendi was laughing with her friends at their booth. Tendi saw Rutherford grin and wave and she looked towards the door to see that Mariner and T’Lyn had walked in. She nearly dropped her spoon in shock. Mariner followed behind T’Lyn, guiding her with a hand on her shoulder which honestly wasn’t that uncommon. But this time, the hand lay on the same shoulder she was behind and Mariner probably had no idea what that meant for Orions, but T’Lyn did.

On Orion, she’d asked about it after observing the habit from her parents. Tendi had told her about the implied power dynamic so T'Lyn knew it was reserved for couples, but she was letting Mariner hang on, had walked in so blatantly…

Up until this point, Tendi hadn’t been jealous. Not really anyway. She loved that T’Lyn had friends to hang out with since she hadn’t had them before. And Mariner was so hilarious and fun to be around and, even though she would pretend to complain, she liked indulging in other's interests. She was such a good friend. But now she knew Mariner liked her girlfriend… And she had assumed T’Lyn was simply oblivious to Mariner’s crush but maybe she wasn’t…

She felt an uncomfortable sting in her chest. T’Lyn paused and then her eyes snapped over to her.

Oh [fuck]. She’d been wondering if they were still connected even at a distance. The Vulcan hadn’t mentioned it since she’d been back.

T’Lyn finally brushed Mariner’s hand off her shoulder, maybe she realized what it looked like, but before T’Lyn looked at her again, Tendi ducked her head down to study her plate of delicious tacos she could no longer stomach. She tried to shake off the fear that she wasn't enough- that T'Lyn wanted more... She knew was being ridiculous… So instead, she returned her attention to Barnes and Livik and Rutherford and their discussion/argument revolving around Leah Brahms.

Despite having completed her studies, T'Lyn continued to amicably train and exercise with Mariner; 'hang out' as the humans called it. In the gym during her stretches, Mariner had concluded a retelling of a mission that fell into chaos following a rash decision. Her behavior was illogical, but to a greater extent than most humans she’d observed.

From T’Lyn’s time thus far on the Cerritos, in a strange dichotomy, she trusted Mariner to act in defense of her friends yet didn’t trust her to not risk their lives to satisfy some unknown motivation. It was as though she regularly sought out any opportunity to fight simply for personal amusement, which T’Lyn couldn’t fathom.

Having spent a significant amount of time with her recently, she didn’t think it was unreasonable to ask, “Mariner, your penchant for battle and danger, is there an underlying explanation for your recklessness?”

The human glowered. “Hey! Don’t come at me with your Vulcan psychoanalysis.”

“It was not meant as a personal attack.” Still, she did not feel guilty for apparently offending her. Mariner’s conduct was a liability, mostly to herself as of late, but T’Lyn had simply wished to understand in order to mitigate the risk to their friends and Tendi.

“I just like fighting, like a Klingon.” She huffed. “So the only personal attack I want from you is with this.” She lightly smacked the padded end of the pugil stick against the side of T’Lyn’s arm. Then with a shrug, she amended, “Or punching or kicking or whatever you’re feeling.”

"Very well." And their duel began.

Later, they were midway through their second anbo-jyutsu match and T’Lyn was arguably winning despite literally having a hand tied behind her back- a challenge set by Mariner in an effort to ‘make it fair’ though her desire for victory was transparent.

But then another unusual ache tugged at her side and T’Lyn’s step faltered and she stopped, knowing she wasn't in any danger of Mariner hurting her. Rather she focused on the feeling, it was muted but not dissimilar to the dull constrictions she’d felt previously. And if it was not her own pain then it had to be Tendi’s, but what would cause her to feel like that again?

“Yo dude, you okay?” Mariner lowered her weapon, an honorable display. “You just kinda froze.”

“Apologies.” As she looked to her, a sharp pain slashed through her that nearly made her gasp. And then it disappeared.

That was strange.

Mariner tore off her helmet and moved closer, “What’s going on, T’Lyn? Is it your arm? Is it too tight?”

“No. I was struck with a peculiar pain but I am uninjured.” She would speak with Tendi tonight regarding the events.

“You sure? Do you need to go see Doctor T?”

“No.” At Mariner’s glare she told her, “A single instance is not distressing enough to warrant concern.”

“Alright. Well come on. We’ve still got thirty minutes!” Mariner affixed her helmet and assumed the opening stance.

T’Lyn kept her mind clear as they battled.

Afterwards T’Lyn showered and meditated. Tonight, they would be in Tendi’s room following her first rest so she brought her padd.

Sitting on the floor together but reading separately, they leaned against Tendi’s mattress. T’Lyn enjoyed the way their shoulders were pressed together. She sat cross-legged while Tendi had her adjacent leg extended under hers, and the other bent up to balance her padd on. Tendi had her hand on T’Lyn’s knee and was absentmindedly tracing symbols with her fingertips.

Tracing turned into drumming anxiously, then T’Lyn heard an increase in her respirations before Tendi broke their companionable silence.

“You know Mariner likes you, right?” Her tone was uncharacteristically harsh.

T’Lyn turned her attention towards her and raised an eyebrow, disconcerted by Tendi’s outburst. Even though she sounded angry, she appeared upset based on her frown and downcast gaze.

T’Lyn had planned to question the origin of her pain prior to their nighttime ritual however, was it simply jealousy? That was illogical. They were in an established relationship. Didn't she know how devoted Vulcans were? How committed she was to her? She didn’t even register sexual attraction to anyone else anymore and she’d never felt romantic attraction to anyone besides Tendi.

“I was unaware.” She hummed in faux consideration and Tendi turned to look at her, eyes wide. T’Lyn knew it was unconstructive to pretend to entertain the thought but Tendi’s concern was astonishingly ridiculous. “It is a disagreeable prospect as it would be necessary to permanently cauterize my scent receptors. She consumes an excessive amount of bean burritos.”

Tendi’s displeasure cracked with a snort.

“She is a helpful, albeit deeply irrational, friend. I have no other interest in her except platonically.” T’Lyn assured, however the lingering uncertainty in Tendi’s eyes was unacceptable.

Then she recalled the incident in the cantina yesterday- the echoed ache and the acute downturn of her lips. Mariner reached out so frequently, but the hand on T’Lyn’s shoulder incidentally followed an Orion custom. Yet she understood the gesture to be a display of deference and Tendi had deemed it ‘a silly tradition'. Though perhaps she had softened her regard for it as she'd often done about Orion culture… If she'd been informed it was a significant act, T’Lyn wouldn’t have allowed it.

Still, she supposed it'd been an unfavorable sight for Tendi.

T’Lyn offered her hand palm up and Tendi laced their fingers together. “I apologize if my actions conveyed the contrary… Was your comment an attempt to receive reassurance of my affection?”

Tendi cringed and embarrassment flooded their link. “Sort of? But no. Not really! You’re amazing!” The fires in T’Lyn’s heart was stoked by her compliment. “But she’s interested in you and I guess I got a little worried that maybe you didn’t mind or didn’t know she was making moves on you.”

Mariner’s sentiments did explain her recent behavior... “I had noticed her engage in conversations of relationships. However I assumed she was attempting to confirm if we were involved. It is likely my repeated diversions and refutes may have implied the incorrect message... It would also explain the holodeck sessions and the increase in physical contact.”

T’Lyn felt Tendi beginning to pull away. “Well if you are interested-"

“I am not.” She repeated firmly.

Tendi squeezed her hand. “Right. Sorry… And thank you, T’Lyn.” She pressed a kiss to her jaw that T’Lyn appreciated. “I was being silly.”

“Perhaps.” Tendi made a playful noise of protest at her tease. “It is illogical to presume an issue when I have not communicated one.” Tendi nodded, her half-smile sheepish. She was an emotional species, she wouldn't consider the Logic of their relationship in such perturbing moments. So T’Lyn swiped her thumb across the back of her hand and added, “However should you require additional reassurance or comfort, please do not hesitate.”

Illogically, her heart beat quicker in response to the spike in warm and bright emotions. With a happy sigh, Tendi said, “You’re so healthy.”

T’Lyn didn’t get a chance to ask what she was referring to as Tendi kissed her thoroughly. She savored her affection, gratified to feel her contentment and love.

They were alone in the turbolift after having finished their shift on the bridge. Tendi rested against the wall to look at T’Lyn, “Are you coming over tonight?”

“I apologize, I am not available.”

“That’s okay!” That meant Tendi could stay for the entire movie marathon the film club was hosting tonight! She wondered if Jet would go with her, he always had hilarious commentary and was fun to hang out with! She pulled out her padd to send him a message:

Movie marathon? ^^ *popcorn munch*

She returned her attention when T’Lyn said, “If your schedule allows, tomorrow after your first rest is an agreeable time.”

Tendi grinned, “Yeah- oh wait! I’m going on that away mission with Ransom.”

“Ah, I was unaware it was a different shift.”

“Sorry, I must’ve been so excited that I forgot to mention it! Ransom wanted me to be,” she deepened her voice dramatically, “The Cleaner again.”

The doors opened and Tendi knew there was a nice rarely-used conference room on this deck they could duck into to finish talking. So she looped her arm through T’Lyn’s and guided her into the room. And if they weren’t going to have any personal time in a while, she did want to at least kiss her.

Once inside, she pivoted to stand in front of her. “I know I’ll still see you for our shifts and meals but-“

T’Lyn held her hand. “I am available the following day before your first rest.”

“Okay!” Tendi then gave her a few short pecks and then one lingering kiss. She tapped two fingers where T’Lyn’s ear met her jaw and then to her cheek. “Oh! And your idea today was so clever! I never would’ve thought of that.”

“Yet you were able to execute it without error alongside me.”

Tendi bounced on her heels in happiness. “We make a good team.”

“I concur.” Despite her impassive expression, Tendi felt her fondness as T’Lyn reminded her, “I await you.”

Chapter Text

Tendi was lying down in the middle of the floor with her legs bent up for T’Lyn to rest her back against. Considering she couldn’t bounce or move or else she’d disrupt her girlfriend, she was playing a game on her padd to keep her hands busy. She distractedly adjusted the cushion under her head so she was a little more comfortable.

Tendi quietly hummed along to the tropical tune playing low over the speakers in T’Lyn’s room. She didn’t even know the name of the song since there were no lyrics but she’d heard it enough times on the holodeck when they loaded up T’Lyn’s beach program. It was super catchy!

She finished the level and then scrolled over to the notifications. It was 0700, which meant it was time for their daily assignments. But she was sidetracked on her way to check and she gasped as she read the latest ship-wide announcement for events.

“T’Lyn!” She shrieked in glee and sat up, placing a hand on her back to let her know she was moving from behind her.

T’Lyn put a hand to her ear and straightened her posture but didn’t look away from her technical journal. “Tendi, your volume.”

“Sorry.” Tendi pivoted to sit next to her and she leaned over to press an apologetic kiss to her temple. She continued much quieter but still thrilled as she thrust her padd out for T’Lyn to take, “But look!”

T’Lyn didn’t take the device but her eyes flicked down to the screen and then over to her, “A Ballroom Dancing Competition? Why does this excite you?”

“Look at the grand prize!” Tendi pressed into her side, still offering the padd for T’Lyn even as she announced, “We could win a penthouse suite! How cool! Could you imagine?” She grinned as she did just that. It would be so awesome to share quarters with her, especially one as fancy as a Deck 1 suite! There would be plenty of space for her and T’Lyn and Goopy and all their beakers and padds and T’Lyn would get her own special room for meditation and-

“Curious.” T’Lyn finally accepted the padd, putting her own down. “I was unaware you knew how to ballroom dance.”

“I don’t!” But it would be easy to learn- it couldn’t be more complicated than the traditional Orion belly dancing.

T’Lyn quirked an eyebrow up. “Yet you wish to compete?”

“For the room!” She wondered if it was such a good first place prize because the last two attempts at having the competition had been canceled. It better not be canceled this time!

“Who would be your counterpart?”

Tendi’s smile faltered at her unexpected question. Why would she compete with anyone else? Did T’Lyn not want to dance with her? “Well… I was kind of hoping you would be my partner... I wouldn’t want to share the room with anyone else.” It would add an entirely new layer of complications and potential hijinks to keeping their relationship a secret.

“Ah.” T’Lyn sounded pleased, which gave her some hope. “Vulcans do not dance as it is exceedingly pointless... However given the incentive, I will participate. It should prove to be a fascinating study.”

Tendi put a hand on her knee, too excited to not reach out. “Yeah, I think it’ll be pretty cool!”

Tendi could’ve swooned when T’Lyn held her hand; she loved their casual affection. But she came out of her daze as T’Lyn continued reading. “We must orchestrate multiple three-minute demonstrations of a skill neither of us possess by the deadline next week. How do you intend for us to learn?”

“Oh I’m sure there are programs on the holodeck. And if there aren’t, we can code something!”

“Indeed.” Then T’Lyn scrolled back to the title page with the last winners kissing. “Hmm. Will the crew assume we are engaging in intimate activity?”

“Oh.” Tendi deflated against her, “I hadn’t thought about that. I guess it will look kind of obvious…” She didn’t think only couples could dance together but it would be suspicious given their closeness. They couldn’t have rumors starting. She was disappointed but she laced their fingers together and said, “Maybe we shouldn’t do it.”

She'd really been looking forward to it: learning together, planning it out, actually dancing with T’Lyn…

Tendi looked up when T’Lyn swiped her thumb across her skin, “Alternatively, if we are forthcoming regarding our motivation for participation perhaps it would eliminate suspicion.”

“Like just announce we’re in it for the bigger room?”

“Correct.”

Considering the lengths she and Boimler and Mariner went to in order to try to get the same Deck 1 quarters during the room lottery, she knew they’d believe it!

Her enthusiasm returned full force; she beamed, “Oh! That could work!” She separated their hands but only to tackle T’Lyn into a tight hug. After all, the Vulcan could’ve just agreed they shouldn’t but she clearly wanted to do this together! She nuzzled into her neck, “You never run out of solutions to problems, T’Lyn. You’re the best!”

T’Lyn held her with her arm around her waist but tried to deflect her praise, “That is an inaccurate assessment.”

“Not to me!” Tendi kissed her, she couldn’t help but smile against her lips. “Okay, we can book some holodeck time.” She unstuck herself from her side to stand, “I’m going to check out the program list again!”

“Very well.” Tendi offered her a hand up, which she accepted. T’Lyn reached out to touch her hip, the warmth of her hand burning even through her slacks, and she suggested, “Perhaps it would be prudent to review recordings of other competitions as I am unfamiliar with these human traditions.”

“Good idea!” She cupped her face in her hands and told her, “I love how logical you are.” T’Lyn rested their foreheads together and her appreciation flowed through the connection. Tendi pecked a kiss to her lips and then pulled back. “Let’s start learning, study buddy!”

So long ago, that was all they had been to each other… It was amazing how far they’d come!

“After our shift.” T’Lyn reminded her.

“Yes! We’ve got so much science to do!”

Later that night, they held hands as they worked on separate padds. Tendi had been brainstorming ideas for their settings on the holodeck since they were allowed to choose their own design, but she took a break when T’Lyn located a collection of recordings and began to play one. Tendi rested against her, laying her head on her shoulder to watch Earth’s Ballroom Dancing Competition for the year 2379.

The men wore an outfit like Mark Twain but in black with a white undershirt while the women wore dresses of assorted fashions but nearly all of them had some form of flowing fabric attached to their wrist. The effect was incredibly pretty as they twirled.

The only issue she had was the way they were dancing. They directed their smiles ahead for the judges with their upper bodies tilted away from each other.

“Wow!” Tendi laughed at the awkward dance form, “I didn’t know it looked that silly.”

“It is stranger than anticipated.” T’Lyn admitted, possibly regretting agreeing to do this with her.

She shook her head as they continued watching because it didn’t make any sense, “They aren’t even looking at each other! That’s the best part of dancing with someone.”

“It would be a marked improvement.”

“I guess we could probably do whatever we want, right? Maybe we can make our own style.”

Ever her rational girlfriend, T’Lyn questioned, “Is breaking tradition wise when we are endeavoring to win?”

“I still want to have fun…” Tendi pulled back so T’Lyn would look at her, “It might not be logical, but even if we don’t win, I think it’s going to be great to dance together.”

“I concur.” T’Lyn’s eyes flicked down to her lips before she leaned in for a kiss. Tendi’s heart was so filled with love for her, it could’ve burst.

Wow. If that ever happened, Dr. T’Ana would have a medical anomaly on her hands!

But their tender moment was interrupted as the recording played a faster paced song for what they called ‘Quickstep’. It was like they were galloping across the dancefloor and Tendi didn’t think anything could look sillier than the traditional style, but they just proved her wrong! “Woah.”

T’Lyn flatly informed her, “Tendi, I withdraw my participation if this is a requirement. It is too energetic. And there is no aesthetic appeal.”

Tendi snickered and rubbed her arm, “Don’t we only need four styles? This doesn’t have to be one of them.”

“Appreciated. Vulcans do not ‘prance’.” The word fell foreign on her lips but laced with thinly veiled disdain- a rare break in her endearing monotone.

Tendi fell into her chuckling, squeezing her hand in delight when she felt her smug satisfaction. With the Quickstep not an option, they continued researching to find the right styles for them to perform.

Luckily there were plenty of instructional programs covering all forms of dancing and while Tendi loved Dr. Beverly Crusher, the snackiest CMO, she thought Commander Data would be less distracting. And that T’Lyn might find him more relatable.

Plus his holoself offered the option of giving either ‘sensitive and constructive feedback’ or ‘frank evaluations’.

Of course T’Lyn wanted blunt criticism, unconcerned with anything but improvement. But Tendi was grateful for his soft encouragement because she could feel frustration at herself building. It wasn’t even that she was doing bad! Most of his comments were minor adjustments but she was needing three practice runs sometimes.

In comparison, T’Lyn so flawlessly executed each sequence on the first or second try. She lacked any kind of verve to her movements, which wasn’t surprising, but she was such a quick study… Tendi was so proud of her brilliant girlfriend and she tried to focus on that rather than feeling inadequate.

After all, she would get it- she was used to working hard and she wasn’t going to be the reason they didn’t win.

Commander Data bowed and announced, “It is time for your scheduled break. Please hydrate, we will resume in three minutes.”

The dance studio program did have a replicator and T’Lyn requested a cold water from the holographic machine and passed it to Tendi, who smiled at her thoughtfulness.

“Aww, thank you!”

“You are welcome.” After Tendi had downed the water, T’Lyn took the glass back to the replicator and then returned to her. The subtle care wasn’t lost on her; she kissed her cheek in appreciation and the corner of T’Lyn’s lips twitched up. “We are progressing through the program sufficiently.” She complimented.

They’d learned two styles individually with Data’s guidance and after this break were finally going to dance with each other. Excitement and nerves stirred erratically in Tendi’s stomach and she ran a hand through her hair to try to calm down. “We’ve still got a lot to learn.”

“Tendi,” T’Lyn could easily read her. She held her hands and tried to soothe her. “There is time.”

“I know…” Tendi just felt like she couldn’t keep up. “Sorry, I think I got too in my head.” She looked at her and smiled and reminded herself, “Once I learn all these steps, it’s going to be so much fun! And we can add our own flairs as we go.”

Indulgently, T’Lyn nodded. “You are correct.”

And only a few short minutes later, they were dancing together! Sort of!

But while practicing the quickest paced part of the dance, she nearly crushed T’Lyn’s foot in an effort to keep up with her. “Ugh. I’m so sorry T’Lyn. I’m trying.”

“It is no trouble.” T’Lyn pulled her closer and guaranteed her, “You will not hurt me.”

Tendi was so touched by her consideration. She pulled her into a soft kiss which caused them miss too many steps and holographic Commander Data made them start the routine over… But it was worth it.

They had the music picked out and the steps choreographed. Now all they needed was their outfits and to rehearse until it was time for the competition. Tendi had selected a dark blue dress, the V-cut showed off just enough cleavage to still be work appropriate. The bottom of her dress stopped above her knees and was looser, so it would be flowy as they danced around.

She thought it looked pretty cute! As she exited the bathroom, she twirled with a laugh; she was delighted that the fabric floated like planned. But also that it successfully diverted the attention of T’Lyn, who had been sitting at her desk reviewing outfit options. Both sharp eyebrows rose in appreciation as she studied her.

It was kind of obvious T’Lyn approved but she still asked, “What do you think?”

“Remarkable…” T’Lyn stood, abandoning her padd on the desk to walk over to her.

With her heels Tendi was now taller than her girlfriend- only by a little but it was still fun! She grinned as T’Lyn guided them closer to assume their starting dance position.

“The functionality is satisfactory?”

“I think so!” They did a few maneuvers and the heels were a little tricky but she still had a couple of days to practice in them. T’Lyn dropped her hold so Tendi walked over to the padd that she’d been using to look at wardrobe options from the replicator. “Have you found something you like?”

“There are aesthetically pleasing options.” T’Lyn showed her a few really nice suits.

“Oh wow! You’d look so good in any of these!”

Next she presented some pretty dresses as she said, “Yet I must consider the traditional attire.”

Tendi shook her head, “You can wear whatever you want.” Then as a tease, “Logically, you want to be comfortable, right?”

“… Indeed.” She pressed a kiss to her jaw, “I will return momentarily.”

Tendi took a seat and slid the kal-toh board over so she could play while she waited for the show. And she was glad she was sitting down when T’Lyn walked out because she looked stunning in the black slacks and formal suit vest. Her sculpted arms were on full display since she didn’t have a dress shirt on underneath.

Tendi was lightheaded. It was impossible to think of anything wittier than, “Oh my gosh, T’Lyn!”

“I adjusted the length to compensate for the raised position of ours arms, however is this adequately formal?”

Tendi bit her lower lip while her eyes raked up her body. “You look so sexy! Wow.”

T’Lyn blushed but directed her hands behind her back, trying to maintain her Vulcan dignity. “’Sexy’ is not a prerequisite unlike formality.”

“I think it is, formal I mean.” Tendi went over to her and circled her once to take in the full outfit. It showed off her athletic form so well… “Are you comfortable showing this much skin?"

T’Lyn nodded, “I wished to include your Orion buckles.”

That explained why T’Lyn traded her blue hairband for a golden one!

“Aww, I love that idea.” She was giddy at the thought of T’Lyn wearing them again. It brought up the good, non-assassin related memories from the lake house: the intimacy of dressing each other, of adorning the traditional Orion accessories. But she doubted T’Lyn had suggested it just for aesthetics. “I guess you worked out what they mean?”

“I assume the matching buckles indicate our relationship.”

When they were preparing to go to the hump dungeon, she’d tried to downplay the connection but T’Lyn was too perceptive. “Yep!”

“You claimed me before we were in an established relationship.” T’Lyn pointed out with a tilt of her head.

“Yeah…” Tendi had basically announced to all of Orion that they were together or at least that T’Lyn was hers. She rubbed the back of her neck with a sheepish grin because she did kind of overstep.

But T’Lyn held out her hands and Tendi eagerly accepted the connection. She could feel how genuine T’Lyn was when she stated, “Most attractive.”

Tendi didn’t have any other explanation for her possessiveness on her homeworld other than, “I liked you for a long time.”

T’Lyn lifted their joined hands. “I was aware.”

“I mean, besides having an instant crush on you, I think I really started to like you the first time we went to the beach on the holodeck…” Tendi led her across the room and sat on the edge of the bed. Her dress was hiked up enough to pull T’Lyn between her legs. She reluctantly released her hands to hold her by her hips and she looked up at her as she admitted, “You were so logical to your approach on building a sandcastle and I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this but you’re really cute when you’re focused on something.”

T’Lyn lifted an eyebrow, “You have not.”

Tendi nuzzled the side of her face into her vest covered midsection. “But that night, I finally realized how much effort you were putting into hanging out with me… I was completely smitten after that.”

T’Lyn brushed a hand through Tendi’s hair, scratching her scalp lightly in a way that made her wish she could purr. “I felt an emotional attraction when you stated you and I are not dissimilar in regards to forging our own paths away from expectations.”

She hadn’t expected her logical girlfriend to divulge that fact but she loved that she did. It made her heart flutter to hear T’Lyn had been as curious and captivated as her back then.

“So did you start liking me when-“ Tendi’s cadence faltered because she didn’t like to bring it up but she wanted to know, “Um, right before the nightmare?”

“Negative.”

Tendi looked up in wonder. “Really?” She always had a feeling T’Lyn might’ve liked her for a while!

“Truthfully, I am uncertain when precisely I developed a romantic attraction to you as I suppressed those sentiments.” It made sense that she’d simply ignore her feelings considering the situation with her career. T’Lyn sat next to her and took her hand, “My attachment to you grew until it was illogical to continue to deny it.”

“That’s sweet.” Tendi kissed her cheek.

T’Lyn swiped her thumb across the back of her hand. “Our shore leave was particularly notable.”

Probably minus the misunderstanding but Tendi knew what she meant. Not only did it open up a lot of potential for their ‘arrangement’ as it was at the time, but they became really close after a week of nothing but them. Everything on Risa was theirs and it felt so domestic. It was such a dream come true… “I loved spending that time with you.” And now they had a chance to recapture it in a way! “And I guess it was good preparation for living together! I’m so excited to share quarters with you.”

“I echo your enthusiasm.”

Tendi beamed. “Let’s win that suite!” She pulled them both up to standing as she launched into what she imagined their quarters would be like, “You can decorate with all your Vulcan icons! And we can have a picture of the Vulcan Science Academy behind our bed!” She dragged T’Lyn around the much smaller room but pretended like they were exploring the layout for the penthouse suite. “And I can have a bookshelf for all my beakers!”

T’Lyn humored her, “The seating area will be convenient for entertaining our friends.”

“Yes! Oh…” Their friends! Tendi was working so hard to get their dance routine perfect since winning was currently the best excuse for them to move in together. Their friends wouldn’t question it, unlike if they applied for cohabitation seemingly out of nowhere. But they would be suspicious of only one bed. They would know the second they walked in…

Tendi grimaced and turned to her, “Oh gosh, we’ll need two beds unless we tell them.”

“Perhaps we could convert a corner into a bunk? ‘Goopy’ may have their own bed.”

She was so damn perfect. Tendi blurted out, “I love you.”

The corner of T’Lyn’s lips twitched up and she dryly teased, “Your affection is easily won.”

“Only by you.” Tendi gently knocked their shoulders together and then continued, “And you could use the office room as your meditation area." She lit up as she remembered, “The penthouse suites have actual bathtubs too! Next time you have a stressful day, I can say-” Tendi moved to hug her from behind and whispered in her pointed ear. “I’ll draw you a warm bath.”

T’Lyn leaned against her but she seemed unimpressed. "Vulcans do not feel stress and a bath is inefficient.”

“But I could join you!”

“That would be counterproductive.”

Hilariously, T’Lyn wasn’t teasing her. Tendi had only ever asked one other time, when they were on Risa. The Vulcan hadn’t wanted to but she thought it was because she considered it too intimate. Now she realized it really was that she was resolutely against anything ineffectual when it came to hygiene. “But I could wash your hair! That’s productive!”

“I am capable.”

Tendi huffed out a laugh, “It’s about taking care of you. Like with the oil baths.”

“Ah... I had not considered that...”

She could barely hold back a giggle at how genuine she was; T’Lyn had been completely blinded by logic. To further entice her, she suggested, “And after I dry us off, we could cuddle in our bed. All warm and snuggly.”

T’Lyn rested her hand on Tendi’s arms around her. “I suppose that would be acceptable…” Tendi smirked against the back of her neck at how she tried to sound reluctant to give into comfort, “I believe it is prudent to practice every night until the competition. The key to our victory will be elegance and effortlessness.”

It was a logical plan since they only had a few more days. It had been nice to spend so much time with her, learning with her. It even kind of felt like they were already living together with how often they were in each other’s quarters.

And although T’Lyn hadn’t said anything, this competition was admittedly taking up a lot of their downtime lately. She really appreciated her willingness and commitment.

Tendi gave her one last squeeze then she circled around to face her. She held her hand and said, “Thanks for doing this with me.”

T’Lyn regarded her softly. “The efforts to accomplish our mutual objective have been diverting.”

“Yeah, the choreography was a lot of fun! And I love dancing with you.”

“Our proximity and your unwavering attention are particularly pleasurable.”

Tendi pressed two fingers to her cheek. “Mm, do you want some unwavering attention before my first rest?”

T’Lyn nodded and leaned in to kiss her.

T’Lyn sat at the booth, grateful that it was not overcrowded today. She found Livik, Barnes, and Jet interesting, however the booth’s design was not intended to seat eight. Assumedly. Though it was Starfleet…

Mariner nodded a greeting but supposedly had just looked up from her burrito because she asked, “Rutherford, where’s all your food? You’re gonna end up frail like Boimler.” She nudged the scrawny man and he rubbed his arm with a pained frown.

“Oh,” Rutherford pat his rotund stomach, “I’m saving room for the fritters tomorrow.”

Mariner gasped in delight, “Oh hell yeah! I love fritters night!”

Tendi pouted and put a hand on Rutherford’s shoulder, “Aw, you’ll have to eat them without me tomorrow!”

“Wait, what’s going on tomorrow?” Boimler asked, appearing to wrack his brain for the answer.

“The Ballroom Dancing Competition! T’Lyn and I entered.”

Their friends all spoke at once:

“Oh my god! Please tell me you used the Dancing Doctor program to practice?”

“Wait, you two are doing that dumb competition?”

“Oh awesome! I didn’t know Vulcans could dance?”

T’Lyn chose to inform Rutherford, “We possess the ability to, however dancing as a form of emotional expression is illogical. Instead, we have choreographed a mathematically sound routine in order to win the grand prize.”

“A penthouse suite!” Tendi elaborated excitedly.

“Oh, that makes sense.”

Mariner was still disbelieving. “You know, usually it’s the dorks picking up embarrassing hobbies-“

“Model trains are not a hobby!” Boimler insisted, indignant. It was expected considering the excessive hours spent on designing and building his miniature cities at which the model trains made stops. He possessed a strong predisposition to obsession and fixation that was fascinating.

“Yeah!” Rutherford matched his enthusiasm and hit the side of his fist against the table. “It’s a way of life.”

Tendi then said, “It’s really not that bad, Mariner!”

“Hey, no! More power to you.” Mariner casually leaned back against the booth. “When you nerds win, we can throw an awesome party in your new suite.”

“Yay! That would be fun!”

T’Lyn was entranced by the reverent manner in which Tendi fastened her arm buckles. She could transform the simplest action into a ritual and it was nearly overwhelming to be on the receiving end of that level of care. Her fingertips ghosted along her skin, tracing her muscles that the traditional accoutrements accentuated. “I’m so happy you wanted to include these! And I’m really glad my cousin was able to send them over so soon.”

Rather than replicate the accessories, Tendi had commissioned these from the family blacksmith. T’Lyn was not surprised he was able to accommodate her request considering her impressive status on Orion.

Then it was T’Lyn’s turn to affix Tendi’s and she endeavored to provide the same attention to detail. She placed them perfectly to conform to her muscular structure and then she lifted two fingers to her freckled cheek. Logically, factually, she informed her: “You are exquisite.”

Tendi’s face heated up. She completed the gesture as she said, “And you look so beautiful...”

T’Lyn shared her appreciation for her compliment and then it was time to make their way to the competition.

It was a unique experience to have her arms uncovered in a public setting, however it had its benefits. Such as when their arms and shoulders brushed as they walked to Holodeck 2.

Once there, they were designated as Couple 10 and they would be the final performance for each round they advanced to. Out of the other nine couples, she only knew Lt. Bingston Jr. and presumably his boyfriend.

Truthfully, “Despite the impressive incentive, I had not anticipated this many competitors.”

Tendi nudged her side, “And I didn’t expect Shaxs to be a judge.”

He was dressed in an eccentric and casual jumpsuit with pink sunglasses perched on his baseball cap. His hulking form dominated the space behind the judges’ table. He and Lt. Dirk each had a stack of padds in front of them and Lt. Shaxs picked up one and squinted in confusion. In a whispered-yell, he hissed “Dirk, you didn’t tell me it was a ballroom dancing competition!”

“Evidently, he did not either.”

Tendi giggled and leaned against her after they took their assigned seats.

T’Lyn observed the judges for another moment before returning her focus to the center of the room. She was concerned that their bartending ‘prank’ on her would influence their arbitrating, but logically they should disregard their past experiences to remain impartial. Yet she knew it was rare for emotional species to be so logical…

“All right. Let’s begin. Couple 1, load your program.”

In the middle of the plain room remained a gridded section of the holodeck until the setting materialized into what looked like an Earth relic- a concrete road with artistic designs painted on.

Tendi was fascinated by the other competitors’ routines, sharing interjections of praise under her breath. She and Shaxs were often awed by the same maneuvers, which provided T’Lyn with mild entertainment until it was their turn to perform.

“Couple 10, go ahead.”

Tendi requested their first program and the familiar setting loaded around them. The dancefloor, which was limited to specific dimensions, was a wooden pavilion. However it seemed necessary to add context and further aesthetic appeal to their venue so the former plain room of the holodeck was transformed into a scenic black sand beach.

It was risky as no other couple had done so, however it seemed to be well received.

“Oooh.” Shaxs leaned over and his chair shifted in the sand. He asked Dirk, “How many points can we give for style?”

“That’s dance style. Points for background go in this column.”

That was promising that their creativity would be judged as well.

T’Lyn assumed the lead position, holding their hands up in the air as dictated by the dance style. However the undignified position was soon forgotten as Tendi’s excitement and happiness soothed her. Tendi grinned at her and within moments the music started.

Their mathematically flawless choreography was executed perfectly. During their performance, T’Lyn could not look away from her girlfriend even for a moment to verify if their dance was satisfactorily accepted by their peers and the judges. Though she was certain they were as captivated by Tendi as she was.

They received applause at the conclusion of their first dance, which made the Orion beam with pride.

Then the couples lined up for feedback as only eight would continue to the next round. The judges’ notes were relatively tame until-

“Couple 3.” Dirk called out and Bingston and his boyfriend stepped forward.

Shaxs adjusted his reading glasses, “Let’s see now…” He then slammed down the padd and pointed, “You, the twink.”

“Winger Bingston Jr. sir.”

“Your flamboyant and dramatic dance style was just…” He shook his head before he continued, “Exactly what this competition needed! You and your partner are through to the second round.”

Bingston gave a dramatic bow and they stepped back for the other pairs that were called.

“Couple 5, your performance was moving and inspired.” Dirk’s unimpressed tone was contrary to his words yet she suspected that was merely his personality. Still, his next feedback was unexpected, “But you went over your allotted time so you’re out.”

The woman threw down her heels and she and her partner stormed out in a huff.

“The judges are tough.” Tendi whispered.

She nodded and realized she had not previously told Tendi, “Admittedly, I do not care for either. They coordinated the bartending shift of ritual humiliation.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that…” Tendi discreetly squeezed her wrist. “Well, we just have to impress them.”

“Your outfit should accomplish that.”

Tendi blushed and she looped her arm through T’Lyn’s and before she could retort, they were called up.

“Couple 10, Science Dweebs.”

“That’s us!” Tendi cheered at the epithet and pulled them forward for judging.

Shaxs glared at T’Lyn with his undamaged eye, but better her than Tendi. Unflinching, she met his gaze as he emphatically told them in his deep, rumbling voice. “There was nothing traditional about your routine… But you broke conventions in a truly enchanting way so you’re going through to the second round.”

Tendi barely kept her composure at the positive news, she was vibrating with joy. She broke away from T’Lyn to clasp her hands to her chest. “Yay!”

They returned to their seats for the start of the next round. Again, they would break conventions as apparently everyone else decided to perform the Quickstep for this sequence. However they were decidedly not participating in the rebarbative style.

When it was their turn, Tendi requested their second scenery program, which was a recreation of her courtyard on Orion. They would dance on the white polished stone while the surrounding holodeck transformed into the garden. The judges sat in the shade beneath the tall blue tree.

“Kudos, kudos.” Shaxs commended as he took in their setting.

They took to the dancefloor. Having included the lighting of their B-type star, the Orion's skin softly glowed. Her eyes shined fluorescent- piercingly green.

As a Vulcan, T’Lyn appreciated beauty. After decades of exploring space and witnessing incredible phenomenon such as the birth of stars, she was quite discerning regarding aesthetics. Yet everything paled in comparison to the vision of Tendi before her.

She was magnificent.

When their hands touched, her emotions were just as radiant.

She savored her bliss but T’Lyn’s decades of practiced emotional suppression and inexpressiveness was tested when she felt her desire. Utilizing every ounce of control, she succeeded in repressing a blush despite Tendi winking at her.

T’Lyn was once again leading; this was their most elegant and most practiced dance. She twirled her around in the appropriate form as taught to her by Commander Data. At the conclusion, they bowed to the judges. Dirk was notating something but Shaxs was daintily dabbing a handkerchief below his eyes. It was evident their display was visually pleasing.

“It is statistically unlikely we will not win.” T’Lyn quietly stated her observation as they took their seats.

Tendi beamed, “I know. We’re doing great!” Then she placed a hand on her knee and squeezed affectionately. “You’re so perfect out there.”

It was high praise but she knew Tendi believed it unquestionably. T’Lyn’s confidence and conviction solidified- she would guarantee their victory.

After the points were tallied, the couples were called for judging.

Bingston and his boyfriend advanced to the next round. Besides that couple, only two others were chosen to continue so it was a given that she and Tendi would be selected. Still, Tendi seemed overjoyed to receive their feedback.

“Couple 10. Your performance was excellent.” Shaxs’ eyes glistened with wetness and he sniffed emotionally. “It takes a lot to move this Bajoran to tears, you’re through to the third round.”

“Ahh! Thank you!”

Dirk then stood and announced, “We’re gonna take a thirty-minute break then we’ll continue onto the quarterfinals.”

Tendi ran over to give Bingston a hug and they voiced admiration for each other’s outfits and routines. Fondly, T’Lyn watched her celebrate. She might not understand her limitless and indiscriminate enthusiasm, but she found it endearing.

The quarterfinals!

Tendi was shaking with anticipation. T’Lyn tried to settle her with a gentle reminder to “Remain calm,” but she couldn’t help it!

This was probably Tendi’s favorite dance and she got to lead it. They had choreographed it together like all the others but it felt a lot more special.

With only three other routines to get through, it was their turn soon enough. She loaded their Vulcan-inspired program and the holodeck transformed.

In the middle of the dusty, desert area around them, they stood on a smooth red-stone dance floor. They had lowered the brightness level so the lit candles surrounded the edge of the dancefloor added a nice dramatic lighting that was also kind of super romantic.

The music began and with their consistent practice, Tendi led them almost effortlessly, like muscle memory, but she was having so much fun! T’Lyn’s attention was seductive, but she tried not to get too distracted. She twirled them around the room and as planned, purposefully paused in front of the judges so she could spin them.

“Incredible!” Shaxs gushed.

Tendi grinned at T’Lyn but one of her cute pointed eyebrows was slightly raised.

What ensued next happened in only a couple of second but it felt like minutes...

Tendi was about to lead them forward away from the judges table but T’Lyn’s grip on her hands tightened. T’Lyn reversed their movement and it was so unexpected and not what they had practiced and Tendi had no idea why she was doing whatever she was doing right in front of the judges.

While trying to get her bearings and take control again because they were definitely going to lose points for this awkward maneuver, Tendi overcorrected and stepped too far back and her heel connected with a candle.

She was lucky it didn’t burn her!

Instead the candle tipped over and rolled along the short distance to the judges table. And apparently, the tablecloth was highly flammable. The small flame grew with a burst and the fire jumped and danced up the fabric. Tendi was frozen, watching in horror.

The flames raced up to the tabletop and in a panic Shaxs pushed his chair back to stand but Dirk had been typing up a note, probably docking points, and didn’t notice until the flames had consumed nearly the entirety. Dirk gave a startled yelp and fell backwards in his chair and Shaxs flipped the table away from them. The other contestants scattered as an on-fire-table was tossed in their direction.

The smoke lifted into the ceiling and as the fire alarm rang out, the sprinkler system activated.

“I’m having flash backs!” Shaxs shouted, clutching his hair. He ran out first and then the other contestants followed, also screaming but mostly about their makeup.

The candles around them hissed as the water hit them and then the program deactivated automatically, leaving them in a black and yellow gridded room with a smoking table. She didn’t have time to wonder why they had physically brought in the piece of furniture when they could’ve requested a holographic one.

Tendi, soaked from the sprinkler system, rounded on her girlfriend. T’Lyn appeared completely unfazed even as her dark locks were sticking to the side of her face and her short bangs clumped together. She stood there with her hands clasped behind her back, stoic and innocent like she was merely an observer to the chaos and hadn’t caused it.

“T’Lyn!” She didn’t really mean to raise her voice but oh my gosh, “Why did you take the lead in the middle of the dance?”

T’Lyn frowned. “Our timing was unsynchronized and I was concerned you could not adjust.”

It was hard not to take the interruption personally- it felt like T’Lyn hadn’t trusted in her abilities at all!

They might not have been keeping perfect time, but it was her dance to lead! Their choreography still made sense and she had been having fun! She pushed her wet hair from her forehead as though seeing T’Lyn better would help her understand. She was definitely yelling a little when she asked, “So you skipped steps without telling me? Why?!”

T’Lyn’s shoulders squared back. “Your anger is illogical. I was attempting to salvage our routine that you could not adhere to.”

Tendi let out an indignant noise of protest. She hadn’t really been mad, just so damn confused about what happened, until now. Now she was mad! T’Lyn was pushing all this on her?! Tendi stepped back from her, “What the [fuck], T’Lyn!”

“Yelling is unnecessary and unproductive.” She said, perfectly impassive and unaffected.

Dammit, that Vulcan control was as infuriating as it was attractive. [Fuck], she was so steady and cool and it was entirely unhelpful when Tendi felt like she was about to lose it.

She knew T’Lyn was right. This wasn’t how she should be talking to her, especially since the Vulcan wasn't officially recovered from the effects of her Bendii Syndrome. But she wasn’t going to let T’Lyn blame her! Her teeth ground together, trying and failing to compose herself. Just as she was about to snap back, their fight was interrupted by Dirk. She pushed down her irritation to at least appear calm to him, though it was probably in vain. He was already glaring at both of them.

“Hi Dirk, we are so sorry-”

“You two,” he growled out, “Are disqualified and banned from future participation.” His eyebrows would’ve been furrowed in anger if they hadn’t been singed off.

Tendi crossed her arms over her chest and complained, “That’s a little harsh…” He was such a jerk…

“Though not unexpected.” It wasn’t a constructive comment and Tendi shot her a look but T’Lyn pointedly kept her focus on their superior.

“Both of you, out.”

“Yes sir.”

The holodeck water disappeared as soon as they exited the archway, which Tendi was glad for. If they'd been dripping water onto the carpet as they made their way through the corridor, it would’ve sparked whispers from the gossipers…

It was a long, tense, silent walk back to Tendi’s room.

Still, T’Lyn was lucky Dirk had interrupted them because she couldn’t muster the same level of aggravation now. She mostly just felt upset. And since it was the middle of the day when personnel roamed the hallways, she couldn’t even reach out for comfort. Not that T’Lyn was interested or so it seemed based on the way she remained at a distance. A frown tugged at her lips.

She kept replaying the disaster, trying to comprehend how their near victory turned into getting banned. They couldn’t even try again next year! There went their chances of a penthouse suite… It would’ve been so nice to have their own room together…

Once in her quarters Tendi took off her heels, balancing with a hand on the wall because she wasn’t sure if T’Lyn was still mad. But if anything, T’Lyn’s eyes narrowed and she stopped, perfectly in arm’s reach. Her hands were at her side, which usually meant she wanted to touch her but was too stubborn to initiate contact.

Tendi took the bait, resting her hand on her shoulder as she eased off her other heel. But when she noticed T’Lyn’s head was purposefully turned away like she hadn’t wanted Tendi to reach out, she felt like rolling her eyes at how obnoxious T’Lyn was being.

Instead she broke away with a sigh to give them both space, saddened that they were fighting rather than celebrating and packing. They had nearly won! She was sure if they had been able to finish their routine, they would’ve gone through to the finals…

It felt like T’Lyn had sabotaged them but that wouldn’t be logical so she knew it wasn't true. But Tendi couldn’t understand T’Lyn’s reasoning; she didn’t think they were that offbeat to justify her commandeering, even if it was for a place in the finals! If she had just followed her goddamn lead like she was supposed to!

She ran a hand through her hair after she sat on the edge of her bed. Her bed, since they wouldn’t have another excuse to move in together for who knows how long… She whined her name unhappily, “T’Lyn…”

The Vulcan sent her a lingering hard look that was her version of a glare. “I acted logically and I am not culpable. It was your lapse in concentration that caused our errant step and the subsequent fire.”

“What?! So you’re implying-“

“That was a statement.”

Tendi scoffed, she knew it wasn’t her damn fault! “Are you freaking serious? Ugh!” She threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. “You’re unbelievable! I was paying attention to what we practiced!”

T’Lyn tilted her head coolly. “Your anger masks the fear that I am correct.”

“T’Lyn, I’m not angry! I’m annoyed!”

“A minor distinction.”

With a huff, she turned away because T’Lyn was undoubtedly defensive about the situation. At least right now, she wasn’t willing to admit she made a mistake as if Tendi wouldn’t have forgiven her for not being perfect! So there was no use in fighting with her… It was only making Tendi feel worse.

She passed a tired hand over her face and shook her head, frustrated that T’Lyn was trying to throw this all on her but she was tired of arguing about who was to blame. They were on the same damn side! They should be comforting each other!

Because she was so disappointed they had lost and embarrassed by how they lost.

It was unreal that they had burned down the competition. And news traveled so fast and it was going to be all over the ship soon. Oh, what if someone had recorded it? It actually would’ve super funny to watch if it hadn’t happened to them, but since it did…

She sighed as she slipped off the arm buckles and carefully placed them in her bedside table. She could feel the Vulcan’s eyes staring her down, maybe expecting a dramatic outburst but as annoyed as she was at her, she wasn’t going to take it out on a symbol of their relationship. T’Lyn was way more important than the competition or winning their argument.

But then T’Lyn broke the silence to attempt to defend herself again. “It was logical for me to lead.”

Why was she stuck on that? Did Tendi say something to make her feel like she was criticizing her logic? Did logic even matter considering the outcome? Dr. T’Ana was going to need to help Dirk grow new eyebrows! And she didn’t really feel bad for the jerk, but word was going to spread all over the ship! Oh no, there was probably going to be a security report on the incident...

Tendi turned to look at her. She wanted to shift the focus of this stupid fight, “Goddammit, T'Lyn! It isn’t important who’s freaking fault it is!” T’Lyn looked taken aback but Tendi wanted to talk about what happened to them! “We lost! We were banned! I kicked a candle and the judges’ table went up in flames right in front of us!”

Then Tendi’s exasperation cracked with a twitch of her lips because it was just so ridiculous and mortifying. As she remembered Dirk’s panicked screech, her voice shook with incredulous laughter, “During a dancing competition we set the holodeck on fire! The Captain is going to hear about this! We have bridge duty tomorrow! Aren’t you embarrassed?”

T’Lyn’s tense posture relaxed and that was a good sign. Especially when the Vulcan countered with a bold lie, “I am not capable of that emotion.” But Tendi usually let it slide since she didn’t want to make T’Lyn feel bad for having normal emotions that she suppressed.

“Well I’m embarrassed. I guess enough for the both of us!” But that gave her a great idea... Tendi fought a smile as she stood and demanded, “Hold my hand!”

T’Lyn hid her hands behind her back, “D’Vana…” She warned but her eyes shined with amusement.

The tension between them completely disappeared and Tendi giggled while she playfully lunged at her. She wouldn’t really try to hold her hand but she did make multiple attempts to hug her and T’Lyn evaded her with quick sidesteps. T’Lyn was smirking with each successful dodge but she didn’t know Tendi was letting her get away. She was guiding her towards the bed and when T’Lyn got overconfident, Tendi pounced.

She wrapped her arms around T’Lyn and used their momentum to twirl them and they fell onto the bed. Tendi laughed and snuggled into her shoulder, throwing her leg over T’Lyn’s to keep her trapped.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Negative.” T’Lyn assured softly.

Tendi laid her hand on her chest, "And you're okay? I mean, us fighting didn't aggravate your Bendii Syndrome did it?"

"I am well." She rested her chin against Tendi’s forehead and then commented, “Your hair smells of combustion.”

“Your vest does too.” She lazily started to unbutton the complicated fastenings, “Too bad we didn’t win the penthouse suite! We could be taking a bath together…”

Tendi felt the pull of T’Lyn’s empathetic link, she was probably worried she was actually still upset so Tendi focused on how funny it was that they burned down a holodeck. And then she shared how much she loved her and how turned on she’d been all evening, admiring T’Lyn in her vest and looking forward to taking it off of her.

“Perhaps a sonic shower together will suffice?”

“Really?!” She sat up in her excitement, looking for confirmation that T’Lyn was willing to abandon efficiency for affection. And just in case she was trying to appease her after the fight she said, “We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

T’Lyn reminded her, “I would not have suggested it otherwise.”

Tendi cheered and stood, offering her hand to help her up. Then she resumed undressing her and T’Lyn watched her with half-lidded eyes. She took her time with each remaining button, since it was obvious T’Lyn was enjoying the attention, and when she reached her slacks, she unbuttoned them too. Tendi slipped the arm buckles off of her and pressed a kiss to her jaw before she put them away.

She returned to her and met T’Lyn’s fond gaze. She rested a hand on her side under her breast, where her heart beat rapidly. “Could you unzip me?”

“I will."

Tendi turned around to give her access and T’Lyn made quick work of the zipper but slowed when she pushed the fabric off her shoulders with warm hands that she trailed down her back to hold her hips. “Tendi, I apologize for my haste in assigning responsibility. It was an illogical reaction.”

Tendi leaned back against her and T’Lyn’s arms wrapped fully around her. “And I’m sorry for yelling.”

“My incongruous intervention was unsuccessful and my miscalculation led to the debacle. I was... troubled by your disappointment in me.” She confessed, which stunned her.

T’Lyn had tried to justify her logic and shifted the blame to avoid feeling like she failed her… It wasn’t the most rational strategy. But Tendi she must’ve been too harsh with her questions after the incident because her perception wasn’t true at all!

Tendi whirled around to face her. “Aw, T’Lyn, no! When you took over, it felt like you didn’t trust me so I was upset and confused. But I wasn’t disappointed in you.” She placed a Vulcan kiss on her cheek and T’Lyn’s fingers came up to rest against hers. “Mistakes happen and that’s okay! We tried our best. It stinks we didn’t win the room, but I think we did pretty well considering we just learned how to ballroom dance!”

“I concur.” T’Lyn’s affection for her flowed through her veins. Tendi pulled her into a hug, sinking into her arms, and she smiled against her skin when T’Lyn returned the gesture. After a few peaceful moments, T’Lyn said in a low, sensual voice, “Let us perform our ablutions.”

Tendi snorted at her purposefully silly word choice and pushed away so she wasn’t cackling in her ear. T’Lyn looked so proud of herself and gosh, she was irresistible. Still laughing, Tendi said “Come on,” and she took her hand and their mutual adoration danced and swirled through her.

“Hey Vulcan, I heard about the fire.” Doctor T’Ana gruffly mocked her, but it seemed to be ‘from a place of love’ as Mariner would word it.

“It was unfortunate, however I am here regarding a separate holodeck misadventure.” T’Lyn indicated to her knee as the Caitian produced her medical scanner out of her pocket. “My assumption is either a fracture or a subluxation.”

Mariner had been in disbelief but T’Lyn had finally bested the BIA simulation, though the victory was less impressive considering the injury sustained. Still, she was pleased with herself.

“[Fuck]ing A. You’re right on a technicality, kid. It’s both. Hop up on a bed.” Then as she set the regenerator onto her knee, “Since you’re here, wanna do those neural scans?”

“That is logical.”

Doctor T’Ana attached the device to her temple, “Be back in fifteen.” And she pointed a sharp claw at her, “And don’t just leave like last time.”

She had needed to meet Tendi for a prior engagement, however this morning she would not see her until their shift. She assured Doctor T’Ana, “I will remain for my results.”

She meditated as she waited, wondering if it would positively influence her scans. Though she did not think it was necessary. Her efficiency and productivity were higher than recent monthly averages and she was in complete control of her emotions so she expected favorable results.

And as stated, Doctor T’Ana returned in roughly fifteen minutes. She hummed over the resulted before she announced, “Congrats kid, your scans look good.” Then in a suspicious manner, she narrowed her eyes at the results before her piercing gaze flicked up to look at her, “Almost too good…”

“I am uncertain how a medical assessment could be considered ‘too good’.”

She freed T’Lyn from the regenerator and said, “Forget it. Go on.”

“Thank you, Doctor T’Ana.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Chapter Text

T’Lyn was pleasantly caught off guard when Tendi kissed her thoroughly and pressed her against the same wall as the previous time. Satisfaction from the twist of her lips and the press of her body coursed through her blood. As regrettable as it was, after Tendi pulled back T’Lyn pointed out, “There is not enough time before I must leave, however we agreed to meet tonight after your second rest.”

Tendi giggled, “No, I know. This is another surprise. Stay here and close your eyes!”

“Very well.” T’Lyn obeyed the illogical request, knowing she would receive an explanation sooner if she complied. She heard her closet door open and she raised her eyebrow at the unexpected development. Her best hypothesis was, “You have hidden something in my quarters?”

“Yes,” Tendi was back in front of her. “Okay! Open your eyes.”

She did as instructed. Tendi wore a mischievous grin and was concealing something behind her back. She was flooded with a deep adoration for her girlfriend but she tilted her head in question.

When she brought a wooden box forth and held it out for T’Lyn to take, Tendi announced, “I got you something!”

T’Lyn appreciated that it wasn't pointlessly wrapped as she could immediately open the lid and identify, “A keethara set?” She hadn't utilized one in a decade, however she couldn’t deny it would’ve been particularly beneficial during her struggle with Bendii Syndrome. As it were, it was still an apt though unexpected gift.

T’Lyn examined the painted building blocks. They were aesthetically pleasing in soft greens and golds. “When did you acquire this?”

“Today! While we were docked at Starbase 74, me, Mariner, and Boimler snuck down to Tarsas III.” T’Lyn had noticed the trios’ absence but had been preoccupied with assisting Junga complete an errand during the downtime. “They wanted to go to some club in the Vulcan district and I saw this and thought you might like it!”

She was unaccustomed to gifts, especially unmerited ones, but she nodded to acknowledge her generosity. “Thank you.” She touched two fingers to her cheek and Tendi joined her touch. “It is a useful meditation aide.”

Tendi smiled wide, happy to give. “Can you tell me more about it later?”

“You were unfamiliar yet still selected it?” At Tendi’s shameless nod, T’Lyn shook her head in fond confusion. “Most illogical.”

“Well he did say it was about the structure of harmony, which sounded interesting enough to convince me!”

T’Lyn broke their connection to place the set on her desk. “A simplistic synopsis. I will elucidate the purpose this evening.” Then to return her earlier tease, she turned back and advanced on Tendi to press her against the wall. The Orion’s eyes dilated to complement the noticeable spike in her heart rate. “After I offer my appreciation.”

Tendi’s cheeks blushed dark green and she kissed T’Lyn’s jaw. Instead of her typical ‘See you later,’ the Orion softly said, “I await you.”

T’Lyn was stunned at her adoption of the Vulcan phrase. It was undeniably effective in eliciting an illogical reaction and she claimed her in a searing kiss.

Now more than ever, T’Lyn anticipated bestowing Tendi her own surprise in a few days.

Tendi gave Rutherford a parting pat on his arm and then slid out of the booth. She snorted when Mariner acted like she was going to climb over T’Lyn, who stopped her with a sharp elbow and shot her a reproachful look.

“Patience, Mariner. I must leave as well.”

“T’Lyn, I wasn’t seriously gonna do it.” Mariner lightheartedly rolled her eyes, “Vulcans…”

Before they could start bickering, Tendi cut in. “Mariner, I’ll meet you for practice in a few minutes. I’ve got to get my drum set from my quarters.”

“No worries, baby girl.” Then Mariner nodded at T’Lyn as they all returned their trays to the matter synthesizer. “See you tomorrow, T’Lyn. Unless you wanna join the band?”

“No, thank you. I have no interest.”

Mariner shrugged. “Suit yourself.” The doors to the bar closed behind them, but she wasn’t done teasing her. “That means we can keep writing songs about you.”

Wanting confirmation, the Vulcan’s attention snapped to Tendi, who put her hands up in surrender. It wasn’t necessarily not true; Mariner found music cathartic in getting over her crush on T’Lyn and Tendi was all for it. But T’Lyn took her silence another way and her eyes narrowed at Mariner. “You are mocking me.”

“Sure dude.” With a laugh and a wave, she walked in the opposite direction down the hallway.

“Illogical humans…” T’Lyn muttered, making Tendi giggle. Their amicably pugnacious dynamic was too funny.

T’Lyn followed Tendi instead of splitting off and asked, “May I accompany you to your quarters? There is a question I must ask you.”

It wasn’t the weirdest request and she was curious. Either way, T’Lyn was always welcome, “Sure!”

Luckily her quarters weren’t far away after a short ride in the crowded turbolift.

Tendi grabbed her drum set and placed it on the bed so it was ready to go. She threw a smile to T’Lyn, who stood with her hands clasped behind her back, before she started to change into something more casual than her uniform. “What’d you want to ask me?”

“D’Vana.” Her name fell so elegantly from her lips. However since she’d only called her by her first name when she was in some sort of trouble, Tendi stopped messing with her jacket and looked up with wide eyes. “If you are available, would you care to meet me in my quarters after your first rest? There is an important matter we must discuss.”

Oh [fuck]. She was getting hit with another ‘we need to talk.' She was wracking her brain to figure out what she’d done. But the dancing competition had been nearly a week ago and T’Lyn hadn’t seemed mad after they’d made up… And since then things had been really good between them.

She pushed down her anxiety and just asked, “Is it… Is this another critique?” The last one had been a disaster, though it had ultimately brought them closer together when they worked it out. Honestly, she loved that they could talk about anything bothering them, but she’d really like to avoid losing her cool again. “I might want to prepare myself this time.” She laughed nervously.

T’Lyn’s gaze softened. “Negative. I hope you will be pleased with our conversation.”

That was incredibly reassuring and she felt silly for assuming it was something bad.

“Oh, okay!” Well now she had no idea what was going on or what to expect but it sounded a lot less intimidating. “Then yes, I’ll see you later.”

T’Lyn held out her hand and Tendi eagerly crossed the room. Her smile grew when she laced their fingers together. The Vulcan's voice was low as she said, “I await you.”

She smirked, remembering how flustered T’Lyn had gotten when she’d said the phrase to her. Now they took turns saying it and Tendi honestly didn’t know how much cuter their relationship could get but she was thrilled.

Tendi’s heart skipped a beat when she entered T’Lyn’s quarters. Her girlfriend was waiting for her in the middle of her dimly lit room, wearing lovely Vulcan robes she’d never seen before. The silky dark red fabric was ornately decorated with gold at the edges and seemed to shimmer in the candlelight.

“Greetings, D’Vana. I hope that your first rest was satisfactory.”

She was even more proper than usual and it was working for her.

“Wow, T’Lyn. You look gorgeous…” Tendi would’ve worn something fancier than her uniform had she known. “Your robes are so pretty!”

T’Lyn gave a small nod. “I am pleased you approve.”

The extra Vulcan formality was charming. She wasn't sure what she had planned but she already loved it. Tendi closed the distance between them and she smiled when T’Lyn reached out a hand to hold her hip.

Tendi kissed her slow, placing a hand on her chest. I feel underdressed.” She told her as she carefully ran her hand over one of the pointed shoulders of the robes and then down her arm to feel the smooth fabric.

“I predicted that possibility, therefore I planned a contingency.” She took her hand and led her to the replicator and the awaiting padd. “I thought you would appreciate selecting your own robes.”

Tendi was a little unsure since there were so many options but she picked a different patterned set and flipped the colors T’Lyn wore. Gold did look good against her skin tone and the matching dark red just made her feel more connected to her girlfriend.

T’Lyn attentively assisted and once properly dressed for the unknown special occasion, they sat on the two cushions on the floor. Their knees touched; the small table that usually separated them had been placed to the side and a dozen lit candles flickered atop. And she knew candles were an important part of Vulcan traditions but she fought a smile at the memory of the dancing competition debacle.

She was still getting teased for it…

Her amusement was forgotten and her focus diverted when T’Lyn slid her hand across their crossed legs, palm up in an invitation. Tendi was brimming with joy as she placed her hand over hers. This was seriously the cutest thing! Truthfully, she had been a little nervous about Vulcan rituals, but if they were all like this? She was going to love completing them with her.

“D’Vana,” T’Lyn said her name with such tenderness, it made her melt. “I have recovered from my Bendii Syndrome.”

Tendi gasped and squeezed her hand, “Really? That’s so great! Did you find out today?”

“Negative. Dr. T’Ana completed the scans five days ago.”

“Aw…” She was so full of energy from the good news, she practically vibrated. Without really thinking, she said, “You should’ve told me! We could’ve celebrated!”

T’Lyn’s response was mechanical, “Festivities are unnecessary.”

“Right.” Undeterred, Tendi’s face hurt from smiling so wide. “But I’m so happy for you!”

“With my recovery complete, I wish to declare my intentions.” T’Lyn finally broke eye contact to reach for a small rectangular container she had hidden behind one of the many candles on the table. Tendi squared her shoulders when she turned back towards her and placed something in her hand.

“Oh wow.” The red gem shard fit in the palm of her hand and the way the fires reflected off the edged sides was mesmerizing. She held it up to study it in the candlelight. As a pirate, she could easily identify the jewel but she still asked, “Is this Seleyl?”

“Correct. It is traditional to give a tribute to accompany the formal request to begin the courtship process.”

Tendi searched T’Lyn’s eyes. Before she had left for Vulcan for her procedure, she had mentioned rituals to officially establish their relationship- and it wasn’t that Tendi forgot but T’Lyn hadn’t mentioned it since she’d been back. It made sense now, she had been waiting for her Bendii Syndrome to be resolved.

“Among the multitude of your positive traits, I find you respectable, intelligent, and resilient. The bond we have cultivated is enthralling and we complement each other’s strengths in many facets. I wish to continue to improve together.” Then in a show of sentimentality, T’Lyn asserted, “Our relationship is mutually beneficial and logical. I hope you agree with that assessment.”

She phrased it like a rational debate but underneath that, her love was so evident. She was choosing her… Tendi didn’t think it was possible but she was amazed to find she could love T’Lyn more than she already did. It was like her heart grew just to allow her more space to occupy.

She grinned, nearly giddy. “Aww… Of course I agree, T’Lyn. I love you and I want us to be mates.” She felt a surge of affection through their link, which made her want to remind her, “You’re so wonderful and honorable and brilliant…” She could’ve kept going but the tip of T’Lyn’s ears were green so she said, “I’m really happy and excited to learn about and experience a Vulcan courtship! What sort of cool, ancient rituals will we be doing?”

“The rituals involved will enrich our affection, strengthen our attachment, test the depths of, and ultimately prove, our commitment to one another.” T’Lyn’s serious and matter-of-fact tone conveyed an intensity that was just so Vulcan, she could’ve swooned.

She was all for it because it sounded totally cute and adorable but she couldn’t say that. She tried for something more decorous, “That sounds super fun!” It wasn’t exactly a suave response...

Still, T’Lyn nodded. “May we discuss your customs? I am unfamiliar with Orion courtship practices.”

“What do you want to know?” She was a little nervous to divulge details because of the proclivity of her homeworld for sexy nonsense.

T’Lyn’s gaze fell to watch as Tendi drew symbols into the palm of her hand, “I suppose the process. Are there rituals?”

“There are yes, but some are a lot…” Tendi winced, thinking of a few traditions mates participated in that involved pheromones or other drugs, several more about pillaging together, and at least a dozen revolving around blood or sex.

Orions could be too much sometimes.

But the traditions weren’t without reason: they were all about connection and trust and love. Exploring power and freedom together without judgement. And certain bonding ceremonies were actually kind of sweet.

There were benefits to her passionate and sensual culture. If T’Lyn was willing, “There are some I’d love to do with you, but nothing is like required. So it’s just normal dating, I guess! Depends on the couple.”

“Fascinating. That is unlike Vulcan. Without the proper ceremonies a union would not be recognized under Vulcan law.” Her heart raced in excitement to be talking about their future like that. T’Lyn’s dark eyes met hers again before she said, “I look forward to learning about Orion practices.”

“And I’m excited about your Vulcan traditions!”

“Then perhaps we could observe our first ritual in three nights?” T’Lyn suggested. She was so smooth…

Tendi leaned forward to kiss her, “I’d love to!”

Tendi had been eagerly anticipating this night.

T’Lyn had already explained the ritual- used as a trial for new courtships like theirs. They would wear traditional robes and share a meal. Literally. They would feed each other until the entire meal was complete. It was supposed to increase intimacy and showcase a mate’s potential to provide- she supposed it was more impressive in the ancient past when food wasn’t just replicated. But their sole focus was to be on each other with no distractions.

In T’Lyn’s room they sat with crossed legs on plush cushions on the floor. The thin table that separated them was covered in a row of candles on one half and plates on the other half. Tendi wasn’t familiar with the names of the various foods that were stacked precariously on the shiny white dishes.

And across from her, T’Lyn was as hypnotizing as a pulsar cluster. Tendi couldn’t take her eyes off of her.

T’Lyn was always beautiful but especially now, the green robes complimented her skin tone so well, and she was alluring in the soft glow of the candles.

“Vulcan cuisine is more pungent than human cuisine. And I recall Orion cuisine favoring naturally sweet or mildly sour flavors. Therefore, I have attempted to adjust the spice level for your comfort.” In between them was their first dish: a mountain of rice with some Vulcan vegetables mixed in. T’Lyn gathered a spoonful and directed it towards her, “Please inform me if further adjustments are needed.”

“Aww, T’Lyn. That’s really sweet!” And correct, Orions were sensitive to other flavors but, “I’m sure it’ll be delicious.” This food seemed different from what she’d had on Risa, maybe it wasn’t as authentic as they claimed… Tendi could smell the spice radiating but she wasn’t worried, she’d had spicy food before on Earth. She leaned forward to take the spoon into her mouth.

The literal instant the seasoned rice touched her tongue, all her confidence was shot out an airlock. She remembered laughing with Rutherford when she’d tried gumbo for the first time because human food spiciness was a building heat: it would begin with a sharp tingle and spread slowly but, usually, pleasantly.

This was not that.

This spice level was already at a 10 and cranking up to an 11 fast. It was like the rice had been soaked in acid and it was corroding her tongue into nothing. But T’Lyn was looking at her with so much fondness in those dark eyes…

She forced a smile and swallowed the bite without chewing, even though her primordial alarm bells were ringing and insisting she spit it out. The intolerable heat spread throughout her mouth and down her throat but she managed to keep the pain from showing in her expression through sheer willpower alone- pirate training came in handy sometimes!

Tendi foolishly hoped that the spiciness would diminish soon. This was their first courtship ritual and she’d only had one bite! She couldn’t tap out yet. It was too important of a moment to mess up so soon.

Her hand shook as she carefully took the spoon from T’Lyn to gather some rice and present the bite to T’Lyn, who readily accepted the food. And [fuck], maybe Vulcans were the most romantic species in the universe because watching as T’Lyn wrapped her mouth around the offered spoonful with her half-lidded gaze focus on only her was really hot.

Just as hot as the food.

Tendi’s smile was strained now; she was starting to sweat as the heat triggered her nervous system response. She felt like her tongue had been burned up and reduced to ashes in her mouth. A phaser blast would’ve done less damage.

Tears began to form and she blinked away the wetness clouding her vision as she avoided touching T’Lyn’s finger while they exchanged the utensil again so she couldn’t feel how much agony she was in. She could only hope that special link T’Lyn had with her only relayed distress and not physical pain.

As mortifying as it was, she knew she should tell T’Lyn it was unbearable. They were only a minute into their dinner and there was no way she could endure an entire meal that was this spicy. If this was adjusted to what T’Lyn thought she could handle, she couldn’t imagine the unaltered version! And she couldn’t even stand this level! She needed to tell her, but it felt so pathetic… It felt like she was always stumbling behind her faultless stride…

No, that was being dramatic. She knew she was putting too much pressure on herself. Admittedly, she was biased in T’Lyn’s favor, but how could she not be? Because it was like she always needed T’Lyn to reassure her or T’Lyn needed to appease her or T’Lyn was going along with whatever she wanted to do. T’Lyn always gave; she was so keen to give…

And Tendi appreciated her so much. She wanted to do this for her since it was important to her! T’Lyn was proudly Vulcan and this was her culture. She wanted to give her this. And she wanted the night to be perfect- for the ritual to go as smoothly as planned- to show her that she could be an excellent mate to a Vulcan in spite of their differences.

But this would be another thing T’Lyn would need to compromise for her sake because Tendi was trying her best but this spice was kicking her ass…

She was aware if the roles were reversed, she’d gladly give T’Lyn whatever she needed to feel comfortable. And the love in her dark eyes reassured her that T’Lyn wouldn’t mind. Plus, she could only dig her dull fingernails into her knee for so long before the physical pain couldn’t distract from the absolute torture of the spiciness.

T’Lyn collected another bite that Tendi was sure would kill her if she ate it.

Tendi went to speak but her throat was shot. She flushed with embarrassment at the strangled noise and quickly took a sip of the room temperature water that did nothing to squash the fire.

“D’Vana?” Her tone held a hint of concern and she abandoned the utensil in the hazardous rice. “Is the piquancy distressing?”

Tendi’s eyes were still watering like crazy, all it took was one blink for the gathered tears to roll down her cheeks but her vision wasn’t as blurry now! Unfortunately, that meant she could see the slightest downturn on T’Lyn’s lips, so to reassure her she admitted with false brightness, though with a hoarse voice, “Only a little!”

It was such an understatement that it was probably the closest she’d been to lying to T’Lyn in months. She wiped away the tears with a nervous laugh, but even breathing was starting to hurt. She was a wreck.

And now Tendi could feel her nose begin to run and that was just so unattractive.

T’Lyn’s eyes widened. “You are experiencing epistaxis.”

Ohh. Well, that explained the new copper taste tinting the fire in her mouth. She placed the back of her hand to her nose and yeah, she had a nosebleed. It was really gushing! And- oh no! She was going to bleed all over these robes and ruin almost every aspect of this ritual. Within the first couple of minutes…

It’d be funny if it wasn’t super sad.

She stood and bowed, catching the drip of blood in the palm of her other hand that wasn’t pressed to her nose. “I’ll be right back!” She ran into the bathroom, intent on washing the blood from her hands and grabbing the medical kit.

T’Lyn followed her though and Tendi was so embarrassed that she wished she had waited at the table. While her girlfriend grabbed the medical kit, she leaned over the sink so any drops could easily be washed away. Her eyes were watering but for an entirely different reason. Well, her mouth was still burning and it was painful but she couldn’t believe how badly she was [fuck]ing this up.

The Vulcan prepped the hypospray and injected the medicine in her cheek. She turned away to grab something else out of the cabinet.

“Thanks,” Tendi sighed, upset at herself. It only took a few moments before the medicine repaired the burst blood vessels. And as she washed her hands, the fire on her tongue finally began to lessen.

T’Lyn wet a cloth in the sink and gently guided Tendi’s chin in her direction. Her expression was once again neutral as she carefully cleaned the blood that had leaked from her nose. Tendi was self-conscious but touched by her attentive care.

When T’Lyn was done cleaning her up, Tendi ran her hand down the silk covering T’Lyn’s arm until she held her hand- an offering because maybe giving her access to her limitless affection would save this. As always when their hands touched, she felt a soft pull in her head.

She remembered the first time they met and she’d so boldly grabbed her hand and held it all the way across the bar. She hadn’t known Vulcans were touch-empaths, she only knew about mind melds. At the time, she felt the same pull but it was never unpleasant so she hadn’t thought anything of it.

Then and now, she was flying blind with most Vulcan things. The Academy focused on their shared history and Vulcans didn’t exactly publish all their rituals or customs, so even reading all the books in the quadrant wouldn’t help her with this. And really, she didn’t want to put any kind of expectation on T’Lyn to conform to traditional Vulcan things. It wasn’t like she conformed to all the standard Orion things!

But since she didn’t know, she could only hope this disruption wasn’t seen as a massive sign of disrespect for the ritual. Not that she could really help it but still…

Tendi brushed her thumb across the back of T’Lyn’s hand. “I’m sorry about that. Can we continue our dinner?” Re-replicating everything seemed like too much trouble but maybe something could be salvaged?

“We will avoid the spicy dishes.” T’Lyn sounded amused and the relief hit Tendi like a stray asteroid.

“So that’s okay? I know we were supposed to-”

T’Lyn shook her head and Tendi’s mouth snapped shut. With a squeeze of her hand, she explained, “This ritual is for our benefit. There are no strict requirements.”

Reassured, Tendi smiled. T’Lyn led her from the bathroom and back to their cozy dinner. After they sat across from each other again, T’Lyn made to move the plate containing the mountain of deadly rice but Tendi reached out to stop her with a quick, “Wait.”

Just because she couldn’t eat it didn’t mean her girlfriend couldn’t have more!

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow. “There was only one hypospray and I am not eager to witness you bleed again.”

“No," Tendi huffed out a laugh, "I mean. I can still feed you.”

T’Lyn’s cheeks tinted green. “Unorthodox but acceptable.” She was clearly pleased despite her unenthusiastic answer.

Tendi grinned, smug about her reaction. The Vulcan would never admit it but she enjoyed being pampered! And her reaction on Risa certainly made sense now! Tendi hadn’t known it was an intimate gesture to share food and T’Lyn hadn’t told her… Maybe she did love her even way back then…

She put her hand on her knee under the table and T’Lyn’s lay on top. Her heart swelled with their shared affection.

And even though the ritual hadn’t gone according to plan, it was just so them that it was kind of perfect.

Chapter Text

T’Lyn sat at her desk reviewing progress on a personal project. There was an important milestone upcoming for her SSO training and she was confident in her project as well as her knowledge of the testing material. Her door whooshed open but she didn't mind the disruption since she needed to ask her girlfriend a question.

Tendi bounded inside and despite her obvious excitement, she kept her volume at a reasonable range which T’Lyn appreciated. “It’s amazing that they’re having a Medical conference at Outpost 79! This is where I was first posted after the Academy!”

“Curious, you trained at the border of the Neutral Zone?” It seemed cavalier of Starfleet to send a fresh Ensign to a turbulent border zone, yet the unique experience was to Tendi’s benefit.

“Yes!” The Orion moved behind her and swiveled her desk chair to face forward towards the wall. Unseen, T’Lyn quirked an eyebrow up at the unexpected maneuver. Before she could ask why she'd done so, Tendi’s hands fell to her shoulders and with a sure, strong pressure began to knead at her muscles. It was a pleasant sensation so T’Lyn allowed her to continue. And now that she had channeled her physical energy, Tendi told her more of her experience at the Science outpost, “Every day was an adventure and we always had ships coming in and out and sometimes I got to tag along on rescue missions as a field medic!”

T’Lyn appreciated her touch and listened to her talk about her old crewmates and which ones were still posted there and a few others that she’d lost contact with. She was fascinated by Tendi’s natural ability to attract and make friends with unhinged characters.

She supposed she was no exception.

After some minutes, Tendi then said, “Oh! I saw the visiting CMO. Doctor Seran, she’s a Vulcan.”

They would only be without Doctor T’Ana for two days but it was logical to find a temporary replacement given their current location and the accompanying danger. “Perhaps I will meet her on the bridge tomorrow.”

“It’s neat we’re on alpha shift!” Tendi pressed at a junction of muscles and that felt particularly pleasurable, enough that T’Lyn had to suppress a satisfied hum. “I think we’re going on an away mission.”

“There is an 83.7% likelihood.” Given the shift change, the thrum of the ship traveling at warp 8, and the fact they must return to Outpost 79. It was a conservative number due to the unpredictability of calamity and the nature of the away mission.

“Are those odds with us both being assigned?”

“Negative.” T’Lyn had calculated the odds for several scenarios and for that particular one: “It is a lower probability of 58.9%.”

Tendi sighed, displeased. “Do you still think we’re doing the right thing keeping us a secret?”

Despite the social disadvantages, it was still logical to remain unrevealed. “If we were to disclose our relationship, the probability would be zero.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Tendi pat her shoulders twice, signaling the end of the impromptu massage. “I should let you get back to what you were doing! I’m going to listen to some music.”

“D’Vana,” T’Lyn stood and held out her hand. “Regarding our next courtship ritual?”

Tendi laced their fingers together with a gentle smile. “Yeah?”

“If you wish to participate,” she prefaced since Tendi had only mentioned it once before. There was a high probability she would eagerly agree, but it was ‘a big deal’ as she would deem it. “Would you be comfortable with a mind meld?”

As anticipated, Tendi lost all composure. “Oh my gosh!” She gasped and bounced up and down, now holding both her hands so her eagerness surged through their link. “Yes! I’ve been looking forward to one!” She seemed to want to say more but she stopped herself, perhaps waiting for an explanation before she continued to enthuse.

It was not surprising to hear Tendi had thought about it. And although there had been several instances of their actions exceeding the unspoken limitations of their arrangement, T’Lyn had known exploring a telepathic connection before they were in an established relationship would be too intimate. Her patience was beneficial though, if she had melded with her while suffering from Bendii Syndrome it could have intensely dysregulated both of their emotions.

“The purpose of the meld is to share three memories. One from your childhood, one from adulthood, and one of your courted.”

“Aww! That’s cute.” Tendi then put a hand to her cheek. “It can be any memory?” At T’Lyn’s nod, she said, “I’m going to need time to think.”

“That is acceptable. We may schedule the ritual.”

Tendi pulled her into a tight hug and T’Lyn returned the embrace. But before she could rest into the crook of her neck, she noticed, “There is a strange smell to your uniform.” It reminded her of the delicate ash from a fire which meant it could have been another Vulcan, perhaps the visiting CMO since it was not Junga nor T’kon’s scent.

Tendi pushed back right away. “Sorry.” Then she lifted her jacket to sniff it. “I don’t smell anything.” Still, she started taking it off to recycle.

“Vulcan females are more sensitive to odors. Perhaps I need to take a dose of nasal suppressants tomorrow.” She wondered how grassy and sweet Tendi would smell on Orion or on Vulcan, where suppressants would be unnecessary… She hadn’t been able to skip her dose when they visited her family’s house due to Mariner’s accompaniment.

Once Tendi’s jacket was shed, she stepped close again and T’Lyn pressed a kiss to her jaw and then the side of her now fully exposed throat.

Tendi’s head lulled back, “Is that better?”

“Vastly.”

Tendi tried not to pout when T’Lyn returned to the bridge from the mission briefing. They were approaching the planet Kolarus VI and Dr. Seran needed a specific plant from the surface that they would then grow in hydroponics.

“I guess I didn’t get picked for the away team...” She was super bummed. She loved scanning fauna!

“It was unexpected. Considering Junga’s attendance at the conference, it was statistically unlikely you would not be chosen based on your prior training in Medical and the copper-based blood requirement for this mission.” Then T’Lyn pulled up the planetary information at the Science station. “However it is strange... When the Enterprise visited…” She trailed off and hummed as she read the atmospheric warning.

“What is it?” She pressed into her side to read along with her, “Did Pike falsify another log?”

“Negative, this planet was discovered by Captain Kirk. There was only one mention of the atmospheric hazards yet I do not recall it affecting iron-based blood.”

Tendi knew T’Lyn wouldn’t have remembered it wrong, “That is weird…”

“Away team,” Her comms activated, “Report to Transporter Room 2 to beam down.”

Since they were on the bridge, Tendi couldn’t be too sentimental but she smiled and told her, “Stay safe.”

T’Lyn teased her with a dry, “Why would I do anything else?”

“Bye, T’Lyn.” She stifled a laugh and gently pushed her shoulder in the direction of the turbolift.

After a couple minutes, T'Lyn checked in. “We have arrived on the planet and will begin the search for the gormian plant.”

There wasn’t much to do on the bridge while they waited on the away team. Tendi talked with Shaxs, knowing the man was already missing Dr. T’Ana. He brought Ransom in on the discussion and offered to plan a guys’ night and Tendi grinned and gave them ideas for activities and was just happy to help the secretly gentle Bajoran not feel so alone.

Then the comms rang out, “Captain.” T’Lyn’s voice was weak and she cleared her throat. Tendi was instantly worried. Stronger, she said, “There is something anomalous occurring.”

“What’s going on Lt? Is everything okay down there?”

In the background Marek, the Acamarian tactical officer, yelled, “It reeks down here!”

“However that is not the basis for my concern, I-“ She stifled a cough, “Apologies. The air quality is not ideal.”

“Have you found the plant?”

“Negative. However we are still searching the designated area.”

“Well alright. Keep us posted.” Then after she cut comms, the Captain mumbled. “Maybe I should’ve sent Dr. Seran down too…”

But Tendi took T’Lyn’s complaint seriously, she wouldn’t call in just because she was uncomfortable with the smell! Especially since she'd taken her dose of scent blockers this morning! She ran a scan of the planet yet there was a negligible difference in atmosphere composition compared to the records: the air was thin but still within acceptable levels for Vulcans. It didn’t make any sense… Maybe the scan was too broad.

She tapped her badge, “T’Lyn, can you send me your tricorder readings?”

“If I’m able.” Her words were slightly slurred.

“What? Are you okay?”

Captain Freeman and Tendi shared a confused look but the comms was deactivated. “What is going on down there?”

“The data just came through, Captain.” She analyzed the readings and the air quality was bad. They were surrounded by a fog of gases but the necessity of breathing apparatuses hadn’t been noted in the records, maybe there were pockets with higher concentrations? There had to be something… She ran a biochemical simulation to determine the effect on Vulcan physiology and she watched in horror as the oxygen absorption percentage dropped at a rapid rate.

The gas was binding to the copper in their blood! “The planetary records are wrong!”

Not a second later, T’kon called in. “Captain.”

Tendi's worry for T’Lyn spiked as the Captain asked, “Where is Lt. T’Lyn?”

“Please energize a return,” his voice shook from amusement. “I believe I am suffering from hypoxia and the remaining away team is,” he let out a wheezy chuckle, “Passed out.”

“What?!” Captain Freeman stood from her seat in a panic, “Lundy, transport the away team to sickbay. Dr. Seran, prepare for a medical emergency.”

A tense silence fell over the bridge as they waited confirmation. Instead, “The transporter is detecting abnormalities, but they are not microbes.”

The Captain scoffed incredulously, “What about the biofilters?”

“It’s not working...”

“It's fused on a molecular level.” Tendi informed the Captain.

Dr. Seran called in to say, “If there are no microbes detected then it is not contagious, send them directly to sickbay.”

“Energizing.”

Tendi followed Captain Freeman to sickbay, barely able to keep from nervously fidgeting next to her on the turbolift. She was brimming with anxious energy as the sickbay doors opened. “Status on the away team?”

Westlake handed a padd to the visiting CMO to analyze. He shot Tendi a sympathetic look as he awaited his orders.

“The blood gas results are not satisfactory.” Seran causally remarked with a ticked-up eyebrow.

Based on Tendi’s simulation, the Vulcans on the away team had been experiencing hypoxia for close to five minutes. She looked behind Westlake and Seran and her anxiety levels shot up; she practically shook with the effort it took not to rush over! T’Lyn wasn’t being tended to! The patients were just laying on biobeds!

As if oblivious to the severity of the situation, the CMO told Captain Freeman, “It is similar to carbon monoxide poisoning but the binding capabilities are extreme. They will recover once it is out of their system, but there is nothing we can do to hasten the unbinding. We must simply treat the symptoms... As such, I have administered an analeptic for cortical regeneration.”

Tendi was beyond confused. She was wasting time talking when they needed to be treated immediately. It was like she wasn’t even concerned! In a rush she asked, “Are you starting oxygen therapy? Isn’t that standard?”

She could feel the Captain’s eyes on her but Westlake nodded. Then Dr. Seran leveled an unimpressed look at her. “Indeed. I was waiting for the analysis. Nurse.”

“Right away.” He and the other medical staff set up the patients.

The Captain apparently didn’t find the delay weird. “Do we have an idea how long they’ll be out?”

“Metabolizing and healing will be faster if they are left sedated. I estimate 24-48 hours for a full recovery.” Dr. Seran’s gravelly voice was steady but it wasn’t reassuring.

Everything about her answer was baffling. It was completely unnecessary to keep them sedated- that would depress their respirations, slowing their healing. But being sedated for at least 24 hours seemed even weirder. She desperately missed Dr. T’Ana because this CMO clearly didn’t know what the [fuck] she was doing!

Dr. Seran then recommended, “To avoid harming further crewmembers, perhaps it's prudent to abandon efforts to retrieve the plant and return to the outpost.”

Now that they knew the atmosphere was safe for iron-based blood, they could’ve gotten the plant but Tendi didn’t want to point it out. This doctor didn’t deserve the freaking gormian plant!

“Fine. Let’s get back.” The Captain tapped her badge. “Ransom, set a course to Outpost 79, warp 7.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Doctor gave a small bow of her head. “I will update you with progress.”

Captain Freeman returned to the bridge and Dr. Seran went into her office, but Tendi made her way to T’Lyn’s bed.

Tendi could’ve cried seeing T’Lyn with an oxygen mask strapped to her face, her headband disturbed from its typical position. She took it off carefully and adjusted the straps away from her ears before she swept her fingers across her forehead under her short bangs. “Please be all right... I wish I could stay here with you but you were right, there’s something strange going on. I’ve got to figure out what happened.” She held her hand and squeezed. “I’ll be back, T’Lyn.”

Since the ship was at warp, Tendi went to the lab. She ran simulation after simulation but oxygen therapy was the only viable treatment so there really wasn’t any way to speed up their healing. At least that was one thing Seran got right…

She was beginning to analyze the additional data from the tricorder readings when Mariner found her.

“Hey D, I came to see how you were doing.”

Tendi sighed, “I can’t believe this happened.” Mariner moved to stand next to her and Tendi leaned into her side. “I just don’t understand how the records could’ve been wrong…” She drummed her fingers against the table as she wracked her brain for an answer that made sense.

“No idea, but it is Starfleet. [Shit] like this is always happening!”

That was true, the crews were always getting into seemingly impossible scenarios. Like that mission log she’d been reading to T’Lyn-

“Wait a second…” Tendi gasped and flew over to the console, “T’Lyn said the Enterprise had visited! Let’s see what they did!”

“Right! ‘Cause Spock would’ve been the only copper blooded dude on the ship.”

“And look!” Tendi grabbed Mariner’s arm and shook her in disbelief, “He wasn’t part of the away team because they thought the atmosphere would be hazardous to him.”

Mariner turned to face her, eyes narrowed. “Wait, wait, wait. Hold up, so why isn’t that in our records?”

“Someone changed the planetary record but not the logs…” Tendi input some commands and her blood began to bubble with rage. “Look, it’s the CMO’s access codes! But why would she want to hurt them?”

“We’ll figure that part out later, we’ve gotta tell my mom about this.”

Mariner and Tendi took off running towards the bridge.

“Ransom, change course to Starbase 130, it should be the closest one. Shaxs, grab a Security team and head to sickbay. Let’s go have a chat with our ‘Doctor’.”

Mariner stayed behind to man the helm but Tendi and the Captain marched to sickbay and all but stormed inside.

Captain Freeman was fiercely protective of her crew, something Tendi really admired about her. She hoped when she became a captain, she could be as commanding and caring. With her no-nonsense voice, she asked, “Nurse Westlake, are you able to wake everyone up?”

He nodded and rushed to the dispenser. “I’ll give them some inaprovaline.” He prepped a hypospray and they followed him over to T’Lyn’s biobed. He injected the drug into the side of the Vulcan’s neck and within a few seconds her eyes blearily opened. Poor T'Lyn... She must’ve been so disoriented…

Tendi put a hand on her leg, wishing she could hold her hand. She looked at her vitals above the bed and was relieved to see her oxygen saturation was almost at 80%; still not ideal but improving. Westlake woke up the rest of the away team and that seemed to get the visiting doctor’s attention.

Seran walked out of the CMO’s office, a look of agitation on her face. “Nurse, the patients should not be awake.” Then she noticed, “Captain, how can I help you?”

“You can start by telling me what you’re really doing here.”

Seran’s expression went carefully blank. “I do not understand what you mean.”

“Your access codes were all over the planetary records." Freeman pointed an angry finger at the Vulcan. "You wanted members of my crew to die on a planet you knew was dangerous!”

Shaxs and Kayshon entered with phasers drawn. “Captain, we’re orbiting Starbase 130 and are preparing to dock. They’re ready to take her into custody.”

By now T’Lyn could keep her eyes open and she removed the mask from her face despite Tendi and Westlake protesting. She added an extra layer of complication when stood and informed them, “The visiting doctor is not Vulcan, she is Romulan.”

"Ugh... Vulcans have an annoyingly uncanny ability to identify Romulans." Seran rolled her eyes, dropping the Vulcan formality now that she was caught.

"So that's why you changed the records!" Tendi was livid but it was a strangely tame plan for a Romulan. But then again as a spy, she couldn't be overtly malicious though she did hide behind incompetency and disregard really well.

Shaxs had his arms crossed over his chest. “And she was accessing our records about the disappearance of the Romulan ship.”

“Yes.” Seran’s flat tone transformed into the suspicious drawls common with her species. “My brilliant scheme took weeks to implement and you knew even less than we thought. This has been a waste of my time.”

Captain Freeman demanded, “Who the hell are you? Why didn’t the Romulan Empire just ask us for information?”

“We aren’t weak cowards, begging for information. This deception was my chance to prove my loyalty, to prove I am not the traitor my father, Alidar Jarok, was. And it was all for nothing.”

The Romulan pulled a device from her coat pocket and pressed it, the next moment the Captain’s comms rang out. “A ship just decloaked, Captain! Something's blocking us from raising shields!”

She laughed evilly as she transported out with Shaxs lunging at her but only tackling the air. He hit the side of his fist against the floor but stood. “Captain, our security sweep of what files she accessed- she only wanted that information. She had access to so much more, I don’t get it.”

The Captain rubbed a finger across her chin as she worked out the spy’s motivation. “Maybe they wanted to avoid a full-scale war with the Federation? But we’ve still got to report this to Starfleet.” She shook her head and then reached out to put a hand on T’Lyn’s shoulder. “Are you alright, Lt. T’Lyn?

“Yes.” T’Lyn’s words were still slower than normal. She probably shouldn’t be standing but she nodded, “Thank you, Captain.”

“Good work, both of you.”

After the Captain walked away, Tendi pulled T’Lyn into a hug. She knew the Vulcan couldn’t return it since they were in public but she was too excited not to reach out. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”

“That is evident.” Tendi laughed then T’Lyn said, “I am curious how you uncovered the deception.”

Tendi separated only to put a hand on her shoulder to guide her to the biobed because she still needed to be resting with the oxygen mask. “Lay down and I’ll tell you. You actually helped me solve the mystery!”

A few days later, T’Lyn was fully recovered and was setting up her meditation area for the ritual tonight. It wouldn’t need any special ambiance but T’Lyn knew Tendi enjoyed the candles. As such, she lit a few after she lowered the lights in her quarters.

Her door opened with a whoosh and Tendi entered wearing traditional robes. T’Lyn’s breath hitched from the contrast between her soft green skin and the golds and tans of the robes. She had yet to inform her that the particular combination were ritual mating colors...

Tendi was oblivious to her seductive outfit. The Orion grinned, crossing the room to stand in front of her, and offered a finger embrace. A ‘Vulcan kiss’ as she called it, not inaccurately. It was a brush of the minds and a comforting gesture.

“Greetings D’Vana,” T’Lyn met her embrace, basking in her joy: a reminder of how contented her mate was. The illogical parts of the Vulcan mind, the remnants of the primal warriors they once were, was pleased that she could satisfy her and make her feel like that. Yet it was necessary to repress those ego-fueled thoughts.

Tendi pressed a kiss to her jaw. “Hi, T’Lyn!”

They then sat on the cushions, facing each other with their knees touching, though Tendi’s bounced with nervous energy. She didn't want to keep her in suspense, “Are you prepared?”

“Yes, I’m a little nervous but super excited!”

T’Lyn held her hands to soothe her and she explained, “This mind meld is unique in that we will be present in the memory, witnessing it occur from a dissociated point of view. We will be able to walk around or pause whenever needed.”

“Wow, I didn’t know that was even possible!”

Admittedly, she had only done this once before: when she had visited the Vulcan master after her surgery. This would be a distinctly different experience as she would be leading it but she was certain in her abilities.

“Focus on the memory you wish to share.” T’Lyn pressed two fingers to Tendi’s temple and her thumb to her cheek. Gazing into her green eyes, she began the mind meld. “My mind to your mind, your thoughts to my thoughts.”

Their minds merged into one through the telepathic link. There was an undeniable rush of euphoria from Tendi’s bright emotions that she had to mindfully control. The goal of the meld was to exchange memories rather than indulge in the intense connection.

Perhaps next time.

“This is…” Tendi wildly looked around the dilapidated bridge of a starship before her eyes settled on T’Lyn. “Are we like ghosts?” She reached out to hold T’Lyn’s hand and was surprised to make contact. “This is so cool that we’ve got corporal forms inside our minds.”

“Indeed.” T’Lyn took in her surroundings as well. The memory was not perfectly preserved as anticipated, many details were blurred or assumed, but the essence remained. She presumed her other memories would be in better quality since they would be more recent. “Proceed.”

Young D’Vana is 9 years old and hotwiring a ship. She holds a cord in her mouth while she sparks and fuses two others until she could attach the final wire. She hops up from under the panel, typing a few commands into the console with impressive speed considering how small her hands are.

“Helm is operational, navigation online.” There is an uncomfortable dissonance between the child’s voice, serious but incredibly young, and what she is reporting. “Scanners ready and weapons loaded.” Then her demeanor changes- she grins and bounces on her heels as she faces an older Orion, who is wearing an all-black traditional pirate outfit.

T’Lyn paused the memory, “From what age were you expected to train?”

“To become the Mistress of the Winter Constellations, I was basically training my entire life!" She bashfully rubbed the back of her neck. "I got my first dagger for my second birthday and I thwarted my first assassination attempt at five.” She sounded particularly proud of that.

Vulcan children began formal studies at a young age as well yet these violent expectations imposed on Tendi at an even younger age seemed excessive… However, there was Logic to the early education in combat and resourcefulness if others were attempting to assassinate a child. Since it was illogical to judge a culture she was not a part of, she nodded. “Fascinating. This explains your admirable work ethic.”

“Thanks!” The corner of her eyes crinkled at the statement.

“Excellent, D’Vana.” She pats her on the head once and Tendi positively beams. “Now fix all the remaining systems.”

Tendi nods but points out, “Mom says not to worry about nonessential systems.”

“I didn’t teach her that.” The grandmother laughs, “Your great-grandmother would always say: when the time comes, you need to be prepared. You never know which systems will be essential.”

“I love stories about her, she was so cool! When was she allowed to become a scientist?” There is a dreamy quality to her question.

The grandmother leans against the console, watching impassively as more and more systems come online. “She went off exploring before I was born, which almost lost our House a place in the Syndicate, but she came back to fulfill her duties. Then she and her mom trained me, like your mom and I are training you.”

The answer saddens Tendi. “What if…” She stops typing, frowning deeply. “What if I don’t want to come back? I want to help our family but I really, super want to be a scientist. Like forever!”

“D'Vana, you are our House's future but you’ll need to decide for yourself what’s important.”

Tendi sighed wistfully, “I kind of knew at that point I needed to work harder to secure our standing with the Syndicate so I could just leave and not feel guilty. Then as the years went by, I stopped feeling guilty because leaving felt like the right thing to do. I didn’t like the bloodshed or how pointless it felt. We steal from someone, they steal from someone, someone tries to steal from us!” She groaned in exasperation before continuing, “I wanted to explore space! And see new things and learn something every day!”

“Starfleet was a logical choice for your goals.”

“Yes! And that’s my second memory!”

Tendi is in a cadet uniform, twirling and grinning manically through the pristine grounds of Starfleet Academy. She ‘ooh’s and ‘ahh’s and screeches in delight at every plaque, every bench, every building. Then like the flip of a switch, she sobers to dramatically stand at attention when a professor passes her on the sidewalk. As soon as he’s walked past, she continues her excitable exploration.

She greets the cantankerous groundskeeper with an infectious joy and even he succumbs to her positivity. He nods with almost a half-smile. She all but skips towards the library on the other side of campus, ecstatic to simply be here.

There was no provocation. Nothing was out of the ordinary, nothing of particular interest. T’Lyn would probably never understand, but she shook her head. Illogical behaviors were meant to be observed with interest if they could not be understood, “Your enthusiasm is excessive." Yet undeniably endearing.

“I think at the time, that was the happiest I’d ever been in my life.” Her voice was quiet, amused as she watched her younger self frolic through campus, “I didn’t have to be the Mistress. I was finally allowed to be D’Vana Tendi.”

“And your family?”

Tendi shrugged. “They had some thoughts… They considered Starfleet a phase that I needed to get out of my system so they eventually let me enlist.”

“Starfleet is fortunate to have you among their ranks.” Her excitability was overshadowed only by her remarkable brilliance. Both qualities were an asset.

“That's sweet, T’Lyn. Starfleet's lucky to have you too!”

“I was merely stating a fact.”

Tendi huffed out a laugh and then the memory faded before another one took its place. “It took a while to decide which memory of us to share.”

“I am curious.” In the memory the two of them were sitting on the floor of Tendi’s room, each diligently working on a padd. “It appears as though this is an ordinary night.”

“That was kind of the appeal!”

Tendi yawns and puts a hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry, T’Lyn. That red alert last night interrupted my second rest and I’ve been tired all day.”

“That is understandable.” T’Lyn deactivates her padd to look at her, “Perhaps we can continue this after your first rest.”

Tendi is a little sad to end her time with T’Lyn early but she could hardly keep her eyes open. She nods sleepily. “Okay.”

T’Lyn is on her feet first and offers a hand to Tendi to help her up. She grips her wrist and gosh, she wishes she could kiss her. She moves and puts her padd on the bed because she wants to give T’Lyn a parting hug but T’Lyn is taking off her boots by the desk. Tendi’s eyes widen.

They’ve been [fuck]ing for about a month and T’Lyn would stay over after every time they had sex to cuddle but otherwise... She doesn’t stay unless Tendi asks, which she'd only done once after a really tough day, because she doesn’t want to interrupt the Vulcan’s schedule.

But she didn’t ask. So T’Lyn wanted to stay? Her heart practically stops from sheer happiness.

The Vulcan notices her surprise and falls into formality. She puts her hands behind her back but the tips of her ears are green and she’s not directly looking at her when she says, “I apologize if I was presumptuous. I will return after your rest.”

But Tendi doesn’t want her to go, she just kind of assumed she would...

“No wait.” Tendi moves to stand in front of her. She undoes the flap of T’Lyn’s jacket while looking into her eyes. “You can sleep with me.”

There's a moment of obvious conflict before T’Lyn nods, “Very well.” And they strip down to their underthings and slide into bed.

As she wraps her arm around her midsection, she says, “I think I sleep better next to you anyway!” She hopes it sounds casual.

“You have stated so previously,” T’Lyn’s hand falls to the small of her back. “Which was my motivation for staying.”

She's doing it for her because she cares about her! Tendi smiles and snuggles into her side. “That’s sweet.”

T’Lyn had been too interested to pause the memory but now she looked to Tendi for an explanation. Was she that touched by a simple choice?

Her voice was soft as she admitted, “We didn’t have sex but you stayed. And it wasn't you staying over to comfort me after I had a hard day… That was the first time you stayed over for no reason.”

“Incorrect.” No action was without an intention, either consciously or subconsciously, and regardless if it was ultimately logical or not.

Tendi hummed, confused. “Really? What other time was before this?”

“I was referring to my motive for remaining. It is true I wished to improve your quality of sleep with your unscientific claim,” T’Lyn smirked to tease her, but she was pleased to be needed. “However I only considered that justification after your pause. Initially, I merely desired to rest with you.”

“Aww!”

“I have always found pleasure in our proximity.” T’Lyn said before she ended the mind meld.

Tendi turned her head to kiss T’Lyn’s palm. “That was amazing! I didn’t expect it to feel so good!” Then she leaned away to stretch out her back and shoulders. The Orion rarely sat still for a significant amount of time.

“I had not melded with an emotional species before, it was more pleasant than typical.”

She waited until Tendi had settled again before she placed her fingers on her face and initiated their second mind meld. “Your mind to my mind, my thoughts to your thoughts.”

Tendi noticed the strange disconnection in T’Lyn’s mind. There was no warmth from the location, no residual feelings before the memory began. It was even like her suppression mechanics were trying to tamp down her own emotions.

The memory around them was crisp as though she was watching it on a holodeck program. “Wow.” She then saw T’Lyn’s younger self: her cheeks were a little fuller, her hair shorter, and her gray robes were covered in red dust at the ends. And she was so small.

Tendi clasped her hands to her chest and her excitability won out over any attempts at repression. “Oh my gosh! You’re adorable!”

T’Lyn looked away, vaguely embarrassed. “I am 7 years old here, in Earth terms.”

“You’re just so tiny!” Tendi’s smile traversed T’Lyn’s mind and she knew even her physical body was reacting to the unbelievable cuteness she was witnessing.

T’Lyn’s appreciation for her appraisals was an unspoken emotion around them even as she deflected, “Let us proceed.”

Little T’Lyn runs as fast as she can, like a le-matya is chasing her. She weaves through the jagged rocks until she’s at the Flats where her neighbor’s sehlat, Kiya, is waiting for her. The giant cat-bear creature charges towards her but stops a second before they collide. T’Lyn tries to wrap her short arms around the sehlat’s fuzzy neck, his fangs are dangerously close to her back but she can sense he is not currently hungry.

She pulls back to pet his side; his fur is soft but he will need brushing today. Logically, his grooming should wait until they have completed their playing. “Do you wish to run?”

Kiya nudges her off balance and then takes off. T’Lyn is smiling as scrambles up to follow after him.

“I was not allowed a sehlat of my own.” T’Lyn explained as she and Tendi watch her younger self be a kid.

She always thought Vulcan children would be meditating and studying all the time. “Aww, well it looks like he really loves you!”

“His owners were grateful for his regular exercise and I would often train for the kahs-wan, the maturity test, with him as a guardian with their permission.”

“Would you ever get a pet?” Then looking at the size of the beast, “A smaller one I mean.”

T’Lyn’s gaze flicked to the sehlat, “There are inherent dangers to space exploration. It would be illogical to unnecessarily risk a creature’s life for companionship.”

“But there’s danger everywhere!”

T’Lyn nodded but wasn’t swayed. “Perhaps after retirement, we could care for a creature.”

“Ah! Yes!” Tendi loved that idea! But she made a note to start researching invincible pets because maybe T’Lyn wouldn’t mind one sooner! She was really enjoying getting to know T’Lyn in this new way. “What’s your next memory?”

“This was a pivotal moment in my adulthood.” T’Lyn prefaced as the memory came into focus.

Unlike the first memory, despite its happy tone, this memory was not blank. It was subtle but there was an air of aggravation and suspense that hung around them, like the quick inhale before starting an argument.

T’Lyn and a Vulcan man are drinking tea in a crowded outdoor restaurant high above the dusty mountains surrounding the city. Her pale skin glows against the black of her robes, a color Tendi had never seen her wear before. Even without knowing the context, the man appears exasperated.

“That is my former betrothed, Salok.” T’Lyn’s contempt for him was clear by the narrowing of her eyes and the frown on her lips. “While I attended the Vulcan Science Academy, he would travel to visit once every half rotation. It was disruptive and too frequent for my preference.”

Tendi knew Vulcan relationships were different but, “Weren’t you at the Academy for a decade?” That means they only saw each other twenty times unless twice a year was an average.

“That is correct.” T’Lyn lifted a shoulder, “I was interested in bolstering my credentials and exploring additional studies. The Expeditionary Group is understandably selective.”

“I guess avoiding him was just a bonus!” Tendi couldn’t really blame her, she wouldn’t want an arranged marriage to a man either!

“Indeed.”

T’Lyn breaks the tense silence between them. “It is expected at this junction of our betrothal to ask for your hand in marriage.”

“Correct.” He sets down his cup of tea to puff out his chest, awaiting his offering.

His arrogance serves only to further steel her resolve. “I have no intention of doing so.”

Salok’s bushy eyebrow raises yet no other muscle in his face moves. “I must inquire why.”

“I have received a commission for the Vulcan Expeditionary Group. I am more useful to Vulcan as a scientist and it would be illogical to continue to delay my career.”

“Your impatience is illogical.” Now there’s a fire behind his eyes but it’s only restrained movements that give away his anger. “This is our way.”

“Logic is our way.” T’Lyn responds almost harshly as though spurred on by his attitude. “This union will produce no offspring in the future nor has it been mutually beneficial, therefore it is logical to dissolve the contract.”

There’s another tense silence and from the corner of her eye, she can see other patrons watching their display. She suppresses the flood of emotions from being judged for rebelling against tradition, but still dares Salok to illogically challenge her decision.

He does not; he finally nods. “Then I agree with your assessment.”

They both rise and now they’re making a scene but T’Lyn will gladly break the social rules to secure her freedom.

“I release you. You are not my intended.” She says to officially end their contractual obligations.

He bows and then salutes her, “Live long and prosper.”

She returns the salute but nothing else.

The entire exchange, the palpable disdain between them, it unnerved Tendi and she wanted to wrap T’Lyn in a hug and not let her go. She was scared of what her instincts were telling her: that there was something more sinister to him. She pushed those thoughts down to focus on T’Lyn.

“I have never believed customs should outweigh personal choice, especially when it is illogical. My chosen career was in the Vulcan Fleet and it was logical to have the least amount of personal commitments and distractions.

Tendi asked, “It also sounds like you didn’t like him at all.”

“That is a story for another time.” Instead she shared a criticism that surprised Tendi. “I was relieved to release him as I had grown weary of his presence. As is Vulcan tradition, our union was prearranged by my parents and we were bonded as children- with no rights. I am not attracted to males yet it is demanded of me to yield to their logic of procreative biology…”

Tendi didn’t like it either. “It doesn’t seem fair at all!” Of course they would think it’s logical to require contributions to the birthrate but considering the lifespan of a Vulcan and their lack of control over their actions during Pon Farr, it seemed unnecessary to strip personal freedoms behind a tradition- behind the claims of emotional detachment and logic.

And she’d never tell T’Lyn but she guessed Vulcans bonded them as children to prevent random sexual violence when a Vulcan’s Pon Farr struck, but it just seemed targeted this way. It was beyond appalling and unfair…

“Fairness is irrelevant however it is not untrue. Vulcans are expected to conform to this programing without question yet I have found there is a distinct lack of logic to the ancient customs of Vulcan marriages.”

“I’m glad you could call it off!”

T’Lyn nodded but divulged, “It was not without its consequences. Socially I was dishonored, yet the opinion of others is no concern of mine.”

She was unshakeable now that she was secure in her Vulcan-ness again. Tendi was beyond proud of her and she latched onto her arm. “You’re amazing! It takes a lot of courage to stand up for your logic!”

“I suppose.” T’Lyn’s chin lifted at the praise.

They were still in the memory, overlooking the Vulcan Science Academy. “I guess they’re really going to have a problem with us.”

“Perhaps.” T’Lyn minutely shifted her balance so she was leaning against Tendi. “However I am Vulcan. And I follow the guiding principles of logic. Our relationship is a logical choice.”

“My logical mate.” She didn’t intend for the compliment to come out so possessive but the Vulcan didn’t seem to mind. Tendi felt a surge of warmth even through the suppression.

Their surroundings changed into her new memory without preamble. The feeling surrounding them was lighter, almost giddy, and Tendi welcomed the change.

T’Lyn’s memory is perfectly intact despite the intoxication.

In T’Lyn’s quarters, she and Junga and T’kon are eating a chocolate bar and her critical thinking skills are at an all-time low. Her suppression mechanics are non-existent yet she is not plagued by the Vulcan guilt or distress of losing control. She is feeling so carefree.

This had been a good idea, even if the means of convincing her had been slightly deceptive. She is glad she agreed and tells her cohorts as much, “In the interest of science, this experiment is fascinating.”

“We discovered purely by accident that sucrose, common in human desserts, is powerfully inebriating.” Junga breaks off another piece to eat. “On occasion, we partake in a square of the substance while in the cantina to join in on the merrymaking.”

As diverting as T’Lyn thinks this is, she isn’t sure she would want to be seen in this state by her fellow crew. Still, she can understand Junga and T’kon’s enjoyment. So utilizing her fresh knowledge of bartending, she suggests, “Perhaps you could order a chocolate martini?”

T’kon’s posture straightens. “An intriguing idea. The efficiency and opportunity for camaraderie with our fellow officers would be astonishing…”

The door chimes and they all turn wide-eyed to look. Junga illogically whispers, “Were you expecting a visitor?”

“Yes.” It could only be Tendi given the hour. T’Lyn rubs her hand down her cheek, a senseless, self-soothing, human movement to express worry but it is somehow satisfying. “I was not, however, expecting to be in this condition.”

“T’Lyn?” Sweet Tendi…

They clamber to standing using each other for balance, T’kon is snickering into Junga’s arm while the Lt. tries not join in. They are most distracting and amusing. T’Lyn clears her throat to attempt to stifle her laughter then she says, “Enter.”

Tendi is visibly confused for a moment as she takes in the scene: T’Lyn is standing in her usual pose with her hands clasped behind her but her lips are twitching higher and higher into a smile as T’kon and Junga are tittering with each other beside her.

“Oh my gosh, I remember this now.” It was probably a couple days before they went to Orion. Tendi snickered with a hand over her mouth. “How did they get you to try chocolate?”

“They did not inform me of the intoxicating effect until after I had sampled the substance however it was a worthwhile and informative experience. Still, it is unlikely I will consume chocolate again as it is illogical to seek an impaired state of consciousness.”

Tendi knew there were wines on Vulcan that could get them drunk but all the aspects of drinking that made it fun- the social buffoonery and freedom from inhibitions- were the antithesis of Vulcan beliefs. So she told her, “That makes sense!”

“Hey T’Lyn! I’m sorry! Am I interrupting?”

“Not at all.” Junga grabs T’kon’s wrist. “We will go, stay with her. Someone should be monitoring her.” As she passes she conspiratorially explains, “Chocolate.”

“Ohh.” Tendi winks at Junga and T’Lyn is in awe of her seductive powers. “I’ll make sure she’s okay.”

And they leave, smiling in a daze.

T’Lyn wobbles over and presses against Tendi, who meets her halfway and laughs like bells ringing and holds her up. “Have you had water?"

“At 2230.” She recalls perfectly, nuzzling her face into the crook of her neck.

“Let’s get you another.”

T’Lyn doesn’t want water, she wants to touch her and taste her. To do so while intoxicated would be a unique and undoubtedly pleasurable experience. “Perhaps I could quench another thirst?” She undoes the top flap of her jacket with clumsy fingers.

Tendi grabs her wrists to still her but barely holds back a giggle. “That was such a cute line, I love it. Please use that again when you’re sober.” She releases her to guide them towards the replicator.

T’Lyn doesn’t understand the rejection, “You do not desire sex now?”

Tendi’s green eyes are so lovely as she affectionately cups her face. “No, T'Lyn. You’re drunk.”

“I am not.” To demonstrate, she chugs the water and even peels away from her to recombinate the glass. She fights to keep her expression neutral as she corrects her, “I am merely metabolizing sucrose.”

Tendi ignores her. She lays down in the middle of the bed, facing the wall. T’Lyn is puzzled. “That is not the correct orientation.”

Tendi folds one arm under her head and opens her other in offering and with a gentle smile she requests, “Come, lay down with me.”

T’Lyn observes her for a beat too long before giving a short nod. After guiding Tendi’s jacket open, T’Lyn lays half on top of her to rest her head on her breasts. She’s tempted to touch her; she wants to push the tank top up and feel her softness, to tease her until she sighs with pleasure...

Instead her hand slides to the side of her ribs and she fists the fabric and focuses on the slightly disorienting way they are cuddling. “This is… unusual. Are you anticipating the contrast in position and the unfamiliar orientation will moderate our ritual desirous habits observed in bed?”

“Yes, T’Lyn.” Tendi’s voice shakes with laughter.

T’Lyn cannot deny she is impressed by her cleverness. “I commend your Logic.”

“Thanks!”

T’Lyn listens to Tendi’s heartbeat, finding the familiar rhythm relaxing. She closes her eyes and matches their breathing and she still wants her but this intimacy is pleasant enough to distract her.

Tendi rubs her back gently and her devoted care is an attractive quality in a mate; she is fortunate. She hums quietly as she shifts closer.

Tendi’s fingertips dance in nonsense patterns and she applies a measured pressure that is only slightly more calming than arousing. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take for you to metabolize however much you ate… Do you want to try to sleep?”

“I am not fatigued.”

“That’s okay.” Then after a moment she asks, “I keep meaning to ask, where is that on Vulcan?”

T’Lyn knows she is referring to the painting above her bed. The Viltan Flats is located only a day’s journey from several important Vulcan sites and the painting is of one of the many nearby sites visited by those in training for the Kolinahr. She recites what she knows automatically, “Sacred ceremonial grounds. Outsiders are not allowed.”

“Oh.” Tendi’s tender comfort does not pause but she sounds disappointed, which is not logical.

T’Lyn reminds her, “You would not be an outsider.”

“Why not?”

Ah. Indeed, the sucrose has clouded her reality.

But she never answers, just grips her shirt tighter.

T’Lyn ended the mind meld and Tendi blinked back to reality. Swiping two fingers down her cheek, T’Lyn finally explained. “A Vulcan’s mate is not an outsider.”

“Aww!” Tendi gushed, feeling indescribably happy and vindicated. She had fallen hard for T’Lyn after spending so much time together, getting close to her emotionally and physically. What they shared had always been good and she was glad T’Lyn hadn’t been as immune as she had appeared. “You were thinking about it even back then?”

She touched their fingers together and guided the kiss from her face to rest on her leg since they were still in the meditative position.

“You had demonstrated admirable traits by protecting and tending to me. As well, we had an arrangement that was satisfying physically and mentally.” In a bold display, T’Lyn’s free hand slid to the edge of her lap and her fingertips brushed against Tendi’s knee. “In that state, I was aware it was incorrect but it was as though you were my intended.”

Tendi’s heart skipped a beat. “Intended?”

“You concern yourself with the wellbeing of others and freely administer attention. However on Vulcan, such a high level of care is reserved for family or mates due to our preference for privacy regarding personal matters.” T’Lyn gave her a half smirk as she said, “Perhaps the most apt phrase to describe my inaccurate assumption was ‘wishful thinking’.”

Oh gosh, she was so cute…

“You know, you could’ve had me whenever you wanted me...” Tendi reminded her with a grin. It was so true, but all the ups and downs, the back and forth, was worth it since it helped them build their strong relationship.

“And now?” She flatly questioned with a playful glint in her eyes.

Tendi laughed in delight, she loved the way she flirted. “You have me.”

T’Lyn's adoration of her was clear in both her emotions and the soft way she said, “I am pleased.”

Chapter Text

T’Lyn and Tendi arrived at the lab for their half-shift before they would take an SSO milestone test supervised by Doctor Migleemo. T’Lyn had never thought the Klowahkan was a suitable administrator of the program, however after months aboard the Cerritos, she had learned that was standard allocation of resources for California class ships.

Still, although a knowledgeable mentor would be more logical, it did permit them to approach situations without certain expectations to meet. As well, he allowed them freedom in their studies- having the ability to choose which subjects they wished to focus on next was advantageous.

And while botany was not her preferred field of study, it was actually her least favorite branch of science, she objectively appreciated it as she did other compulsory sciences she learned of but had no interest in exploring further in personal projects. And in her opinion ethnobotany was more of a social science, but it was something the curriculum required.

Excitable as always, Tendi gasped and ran over to the bench as soon as she noticed that the diomedian scarlet moss had bloomed to an impressive volume in only a day.

“Look at our moss!” Tendi picked up one of her samples, holding it at eye level to admire.

T’Lyn calmly joined her and began notating her observations into her padd. They had chosen different environmental controls within the incubation containers for their spores and upon examination, she noticed a .05 growth difference between their samples. “It appears I was correct regarding the preferred light intensity.”

“But look how much deeper pink mine is!” She grinned and eagerly passed it over to T’Lyn. When their fingers brushed, the Orion’s happiness was like stepping into the warm rays of a sun. “It’s so pretty!”

It was true yet an illogical valuation. As she gave it back, she pointed out, “Aesthetics are irrelevant when the goal is cultivation for medication.”

Tendi’s smile slid off her face. Chagrined, she lacked any of her usual enthusiasm when she said, “Yeah, you’re right.”

T’Lyn recognized too late that she was wanting praise, not a logical rebuttal. It wasn’t often anymore that she miscalculated the balance between Logic and being supportive to her emotional girlfriend, but Tendi should be aware by now that her intentions were not to hurt her self-esteem.

T’Lyn stepped closer so their shoulders touched while she attempted to repair her unintentional dismissal. “However, your assessment is correct. The hue is more vibrant. It will be fascinating to analyze the difference in quality’s effect on the medication’s potency.”

“I’m sure it’s negligible.” Tendi placed the container on its shelf. “I think I’ll start a new batch.”

She moved away, leaving T’Lyn examining the moss. The Vulcan wrote up her predictions for the next cycle. And at least after Tendi had prepped the additional spores, her usual level of cheerfulness had returned. She hummed next to her as she recorded her own analysis.

They followed up on a few more required projects and after their work in the lab was completed, Tendi asked, “Ready to study? I think I’m good on microbiology, xenobiology, and astrobiology. But I wanted to reread the chapters on phylobiology.”

The Orion rarely struggled with any of the materials but she was overly cautious with learning, especially when there was a test.

“Would you like assistance?” T’Lyn offered since Tendi would often request that she read aloud on a subject while she studied another one. The Vulcan didn’t mind the redundancy if it allowed Tendi to feel more secure in her knowledge of the various scientific fields.

She nodded and handed over a padd. “Could you pick some of the topics from molecular biology to read to me, please?”

“I will.”

Tendi shot her a charming grin that made her heart beat faster. “Thanks!”

So they set to reviewing for the upcoming test but it was obvious Tendi was allowing her attention to wander.

T’Lyn was expanding upon the information on electrophoretic fields and she looked up from the screen to see Tendi’s desirous expression. Her pupils almost completely dominated the green of her irises and the way she distractedly bit her lower lip was seductive. And while she did enjoy being the focus of that look from her mate, this was the third time she’d caught her openly staring instead of studying…

She quirked an eyebrow at her- a silent question and reprimand.

Tendi blushed dark green at being caught. Again. “Sorry. It’s just really attractive when you talk about science. It’s like you’re the only one that understands how fascinating biological energy fields can be…”

It was gratifying to share a deep appreciation for science and a unique privilege to have the same work duties, even if it was occasionally distracting for Tendi.

“You are illogical.” T’Lyn felt her ears heat up at her compliment; she wanted to hold her hand, but they were in the lab that anyone could walk in. “Do not apologize.”

Tendi smiled wide and her attention diverted back to her padd. T’Lyn watched her for a beat and satisfied she was actually ready to resume reviewing, she continued reading the chapter for her.

After they had both passed the test, T’Lyn had agreed to a celebratory dinner in the holodeck later that night. In the interim, she had met Boimler and Mariner for racquetball. Two against one did improve their odds, they had even scored a few points, but they would still need a third teammate to actually win against her.

“You know Shaxs could’ve gone pro if he hadn’t been in the Resistance.” Boimler said as he toweled off the malodorous sweat that dripped down his forehead from his damp purple hair. “I’m totally gonna ask him to be on our team next time.”

“That would be acceptable.” Ever since the disastrous ballroom dancing competition, the giant Bajoran was more sociable towards her. Now she even considered that the disrespectful ‘hazing’ had primarily been conducted by Ransom and Dirk.

“God, maybe then we’ll have a [fuck]ing chance.” Mariner then bumped Boimler with her hip, sending the frail man off-balance momentarily. “Oh dude! You gotta try out this awesome game that Barb showed me. She said everyone on the Vancouver is crazy about it.”

T’Lyn had met Barbara Brinson, Mariner’s ‘not exactly’ girlfriend, prior to her shift today when the Cerritos dropped off Engineering supplies for the Vancouver. Tendi had given her background information such as the fact that Boimler and Jet have previously dated the Lt.

It was an intriguing, tangled web…

“Yeah right.” He scoffed at Mariner’s offer, “I’m not playing some game everyone else is obsessed with. Who do you think I am? Deanna Troi?”

“You wish!” Mariner, despite having just pushed him away, now brought him close with an arm around his shoulder. “And this isn’t one of those Risan headsets. You think I’m stupid enough to give into some cheap thrills?”

“Fine, then what is it?”

She whispered, “I had to trade three rubber ducks for it-"

Boimler gasped and his volume dropped despite his apparent surprise, “What the [fuck]??”

T’Lyn was unfamiliar with the significance of the rubber ducks but she listened with interest as it seemed to be a substantial exchange.

“I know! Barb should’ve just given it to me but for real, this game was totally worth it. It’s so awesome. I think I’m gonna start charging for people to borrow it.”

“Okay, lemme try it!”

From behind the pair, T’Lyn inquired about this mysterious diversion. “What is the nature of the game? Is it strategically challenging?”

Mariner once again shoved Boimler away to turn to look at her. “Yeah, I- yeah I would say so.” She said unconvincingly. She then shrugged up a shoulder. “It’s kinda hard to explain. You wanna join us? You could try it out for yourself.”

“No, thank you.” With the limited information, it wasn’t appealing enough to risk the odds of it being a similar ploy to the mind control devices that plagued the Enterprise-D.

“Oh, come on. Aren’t you brimming with Vulcan curiosity?” Mariner teased with a grin.

“Perhaps another time.” She dismissed the invitation. “I have a prior engagement.” She needed to take a shower before she met Tendi in Holodeck 3 in an hour for their celebratory dinner.

“All right, well we’ll be having all the fun.” Mariner grabbed Boimler’s wrist and dragged him along the hallway at a faster pace, shouting back at her, “Later, dude!”

As soon as the archway opened, T’Lyn nodded in approval at Tendi’s chosen holodeck program. Night had fallen at what appeared to be a Risan beach, based on the bright glow of the two moons in the sky. The reflected light gleamed in the dark of the blue ocean, illuminating the crashing waves.

The Orion had set out a comically large blanket and she smiled and pat a place beside her, “Hey T’Lyn!”

“Greetings D’Vana.” She took care not to drag sand onto the blanket as she, as gracefully as possible, took a seat next to her. She placed two fingers on her jaw, letting her affection wash over her.

She returned the gesture and then T’Lyn let her hand drop and watched while she unpacked the basket, spreading the food containers and drinks beside her and between them. “The bar was in an uproar tonight, like crazy crowded.” Tendi commented.

“That is not abnormal.”

“Yeah but Mariner had a line of people over at our booth!”

T’Lyn watched her struggle with opening a container of water, amused by the way her tongue poked out from her green lips in her effort. The Mistress of the Winter Constellations was being bested by a screw top lid… The Orion let out a noise of success when she managed to get it open before T’Lyn could offer her assistance.

She shook her head in fondness and replied, “She mentioned a scheme to acquire more ‘rubber ducks’, though I do not understand the importance.”

“Oh, it’s just an unofficial form of currency the crew uses. I think they’re too cute to trade for favors!” She carefully handed her a champagne glass full of water. “I thought I was going to need to though, you know to get this time on the holodeck, but luckily it was free! It’s like no one is booking the holodecks now for some reason.”

Tendi poured herself a syntheholic drink in a similar glass and then raised hers up in the human tradition of a toast. “Yay for us! We kicked that test’s butt!”

They took a sip before T’Lyn teased her, “Eloquent.”

Tendi snickered and pat the side of T’Lyn’s thigh with the back of her hand and challenged, “Well you do one then!”

T’Lyn lifted her glass of water, leveling a playfully exasperated look when Tendi clinked their drinks together again with a cheeky grin. “This celebration is unnecessary.”

Tendi burst into laughter, “That’s the worst toast I’ve ever heard!”

T’Lyn smirked as Tendi struggled to maintain composure; her green eyes were shining with glee. She raised her glass again and this time said, “By efficaciously recalling information, we succeeded in completing another educational milestone.”

“Aww! That’s better!” After the celebratory sip, Tendi leaned over to kiss her. The champagne on her lips tasted fruity and light- inviting enough that T’Lyn chased her for one more kiss when she pulled back.

Tendi giggled and accommodated her before she distributed various foods onto her plate; T’Lyn preferred the Orion to choose whatever she wanted first. A gentle breeze swept by and ruffled the leaves of the tall palm trees behind them and T’Lyn was certain that for their next shore leave they would be visiting the Risan beaches. “The scenery is aesthetically pleasing though distinct from our previous ‘picnic’.”

“This is extra special!”

T’Lyn was unsure why she considered it exceptional. “Our success was a forgone conclusion.”

“That doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate! And I thought some of those questions were tricky.”

T’Lyn didn’t share that assessment- the test had been straightforward- so she withheld her comment.

Tendi continued on though. “I kind of hate that the test results only showed pass or fail…” She speared a piece of fruit onto her fork but presented it to T’Lyn, who blushed and accepted the offering, pleased by her affection.

Tendi grinned and pierced a slice of a different, unfamiliar fruit and T’Lyn leaned forward for this sampling as well but the Orion ate it instead. Tendi’s eyes danced with amusement when T’Lyn raised an eyebrow at the unexpected maneuver. Awaiting another indulgence, T’Lyn replied, “It does seem like a wasted opportunity to learn from mistakes.”

After taking a bite for herself, she offered another piece of fruit for T’Lyn to eat. “Are there any questions you think you missed?”

“Negative.” Starfleet exams were focused on memorization rather than concepts, which meant the tests were simpler since all of the answers were in their study material, usually word for word.

“You’re so confident!” Tendi pressed a kiss to her cheek, leaving a sweet and sticky mark. “What did you put for the question about demolecularization of the hull?”

“Polarizing the hull would produce a neutralizing effect.”

“Oh really?” Tendi sounded disappointed, had she not chosen the correct answer? “I kind of thought the question was hinting about exobiology, you know, getting digested by enzymes. So polarizing the hull would harm a sentient creature, which isn’t allowed. Shouldn’t the answer be to send out a low frequency electromagnetic pulse to encourage detachment?”

T’Lyn nodded and selected one of the many Vulcan dishes Tendi had replicated. It was too much for them to consume so it must’ve been in an effort to provide variety, which was appreciated. “Given what was covered in the source material, it is logical to remain within those parameters, however your answer would be correct on a field level.”

Tendi pouted, displeased by her reply. “So if it’s the right thing to do, why isn’t it the right answer?”

“I assume those that write the curriculum do not have much field experience.” T’Lyn reminded her, “It is illogical yet not uncommon.”

“I don’t know, T’Lyn… I think Starfleet would want the actual action and not what the books say!”

T’Lyn paused her eating at her insistent tone. With her hunched shoulders though, it appeared she was trying to convince them both yet, “Logically, the books contain the correct answers regardless of the appropriateness in a real scenario.”

Tendi sighed unhappily. “I guess… I wish there was a way to check the answer.”

T’Lyn reached over to hold her hand, “You received a passing mark, do not dwell on one missed answer.”

“But I don’t know if I missed it!”

T’Lyn was at an impasse. Maintaining Tendi didn’t select the right answer when she was upset by the truth wouldn’t be productive and placating her by agreeing with the possibility she had been correct would be dishonest. However… “That is true.” Tendi’s assessment that they didn’t know was accurate.

Tendi squeezed her hand and after they had separated to resume eating, T’Lyn steered the conversation away from the test. “Curious. The crew has access to replicators, why do the rubber ducks hold value?”

“Oh! You can’t replicate them!” Tendi launched into the explanation, smiling once again.

Tendi hoped it wasn’t too suspicious when she chimed the door for Migleemo’s office. The Klowahkan answered with a surprised, “D’Vana! Did we have a meeting scheduled?”

“No sir, I had a question. And actually, I was wondering if you’d let me try some of those Corvarian sludge worms!”

“Oh yes! Of course!” He lit up at the mention of his favorite food. “I’ll be right back. And then I must have you sample this delicious new therapy technique that the counselor of the Vancouver cooked up.”

“Can’t wait!”

She innocently stood in the middle of his office but as soon as the door closed, she sat at his desk and began searching for the test results. It took a second to orientate herself with all his food-based references but she found the SSO training material and the test results within a folder labeled ‘baking bread’.

Her stomach turned with anticipation, hoping she could be proven right. But Tendi’s heart sank when she saw a score of 98/100 for herself. That one question. T’Lyn was right… Like always…

But that didn’t mean she didn’t miss another question! She hadn’t planned on looking at T’Lyn’s results but she was curious.

100/100.

Tendi sighed, initially disappointed but then chided herself for even feeling like that.

Still, she was a little bitter. Of course, T'Lyn wouldn’t miss a question… It made sense, she probably had complete recall with her genius Vulcan brain, she didn’t even have to try… Not like Tendi did. She was a quick study, she knew she was smart as hell, but T’Lyn’s ability to learn was effortless…

No, she didn’t know that for sure. And even though Tendi had worked hard, it didn’t make T’Lyn any less deserving of praise. As her girlfriend, she should be proud she got a perfect score!

And she was! But if Tendi wasn’t the best, then she wouldn’t get to be SSO-

Holy [fuck].

It suddenly dawned on her that they were technically competing for the same position.

She pushed back the panic and quickly exited out of everything, deleted out the last few commands and sat on the couch, pretending she had been there the entire time.

The door burst open and Migleemo held up a bowl of worms like it was a sacred item. “I have returned!"

“Oh, Dr. Migleemo! I just remembered I need to be somewhere else, but I’ll see you next week for our monthly SSO mentor meeting!”

She was out the door before he could start protesting.

Tendi had decided to stay in T’Lyn’s room after her first rest since her girlfriend said she’d only be meditating and reading tonight. Meanwhile Tendi was trying to study but she was sure she’d read the same paragraph four times- she was too worried and distracted to retain anything.

Because how was she meant to compete with T’Lyn? She knew she was a capable and deserving of the position but… T’Lyn was Vulcan, she was the natural choice for SSO. It was rare when a ship's SSO wasn’t Vulcan. Damn. She thought this year, she could be the first Orion in the bridge crew…

No, she still could!

She needed to study, to at least keep up with T’Lyn, because otherwise the only thing she had going for her was her personality… Which might actually be a detriment considering the position.

[Fuck].

She reread the same paragraph and still didn’t remember any of it.

Because ever since T’Lyn had returned, she hadn’t thought about how her remaining in Starfleet did kind of ruin her career plans. She was beyond glad she had chosen to stay of course! But there was only one SSO to a ship. How were they going to do this?

Tendi’s gaze traveled from the padd over to T’Lyn’s meditating form. The thought of being split up was horrible, but especially since it would mean leaving her entire friend group too while they got to stay together. She had been prepared to leave the beta shift squad at some point- there was so much training involved to be a Captain! It was inevitable.

But she was scared of everything she’d miss out on too…

And she hadn’t prepared herself to be separated from T’Lyn, who she had been staring at for the better part of five minutes.

Maybe she should take a break. She could go back to her quarters and put one of her ship models together… She did have an Intrepid-class she hadn’t completed yet.

No, she needed to concentrate on science.

Tendi read the paragraph once more and this time finally focused long enough to get through the chapter. Unfortunately, by the time she got to the second chapter, she was ready to give up for the night. She had too much on her mind so she abandoned her padds with a groan and climbed into bed.

“D’Vana?” T’Lyn called from her meditation area, “Are you taking your second rest already?”

“No, not yet.” She threw an arm over her eyes because the alternative was to smother herself with a pillow.

She heard T’Lyn walk over and wasn’t surprised when she held her hand to gauge her emotions. She could’ve laughed at how unfair it was; there was no hiding anything from a Vulcan mate. “You are troubled.”

“I’ll be okay.” She squeezed her hand. Normally she’d attempt to share happier feelings but it would be too difficult right now so instead, she pulled her hand away.

After a few moments, T’Lyn broke their silence. “If it is anything I have-"

“No! No, T’Lyn.” Tendi uncovered her eyes and reached out for her hand again, wanting to reassure her. T’Lyn’s expression was carefully guarded but she offered it and Tendi lifted up enough to kiss her palm. “I promise, if I was upset with you, we’d talk.”

Some tenseness in her shoulders melted. “That is appreciated.” Then with a brush of her thumb, “What is the source of your unhappiness?”

The entire goddamn situation, but it wasn’t T’Lyn’s fault they were competing for the SSO position and Tendi was spiraling. T’Lyn was looking for a logical answer, not an emotional one so she told her, “It’s nothing you can fix.”

“If it is not something I can resolve, is it a matter anyone has control over?”

“No.” Technically, it wasn’t a lie. She pulled her hand away again, not wanting to bother her with her emotions.

T’Lyn flatly pointed out, “Then it is illogical to allow it to compromise your emotions.”

“I know…I just feel bad.” At the admission and under her girlfriend’s studious gaze, Tendi’s eyes began to sting.

T'Lyn quirked an eyebrow up, still standing at the edge of the bed instead of sitting next to her. “Emotions are heightened for humanoid species during typical ‘night’ hours. Perhaps that is what is occurring?”

“Yeah, maybe.” Honestly, being overwhelmed by her stoic logic was only making her more emotional.

“To understand your emotions is to control them.”

“I understand them fine.” Her words were a little hoarse; the growing tightness in her throat felt awful. “I need to be sad for a little bit and then I’ll be okay.”

“That is not-“

“T’Lyn, I know it’s illogical.” She barely kept from raising her voice but she didn’t want to hear it. She didn’t want to be alone but she didn’t need T’Lyn to try to fix her! She hated how some tears escaped, but her emotional kettle was boiling over. “You pointing it out isn’t helpful.”

Her attempts were putting too much pressure on her to explain what was bothering her but she didn’t want to talk about how she felt so inferior. She was trying to work through it without dragging her down.

It was too late though.

T’Lyn, with all her good intentions, frowned. “I merely wish to assist in resolving your emotional turmoil.”

“I know," [Fuck]. They’d have to talk about this. She remembered being in her position, when T’Lyn had shut her out and not let her help- it had felt so confusing and awful. "I’m sorry. It’s just… I need some time.” She felt way too unreasonable and embarrassed so she rolled onto her side with her back to T’Lyn and sniffed, wiping away the tears that had leaked out.

“Is there anything I can do to assist in the resolution process?" T'Lyn questioned, steady and unfazed. "Or do you wish to be alone?”

“You can leave if you want.” Tendi wouldn’t blame her, even though a pain shot through her chest at the thought.

T’Lyn finally sat on the bed. “May I touch you?”

“Maybe spoon me?”

T’Lyn moved to hold her. She wrapped her arm tight around her, bringing them flush together. The burn of her body behind her warmed her thoroughly and made her feel safe; she put a hand on the arm around her. “Thanks.” She knew T’Lyn was trying her best to keep up with her illogical behavior.

It was quiet for a few minutes. She had matched her breathing to calm her mind and their shared rhythm was soothing. Then in a low voice, T’Lyn said, “I would find this easier to understand if I knew the cause, however I wish to assure you that I desire to comfort you in any capacity you allow when you are ‘feeling bad’.”

She squeezed her arm, so appreciative of her. “I love you.”

T’Lyn’s lips pressed against her shoulder blade- the same one broken in the cave in accident. Then and now, she only handled her with reverent care.

Damn. She tugged her impossibly closer, knowing she deserved the truth. They were supposed to talk about everything...

It physically pained her because it sounded so stupid but she quietly admitted. “You… You got a perfect score on the test.”

She heard and felt T’Lyn take a deep breath. The Vulcan buffered for a few moments, probably completely thrown, before she said, “And I assume you did not.”

“It was that goddamn question.” She sighed. “And I’m upset I didn’t even think to figure it out like you did and I’m… I know I’m good enough! I’m just not as good as you…”

“Missing one question is not a reflection of your abilities.” She sounded mildly confused, which was understandable because it was so much more than that.

Tendi turned over in her arms to face her and her dark eyes searched for an answer. “But it’s not about the test! It’s! We’re competing for the same job, T’Lyn! I never really thought about it until now. SSO training felt like our new role and we’ve been allowed to be on the bridge together and it feels so right! But when it’s time for the promotion it’s… it’s only going to be one of us.” She shook her head sadly. “And I don’t think I’ll get picked.”

Tendi pressed two fingers to her sharp jaw. “I’m super proud of you but it also hurts... I didn’t want to talk about it because it’s not your fault you’re so brilliant…”

T’Lyn nodded. “I understand your reluctance and your emotional reaction to concerns of the future. However, nothing is guaranteed and our training is not complete.”

“But it will be.” Soon too, definitely less than a year!

“I have not yet been commissioned by Starfleet.”

“They’ll probably offer it when they give you the promotion.”

T’Lyn’s tone had a hard edge as she insisted. “It is illogical to assume that.” Then more neutral, she continued, “Given our shared successes on the bridge and the precedent of our training, perhaps Captain Freeman will offer a dual promotion.”

Tendi allowed herself to feel a little hope. “You think she’d do that?” She’d never heard of it before but maybe T’Lyn had! It sounded amazing.

“Statistically, if we continue to provide evidence of our invaluable teamwork, it will be more likely.”

“Thanks, T’Lyn.” Tendi kissed her gently, “I’m sorry I was so illogical.”

“Do not feel guilty.” T’Lyn’s eyes fell to her lips and then back up to meet her eyes, “I assumed you would be illogical at times.” Tendi huffed out a laugh but swooned when she placed her fingers over hers. “However, I am gratified you chose to communicate your troubles.”

“Me too.” She kissed her again, her hand sliding out from under T’Lyn’s to push at her shoulder, a silent request to lay on her back. T’Lyn obeyed and Tendi pressed a kiss to her jaw before she laid on top of her like T’Lyn liked.

T’Lyn, propped up by the pillows, silently read Krog on the Rock’s autobiography. They were still in bed following Tendi’s second rest, holding hands. Or rather, Tendi was playing with her hand absentmindedly as she read a message from her penpal, Peanut Hamper the exocomp. It was quiet, calm.

T’Lyn discreetly watched her girlfriend from the corner of her eye.

She was glad they had resolved Tendi’s anxiety regarding their future, though admittedly she began to question how they would move forward if only one of them received the promotion and the other needed to transfer. She was certain if they were forced to work on separate ships, their relationship would be able to withstand the distance; however, the thought was disagreeable.

Tendi must’ve felt her gaze because she looked up from her padd and smiled, pleased to catch her eyeing her. She lifted their joined hands to kiss her knuckles and T’Lyn’s face was on fire at the adoration.

Tendi giggled mischievously and returned to her reading and T’Lyn followed her cue.

Then there was a chime at the door.

Tendi gave her a look of horror before they both scrambled for their clothes.

In all their months sleeping together, they had only been interrupted three times. And only by red alerts. They’d never been intruded upon like this and it was 0530 so it could be anyone; though given the hour it was more likely to be another Vulcan.

T’Lyn didn’t appreciate having to pull on her already-worn uniform but the door chimed again, whoever was on the other side was too impatient to wait for her to replicate new clothes.

“What are we going to do?” Tendi hissed quietly as she fumbled with the button on her slacks.

T’Lyn gave her the logical answer, “Answer the door.”

“You know what I meant!” Tendi pulled on her tank top.

T’Lyn dressed first and she quickly made her bed to further decrease suspicions. The door chimed and she heard Tendi’s heart rate spike.

Tendi walked over to comb her fingers through T’Lyn’s, no doubt, untidy hair before she asked, “What if they ask why I’m here?” She was finally dressed and the bed was made and the door chimed again. “Should I hide? In the bathroom or something?”

“No.” If they engaged in hijinks, trying to trick someone that Tendi wasn’t here, then it could backfire. “You are here to study. Resume your reading.”

Tendi pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “You’re so logical, I love you.”

T’Lyn smirked and waited for Tendi to take her place, laying on the floor on her stomach and kicking her feet in the air as she read. The Orion had even placed two padds next to her like T’Lyn was studying with her. Clever.

T’Lyn pressed the panel to open her door.

It whooshed open to reveal Mariner, who was wearing what looked to be half of a Ktarian headset. The red optical stimulant flashed and she shivered before she rested the device around her neck.

“About time!”

“Mariner,” T’Lyn hadn’t calculated a high probability that the woman would be their visitor. “Why are you awake at this hour?”

The human entered her quarters and didn’t even seem to notice Tendi. “Couldn’t sleep! So I got some levels in.” She passed the headset over to her, “Here. You said you’d try it out.”

“Oh my gosh, did they seriously fall for that Risa game again?” Tendi groaned and motioned for T’Lyn to nerve pinch Mariner, which she did.

T’Lyn settled the unconscious human into the desk chair. “This has happened on the Cerritos previously?”

“Only two other times.” Tendi stood and ran a stressed hand through her hair. “Last time this happened was when the Cerritos was recommissioned after Captain Freeman was found innocent, someone brought one on board after shore leave.”

“And it has never affected you?” T'Lyn was impressed and, honestly, surprised by her immunity to the temptation.

“Well usually I have my models that I put together that keep me busy so I don't really notice until it's taken over the ship. This time I guess you distracted me.” Tendi dared to kiss her cheek since Mariner was knocked out.

“You are welcome.”

Tendi laugh and playfully nudged her, “Come on, we’ll just need to recalibrate my strobe light. Let’s go cure the crew!”

T’Lyn programmed the strobe light effect shipwide while Tendi hacked into the emergency broadcast display program. And after everyone was freed from the mind-altering influence, they and Mariner stood in the Captain’s ready room.

“Good work Lts.” Captain Freeman gave them an almost sheepish smile. “I can’t believe these headsets keep finding their way onto Federation ships.” She pointedly glared at her daughter.

“It wasn’t my fault! The Vancouver-" Mariner stopped her excuse at her mother’s exasperated gaze. “Yeah, okay. I guess it was my fault. So what, are you sending me to the brig?”

“No, you love the brig. Hmm." The Captain's thoughtful expression turned smug. "You are required to turn in all of your rubber ducks.”

Mariner gasped, “No mom! You can’t!”

“All of them, Beckett.” She jutted her chin up, “Lt. T’Lyn will supervise you. Lt. Tendi, I want you to gather all of the devices and place them into storage.”

“Yes sir!”

T’Lyn followed a pouting Mariner around the ship as they visited her various caches so she could surrender the rubber ducks. At each stop, the human would take the time to complain about losing the different styled ducks.

After T’Lyn was satisfied that they had collected most of the ducks- she knew Mariner was lying about not having any more in hiding but she was being lenient- she sealed the container.

Still, Mariner lamented the consequences of her actions, “I can't believe you're confiscating my entire stash of ducks!”

“It should not be surprising considering how you acquired them.”

“It’s such a waste. They’re just gonna sit in the Rubber Ducky Room… Well anyway, good job, nerd.” Mariner held up her hand for a high-five and T’Lyn gave her an unimpressed look. The human sighed and grabbed her arm, lifting her limp hand so she could slap their palms together before she let it drop.

T’Lyn frowned at her presumptuous touch. “Do not do that.”

“Give me a high-five next time and I won’t.” She lifted her hand again, eyebrows repeatedly raising in encouragement.

T’Lyn hummed and then flatly suggested, “Perhaps we should visit corridor 525…” She knew that was the location of Mariner’s most treasured contraband; logically, more of the ducks would be found there.

Mariner’s mouth fell open in shock before her expression transformed into a sly smile. “Okay, nevermind.” She directed her offered hand to pat T’Lyn’s arm before she said, “See you later for supper!”

T’Lyn deposited the rubber ducks into the forbidden room, she was amazed at how many of the banned toys lined the sizable space. Ducks of every sort, differing in color and style and theme. She added Mariner’s collection to the stacks of confiscated ducks and then went next door to the anomaly storage room to assist Tendi with the devices if she needed it.

Tendi hummed happily as she placed another crateful of the headsets into the corner of the room. She labeled it with the stardate, while the previous ones sat underneath with their respective stardates. If this was the third iteration, she wondered, “Have you ever been curious to try it?”

“Not really.” Her eyes gleamed though, “Do you want to try it?”

“No, that would be illogical.”

“I bet I can make you feel better anyway.” Tendi’s devious grin was full of promises and T’Lyn pulled her closer with a hand on her hip.

“Perhaps we should test your hypothesis…”

Chapter Text

Bridge duty on warp days usually meant a ton of analyzation of past scans for the sector they’d be visiting. And now, Tendi barely trusted the planetary data though she knew Kolarus VI was a one-off situation. She verified via medical simulations every time if there was even a hint of hazardous compounds in the atmosphere.

But it was a quiet day. Captain Freeman wasn’t impressed with Starfleet’s orders to deliver diplomacy gifts for the second week in a row. Not when there were reports of Starfleet personnel going missing that might be connected to the disappearing ships.

“It’s only three systems over, we could be investigating but they’re sending the Io.”

“Diplomacy gifts are important too, Captain. And I hear the locals are very-”

Boimler interrupted whatever sexual thing Ransom was going to say, “Priority One distress call from… Sir, it’s the Oakland.”

“Maximum warp, Barnes. And Mr. Boimler, notify Starfleet.”

“Aye.”

Most of the bridge crew gasped as they dropped out of warp and saw the destruction. Their sister ship was in a critical state: a section of the saucer was missing, exposing the interior corridors of the decks. When the viewer zoomed in, a fire was raging on their bridge.

“My god…” Captain Freeman stood from her chair. “Red Alert! Raise shields!”

She and T’Lyn launched into action. And her anxiety spiked when she read the results, “Scans are showing everything offline and their antimatter containment field is failing.”

T’Lyn’s news was grimmer, “Captain, there are 103 life signs aboard.”

“I’m reading 6 escape pods-” Dr. T’Ana didn’t get to finish her report due to a ship materializing in front of them.

“Ship decloaking! We’re being scanned.”

“That destroyed the Oakland?” The Captain sounded incredulous for good reason.

It was a mid-sized ship, though at least twice as small as the Cali-class ship it’d successfully disabled. It was a ship model she was very familiar with, but she couldn’t believe it.

Tendi gasped. “That’s! That’s an Orion ship! What are they doing? Where did they cloaking tech?!”

She used to run into these ships all the time back in the Lower Basin. The families there were under the ruling of the Syndicate but there was no way this was an ordered hit. And it shouldn’t have been possible for their limited fire power to penetrate their shields and do the kind of damage suffered on the Oakland.

“Hail them.”

“No response.”

Shaxs reported, “They’re charging weapons.” The torpedo banks of the ship glowed threateningly before the attack was launched and the ship rocked from the blast and it sent Tendi flying into T’Lyn. “They bypassed our shields!”

And while Ransom and Boimler both fell out of their chairs, Captain Freeman stood and demanded, “Status report.”

“Damage to decks 8 through 13.”

[Fuck].

“Sir, I don’t know how but they’ve matched our shield frequencies.” Shaxs growled, “One hit to the nacelles and we’ll be just like the Oakland.”

“Computer, vary shield frequencies at random intervals.”

The next attack was stopped but, “Shields at 71% and we’re reporting hull fractures and exposure on decks 9 and 10. Forcefields are up and holding.” For now.

They weren’t going to get out of this alive without fighting back and every second they spent distracted with their assailant, lives on the Oakland were at risk.

Tendi pushed away from T’Lyn, knowing she could end this right now. “I don’t understand what they’re doing but,” she went over to the security controls and the giant Bajoran automatically moved out of her way, no questions asked. “Shaxs. Fire here on the ship with,” she furiously typed into the console, “this frequency.”

Shaxs evaluated the pattern, “If it penetrates their shields, one photon torpedo will destroy them, Captain.”

“They’re charging weapons again!”

“Do it, Shaxs.”

The Cerritos’ attack launched first and the rogue ship exploded into a ball of fire. Metal debris bounced off of their shields.

But there was no time to celebrate avoiding destruction. “We need to get the crew of the Oakland aboard.” Captain Freeman pivoted their attention. “Ready all shuttles, Ransom. We’ll be picking up escape pods as well.” Then she looked to the Caitian. “Dr. T’Ana, suggestions.”

“If anyone in their Medical staff is still alive, we can set up triage in Shuttlebay 2 for their crew to use. But tell them to send the worst up to our sickbay.”

“Let’s make it so.” Captain Freeman pressed the button on her chair to begin a ship wide announcement. “All hands prepare for emergency rescue procedures. Any crew with Medical experience, report to sickbay for assignment. Transporters, start getting locks on any personnel aboard the Oakland.”

Dr. T’Ana nodded her head at T’Lyn and Tendi, “You two, with me.”

T’Lyn stood between Tendi and Nurse Westlake and awaited the first of the patients to arrive in sickbay.

The medical transporter shimmered and in the next moment, two figures materialized.

The Captain of the Oakland was being carried by a grey-skinned Vulcan woman. Both of their faces were covered in soot and dust. The Captain’s lower half was badly burnt. One leg hung charred and severed just above the knee. Both of the Vulcan’s hands were badly blistered and burned, her broken skin an alarming and angry green, but she remained emotionless as she cradled her Captain to her chest.

“[Fuck].” Doctor T’Ana swore under her breath. Then a little louder, “Tendi, you’re with me on Ramsey. Prep for surgery. T’Lyn, get the privacy curtains set up. Westlake, you and T’Lyn are on Durga.”

They all nodded and set to their orders.

The privacy curtains were archaic yet effective. She rolled the dividers across the room as Doctor T’Ana directed Durga to place Ramsey down on the closest biobed then went off to prep.

The transporter whirred again, this time it was a group of officers looking for their wounds to be treated. The rest of the Medical team flew into action with the mid-level staff handled the biggest injuries.

T’Lyn positioned the curtains around the biobed where Ramsey shivered in shock and clung to Durga as she laid her on the table.

“We are safe Amina.” Durga soothed quietly. She seemed reluctant to remove Ramsey’s arms from around her neck but she directed her to lay down. With her better hand, though it was still blistered and raw, she cupped Ramsey’s face and swiped away the tear tracks from her cheek with her thumb.

Given her assigned patient was comforting the other, she stood guard at the only open portion of the dividers and waited. Tendi rushed back in red scrubs, pushing the cart of equipment past her. She carefully laid out the necessary tools and hyposprays on the top tray and shot T’Lyn a sad but encouraging smile.

Doctor T’Ana returned and, in the softest voice she’d ever heard from her, said, “Break it up you two.”

Durga nodded and T’Lyn watched with eyebrows raised to her hairline as the Vulcan, quite publicly, placed two fingers against Ramsey’s.

“Rest, t’hy’la.”

Beloved. Her chosen mate. Their closeness made sense now.

Ramsey smiled weakly and her eyes fell closed.

Doctor T’Ana maneuvered around the Lt. to administer a sedative. Then she shooed away Durga with an agitated wave of her paw and pointed to a biobed nearby. With her usual gruffness she growled, “Your hands are [fuck]ed. Go get healed and let me work on her.”

T’Lyn closed the final divider after Durga obeyed and followed her and Westlake to the next biobed. She was stiff as she lay on the table, where she was scanned for broken bones with none found.

“Do you require sedation?” Westlake asked as he prepped the biobed to generate skin for the graft.

“No. Nor analgesics. I will remain alert and conscious in the event of an unexpected complication.” Her dark eyes were fixed on the curtains.

Westlake nodded and set down the hypospray, “Of course.”

T’Lyn carefully cut Durga free from her jacket and her pants before removing her boots then she assisted the Vulcan into a robe. She glanced at the chart above the bed that displayed her scan and confirmed the injuries she saw to Westlake, but most were superficial compared to the severity of her hands and arms.

Based on the wounds, T’Lyn surmised that Ramsey’s leg had gotten caught under either hot metal or rubble as the fire on the bridge spread and Durga had rescued her mate with her bare hands. With the damage done to them both, it must’ve been an inferno.

“Antibiotics.” Westlake explained then he injected a hypospray into Durga’s neck. He injected the next one, “Corticosteroids.”

T’Lyn waved the dermal regenerator over her less serious injuries until the grafts were complete meanwhile, the biobed’s regenerating program was aimed at the Vulcan’s hands.

Westlake took one arm and T’Lyn took the other and they debride the burned flesh. He was essentially wrapping most of Durga’s arm in new skin and T’Lyn’s side was more patchwork.

Though her eyes regularly flicked up to the privacy curtain, Durga watched the Nurse with interest as he delicately grafted skin onto her arm. “Intriguing.”

“Yes, this grafting technique was developed by an ensign here just last year.” He sucked his teeth as he often did when he was having trouble remembering something, “I’ll have to ask Tendi for the name, I always forget.”

At the mention of Tendi, Durga’s gaze went back to the privacy curtain. The surgery force field had also been erected to block out the sounds. Her brows furrowed and she turned to ask her, “Is the Orion familiar with the ones that attacked us?”

She’d called her Orion instead of Lt., conveying a sense of distrust towards her species.

Granted, nearly a year ago T’Lyn had been the same. She’d never heard of Orions being interested in Sciences and High Command regarded Orions as only pirates, slavers, or assassins. The High Council spread even more negative propaganda- insisting that a friendly Orion was one that wanted to exploit politeness for personal gain.

But Tendi was working hard to save Durga’s mate so she thought the slight was unwarranted, dishonorable, and in bad manners. T’Lyn continued to work on her arm, not wishing to entertain her question.

“For security purposes, I must know.” The Oakland’s SSO insisted.

“Lt. jg Tendi was knowledgeable regarding the weaknesses of the ship as I assume she had encountered a similar model previously. Although it is unlikely she personally knew those which attacked you, they did not respond to our hails therefore I cannot confirm nor deny.”

“Curious. Myself and Security will question her further.”

It took the control of Surak to keep her hands from shaking in anger. While Tendi was accustomed to thinly veiled aggression and distrust, T’Lyn refused to allow Durga to interrogate her for simply being the same species as the assailants.

She suppressed the irrational annoyance but defiantly said, “Perhaps that duty is best left to our Chief of Security.” It was risky, Durga was her superior, but Westlake backed her.

“Tendi and Shaxs will provide you with all the information they can after this crisis has settled.”

Durga nodded but she was impatient, already flexing her forearm muscles to test the skin tightness.

“Refrain from moving yet.” T’Lyn still needed to loosen the scar tissue around the graft.

“When this is healed, you may go assist with Captain Ramsey’s injuries.”

Her request wasn’t subtle in the least. She wanted a Vulcan treating her mate, assuming she was more capable and reliable than an Orion. And they were both biased in their own ways. After all the Oakland was attacked by Orion pirates, but T’Lyn felt obligated to defend Tendi. Not because they were courting but because she was one of the most qualified officers in Starfleet.

T’Lyn stopped working on her to square her shoulders back. She quirked an eyebrow up to properly express how irrational the other Vulcan was behaving, “That is illogical, you have many other injuries that need to be tended to. In addition, I am most useful treating any other members of your crew that are wounded.” As if proving her point, the transporter whirred again, materializing a fresh wave of patients.

Durga stared at her, expecting her to submit.

Westlake had also stopped working and she could feel his eyes flicking between the two of them. Luckily, he intervened. He smiled kindly at Durga and assured, “Captain Ramsey is in good hands.”

T’Lyn resumed healing her scar tissue, refusing to engage with her again.

Tendi hummed as she stroked the regenerator light over the scar for what had to be the hundredth time, but she wasn’t satisfied with the results yet. She wanted it to be literally unnoticeable- she didn’t want Ramsey to be reminded of the attack every time she saw it and she would need to be extra thorough too since her mate was Vulcan. And right now, she could still see a slight discoloration.

The Captain awoke from her nap with a few slow blinks. “You’re still here, Lt.”

Tendi smiled at her sleepy voice. “I hope that’s okay, Captain.”

Ramsey weakly lifted up to see her progress. “Impressive.” She yawned but sounded more awake as she settled back, “Keep on, I’ll be better company now too.”

Tendi giggled and set the regenerator up another notch. “I think I’ll only need another half hour. You should probably keep resting but when you feel ready, you can talk with Dr. T’Ana about starting physical therapy!”

“Brilliant, although I feel good as new. Nearly look it too.”

She nodded but told her the plan, “I’m going to get Junga to look it over.”

“Vulcans do have excellent eyesight,” Ramsey pulled a face and looked around sickbay. “Speaking of Vulcans, where is Durga?”

“I think all the non-injured senior staff are on the starbase right now.”

After rescuing all of the crew that they could and even recovering the bodies of some, the Cerritos had towed the Oakland to the closest starship repair base, which was luckily only a few solar systems away from the attack.

Ramsey passed the time with random questions- it was no wonder she had attained Captaincy so young, she was friendly and charming! Tendi hoped that in the future, she would be a kind and humble Captain too.

Durga showed up about 20 minutes after Ramsey had awoken. And Tendi was used to the inimical attitude of Vulcans but there was a cold fury in her black eyes. Without preamble or manners, she told her: “You’re dismissed Lt.” Her voice was like ice.

Tendi was stunned and immediately looked to the Captain for confirmation.

“Belay that order,” Captain Ramsey raised an eyebrow at Durga. “Tendi hasn’t completed my treatment yet.”

Despite Durga’s inexpression, she practically radiated irritation. “Apologies.” She said to her Captain rather than to Tendi.

Ramsey beckoned Durga over and quietly suggested, “Go meditate, love.” Then when Durga straightened as if ready to defy the request, Ramsey more firmly stated, “And don’t argue with me.”

Tendi thought they were incredibly cute together and she fought a smile despite the Vulcan treating her like [shit].

Durga placed two fingers onto Ramsey’s cheek and it was almost like they were having a silent conversation in those few moments that they touched. Then she dropped her hand.

“I will return in one hour.” It was an implied warning and indirect request that she be done with her treatment by then. Thankfully, she would be.

She focused on the last bit of Ramsey’s leg, the inner thigh, and she was glad she wasn’t doing this when Durga walked in. She probably would’ve thrown her across the room.

She directed Ramsey’s leg to twist, watching for any signs of pain but the Captain’s eyes were closed and she rested like she was ready to fall asleep again. Since the regeneration therapy machine had been targeting the underside of Ramsey’s thigh while Tendi focused on the top section, the exposed skin appeared completely healed so she just needed to smooth out this last part.

When she was finally happy with her healing, she said, “I’m going to get Junga. Will you be alright to roll onto your side with assistance?”

Ramsey laughed good-naturedly, “I think I can manage that.”

Tendi flashed her a grin, she really liked Captain Ramsey. And she practically beamed when Junga confirmed she couldn’t see any sign of the injury.

“Wonderful work. Thank you, Lt.”

Her chest flooded with warmth from the praise. “Of course! Happy to help!”

T’Lyn and Tendi were already in bed since it had been an eventful and taxing day.

“Ramsey is probably a great Captain! She’s really nice!” Then the topic jumped, following whatever erratic thought processes she possessed. “Oh! And I don’t think I’ve told you but she and Mariner used to date.” Tendi loved to tell her gossip and give her context and T’Lyn couldn’t say she didn’t enjoy 'being in the know'.

“I was unaware. It would appear as though Mariner has an extensive list of ex-girlfriends.” But she wasn’t surprised given her human nature.

Tendi giggled, “You know, she’s who you should’ve asked to be bang buddies with.”

But the joke wasn’t funny to her.

In another universe, that might be a reality but the Orion's unconditional affection was far more valuable and beneficial than the unattached relationship T’Lyn had first insisted on. And she pulled her closer because the thought of not choosing Tendi was unappealing. To ignore their chemistry and indulge in Mariner's attention...

Mariner was a great friend but utterly human and prone to avoidance. Tendi’s emotional intelligence and communication skills and her willingness to be vulnerable were the primary reasons T'Lyn had stayed even after they'd found their physical release. Her soft affection was why T'Lyn had wanted to continue their arrangement... No, she knew she'd made the correct choice for herself. “Even as foolish as I used to be, I was not that foolish.”

The Orion burst into laughter, “Aw, that’s so mean.” Still, that wasn’t a reprimand. “I feel bad for her but she has a lot of issues to work out. She’s been really reckless on missions lately.”

“I concur. Perhaps that inclination for danger and self-sabotage extends to relationships.”

“Yeah, I mean I think Ramsey and her broke up after they graduated from the Academy. And I guess it worked out for Ramsey! She and Durga are cute!” Tendi gushed and T’Lyn wondered if she'd heard what the Vulcan had said to her mate. She was less enthusiastic when she said, “Durga really hates me though.”

“It is an illogical bias fueled by the recent traumatic events. Do not dwell on it.” Tendi snuggled into her shoulder and held her a bit tighter. Perhaps the mention of the bias bothered her and it made her curious, “Was it similar? When I first arrived?”

“Yeah!” Tendi laughed, carefree despite the troubling admission. “I thought you hated me!”

She had been… strict but, “Vulcans do not hate, it is an emotional response.” The Orion hummed like she didn’t believe her. So she continued, “High Command spread negative propaganda about Orions… Therefore when we first met I suppose your… exuberance was puzzling and I was uncertain of your abilities, however I was fascinated to understand you.”

“Well, a lot of people don’t get that far. I have to prove I’m not what they think.” Tendi sighed, long-suffering from the necessity to constantly rise above other’s prejudice. “I guess it can be exhausting but I can’t just not try to be my best.”

She hadn’t considered how mentally fatiguing it must be for Tendi to overcome her anger at any injustices that she suffered, to choose to be kind and logical and believe in people’s ability to change. “Your sanguinity allows others to grow.”

“Exactly!” Tendi happily nuzzled into her. “As long as they want to.”

T’Lyn rested her hand on the arm slung over her midsection. With a swipe of her thumb over her smooth skin, she told her, “You are admirable.”

“Thanks.” She squeezed her and then a quiet settled over them.

T’Lyn assumed the Orion was attempting to sleep until Tendi asked, “Do you think other Vulcans think you’re crazy for even hanging out with me?”

Perhaps not to merely spend time with her but she knew many Vulcans would think she'd lost all Logic to choose a mate as excitable and expressive as Tendi. Yet, “I am unconcerned with their opinion.”

“You really don’t care?”

“Negative.”

Tendi leaned up to kiss her jaw, “Good. Because you’re mine.”

T’Lyn smirked, pleased by her claim.

With the Cerritos docked at Starbase 77, the crew was given downtime and most chose to explore what amenities the base had to offer. T’Lyn and Tendi were on route to meet with their friends at the Quark's when the Orion’s badge chirped, making them halt in the middle of the corridor.

“Lt. jg. Tendi, report to the bridge.”

“Be right there!” Tendi responded even as they shared a confused look. “It’s got to be about the Oakland, right?”

“Curious.” T’Lyn had brought her padd along for additional stimulation; honestly, she rarely went anywhere without it anymore. And that was beneficial because now she could scroll through the available busy work. Her gut feeling was that this wasn't a simple request and that she needed to go with her. “Hmm. I will accompany you to the bridge. I must… Recalibrate the planetary sens-oars.”

Her motive was as transparent as glass and Tendi laughed. “T’Lyn, it’s probably just more questions. You should go hang out with everyone.”

“This is the most logical use of my time currently.”

They backtracked towards the bridge when Tendi acquiesced. “Well, okay. But you could be stuck on the bridge longer than whatever they want to ask me.”

T’Lyn admitted, “I would prefer to remain on the Cerritos. There is a rare calm to savor when the majority of the crew has disembarked.”

“Yeah that’s true! But I know you’re just nosey.” She playfully asserted, thankfully when they were in the turbolift.

“Concerned.” T’Lyn’s ears heated up despite stoically correcting her.

“Aww.” Her girlfriend cooed at the sentiment, though her voice shook with laughter. Then she redirected their conversation rather than continue to tease her, which was appreciated. “Maybe they were able to get information on the Orions! Ramsey said the ship hailed them before they attacked.”

“Fascinating. Their motivation is curious.”

The turbolift doors opened and the crowded bridge was unanticipated. Rutherford was singing under his breath at the Engineering station and Durga, the iconic Admiral Janeway, the respected Admiral Nakamura, and Shaxs stood around the Captain, who nodded at the pair.

“Lt. jg. Tendi, you’re with me.” Captain Freeman announced, sounding strangely apologetic.

“Yes, Captain.”

T’Lyn took up post at the Sciences console to begin her work though as soon as the door to the ready room closed, she switched to the station closest, inquisitive enough to eavesdrop. It was logical to gather information and understand the situation.

Durga’s deeper tone was hard to hear, but for once the bridge was quiet which helped. “The Orion pirates were knowledgeable of our shield frequencies and knew precisely where to attack to optimally damage the California class ship. The only Orion currently aboard or ever stationed on a California class ship is Lt. jg. Tendi. We must thoroughly explore the possibility that you assisted or orchestrated the assault.”

Her intuition had been correct.

“We’re not bringing charges against you,” Admiral Janeway’s rough and raspy voice clarified, “And this is not an inquiry, yet, but we are conducting an informal investigation.”

T’Lyn’s grip on her padd tightened. An informal investigation meant Tendi wouldn't be provided with an advocate like if it was an inquiry…

“I understand, Admiral.” Tendi’s words wavered with sadness.

“We have a few preliminary questions-“

“Hey, T’Lyn!” Rutherford’s jovial voice overpowered what Admiral Nakamura was saying. She barely repressed a scowl at his interruption. “What are you doing over here?”

“Science. Allow me to focus.”

He was unfazed by her curtness, “Okey dokey!” He said and simply turned back to the Engineering station, no doubt completing repairs to the systems that were damaged in the attack.

T’Lyn tuned in on the conversation again while she recalibrated the sensors.

“-outbound communication?”

“I’ve got a lot of penpals, but I think the last one was to the exocomp Peanut Hamper two weeks ago.”

“Peanut Hamper?” Admiral Nakamura sounded stunned but it wasn’t unreasonable. The robot’s claim of a mathematically perfect name was questionable and Tendi had told her she thought it was stupid but cute.

A fascinating opinion.

Tendi explained, “She’s out on parole and I like to hear updates about her and AGIMUS.”

“Hmm. A reformed criminal.” Durga’s implication made T’Lyn press the panel with more force than necessary. “Are you in contact with any Orions?”

“Just my family: my mom, my dad, and my sister.”

“Are you willing to voluntarily submit to a mind meld conducted by Commander Tuvok?”

Voluntarily submit. It was practically under duress given the investigation. If Tendi refused, it would raise suspicion. Yet she didn’t deserve to have her mind and memories invaded…

Captain Freeman cut in, “Now wait a second, Lt. That wasn’t-“

“It’s okay, Captain. I’ll do it.”

“Captain Freeman,” Durga addressed her, “Perhaps we should move these investigations to Starbase 77?”

“The Cerritos is a perfectly fine location.” At least Captain Freeman remained firm on that front.

Janeway then said, “I do hate to see Commander Tuvok under these circumstances, but I’ll give my old friend a call. I’ll update everyone with the schedule.”

“Lt. Dismissed. We’ll follow up with more questions once we recover the security tapes.”

“Yes, sir.”

The door whooshed open and Tendi exited, eyes downcast but quickly putting on a happier face. Her mate waved goodbye and T’Lyn remained to finish her work. And perhaps additional information would be beneficial so she continued to listen.

“A mind meld, Lt?”

“Vulcan mind melds are an asset to Starfleet.” Durga asserted, not incorrect. “There have been several cases of its use in an investigation.”

“I’m aware. I just don’t like it.”

Shaxs' voice rumbled, allowing her to hear him clearly. He argued, “This is circumstantial evidence at best.”

“She is currently our only lead. Logically, a connection must be explored.”

Janeway added, “This is about a Federation ship being destroyed. Over 100 lives were lost.” She sighed and T’Lyn could hear the sympathetic smile that accompanied her next words. “Captain, we’re not confining her to quarters. We’re not limiting her communications. And Mr. Tuvok is an expert.”

“Ms. Tendi-”

“Is an Orion in unfortunate circumstances. She agreed to the probe because she wants to help Starfleet.”

Freeman dismissed Durga and Shaxs and the other Admiral similarly left the ready room. T’Lyn was preparing to return to the other Science station when Captain Freeman asked, “Admiral Janeway… Do you think she’s innocent?”

“I’m pretty damn sure and this will confirm it. The sooner we nip this suspicion in the bud, the better.”

T’Lyn was meditating in her room to objectively consider the recent events. Her emotional control remained steadfast, however she had been… troubled by the inquiry but also by her hotheaded and illogical initial opinions of their treatment of Tendi. That was simply the risk when taking a mate though; Vulcans were honorable and loyal and she wanted to protect her from becoming upset though the source was, unfortunately, necessary.

She turned her attention towards the door when it whooshed open.

Tendi gave her a small smile but after she kicked off her boots, she flopped down on the bed on her back.

“I don’t think anyone was expecting it to last that long.” Tendi sighed with her hands covered her eyes.

“They recovered the recordings from the Oakland?”

“Yeah. And of course, Durga had a lot of follow up questions about the Orions and how I did or didn’t know their entire crew. Then I had to tell them everything about myself, my family, the Syndicate. Again. Like when I enlisted, like when I got posted… And Commander Tuvok will be here tomorrow…” She made a frustrated noise and T’Lyn stood from her meditation area.

“D’Vana, do you require physical comfort?”

“Yes please.” She kept one hand covering her eyes but she slid the other arm open. It was very rare for her to not want to curl up against T’Lyn, but she took her place laying against her side.

“Even after all these years serving Starfleet…” Tendi’s voice sounded tight, like she was struggling to speak. She cleared her throat but her tone was dangerously emotional as she continued, “And I understand what they’re doing! I get why they’re doing it! Ugh, I’m trying not to take it personally but-“ her breath hitched and T’Lyn ran her hand up and down her side.

“It is not a personal attack; it is simply the fact that you are Orion.” It was highly improbable if another species had orchestrated the assault, alike crewmembers would be interrogated in such a manner. And T’Lyn could understand due diligence but a mind meld was invasive. It was not protocol in informal investigations though they were readily utilized- the precedence was set for Durga to manipulate.

Unfortunately, her observation wasn’t reassuring and Tendi’s soft crying sent the ancient warrior inside her into a frenzy- her mate was in distress. But there was nothing T’Lyn could do so she suppressed the powerful emotions and attempted more physical comfort. She held her midsection tightly to simulate pressure.

“This will be resolved soon.”

She wanted to assure her with facts, guide her through the emotions logically. However she had learned from their previous charged discussion that doing so could be interpreted as dismissive. Instead, this time, she reminded herself that Tendi would recover once she did not feel overwhelmed. Crying was useless in resolving the cause but it was her way of lessening her turmoil…

Tendi sniffed, her voice watery. “I’m sorry, T’Lyn. This is probably freaking you out.”

“Negative.” She lied. Because no matter how illogical she thought her reaction was, “You are allowed to be emotional.”

“Thanks.” And even as her breath caught and she shook, she rubbed T’Lyn’s back in a soothing rhythm.

The Vulcan wasn’t certain if talking about the interrogation would only compound her feelings so she didn’t ask for details. And rather than distracting her from the situation with another subject, she focused her efforts on gentle touches since Tendi thrived on physicality.

It took a few minutes but Tendi stopped crying and seemed to calm down. Still, the silence lingered but she felt no need to break it.

The overall situation reminded her of an event that occurred on the Enterprise-D. Captain Picard had detailed the rampant and unjustified paranoia following the discovery of a spy aboard. The biggest difference was that there had been a saboteur to track before the enthusiastic and misplaced interrogations of the crew began.

At least the ordeal would be concluded tomorrow…

T’Lyn didn’t want to disrupt their sensual proximity however her internal clock and the noises of Tendi’s stomach were a reminder, “D’Vana, it is time for our evening meal.”

“Go ahead, T’Lyn. I’m not that hungry.” She said despite evidence to the contrary. Perhaps she was indirectly requesting time alone.

T’Lyn nodded, “Very well.” She leaned up to study her and she looked tired but besides her puffy eyes, her girlfriend had seemed to recover from the emotional upheaval. She snaked her hand from her side to touch her cheek, empathetically sharing her devotion. “May I return afterwards?”

“Of course.” Tendi raised up enough to kiss her, promising, “I’ll be okay.”

“Perhaps you should attempt a nap.” She suggested as she reluctantly detached from her.

Tendi nodded sleepily into the pillow, her eyes falling shut. “I’ll try.”

Mariner hated the depressed mood that had fallen over beta shift. Their green ball of optimism was missing from the booth and everyone felt it. Rutherford kept glancing to his right where Tendi normally sat, probably on muscle memory to see her reaction to whatever subject he was talking about with his partners, and would frown every time he saw the empty spot. Boimler was reading his goofy little Fleet magazine, she guessed as a way to comfort himself- plus the fact that Tendi had stood him up from their regular hang out. Not that it was her fault.

And T’Lyn… Actually, she always acted mildly pissed and bored so there wasn’t really a change there.

Mariner wasn’t about to sit and sulk in silence though, “Everyone is talking about this [shit].”

News traveled fast on Cali-class ships, but with the crew also on half-rotations and given downtime, the gossip about Tendi’s inquiry spread like wildfire. Complete with bull[shit] accusations and made up details. The Gossip King was gonna find a scorpion in his bed if he didn’t start cleaning up these stupid rumors.

“Despite the proceeding being an informal investigation, the arrival of two Admirals did spark additional interest.”

“They’re probably also here to survey the Oakland,” Mariner took a bite of her burrito and around the delicious bean-y goodness, she asked, “Who’d they bring in?”

T’Lyn nodded across the bar.

She gasped at seeing the auburn-haired badass, “Holy [shit]! They brought Janeway in?”

Admiral Katherine Janeway was laughing her sexy, raspy laugh between some other Admiral she’d never seen and that idiot, Ransom, with the rest of the bridge crew sitting or standing around the table they occupied.

“Correct.” T’Lyn answered unnecessarily.

“Oh my god, she doesn’t mess around.” She was actually infamous for her strict no-nonsense attitude when conducting inquiries… “This is [fuck]ed up! Tendi didn’t do anything!”

“I concur.”

Mariner was about to suggest them visiting Tendi to cheer her up after they finished eating but someone caught her eye across the bar. She absolutely lit up at her brilliant smile- it was awesome to see her best Judy well again, “Oh, Amina just walked in! Imma go see if she can call off Durga.”

“I believe it is too late to intervene, however she does appear to want to talk to you.”

“Yeah, catch you later, T’Lyn.” Mariner smacked the back of her hand against Boimler’s arm. “Recycle my plate?”

“Sure, whatever.” He waved her away, his entire focus on his padd.

T’Lyn made to move out of the booth but Mariner stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “No need, babe.”

She climbed onto the back of the booth and balanced on the ledge between theirs and the one behind them before dismounting with her arms outstretched, “Hup!” She looked back to gauge her friends’ reactions but only T’Lyn even bothered to give her an impassive glance before she returned her attention to her broth.

Fine.

At the counter of the crowded bar, Ramsey sat sideways facing the open seat in front of her and motioned Mariner over.

“Amina!” She hugged her then took a seat. She’d visited her friend in sickbay yesterday after her surgery but, “Nice to see you moving around! The Doc finally let you out?”

The Captain pat her fresh leg; Dr. T’Ana had to be the foremost expert in regrowing limbs. “Well you know, I’ve gotta take short walks for physical therapy. So I decided to leave sickbay for a bit.”

Mariner snorted, sickbay was halfway across the ship. “So it’s more like you escaped, huh?”

“Something like that.” She winked, charming the hell out of her as always.

Then a familiar and slightly disapproving but mostly neutral voice cut through the noise of the bar. “Amina,” they both turned to see the grey-skinned Vulcan, Durga, approaching with intent. “You are not allowed alcohol in your present condition.”

Ramsey shot her a fondly exasperated look before turning to her mate. “There she is! Durga, you’re early. I didn’t expect you to find me for another five minutes.”

So sickbay wasn’t the only thing she had been escaping… Mariner grinned, amused. Durga stopped between them and after a quick and sickeningly cute Vulcan touch, she sat on the available stool next to Mariner.

Honestly, she should probably let the lovebirds sit together but she kinda got here first so... She said, “She’s not drinking. We’re just talking, two friends catching up after one had a near death experience.”

Ramsey nodded like she needed to corroborate her statement to Durga. “I wanted to ask Mariner about Tendi since they’re good friends.”

“Your questioning is pointless.” Durga flatly informed them. “Her testimony will not be used in court.”

Testimony? In court? “Hold up, I thought this was an informal inquiry.”

“It is.” Ramsey glared past her to her mate, “And I’m curious. I know I like her.”

Disbelieving, Mariner and Durga asked at the same time:

“You do?”

“Is that so?"

Ramsey lifted a shoulder, “She’s a proper nerd but she’s sweet.”

“Yeah, that’s why I was surprised.” She teased but she did tend to gravitate towards [ass]holes.

Ramsey lightly backhanded Mariner on the arm. “Shut up.”

On her other side, Durga swiveled to face her so now she was sandwiched between them and it was a little intimidating. Especially since the Vulcan was now interested, she practically demanded, “What do you know of the Orion?”

“Well first, she’d never hurt anyone,” unless necessary. “And she’s completely dedicated to Starfleet.”

Durga was unimpressed. “It is a convenient cover.”

But Ramsey scoffed at her distrust, “You know Tendi is innocent!”

“I do not.”

“I told you to drop this.” Ramsey was speaking in her Captain voice now and [shit] was getting real and Mariner was loving the drama.

Durga remained unfazed. “I will not. Commander Tuvok is arriving tomorrow.”

“Holy [shit], really?” Mariner gasped, “Tuvok is such wife material…” She twisted to look over her shoulder but her two best friends had cleared out. “Boimler is gonna freak. He can get his stupid plate autographed.”

“Beckett, he’s here to probe Tendi’s mind.”

Mariner turned to look at the Vulcan, “What the hell, Durga!”

“It is a logical element of the investigation process.”

Ramsey leaned against the bar to better see them both but she directed her annoyance at her mate, “I read the interrogation report! The attackers were rogues- half of them were related to the crew of the missing ship! Why would she go against her family and the Syndicate to attack Starfleet?”

“Potential motivations are vast.” Durga replied in her we-all-know-I’m-smarter tone that Vulcans had when debating.

“Durga,” Ramsey leaned in and now the drama was less fun because things were actually getting heated. “Just admit it’s illogical.”

“What does a human know of logic?”

And she saw exactly how pissed Ramsey was at that so Mariner begged, trying to defuse the growing tension, “Can I not be between you two when you’re arguing?”

“It would be preferable.”

“No, I need a buffer.” Ramsey put her arm around her and pulled her close. “She’s being completely unreasonable. Earlier she-”

“Do not share our personal matters with your friend.”

Mariner nodded emphatically, “Yeah, I totally agree with Durga!”

“Beckett, you’re supposed to be on my side.” Ramsey demanded. Durga glared at her and Mariner shifted away from the angry Vulcan because as self-destructive as she was sometimes, she wasn’t that messed up.

She laughed nervously, “I really think you guys should talk without me.”

“Yes, leave us.”

“No, stay. You actually listen to me.”

Durga leveled a hard look at Ramsey, “Amina, this is not a constructive conversation.” Then she ordered, “Sit next to me.”

“I will in a bit, love.” Ramsey physically used Mariner as a shield, swiveling her on the stool so she was facing Durga. Oh hell no. She leaned back against her friend, who spoke over her shoulder, “When you agree to call this off.”

“The investigation is in progress and will be completed tomorrow.” Then less cold; god, Mariner had never heard a Vulcan so affected, “It is illogical to avoid me in retaliation until that time.”

Ramsey reached around Mariner to put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m not avoiding you, Durga…”

Durga’s stone mask cracked and Mariner was not about to have them kissing with her between them next.

“Okay! Good luck you two.” Then she ducked out, having accomplished nothing but at least she could tell Boimler that he could get his nerdy Tuvok plate signed for his Voy collection.

The lifeless bodies of her officers left behind to be consumed by the raging fire that threatened her own life. The inescapable heat. The agony of the white-hot metal panel slicing through her leg like a knife through butter. Panic growing, building, suffocating her as much as the smoke in the air. Durga’s soot covered face, the worry in her eyes.

Ramsey had been haunted by the flashbacks last night, cold and alone in sickbay- it’d nearly driven her crazy. She had considered summoning Durga and requesting that she crawl onto the biobed and hold her.

The Vulcan’s pride wouldn’t have stopped her but Dr. T’Ana sure would’ve. Which was probably why she let Ramsey continue her healing in the guest’s quarters tonight.

Even naked atop the covers of their assigned bed, Ramsey wasn’t chilled. Not with the heat that radiated off of Durga and the emotional warmth of being near her bondmate again.

She had been spoiled by her wife’s constant presence. It had only been one night but she’d missed sleeping next to her. Mariner would call her whipped but maybe she’d be right.

Ramsey brushed two fingers over her gray lips.

After such a close call, reconnecting and reassuring each other was important. But as much as she wanted to just forget about the universe and be here with her, she also was obligated to catch up on what she missed while she was confined to sickbay. She redirected to hold Durga’s hip and bring her closer before she asked, “What’s the schedule?”

Durga cupped Ramsey’s face in her hand, “You do not have to attend the Oakland’s repair meeting tomorrow if you are still too weak.”

She moved forward to press a kiss to her lips. “If I’m well enough to make love then I can go to a meeting about my ship.” Truthfully, she felt right as rain. She was more fatigued than usual but considering what she’d been through, the scientific advancements of Starfleet Medical were astounding.

“Dr. T’Ana is accomplished and I am grateful for your presence.” Durga’s thumb stroked her cheekbone. “I will not forget that to touch you again is a privilege…”

Ramsey smiled cheekily, “I’ve always thought touching you was a privilege.”

She ignored the flirt, caught up in her own thoughts. “If the Orion had sabotaged your healing in sickbay…”

Ramsey touched the back of her hand with two fingers. “Nothing of the sort. She and Dr. T’Ana saved my life.”

“Perhaps another way to decrease suspicion.”

There was no logic to her borderline disdain considering all the circumstantial evidence Durga had stacked against the Orion had fallen with the discovery of the rogues’ motivation. It honestly worried her.

“You’ve been obsessing over this.” Durga’s hand trailed down her throat, her chest, and lower still. Ramsey’s breath caught, mouth falling open at the pleasure that she easily coaxed out. She guided her onto her back so she could hover over her but she wasn’t quite ready to stop talking despite Durga’s skilled touches. Distractedly, she sighed, “It’s Starfleet, love, things happen.”

The Vulcan stopped to hold her hips with a firm grip and she flexed her wet fingers, a show of strength and control. Ramsey knew there would be bruises tomorrow but the familiar ache made her stifle a moan. The pain from her passion was much preferred than what she’d been through the last couple of days.

“T’hy’la.” Durga had a face like thunder. “Do not minimize the significance of the event. The Oakland was lost. You nearly perished.”

“Sorry ashayam.” She ducked down to kiss the side of her throat like she loved.

Durga tilted her head to offer more of herself. “Your pronunciation has not improved.”

Ramsey laughed into the crook of her neck. “I know all this was scary for you, love.” Her lips brushed over her heated skin with each word, “Who would you correct if I was gone?”

“Amina.” There was a noticeable edge to Durga’s words. “It is logical to protect my bondmate.”

“But harassing an officer?”

“There are 37 California class ships in the fleet. We must identify if there are others with similar intent via an investigation into where the security compromise originated.” Durga’s intense gaze bored into her. “In the past, the Syndicate has lied to the High Command. It is possible they are lying now.”

Ramsey shook her head in disbelief, “An encephalographic polygraph-”

“Vulcan scientists have proven it is unreliable when used on Orions. It is as though lying is an evolutionary trait for the species.”

“Her record is spotless.” She kissed her tenderly, twisting against her lips. Durga held her tight and through their bond, even past the Vulcan’s natural suppression mechanics, her need for comfort was like a physical ache. And Ramsey looked forward to continuing to reassure her but she was a little put off by her mate’s fixation on blaming one of the four Orions in all of Starfleet.

Over and over in history, suspicion and bias against a minority led to injustice. She feared they would be heading down that road.

A little breathlessly, she continued to argue, “She hasn’t even been to the brig for something stupid.”

Durga untied her hair so it fell like a curtain to block them from the world. “She willingly submitted to the mind meld. We must await the results.”

“Willing my arse.” Ramsey scoffed and sat back to straddle her hips. Durga’s gaze fell to her healed leg and her fingertips traced over where the injury had been as though searching for a mark. But there wasn’t one because of the Orion’s attention to detail.

“It is illogical to continue this discussion until all the facts are known.” Durga finally cracked with exasperation that she suppressed the next moment. “I am aware you do not approve; however, this is the most logical course of action to bring those responsible to justice. This is an instance when your human phrase ‘agree to disagree’ is appropriate.”

Ramsey held her hands, lacing their fingers together. She was always mesmerized by the ethereal glow of her grey skin in contrast to hers, “I’m willing to agree to disagree, but I’m not keen on your obsession for reprisal.” Durga’s eyes narrowed at the claim but she continued on, “Those that destroyed the Oakland are dead and there might not be anyone to punish.”

Durga pulled at her hands, beckoning her to lay over her again. “Then logically justice has been served.”

All her unease disappeared at that show of her willingness to let it go. Ramsey released her and gladly pressed their bodies together. She kissed her with a bruising force and Durga drew her closer. She focused on their bond that linked their minds so she could telepathically feel how deeply she loved her.

“Amina,” Durga breathed her name like a prayer, “I wish to savor your health, not debate.”

Ramsey kissed her again and only broke away to watch her reaction while she whispered, “Ashayam, let’s continue our lovemaking.”

Durga didn’t disappoint. There was a contented upturn of her lips, not quite a smile but as close as she ever allowed. She was truly stunning, especially when she quietly replied, “I am in agreement.”

Across the ship, T’Lyn enjoyed the weight of her lover atop her. It was to her benefit and she appreciated the comfort though logically she should be the one consoling her. She knew she had yet to fall asleep, most likely illogically preoccupied with worry.

Her conjecture was confirmed when Tendi mumbled, “So I’m guessing this mind meld isn’t going to be like ours.”

“Negative.” Their specific mind meld had focused on one particular memory at a time while the one she experienced tomorrow would be much more of a summarization. “It will not be a time-consuming process.”

“That’s good.”

Except she didn’t sound comforted so T’Lyn gave extra context. “Commander Tuvok is regarded as a master of the mind meld, able to concentrate and shield his thoughts and himself from influence despite becoming one with the subject. It is reported that he is particularly skillful in obtaining information.”

Tendi bunched up her tank top in her hand. “Is he going to see memories of you and me?”

“Unknown but unlikely. His only concern is the Oakland.”

“I’ll try not to think about you.”

T’Lyn rubbed her back in slow motions, “Outside of these circumstances, that is an unappealing undertaking.”

Tendi laughed though much quieter than usual.

T’Lyn accompanied Tendi when she was requested to report to Conference Room 7A for the mind meld.

“Won’t they think it’s weird that you’re there but not our other friends?”

“Perhaps,” she admitted, but she was apathetic to any possible suspicions.

Tendi weakly smiled; her mood tempered by the anxiety of the situation. As they neared the conference room, she could hear the increase in her heart rate but her determined expression didn’t betray her nervousness.

T’Lyn found her bravery laudable.

The door whooshed open, revealing the two Admirals chatting behind the visually sympathetic Captain Freeman, who motioned for Tendi to sit in one of the chairs pulled to the front of the room. The Orion fidgeted immediately; she tapped her fingers against the arm rest and bounced her leg.

She tore her gaze away when the Captain addressed her, “Lt. T’Lyn. Here for moral support?”

“Tendi requested my presence.” Then quieter so her mate couldn’t hear the excuse she was improvising, “Perhaps she felt safer with a Vulcan to protect her interests.”

“The Cerritos has her back too.”

Within a few minutes, Commander Tuvok entered with Ransom. After reading all of his mission logs from Voyager, she had expected his expert stoicism.

“Captain Freeman.” He greeted and approached her, “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Then he shook her hand. T’Lyn’s astonishment was palpable enough that the other Vulcan’s gaze flicked over to her for a moment.

Captain Freeman was oblivious, “Commander Tuvok, welcome.”

T’Lyn’s disconnected from her inital surprise but her suppression mechanics were being challenged when Janeway stepped up to hug her former Security officer. “Tuvok. My old friend.” He even returned the gesture with an arm around her and gave her a single pat on the back.

“It is good to see you again, Admiral.” At least he wasn’t expressing emotions unlike the words he uttered.

“We’ll catch up later.”

After Janeway released him, he stepped back and pivoted his attention to the task at hand.

His tall frame loomed over her but Tendi stood at attention and grinned up at the Vulcan. “It’s such an honor to meet you, Commander Tuvok!”

He was impassive except for a slight raise of his eyebrow, judging her enthusiasm before dismissing it with a cold, “Let us proceed.”

Tendi’s expression faltered momentarily but then she smiled wider. “Right!” She said cheerfully. “I’m ready!”

T’Lyn was impressed at her ability to disregard the slight. She supposed she was well versed in the matter…

The two sat in front of the other and Tuvok reached out to rest his fingers on her temple and his thumb on her cheek, “I will now begin the mind meld.”

“Wait, do I close my eyes?”

Behind them, Janeway snickered and whispered, “I asked the same question before our first mind meld.”

Tuvok huffed out a breath, he had adopted many more human mannerisms than she had anticipated. “You may close them if you wish.” Then once she had done so, he continued, “My mind to your mind, your thoughts to my thoughts.”

Tendi frowned and T’Lyn’s eyes narrowed at her apparent discomfort. While the meld took place, Janeway and Nakamura spoke quietly about the planned repairs to the Oakland. She observed the proceedings with her hands clasped tightly behind her back and she was reminded of when she was treating Durga in sickbay. She now understood the SSO’s compulsive glances in her mate’s direction fueled by concern.

It was not logical but it was defensible.

T’Lyn noticed Tendi’s shoulders relax before her green eyes blinked open. Tuvok allowed the Orion a moment to recover but he stood to announce his findings.

“Lt. jg. D’Vana Tendi knew of a select few attackers, was familiar with the ship, however she was not a collaborator. She is not aware of any assault orders by the Syndicate, of which her family is a key member.”

Tuvok offered Tendi a hand up, which also bewildered T’Lyn.

Captain Freeman was pleased by the news, “Well, I’m glad that’s settled! Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Tendi.”

“Of course, Captain! Anything to help Starfleet.”

But before she could make her exit, Tuvok addressed her, “Lt. jg. Tendi, your loyalty is commendable.”

Tendi gave him a half-smile. It was impressive for an emotional species that she held no lingering resentment and could navigate the complex situation with grace. “Thank you, sir.”

“You’re free to go.”

She then ducked out of the room with T’Lyn following. Once the door closed, the Orion cheered. “Yay! We don’t have to worry about that anymore!” Tendi let out a relieved laugh, “Now we can go explore Starbase 77!”

“Indeed.” T’Lyn was reassured to hear her in brighter spirits. When Tendi dragged her along by her wrist and launched into details of the plans she’d made for them and their friends, T’Lyn wasn’t really listening to her words- rather her renewed exuberance.

Her thoughts were elsewhere.

Despite the fervor of which Durga protected her human mate, there was something… affirming about witnessing their relationship. Not only was it common knowledge without issue, which would be a concern for herself and Tendi in the future, it was another positive example of a Vulcan choosing their mate unapologetically- even if she wasn’t interested in proving her Vulcan-ness anymore nor seeking validation elsewhere.

T’Lyn knew Tendi was important, she felt the lightness of her katra when they were near, and she found that she wanted more of her.

Perhaps it fell untraditionally on the timeline as there were multiple other rituals and ceremonies that should be observed first.

But that didn’t mean they couldn’t formally mate to establish a stronger connection…

Chapter Text

T’Lyn had her meditation area prepped for when Tendi walked in. “Oh my gosh, you wouldn’t believe the- aww! Are we doing another ritual?”

“I wish to discuss it with you.” T’Lyn gestured to the pillow in front of her and Tendi launched into place, grinning wildly.

What she planned to propose wasn’t technically a Vulcan ritual but it was an important aspect of a Vulcan relationship- one that, due to their circumstances, they hadn’t partaken in.

“We presently share an empathetic connection that allows myself to feel your distressed emotions-”

“I’m sorry.” Tendi offered a Vulcan finger embrace.

“No apology necessary, that was not a criticism. I was stating a fact.” T’Lyn placed two fingers on the back of hers and their link took hold. Her love seeped into her bones and she anticipated when that affection would be readily accessible even at a distance. “There have been limited documented instances as the establishment of our relationship was decidedly atypical.”

Obviously, Vulcan couples would be telepathically connected preceding a sexual encounter. And, most commonly reported, mixed couples would’ve utilized a mind meld prior to intimacy, resulting in different side-effects such as dream sharing or a stronger empathetic link.

But Tendi snickered at the truth of their arrangement, her amusement so bright and contagious that T’Lyn had to repress the way the corner of her lips wanted to twitch up. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

“I believe our consistent mating initiated the link.” She had no doubt that her own insistence of reaching out for Tendi’s emotions was a significant contributing factor. “And if we were to formally mate, the connection would be strengthened, increasing the range of emotions shared. You would have the ability to feel me as well.”

“Oh! Wow! Really?” Tendi broke their finger embrace to hold her hand tightly, excited by the proposition.

“However,” T’Lyn squeezed her hand before her smile could fall, “My natural suppression mechanics will mute most emotions to an unknown degree.”

She could feel her initial disappointment but Tendi remained optimistic, “But I might be able to feel you!”

“I anticipate that my-” she stumbled, as always, over the decades of conditioning to avoid uttering passionate words. Yet Tendi never held it against her; in fact, her smile grew at her momentary hesitation. “My affection for you will be clear.”

“Aww!” Tendi giggled and kissed the back of her hand, "I like that idea!”

T’Lyn presented her offering; she had procured the gift from Starbase 77, which was in Vulcan space and therefore carried a variety of Vulcan curios and gems. The lengthy necklace was distinctly not a betrothal chain, nevertheless, it would improve the experience. To have the chain and gem touching both of them as they mated will be quite pleasurable and connecting.

“D'Vana, will you allow me to mate with you?”

Tendi grinned, “Of course. We have sex like every night.”

“This will be different.” She placed the offering around Tendi’s neck and watched the Orion inspect it. She was pleased that she seemed touched by the gift.

“This is so sweet…” Then her green eyes gleamed with a slyness that illogically made her face heat up. “So how are we going to formally mate?”

“With a mind meld.”

“I love those!”

“It will be a unique mind meld: a blending of our thoughts and a lasting connection until the mating is complete.” She wasn’t certain how intensely it would feel for either of them but experimenting with her would be a satisfying experience.

“That’ll be so cool!”

T’Lyn nodded but she had two more aspects of the ritual to inform her of. First, “There is one disadvantage to becoming formally mated.” And while Tendi could always withdraw her consent if she felt it was necessary, she didn’t expect it. However, she would reverify her permission before the ritual at any rate.

But Tendi was taken aback by the disclosure. “Really? What?”

“It is not healthy for new mates to be separated for the first year.” It was actually a requirement on Vulcan that those newly joined must live together for the entire rotation, typically on the homeworld. It sounded highly illogical to her yet those primal instincts dictated other facets of Vulcan tradition... Even though they were not bound by those obligations, there was a rational explanation for the directive. “Though I am unsure if that applies to interspecies bonds…”

“Oh, what would happen?” Tendi placed her hands on T’Lyn’s knees and drummed her fingers in a random beat. “It wouldn’t like break our bond would it?”

“Negative. The recommendation is predicated on the ancient drives to remain close to one’s mate. It is apparently distracting and uncomfortable, which is why it is logical to avoid it. Mental and physical restlessness are the most commonly reported symptom and that can lead to fatigue and agitation.”

Her research did confirm that meditation could ease the strain if the separation was unavoidable, which she found reassuring. It was unpleasant to consider the possibility of reacting so illogically.

Tendi squeezed her hand. “I’m not planning on leaving you anyway.”

T’Lyn reached over to stroke her cheek with two fingers. “I am gratified, however our careers hold an element of uncertainty.”

“Yeah that’s true… But couldn’t we tell them about us then? They’d have to let us stay together!”

“That is the contingency plan.” And, given it was a sensitive topic a few weeks ago, T’Lyn had to mention, “If for some illogical reason only one of us is selected for the SSO position on the Cerritos, it would be necessary for the other to delay their transfer.”

“Well, that’s fine with me.” Tendi’s smile was genuine. “I was thinking when you get it,” T’Lyn shook her head at her wording but her girlfriend powered through, “I could focus on Medical in the meantime. I’m still young enough to beat Doctor Bashir’s record for youngest person nominated for the Carrington award!”

“That would be an impressive commendation and a logical option to bolster your resume in pursuit of Captaincy.”

"Exactly!" Tendi, most likely thinking they were done talking, pulled them to standing and hugged her tight. “But I’m so excited! It's going to be so cool to feel you too!”

Yet there was one last thing she needed to mention. T’Lyn allowed her the affectionate embrace and a kiss before she said, “D'Vana, if your sentiments for me should ever change-“

She interrupted, upset at the hypothetical. “They won’t, T’Lyn.”

“Allow me to finish informing you.” She placed her fingers over her lips to silence her and Tendi mumbled an apology, green eyes dancing with amusement. “If ever necessary the link can be nullified by the monks on Vulcan. I do not wish for you to feel as though you could not leave if you desired.”

Tendi reached up to hold her hand, pulling her fingers away so she could talk. “Thank you for telling me.” She pecked a kiss to her lips. “But I’m never not going to want you.”

T’Lyn blushed at her certitude, her heart even raced at the declaration, and with as much dignity as possible, she admitted, “The sentiment is mutual.”

“Yeah?” Tendi glowed in her glee.

But rather than illogically elaborate on what should be evident, which would border too close to saccharine for the Vulcan, with her free hand she trailed her finger down the chain around Tendi’s neck. The symbol of her own unwavering desire. Resting against her chest, she cradled the polished gem in her palm. It was obvious that the traditional Vulcan mating colors were derived from the green crystal and the natural impurities within, the sparkling flakes of gold and tan.

Her gaze moved from the offering to Tendi, who had been fondly watching her. It was logical to tell her, “As your mate, please inform me if there is anything you desire or need.”

“Aww! You’re the best!” And before she could refute her exaggeration, Tendi kissed her into silence.

Tendi stood in the middle of Mariner’s messy room, unimpressed with the human’s latest scheme to acquire more rubber duckies.

“Tends,” Mariner pulled Boimler to her side and they both gave her pleading puppy dog eyes. It was just the three of them here, apparently they didn’t want to split the cut too many ways. “We need you in on this!”

Her resolve did weaken, she loved helping her friends, but Tendi rubbed the back of her neck, “I dunno, Mariner.”

Her hesitation sobered the humans and they changed tactics. Boimler flipped his wrist dramatically and recited the wise proverb: “The one with the most ducks, [fuck]s.”

“I know…” It would be useful to have a stash saved just in case, but she had to think practically because they were only considering the favors they could cash in. “It just seems like it’s going to collapse the duck economy. Plus the plan is-“

“Yeah, it’s not the best and that’s exactly why we need you, Pirate Queen Tendi!” Then quickly she added, “That was a joke, but you are super skilled obviously.”

She wasn’t convinced some cute ducks were worth the effort and risk. She really didn’t want the Captain disappointed in her, though she was sure she’d blame it all on her daughter. Still, “Boimler’s really wiry! That’s so much better for sneaking around in the unmonitored sections of the ship.”

“We thought about it,” Mariner slapped a hand on his shoulder and his legs threatened to buckle. “But he’s way too frail to lug a crate of ducks back through the vent while avoiding security."

Tendi nodded begrudgingly. “Yeah, that’s true.”

Boimler crossed his noodle arms over his chest but didn’t argue.

“Come on, it’s gonna be super easy! All you need to do is sneak into an access panel, crawl through some Jefferies tubes, slip past the tribble trap-“

Tendi didn’t even listen to the rest of Mariner’s pitch because she was struck with a brilliant idea. The tribble trap was one of the many ‘out of sight, out of mind’ elements on the Cerritos for her since it was only accessed a handful of times a year depending on the number captured that needed to be returned to their homeplanet. But she couldn’t believe she didn’t think of it sooner!

T’Lyn had given Tendi two physical representations of her importance in her life… It made her feel so loved each time she looked at them on her bedside table and she wanted her to have something in addition to the Orion buckles so they were even!

The Vulcan wasn’t materialistic, it wasn’t logical, but if she could sneak a tribble out, it would be the perfect offering for her! T’Lyn’s reluctance to own a pet again, her sweet and practical concern for its wellbeing, wouldn’t even apply with a tribble! They could survive in the vacuum of space! They could go years without eating!

The biggest issue would be that they weren’t exactly allowed but obviously she and T’Lyn were pretty good at keeping secrets from others. And she knew they could manipulate the creature’s genetics so it would meet regulations if the cute fluffball was ever found out about.

But it would be so awesome for them to have a cuddly tiny tribble to pamper and love and dress up in silly costumes and-

“Tends?”

The Orion stopped her daydreaming of giving the tribble a size appropriate headband with tiny Vulcan ears attached. She wondered how long she’d been zoned out. “Yes?”

Mariner leaned against the wall but despite her nonchalant stance, she was very much exasperated. “Dude, have you even been listening to me?”

“Yes?” Not that it mattered, Tendi would have to alter the plan anyway to secure the offering while she was stealing the rubber duckies.

“So you’re in?”

“Yeah! Why not!”

Mariner and Boimler high-fived and exclaimed a harmonizing, “Yes!”

“Okay so we were thinking maybe next week-”

“It’s gotta be tonight.” Tendi couldn’t wait. Her ritual with T’Lyn was supposed to happen after her first rest! She grinned, imagining her girlfriend’s expression when she walked in with a terrarium containing one of the most infamous creatures in the quadrant. They’d- well, just Tendi- coo over it and T’Lyn would be pleased with her thoughtfulness and after some time they’d settle the habitat on her bookcase so there was plenty of privacy for their bonding and she’d thank her thoroughly…

Yeah, she had to do this.

Mariner punched her in the arm, “Hell yeah with the enthusiasm, D. Okay let’s get everything set up.”

T’Lyn wasn’t certain why Tendi, Mariner, and Boimler were absent from their evening meal however there was a high probability they were involved in some antic. She entered Tendi’s quarters intending on retrieving a padd she had left last night but was surprised to find her changing into the black ops attire.

The Orion was wide-eyed like she had been caught doing something forbidden. How suspicious…

“D’Vana?” Giving her the benefit of the doubt, she asked, “Did Commander Ransom request your skills as 'The Cleaner'?”

“No…” Tendi’s answer sounded almost reluctant but she made no attempt to elaborate.

“Curious. Why are you dressed in this attire?”

“Oh, it’s nothing really!”

T’Lyn nodded though she was irked by her avoidant answers. Tendi must think she would disapprove of her involvement which implied, “Are you involved in one of Mariner’s schemes?”

“Yes…” She dragged out the answer with a guilty smile.

T’Lyn didn’t find her caginess amusing. “Then you are about to attempt something reckless and ill-advised?”

“No! No, it’s just one heist and then we’re done!”

They were stealing something? To what end? And why tonight?

Despite Tendi’s impressive skills, she had to factor in the rate of failure for Mariner’s plans and she concluded that there was a high probability for the group’s capture, which would upend their plans. Any other night she might’ve let her go without an attempt to dissuade her, but Logic dictated she should intervene in this case. “D’Vana, can this ridiculous endeavor be postponed?”

Truthfully, she couldn’t understand why she was risking their important plans for a favor to Mariner… It illogically bothered her.

But Tendi kissed her palm and promised, “I’ll see you tonight.”

Her heart leapt at her affection and she nodded. She had to trust that Tendi had calculated her own odds of success and was confident enough to make that assurance. Still, she reminded her, “I await you.”

“I love you.” Tendi rested their foreheads together, she was brimming with anticipation and excitement.

After a quiet moment, Tendi pulled away. Then with the flip of her hood over her head, she seemed to transform into the Mistress of the Winter Constellations. A proud confidence radiated from her and her smile was smug rather than kind as she nodded farewell and exited her room.

Perhaps T’Lyn was incorrect to question a revered pirate’s abilities to pilfer…

Tendi sat on the edge of the bunk with her head in her hands. Her stomach turned with dread, nearly to the point of sickness, and anxiety clawed at her rapidly beating heart as she waited. She hated this.

The door to the brig whooshed opened, making her look up automatically. She flinched at the coldness in her girlfriend’s gaze.

“This is unacceptable.” T’Lyn crossed the room to stop in front of her cell and stood stiffly with her hands behind her back. She radiated frustration as she frowned at her, which really wasn’t a good sign if she was so angry she couldn’t maintain her usual impassive expression.

But it was understandable and Tendi’s heart ached for her.

The ritual was a huge deal: sharing their minds in a new and exciting way! Enhancing their connection to each other like T’Lyn had promised when she asked to court her. This wasn’t just a missed date, Tendi had messed up a milestone in their relationship. “T’Lyn, I’m so sorry that I ruined our important night…”

“I requested that you abandon this plan.” Her tone wasn’t entirely flat.

“I know…” This wasn’t at all how she’d wanted tonight to go and she felt horrible. At least she'd obtained the tribble before she was caught. If she’d missed their mating and had no offering, she would’ve begged for the chance to make it up to her. She was probably going to need to anyway…. “I shouldn’t have risked it. I’m sorry.”

T’Lyn shook her head once, rejecting her apology. “I question your priorities. A shared acceptance of mutual sacrifice is crucial to a successful relationship.” That had to be a Vulcan proverb and she nodded in agreement. But T’Lyn’s eyes narrowed at her non-verbal assent, “D’Vana, I am dissatisfied by your illogical conduct.”

Her stomach dropped at her blunt reproach. T’Lyn’s disappointment in her was the worst thing in the universe. “I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean-”

But she was resolutely against an apology right now and interrupted to demand, “Why are you the only one in the brig?”

Tendi turned away from her hard gaze to look at Mariner and Boimler's drawings on the wall and pulled at the sleeve of her black ops outfit. She was kind of glad her friends weren’t here so she and T’Lyn could actually talk, even if it was a tough conversation. If they had all been caught, she might not have even shown up...

Her heart faltered at the thought.

Mariner and Boimler had luckily avoided capture because she was the one that had screwed up. The heist had been going perfectly smooth until her detour to the tribble trap. Maybe she should’ve told them she’d need an extra five minutes but she hadn’t planned on taking so long to choose a tribble to give to T’Lyn. But they were all so cute! And Vulcans were all about aesthetics!

She was thrilled with the one she’d selected but she could only hope her girlfriend would be too…

She met her eyes again and T’Lyn’s expression had neutralized. She couldn’t tell if it was a good or bad thing yet so she focused on answering her question, “I was the one that got caught while they were running distractions… They thought because I’m Orion that I’d be better at the actual heist, which is kind of rude and stereotypical, but-” T’Lyn’s unimpressed eyebrow quirk made her snap her mouth shut.

“Is that so?” Her dry rhetorical was punctuated with a smooth turn away from her so she could only see her profile. Gosh, the same Vulcan austerity that Tendi loved, that kept her running back for more, was devastatingly cutting when she knew she wasn’t on her good side.

She finally stood and moved closer, careful of the edge of the forcefield, but her mate didn’t face her. T’Lyn’s sharp jaw was held tense, the only indication of what she was trying not to feel. Tendi waited a few silent, agonizing seconds but it was like she was done talking to her.

Her anxiety spiked; she needed to know what she thought about the situation, about her involvement. She was scared of the answer, she knew the answer, but she still asked the slightly childish yet straightforward question, “Are you mad at me?”

“No.” T’Lyn replied, clearly furious with her.

And Tendi couldn’t stop the wounded noise that escaped her lips. T’Lyn always said ‘negative’ to her; it was one of her favorite things about her! The ‘no’ sounded sharp and harsh, which was probably the point.

T’Lyn wasn’t just mad, she was angry enough to be mean… True panic started to set in with the realization of how badly she’d [fuck]ed up.

The Vulcan audibly exhaled, like maybe she regretted it, but when she turned to face her, her dark eyes were still cold and guarded.

Tendi wanted to reach out, needing to be close in order to quell the worry that this might be the catalyst for T’Lyn to question their illogical relationship, but the forcefield would only hurt her. Even more so than the energy barrier, the Vulcan’s icy attention made her feel like a trapped animal. And she couldn’t offer her physical comfort or access to her emotions or anything other than a genuine and unhappy, “I’m sorry, T’Lyn.”

“Cease apologizing.” Her chest cracked open at her command. Worse, nauseating fear welled in her stomach when T’Lyn’s eyebrows furrowed, displeasure transforming into uncertainty. “This ritual represented a significant commitment to each other. You were aware of our plans tonight and yet you risked capture. I do not understand… Did you ever consider a logical course of action such as rescheduling either the ritual or the pilfering?”

Rescheduling their plans hadn’t even crossed her mind because she was convinced she wouldn’t get caught and she’d only agreed to participate in the dumb heist for T’Lyn’s gift. “I couldn’t.”

Or at least she’d thought so at the time. Hindsight being what it was, she thought even if the gift would’ve been exchanged a week later, it still would’ve been a surprise. It felt so much less impactful though…

“Why?” The Vulcan’s distant and diplomatic attitude was killing her.

Tendi didn’t want to ruin the surprise, not after all the trouble she’d gone through, but she was starting to think it might be necessary. It was so difficult not to bend to T’Lyn’s expectant stare. “I just… I needed-” she couldn’t lie to her so she stopped. At the shake of her head, T’Lyn frowned.

“Emotional species have the unfortunate habit of allowing their subconscious to influence their decisions.” Tendi didn’t like the generalization but she really didn’t like where this was going. There was a momentary drop of T’Lyn’s gaze before the faintest hint of insecurity dissolved; she defiantly met her eyes, “D’Vana, if this was an ill-conceived effort to avoid the melding-”

“No!” She didn’t even want her to finish her theory. How could she think that? “Definitely not!”

T’Lyn gave her a stiff nod. Then it was like she went into super-Vulcan mode. Her expression neutralized and she squared her shoulders back and it hurt to watch her walls come up because of her… “Was this more important than our mating?” She questioned, monotone.

“No! Of course not!” Her heart threatened to beat of her chest. She hadn’t meant for her to feel like that!

“Based on the limited information you have provided,” even with her flat tone, the accusation of omission was there. “Those are the two logical conclusions. I will generously assume you are being truthful.” Tendi winced and that was what shattered her resolve- she couldn’t let T’Lyn doubt her anymore. “If it was neither, then what was your motivation?”

“A tribble.” She blurted out, caving and hoping an answer could appease her.

But T’Lyn only blinked in confusion. “I do not understand.”

Tendi launched into an explanation, “Mariner told me the Rubber Ducky Room was next to the tribble trap and you gave me the necklace,” her hands clasped in front of her chest where the gift would hang if she’d had it on. “And I wanted to give you something but I didn’t have anything. But I knew tribbles are virtually immortal! So I thought it would be a good gift because you loved Kiya so much!”

“I picked out a tribble that doesn’t reproduce! It just eats like crazy so I thought we’d engineer its DNA to increase its metabolism so it doesn’t get super fat, even though that might be cute. But that’s also a really fun project for us to work on together and I promise, I didn’t mean to get caught.” She ended her rapid-fire excuse with a sigh. Tendi gazed into her dark eyes and implored, “Please don’t think I didn’t want you.”

T’Lyn wore the most stone-faced expression she’d ever seen. There was absolutely no indication of what she was thinking and she didn’t respond to her reasoning. “Curious. When will you be released?”

“0500.”

T’Lyn turned her back to her. “I wish to continue this conversation tonight. I will be available at 2200.”

They couldn’t even talk until that late at night?! Even though it wouldn’t be logical, it felt like retaliation for keeping her waiting. “T’Lyn, wait!”

She strode out, ignoring her plead, and Tendi deflated. She watched the door for a minute and hoped that she would come back but she knew it was completely delusional. T’Lyn probably needed to meditate after what she’d told her- she’d upended all her logic. She pulled the adorable, sandy brown tribble out of her black ops hood and sighed.

She laid down on the bunk and placed the small creature on her midsection, petting him as he purred loudly. T’Lyn and the sehlat had been so sweet in her shared memory and while tribbles were distinctly different in size and personality, they were both fuzzy and talkative. “She’s going to love you.” She told him. “I just hope she forgives me.”

T’Lyn’s hard gaze haunted her and Tendi’s chest ached.

The lack of warmth... She hadn’t looked at her like that since she first arrived.

But she knew she was hurt, even though the Vulcan would deny it, and it killed her that she let her down. Not just that, but she’d stood her up. T’Lyn had probably been wearing the prettiest, silkiest robes and had waited on her… And she hadn’t shown up.

The tribble’s fluffy form bobbed up and down with her shaky breaths as she imagined how awful it must’ve been for T’Lyn.

No doubt she’d asked the computer to locate her after a reasonable couple of minutes. How disappointed had she been to hear she was in the brig? She would’ve had to put out all the candles she’d thoughtfully lit for their ritual. She would’ve needed to change back into her uniform. She’d probably made her feel so unimportant.

And because Tendi had chosen to go through with some reckless heist instead of mating with her, T’Lyn had thought Tendi didn’t want to deepen their connection…

[Fuck].

They could work through this, right? They always had before.

But what if T’Lyn didn’t want to formally mate now? How could she blame her for losing trust?

At 2200 exactly, Tendi entered T’Lyn’s room in her formal Vulcan robes, to show T’Lyn she respected her and her culture. She didn’t mean to miss their important ritual- she would’ve been there if she could've!

The smell of incense lingered in the air and the room glowed from the candles she had lit.

Her girlfriend was sitting on a pillow with another one in front of her. Tendi took her place and hoping they were okay, she pressed a Vulcan kiss to her cheek. T’Lyn returned the gesture and that was a relief! But she carefully kept her feelings to herself and that made her sad.

Tendi presented her hand, laying it palm up on her knee, and T’Lyn’s closed over hers.

That was another good sign but she had really [fuck]ed up. She’d thought about it all night and felt so awful. And T’Lyn had probably felt her spiraling and she hoped she hadn’t disrupted her meditating.

But it seemed like T’Lyn was back to her usual Vulcan detachment. The only thing amiss was her emotional distance and the slightly irregular pattern of her respirations. Maybe she didn’t know how to start their discussion?

And Tendi would gladly take initiative but first, she needed some reassurance. A dull ache spread through her chest at the thought of T’Lyn using the opportunity to say something hurtful but she wouldn’t know if she didn’t ask.

“T’Lyn,” Tendi focused on the feeling of her warm hand in hers, trying not to sound too emotional when she asked, “Are we okay?”

T’Lyn’s shoulders lost their tenseness. “Yes. I did not appreciate our plans being disrupted, however it would be illogical to withdraw my affection.”

Tendi squeezed her hand, maybe too hard, as relief flooded her. She’d worked herself up all night and most of today and she want to tackle her into a hug but she resisted the urge for now. “I hate that maybe what I did came off as not caring about our mating because it was seriously the most important thing ever-“

“Incorrect.” T’Lyn interjected, though much gentler than last time. “You prioritized a gift.”

“My own offering!”

T’Lyn shook her head, insisting, “It was not necessary. Traditionally, the requestor does not receive a gift.”

She hadn’t known that but since when were they conventional anyway?

“I thought you might like something…” Tendi pouted, heart stinging at the dismissal of her effort and she reached up her other hand to the necklace. Rubbing her thumb over the smooth gem, she admitted, “This is so sweet and it means everything to me.”

T’Lyn’s gaze softened, gosh she’d missed that fond look, as she finally understood. “You wished to return the meaningful gesture.”

“Exactly! I wanted you to feel as loved as I do wearing this… I should’ve just- but when I heard about-” Tendi shook her head in frustration. “I guess my intentions don’t matter because I hurt you.”

“Vulcans do not feel ‘hurt’.” There was an edge to her bold claim but Tendi nodded indulgently, glad that when they’d first talked she hadn’t accused her of having feelings. T’Lyn’s gaze fell to their joined hands. “As I previously stated, I was concerned in regards to your motivation and, naturally, your willingness to participate in the meld.”

Tendi clasped both her hands around T’Lyn’s, needing her to understand, “I promise, if I had any reservations, I’d talk to you.”

“That is appreciated.”

She smiled at the way T’Lyn’s tension melted completely. Tendi told her, “It was illogical to risk our mating for a gift,” even though she was going to adore the tribble. “I’m sorry.”

“I accept your apology.”

Tendi picked up her hand to kiss her knuckles. “I want to be your mate.”

“I desire that as well.” T’Lyn finally shared her feelings again, the soothing glow of her love flowed through her and Tendi felt like she could breathe.

She squeezed her hand and with her other, she reached into her robe and pulled out the fuzzy tribble from where he had been nestled against her chest.

“T’Lyn, you are the most logical, brilliant, beautiful person I’ve ever known and will ever know.” She grinned at the audible hitch in T’Lyn’s breath. “I love you.”

She then placed the tribble in her hand and broke contact so T’Lyn could properly inspect her gift.

“This creature is… soft.” T’Lyn petted the top of him, expression curious. “And the fur is an aesthetically pleasing shade.” Then she held him closer to her ear. “It is producing subvocal oscillations- the frequency can even be felt.”

Tendi bit her lower lip to keep from giggling at the cute scene. She knew she’d love him! “So what name are you going to give him?”

“You did not name him?”

“He’s yours, T’Lyn!”

T’Lyn nodded and contemplatively stroked his fuzzy fur. “Perhaps… Taluhk.” The universal translator didn’t convert the word from Vulcan.

“What does that mean?”

T’Lyn held her hand and then the tribble in the other. Her ears tinted green, “Treasurable.”

Tendi’s heart swelled and she smiled, “Aww!” She didn’t even know Vulcans had such sentimental terms of endearment but she was definitely going to ask her for more examples later on! For now, she petted the tribble and repeated, “Taluhk.”

She knew her pronunciation was off based on the twitch of T’Lyn’s lips, but the Vulcan didn’t correct her. Instead, through their empathetic link, she shared her gentle affection. “I accept your offering.”

Words couldn’t properly convey how happy she was... “Can I kiss you?”

“You may.”

They met in a sweet, slow kiss. Tendi relished the fireworks that exploded in her mind from the feeling of T’Lyn’s soft lips pressed against hers. She lifted her hand to cup her love’s face as she remembered the most adorable part of the ritual. She gave her one more kiss, always wanting one more, and then pulled back.

T’Lyn’s contented expression made her feel lighter than air and she was so grateful they’d worked through this, that she could tell her, “As your mate, please tell me if there’s ever anything you want or need.”

“I will need your attention tomorrow night.” T’Lyn’s half-lidded expression was positively seductive and Tendi grinned at how smooth she was.

“You’ll have it.” She stroked her thumb across her cheek and tapped a Vulcan kiss to her lips.

After changing into their night clothes, they climbed into bed and Tendi snuggled into her side and the purring tribble rested between T’Lyn’s ribs. “It is… soothing.”

“I’m glad you like him.” Tendi lifted up to kiss her before settling again. “But if you have time after my first rest, we should probably start working on enhancing his metabolism. Apparently, they found one on the Monterey that was 20kg! Can you even imagine how cute that would’ve been?”

“20kg?” T’Lyn gave the fuzzy creature a pet but then rested her hand atop Tendi’s arm across her. “Curious, how are tribbles permitted by Starfleet?”

“They’re not exactly.”

T’Lyn pulled her closer even as she said, “You are most illogical.”

“But! If alter his genetics, he’s harmless! So there’s no reason for him not to be allowed! But we should still probably try to keep him a secret…”

“I concur.”

Tendi hooked her leg over T’Lyn’s, she wanted to be close after missing out on her last night. And she fell asleep within minutes, warm and cozy in her arms, listening to the gentle purring of Taluhk.

T’Lyn’s body was flooded with pleasure, hers and Tendi’s. Their telepathic connection shared and heighted her body’s reactions to the rush of satisfying brain chemicals. Tendi was just as affected; she rested atop her and panted into her neck. Her heavy exhales mixed with breathless laughter, exhausted and amazed by the feelings coursing through them.

As T’Lyn came down from her intense orgasm, she eased her tight hold on Tendi’s arms to loosely embrace her. Her fingers trailed up and down, skating over the heated and perspiring skin of her back, to soothe her while she recovered. She savored her grassy scent, fresh and crisp and pleasing, and enjoyed the lingering connection of their minds.

“Mm, that was so incredible.” Tendi kissed her jaw and pulled back; the chain of her necklace swayed at her movement but the gem remained resting on the Vulcan's chest, connecting them. Her sweaty hair stuck to her forehead as she gazed down at her and T’Lyn released her only long enough to brush it back into place. But with that simple action, Tendi melted- her green eyes were soft with tenderness.

“Indeed.” Their mental connection weakened with the conclusion of their mating, but it was a satiating decrescendo. She focused on their remaining link and shared one last thought: ‘I care for you.’

To love was an emotion but to care was a pledge: a continuously made choice to protect her wellbeing.

Tendi gave her an easy smile and returned the sentiment, “I love you.”

She knew she meant it as a promise too.

Tendi lifted up to resituate into a more comfortable resting position and in the dim light, T’Lyn saw impressive bruises from her grip already forming on her arms. Her heart twisted and her serenity shattered; it was devastating to realize she had hurt her mate.

She’d never faltered in regulating her strength before…

Contrite, she stroked her hands up and down the unintended injury. How had she not felt her pain through their link? Had she been so focused on their pleasure? How had she illogically allowed the passion to distract her from her careful control? “I apologize, D’Vana.”

“What?” But Tendi laughed when she turned to look, “Oh! I was wondering why I was sore!” T’Lyn frowned, not amused in the least at her loss of control. Yet Tendi remained blasé and nuzzled into her. “It’s okay, T’Lyn!” Her bright disregard was sincere and she couldn’t understand.

“It is unacceptable.” Vulcans did not inflict harm upon their mates; it was illogical as they were extensions of oneself. It was against her culture, her values. She was intended to act as a logical partner should: to provide, to protect, to support.

Tendi pressed effortlessly tender kisses against her skin. “I think it’s kind of hot.”

“Your harm?” T’Lyn knew that in Orion culture pleasure occasionally coalesced with pain but the idea made her uncomfortable. She hoped Tendi didn’t prefer what she couldn’t provide…

“No, that I made you feel so good, you lost control.” She giggled, downplaying one of T’Lyn’s fears.

She turned her head away.

Vulcans weren’t always stable when desire clouded their judgement. Especially with interspecies dating, there was an extra edge of danger. If she were too rough, she could break bones. If she were too passionate, she might lose control and force herself onto Tendi emotionally.

She never wanted her to worry or feel like T’Lyn was influencing her or wouldn’t stop if asked.

Despite her intentions to playfully dismiss the incident, “I do not find your insouciance comforting.”

Tendi’s smile fell, “I’m sorry... I’m okay,” her kind reminder was punctuated by a kiss. “They’re just bruises. You’re so much stronger, it’s understandable that it happened.”

Yet she didn’t understand how troubling it was to see that the contusions were perfect outlines of her hands, from the desperate grip of her fingers on her soft flesh. She dreaded her Pon Farr anew- the possibility of, crazed in her illogical state, hurting her because she was only concerned with her own sexual gratification. When would the trust in her decay? It was a logical inevitability.

T’Lyn held herself to high standards for a reason and she couldn’t allow her think the bruises were expected. “Explicability does not imply tolerability.”

Tendi leaned up on one arm to study her. Her green eyes were searching for some unknown clue from T’Lyn. Gently, she asked, “You didn’t hurt me on purpose, did you?”

“Negative.” T’Lyn recognized this was another tactic to try to absolve her from the accident. Yet in case she had any doubt, “I would not intentionally harm you, D'Vana.”

The Orion nodded and reached up to place two fingers on T’Lyn’s jaw; she closed her eyes at the surge of affection. “Then it’s okay… You’re still the best mate.” She promised but T’Lyn wasn’t convinced by her words and she surely felt her logical skepticism.

Tendi hummed an understanding note and pecked a kiss to her cheek before she detached from her, moving to lay in the middle of the bed. T’Lyn immediately missed the heat and press of her body. She was displeased by the distance until the Orion requested, “Can you get the hypospray, please?”

She obeyed, illogically eager to erase her mistakes from sight. It wouldn’t expunge the memory, yet since she couldn’t change the past, she could only modify her future behaviors. She needed her mate’s trust, she wouldn’t allow her control to slip again.

When she returned from the bathroom, Tendi was sitting up in the middle of the bed awaiting her. In this light, the silver chain of her offering was striking against her skin.

T’Lyn sat at her side, facing the injury she had caused. It would be illogical to apologize again so she held back the words and focused on healing her. She prepped the medicine and it was concerning how often they needed to utilize the medical kits- she wondered if the frequency raised any questions in sickbay.

Before she could dispense the medication, Tendi put a hand on her thigh. “T’Lyn,” she waited for their eyes to meet before she continued, “You may have physically hurt me but you didn’t harm me.”

And it clicked.

Tendi didn’t brush off her actions. Instead, in the clarifying connotations, she assured her that no emotional damage was done and that she hadn’t lost trust in her abilities...

“I believe I needed to hear that.” T’Lyn breathed out, lighter, released from the fear.

Tendi gave her a lopsided smile. “Good.” The hypospray was administered, the quiet hiss was the only sound in her quarters. T’Lyn put the used canister on the bedside table as Tendi said, “Thank you!” She held her hand and her outpouring of love was appreciated.

“You are welcome.” But T’Lyn should’ve been the one expressing gratitude. She was in awe of Tendi: of her aptitude and commitment to navigate through their charged moments. Her ability to sincerely apologize, to readily forgive; those qualities were also necessary for a successful relationship…

And the last two days hadn’t transpired according to her expectations, yet it was proof to their longevity. Perhaps that was more important than the intimacy of the mind meld.

The Orion squeezed her hand, “Can we cuddle?”

T’Lyn had barely given a single nod when Tendi laid down again and pulled her into her side. She rested her hand atop the necklace's gem laying between the Orion’s breasts. She felt the fast thrum of her heart and she closed her eyes, accessing their newly established link to sense Tendi’s emotions. The resounding peacefulness was gratifying.

There was a momentary stutter in the rhythm of Tendi rubbing her back. “Woah, I can feel you!” Then softer, “I’m so glad we did this…”

“Indeed.”

Chapter Text

T’Lyn was pulled out of her meditative trance when Tendi burst into laughter across the room. She released a slow exhale, suppressing the illogical flare of frustration at being disrupted. To the Orion’s credit, she had stifled her giggling quickly.

In their history there were only a paucity of times Tendi had ever disturbed her, an impressive feat that, logically, she should appreciate. She had at most a few minutes left of her scheduled meditation time anyway…

She cracked her eyes open and turned just enough to see her out of the corner of her periphery.

Tendi was laying on her side on the floor with Taluhk shuffling around in front of her and it was an endearing scene. Her mate was enamored with the tribble and T’Lyn understood the fascination. The tribble had been an unanticipated presence in her life but she had quickly grown accustomed to him. It was remarkable to once again have a companion animal to care for.

He’d been the focal point of their week: manipulating his genes, developing calorie-controlled meal pellets, designing his habitat. Her girlfriend had even insisted on replicating various accessories for him. And although he was reasonably ‘cute’ wearing a miniature Science’s blue headband, Taluhk would only allow it for a short period of time.

He was a simple creature yet he was quite a character.

Noticing her attention, Tendi put a hand over her mouth in a show of understanding. “I’m sorry, T’Lyn.” She whispered unnecessarily considering she’d already interrupted her. “He’s just being really cute.”

Intrigued and willing to demonstrate forgiveness, she resituated on the pillow to face the pair. “How so?”

Tendi grinned at her interest and cradled Taluhk in an arm as she crawled closer to her. She was still halfway across the room when she curiously stopped and placed the tribble on her back. She leaned forward in a bow but kept her arms outstretched and, without provocation, the creature rolled down one of her limbs. Exploiting gravitational forces and momentum, Taluhk bowled himself all the way over to T’Lyn.

It was a fascinating new development.

She repressed a smile at Tendi’s delighted snickering. “See! Did you teach him that?”

“Negative.” She scooped him up and petted his soft fur. “Perhaps he would enjoy a slide for enrichment.”

Tendi lit up at the idea. “Oh my gosh yes! I’m sure he’d love it!” But rather than grab a padd and begin designing, she crawled the rest of the way over with a playful glint in her eyes. She rested her hands on T’Lyn’s thighs while she pressed her smiling lips against hers.

T’Lyn smirked at her happy hum and kissed her again. Her hand came up to rest against her cheek, always desiring to touch her.

But there was a spike in her amusement seconds before Tendi stole Taluhk from her, pulling away with a laugh.

She raised a faux critical eyebrow. “What is your motivation for his abduction?”

Tendi grinned wide and placed him on her shoulder then with a wink, she reached out her hand in offering which T’Lyn accepted despite knowing she’d crawled all around the floor. The slanted bridge of her arm enticed Taluhk to go rolling down, landing in the Vulcan’s lap with a bounce.

T’Lyn tried to replicate the experience for him by positioning him on her shoulder but rather than go sliding down her own arm, he nuzzled against her neck.

“Aww!” Tendi cooed and squeezed her hand. “He loves you.”

“He is sociable.” With his fuzzy fur nestled against her skin, it was fortunate Vulcans had not developed an involuntary twitching movement in response to knismesis. He began to loudly purr and the vibrations against her throat was an odd sensation though not unpleasant.

His affection wasn’t abnormal, it seemed as though he had already deemed her trustworthy and an appropriate caregiver.

It was an honor.

“For his creative achievements, perhaps he has earned a treat.”

Tendi’s voice shook with amusement, “He’s so manipulating you!” But she stood to retrieve the bag of dried fruits at any rate. “It was super sweet though.”

She handed T’Lyn a small piece and settled beside her after a quick kiss of her cheek. T’Lyn held her free hand before she fed Taluhk, who devoured the treat with impressive speed. He snuggled against her again and decided to nap based on the even cadence of his subvocal oscillations.

Then she was trapped in place when Tendi rested her head on her other shoulder. Since T’Lyn saw no logical reason to disturb their peace, she simply enjoyed their proximity.

T’Lyn sat cross-legged in the sand with Tendi next to her with her arm around her waist. The Orion had completed the keep and was content to watch her work. Even though she was leaning against her and had her other hand high on her thigh, T’Lyn didn’t allow herself to be distracted by her affection.

“I missed the beach! We haven’t done this in a while.” Tendi kissed her cheek, careful not to jostle her.

It’d been some time since they’d last created a detailed sand sculpture, but that was precisely why T’Lyn had invited her here tonight. Still, it wasn’t as though they didn’t have regular ‘date nights'. She pointed out, “We celebrated on a beach following the SSO test.”

Tendi unsuccessfully hid a cringe at the mention of the test but said, “That was a picnic!” T’Lyn acknowledged the fact with a nod. “A great picnic.” She amended with a happy sigh.

“I concur.” The corner of T’Lyn’s lips lifted slightly when Tendi rubbed her palm over her slacks in small circles. “I would be amenable to another.”

“I bet.” Tendi giggled and nuzzled her face into her shoulder.

T’Lyn put the finishing touches on their creation, “I believe this is sufficiently accurate to a castle of the Kalar society.” She looked to Tendi for her agreement and approval.

“Yes! It looks amazing! I really like how you carved the battlements!” Tendi punctuated her compliment with a squeeze of her thigh. “You’re so clever. If there’s ever a sandcastle building contest, we’re winning for sure!”

“Perhaps the grand prize will be a penthouse suite.” Tendi grinned and T’Lyn was pleased at her happiness. She kissed her then said, “It is unlikely we could spark a wildfire on a beach.”

Tendi huffed out a laugh but said, “We’d find a way.”

T’Lyn hummed in thought and followed through 'flirting' with her, “It would be against the laws of physics however, arguably, you are sufficiently ‘hot’ to cause spontaneous combustion elsewhere.”

“You called me hot.” Tendi’s glee shined through their bond.

“That is the accurate vernacular.” T’Lyn asserted as her gaze flicked down to her lips.

“You’ve been hanging out with Mariner too much.” But it wasn’t a complaint based on the way she said, “Save program.” And barely waited for the computer’s chime before she kissed her so thoroughly they fell back into the sand.

One or both of them might’ve kicked their castle but it was of no consequence and it was an unimportant detail compared to the way Tendi’s lips moved against hers.

For the sake of secrecy, Tendi slept in the middle of the tree’s cavity while T’Lyn rested against the wall. It was adequate and she acknowledged it would be logical to sleep to prevent fatigue. Part of her had even gotten accustomed to the rhythm of sleeping with Tendi during her rests.

Boimler curled up on himself at the mouth of the hollow and Mariner sulked behind them all.

Tendi gave her a worried look after glancing back at the human and then closed her eyes, head turned in her direction. Her arms were folded over her midsection, holding herself to mitigate heat loss. The planet was a suboptimal temperature so she was concerned the Orion would have a difficult time falling asleep.

T’Lyn crossed her arms over her chest and observed her until her breathing had evened out and then she closed her own eyes to sleep.

She woke up an hour later and was amused to see that Tendi had rolled all the way over to ‘spoon’ Boimler, most likely cold and seeking warmth. The illogical parts of her ego questioned why she hadn’t sought her out but it might make their friends suspicious if they had been caught cuddling.

She looked back to check on Mariner, who was still curled in on herself and scowling. Her agitation was clear yet it was an illogical reaction to their concern for their comrade’s well-being.

More so, her recklessness was a liability yet T’Lyn had recognized that for months. Mariner’s desire for combat put them all at risk unnecessarily and that was unacceptable. She frowned but focused on suppressing her annoyance.

Despite the illogical resentment of the additional responsibility to keep the group safe, T’Lyn wouldn’t allow harm to come to any of them. She felt a flare of protectiveness as she watched Tendi, who was so still now that her need for warmth and physical affection was satiated.

Just before she closed her eyes to try to sleep again, Boimler muttered incoherently and flailed in his sleep. His elbow connected with Tendi’s ribs and she startled awake.

“What the-”

As always when she was rudely awakened from her short rests, she was disoriented for a moment. She sat up with a hand on her head but then moved away from him and back to where she was. They made eye contact and the corner of T’Lyn’s lips twitched up at her sheepish smile.

She mouthed an apology and then fell asleep again, this time on her side and facing her. T’Lyn followed her cue.

The next time she awoke was due to an unexpected touch to her legs and the sharp sound of shattering glass. It was as though she were in the cantina on the Cerritos during a party. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that Tendi had rolled all the way over to her this time and had her face pressed against the side of T’Lyn’s thigh and her arm thrown over her legs, hugging her tight. The additional warmth was pleasant.

Given their proximity, T’Lyn made sure their friends were asleep. Boimler, who had flipped himself around in his restless sleep, was mumbling about tap dancing and-

Mariner was not there.

She had escaped past them while they slept… And with the hazardous raining glass, they would not be able to search for her.

With the risk of being found out largely mitigated, T’Lyn rested a hand on Tendi’s head and gently stroked her hair. The dark purple clouds were illuminated by the flashes of electrostatic discharge and she watched the storm roll through while she waited for her mate to rouse.

And like clockwork, Tendi awoke only ten minutes later. Reflexively, her arms tightened their hold and she froze.

“Please tell me I’m not cuddling Boimler again…” She muttered to herself.

“You are not.”

Tendi snuggled into her leg, “Good.” Then she became aware of her surroundings. Without opening her eyes yet, she asked, “What’s that shattering glass noise?”

“Shattering glass. There is a storm occurring.”

“We’re stuck in here then…”

Their tricorders had data they could use to predict the duration of the weather event but it would not assist them practically. “That is correct. And Mariner fled the tree at some point while we slept.”

“Oh [fuck].”

“Indeed.”

“What’s up with her?” Tendi sounded more unhappy than frustrated. “She did this last year when everyone found out that Captain Freeman was her mom. But back then she was angry at everyone instead of trying to hurt herself.” She sighed, her breath hot on her thigh. “I don’t know why she’s trying to now.”

T’Lyn didn’t think the events were related but she didn’t have an answer for what could be causing her increasingly illogical behavior. “How was the cycle broken previously?”

Tendi grimaced, uncomfortable at whatever she was remembering. “A violent holodeck adventure...” Then with a shake of her head, “And Doctor Migleemo helped too.”

“Hmm. Perhaps she requires a confidante.”

“She doesn’t talk to you about that stuff?” Tendi sounded surprised. She knew her close relationship with Rutherford resulted in the two talking about any and every subject, yet that was not the case with herself and Mariner.

“Negative.” She’d inquired once for details regarding her provocations but to no avail. “She does not respond well to being directly questioned.”

“Maybe she’ll find some outlet or talk to someone because it’s…“ She stopped, overcome with worry, and held her tighter.

T’Lyn understood. “Her behavior is unsustainable.”

“My good fellow,” Boimler said and Tendi released her and rolled onto her back. But the corner of T’Lyn’s lips lifted at her unnecessary haste.

“It is merely somniloquy.”

“Oh okay.” She snuggled into her again. “He drinks tons of caffeine.”

“Reginald.” He spoke in his deeper voice utilized for serious situations. “Why wasn’t I included in your holodeck fantasy.”

Tendi laughed quietly and squeezed her legs, “I forgot how funny he was.”

T’Lyn’s hand fell to her hair again and Tendi’s eyes closed in contentment when she scraped along her scalp. There was nothing productive they could do until the storm abated.

T’Lyn stood at attention on the bridge, awaiting the away crew to return from Orion. She had already run simulation after simulation to prepare for Tendi’s plan. After she acquired the battleship, they would need to boost weapons in order to make a dent in the trynar shield.

“Captain on the bridge!” Ensign Barnes announced as Captain Freeman and the away team exited the elevator.

Attuned to her new mate, T’Lyn raised an eyebrow when she sensed a crushing dread from Tendi. Tendi smiled wide, almost comically exaggerated, but the supposed joy did not reach her eyes.

Curious.

T’Lyn tilted her head the smallest degree and Tendi wordlessly shook her head. Her emotions were a troubling indicator that things didn’t go as planned on the planet, but they had acquired the battleship regardless. And logically, they should remain focused on the mission: to save their friend.

However, the need to predict what occurred was almost compulsive. Especially when Tendi discreetly squeezed T’Lyn’s hip as she passed her close to take up her station. The daring touch and her unhappiness evoked particularly unpleasant scenarios that she suppressed for now.

“Ransom, input the coordinates. Ensign Barnes, full impulse.”

Once a somber quiet fell over the bridge before they reached the location, she felt the brush of Tendi’s mind through their bond. Yet the Orion was supposed to be preparing a ‘cheat sheet’ for Engineering to assist with the unfamiliar systems.

“Tendi.” It wasn’t logical for her to access their bond in such a dire situation.

Her girlfriend looked up and paused chewing on her lower lip. “Yeah?”

“Have you completed your assignment?”

“I’ve nearly got it.” But Tendi understood the implied reprimand and the pull faded away. She felt the echoes of her momentary hurt but only Tendi could provide valuable details of the inner workings of an Orion battleship…

The sadness that consumed her mate before was now overshadowed by fierce determination. She resumed working, wearing a hard look similar to the mask T’Lyn had seen during their trip to Orion whenever she needed to be the Mistress of the Winter Constellations.

T’Lyn waited until the ship came to a stop from the explosion before she attempted to stand from where she'd fallen on the floor. The entire bridge stopped to watch as the Captain’s yacht sped through the damaged shield seconds before it sealed once again.

“We did it!” Boimler cheered and congratulated the crew.

When Tendi approached her during the celebration, T’Lyn raised an eyebrow. “Can we talk in my quarters?”

“Yes.” T’Lyn followed her clearly nervous mate to the elevator and down to Deck 5. Uncharacteristically, Tendi remained silent the entire trip- T’Lyn could sense her trepidation. She watched her bit her lower lip, worrying the darker green skin between her teeth.

Yet, she said nothing and T’Lyn’s thoughts raced with a hundred more scenarios of what could’ve happened on the planet.

However once they entered Tendi’s quarters and the door slid behind them, Tendi embraced her tightly. “T’Lyn…”

“Did something occur on Orion?” She had several hypotheses but waited for Tendi to speak. She put her arms around her and mimicked the pressure of the hold on her.

“Yeah, kind of.” Tendi’s voice wavered. “D’Erika wouldn’t let us borrow the battleship. And then Doctor Migleemo didn’t win Barter by Combat against B’eth like I thought he would-“

Doctor Migleemo against Tendi’s giant ex? T’Lyn couldn't fathom what possessed her to make such a bargain but listened with concern. If B’eth won, what had they lost?

“And I couldn’t just let the Captain sign over the Cerritos codes! It was my all fault so I… I told D’Erika I'd go back to Orion to work for the family.”

T’Lyn’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t calculated a high probability for that particular hypothesis. “I see.” Her hands gripped Tendi’s uniform. “Indefinitely?”

“No,” Tendi sounded so resolute that T’Lyn actually felt relief from her answer. “I’m going to pay back my debt to her as soon as possible so I can to come back to you, to the Cerritos.”

She sealed the promise with a heated kiss. T’Lyn responded in kind, lifting a hand to cup Tendi’s cheek. Their sacred affection brightened her katra.

Tendi’s hands rested on her hips and she squeezed before pushing to guide her back to the bed behind them. T’Lyn understood the intentions; her urgency was a clear indicator that they were already running out of time. They would not even have another night together until she returned.

T’Lyn exhaled quietly into her skin. She kissed Tendi’s throat a final time before she wrapped her arms around her and flipped them over again. She looked up, eyes half-lidded in her comfortable state. “Are you satisfied?”

Tendi giggled, “Completely.” She kissed her again before pressing her face into the crook of T’Lyn’s neck.

T’Lyn leaned her chin against the top of her head. Her green hair was wet with sweat, giving off her faintly grass-like and pleasant aroma. Still, “We will need to shower.”

“Just… Five more minutes.”

“Agreed.”

T’Lyn matched her breathing with Tendi and loosely held her hips. She focused on the sensation of skin on skin, how their breasts pressed against each other’s and their legs slotted together, and how her sweat was cooling on her body. On the way Tendi’s thumb glided lazily across her shoulder.

They shared an impressive three minutes of silence before the Orion broke it. “Are you going to be okay? Am I? I mean about our mating.”

“It is not ideal and I am uncertain how it will affect us considering it is an interspecies bond.”

Tendi nuzzled closer, “I’m sorry.”

“It was not your intention. You respected Starfleet’s most revered aphorism.”

“For the good of the many?”

She nodded. “Correct. And now we will observe the actual motto: ad astra per aspera.”

“You’re right. But it’s going to be weird not seeing you every day.” Tendi’s lips spoke into her throat. “And not being able to talk to you…”

She let the words hang in the air for a moment.

“Our distance will be uncomfortable but manageable. If our time on Orion was any indicator, you will be excessively busy.” T’Lyn didn’t mean that as a dismissal of her statement; she assumed Tendi would want reassurance. But her mate only hummed in agreement.

Then it was time.

If they remained in bed, they ran the risk of not being ready when the Captain returned. “We must rise.”

Tendi reluctantly slid off of T’Lyn and stood. T’Lyn’s eyes raked over her alluring body, memorizing every curve. Tendi held out her hand to pull her to standing, but then she didn’t let her go. She laced their fingers together and squeezed, “Come on.”

Yet after their sonic shower, it was difficult to leave her quarters.

T’Lyn had a bag slung over her shoulder of Tendi’s things that she would take possession of until she returned. The Orion was giving up her quarters while she was on leave and she couldn’t take everything with her.

She could feel how distraught she was and this outcome was undesirable for her as well. Tendi was honorable and good but T’Lyn requested, “In the spirit of being a pirate, perhaps you should simply refuse to go…” It was self-serving but not illogical. What could her family do to force her to return? Attempt to fight the Federation? Request compensation?

“No…” Tendi looked down at their joined hands, her sadness surged through her and weighed her down. “This is something I have to do.” Her sorrow magnified but she kissed her, pouring her love into the kiss and through their connected hands. “Please make sure Taluhk doesn’t eat Goopy.”

“I will not allow that to happen.” She rested their foreheads together. “I await you.”

“Can I say it back?”

It wasn’t protocol but she didn’t mind if Tendi found it reassuring. “You may.” There was an illogically addicting quality to her smile so knowing it would make her happy, she informed her, “And when you return, I will teach you another phrase.”

Tendi lit up with intrigue. “Oh my gosh, yes!” She squeezed her hands then much more calmly said, “I await you.” T’Lyn’s lips twitched up and the Orion giggled. But then she sobered and pulled back a little, “T’Lyn...” She dragged her name out softly like she often did before she said something particularly tender.

“D’Vana?”

“No bang buddies while I’m gone.”

She blinked in bewilderment because it was so far removed from what she ever expected her to say. Tendi snickered at her reaction and her delight danced along their link.

But T’Lyn shook her head at the tease she planned on returning. Though perhaps she was more forceful than appropriate when she said, “You are not allowed either.”

Tendi smiled wide. “I wouldn’t want one anyway.”

“You desire more than one?”

Her mate’s jaw dropped but then she laughed and T’Lyn felt illogically proud at surprising her back. “No way.” Tendi promised with shining green eyes. “You’re the snackiest snack.” She leaned in to kiss her but her grin hindered her effort. “It’s only you, my love.”

T’Lyn’s heart skipped a beat at her bold claim and her first ever use of a term of endearment. She swallowed back the romanticism that threatened her careful composure. “We must return to the bridge.”

“I know.” She sighed and kissed her one more time, slowly and soundly but with a quiet desperation, before they parted for an undetermined amount of time. She had barely retreated when she said, “T’Lyn, I love you so much.”

The repeated sentiment was a clear indicator she wanted to hear it back. Being vocal about the depth of her affection was challenging for the Vulcan but considering it was perhaps her last opportunity to comfort Tendi, it was logical to assure her, “As I, you.”

Tendi tackled her in a hug, overly pleased based on the hitch of her breath and subsequent watery and humorless laugh.

“D’Vana.” She chided flatly. Her tears were too difficult to endure. “Compose yourself.”

Tendi squeezed her and pulled back to swipe the back of her hands across her eyes. “Sorry.” She cleared the tightness from her throat and sounding surer, she said, “Let’s go.”

T’Lyn watched as Tendi threw her arms around Rutherford. She’d been avoiding saying goodbye to her best friend yet the procrastination produced the same emotional response. His control was compromised and when they parted, wetness gleamed in the Orion’s eyes as well. It was unsurprising considering their longstanding friendship.

Tendi pulled away to stand on the platform, not bothering to wipe away the gathering tears. She waved at their friends but before the transporter whirled to life, her green eyes flicked back over to T’Lyn. They shared one last look and then she dematerialized the next moment.

They walked away from the transporter room, the group gloomy from her departure. Except for her, Vulcans were not gloomy. But Rutherford dejectedly sighed a few times and Mariner was in the middle of lightening the mood when T’Lyn’s combadge went off. “Lt. jg. T’Lyn, report to my ready room.”

“Yes, Captain.”

She bid her friends goodbye for now and navigated to the bridge. After a quiet ride up the turbolift, it was startling for the doors to open to a lively bridge crew, still celebrating the fresh victory. She turned down an offered glass of alcohol from Commander Ransom and continued across towards the ready room.

She’d barely chimed the door before Captain Freeman’s voice rang out, “Come.”

Yet when she stepped into the office, the Captain was somber compared to her crew. The door whooshed close behind her before she greeted her, “Lt. T’Lyn, it’s been a crazy day, huh?”

“Indeed.”

Captain Freeman straightened one of her trinkets on the shelf, “And I believe Miss Tendi just left.”

“That is correct.”

Maybe she expected her to say more but after a beat, the Captain powered on. “Right...” She cleared her throat and leaned against the front of her desk, “Well, I called you up here ‘cause I have a little bit of good news.”

“For your commendable Logic and actions under pressure, Starfleet Command’s issuing an offer for your commission.” She handed off a padd, “The expiration date’s a year out so we don’t need an answer right away. It’s just an option.” She smiled kindly. “The Cerritos could use your ingenuity.”

T’Lyn hadn’t anticipated receiving a commission prior to completing her SSO training but she suppressed her surprise and nodded gratefully. “I appreciate it, Captain Freeman.”

“That was all, dismissed.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

On the turbolift down from the bridge, T’Lyn looked over the offer. The benefits were generous, the shore leave plentiful, and her options in Starfleet were limitless. Without a doubt she would accept the commission. This was where she belonged, this was where she thrived.

This was what she’d been waiting for.

She exhaled quietly, wishing she could inform Tendi of the promising prospect. But her mate was on route to Orion so the desire was illogical. She repressed those thoughts.

On her way to her quarters to drop off the commission, she considered notifying their friends. Yet reticence could be beneficial. If she didn’t tell them, they wouldn’t pressure her to accept. Unless the VHC attempted to recall her, there was no need for urgency. Given that she'd avoided a call from Sokel and purposefully provided lackluster weekly summaries for months now, it was doubtful they'd eagerly request her return.

And, strategically, perhaps when the time came for the SSO promotions, it would be ideal if she remained ‘undecided’. A dual promotion wouldn’t seem as radical if she were provisional still…

T’Lyn hadn’t known how being mated to a non-Vulcan would affect her. Unfortunately, it hadn’t even been two weeks since they were established and her body and her katra had become accustomed to Tendi long before the bond.

The mental strain wasn’t as uncomfortable as it could’ve been, yet it was unpleasant. It was like a constant noise she couldn’t escape, at times she could tune it out but it was always there.

When T’Lyn wasn’t working, she was meditating to quiet the noise. But this was regarding an ancient Vulcan biological programing, some days the effort felt futile. She was restless, her instincts demanding that she be near her mate.

An impossibility.

The baser parts of her mind raged.

And it was bleeding out.

Mariner thought she was ‘grumpy’ and she resented the childish connotation and the implication she couldn’t control her reactions. Rutherford and Boimler called her ‘brooding’ and that was slightly more acceptable but still condescending. With how sensitive humans were to tone, she had to carefully consider her dialog to avoid sounding like she was ‘biting someone’s head off’.

A stupid idiom.

In order to elude an excess of social activities, she was on her fifth double-shift. The additional duties were adequately stimulating and the non-stop nature of the routine reminded her of her posting on the Sh’vhal and, oddly, that was a comfort.

However halfway through her delta shift, she had somehow developed a headache. After her work was completed, she was meant to follow up with some personal projects while spending time with Taluhk, who required the socialization and enrichment, yet the discomfort compounded with the strain of the bond so T’Lyn decided to visit sickbay.

Vulcans could disregard pain but it was logical to seek assistance during a medical event.

In sickbay, Doctor T’Ana was stationed closest at one of the PCR panels. However T’Lyn wanted to prevent an interaction with her given the CMO’s uncanny ability to bluntly remark on personal problems.

Nurse Westlake and Junga were occupied with trivial tasks on the other side of the room but before she could disturb either, Doctor T’Ana lifted her head as though following a scent. She turned from the panel and scowled at her.

“What’s wrong?” She asked without preamble.

T’Lyn suppressed a sigh and approached the Caitian. Had she not been to sickbay for a variety of holodeck misadventures, she might’ve been embarrassed when she told her, “I have a mild case of cephalalgia.”

Doctor T’Ana growled out, “A headache, huh?” She retrieved her medical scanner and then shook her head, displeased at the results. “[Fuck]ing hell, Vulcan. Even you need to sleep, dip[shit].”

“Vulcans can omit sleep for up to two weeks.”

“Yeah, no. Your scans are [fuck]ed.” She showed her the abnormal serotonin and cortisol levels from the neurological analysis. “When was the last time you slept?”

Tendi had only left a week ago. “Eight nights ago.” And it was for two hours. In a tree.

“Tch. Do you need a sedative?” She didn’t wait for an answer before she was inputting the order for the dispenser.

Her headache, which the doctor had yet to treat, sharpened. She insisted, “I am not fatigued.”

“Okay great.” Doctor T’Ana rolled her eyes. “I guess my tricorder's wrong.” Then she glared, serious again. “I’ll put you on medical leave until your scans are better if you wanna [fuck]ing try me.” T’Lyn wanted to argue but Doctor T’Ana hissed when she opened her mouth. “Take this back to your quarters.” She handed her a hypospray. “It’s a mild sedative. Rest. That’s a goddamn order.”

T'Lyn barely repressed her annoyance. “Very well.”

Then in another whiplash of tone, Doctor T’Ana softened. It was like her piercing yellow eyes could see right through her, “I’m guessing this has something to do with Tendi leaving.”

Her head pounded anew. T’Lyn neither confirmed nor denied but she did shift the topic. “When will my symptoms abate?”

“When you get some sleep.” Then Doctor T’Ana exaggerated a long-suffering exhale and reached into her pocket. She dosed the medication before she injected the hypospray into T’Lyn’s neck.

The headache cleared in an instant and it was such a relief that her eyes momentarily closed to savor the peace. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“I’m excusing you from your duties today. Don’t make me extend it.”

T’Lyn nodded, knowing it was useless to argue with the cantankerous Caitian. “I will rest.” She said before she made her leave to her quarters.

And only a few minutes later, she sat on the edge of her bed in her sleep clothes and prepared the hypospray. Her illogical behavior in sickbay was a clear indicator that Doctor T’Ana was right, her lack of sleep was intensifying the side-effects of the distance. It was unsustainable and if this helped, the logical answer was to endeavor to rest nightly.

It was necessary but she truly wasn’t tired; it was mostly why she hadn’t even attempted to sleep. The other reasons were highly illogical yet she was forced to face them now.

In part, she’d eschewed her bed to preserve Tendi’s scent on her sheets but it was an unreasonable desire. She was due to recycle the bed covers in a few days anyway. She knew her girlfriend’s scent would linger in her quarters and she had near-perfect recall- there was no danger of being without her.

But then, when was the last time she’d slept alone? When she’d returned to Vulcan. Of course, since then they’d had nights apart but it was rare when T’Lyn had rested without her. Still, her concern that sleep would be difficult to achieve was illogical. The sedative would help and Vulcans were adaptable. In addition, she had decades of practice sleeping alone.

Perhaps that was part of the irrational fear too.

But it was all illogical.

She blamed the bond and injected the hypospray without further delay. Once she slept, Logic would return to her.

She laid down on her side of the bed and kept her arms firmly by her body since she didn’t need to make room for Tendi and she closed her eyes.

But it was wrong.

Her Vulcan instincts protested her stillness. She was stricken with another bout of frenzied energy and she sat back up. It made her wonder how non-mixed couples even functioned for that first year. For such a logical species, they were programmed for embarrassing dramatics. This was of course the point of Surak’s teachings- they were not always at the mercy of their primeval nature.

T’Lyn needed to settle.

She doubted a pillow at her side would appease her but… Perhaps Taluhk could help. If she had to avoid disturbing him, she would be forced to remain still.

Illogical tactics could sometimes lead to logical solutions so the idea was deserving of a chance.

She went to pick the tribble up from his habitat. His subvocal oscillations began almost immediately, always content to receive affection. She laid down, placing him on her midsection. He waddled up and down her stomach twice before he found an adequate spot where he could rest. She didn’t fight the next wave of restlessness but she didn’t indulge it either, not with Taluhk sleeping comfortably. As hoped, it ebbed gradually.

Between his loud purrs and the sedative, T’Lyn’s eyelids fell close and she was asleep within moments.

After a month of waiting, Starfleet had finally approved Tendi’s request to videocall T’Lyn! And while she could’ve easily circumvented the security protocols, she didn’t want to cause any trouble for either of them if it was ever found out. So she had waited patiently and jumped through the proper hoops.

She would’ve loved to talk to Mariner, Boimler, and Rutherford too but her leave of absence status as well as the restrictions with Orion meant it was a process. She was sure they would understand.

But she wanted to talk to T’Lyn so badly. She was more than worth the effort…

She locked her office door and took a deep breath to calm herself down. In the reflection of her padd, she made sure her hair was okay before she pressed the call button.

It rang. And rang.

With each ring, she was starting to lose hope. T’Lyn usually carried her padd around with her but if she were on a mission or there was a red alert or she was on duty or any of the other thousands of things she could be doing…

Tendi could always try again later…

Then the call went through and her heart leapt. She grinned wide at the lovely angle looking up at T'Lyn's sharp jaw.

“One moment, Tendi.” T’Lyn spoke quietly in what looked to be the turbolift. “I am in route to my quarters."

“I’m sorry if I interrupted you.”

“Negative… I was in the cantina and I did not desire to answer there due to-“ she stopped, maybe from someone joining her on the turbolift or because she didn’t want to seem illogical.

She’d made an excuse to leave the bar so she didn’t have to share their time with their friends. In case there was someone else there, Tendi whispered, “That’s okay.”

Soon enough, T’Lyn was sat at her desk in her quarters. And Tendi smiled at her, ready to talk, but the Vulcan stood again. “Allow me to retrieve Taluhk.”

Tendi looked around what she could see of T'Lyn's quarters, relieved that nothing had changed. She returned with the tribble on her shoulder and Tendi loved them both so much that her fingers dug into her leg for a moment in an effort to keep from getting emotional. There was no time for that.

Finally, she could say, “Hi, T’Lyn. Hi, Taluhk.”

“D’Vana.” T’Lyn’s half-lidded eyes spoke to her contentment, “Are you well?”

“Yeah, of course! I mean besides how much I miss you.”

“Your absence is noticed.” She minutely leaned her chin against Taluhk before she asked, “Have you experience any side-effects of our mating?”

Tendi’s throat threatened to close up when she admitted, “Sometimes it’s like I can feel you through our bond but you’re not…” She had to search for a diplomatic, Vulcan word, “Pleased.”

T’Lyn, blunt as ever, nodded in confirmation and Tendi loved the honesty but hated to be the cause of her distress. “Our distance was unforeseen and I question your strategy with Dr. Migleemo.” She was perfectly monotone but it was easy to hear the accusation, especially when she said, “Perhaps a more logical choice would’ve prevented our separation.”

Tendi pouted and worried the leather of her coat between her fingers. “I know…” It was a stupid gamble in hindsight, she deserved to lose. She just wished she hadn’t dragged T’Lyn down with her…

“However, there was no guarantee anyone on the Cerritos could defeat your ex.” The Vulcan said, which softened the criticism and Tendi gave her a half-smile.

“I didn’t think so either.” She was so grateful for the understanding. Then playfully, she said. “And even if you could, I wouldn’t want you to fight her.”

T’Lyn’s eyes gleamed, “It is a Vulcan tradition to fight for one’s mate.”

“Exactly.” She chuckled at her possessiveness. “That’s exactly why I didn’t bring you down to Orion.” She felt her heart skip a beat at T’Lyn’s smirk. She was beyond cute.

“I would not have lost.”

Tendi shook her head and teased her, “I don’t know, T’Lyn… She’s pretty tall. Could you reach her shoulder to nerve-pinch her?”

The Vulcan’s eyes narrowed and the friskiness disappeared. “Your insinuation that I could only defeat B’eth utilizing that skill is-“

“A joke, my love.” Tendi interrupted to defuse her misplaced annoyance. She knew the distance was agitating her and she didn’t want to upset her further.

“Apologies.” T’Lyn looked away with a frown. “I have not meditated today.”

“Have you been feeling okay?” Tendi asked, hoping that lapse was more from her hotheaded jealousy rather than an alarming indication of the strain she was under.

T’Lyn’s expression betrayed an uncertainty before she regained control and quietly admitted, “Dr. T’Ana has found it necessary to administer sedatives twice.”

Tendi couldn’t help the unhappy noise, it was awful to hear how badly the distance was affecting her and her guilt welled. “T’Lyn…” She puffed out a sad breath because she hated the idea but, “Maybe... Maybe we should’ve broken the bond temporarily…”

“I do not desire that.” The Vulcan countered.

“I don’t either but-“

T’Lyn was a little sharp when she said, “This is not ideal but endurable.”

“Okay.” Tendi dropped it with a nod and a change of topics, “Want to tell me about any of your projects?”

“I will. I must collect my other padd containing the notes. However before I do so, I must inform you,” T’Lyn looked pleased when she announced, “I have received a commission from Starfleet Command.”

Tendi gasped, “Oh my gosh! That’s great!” Despite how thrilled she was for T’Lyn, she couldn’t help but mourn the fact she wasn’t there to hug her and celebrate with her. “We’ll have to have a picnic when I get back.” She tried not to sound too sad.

“That would be agreeable.” T’Lyn placed Taluhk on her desk and his sandy brown, furry body blocked half of the padd. After a few moments, he began to shuffle away from the camera and she giggled. Gosh, she hoped Taluhk would remember her…

“Taluhk.” Off-screen, the Vulcan scolded him gently. “You were intended to entertain D’Vana in my momentary absence.”

Tendi chuckled at how adorable she was with him. Again, she was struck with how much she missed them. Even though they were right there, she felt like she was missing out.

She wanted to pet Taluhk, she wanted to kiss T’Lyn… She wanted to be there.

When she sat back down, Tendi couldn’t help but blurt out. “I’ll be back on the Cerritos as soon as I can.”

“I am aware.” T’Lyn automatically replied until she figured out why she’d said it. She placed the tribble on her shoulder again and then confirmed, “I await you.”

At least T’Lyn had their friends and sweet Taluhk to keep her company until then.

In the great hall of the main house, Tendi watched her crew celebrate vivaciously but she was anxious to talk to her sister. She waited by the family’s guilded door and she forced smiles as the hunks brought drinks around but her leg shook impatiently and she kept looking around as if D’Erika had somehow snuck by her.

Finally, the head of the house made her appearance with her newest husband in tow.

“D’Erika,” Tendi stopped her before she could join the party. “So what did you need us to do next?”

“I don’t think your crew is in any condition to pillage.” Her younger sister laughed and shooed away the demure man- she really had a type- with a wave of her hand. He bowed and went to wait by one of the hunks, giving them privacy to talk. “Lighten up, D’Vana.”

“But I bet those lust idols we’ve been stealing have made a lot of money for the family!”

“Of course it doesn’t make up for destroying a battleship…”

Tendi scoffed, “It wasn’t even operational!” It wasn’t fair.

“That’s a lot of scrap! And it’s a power move to have one. The Syndicate was not pleased.” But then D’Erika gave her some hope. “I’ve got people looking into a bigger score that might fulfil your debt but, in the meantime, I’ll keep sending you and your crew on errands. Seriously though, you’ve gotta let them party. This isn’t Starfleet.”

“There’s parties all the time in Starfleet!”

“Shut up.” D’Erika hip checked her, “And go drink. I’m bringing in the warriors to party too. Two blazzards, one stone, ya know?” She nodded across the room to where her specialized forces entered through the grand door, “I hear B’eth wants to talk to you.”

Tendi groaned at the tease. “D’Erika, come on. She knows it’s over.”

“Jeez, you don’t have to marry her. But it wouldn’t hurt your image. You parading around the city with that human and your Vulcan [bitch]-“

Tendi wasn’t going to allow her sister to disrespect T'Lyn in front of her. She growled, “Watch it!”

“It’s bad publicity.” D’Erika crossed her arms over her chest. “And I can keep you from her for a long time. So check the tone, sis.”

The words struck her like a dagger through her heart and the fight bled out of her. “D’Erika…” She was right though. Aggression wasn’t a viable bargaining tactic right now but it seemed like pity might be enough.

“I won’t. Your goody-goody Starfleet attitude is too annoying to keep around all the time.” The younger Orion rolled her eyes but Tendi was relieved to hear she wouldn’t hold her hostage forever. “But don’t forget. You might be the Mistress but I’m the head of the goddamn house.”

“I know.” But she needed her optimism stoked. “You’ll really let me leave after a big score?”

D’Erika gave an unconvincing shrug of one shoulder but that was hopefully only a power play. “Better go make sure your crew doesn’t mutiny in the meantime.”

Now it was Tendi’s turn to roll her eyes. “Yeah, right.”

D’Erika walked away, leaving her to conduct the evening. She gave the warriors enough time to get their own drinks and get comfortable. It didn’t take long before laughter rang out and they began to roughhouse so Tendi climbed up onto the table before they got too wild.

Just her presence above them caused the room to fall quiet. The potent smell of pheromones from the delaq meant she could taste the flowery chemicals in the air as she gave a toast to her crew and the warriors.

She had perfected giving rousing speeches, especially considering she was sincere with all her praise. Obviously, she wished her crew wasn’t so bloodthirsty but they were loyal and hungry to please. And the warriors protected the house in ways the guards couldn’t; their strength was invaluable.

Tendi took a long drink of delaq at the end of her speech and the crowd cheered and followed suit.

As she hopped down off of the table, electronic music blasted over the speakers. The bass pounded, reverberating in her chest. She politely smiled and pat women on the back as she passed and accepted a drink when handed one as per their customs. She should be stopping to socialize more but she had been on a three-week expedition with her crew so she was giving them a chance to talk with others.

She navigated through the group to the other side of the room to resume watching the party. Tendi knew the crew deserved to let loose but she didn’t want to goof off. She wanted to get back to T’Lyn and the Cerritos already!

After some time, the party began to ramp up: multiple colored lights flashed and danced along the floor where some of the warriors were dancing. Or trying to. They were definitely drunk off of the delaq. She snickered at their excited yelling and random dance battle challenges.

Her loyal First Officer, L’Kar, walked over to her with two shot glasses in hand.

“Mistress.” She handed her another drink, eyeing her curiously.

“Thanks.”

“You looked like you could use another. It’s like you’re not even effected by the pheromones.”

Tendi laughed awkwardly, “Yeah, I guess my tolerance is higher.” It was strange; she’d had three drinks already but only felt tipsy from the alcohol. Usually she’d be really loopy by now… But she changed the subject, “Is everyone having a good time?”

“I think the fun is about to start.” Her eyebrows bounced suggestively.

She’d for sure need to make an excuse to leave soon but they clinked glasses and took the shot. Whatever they drank didn’t taste like pheromones but she could feel them starting to take effect.

The other woman’s eyes went glossy almost immediately and Tendi could feel her cheeks burn with a flush. The fire spread, making it hard to think about anything other than the way her skin felt suffocated under the strong leather. She missed the breathable material of her Starfleet uniform.

She hadn’t had pheromones this powerful in a while- they must’ve broken out a bottle of some really good [shit]. Like so good, it was bad. She needed to be careful of who she let around her- pheromones didn’t make just the men pliable.

She should leave.

But the lights began to blend together like the ancient Earth toy she’d seen at the Academy’s Local History Museum: a kaleidoscope. How had she remembered such a weird word? It was confusing and the music was a quiet echo she couldn’t focus on. [Fuck]. It was concerning to be so intoxicated here when she knew the sexy nonsense was due to begin soon.

Oh right, she was leaving.

She pushed away from her First Officer but with each step it was like her temperature rose by one degree. She couldn’t take it anymore and she stopped to lay her coat on the sofa. Taking off the garment was like ecstasy with the way the cool air tingled against her heated skin. She nearly moaned from the pleasure yet despite the lack of cognitive ability she knew that was not a good idea.

Distantly, she recognized the symptoms but it wasn’t until her heart began to race that she figured it out.

[Shit]. Her crew had spiked her drink… It wasn’t uncommon at parties but she still didn’t appreciate it!

There wasn’t a whole lot she could do besides wait for it to wear off. If only she were on the Cerritos… She couldn’t exactly remember how she’d make an antagonist to combat the drug, but she remembered how the controls looked and the sanitized smell of sickbay and the squeak of Nurse Westlake’s boots on the floor because he tended to shuffle around when he was reading on his padd.

The reverberations from the music changed and it was like the bass stirred something inside her. It was a beat to move to, almost hypnotic, but she was too hot to dance. Her hands were starting to itch from the gathering sweat under the leather so she stripped off her gloves, throwing them by her coat.

She turned around and practically fell against the wall with a giggle. Her vision was blurry but she could still kind of see how much fun everyone was having. It became a game to guess who was going to make out with who next. No wait, that was a bad sign. Things were about to become real lascivious soon.

Yeah, she should go.

But the strobe lights were making her dizzy; she’d barely taken four steps then she had to clutch the arm of the couch to keep herself standing.

Wow. She could feel herself getting lost in the high so she tried to focus on the music.

And who knows how long she’d been standing by the couch before someone brushed up behind her and held her hips. Their big hands didn’t burn like T’Lyn’s…

“D’Vana.” The familiar gravelly voice addressed her casually. Her boldness no doubt fueled by the delaq.

“B’eth?” She turned to look up at her ex, who towered over her, and B’eth hadn’t changed at all. Not from the last time she’d been on Orion, not even from all those years ago. She still smiled a crooked smile and looked at Tendi like she could fight the Goddess and win.

The drugs in her system meant she was acutely aware of how close they were standing and how good it felt when B’eth’s large fingers curled to teasingly scrape along the curve of her hips. And from that base satisfaction, alarm bells were ringing in her head.

No! Bad!

She recognized that she needed to get out of here right goddamn now, this was no longer a ‘should’ situation. At least the spike in adrenaline and the presence of another helped to ground her from the intoxicating effects out of sheer self-preservation. Luckily too, Tendi had trained for situations like this all her life.

Now that she had an immediate goal: leave! It was easier to follow through. So she dug deep and tried to sound authoritative, “Release me.”

Her internal panic calmed when the warrior did as ordered and even with their height difference and the flashing and disorienting party lights, she saw the way B’eth’s pupils dilated wider. Barely louder than the music she said, “Yes, Mistress.”

“I’ve got things to do.” And to anyone else it was a rude departure but she had the status and means to back up her harshness.

Plus, not that it was her intention but B’eth was totally into it. It had always made her a little uncomfortable and the constant demand to be the Mistress was exhausting but she had played the part B’eth wanted from her because she loved her.

But that was a long time ago.

Still, the massive woman, who could easily best five other warriors at once, remembered her place. “Of course, Mistress.”

Tendi made her escape. She wandered down the hall, moving further and further from the entrancing music, until she found herself in her bedroom. Only then did she realize she’d left her coat and gloves in her haste. Oh well, she’d get them in the morning…

But something about her room didn’t feel right. She laid down on her bed but it was too soft and the fabric was itchy against her skin and her walls were too plain and looking up at the ceiling, she knew where she’d rather be.

So, perhaps too recklessly, she decided to climb up onto the roof of the house. Thank goodness for muscle memory.

Laying out on the cold tiles, she rested her arms behind her head and relaxed under the expanse of stars. Her eyes darted from gas giant to gas giant and she knew which systems made up which constellations. However her head was still a little fuzzy so for some she would focus on identifying the star type based on its faint glow. But the mental game was tiring enough that after a few more guesses, she decided to simply enjoy the view.

Eventually the worst of the drug’s effects were starting to wear off, leaving her pleasantly buzzed and carefree. She hadn’t really been thinking of anything for a while but when everything was starting to make sense again, she realized she’d been smiling.

It’d definitely been a while since she’d last genuinely smiled. It wasn’t that she disliked Orion or anything but she hated being forced to come back home just for her skills to be exploited.

And it made her sad that her family knew she didn’t want to be here but expected her to fulfil her end of the dishonorable deal. But she was determined to show them she hadn’t abandoned them like they always claimed. She hated that after everything she’d done for them before she left, they still felt like she owed them.

She thought when she’d signed up at the Starfleet recruitment booth that she was done walking that crooked and blurry line between obligation and personal choice… Yet here she was.

And that thought did make her wonder what she’d be doing right now if she were on the Cerritos… Maybe studying some quasars? Or taking hydrogen samples? Or analyzing scans? Whatever it was, T’Lyn would be by her side with her dry observations and serious demeanor and beautiful face. But underneath that unimpressed gaze, the Vulcan would find satisfaction in the work and maybe she would even agree that their findings were fascinating. She loved it when she said that word.

And after their shift, she could hang out with her friends.

Mariner and her could be practicing for the next talent show! She loved drinking and rocking out with her and her carefree attitude was contagious. When they hung out, Tendi could forget all her problems. And if she was ever in danger of overthinking, the human would calm her with an easy, “Don’t sweat it, D.”

Oh, and then tomorrow another new issue of Fleet would be released. Part of her hoped Boimler had found someone else to nerd out with after nearly two months of being gone, the other part selfishly didn’t want to be temporarily replaced. But when she returned, there’s no way he wouldn’t happily catch her up on everything she missed! She loved when he got so excited about something that he temporarily forgot his almost compulsive awkwardness. He was always so fun when he was genuine.

And Rutherford had promised not to work on the Sequoia while she was gone but she’d told him that it was good to keep busy. She couldn’t wait to hear his cheerful laugh and talk to him about the warp core and help him to reroute phase conduits. Though T’Lyn would definitely disapprove if she knew they both squeezed into those together but Tendi thought their close friendship was something to be celebrated! It was so awesome to have a human male friend that didn’t just see her as someone to chase after or try to [fuck]. Rutherford was such a nice guy.

And then after a fun evening with her friends, she’d seek out T’Lyn: her girlfriend, best friend, science bestie, and mate. In the hypothetical evening, it didn’t even matter what they'd do together. She only wanted to be beside her again. She missed their banter, she missed their casual affection.

She missed the way T’Lyn let her be herself: soft.

Gosh, she just missed her.

A cool breeze swept over the roof, making her shiver. In her feverish state and without her jacket, the chill of the night felt worse than expected of the actual temperature. She wanted to snuggle into T’Lyn’s side; she was like her own brilliant and adorable personal heater... She made her feel so safe and cared for. She'd love to have their arms wrapped around each other and their bodies pressed together right now...

With the drugs in her system, the mere thought of cuddling her was a turn-on.

She thought about her soft hands and smooth skin. The way she kissed. The way she reveled in every opportunity to make her come… That thought was so heady she actually whined as she missed her mate.

Then, it was weird, but for a moment she felt something like T’Lyn’s familiar pull in her head. She held her breath as she concentrated on it but the echo of the feeling disappeared and she sighed.

She wished she could call her again but even if she could, not only would it probably actually break her heart but T’Lyn would also worry about her intoxicated state.

The hypothetical didn’t even matter since Starfleet would take another month to approve a call… Damn regulations regarding exploitively-neutral planets!

So she tried to focus on the positive.

She would be home soon.

Alone in a minutely off-color conference room, T’Lyn and the other T’Lyn had each calculated an identical variance of their universes based on their quantum signatures.

The alternate T’Lyn placed her tricorder down and diplomatically shared, “I am curious regarding the details of our .327% deviation. As I have yet to meet a dimensional counterpart, this is a remarkable opportunity to observe the consequences of choices.”

“I echo your curiosity.”

“Perhaps it would be practical to assess the contrast.”

T’Lyn agreed. They exchanged personal padds while retaining their work padds.

She started at her career profile and four lines into her personal data, she blinked in surprise. “You studied botany at the Vulcan Science Academy?” Their universes were significantly different if she willingly specialized in her least favorite science.

Meanwhile, it seemed her alternate began in her personal logs. “You are mated?”

Logically, she supplied the answer to her unasked question, “To D’Vana Tendi.”

The other T’Lyn clarified with a hint of incredulity, “The Orion?”

T’Lyn’s eyes narrowed at her botany-loving counterpart, “… Do you have feedback?”

“She was emotional.” The use of the past tense was expected given Tendi’s absence yet it was still, illogically, jarring.

“Correct.”

“And… excitable.” She recalled with thinly veiled disdain. “She smiled with no provocation.”

“Indeed.”

Her double’s eyebrows rose as she looked away. Her silence conveyed her criticism of her choices.

But T’Lyn never did like feeling judged. Despite knowing the answer, she pointedly asked, “Are you mated?”

“Negative.”

“As anticipated…” She made a note in her work padd merely to irritate the other and she tried not to smirk as her derision resulted in a reaction.

The other T’Lyn glared at her and insisted, “It is a personal preference.”

T’Lyn hummed, unconvinced, yet said, “I have no doubt…” It was a logical conclusion that the other Tendi didn’t pursue this T’Lyn due to her pugnacity.

The other T’Lyn’s lips pursed at her sarcasm. “… Perhaps we should continue compiling data.”

“I have not deviated from our objective.” She continued down the details of her career in Starfleet. It was unsurprising to see the other T’Lyn’s disuse of shore leave- without her arrangement with Tendi, she had remained on the Cerritos to work rather than visit Risa. In addition, “You did not travel to Orion.”

“That is correct. And Tendi did not return. I was promoted to SSO once she resigned to remain on her homeworld.”

Naturally with ‘Becky’ as the Captain, she wouldn’t have accompanied her either. Most likely, Tendi had returned to Orion alone and perhaps found it more satisfying than the strict and cold Cerritos of this universe. “Troubling.”

“Perhaps to you.”

T’Lyn suppressed her annoyance and scanned her medical file. Their records prior to their posting on the Cerritos were similar: she fractured her arm as a child, she underwent surgery to remove her reproductive organs after her first Pon Farr, she contracted the Arethian flu in San Francisco.

Then she found an interesting and substantial deviation, “You did not develop Bendii Syndrome.”

The other T’Lyn quirked an eyebrow, “Negative. You were afflicted?” Her expression turned smug as she goaded her, “Was it due to your mawkishness for your mate?”

“No.” She barely kept from snapping. “It developed during a mission on Bracas Prime.”

The other T’Lyn hummed curiously. “We have never visited that system. Remarkable.”

“Fascinating.” She agreed and began to scroll through her mission logs. There were numerous other differences but at the end of her career profile, she finally located a similarity, “You have a pending commission as well.”

“I have not decided if I wish to remain in Starfleet.” The other T’Lyn’s tone indicated she was prepared to verbally duel again but T’Lyn remembered her own inner struggle in deciding to stay so she chose not to comment something unhelpful.

The alternate eyed her inquisitively when she didn’t mock her.

She couldn’t know how much, if any, personal growth had occurred during this T’Lyn’s posting in Starfleet. Every divergent choice between them compounded yet still, they weren’t foils to each other. Their angle of view of the universe was only marginally dissimilar.

With that, she recognized it would be illogical to continue to agitate each other when they had a mission to accomplish. “We should report to the Captains regarding the statistical differences between our universes.”

“Agreed.”

T’Lyn stood on a beach, not quite the shore from the holodeck. The subtle differences in layout, such as the background of the island and fewer standing sandcastles, were curious but even more so were the clouds overhead and the fat drops of rain. She was only in her tanktop and slacks so she should’ve felt the wetness on her exposed arms. And the humidity around her. Since she didn’t...

Ah. She was dreaming.

She supposed it was to be expected given her mental stress. At least this seemed to be a pleasant dream. She approached the closest sandcastle and recognized it instantly: they’d built it nearly three months ago, four nights before Tendi returned to Orion.

The barrage of raindrops splashed onto the compact sand, leaving marks in the castle’s walls much like cannon fire would. It was not logical to assign sentimental value to their efforts, yet it was unpleasant to witness one of the walls fall. She knelt down beside it, uncaring about the sand since it was a dream, and wondered if she could change the weather if she concentrated.

Within a few moments, the rain stopped and she felt illogically proud of herself. Then she heard the footfalls behind her.

“T’Lyn?” Tendi’s voice echoed with a genuine note of surprise. The sun followed her.

“D’Vana.” T’Lyn stood to greet her mind’s replication of her mate, who was dressed in an outfit similar to the one T’Lyn had seen in her portrait on Orion. Odd. She would’ve expected her in her Starfleet uniform.

Still, even if she was only a creatively made dream entity, it was pleasing to see her.

Tendi looked around confused, “What’s going on? Where are we?”

“The beach.” T’Lyn supplied flatly which made her mate laugh.

“You’re so unhelpful sometimes!” Tendi smiled and reached out to touch her face.

And she could feel her.

This was Tendi here with her in the dream.

“I had read about this phenomenon.” T’Lyn rested their foreheads together and she felt her wonder and the heat of her body against hers. “I believe this is a shared dream.”

Tendi gasped, “That’s so cool!” She briefly broke away but only to throw her arms around her. T’Lyn closed her eyes to savor the contact. “I’ve missed you!”

“The sentiment is mutual.” She held her and suppressed a smile at the way Tendi swayed them in her excessive joy.

Time in a dream felt meaningless, especially now as they relished the other’s presence, but Tendi was eventually satiated. She did pull back but she kept a hold on her arms to keep her close. “So why do you think we haven’t had one of these before?”

There were so many factors to consider, she blurted out the one that first occurred to her. “Perhaps proximity? We are in Vulcan space.” To repair another interdimensional fissure, which were occurring with statistically abnormal regularity.

“Oh! Maybe we have to be asleep at the same time too… I’m napping before going out on another one of D’Erika’s missions.” She stroked her cheek, “Did you need to take a sedative?”

“It was a mild one.” T’Lyn touched the back of her hand when Tendi frowned. She recalled how the Orion had proposed dissolving their bond during their last discussion and she didn’t desire to hear the suggestion again. She explained, “I have been attempting to sleep every night as it does help in mitigating the strain. I was less successful tonight and required assistance.”

Tendi’s concern remained but she no longer looked unhappy. “I’m glad you’re trying to rest.”

“And your missions?” She wanted to ask for an estimate for when she could return but she knew Tendi was at the mercy of her sister’s whims until the debt was repaid.

The Orion winced, “I’m going undercover to steal a ship full of lust idols tonight. It’s so dumb! And I’ve been at this for months! I’m really hoping I can come back soon.”

T’Lyn nodded but the lack of certainty wasn’t ideal. “Indeed.”

“Hey,” Tendi said in her tone of voice she used when she had an idea. “Maybe we should just enjoy this time together?” Her hands trailed down her bare arms to hold her hands.

Her love and her smile were blinding.

“That is logical.”

Tendi kissed her jaw and then pulled away to grab the pail that appeared next to the sandcastle. “Come on, we can walk along the water!”

“Very well.”

The Orion practically skipped towards the shore in her excitement but T’Lyn reached out to hold her hand before she could get too far ahead. She wanted to touch her for as long as she was able.

Tendi slowed and, after shooting her a grin, laced their fingers together.

Ignoring the strain of the fresh bond and hoping to distract herself as well as Rutherford, T’Lyn had stripped and cleaned each panel of the Sequoia. All except one.

Illogically, she was conflicted in regards to the sentimental addition of the crude yet accurately drawn figures of her friends. Although it was probable the rendition was meant to represent only the beta shift, her omission was questionable. She had joined in on their camaraderie nearly a year ago and logically, the picture should be updated to reflect it.

Her one hesitation was Tendi’s purposeful exclusion after all this time. Was there a reason she’d not included her yet? Was the detail so background, she didn’t notice anymore? Or was it due to the fact this was her project with Rutherford? But she’d asked for her assistance on the repairs more than once…

She couldn’t understand.

“T’Lyn?” Goodgey questioned as they moved to hover beside her. Their big eyes widened more when they saw what she was looking at. “Oh, you’re sad.”

“Vulcans do not feel sad.”

Goodgey clasped their hands together and was borderline condescending as they cooed, “Aww, you want to be included. You should add yourself!”

The program’s cheerful attitude was similar to Tendi’s, which was why she chose to ‘hang out’ with Goodgey more regularly. They eased the burden of her absence.

But T’Lyn was struck by a deep longing for her jovial presence. It was an inappropriate emotional reaction yet it was like she had lost her ballast. And the loneliness that followed that thought was distinctly unpleasant compared to the mental distress that had plagued her since Tendi’s departure.

She suppressed the mounting feelings to focus on the task at hand. She agreed with their suggestion. “I suppose I should.”

She copied the Orion’s distinctive style faultlessly, placing herself nearest Tendi. It was logical.

Chapter Text

From the transporter room Tendi practically skipped down to the shuttle bay, eager for some normalcy like working on the Sequoia with Rutherford. She also imagined all their friends would be there since that’s where they liked to hang out when the ship was cruising at impulse. She couldn’t wait to see everyone! Her heart beat a little faster at the thought of seeing T’Lyn, even if their reunion would be superficial in public. She wanted to hug her so bad…

Rutherford followed behind her, stumbling over his words in a way she couldn’t focus on over the excitement of being back on the Cerritos! This was all she’d dreamed of for months on Orion.

The lingering smell of burnt plasma, the feel of the carpet under her boots, but her favorite thing was knowing she could be herself again. There was no constant pressure to be the Mistress to appease her family and command her crew… Though she was still dressed in her pirate garb! She could change into her uniform as soon as she was reassigned quarters!

From the hallway she could hear the loud clanging of metal on metal and when the doors to the shuttle bay whooshed open, she never expected in a million years to see T’Lyn and Goodgey purposefully dismantling and destroying the Sequoia. Had they been hanging out?

“Woah, what the heck happened here?” Tendi knew her girlfriend wouldn’t do something without a logical reason.

“T’Lyn!” Rutherford cried dramatically, “You destroyed the entire shuttle!”

“Oh, no. Whatever shall we do?” Her flat tone conveyed zero concern for the consequences of her actions and it nearly made her laugh.

But whatever T’Lyn’s objective was, it did provide them with a great opportunity. She’d always felt a little guilty to include anyone in on the project she started with Rutherford but this was an awesome way to reset their progress. “Hey, now we can rebuild the whole thing together!”

“Aww… You destroyed the shuttle.”

T’Lyn stood, eyes focused solely on her, and let the piece of the hydraulics she was breaking fall to the floor. Tendi had missed her so much, but she had to look away from her gaze because otherwise she would totally throw herself at her. They had to be professional. Discreet.

She tore her attention away from her girlfriend to admire their next fun project. The Vulcan’s obsession with aesthetics meant the shuttle, though demolished, was spotless. The teeth they’d drawn on the vehicle were pristine white and the name was perfectly legible in bold Starfleet regulation font and-

She hadn’t erased Tendi’s drawing of the beta shift! Rather, she’d drawn a stick-figure T’Lyn in Tendi’s style and placed them together. It made her heart swell.

“Aww, T’Lyn! You added yourself!” Professionalism be damned. She pulled her into a bone-crushing hug that she knew she couldn’t return because of her detached Vulcan image. Through their link, she could feel her embarrassment before it was suppressed and it made her smile wider. She told her, “I was going to redraw the group when I cleaned the panel but you beat me to it!”

“Your delay implied your need for assistance.”

Oh… She was upset about it. It made sense, T’Lyn had been on the Cerritos almost a year.

Tendi bumped their hips together and whispered in her ear, “I wanted to draw us holding hands.” She hoped she understood that she didn’t exclude her on purpose. She was going to add her but maybe it was dumb to wait… But then T’Lyn gently knock their heads together and it felt like forgiveness. She stepped back with a giggle and put a hand on Rutherford’s shoulder. “It looks so good, right Rutherford?”

“Yeah!”

Then Boimler, not cleanly shaven, and Mariner entered the shuttle bay.

Mariner picked her up in a spinning hug and gosh, she’d missed them all… She suggested, arm still around Tendi’s shoulders, “Why don’t we take this to the bar? We’ve got a lot to catch you up on!”

“Yes!” Tendi agreed but then Rutherford rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Hey, could you guys go on ahead? I wanna talk to Tendi.”

“We’ll save you some drinks!”

As much as she loved her best friend, she wondered why he wanted this little aside.

“What’s up, Rutherford?” Tendi asked as they sat against the shuttle with all the broken parts littered around them. She’d have to ask T’Lyn about why she’d made such a mess but it was neat they could completely rebuild it!

Rutherford sat with his side pressed against hers, his other leg bent up so he could rest his forearm on it. “It’s good to have you back, Tendi.”

“Aww, thanks! I missed everyone too! And the Cerritos!” She gave the cold metal flooring a loving pat. “My ships on Orion didn’t have nearly as much to fix! It was so boring.”

“That’s actually sorta what’s been bothering me lately. Me and the Cerritos are going through a rough patch.”

Tendi turned her head to look at him, “What do you mean?”

He sighed and tapped on his implant. “I can’t get this thing to connect to her now for some reason! I’ve been trying for the last few days but it’s like these problems came out of nowhere!”

That was weird but maybe it was like when Boimler came back from the Titan and his access was being denied even though he was in the system. “Were they security updates?”

“Kinda sounds like it right? But the systems shouldn’t block me out! So I’ve been thinking…" He exhaled a deep breath and said, "I wanna get rid of my implant!”

“Oh wow! Really?” She was thrown by his announcement; he might’ve complained about it every now and then but he’d never mentioned getting rid of it before. “I thought you loved your oculus!”

“I know I kept it even though it almost killed me a few times... It's usually awesome for Engineering and it used to make everything super convenient, but it’s useless now!” He started to get heated: he raised his voice and gestured with sharp movements. “Without being able to connect to the Cerritos, I can’t open the stupid doors 2 seconds before I need to walk through one!”

Was that why he was messing with the transporter door when she first arrived? “Well-“

“And god! I need to know her engine efficiency in real time! You don’t understand how frustrating it is.”

“Rutherford… You know you won’t have access to that without the oculus either…”

His eyes widened, even his cute digital eye. “Oh right… I’ll just have to know it.” Then he brightly laughed, “Haha, well since it doesn’t work anyway, it seems easier to get rid of it!”

“Um. Well okay, Rutherford! I’ve never really known you to give up but I support you if this is what you want!”

“Thanks, Tendi!” He looked all around the shuttle bay, probably noticing 17 things he could repair, and he smiled. “The oculus is too advanced for the old gal and I don’t want to fall out of love with the Cerritos.”

She wondered why he was trying to bend the ship, with all her beautiful aged operating systems, to his oculus rather than the other way around but it wasn’t important. All that mattered was what he wanted to do. “I’m sure it’ll be a fun change! Oo! I wonder what you’ll look like without the implant!”

She turned to sit crossed-legged at his side so she could cup his metal Vulcan ear. It was hard to imagine him with a normal ear on her favorite side of his face… She followed the outline of the oculus up to his hairline. “Are you going to change your hair?”

“Maybe! We’ll see once Dr. T helps un-borgify me. I can’t wait to be fully organic!”

They laughed and then a comfortable beat of silence passed. It seemed like Rutherford was finished telling her his news so she asked, “Are you ready to go meet the others at the bar?”

Gosh, she couldn’t wait to try not to stare at T’Lyn’s lovely face…

“Yeah! We’ve gotta tell you everything you missed!”

“Yes please!” She stood and held out her hand to help him up.

His big hand clasped over hers and he hopped up with a “Hup!” Then he tugged her forward, not letting go of her yet. “Come on!”

She let him have this for now since he had missed her a ton but when they neared the bar, she’d have to break away. She knew what hand holding meant to T’Lyn and she never want her to feel hurt- it was why she didn’t do it with her friends anymore! She’d even sworn off high-fives!

She didn’t miss it because she gave out more hugs to compensate. Like now, when she slipped her hand out of his, she covered the movement with an arm around his soft midsection. He wrapped her into a hug and rested his cheek on the top of her head. They shared a grin, parting to join their friends in a celebration of her return.

It was fortunate they'd yet to leave Orion space before Boimler mentioned the ‘treasure trash’ from Targalus IX. Tendi leapt up with a brilliant idea to assist her family from the financial ruin she’d apparently caused.

“I’ve gotta go talk to the Captain!”

T’Lyn made her leave as well. “I must return to my quarters, enjoy your evening.”

“Bye dude!”

“See you later!” Tendi smiled at her and her longing to be together pulsed in her mind through their bond. T’Lyn nodded, departing to meditate until Tendi sought her out.

There would be ample time for their reunion.

For the first time in months, T’Lyn meditated completely at ease. There were no ancient drives gnawing at her will. Demanding illogical actions, causing her to need to suppress illogical thoughts and feelings.

T’Lyn basked in the peace and the security.

After supervising D’Erika and the ‘disposal’ of the treasure trash, Tendi chimed Ransom’s office. He called out, “Yo, yo.”

She entered the cinnamon scented room, mind abuzz at the thought of Churrolivia lurking somewhere, but she smiled innocently at her Commander. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Welcome back to the Cerritos.” He gave her a fist bump, which she returned it. “Let’s get you set up in the system.”

They went through the usual round of disclosures and signing paperwork to reinstate her commission. She was getting antsy to be reunited with T’Lyn and this was taking longer than necessary… Made worse when he put down his padd for his ‘reps break'. Tendi did her best to remain calm but her hands were pale green on her lap from the sheer force of pushing down on her legs to keep them from bouncing anxiously.

T’Lyn was waiting.

“Um, sir. Was there anything else?” She asked, knowing they weren’t even close to being done with the process.

He did one more one-handed pullup and then dismounted. “Sorry, Lt. You know how it is, needed some reps to refocus.” He flexed his muscles for his own benefit.

“Of course, sir.” The heel of her foot threatened to lift but she planted it firmly.

He continued through the procedurals and warned her about the physical she’d have to complete tomorrow. Then he handed her a combadge, which she readily affixed to her uniform.

“Alright, if you’ve got any security clearance issues, talk to Billups.”

“Yes sir!”

He scrolled on the padd and frowned, “Sorry, Lt. Looks like there was a miscommunication, your quarters were reallocated.”

“Oh!” Well, she always knew that would be a possibility. Her quarters were nice but she wasn’t attached to the room. “That’s okay, Commander. I’m not picky!”

“The problem’s that we promoted a few people while you were gone.”

“Yeah! I heard about Livik’s promotion.” Rutherford, although always a little spirited and competitive in Engineering matters, had seemed so proud of him when he shared that news earlier.

“Haubold too.”

“Aww! Good for her!”

“And demoted some…”

Tendi winced, she’d also heard about Lt. Rose’s fall from grace. But she was one of the ones she’d had to chase down for a physical last year so it wasn’t too surprising she was demoted for being insubordinate.

“Anyway, if you don’t want a bunk…” He scrolled through his padd and sucked on his teeth as he searched through the options, “Hmm. Oh, here we go. It’s a little smaller than your old quarters but we can give you one of the Ensign rooms Starfleet is obligated to reserve for certain species. I doubt we’re gonna get an Elaysian transfer but if we do, we’ll need the room back obviously.”

“Of course, Commander!”

“Awesome. I’ll help you set up, the artificial gravity in the room can be… sticky.”

T’Lyn snapped out of her meditation when she heard footsteps approaching her door. She stood as it opened with a whoosh to reveal her lovely, excitable mate. Her green skin looked so attractive against the deep blue of her uniform and the familiarity was a relief.

Simply seeing her once again set off a chain reaction inside of T’Lyn. Her pulse quickened, her hands fell to her sides in anticipation of touching her, and her katra glowed to be near her. The surge of emotions was objectively illogical however there was a given grace for mates- it was now obvious why. Even Surak himself wouldn’t have been able to suppress the pure satisfaction she felt at their reunion.

Tendi beamed and ran at her and tackled her into a hug. Once wrapped tightly in her arms, T’Lyn allowed herself to return the embrace, mimicking the pressure around her. She rested her face into her neck to breathe in her chlorophyllous scent.

Three months and ten days. That was how long they’d been apart, yet the mental stress from that time period melted away. In their proximity, she could easily dip into their bond and surround herself with her powerful, unconstrained emotions. It was ecstasy and she closed her eyes to savor the rush.

“T’Lyn! I’ve been dreaming about this.” Tendi released a relieved laugh and then nuzzled into her.

To have her mate, her best friend, her science bestie in her arms again meant the illogical loneliness wouldn’t plague her anymore. They once again could enjoy each other’s company and converse freely… She told her, “Your presence is a comfort.”

It was untraditional. Their first words to each other after a separation were expected to be different, yet the exchange could wait until she had properly reconnected with her emotional mate.

T’Lyn let her gently sway them, not understanding the impulse but willing to cater to it. When they separated, there was wetness in her green eyes. She was reminded of their reunion facilitated by the Mark Twain holodeck program, excluding, of course, the ridiculous mustache and outfit. She was gratified she wasn’t actually shedding tears, however it was still remarkable to witness an illogical, emotional display of how much T’Lyn meant to her.

Tendi swiped at the corners of her eyes and laughed, embarrassed by her reaction. But T’Lyn held out her hands, which she cheerfully accepted. “Do you recall my offer to teach you a Vulcan phrase?”

The Orion bounced on her heels, “Yes!”

She shook her head fondly at her overjoyed state but Tendi calmed when their eyes locked. “In this instance of our separation, you would state: parted from me, and never parted. Never and always touching and touched. We meet at the appointed place.”

Tendi repeated the phrase, smiling gently yet her eyes were alight with limitless happiness. Then she added, “That’s really sweet.”

“It is protocol.” She corrected but shrugged a shoulder up, an illogical yet succinct gesture she now utilized, to convey it didn’t matter; they deviated from traditions as necessary. She curled her fingers into Tendi’s palms knowing she enjoyed the feeling and returned the phrase, “D’Vana… Parted from me, and never parted. Never and always touching and touched. We meet at the appointed place. I await you.”

T’Lyn then clarified, “That is typically shared prior to a reconnection however I do not believe the delay detracted from the effect.”

“I don’t think so either, that was so cute.” Tendi wrapped her arms around her to bring her into a kiss. Her heart leapt at the familiar sensation.

It started slow, they had to relearn their rhythm and T’Lyn wasn’t certain what intensity she was aiming for. It was soon obvious in the way her soft lips moved urgently that Tendi craved a physical reconnection too.

She understood and shared the sentiment. During their time apart, she’d missed their near nightly bliss and her body had protested the sudden withdrawal of affection. It was illogical but it'd been a challenging and unsatisfying few months.

It was most likely why her biological responses were heightened when Tendi’s fingers curled through her hair and she pressed their bodies together. The heat between them was enticing. Tendi breathed a low, “I love you,” sending pleasurable shivers through her, before diving into a searing kiss.

T’Lyn’s hands burrowed under her jacket and she untucked her tank top. At the first touch of her palms on the bare skin of her hips, a fire spread through her body. Their lips clashed and chased with desire, letting their passion ebb and flow between them. She reveled in Tendi’s breathless pants and the way she enthusiastically dove in for more despite her need for oxygen.

Still, she didn’t need to pass out. T’Lyn broke away but ducked down to kiss the side of her throat where her pulse pounded. The gentle rake of her teeth over the sensitive flesh drove her wild. Tendi’s dull fingertips scraped her skull before she tugged deliciously at her hair. “T’Lyn.” She sighed her name, needy but contented.

T’Lyn’s desire for Tendi was unquantifiable.

She walked her backwards towards the bed and between kicking off their boots and shedding their jackets, they attempted not to part more than necessary.

Tendi laid down and T’Lyn crawled atop her. She hardly had time to brace herself over her before she was brought into another kiss. She was urged closer and it was difficult to think about anything but the way Tendi’s legs spread to make room for her.

The Orion parted only enough to quietly moan, “I missed you.”

T’Lyn nodded in agreement because it would be futile to try to ascribe words to how her absence had affected her and how relieved she was that they were together again.

“Did you miss me?” Tendi prompted, kissing her pleadingly.

The question conveyed her want for additional emotional intimacy to complement their physical frenzy.

T’Lyn could provide that and knew exactly how to facilitate it.

Despite the cultural acceptance of mated Vulcans mind melding without verbal consent, she pressed their foreheads together to pause their heated kiss. She soothed Tendi’s raging emotions and pulled back to place two fingers at her temple and her thumb on her cheek, “Do you desire a demonstration?”

The green of Tendi’s irises were swallowed by her dilated pupils. “Yes please.”

T’Lyn softly said, “My mind to your mind, your thoughts to my thoughts.”

Then they were lost in each other.

While preparing for their mission on the Cosmic Duchess, Tendi and T’Lyn were retrieving their Science bags from the lab when her padd rang. She gave the Vulcan a confused look and answered, “Boimler?”

“Oh thank god you picked up.” The purple-haired man was frazzled and hunched over behind a panel somewhere.

“I thought you were with Ransom? What're you doing in a Jefferies tube?”

He clutched the front of his red uniform jacket. “I’m freaking out. I told Ransom I had to pee.”

“That is not the intended purpose of the tubes.”

Tendi snorted and knocked their shoulders together, “Why're you freaking out?”

“The padd said I needed to totally kick [ass] on this mission but Ransom wants me to be his coalmine canary!” Then at their blatant confusion, he groaned, “He’s gonna throw me in dangerous situations while we do this undercover thing so he can stay safe. Ransom did the same exact thing to Jet before this and he got his hot, hunky hands eaten!”

“What perils could you face at a resort?” T’Lyn questioned, logical and only a little condescending.

Boimler opened his mouth and then paused as he thought about it. “Huh. Uh, let's see: I could get a really bad sunburn or offend some aliens or fall off a mountain…”

Tendi refocused him, “Remember how you let Kranch hunt you? You knew it was dangerous but you were so brave about it!” She lied, remembering how he was crying and freaking out and begging for her help to call off the hunt. But he needed to believe in himself and usually stoking his ego worked. “This is nothing but a vacation with a tiny bit of spy stuff!”

“You’re right! Ransom needs me to be bold.” He deepened his voice and his shoulder squared back.

Tendi loved hyping him up and she pumped a fist in the air. “Yes! That’s the spirit!”

He moved the padd closer to his face and looked past her to T’Lyn, “So is this doing it for you or-“

His confidence went too far. He tried to flirt with anyone, probably hoping that it’d work on someone, and it was harmless but she knew T’Lyn had shut him down multiple times. It was her turn now.

“Boimler!” Tendi growled, “Ransom!”

“Nope! Yep! You’re right! Okay, bye ladies!” He winked at them then grimaced. “God, sorry. I’m hanging up.” And he did.

T’Lyn briefly pressed their shoulders together when she said, “It is strange. Mr. Boimler is equal measures arrogant and insecure which only results in an unparalleled ineptness.”

Tendi put the padd away in her bag with a quiet chuckle. “I’m practicing my pep-talks for when he’s my Number One.”

“You were most efficacious.” T’Lyn helped her shrug on her Science bag and the doting affection combined with the compliment made her feel giddy.

“At least his wink didn’t look like a seizure that time!”

“He is improving.” Then her eyes narrowed, “Though he must adjust his tone from ‘flirty.’”

It was so funny how the Vulcan acted like she barely tolerated the man. “Or else?”

T’Lyn nodded, deadly serious, and Tendi fell into her laughing.

The nanite relocation was Rutherford’s first away mission without his implant and Tendi wished he would act normally around her.

He’d taken out the oculus yesterday and had been a nervous wreck to even sit next to her. T’Lyn, blunt as ever, had acknowledged and questioned his apparent romantic or sexual attraction towards her. And while she loved her mate desperately, she didn’t appreciate the added awkwardness of everyone knowing he was turned-on by her or whatever.

Today she tried to ignore how weird he was being because maybe if she pretended everything was okay, he’d follow her lead. So far it wasn’t working. He’d been sweating excessively the entire time and tense whenever she so much as stood next to him.

Even Glumpus wasn’t able to distract him.

Biologically, she could understand the physiological and psychological effects of attraction. It was natural. But she would love it if he could also remain professional.

They were currently searching the orchestra section of the auditorium for the partially charged-up nanite cluster. They’d gone up and down three rows with no luck.

When she turned around, intending to ask Rutherford if his tricorder had located anything, his face was bright red. His eyes were decidedly not on the device until he was caught and then his gaze snapped down.

Tendi had years of practice in downplaying and ignoring how people treated her differently, she was just sad she had to do so with her best friend... She asked, “Have you found anything, Rutherford?”

He repeatedly pat his hand against the side of his thigh but forced a big smile. He looked everywhere except at her. And didn’t answer her.

“Rutherford?”

“Nope!” He finally responded, addressing the far wall. “Not a thing!”

“Is everything alright, Rutherford?”

“Yep! All okey dokey!” He gave a strained, loud laugh and then when she put a hand on his arm, his attention flicked to the touch and his eyes widened and he whimpered.

She pulled her hand away, freaked out by the noise. Was he that bothered by her? Ugh. “Um, okay.” Since he was acting weird and couldn’t concentrate, she said, “Hey, why don’t you go look on that side of the orchestra.”

“Sounds good!” He all but ran away.

Was he this bad around Barnes and Livik? The people he loved and was in an actual relationship with?

Tendi grumbled under her breath about his behavior and continued looking for the nanites. She gravitated towards her girlfriend, also needing to check if her readings were increasing as they neared the stage.

“Hey, T’Lyn.” She sighed, tired from all the drama but always happy to see her. The Vulcan was her anchor in all the whirlwind changes she hadn’t expected when she returned: Boimler and his obsession with that alternate dimension padd, Rutherford without his implant, and Mariner backtracking on her progress thanks to Jennifer.

T’Lyn quirked an eyebrow. “Did something occur between you and Mr. Rutherford?”

“It’s so awkward between us now. He’s… flustered all the time! When I talk to him, it’s like he can’t even look me in the eyes!”

“It will take time for him to adjust to full dopamine absorption.” She explained like Tendi didn’t already know. Hushed, she added, “I cannot fault him for finding you attractive.”

It was sweet, and honestly impressive, that T’Lyn was giving them space to work it out without getting jealous or overprotective. But part of her wished she could tell Rutherford about them so he’d see that she wasn’t an ‘option'.

Feeling no better than a sequence in the replicator database, she huffed, “Well he needs to get over it.”

T’Lyn tilted her head at her critical remark.

“Sorry, it’s just that him and Boimler are driving me crazy.”

Then above them in the balcony, Jennifer and Mariner’s voices rose- each yelling sarcastic terms of endearment at the other.

“Do you wish to add Mariner to your list?” T’Lyn flatly joked.

“Gosh, her and Jennifer.” Tendi swept a stressed hand through her hair. She didn’t understand why Jennifer was [fuck]ing with Mariner but she couldn't understand why Mariner was going along with it instead of calling her out. What did they think this would accomplish? “I don’t know what the hell is going on there.”

“A lack of communication.”

They took to the stage to continue their search and Tendi shot her a smile. “I’m glad we can talk about anything.”

“Indeed, it is-“

T’Lyn stopped, attention focused on something behind her. Her dark eyes were wide with wonder.

“T’Lyn? What’s wrong?” She turned and noticed Krog’s vibetubes sitting on a stool.

“Apologies.” T’Lyn said with a dreamy quality to her cadence. “I am having difficulty maintaining my focus in anticipation for Krog’s propinquity."

Tendi thought it was adorable to see her excited to the point of distraction over her favorite musician. As soon as she was about to suggest they attend his concert, the nanite swarm crashed through the backstage and rolled towards them, intending on consuming them for energy.

Tendi supervised the cleanup of the nanite remains while Boimler, Rutherford, and Mariner escorted the Endeavor back onto the Cerritos. She purposefully had her back turned to T’Lyn so she would take her time talking with Krog on the Rocks. Of course, she was tempted to watch their interactions, she could only imagine how adorably proper she was being towards him, but she resisted.

Which left Tendi kind of wanting to help T’kon collect the remains of the nanite swarm just for something to do but it was important to let Ensigns do their job- so she smiled and exchanged the Science bag when he said the vacuum was full.

Then she saw T’kon nod at someone behind her and the woman she loved was walking over to join her. T’Lyn stood at her side with her hands behind her back in her usual stance but there was something off about her movements.

“Hey, T’Lyn! Cleanup is going well!”

She nodded but otherwise didn’t respond.

“I’m proud of how collected you were when we were stuck in the Glumpus! If you hadn’t noticed the signal and suggested disrupting it, the entire resort could’ve been destroyed!”

T’Lyn seemed unfocused. “Indeed…”

Now Tendi was struggling not to laugh at how dazed she was. She continued on, “And it was a good thing I found the source of the signal! Otherwise the Endeavor would’ve had to create another swarm.”

“It was fortunate.” T’Lyn agreed off-handedly, completely distracted. Could Vulcans be starstruck? Well, at least one could…

She grinned, happy that her mate was happy. She finally broached the topic that maybe she wanted to talk about, “I saw you talking with Krog...”

“He is ‘chill'.” T’Lyn responded with a hint of enthusiasm. “I was unaware that he studies Vulcan logic.”

She imagined she admired him even more now. “Aww! That’s neat!”

“He has given us ‘VIP’ seats.” T’Lyn met her eyes and there was a rare excitement sparked there. She asked, “Do you wish to attend his concert?”

“Absolutely!” Tendi gasped and grabbed her arm, “That’s going to be so fun!”

T’Lyn discreetly shifted her weight in her direction and Tendi wanted to tap into their bond to feel what she was feeling. But instead she gave her arm a parting pat before she released her and dreamed up all kind of scenarios for the concert. Would he let T’Lyn go on stage and play the vibetubes again? Actually, would he move his concert to the beach since the auditorium was destroyed? Would he take requests? No matter what, T’Lyn was sure to enjoy the experience.

But then Tendi wondered, since they saved his life, if he’d be willing to give her an autograph… T’Lyn would never request a piece of memorabilia but Tendi knew she’d love it! She’d have to ask him tonight!

T’Lyn sat on the floor of her quarters with her back resting against her bed. She had been attempting to read an adventure series recommended by Boimler yet the number of references to Earth’s ancient pop culture meant she needed to learn more about the particular time period it took place in. So she’d pulled up a historical study and it was fascinating.

Though not as fascinating as Tendi facilitating ‘play time’ between Goopy and Taluhk. The Orion was currently using her body to separate the two given it was not going as she had predicted. “Goopy, you’re scaring him!”

The blue ‘creature’ hopped over Tendi’s legs and Tendi reprimanded them to no avail. “Goopy! That’s not your side!”

Taluhk waddled away from the gelatinous being and Goopy chased him. “No, come on guys! Play nice.”

T’Lyn could sense the tribble was disturbed by Goopy and she intervened. “I do not believe they can be diplomatic with each other.”

“Yeah.” She sighed sadly, “Aw, maybe they still need to get used to each other.”

One corner of T’Lyn’s lips twitch up as Taluhk scurried over to hop up into her lap. She attempted to calm him with Logic, “They cannot harm you, Taluhk.”

Tendi picked up Goopy to put back in their beaker. “You’re in time out but I still love you.” She told them and then placed them back on T’Lyn’s bookcase shelf where Tendi’s things, she’d yet to retrieve, sat. Which was odd. She had returned to the Cerritos over a week ago and the Vulcan didn’t mind, it was merely against her expectations.

“Curious. D’Vana, why have you not reclaimed ‘Goopy’ and your sentimental items for your quarters?”

“Oh, my room’s artificial gravity is programed for low-gravity species and sometimes it randomly resets. I didn’t want to scare them.”

T’Lyn frowned, why hadn’t she mentioned this previously? “That does not seem suitable for your comfort.” It did explain the marked increase in taking her rests in T’Lyn’s quarters; she had assumed it was ‘making up for lost time.’ Perhaps it was both.

“Hey, maybe you could take a look at it! I tried to get Rutherford to,” she crossed her arms over her chest and smiled yet the supposed happiness didn’t reach her eyes. “But he got really annoyed when he hit his head on the ceiling…” Her gaze fell to the floor and T’Lyn was troubled by Tendi’s guilty look. “Maybe I shouldn’t have laughed but it was kind of funny and we used to laugh about that kind of stuff…”

She had noticed his cheerful personality was not as evident anymore. His enthusiasm remained regarding some subjects and his recent Engineering solutions were creative, although sometimes recklessly against regulations, but she had noticed he was quicker to anger. Had he become irate at Tendi for simply laughing?

Alarming.

“But anyway, he didn’t fix it! So I’d love it if you could try!” She smiled, genuine, before she traversed the room and sat next to her to pet Taluhk, who lay purring on T’Lyn’s thigh.

“I will.”

Tendi leaned over to kiss her jaw. “Thank you.”

After they had given Taluhk his evening meal pellets, they secured him in his habitat and made their way to investigate the malfunction with the artificial gravity.

When they entered her quarters, T’Lyn was surprised at the barren state. The layout was typical yet it was condensed and lacked any nonessential furniture. Tendi barely had a bed, it looked hardly bigger than a cot, and a wardrobe. No decorations adorned the walls and nothing was displayed on the top of the wardrobe; it was unlike her usual sentimental style.

Illogically, she chided herself for not visiting Tendi’s quarters before now though there had been no need. Tendi rested in their bed and spent her time in other areas of the ship- it was reasonable considering the chaotic conditions.

“I was unaware your quarters were austere.”

“Yeah,” Tendi laughed humorlessly. “It’s a little small and there’s not a lot of furniture and I can’t have anything out because of the gravity thing so hopefully you can help!”

Their shoulders pressed together as Tendi accessed the panel by the door. “First, I checked the corbopple levels in the artificial gravity matrix but they’re within range... Then I tried to adjust the coding but there’s always this hiccup at the most random-“

The gravity around them disappeared and Tendi gave a startled yelp as they floated up. They clung to each other and that movement sent them spinning dizzily until Tendi’s back hit the ceiling.

“Imagine that happening while we’re having sex.” Tendi gave another forced laugh and she let go of her forearms but requested, “Hang onto me.”

T’Lyn’s loosely held her sides while Tendi raised her arms up. She ‘walked’ on the ceiling with her hands over to where her bed was. Then she guided them horizontally and with her arms outstretched, she carefully released the wall so they could float above the mattress.

Her arms wrapped around T’Lyn once more. “There! So we don’t fall and hurt ourselves!” She rubbed the back of her head, “It’s happened to me a few times.”

It was clear she was well versed in navigating her room in the lower gravity. She wondered how many times this had happened since her return. Considering these were undesirable living arrangements, “Why have you not requested different quarters?”

Tendi looked away, uncomfortable. “The Cerritos doesn’t have a lot of spare quarters,” which explained why the majority of the crew slept in the hallways of the lower decks. “So it was this or my old bunk or I room with someone… I guess since no matter what I chose, we couldn’t really spend time together, I stayed in here.” She gave her a lopsided grin as her optimism shined through, “Plus, sometimes the low gravity is kind of fun.”

Her assessment of her options was incorrect though. “Curious. Would it not be logical for us to consider cohabitation?”

She lit up at the suggestion but admitted, “I was worried it’d look suspicious.”

“I believe this is a sufficiently reasonable explanation.” Rutherford would be able to corroborate the undesirable conditions, which could prevent rumors from spreading.

“That’s true… But what about having your personal time?”

There would be plenty of opportunities for either of them to experience seclusion given their extensive list of hobbies and friends to spend time with. Neither would always be sequestered in the quarters so it seemed like an illogical apprehension.

“I can request the room or seek out solitude in another area of the ship. Recently, you are in my quarters more often than your own.” Then she shrugged a shoulder up, “For obvious reasons. It will not be a significant modification.”

“Moving in is different though.” She pressed their foreheads together for a moment and despite voicing her reluctance, she only felt her blazing love through the connection.

T’Lyn pointed out, “We had planned to do so if we had won the dancing competition.”

“But that would’ve been a suite!”

Did she not want to live together? T’Lyn was confused but said, “I will allow you time to deliberate the choice.”

“No, I want to move in! As long as you’re sure.”

How many times had she told her she was always certain of what she said? Twelve at her count. She repressed a sigh but her momentary exasperation must’ve been tangible because Tendi winced. “Sorry, I know you mean it but...”

T’Lyn interrupted the way she dragged out the conjunction, wanting to understand. “What is your concern?”

She held her tightly. “That you’ll-“ her gaze flicked away, saddened at whatever hypothetical she was imagining. “That you’ll walk into your quarters one day and wish you had it to yourself again… At least with the suite you would’ve had your own room if you needed it!”

Tendi’s doubts about her were illogical. “We are mates. Why would I resent your presence?” Their personal items were already integrated and their routines were established for maximum comfort and efficiency. Lately, they did practically live together and it was more than satisfactory. It was preferred.

“Sharing a space is hard.” The Orion’s claim seemed an exaggeration, at least in terms of their relationship. Statistically, there would be more opportunities for disagreements yet one must also factor in their history, their willingness to compromise, and their devotion to each other. “And not having your own quarters might be an adjustment.”

Ah. Her statement was a generalization rather than an opinion of their ability to live together. Tendi assumed she was unfamiliar with long-term cohabitation so she told her, “On the Sh’vhal I was assigned quarters with two others.”

“I don’t think I knew that.”

“I had no reason to inform you of it.” The Orion already seemed more encouraged and T’Lyn had yet to rectify her other belief. Logically, she needed to challenge Tendi’s assumptions of her through perspective. “However to address your other concern… Do you anticipate that you will hold such sentiments?”

“What?” T’Lyn waited for her to realize what she was referring to. “Oh, about wanting my own space?”

“Yes.”

“No, of course-“

The gravity reversed and they went falling down. On reflex, Tendi moved to cradle T’Lyn’s head to her chest while positioning to straddle her hips before they landed with a bounce onto the bed.

There was a quiet beat as they got their bearings, then they asked at the same time:

“Are you okay?”

“Are you injured?”

Tendi laughed as she pulled back to look down at her and T’Lyn smirked. “I am well.”

“I’m okay too.” Then she pressed two fingers to T’Lyn’s jaw and kissed her. It was preface to her response, “I love walking into a room and seeing you there. You’re my favorite person.”

“It is illogical to assume my opinion of you is dissimilar...”

“Yeah?” She was gleeful, forever excited to hear how T’Lyn was equally, if not more, dedicated to her.

Still, it was apparent in her actions even if she wasn’t verbal about it. Not to mention their bond was an excellent source of proof if she wanted to feel how much T’Lyn cared for her. She advised, “Perhaps you should be more observant.”

Tendi scoffed playfully but her green eyes were bright with love. “T’Lyn…” She leaned close and their eyes fell closed as she pressed kisses from her cheek over to the corner of her mouth and said with barely concealed amusement, “You are so…”

“Correct regarding my suggestion.” She finished, taking advantage of her pause. Then T’Lyn cupped her jaw and smoothly guided her into a kiss, barely repressing a smile against her lips as she was enveloped by Tendi’s affection and delight.

Even when struggling not to laugh, the Orion tried to maintain her seductive behavior, “I was going to say irresistible.”

“I will accept either.” She felt proud of herself when Tendi cracked and snorted into her neck. T’Lyn was smug as she enjoyed the way her body shook above hers and waited for her to regain composure. But she looked up at the ceiling panel that had more than a few bumps in it and refocused on the matter of her living arrangements. “Do you wish for me to look over the gravity controls?”

“No,” Tendi positively beamed when she sat up. Her palms flattened against T’Lyn’s midsection and she drummed out a rhythm with her fingers, “Let’s go talk to Ransom about cohabitating.”

She was pleased with her decision. “Very well.”

Tendi entered their quarters and she was sure she’d never get over it.

They’d gotten an upgrade since they were cohabitating: it was roomy enough for two desks and a couch! They had a regular sized bed and one wall in the alcove next to the bathroom, sadly no tub, was converted into a bunk. And like they’d previously dreamed up, they let Goopy use it rather than always living in the beaker, after they’d created and generated a harmless forcefield. The extra space meant they could even design a bigger habitat for Taluhk!

Her interesting day was made better at seeing T’Lyn at her desk.

The Vulcan glanced over at her when the door opened but rather than greet her, she said, “Curious.” She swiveled her chair around to address her. “Why have you included neckwear to your uniform?”

Tendi flourished her hand in front of the red bowtie. “Does it look good?”

“If, perhaps, it was the only item of clothing you were wearing.”

“Ahh!” Tendi yelled happily before bursting into laughter. She threw herself into T’Lyn’s lap and luckily the back of the chair hitting the desk kept them from falling over. “Oh my gosh, you’re perfect.” She sobered and kissed up and down her jaw while T’Lyn feigned annoyance. “I loved that.”

“That is evident.” She held her tighter.

Tendi giggled and cupped her face and kissed her one more time. Then with a happy sigh she nestled her head into the crook of T’Lyn’s neck. “So you know how Rutherford and I were assigned to shadow Migleemo and the Captain about the visiting Ambassadors?”

“Yes, an unusual assignment for Sciences and Engineering Lts.”

“Well the critics were super funny because they were so overdramatic about everything but not in a good way! They were offended when Migleemo offered them replicated dishes.”

“Klowahkans have the most notorious palates.”

“They wanted us to cook their meal. And then we had to redo the sauce because Rutherford let it get too hot and they made a scene about that… But we wore a bowtie when we served their food to make it fancier for their standards.”

T’Lyn hummed in understanding, sensually trailing her hand up and down Tendi’s thigh, “Were the critics receptive to your culinary efforts?”

“No! They hated it!" She gushed, "But I did some research and they’d left negative reviews saying everything was bland for months. Captain Freeman came up with this sort of mean plan, but when we arrived on Klowahka we tricked them into admitted they’d lost their sense of taste!” She wasn’t sure about the ethics of everything but it had been pretty awesome to figure them out and keep Dr. Migleemo from going to jail.

“Fascinating… I merely maintained the science station on the bridge while suffering through Ransom’s exercise routine.”

“Wait, he was talking about it or actually working out?”

“Both.”

Tendi puffed out a laugh. “Aw, I’m sorry.” Then she thought of the best idea. She put a hand on T’Lyn’s chest when she pushed back to look at her. T’Lyn’s dark eyes studied her, probably trying to predict what she would say. Tendi doubted she expected her to suggest, “Can I make you feel better?” She winked and nodded towards the bed.

“You wish to have sex?”

She tried not to crack up at her direct, clarifying question to what she thought was a pretty obvious proposition. “Yes.” She stood and then offered her hands to assist her to her feet.

“I suppose.” T’Lyn acquiesced with overstated reluctance based on the way her want spiked through their connection. Before Tendi could feel too smug, she reminded her, “However our evening meal is soon.”

“Okay, go lay down.” When she went to move away, T’Lyn held on.

The Vulcan pulled her into a kiss and Tendi almost forgot what she was planning on doing as T’Lyn expertly captured all of her attention. It was so hard to think about anything other than their desire building between them with their fingers laced together. But she broke away and slipped her hands out of hers and held her hips.

Judging by her frown, T’Lyn was displeased at the departure from their usual routine and she practically huffed, “D’Vana, I do not understand your strategy for seduction.”

“T’Lyn.” Tendi laughed because she was so not working with her. At the Vulcan’s unimpressed look, she batted her eyes. “Please play along.”

T’Lyn exhaled quietly but agreed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She settled on the bed but raised up on her forearms to gaze at her expectantly. Oh, she was going to hate this next part.

“Okay, stay right there.” She put her hands up and retreated to the bathroom to strip out of her uniform.

She hadn’t even been in there for ten seconds before T’Lyn called out, “D’Vana… I do not wish to be teased before we socialize with our friends.”

Tendi chuckled at her no-nonsense attitude today. Ransom had exhausted her patience for the day. It was cute. And another reason to dote on her.

She stepped out of the bathroom in only the red bowtie and she bit back a giggle at how T’Lyn’s exasperation melted into lust. Her eyebrows unfurrowed to raise appreciatively and her eyes darted around her body. The chill of the room was no match for the heat she felt from her amorous gaze.

“What’s your verdict?” Tendi purred, aiming for seductive but it was probably undermined by how she wanted to grin at T’Lyn’s reaction.

“Regarding?” Tendi put a hand on her chest and T’Lyn’s eyes followed the movement and finally noticed, “The bowtie?”

"Mhm." She sauntered closer, finding it thrilling how she had T’Lyn’s complete attention. “Does it look good?”

“Hmm.” T’Lyn tilted her head and looked her up and down one more time and decided, “Negative. It is not my aesthetic.”

“Oh…” She overacted, smirking as the scene played out how she wanted. “Well, I guess I should take it off...” Tendi untied it from her neck and the corner of T’Lyn’s lips twitched up. “Is that better?”

“Indeed. You are most attractive.” At her snicker, the Vulcan shook her head at her antics and reached out for her. “And illogical.”

She smiled and moved to sit beside T’Lyn, planting a hand next to her opposite hip so she could lean over her. “My adorable and impatient Vulcan mate ordered no teasing, is that right?”

“Correct.” She shamelessly agreed.

Tendi bit her lower lip in amusement and set to work on removing T’Lyn’s slacks. “Coming right up.”

T’Lyn had declined the invitation to investigate and catalog algae on the ocean planet, Piskes IX, due to her lack of experience in swimming. As intriguing as the away mission sounded, she knew Tendi would scan all she could and deliver data to keep them occupied for days. Given the length of time they were on the surface, she imagined there would be thousands of mutations to analyze.

The Vulcan completed her work with Junga and was on her way to the turbolift when she heard the boisterous laughter of her friends. She paused and when they rounded the corridor, she hadn’t expected the group to still be in their wetsuits and dripping water everywhere. Tendi had hers fully on most likely to prevent heat loss, but Mariner, Boimler, and Rutherford had theirs half off.

She was deeply averse to the visual assault of Boimler’s sickly pale skin and the disturbing amount of hair on Rutherford’s chest. The two were not aesthetically pleasing.

T’Lyn simply exploited their objectionable state of undress to focus her gaze on her attractive mate.

Tendi lit up when she noticed her waiting and it never ceased to amaze T’Lyn how excitable one person could be to enjoy her company... Beaming, she said, “Hey, T’Lyn!”

The rest of the group chimed in with their own salutations and she nodded. “Greetings.”

“Hey, do we wanna grab a drink since we’re at impulse?”

“Hell yes. And honestly, I need a snack after all that swimming.” Mariner stretched a shoulder, “That seaweed was kinda worth it though.”

Tendi nudged T’Lyn and sang in her teasing tone, “She’s a seaweed girl.”

“Fascinating.” T’Lyn had no context to what that meant but it seemed to embarrass the human.

Mariner blushed hard but she groaned, “D, I told you not to say it like that!”

Did seaweed have some sexual connotation she was unaware of?

Tendi laughed at Mariner’s reaction and the human rolled her eyes. “Come on, you owe me like three drinks for that.”

The group waited at the turbolift and while Tendi and Mariner talked about various shots, Rutherford wrung out the top half of his suit onto the carpet without any regard. “How are these not dry yet?” He questioned, sounding annoyed.

“Is there a reason you have not redressed into your uniforms?” It was illogical to remain in the wetsuits if they were intending to go to the cantina… When they piled into the turbolift and Tendi’s soaked arm brushed hers, she added, “It would be preferable.” Then she aimed a critical look past her, towards the humans.

“Sorry.” Tendi smiled and pulled her arm away but Mariner snorted.

“Nah, babe. I think she wants the guys to put some clothes on.”

“Too distracting?” Boimler tried to flex his scrawny arms while Rutherford sucked in his gut as he too struck a pose.

T’Lyn quirked an eyebrow at their efforts and corrected him, “Too rebarbative.”

Tendi burst into laughter and, in spite of her wetsuit, clutched T’Lyn’s arm to her body in her mirth. “T’Lyn!”

It was difficult not to smirk with pride.

“Did she insult us?”

“Ugh! I don’t know!” He touched his temple before he remembered he was fully human, “Dammit, my implant had a dictionary…”

“Tends, what’s it mean? What’s it mean?” Mariner demanded with glee.

Tendi put her arms around Boimler and Mariner’s shoulders and said, “It means we should all change into our uniforms.”

After they had regrouped at their usual booth and the group, minus T’Lyn, had enjoyed some synthehol, they came up on Starbase 80. It looked as though it had not been maintained since the 2260’s… The condition was surprising given its location on the Federation/Klingon border.

“Curious. Why are we at this derelict starbase?”

“It’s punishment. We’re literally going to hell.”

“No, I think it’s gonna be fun!” Tendi countered brightly, “Right, Rutherford? I can’t wait to explore a retro starbase!”

He huffed out a breath, “Tendi, it looks like a piece of junk.”

“Aw, Rutherford. Don’t be like that!” Her green eyes looked to T’Lyn, “Do you want to go with us?” The way she clasped her hands in front of her chest was a silent plead but she had no interest in the starbase.

“Negative. I will be in the lab, concentrating on my work.”

T’Lyn had only taken one step out of the lab before she halted. “Hmm…” The crew was crawling around on their hands and knees and were licking the carpet or walls. “Curious.”

The blank looks in their eyes were as troubling as their behavior. Had this originated from Starbase 80? Or was it a coincidence? Yet her combadge hadn’t communicated a shipwide emergency nor were the red alerts sounding. Was she the only one unaffected?

The crewmembers closest then saw her and leapt. She dodged and sprinted down the hall towards a turbolift. Perhaps she could gather more information in sickbay.

Her reflexes were much quicker than that of the crew so she easily maneuvered around those she came across.

Then she heard a high-pitched scream originating from a different corridor. She changed course, hoping to rescue the probably unaffected crewmember. However, as she turned the corner to see a pile of Command Ensigns on top of the screaming person, all at once the crew stopped their attack on the man she’d never seen before.

The group held their heads in confusion and walked away, hopefully towards sickbay… Meanwhile the strange man said, “Chad lives to dog another day.” He then nodded towards her and stood. “Sup. Want a corndog?” He offered her something deep-friend on a stick.

“No. Thank you.”

“Alright.” He tossed the corndog in the air with a haughty grin, didn’t catch it, and then snatched it from the ground and took a bite of it. “I’ve gotta check on my corndog cart.”

T’Lyn raised an eyebrow and continued to the cantina, where she assumed her friends would be after another chaotic mission.

She was not wrong.

“Curious,” though that was an understatement considering how little she truly understood the last few minutes. “What occurred on the starbase?” She asked as she settled in her usual spot.

“Clem.” Boimler, wearing a ridiculous looking knit cap, answered with no context.

“He’s an anaphasic lifeform!” Tendi explained, leaning her upper body over the table in her excitement. “Matt picked him up on Piskes IX and he was using our combadges to assimilate us!”

“Ah. That sufficiently explains the crew’s behavior.”

“You should’ve seen it, T’Lyn. Rutherford was licking walls, Tendi was slobbering all on my arm.” Mariner laughed, oblivious to the way T’Lyn’s eyes narrowed at the reveal.

Tendi gave her a sheepish smile but she’d request to hear more later.

“But honestly, you didn’t miss much on the starbase.” Mariner said, taking a shot and loudly sighing. The human had a way with summarization and she launched into it, “Ruthie was in a bad mood.”

“What? No, I wasn’t.”

Tendi scoffed, “Rutherford, all you did today was complain! I thought it was a neat starbase, I’ve never used wall intercoms!”

“I was only complaining because I wanted to work on something new and cool.” Rutherford crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. “Not an abandoned mall.”

“And then Boimler got lice. That’s why he’s wearing that silly hat.” She pulled the navy knit cap off his head to reveal his buzzcut purple hair.

Boimler snatched the headwear back from her. “I’m having Doctor T’Ana grow it back as soon as we’ve left SB80. But until then!” He tugged it over his hair. “I have this totally not silly, regulation hat I can wear.” Then he stroked the stubble on his upper lip. “You think she’d help me grow out my beard too?”

Mariner groaned and knocked her shoulder into his, “God, dude. Just shave already.”

The rest of the table nodded in agreement.

T’Lyn and Tendi exited the lab, talking about their plans for the evening.

“You are attending the poker match with Jet?” She was unsure who else would be participating but Tendi would ‘dish’ the details afterwards. She was often bombarded with the latest rumors at these social gatherings.

“Yes! But I can feed Taluhk before I leave so you don’t have to worry about it while you're strength training with Boimler and Mariner.”

Tendi and T’Lyn hoped their deceptive plan to increase Boimler’s muscle mass would result in a higher confidence in himself to replace his growing dependence on the stolen padd. Today was the first trial and she predicted it was going to drain her patience.

“That would be appreciated. I-“

T’Lyn grunted as she was struck with a sharp pain on the right side of her back. She could feel that the material of her uniform had melted away, taking some of her skin with it. She could recognize it was a burn from the smell of charred flesh and cloth and the tightness of the wound.

She whirled around to assess the threat but only saw the new Command Ensign Ollie wearing a surprised expression and holding a phaser. She recognized her from the recent misfortunes on the ship.

“T’Lyn?” Tendi questioned, “What happened?”

“Dude, did I hit you?” Ensign Ollie asked, gesturing and pointing the weapon in her hand at them.

“What?” Behind her, Tendi gasped at whatever she saw. Her fingertips dragged down her spine in comfort as she asked, “Holy [shit], what level was the phaser on?”

The Ensign looked down at the weapon, “Uh, 7.”

“What?!” Tendi moved to stand in front of her protectively. Her voice was authoritative, no doubt dipping into her Mistress of the Winter Constellations persona, when she demanded, “What are you doing with a type-2 phaser, Ensign?”

“Improving it.”

How could a Command Ensign, who had broken the turbolift during a simple relubing and caused an entire systems failure in a shuttle, think she would be able to successfully enhance or modify a weapon against regulations? The raw nerves of the burn pulsed and ached with the answer.

“How laudable…” T’Lyn sarcastically congratulated.

Tendi held out her hand for the phaser and the tall woman sighed and moved to hand it over. A visible burst of electrostatic discharge sparked between them. “Ow!” It was fortunate the weapon didn’t fire again as it was aimed at Tendi’s midsection. However she had nearly dropped the phaser on the instinct to pull back, “What the?”

“Oh, sorry, sir. You know how static-y these uniforms are!” Then she looked to T’Lyn to apologize, “And I’m sorry, sir. Scraping carbon off the carbon filter takes forever because the heat setting only works in bursts-“

“To avoid overheating.” T’Lyn pointed out the logical limitation.

“Which was what I was trying to improve!”

Tendi set the weapon to safety and pocketed the weapon but shook her head in confusion, “In the corridor?”

“It just went off in my hand...”

“Ensign, report to your superior immediately.”

“Yes, sir.” She grumbled and signed a disingenuous Vulcan salute in parting. It reminded her of Mariner, making her predict the Ensign would cause as much, if not more, chaos than the human.

Tendi put a hand on T’Lyn’s shoulder, the Orion gesture of deference was undermined by the way she guided her down the hall. “Let’s get you to sickbay. You’ve got a nasty nadion burn.”

“I am aware.” Based on the constant, sharp pain and the phaser setting, she most likely had a second-degree burn.

Tendi gently exhaled and squeezed her shoulder, which made T’Lyn realize how unnecessary her dry remark was. Still, the Orion told her, “If you keep Doctor T’Ana busy for a minute, I’ll grab a hypospray for pain from Westlake.” Alone in the turbolift, Tendi’s hand rubbed down the unaffected side of her back in a soothing motion. “I think that Ensign was the one that broke the turbolift the other day, right?”

“Correct. And she was the origin of the shuttle incident yesterday.”

“Really? Aw, well I’m sure she’s trying her best.” Then her warm hand returned to her shoulder again and they continued on. “I just wish she hadn’t shot you.”

“I am in agreement.”

Tendi chuckled and after the doors to sickbay whooshed open, she dropped her hold. “Hi, Doctor T’Ana! I’ve got a patient for you!”

“Oh great.” The Caitian rolled her eyes but then jut her chin up, “Before I forget. Tendi, you’re with me tomorrow. We’re cataloging blood samples.”

Tendi clasped her hands together, “Oo! Fun!”

“God, I hate how [fuck]ing sincere you are.” Doctor T’Ana pointed at T’Lyn and then at a biobed.

“I’ll be right back.” Tendi brushed her hand down her arm before she left to enact her plan.

“Welcome back, Vulcan.” She gave her a quick scan. “Phaser blast?”

“Correct.”

“Getting kinky finally? Shaxs and I love a little crime play.” She purred suggestively.

“No.” T’Lyn’s face burned green. “Ensign Ollie-“

“Tch. She’s sent like twenty other people down here this week.” Doctor T’Ana loudly retrieved the tools while T’Lyn took a seat on the edge of the closest biobed. The Caitian even preemptively replicated her a tank top and jacket and threw the clothing over to T’Lyn to catch and while the pain had lessened, utilizing those muscles made the wound stretch and ache again. The Vulcan concentrated on suppressing the pain and folded her replacement uniform beside her and awaited her treatment.

Doctor T’Ana moved behind her to drag the fabric laser down her back. “Eh. You’ll live.”

“I had no doubt.”

She could hear her adjusting the settings for the devices but suddenly, “You know what, I’ve got better things to do.” The CMO bluntly dismissed her- she was unlike any other medical professional T’Lyn had ever encountered. “I’m gonna have Tendi patch you up. I’m sure you’d like that more anyway.”

Her voice remained flat despite the tease and she attempted to deflect the suspicion. “I am indifferent.”

A hypospray was injected into her neck. “Indifferent…” Tendi repeated disapprovingly behind her.

T’Lyn’s heart leapt into her throat and Doctor T’Ana grumbled as she walked away, leaving them alone. She amended, “My diction was perhaps too callous.”

“Mmm.” Tendi hummed, feigning anger- she could feel how entertained she was. “What word should you have used?”

“Impartial?” T’Lyn humored her.

Tendi barely repressed a giggle while she carefully shifted T’Lyn’s clothing away from her wound to begin her treatment. She replied, “I don’t think that’s any better…”

“Appreciative.”

The Orion carefully dragged the regenerator over the wound with one hand and her other unnecessarily slid under her useless jacket and tank top to hold her hip. Her warm palm felt like a pleasant kind of burn unlike the one being treated. Tendi playfully challenged, “Only appreciative to let me take over? When I gave you a hypospray for pain- is that working by the way?”

“Yes.” Between the medication and her mate prioritizing healing her nerves to minimize the discomfort, she could no longer feel the injury. “I am… gratified.”

Tendi’s thumb brushed in an arch and the simple movement sent tingles between her hips. She was praised, “I like that.”

“I am pleased that you are treating my injury.” She said with finality.

“Aww. Thank you, T’Lyn.” Tendi laughed at their exchange but then softly said, “You know, this reminds me of when you healed me after the cave in…”

“There are certain similarities.” Discreetly, she resituated so her arm crossed her stomach and her fingertips could rest on top of Tendi’s below her clothing.

“But some differences.” Tendi returned with a squeeze of her hip.

T’Lyn’s overwhelming affection for Tendi made her feel like her chest was illuminated with the strength of a pulsar. She repressed a smile, “Indeed.”

Tendi really wished Boimler was here with her and Rutherford to finish this puzzle. The purple-haired man seemed to bring out the best in the new-Rutherford, which she needed right now. He was ranting about his day and it was so unlike her best friend to be so pessimistic.

And to sort puzzle pieces by anything but color.

She was disconcerted and it reminded her of when his implant made him like pears or when it had ‘erased’ his memories. But this was different because they’d found out that with the removal of the device, he was able to remember everything: his past, being young-Rutherford, the missing year…

His natural disposition and his learned behavior were at odds. Tendi felt bad for him and wasn’t sure how to help. Boimler would know, but he'd been in a coma since the hypospray incident earlier... “Hey, when do you think Boimler’s going to be released from sickbay?”

He sorted the puzzle pieces by shape for them and seemed to ignore the question, ranting instead. “With my implant, the default was cheerful mode but you know, it’s hard to be so [fuck]ing happy when I can feel all the negatives too.” He huffed.

And it was true, before he would maybe be frustrated before the Vulcan programing tamped it down and she thought that could’ve weakened his own ability to regulate his emotions. Yet he had a point when he followed up with, “No wonder my younger self was such an [ass]hole.”

Truthfully, he wasn’t that different from either Rutherford… In the right context. Like when he was happy, he was thrilled! He smiled wide like always and excitedly gushed about whatever subject they could be talking about.

But when he was in this kind of mood…

Tendi nodded, a little concerned by his angry tone. “D-do you still like not having the oculus?”

“I’m not Billup’s favorite anymore which [fuck]ing sucks [ass]. Livik, I still love him obviously, but he can be such an [bitch] about being right. Like, guy! I’m still the smartest down in Engineering.”

“But things are okay between you and Livik and Barnes?”

“Sorta? Ugh, I don’t know what to do." He looked at her with an unbelievable amount of yearning and she tried not to cringe. "I’m crazy attracted to you that sometimes I can’t even think! With the oculus, all this," he gestured wildly between them, "was inhibited. But now I’m confused and they don't like that and my palms are sweaty like all the time around you! Feel this!”

He wrapped his hand around hers and it was like a wet fish had been slapped across her skin. “Oh! Yeah, that’s- um, that’s really moist.” She wiped the sweat off on the back of her trousers.

“I know! These damn puzzle pieces are sticking to me!” He sighed and gave up on the puzzle, pushing it away from in front of him though some pieces almost stuck to his skin... “I’m trying my best to be the same Rutherford as before but not my younger self but...” He put his head in his hands. “There’s too much going on all at once! I can’t do this.”

Her instinct was to put a hand on his shoulder but she was worried about how he would read into the simple comforting gesture from her. But she didn’t want to just sit there and watch her best friend have a hard time alone! “Aw, Rutherford. Maybe you need more time to figure yourself out.”

“It’s been two weeks!” His eyes snapped up to hers, “What do I do?”

“Whatever you want to do…”

He groaned, “Tendi, come on.

“I don’t know!” Tendi was bewildered by his imploring. “I can’t tell you what to do.”

“But you love telling me what to do!”

“What?!” She tried not to screech. Where the hell did that come from?

“It’s not a bad thing! I like it.”

She frowned. It hurt to hear that Rutherford thought she was bossy… She might scold him sometimes when he was acting goofy but that's it! “Do you actually feel like I order you around?”

“Well I mean, you did tell me to dump Barnes-“

Her face burned, “That was forever ago!” And totally out of context! She was only worried about Barnes replacing her as Rutherford’s best friend.

“And you told me not to like pears-“

“That’s not fair, you helped! You said pears were mealy and bland!”

“Let’s see… You were extra bossy on DS9.”

“I wanted to get away from that poser Orion!” She crossed her arms over her chest, totally not enjoying this conversation. These were all examples from almost a year ago, but to him with his memories all jumbled, it might’ve felt more recent.

“You don’t have to get upset.”

Tendi scowled at him, wanting to argue but she didn’t think it would be productive.

“Forget it,” Rutherford heaved a sigh. “It’s okay. I guess I’ll go talk to Barnes and Livik.”

Tendi was put out by their conversation so she agreed, “Yeah, maybe that’s a good idea.”

As soon as the door to their quarters whooshed open, Tendi noticed that T’Lyn had returned from her racquetball match against Shaxs. With Boimler out of commission and Mariner declining the invite, Tendi had no doubt that she won unless Shaxs had bodily bowled her over at score a point or two. She was engrossed in her padd, frozen in the middle of the room, which wasn't too unusual if something caught her attention.

The Vulcan’s dark eyes tracked over her face before she nodded at her, “D’Vana.”

And it wouldn’t be considered a loving and warm welcome to most species, but it made Tendi smile. It felt good to smile after the [shit] time she’d had with Rutherford… “Hey, T’Lyn.”

She went back to her reading but Tendi could go for some physical affection.

Tendi tackled T’Lyn from behind, wrapping her in a hug. She even hiked a leg up to wrap around hers and when T’Lyn gave her the go-ahead via a touch to her thigh, Tendi grinned and hopped up to cling onto T’Lyn’s back. The Vulcan was so strong, she didn’t so much as jostle while Tendi got comfortable and secured herself by crossing her ankles in front of T’Lyn’s legs.

“Why have you ‘koala-ed’ me?” She asked flatly, scrolling up on her padd to continue to read.

“Because I love you.” She kissed her shoulder.

T’Lyn seemed to accept the answer because her next question was, “Are you interested in reading an analysis of gluonic disruption?” She held up the padd so both of them could read it and Tendi was touched by her thoughtfulness.

“Yes! But I’ll read it later, I don’t want to slow you down.” She knew T’Lyn didn’t mind if she offered but one considerate gesture deserved another in return.

“Very well.”

Tendi closed her eyes and just savored the moment. “This is nice.” She hummed happily into her back. “By the way, did you win tonight?”

“Naturally.”

She snickered and would definitely want the details but not while she was reading. Maybe they could do something fun together! “Do you want to work on the shuttle tonight?”

“I will.”

“Thank you.” Tendi smiled when T’Lyn put a hand on one of her arms around her. “I really want to have some fun.”

“You did not enjoy your socialization with Rutherford?”

“Umm…” It was so hard to get along with him now. He had a huge ego and he was too angry and way too into her. She felt like she had to be overly cautious around him to avoid him flipping out or coming onto her. The oculus had apparently been suppressing or inhibiting some of his extreme emotions or reactions, smoothing out the rough edges of his personality.

She sighed, feeling guilty that she missed the old-Rutherford. “No, but it’s okay.” She nuzzled into her; she didn’t want to think about it anymore. Not when there as an entire sensor system to refit and recalibrate without the threat of a singularity to disrupt them... “Maybe we could be in 'sensual proximity' while under the Sequoia…”

“Although it is ineffective to the repair, I was prepared to suggest the same.”

Tendi snorted because the Vulcan did love cuddling underneath the shuttlecraft. She squeezed her, beyond happy and grateful for her.

T’Lyn hadn’t expected Tendi to storm into their quarters clutching her hair, “He’s driving me crazy! I can’t do this!”

“Who?” The Vulcan was more concerned over her mate’s state of frustration rather than their lack of greeting. And only slightly less interested in her interpersonal problems than the article she was reading but she reluctantly turned off her padd for now. It could wait. She swiveled in her chair to face her.

“Rutherford! He’s in the brig for fighting down in Engineering.”

She blinked in surprise, "Fighting?" She'd never known him to resort to violence when angered.

“I know! He’s got no self-control! It’s like he’s not Rutherford anymore! He’s not as bad as when his academy-self took over but he’s…” Her annoyance melted into sadness, “I don’t know why I thought he’d been the same lovable person without the oculus.”

“You are optimistic.”

Tendi sighed, “It's like nothing's the same. I can’t even repair conduits with him anymore because he… reacts.” T’Lyn was logically horrified to hear such explicit details from her mate. She knew he was attracted to her but that was unprofessional and inappropriate. “Ugh, I miss my best friend.”

T’Lyn was ready to intervene.

She stood from her desk to attempt to console her via proximity. She wanted to ask why she hadn’t brought up that he was making her uncomfortable before now. Tendi’s disappointment in him was obvious but T’Lyn hadn’t known why other than the recent unhinged way he presented his unregulated emotions.

“Did he state a particular reason for removing his implant?” She had noticed his irritation with a system update, however she was curious if he had given her another reason.

“He said he was having trouble with his cybernetics not connecting with the Cerritos.”

Backwards compatibility should be a given in an advanced operating system such as the Vulcan implant. Had he made special modifications that inhibited the functionality? He was partial to untested improvements and burning through unknown controls... She wondered if that was how his dimensional counterpart came to utilized the oculus to a greater degree. And now that she considered it… “Curious...”

“What?”

“There were significant differences between our dimensions, however it is strange that the alternate Rutherford was not plagued by these issues…”

“Oh right.” Tendi tapped her finger against her chin, a sure sign she was about to share an idea. And as predicted, “Do you think that padd Boimler stole would have any information?”

“Unlikely considering Mr. Boimler’s lack of technical awareness.”

Tendi chuckled and conceded, “That’s true!”

“Regardless, that is another angle of explanation.”

“What do you mean?”

“I suspect, in addition to the compatibility issues, Mr. Rutherford was ‘freaked out’ by his alternate.” There he was cold and efficient and T’Lyn had admired his dedication to his work. Yet Rutherford seemed fascinated to understand why he’d abandoned the illogical aspects of his human side.

“Yeah, that first night I came back from Orion, he did mention that while everyone was catching me up on what I missed… He said he was ‘borgified’ and had a third hand coming out of his chest?”

The negative connotation supported her hypothesis. “Hmm. I will attempt to diagnose and resolve the oculus’s compatibility issue with the Cerritos. However, it could be that he wishes to remain implant-free even when I am able to connect it properly. You should prepare to converse with him about how his recent behavior makes you feel.”

Tendi grimaced and looked away, “I think he knows.”

“Your reluctance is illogical.” T’Lyn then put a hand on her hip. She’d allowed the two time to solve their interpersonal issues without her intervention yet it was not improving. It was uncomfortable to know another desired her mate and she had a new perspective of Tendi’s reaction to Mariner’s crush on her.

T’Lyn had disregarded her discomfort for a fortnight but it felt necessary to inform her, now that she was aware of the severity of the situation, “I do not approve of nor appreciate his unseemly behavior towards you.”

“I don’t either!”

“Then you must communicate.” She lifted her other hand and brushed the back of her finger down her cheek. In her heightened emotional state, her feelings were difficult to read.

“I know.”Tendi held her wrist, resting two fingers in T’Lyn’s palm. The sensation was pleasant as was her assurance, “I’ll talk with him.”

She resisted the urge to thank her.

Tendi pressed a kiss to her jaw and asked, “Did you want to rest with me?” It was early, yet the emotional turmoil had most likely fatigued her.

“I will.”

She relocated her padd to her bedside table so she could read while Tendi rested. They changed into their night clothes and took their usual spots in bed. Tendi snuggled into her arms, nearly half on top of her. T’Lyn didn’t mind.

T’Lyn drew circles with her fingertips on her lower back, hoping to soothe her enough that she could sleep. Instead the Orion mumbled, “I can’t believe how much everything has changed.”

It was understandable she was troubled.

Boimler was obsessed with recreating every detail included in the padd stolen from his alternate, Rutherford was unhinged without his implant, and Mariner’s unnerving attempt to be ‘chill’ and avoid any conflict was a direct response to seeing herself as a despot Captain.

“Meeting their alternate selves seemed to have left an impression.”

Tendi’s fingers danced a random pattern on her midsection. “You know, you never said anything while they were talking about the alternate dimension.”

“I was hardly given the opportunity.” Conversations were usually dominated by their human friends yet it was entertaining to hear their perspectives.

Tendi huffed out a laugh and continued on, “I know the other Tendi chose to stay on Orion. How was your alt?”

“Pugnacious.” T’Lyn shook her head as she remembered the verbal duel they’d had. They had easily riled each other up, knowing exactly where to jab to annoy the other.

The Orion giggled at her immediate answer, “So you weren’t impressed?”

“Negative.”

“What was so wrong with her?” She asked, trailing her hand up T’Lyn’s body to then trace her jawline. She lifted up on her elbow to properly look at her and T’Lyn appreciated her kind gaze, though it was unsurprising the Orion was sympathetic to her alternate's plight despite not having met her.

“She had not benefited from your presence.”

“Oh right. We probably weren’t together if I left...” She pouted and pressed two fingers to her cheek. “Aw, I feel bad for us there! Things must’ve been so different.”

T’Lyn brushed her hand up Tendi’s arm and admitted, “There were compounding effects to your counterpart’s choice to remain on Orion. In addition, many fundamental aspects differed.”

“Like what?” Her green eyes danced with delight.

“My alternate specialized in botany.”

“Oh my gosh!” Tendi laughed, “That’s like the last science in the universe you’d major in!”

“Correct.” It was not logical how T’Lyn’s heart warmed to be known. She captured her in a long kiss, savoring the fact that she was able to. Her lips moved softly against hers in an indulgent and intimate languorousness.

Tendi entered the yellow-gridded holodeck room and waited for the door to whoosh close behind her before she requested, “Computer, load program: Tendi and T’Lyn Recon 1.”

The holodeck chimed and the next second, their program loaded around her. All those months ago when T’Lyn was creating her own training programs, they’d designed this one together! The algorithm they’d coded meant the smaller details randomized each time, even the upcoming climb to the ‘start’ of the mission looked wildly different compared to the last time she’d booted up this program- back before she’d returned to Orion.

She wondered if T’Lyn had used it while she was gone.

It was like second-nature to Tendi to quickly plan her parkour route in the alleyway in order to climb up the buildings to reach the roof. She ran up the wall as far as she could and then pushed off from the building to launch herself at the other one, catching herself on the windowsill. She continued this way, climbing up and taking advantage of whatever surface she could reach, and then pulled herself to the roof. Then the fun part was jumping over to the other rooftop where she was due to find her first clue.

She paused to catch her breath and laughed, giddy, at the adrenaline rush. Deciding she could take her time, she sat down on the ledge of the roof and let her feet dangle as she admired the details of the holographic city: towering buildings with impressively intricate architecture, the sounds of a bustling community, the purple clouds floating lazily above contrasting against the blue-green sky, all aspects inspired by popular cities on Earth, Andoria, and even Qo’noS.

“D’Vana?”

Tendi looked down over the edge into the alleyway and was surprised to meet the gaze of her beautiful girlfriend, standing below with an impassive expression and her hands clasped behind her back. “T’Lyn? I thought you were hanging out with Mariner?” She knew she hadn’t been in the holodeck long.

“She has formally announced that competition is not productive,” Mariner had been ducking T’Lyn and Boimler’s invitation for racquetball and it made sense now… “And I have no interest in yoga.” T’Lyn nodded in agreement when Tendi cringed.

She wanted to be proud of her friend for what seemed like progress but similar to the boys, it felt like she was going backwards on being herself. They thought if they played their parts long enough, they’d suddenly be better rather than actually work through the things that scared or hurt them.

Mariner thrived on competition but it was as though she didn’t want to embrace the ‘negative’ attribute even though her competitive streak exercised useful skills like being creative under high-stakes pressure and taking calculated risks.

Her wanting to do yoga was like if T’Lyn joined Kayshon’s flower club…

It was practically bizarre.

But then again, what if this is who she wanted to be? What if this was their new normal?

T’Lyn pulled her out of her worrying when she pointedly stated, “You are utilizing our program…”

Tendi grinned at her implication that doing so wasn’t allowed. Like this was their thing to only do together. “I thought it’d be fun.”

“May I join you?”

“Of course.” Tendi stretched out her hand for her in invitation, even though she was seven stories high. “Come on.”

T’Lyn gave her a half smirk and then parkoured her way up the buildings. She loved her intense focus and her impressive show of physical strength and effortless agility. Once on the roof, the Vulcan sat beside her on the ledge but kept her back to the alleyway.

“I love that you can keep up with me.” Tendi joked while her gaze fell to her lips as she leaned in.

The corner of T’Lyn’s lips twitched up, “I believe you possess the ability to match myself.”

The subtle change in connotation was sweet.

“You’re so right.” Tendi would always work hard to meet her wherever she wanted to go and she knew T’Lyn strived for the same. She kissed her and sighed happily when T’Lyn cupped her cheek.

“Shall we continue?”

Tendi nodded, ready for the challenge of their holodeck recon mission. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Text

Tendi smiled though she was sure it looked more like a grimace given how concerned she was for Rutherford. T’Lyn had offered a solution to his Cerritos connectivity issue yet… according to the Vulcan, he hadn’t seemed interested. Tendi hadn’t brought it up, not wanting to influence him- she’d promised to support him!

But now he was in one of his moods so instead of working on their model of the freighter, he was ranting about his day. Again. She felt guilty for finding his tirades draining because he was still adjusting to all his emotions. Though she was starting to believe this was him: the new normal.

She’d tried to speak more optimistically to him about his problems, but he usually glossed over her responses. It was… challenging. She still loved Rutherford but she was growing worried that it’d be difficult to want to hang out with him if he was always going to be like this.

“I called the Captain ‘Mom’ again, but this time I can’t even erase the memory! Did you know I’ve called her ‘Mom’ seven times before? I do now. Because my [fuck]ing implant’s gone! So the Captain made me go see Migleemo and he diagnosed me with a personality disorder! Can you believe it?”

“… What? No way…” Tendi said, completely believing it.

She was pretty certain that his file from before he was transferred even hinted at behavioral issues, but despite the high standards, it would take a historically significant mess-up to get fired from Starfleet. There was always a place for anyone and if the Cerritos hadn’t worked out, his previous superiors had recommended him to a repair depot. It made sense.

Though she wondered how much of that suggestion was Buenamigo covering his tracks…

“And Livik, ugh! He came up with an amazing idea! It’s so stupid I didn’t think of it first. I forgot about this one component and…” He sighed and slumped onto the table.

“Aw, it’s okay, Rutherford. You don’t have to be the best all the time!” Tendi slid the tweezers for the model parts over to him. “Will working on the engine or the deflector make you feel better?”

“No, I need to do some real engineering to clear my head… I was thinking we could reroute a phase conduit? Like old times?”

Tendi had no interest in that anymore. What used to be the ultimate example of the depth of their friendship was now a deeply inappropriate method of working jointly. “No! That’s okay.”

“Well what else are you doing?” His gaze flicked down to the freighter on the table like it wasn’t important…

But she wasn’t going to be guilted into doing anything so she huffed, “Rutherford. I just don’t want to.”

“Fine.” He put his hands up in surrender, “Okey dokey or whatever.”

Frustration bubbled up in Tendi.

Rutherford acted like he was going to stand from the booth but then leaned towards her instead, “Are you mad at me or something?"

“No.” Her tone was hard though. “I’d rather work on this but you can go do some engineering. It kind of sounds like you need to.”

“Yeah, see you around.”

She waited until he was out of the bar to sigh and sink lower into the booth. She continued with the model, finding it satisfying that the pieces would all come together eventually. She let her mind wander to nicer thoughts and no one bothered her.

T’Lyn heard the Captain mention her name and she turned from the science station and raised an eyebrow at the way Tendi’s face fell. Mariner and her mom continued to talk while the Orion’s gaze remained on her padd. Was the Captain unsatisfied with her report?

“Lts. Mariner, T’Lyn, and Tendi. This away mission is yours.”

Mariner swiveled in her chair at the helm, “Mom, do you think I could grab a couple taquitos to go?”

“No, not until you’re back.”

“Ugh… Fine. Come on, nerds.”

Mariner was anxious to ‘get on with it’ so Doctor T’Ana selected her as the first to receive plastic surgery in order to blend in with the locals of Dilmer III while Tendi and T’Lyn selected their outfits for the mission.

Properly sequestered away with a forcefield privacy screen, T’Lyn hoped they would be able to talk about what had caused Tendi’s emotions to plummet.

She reached out for her hand and Tendi tensed. A wave of anxiety passed through their link. Whatever was bothering her concerned herself… “Curious.”

She heard her swallow before she laced their fingers together. “Sorry.

Though it was doubtful anyone could eavesdrop considering the volume at which Mariner and Doctor T’Ana were yelling at each other about how although the Caitian couldn’t see the color orange, she was still the CMO and received final determination on color tones… T’Lyn kept her voice low, “D’Vana, is something troubling you?”

“Just… I’m really sad that only one of us will get the promotion. There wasn’t a dual position like we thought…” Tendi’s gaze was downcast, watching as she tapped her fingertips on the back of T’Lyn’s hand. “When I talked to Captain Freeman on the bridge about my briefing… She didn’t- it was so obvious she wants you to be her new SSO.”

The position had been opened for five days without any feedback so T’Lyn shook her head, “Negative. She has not yet selected a candidate; it is illogical to assume she has made a decision and not informed us.”

Finally, Tendi’s green eyes met hers. “T’Lyn, I can’t compete.”

“That is incorrect.” T’Lyn’s voice wasn’t entirely flat and she suppressed her mounting frustration at the Orion’s capitulation. “Your communication skills far surpass mine. That is necessary on the bridge.”

“That’s not true.”

T’Lyn’s lips pursed, unsure how to proceed when Tendi was discouraged by the most likely scenario. “I suppose Starfleet does not employee a deputy science officer?”

“No,” Tendi gave her a sad smile and her optimism once again shined through her inner conflict. “I guess I’ll work my way onto the bridge another way! And then when I’m Captain, you can be my SSO and we’ll be like Kirk and Spock, but I’ll be the first Orion Starfleet Captain!”

T’Lyn trailed two fingers down her cheek. “You will be a distinguished Captain. Currently however, it is illogical to worry about a decision we have no control over.” T’Lyn concentrated on their link, amplifying their love in an attempt to reassure her.

“You’re right.” She returned the gesture and gave her a smile. “Ready for this away mission?”

“Indeed. Making a clandestine visit to a pre-warp civilization will be fascinating.”

T’Lyn noticed a shift in Tendi’s mood as they completed their mission on Dilmer III. Mariner’s praise of T’Lyn’s actions and skills had seemed to set the Orion off. At first, she assumed it was romantic jealousy at the attention being given yet she exhibited no other symptoms that usually arose from the illogical emotion.

Rather, Tendi echoed Mariner’s commendations. “You’re always right.”

But her words did not align with her tone. It wasn’t direct criticism and it wasn’t a malicious comment but the resentment behind her praise was something she had never heard before. It was… troubling. She didn’t like her unwarranted negative sentiments.

And it continued throughout the day. Pointed compliments through gritted teeth delivered with a smile.

When they’d decided to take shelter in the abandoned house on the outskirts of town, the attitude continued. A simple recommended plan of action was met with a snippy, “Yep! That’s what I was going to do!”

There was no Logic to her behavior. T’Lyn requested that Mariner attempt to locate food so that she could have a moment alone with Tendi while they explored the rest of the house.

There was no need to tap into their bond, Tendi’s annoyance at her was clear though the reason remained undetermined. She observed her as she stormed ahead down the hallway and turned the handle to what she assumed would be a bedroom, only the door refused to budge. “Did someone lock this?”

“The hinges are most likely warped from neglect.”

Tendi hummed, “Well, we probably need to make sure the house is safe for us. How are we going to get this open?”

T’Lyn nodded and effortlessly kicked in the stuck door to the bedroom. “The door is now open.”

It further agitated Tendi, who said with a strained smile, “Wow! You really are perfect.”

Tendi had called her perfect plenty of times before, usually the praise was exclaimed in happiness or breathed out in wonder. She didn’t agree with her assessment, perfection was unattainable, and she didn’t need her verbal reassurance yet, admittedly, it was nice to hear how she was held in high regards.

It had been a compliment until now. The way Tendi’s voice dipped low and forced out the word with resentment, she could not find the Logic in begrudging her abilities. Or rather she couldn’t understand why Tendi was voicing those feelings via passive aggressive remarks.

Throughout their relationship, the ability to communicate was their best strength. Previously there were struggles with the timing of their discussions and she could recognize, due to Tendi’s emotional nature, that some feelings or motivations were complex and took time for her to work through. However she had always openly stated either the need for an opportunity to phrase her concerns or shared the problem plaguing her.

It was troubling to experience Tendi choosing an unproductive means of communication and it was unsettling that her mate could do so repeatedly. How could she speak to her in such a manner? Whatever fueled the bitterness, the root of her irrational attitude, shouldn’t be more important than their relationship.

T’Lyn knew she hadn’t been gracious during their quarrel in the brig, she acknowledged that illogically reacting to feeling unprioritized had caused her to hotheadedly disregard the established parameters of mutual respect. Yet it was in direct response to their discussion.

It was not this.

Throughout the day, each spoken negative sentiment was a choice. And no matter her reasons, it was unjustified and unwelcomed. She wouldn’t let it continue.

After they’d stepped into the bedroom, she closed the door and requested her attention, tone carefully controlled. “D’Vana.”

Tendi sighed, stripping the sheets off the bed. “Yes, T’Lyn?”

She waited until the Orion met her gaze before she stated, “I do not appreciate your lack of sincerity, I find it disrespectful.” Tendi’s hard expression dissolved and the bed was forgotten as her eyes wildly searched hers. “We must discuss whatever is bothering you because your recent conduct is unsatisfactory. I will not accept it.”

Tendi inhaled sharply at the warning and through their bond, T’Lyn felt her almost paralyzing panic. But her hands clasped in front of her rapidly rising and falling chest and she was genuinely contrite when she said, “T’Lyn, I’m sorry… I got too in my head about this stupid promotion.”

T’Lyn was unsurprised when Tendi held out her hands, wanting physical reassurance. The Vulcan illogically considered ignoring the request so she wouldn’t be swayed by her affection but that would be counterproductive. Wasn’t her love the entire point? Wasn’t their bond paramount? How could they properly converse if either felt unsafe?

She moved to stand in front of her and it wasn’t logical how she wished they could temporarily reverse the plastic surgery job so that when Tendi’s hands closed over hers, she could admire the familiar contrast of her green skin and her own paleness.

Tendi’s raging emotions, a complicated mix of adoration and shame, surged through their link. She kissed her palm and T’Lyn appreciated the reverence but wondered how that translated to her strained kudos.

“It’s not you.” Tendi didn’t let go of her hand so T’Lyn followed yet remained standing as she sat on the edge of the dusty bed. “Mariner was there when I talked with the Captain earlier and so when- when Mariner deferred to you here, it was like she already saw you as the SSO too… And afterwards, you know, it kind of felt like you were showing off…”

T’Lyn was taken aback at her perspective but considering her shaken self-confidence, T’Lyn’s method of announcing their plans, rather than soliciting ideas or acknowledging Tendi’s equal adroitness, was interpreted by her as arrogance. However in their circumstances, it was crucial to establish clear strategies and if Tendi had voiced any constructive criticism, she would’ve been heard.

Then again, did she feel outnumbered given Mariner’s agreement and praise?

“I guess I’m just…Jealous…” She grumbled, hardly able to say the word. It was a heavy admission, wrapped in layers of disdain and embarrassment, “That you can do literally anything. I’m sorry I took it out on you.”

“It is illogical to be competitive.” T’Lyn ran her fingers through her downy hair but wasn’t ready to offer forgiveness yet. Not until she understood.

Why was her ego more important than maintaining a respectable relationship?

Tendi released a shaky breath. “I know it doesn’t make sense to you because it’s not logical but I feel like I’m not good enough... You don’t know what that’s like.”

T’Lyn’s jaw tensed at her claim. She might not have experienced this specifically but she perfectly understood the pressures of outer and inner expectations. Logically, she wanted to argue the point but she suppressed her rejoinders for now, hoping to avoid escalating the conflict.

Tendi squeezed her hand and implored. “T’Lyn, I am so proud of you. I’ve got the best mate in the universe and I guess it’s only natural that I sometimes struggle to- to keep up with you.”

She recalled Tendi’s comment on the holodeck only a few days ago:

‘I love that you can keep up with me.’

A projection.

T’Lyn felt the fight bleed out of her. The skills Tendi excelled at were subjective, unquantifiable, and T’Lyn had decades of experience ahead of her. They each had their strengths yet she was only concerned with what she felt she lacked… “D’Vana, comparison is illogical. My success does not diminish yours.”

“I know you’re right but it feels like it does when we’re up for the same promotion.” Her voice waivered, miserable. “Orions aren’t known as scientists so it feels like I have to work twice as hard to just be recognized…”

She hadn’t appreciated how difficult it must be for Tendi- brilliant and resourceful, passionate and eager- to continuously detach from her ego in nearly every situation in which they could be compared.

“Feeling are not truth.” T’Lyn dragged her fingers down, past the horns that now adorned her orange face, and cupped her chin. She gently tilted her head back so they could properly look at each other because she needed her to internalize the truth: “You are an accomplished scientist and a dedicated officer. It is vastly more logical to celebrate both of our accomplishments.”

Tendi gave her an abashed smile. “You’re right...”

“Perhaps eliminating that phrase would be prudent.” T’Lyn suggested, instantly recognizing that the repeated utterance of intellectual submission could compound resentment.

The Orion opened her mouth then stalled, “Wow, I do say that a lot…” T’Lyn caressed Tendi’s jawline and hoped the minor change would mitigate any feelings of competition but her concern lingered. Tendi must’ve felt her apprehension. “I’m really sorry for everything, T’Lyn.” She pulled T’Lyn’s hands to her chest to promise, “I’ll do better.”

The Vulcan acknowledged it with a nod and while she appreciated her apologies and vulnerability, she told her, “I expect you to communicate any difficulties between us.”

“I’m sorry.” Tendi tightened her hold on her hands like she was afraid she might leave. An illogical concern.

“You are forgiven.”

Tendi launched herself up and T’Lyn had to jerk her head back to avoid being rammed by her horns. The Orion was oblivious, wrapping her arms around T’Lyn’s shoulders in a relieved hug. She returned the embrace, closing her eyes to savor her affection and their harmony.

“I’ll be glad when this promotion is decided.” Tendi mumbled into her neck. “But it’s kind of nice to forget about it while we’re here.”

T’Lyn hadn’t expected her to desire a distraction from the stress of their future. It wasn’t logical but if it soothed her girlfriend, “I am in agreement. Let us focus on our limited time on Dilmer III. We must survive until the beacon is activated.”

Tendi smoothly kissed her cheek as she pulled away. “Good idea.” T’Lyn nodded her approval- the replacement statement was straightforward, implying recognition and agreement. And Tendi beamed, “Maybe we should keep cleaning this place up?”

“Indeed.” Ensuring their living conditions weren’t hazardous was important but they’d need more than simply a habitable location. Even if they were only here for a few days, she hoped to improve their amenities. “Would it be agreeable if you were to decontaminate the living areas with Mariner’s assistance?”

“Yeah, we could handle that. What’re you wanting to work on?”

“I will concentrate my efforts on installing running water.”

“I love you.” Tendi blurted out, looking at her in wonder like she’d vowed she’d move the moons.

T’Lyn’s cheeks flushed and she assured, “It is logical to improve our comfort.”

As T’Lyn effortlessly stacked the abandoned planks and various tools against the shelf, her arm was caught on the head of a nail sticking out.

Underneath her long-sleeve shirt, T’Lyn’s orange skin split open to reveal her green musculature and her copper blood quickly filled the deep chasm and soaked into the edges of the clothing.

“That is not ideal.”

“Hmm?” Tendi hadn’t heard her.

For a moment, she considered simply tending to the wound herself. She knew how to archaically stitch skin together and she was capable of treating her injury alone. But that was an illogical option.

She was reminded of Tendi not informing her of the problems with her quarters when she was first reassigned… And given Tendi’s less than ideal behavior earlier in the week, if she didn’t tell her, perhaps the Orion would assume she was still upset which was incorrect.

“I have sustained an injury.” T’Lyn held her forearm flat in an attempt to mitigate the mess of warm blood but when Tendi saw the wound her eyes went wide.

“Holy [fuck], what happened?!” She flew over but rather than fret in the dirty cellar, she told her, “Come on, there should still be boiled water in the kitchen and I washed those rags… Oh, didn’t we see some needle and thread in the living room?”

“Correct.”

The pain was suppressed yet Tendi treated her like she was made of glass. She carefully stripped off T’Lyn’s vest and shirt, soaking the bloodstained clothing in water. She apologized when she had to tightly wrap the wound and assisted T'Lyn back into her vest to cover herself.

Tendi retrieved the sewing kit and when they sat at the dining room table so she could stitch her skin closed, her attention was tender and her touch was gentle. She even hummed a Krog on the Rock’s song, though that could’ve been more for her benefit than T’Lyn’s.

Reassurance of her affection was unnecessary, they had reconciled. Yet it was undeniably… affirming that Tendi so readily took care of her. Admittedly, she'd been cautious simply because a few days had passed and they had remained stranded on Dilmer III with the threat of the promotion hanging over their heads. However Tendi had seemed to fully embrace the distraction of the mission and it was a relief to know her discourteous behavior truly was an anomaly.

Her illogical lingering unease could officially be banished.

After T’Lyn’s wound was closed and no longer bleeding, Tendi set to sewing T’Lyn’s bloodstain-free shirt since she knew her preference to not have her arms exposed. Another thoughtful gesture that she’d like to reward once they returned to the Cerritos considering neither had thought it was wise to be intimate while on an undercover mission.

Tendi broke her from her unprofessional thoughts when she asked, “Do you want me to keep looking around for supplies?”

“Negative. First, I must inspect the cellar for more safety hazards.” T’Lyn would take the rusted hammer and secure every crooked nail flush against the aged boards. She would even preemptively dispose of any glass: she didn’t want either of them to be injured in a similar manner. Their eyes locked; T’Lyn’s pulse throbbed in her arm. “Thank you for sewing.”

Tendi disregarded the task for a moment to hold out her hand for T’Lyn’s. She kissed her knuckles and requested, “Please be careful.”

“Why would I do anything else?”

Tendi huffed out a laugh and T’Lyn enjoyed the warmth of her positive emotions. She greatly anticipated their return.

T’Lyn walked into the house and her eyes went wide at the sight of the android's head sitting on the kitchen table where anyone lurking could see. She made haste to shut the door behind her.

“Tendi. That was unwise.”

“Sorry, I’ll move him!” Tendi worried her bottom lip. “Can you see him if I put him over here?”

She moved Purple Data’s head to the kitchen counter yet surrounded by the cooking pots and utensils, it did evoke unfortunate and unnerving connotations. Tendi noticed too and she rubbed her neck with a frown.

But rather than talk about where he should go, she asked, “What are you hoping to accomplish with Commander Data’s head?”

“Well since you’re always busy building things or repairing the house or selling our produce and Mariner’s in jail, I decided to build a way to power Data’s positronic matrix!” She gave her a sheepish grin, “It can get kind of lonely around here.”

T’Lyn nodded in understanding- she’d observed the Orion talking animatedly with the vegetables and fruits she grew in their backyard. But illogical, one-sided conversations couldn't relieve her need for socialization.

“Anyway, you got home just in time!” She cranked the machine until the bulbs illuminated and Data awoke with a twitch and blink of his eyes.

“Hello. I am Data.”

“Hi Commander Data!” Unthinkingly, Tendi stuck out her hand in greeting before hiding the gesture behind her back. “I’m Lt. Tendi and this is Lt. T’Lyn!”

“You are in Starfleet? You are not in uniform.”

“Negative. We were instructed to retrieve you from a crash.”

“That does sufficiently explain why I am just a head…”

T’Lyn inspected the power supply. “Intriguing. However, Snell has been lurking with a greater frequency lately. I suspect Mariner often banished him off of our property.”

And now that she was in jail for two months…

“I am just a head.” Data agreed. “It will be a violation of the Prime Directive if I am seen.”

“Okay um, well I can try to build you a body!”

“How?” They both asked and then like they were a mirror, they looked at the other and shared a raise of an eyebrow.

Uncanny…

Tendi giggled. “It wouldn’t be fully functional or anything, but something so it looks like you’re more than a head.”

“He is also purple.”

“Oh!” She grabbed onto her arm in her excitement. “We could make orange pigment from the carrot vegetable!”

“That is an excellent idea.”

Tendi’s elation was infectious so when she asked the androids permission to put him in makeup and attach some fake horns to his head, he readily agreed.

The next few days were spent cobbling together different materials to make a sturdy body for Data’s head to rest upon. It gave Tendi another hobby and while T’Lyn did assist when there was downtime, she allowed her the opportunity to bond with the android, who was fascinated to learn she was an Orion and wished to be a Captain.

T’Lyn often walked in on the two chatting amicably. Commander Data informed her that he was due to inherit Captaincy of the Enterprise upon her next commission. She wondered if that held true for their universe’s Commander Data.

Then after they had told him of their relationship, he shared stories of himself and his partner, Lt. Geordie La Forge. There were undeniable similarities between their situations and it was fascinating to hear how the android and human navigated complex emotional issues as well as the interconnection of their careers.

T’Lyn blankly watched the passing citizens from her place next to her stall where she sold the various fruits and vegetables Tendi grew- a thoughtful gesture to accommodate the Vulcan’s aversion of botany and in exchange, she built and repaired anything she required. The giant produce, which T’Lyn did assist with since that was close enough to genetic manipulation to be interesting, was well received by the scarcity driven populous. As such, they only charged what they needed to maintain a steady stream of supplies and goods for themselves.

The footfalls over the cobblestones rang out in a chaotic tune but it was interrupted by the rickety creak of the jail’s door less than a block away.

“That is some Edo level bull[shit].” Mariner announced at an uncaring passing citizen. Then she brightened when their eyes met but the excitement to see her transformed into a grumpy pout.

She imagined the human was still upset that they didn’t break her out of jail, though that was not the advisable action in accordance with the Prime Directive.

“Ah, you have been released.”

“Yeah, don’t throw a parade or anything.”

T’Lyn quirked an eyebrow. “Tendi sufficiently warned you to be cautious and aware of your horns.”

Mariner open her mouth and pointed but then gave up with a roll of her eyes. “Whatever, I lost two months of precious Carbon Creek life. I need to make up for lost time… Hmm.” She looked around and then gasped, “Oh! Here we go. A fire! I’ll put it out and be a hero! Everyone loves a hero!” She waggled her eyebrows before she stole a shnoop fruit and bounded off.

“That is the eternal flame.” But T’Lyn was ignored.

“Stand back everyone!” Mariner ran towards the fire but in her haste, she knocked a woman over and they went tumbling down onto the cobblestone. The fruit juice splashed everywhere as it was crushed between their bodies and the two landed in a heap with Mariner on top.

“Woah, I am so sorry.” Mariner blushed a darker orange and pushed up onto her hands. “Totally my fault.”

The woman didn’t seem to mind their position. In fact, she purred, “You got me all wet.”

T’Lyn’s eyebrows rose, impressed with her forwardness.

Meanwhile Mariner’s mouth fell open in shock. Dumbstruck she stammered out a few incoherent phrases but finally moved off of her and then helped the woman up.

“Your hands are soft.” The other woman held Mariner’s shaking hand between her own.

T’Lyn had never witnessed such blatant flirting, it was fascinating.

“Yours are too.” Mariner’s voice shook, whether in disbelief or in response to the flattery was yet to be determined.

The human shot a look over to T’Lyn, who felt like she was watching a holodrama unfold. She anticipated Tendi’s reaction when she told her.

Mariner swallowed and seemed to get her bearings. “Uh, again I’m sorry about all this.” She gestured between them. “Can I… Can I buy you dinner tonight? At the pub on High Street?”

She coyly agreed, “Who am I having dinner tonight with by the way?”

“M-My name’s Mariner.”

“Shaine. See you tonight.”

As soon as Shaine had turned her back Mariner sprinted over to her, tripping on the uneven road but refusing to fall. Much like the giant smile she wore. “Dude!” She shook her by her shoulders. “Did you see that?”

“Yes.” She removed her hands, not wishing to be shaken. “Congratulations on your date.” Then she looked down at the wet purple stain on Mariner’s shirt. “Perhaps a visit to the tailors would be advantageous.”

“Right!” The human lunged for the lockbox next to T’Lyn and pocketed a few globbers. “Catch you later!” Then departed with a restless energy she hadn’t displayed in some time.

T’Lyn and Tendi were sat at the dining room table eating and talking with Data when the front door was kicked open. The Orion jumped in her seat but the Vulcan merely raised a curious eyebrow in Mariner’s direction.

Mariner appeared wired, grinning wide and carefree. Without preamble, she announced, “I’m gonna bring her over.”

There was only one her that the human could be referring to: her girlfriend of the last three months with whom she spent nearly every day. It was impressive to witness the transformations, rather the return of her personality and good-natured mischievousness, inspired by the local.

Still, Tendi turned in her seat to question her. “Who? Shaine?”

“Who else?”

Tendi scoffed, “You can’t! We have electricity! We have Data.” She gestured towards the android, who eerily turned his entire head around so he could observe the exchange.

“So what, she’s never allowed over here?” Mariner crossed her arms over her chest in a pout.

“Correct.”

“So we’ll light some candles! Can’t Data pretend to be T’Lyn’s dad or something? T’Lyn’s practically an android.”

Data replied, “I suppose I could.”

T’Lyn was pleased by her assessment of her aptitude to remain unemotional and efficient, however she pointed out, “Considering it would require immense effort and planning, these hijinks are ill-advised for something so unnecessary.”

“No! It’s totally necessary! She’s my girlfriend and I gotta prove to her that I live here and we’re normal! She thinks I’m lying about who I am!”

Tendi and T’Lyn both said at the same time:

“You are!”

“She is correct.”

Mariner passed a hand over her face to center herself before she launched into another plead. “Come on! I need this.” But rather than overacting with a trembling lower lip or batting her eyelashes, she promised. “I’ll help with whatever.”

It was surprisingly mature and T’Lyn watched Tendi’s resolve crack. The Orion’s mouth downturned slightly, taken in by her seriousness. Green eyes met hers and T’Lyn shrugged up a shoulder.

Tendi addressed Mariner, “Okay! Fine!” She laughed when Mariner lit up, “We’ll do it.”

“You look like you don’t want to do this.” Tendi giggled, smoothing her palms over T’Lyn’s flawless vest.

T’Lyn was tempted to capture her hand in hers but held her wrist behind her back instead. “An accurate observation.”

The front door opened and they welcomed the guest of honor and Mariner introduced them, “So Shaine, these are my roommates: Tendi, T’Lyn, and T’Lyn’s dad: Brent.”

“Hi!” Tendi zoomed over, hands clasped in front of her chest. “It’s so nice to finally meet you! Mariner has told us all about you!”

“I’ve heard a lot about you three.” Shaine was outgoing and confident, almost a copy of Mariner from when T’Lyn first arrived.

“I have finished eating, daughter.”

As part of the ruse, Data ‘ate’ beforehand to avoid T’Lyn needing to pretend to feed her ‘paralyzed’ ‘father’. The convoluted plan had barely begun and she was already predicting Shaine would discover some part of the truth by the end of the night.

Tendi put a hand on T’Lyn’s arm and moved first. “I’ll get that for you, Data.”

Through their bond, she felt the Orion’s pure, unadulterated panic at her slip. In less than a minute. Impressive.

Now T’Lyn was certain they will have broken the Prime Directive by the conclusion of the meal.

“Da-da?” Shaine hid a laugh behind her hand.

“Sorry, she forgot we have company over. Tendi, stop being weird.” Mariner tried to smooth it over with a barely restrained hissed.

Tendi chuckled and rolled with her mistake. “Oops! I’ve been hanging out with T’Lyn too much!” T’Lyn’s eyes narrowed at the implication she would ever use such an immature diminutive and Tendi’s voice shook with amusement, “I’m sorry, Brent.”

“That is quite alright.”

“Anyway…” Mariner pulled out the dining room chair for Shaine. “Who’s ready for a totally normal dinner?”

“Pardon me, Shaine. I have already eaten. However I will participate in this socialization, if you do not mind.”

“That’s no problem, Brent.” Shaine assured.

Tendi sat next to T’Lyn and said, “Of course, you can stay- er Brent!”

Another narrowly avoided slip. T’Lyn was tempted to tap into their bond to calm her anxiety but when she shot her a look, her green eyes were shining with mirth- she thought this was funny.

With the meal complete, the next phase of the plan was due to start. T’Lyn, Tendi, and Data would make their exit as soon as possible to mitigate the risk of Shaine observing odd behavior.

“Are you ready to sit on the front porch,” T’Lyn took a deep breath and sighed, long-suffering, “Da-da?”

“Yes, daughter.”

“I’ll get the door, T’Lyn.” Tendi hopped up from the table. “You two, don’t worry about the dishes. I can do them later!”

“No, no. I got them!” Mariner waved her off. “Least I could do since you cooked.”

T’Lyn and Tendi were standing on the other side of Data, who was sat in the rocking chair. The sides of their hands were touching. On Vulcan, it would be considered far too sentimental how connected they needed to be now. How accustomed to it they were.

The front door opened behind them, making Tendi jump away.

“Hey, sorry. Mariner told me to hang out with you three.”

That was not the plan but T’Lyn assumed there was a good reason Mariner went off-script. And it better not be because she wanted to use the dishwasher…

“We’re just enjoying the sunset! It’s pretty! So purple!”

The four shared a quiet moment, watching the river run under the colorful glow of the sun on the horizon. The two moons shined pink overhead in the dispersing light.

Out of nowhere, Shaine asked. “So you guys are aliens, right?”

Illogically, T’Lyn felt vindicated at her correct prediction.

Tendi sputtered, laughing nervously. “No! What a weird thing to say!” She clasped her hands in front of her chest. “We’re from the northern region!”

“Like space?” She refused to take the excuse.

The Orion forced a wide smile, “Oh my gosh, you’re so funny! No wonder Mariner loves you.” It was a clever tactic.

Shaine looked back towards the door. “She does?”

“It is quite obvious.” Data replied.

It was true but it was also hopefully a good distraction from the forbidden topic. T’Lyn added, “We have never seen her in this state of happiness.”

“Yeah, she’s great. It’ll be sad when you guys have to go back to whatever planet you're from.”

“There you go again with that joke!” Tendi fell into T’Lyn with false laughter.

But T’Lyn was immobile, studying the local. It seemed unlikely that Shaine would be convinced otherwise and she didn’t appear to want to extort them for anything. Tendi held onto her sleeve for ballast, placing herself slightly behind her to defer to her for what they should do.

“It’s okay, I don’t care. I won’t tell anyone. And I won’t tell Mariner about you two but I can’t believe she doesn’t know.”

“Us two?! What?” Tendi overacted again, which caused Shaine to laugh.

Perhaps Shaine merely wanted her theories to be verified. T’Lyn finally decided to say, “We appreciate your discretion on both matters.”

“You got it.” She finger-gunned them, a habit picked up from her girlfriend.

And like she was summoned by the gesture, the human burst out of the house. “Dishes are all done!”

Shaine whirled around, “Mare, let’s go to the waterfall.”

“But isn’t that dangerous? You know? We just ate.” She held her hand and T’Lyn’s eyebrow quirked up at her concern.

“We’ll be fine.” Shaine knocked their shoulders together and Mariner’s worry disappeared with a glint in her eyes.

“Yeah, and if I drown, you could give me mouth to mouth…”

Shaine might not have known the context but she did appear properly charmed by Mariner’s remark based on how her tongue darted out to lick her lower lip.

Tendi giggled as Shaine pulled Mariner along and their friend turned back with a grin. The Orion called out, “Have fun you two! Please don’t drown!” And waved and then the two were gone for, most likely, the evening.

With the ruse completed, T’Lyn picked up the Commander from his place on the rocking chair. “Data, thank you for your participation.”

“Of course, daughter.”

Tendi burst into laughter and her warm palm rested on T’Lyn’s back as she carried the android head’s fake body inside to deposit on the couch.

“It is fortunate Vulcans are immune to embarrassment.” Data flatly teased her once he was settled.

“Indeed.” The tips of her ears burned behind the cloth. There’d been a distinct lack of dignity earlier and it’d been obvious based on T’Lyn’s reaction that she had suffered some embarrassment. “Still, I am pleased to never utter the childish denomination again.”

“Even my own child did not call me ‘Da-da’ so it was a distinct honor.”

T’Lyn could feel Tendi’s wild glee behind her. Unnecessarily, she said, “Rest well, Data.” And then shut down the android with the press of a button.

“That was really fun! Our first double-date!”

T’Lyn withheld her comment in favor of pulling Tendi into a hug. The press of their bodies together was a comfort though she would be glad to return to the Cerritos: the experience would be enhanced once her scent receptors were restored…

“Come on, let’s go cuddle while Mariner’s out.” Giving her a sly smile, her hand dropped to hold T’Lyn’s.

T’Lyn smirked when Tendi laced their fingers together and guided her towards ‘their’ room.

There was the familiar shimmer of light before T’Lyn, Tendi, Mariner, and Purple Data were transported from the surface. They materialized in the transporter bay, immediately assaulted by the visual of Boimler and Rutherford bare chests splattered with red residue and shrimp. There was even a slice of a chili pepper caught on Boimler’s ‘beard’.

Tendi didn’t wait a moment before she exploded, “Boimler, what the hell happened?!”

Rutherford swiped the back of his hand over his soiled face and lied, “Totally random LCARs issue!”

“We were on Dilmer III for a year because of your [shit]!” She pointed at the purple-haired man.

“Tendi, easy girl.” Mariner put a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off.

“Bradward…” Tendi hissed his first name, which scared the man into cowering. T’Lyn thought it was a valid self-preservation tactic considering she’d never heard Tendi address him as anything but Boimler. “Why the hell did you have those damn drinks in here?! Who the [fuck] were you trying to impress?”

T’Lyn’s eyebrows rose at her outburst, realizing that perhaps Tendi had been withholding any comments about the duo's recent personality changes and now she had the opportunity to release all her frustration.

Next she jabbed a finger in Rutherford’s direction, “And why the [fuck] didn’t you just go next door to the other damn transporter room?!”

The boys looked at each other in horror, each clutching the other’s shoulder with their astonishment. “Holy [shit]! Why didn’t we go to the other transporter room?” Rutherford asked, incredulous at their oafishness. “We’ve got like eight! And sickbay!”

“I don’t know man! We were panicking!”

“I couldn’t think!”

“We were so focused on cleaning up the Micheladas-“

Tendi growled, “Which you shouldn’t have even had!”

“Okay, I think they get it, D.” Mariner put an arm around her and steered her out the door. “Let’s go to sickbay and get patched up.” Tendi’s fists stayed clenched by her side the entire time and the shirtless boys continued to lament their lack of creativity… “Come on, they didn’t mean to mess up-“

“A damn two second mission!” Tendi yelled from the hallway.

T’Lyn addressed the pair, who appeared appropriately disappointed in themselves. Still, “This incident could have been avoided if neither of you were fixated on curating your personality and image.” Then she turned and followed Tendi and Mariner to sickbay.

The Orion calmed down once they were in the turbolift. “I’m sorry about that guys.”

Surprisingly, it was Commander Data that assured her, “Your reaction, while volatile, was justifiable. Their flagrant disobedience of regulation resulted in an unwelcomed and preventable situation.”

“Thanks Data.”

Once in sickbay, the Captain collected Commander Data to return to his universe while Dr. T’Ana reversed their appearances to normal. Next she treated them for various vitamin deficiencies, re-healed old injuries, and returned T’Lyn’s sense of scent.

For once, she was comforted by the strong smells of the Cerritos. And then she immediately wanted to take an olfactory suppressant. However perhaps it could wait until tomorrow… Even though she and Tendi had broken the ‘no intimacy’ agreement three weeks into their year-long adventure, she hadn’t been able to enjoy her natural fragrance… By extension, nor had she been able to taste her fully…

When they were all officially cleared for duty, Mariner caught them both by the wrist first.

“I know getting stranded kinda sucked but…” Mariner rubbed the back of her neck, “I dunno, it made me appreciate Starfleet more and… And I feel like myself again. I’d been… well, scared about being a bad Lt. gj. Like sending my team on dangerous mission or turning into a power hungry [bitch]. But I think I’m ready to stop freaking the [fuck] out about what might happen and just, you know, do my best.”

“Aww, Mariner!” Tendi hugged her tight. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Yeah, I am too.” Mariner laughed, “I’m ready to have fun and goof off again but without all the self-destructive tendencies.”

“Admirable.” T’Lyn nodded but then was pulled into a group hug by the two. She allowed them their moment and then knew exactly how to break up the emotional moment. “Mariner, I believe taquito night in the cantina is ongoing.”

The human pushed away from them both with a gasp. “Holy [shit]! I’ve gotta get me some! I’ve literally been waiting a year!” And she sprinted out of sickbay.

Their badges chirped. “Lts. Tendi and T’Lyn report to my ready room.” The Captain requested.

Tendi danced through their door, spinning wildly. “We’re both SSO!” She was ecstatic! “Oh my gosh! This has been an awesome and super long day!”

“That is accurate.” T’Lyn almost sounded weary and Tendi calmed, not wanting to overwhelm her with her enthusiasm. She pressed a gentle kiss to her jaw. The Vulcan caught her hand before she could pull away and her heart leapt at her affection. “Are you prepared to rest or are you excessively excited from our promotion?”

“I kinda am... But you can get ready if you want!” She would wear herself out soon, she wanted to just take it in that they were back from Dilmer III! That they were both SSOs! That Purple Data insisted on communicating with his counterpart to recommend becoming her mentor in this universe too!

It was so unreal! She couldn’t be happier and T’Lyn nodded and released her, letting her savor the moment.

So Tendi skipped over to their tribble’s habitat and picked up the fuzzy creature. “Taluhk! Did you miss us?!”

T’Lyn changed into her sleep clothes as she said, “From his viewpoint, we were not absent more than usual.”

“He could still miss us!” She stroked his fur and then handed him off.

T’Lyn pet her tribble and her features softened. “Greetings, Taluhk.”

While Tendi changed into her own sleep clothes, T’Lyn gave Taluhk attention and then provided him with his evening meal pellets. It was so cute when the Vulcan promised him, “I will endeavor to provide additional attention tomorrow. I must sleep.”

It was a testament to her fatigue when T’Lyn was the first to crawl under the covers.

As a joke, Tendi sat on the edge of the bed next to her and asked, “Do you want me to take the bunk tonight?”

She almost felt bad at the way T’Lyn’s half-lidded eyes snapped open, sitting up in a rush. “I do not understand.”

“Are you tired of me yet?” She smiled and rubbed wide, soothing circles over T’Lyn’s thigh beneath the covers.

The Vulcan caught onto her playfulness. She shook her head, “Negative.” She laid back down, eyes closed in contentment. “In fact, our time trapped together on Dilmer III has allowed my tolerance for you to grow.”

Tendi threw back her head with a laugh, “You're so mean!” She rolled over and laid on top of her love, who she knew was smirking with satisfaction. “Just for that comment, you’re never sleeping without me!”

“Oh no.” T’Lyn said sarcastically, stroking her fingers down her buzzed hair. “How torturous. Whatever shall I do?”

Tendi snickered, “I love you…” Her heart swelled, just like every other time she told her. She sat up to kiss her slow, moaning quietly into her lips. Then after their deep kiss, she sighed and settled at her side and snuggled into her shoulder without accidentally jabbing her with her horns. “I’m glad we don't have to worry about those horns.”

“Indeed. Following our extensive rest, I look forward to a proper ‘celebration’ tomorrow.”

“Me too.” Tendi grinned, loving that the Vulcan would readily celebrate occasions now despite how illogical she might think it was.

T’Lyn held the hand that rested on her midsection and Tendi swooned.

Tendi was sitting on the floor of the bridge with her arm halfway in the Security station’s ODN terminal. While the Cerritos drifted in the orbit of Bentare IV, where the bridge crew and Engineering were setting the planet up with the usual second-contact resources, she’d volunteered to stay behind to do some upgrades.

Since the bridge was deserted except for herself, Rutherford, and acting captain Ensign Gary, she hummed happily while she retrofitted the conduits that connected to the computer core. She heard Rutherford dust his hands off loudly before he proudly announced, “The conn and helm are upgraded, want me to get Tactical?”

“Sure!” Tendi agreed, happily. When he was busy engineering, he was almost like old-Rutherford. “Then I think we’ll be done!”

But when he plopped down in front of the console next to her, he was practically pressed against her side. Guilt welled in her stomach when her first thought was that she didn’t want him to sit so close. His casual touching wouldn’t have been an issue before but knowing he liked her made her uncomfortable, as though it had some ulterior motivation.

Like now, when the back of his hand brushed down the entire length of the side of her thigh to reach behind him for the tools.

But this was her best friend, even if he didn’t always act like it... With a quiet exhale, she decided to let it slide.

It was so hard to maintain personal space boundaries while not wanting to be mean.

“So what was that tune you were humming earlier? An Orion pirate shanty?”

“Oh, no. T’Lyn always plays this Krog on the Rocks song and it’s stuck in my head.”

He laughed, “I can’t believe she likes those vibetubes, right?”

She didn’t like his tone but congenially said, “I think they’re pretty cool!”

“Well if you ask me, Klingon Rock Operas are the best.”

It was kind of neat how his old interests almost lined up, he used to think Bajoran musicals were the best… The rock opera was no doubt influenced by his younger-self’s more hardcore personality.

To easily connect with others, Tendi had read or listened to music of a wide variety of genres across differing cultures. As such, she could ask him, “Have you heard the one about the Klingon who only ate the blood-filled lungs of his enemies?”

“No, but that sounds awesome!”

“Yeah! I really like it. I thought it was-“

Rutherford interrupted her to complain, “Whoever messed up these internal wirings is dumb. Pass me that hyperspanner.”

She repressed the urge to sigh at his lack of manners. But she handed off the tool and his fingers caressed the back of her hand completely unnecessarily. Her lips pursed, wishing that he was more than almost okay sometimes…

“Like why the hell would someone reroute the power through this?” He grumbled and leaned closer into the paneling, “What if I…” The hyperspanner whirled to life.

But then the ODN in the Security station’s terminal sparked, the only warning before the internal components exploded in front of her.

“Ow!” The electrical crackle was as startling as the intense, shooting pain. Tendi fell back and clutched her burning hand to her chest. “Holy [fuck]!”

“Oh [shit]!” He threw the hyperspanner away with a clang and his hands hovered over her rather than making sure the damn power didn’t build up again! “It’s gonna be okay, Tendi.”

She pushed him away to sit up. She cut the power supply by implementing a complete shutdown of the terminal systems and nearly sighed in relief with the potential second crisis averted.

In the front of the bridge, Ensign Gary’s voice broke with panic, “What happened?”

Tendi tried not to let her discomfort show as she gauged the damage. The electricity had caused branching burns along her fingers, the charring ending almost at her wrist. Those hurt and she felt like she couldn’t move her already swelling fingers, but the worst pain was in her palm. Her nerves tingled and her skin was raw from holding the ODN recoupler. It looked more like a deep plasma burn.

But she suppressed the pain with a deep breath.

“I’m okay, it’s-“ she yelped, surprised when Rutherford scooped her up into his arms. “Rutherford!”

“It’s okay, Tendi!” He stood from a kneel but unsupported, it felt like she was going to slip through his hold. With a sharp knee to her spine and a brief toss, he cradled her to his chest a little more securely. “I’ll getcha to sickbay.” He puffed out.

“Rutherford! Put me down!” At his first shaky step, she hung onto his shoulder and flailed her legs even though she knew it was a bad idea. She didn’t want to fall but she really didn’t need him to carry her. “I can walk!”

He explained in a rush, “I’m sorry! You’re hurt and you need to get to Dr. T’Ana! It’s hard to think.” After he set her down he put a hand on his lower back and straightened with a stretch, “Damn, I forgot Bointer number 3. I lifted you with my back instead of my knees.”

Tendi tried not to take offense, but she might’ve been too curt when she said, “I’m going to sickbay.”

She waved bye to Gary, who’s face had flushed a worrying pale when he saw the dark green burns. Maybe he should go with them…

The door to the turbolift had barely closed before Rutherford swept a hand through his hair and groaned, “I’m so dumb, that was all my fault. I didn’t think the [fuck]ing current flow would divert to your console!”

“It’s no one’s fault, Rutherford.” She assured him gently, “It was an accident.”

He shook his head. “No, I would’ve seen that before with…” Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t continue; he didn’t need to.

Dr. T’Ana assigned her a biobed and Rutherford sat at her side, holding her non-exploded hand in his clammy one. Knowing he felt guilty, she let him while her injured hand sat under the regeneration machine. The passive treatment option was slower but apparently the away team suffered their own mishaps with the instillation of the communications system. Tendi was worried about T’Lyn and their friends but it must not have been too serious because the away team didn’t start trickling for another hour.

The Medical staff worked with impressive efficiency and there didn’t seem to be anyone seriously hurt.

It wasn’t until T’Lyn was walking over after getting treated that Tendi realized she had the perfect excuse to pull her hand away from Rutherford’s without feeling bad for still being so uncomfortable around him.

“Tendi?” T’Lyn approached the unoccupied side of the biobed.

“Hi T’Lyn.” Rutherford greeted briefly before he returned his attention to the monitor behind her. He’d been quiet for a while, a troubled expression on his face.

“Hey T’Lyn!” Since she was right there, she slipped her hand out of Rutherford’s to brush her hair off her forehead and hoped it looked casual. “What happened on Bentare IV?” She laid her arm over her stomach, effectively barring him from reaching out again.

“A stamped of indigenous creatures crashed through the communications site. There were only minor injuries.” T’Lyn moved her arm from behind her back to show her the cut through her jacket that ran the length of her forearm. The only evidence of the now treated wound.

“I’m glad it wasn’t serious!” Tendi’s hand twitched on her stomach, wanting to touch her. “I’m sure the animals didn’t mean it.”

T’Lyn ignored that comment to quirk an eyebrow up, “Why are you in sickbay?”

“A power surge. I can’t believe I got hurt on a simple ODN retrofitting!” She laughed good-naturedly, trying to assure T’Lyn she was fine.

“You almost died cause I couldn’t see the circuits were building up power!” Rutherford dramatically claimed and even though he might’ve been a little reckless, it wasn’t fair for him to blame himself.

“Well that would’ve been true if I was working with anyone else too.”

His jaw was tense but he sighed, “Tendi, I miss my oculus…” She shared a surprised look with T’Lyn as he continued his lamenting, “I wouldn’t be [fuck]ing up all the time if I still had it!”

Despite how much she missed old Rutherford, she felt bad for him. Tendi cooed, “Aw, no, Rutherford. You’re doing your best!”

“I stranded you on Dilmer III for a year-“

“Yes, I guess that wasn’t fun.”

“And now your cute, perfect hand-”

Tendi barely held back a laugh at the way T’Lyn’s eyes narrowed at his weird comment. But despite her obvious disapproval, the Vulcan’s tone was flat when she reprimanded him, “Mr. Rutherford, I do not believe that is appropriate to say aloud.”

“And I’ve got no damn filter!” Rutherford looked up at her and he shook his head forcefully. “I’m angry like all the time and Dr. Migleemo’s [shit] isn’t helping! Ugh, I’m so confused… I wanna go back to the oculus but isn’t that changing myself?”

After witnessing Boimler crib his personality from a stolen padd, it was an understandable concern. But the difference was that Brad was blindly copying his alternate and didn’t care about what he truly wanted.

If Rutherford wanted the oculus again, that was his choice.

“Why did you keep the oculus even after you learned it wasn’t actually your idea to get it in the first place? You had so many chances to get rid of it, but you didn’t!” She pointed out brightly but mentally cringed as she imagined what could’ve happened in an alternate timeline where he’d chosen that sooner than now. She disregarded the distraction to ask him, “Why did you decide to keep it?”

“Because it helped with engineering… All the best diagnostic tools were attached to my brain! And being connected to the Cerritos was amazing.” He sighed wistfully. “God, I miss how easy it was to know and remember things. And it was like it helped my brain calm down… Which I can’t do by myself apparently.”

“Maybe you’re like a self-sealing stembolt! You just need a little background maintenance that the oculus automatically provides.”

“But the Cerritos isn’t compatible anymore! And I’m not ready to leave her yet...”

“I had previously offered a solution.” T’Lyn reminded him. It’d taken her about a week to figure it out and Tendi loved how there wasn’t anything she couldn’t do. She beamed at her.

He looked up at T’Lyn and nodded, “Yeah, I can’t do this anymore. I’m ready for that help now.”

“Very well.”

Doctor T’Ana assisted Rutherford with reattaching his implant after Tendi’s hand was treated. T’Lyn and Tendi stood on either side of his biobed as they awaited the prognosis.

The Caitian scanned his brain once more and confirmed the results. “He’ll wake up when he’s ready.”

“Thank you, Doctor!” Tendi’s cheerful attitude melted the grumpy CMO.

“Yeah, yeah. I hope he’s not as [fuck]ed up.”

It only took another minute before Rutherford’s oculus booted up and his artificial eye came online before he blinked his real eye open. He put a hand to his head and sat up with a groan.

Tendi worriedly reached out to put a hand on his forearm, “How do you feel, Rutherford?”

“Better now that you’re touching me.” He purred out, eliciting an illogical possessive reaction from T’Lyn. She suppressed it though it was made infinitely harder when he continued, “But do you wanna give me a full-body examination just in case?”

“I don’t see a medical reason why you’d need one…” Tendi, sweet and innocent, ignored his advance.

T’Lyn frowned and pressed a button on his implant. Any mode would be an improvement from what it was currently defaulting as.

Rutherford blinked and then lit up. “Sorry Tendi, it was in sexy mode.” Then he laughed his carefree laugh. Tendi’s green eyes teared up even through her grin. “Oh! Wow! I feel way better! And look at all these improvements! Holy [shit]! There’s a menu for the different modes! I don’t have to click through the entire cycle, watch this!” He pressed a button, “‘M bloody chuffed to bits.”

Tendi giggled and he cackled with a british accent until pressing the button again. “Oh man! And look! I can see everything in the system! Guess what the radiogenic particle density off the starboard side is?”

Tendi and T’Lyn answered at the same time:

“1724?”

“1733.”

Rutherford laughed cheerfully, “1734! Wow! How’d you know?!”

“Science.” They said together and she felt Tendi’s delight at their second synchronization. There was an undeniable satisfying quality to the exchange.

“Aww, T’Lyn! This is great!” He stood from the biobed to put a hand on her shoulder. “What’d you do?”

“I simply rolled back the updates to when it was compatible. Which I believe was only two weeks prior to your decision.”

“But, uh, isn’t that a security risk?”

T’Lyn’s supposition was that Rutherford was too close to the problem and invested in the outcome that he couldn’t comprehend the relatively unpretentious solution. “Negative, it is an internal subroutine. The essentials will be updated as necessary.”

“Oh my god, duh. Why didn’t I think of that?” He then laughed happily. “Thanks, T’Lyn! Can I hug you?”

“I would rather you not.”

“I’ll hug you!” Tendi beamed and launched at him. Her happiness glowed as bright as a neon cloud as she pressed her cheek against his chest. “It’s good to have you back, Rutherford!”

“It’s good to be back, Tendi!”

T’Lyn suppressed a smile at the pair, pleased at Tendi’s overjoyed state.

The group was walking from the cantina in their usual positioning. Boimler ahead brushed crumbs off of his facial hair. “I won’t be needing those!”

Despite the popularity in humans, Vulcan culture maintained that a beard was a mask to hide behind. Only someone wishing to deceive themselves or others would conceal their true attributes and Boimler was a prime example of that. By copying his alternate, he hid more of his personality which T’Lyn previously found annoying; nevermind this newfound level of desperation that was borderline intolerable.

Still, she kept her opinions to herself.

Very much unlike Mariner. “God, Boims, please shave that [shit] off your face already.” She shoved the man by the shoulder and he went flying.

If it was confidence he sought, T’Lyn would need to recommend resuming their regular strength training. And perhaps now that Mariner was less inclined to suppress her personality, she would agree to participate in more sporting endeavors.

“No way! You wish you had a beard this cool.” He crossed his scrawny arms over his chest and they, oblivious to other around them, stopped in the middle of the corridor to have their discussion.

Mariner scoffed but Tendi ran her finger down his patchy purple beard. “I’ve been meaning to ask, how are you dying this?”

“This is my natural hair color.”

She had her doubts… But it seemed illogical that he would go to such lengths to conceal the actual shade of his hair.

Mariner nudged T’Lyn, “Main character syndrome.” Then louder, “I can’t believe you’re still doing whatever [shit] that dumb padd tells you to.”

“I’m becoming the best me!” Boimler smoothed his palm down his cheek and one of his lower eyelids twitched when he touched the scraggly hair, betraying his act.

“Boimler,” Tendi laughed. “How can it be you when you’re changing everything about yourself to fit this mold?”

“But…” His gaze fell to the floor for a moment before he weakly insisted, “No, I could be successful…”

Tendi put a hand on his chest. “You can be.”

“And I already did it there! So if I just do what he did-”

There was a flaw in his Logic and T’Lyn highlighted it, “While the .327% deviation between our universes may sound negligible, there were significant differences.”

“Yeah think about it!” Tendi chimed in and after a quick look to T’Lyn, she smiled. “Hydrogen is 75% of the known universe!”

T’Lyn immediately understood where she was going with the analogy and wished to support her. “The second most common element is Helium at 24%”

“And everything else,” the Orion gestured around them, “is that tiny 1%. Every choice matters! And you need to decide what you want to do- not just copy someone else.”

But rather than be comforted or inspired, Boimler deflated. “I… I can’t be someone’s Number One if-“

“Hey, man. Don’t you remember the Hawaii thing?” Rutherford piped up, his cheerful voice didn’t match the tone of the conversation but he appeared thrilled, possibly because he could once again remember every detail he chose to.

“But that was lying!”

Tendi put her hands on her hips, “Boimler, do you even like facial hair?”

“No, but I’m kinda getting used to it!”

“I’m not.” Mariner grumbled and T’Lyn nodded in agreement.

“What about those silly drinks?”

Tonight, he’d tried to order ‘Monkey glands’ and the sexual connotations: the two miniature oranges floating in the concoction… had thoroughly disturbed T’Lyn. Mariner had thankfully pushed the entire drink off the table and onto the floor before he’d even taken a single sip. Then he’d ordered the ostentatiously decorated shrimp drink. He told her, “The Micheladas are awful, but I’ll learn to like them!”

Tendi huffed, “Boimler!”

His forced smile fell, “God, [fuck]! You’re right.” He sat on the floor with his head in his hands. “My alternate was himself and it worked.”

It was what his friends had been telling him for weeks but it seemed he needed to come to that conclusion in his own time…

Tendi sat down beside him and put an arm around his shoulder. “Exactly! Don’t worry about him.”

Rutherford squatted down in front of him, “Dude, remember how you felt captaining the Cerritos?”

“Yeah…” He sighed wistfully, remembering his brief stint in the Captain’s chair.

“That was you!” His roommate nudged him.

His shoulders squared back. “It was.”

Mariner sat at his other side, “Boims, you’ve come a long way from being a stuck-up stick in the mud! Now you’re sometimes cool!”

“Mare-bear…” Boimler’s eyes sparkled with wetness.

Mariner rolled her eyes at his term of endearment.

“You’ve grown so much, Boimler!” Tendi ran a hand through his messy hair, slicking it back. “And you can be my Number One when I’m Captain!”

Her claim was endearing and T’Lyn felt a surge of pride for her mate at her confidence.

“Really?” Boimler’s voice rose an octave and he pressed his knuckles to his chest.

“Of course! I want Bold Boimler by my side.”

T’Lyn admired her graciousness and shared her own observation of his skills: “You would be an adequate Commander.”

Boimler’s expression turned to wonder. “T’Lyn… That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me!”

“That was not my intention.”

Everyone laughed and that was intended. T’Lyn repressed a smug smile.

“You know what, [fuck] this! I don’t need this damn cheat sheet.” He threw it to Rutherford, who pocketed it to hopefully destroy at a later time. “This universe needs my decisions! And my genius!”

T’Lyn looked to the ceiling at his arrogant claim but the rest of the group ‘dog-piled’ on him in a hug.

“Dude! Dude! Can I do the honors?” Mariner gleefully asked, smacking her hands over his cheeks.

“What?”

“Shaving your face!”

“No,” he pushed her hands away from his face. “I’m gonna do it. As my first decision as Bold Boimler 2.0.”

Tendi ruffled his hair and fell into him laughing and T’Lyn found it satisfying to witness the group’s happiness.

“Taluhk.” T’Lyn flatly addressed the tribble from her place on the floor, “Do you require nourishment?”

Laying above her on the bed, Tendi giggled when Taluhk rolled down the slide she’d set up on the edge of their mattress. The tribble bowled himself down for the third time and T’Lyn caught him while her girlfriend cooed and cheered at his whimsy.

A year ago, the scene would’ve been a wild, pollen-induced hallucination. She was equally perplexed and pleased that this was her reality. All of her unhinged decisions had led her here…

She stroked his fluffy fur, pleased that she could. “Have you received an adequate amount of enrichment?”

Something in her question caused Tendi to gasp and leap from the bed with an idea. T’Lyn held Taluhk close and they watched as the Orion retrieved Goopy from his bunk. Curious. She hadn’t tried to initiate a ‘play time’ in a week since the last one also didn’t gleam promising results of amity.

Laying on the bed once again, Tendi placed the gelatinous creature on the slide and explained, “I’m wondering if they’d like the slide too.”

It was a worthwhile experiment.

Goopy didn’t slide so much as tumble down and they landed on T’Lyn’s arm that held Taluhk. The tribble was often bothered by the other creature, who energetically followed after him. She prepared herself to separate the two yet Taluhk remained unruffled, purring peacefully in her palm. And apparently, due to the fact that he didn’t run, Goopy didn’t chase.

She shared a wide-eyed look with Tendi, who’s smile grew by the moment. Then her excitement burst, “Yay! They love each other!”

“Tolerate might be more accurate.”

Tendi snorted and she happily kicked her legs up behind her. “Aww, I knew they’d grow on each other.” She winked and her unspoken ‘like us’ hung in the air.

Fascinating. Poetically, the comparison was not dissimilar she supposed…

T’Lyn was captivated by her joy and the way their eyes locked in a tender gaze. It was not logical how her perception narrowed to only them when she tapped into their bond and let their love swirl around in her mind and chest. It felt like they were lost in space together, like they were a binary star system- mutually caught in the other’s orbit.

And with that, it was as though something clicked into place. She knew then. And the realization hit her like a shuttlecraft:

They were two components, both imperfect in their own ways, that fit together as if by design. A complete complement.

Tendi was her t’hy’la.

T’Lyn’s katra sang to even think the sacred title and wonder collected bright and blinding in her mind. After decades of being alone and misunderstood, she thought it was a statistical improbability that she would have a mate let alone a t’hy’la… It was one of the most sacred Vulcan bonds and here she sat, overcome with the sudden awareness that she was observing her beloved.

The Orion rested her head in her hands and gave her a gentle smile, “What?” She prompted, feeling her amazement and pleasure.

T’Lyn would tell her in due time, there was no rush. And since they had ample time, she deflected. Despite her satisfaction, she kept her expression neutral when she complimented her, “I admire your optimism.”

“If I’m going to be Captain-“

“You will.”

Tendi grinned at her assertion, “Then I have to be good at resolving interpersonal conflicts!” The Orion gracefully rolled off the bed and landed beside her.

“You have repeatedly demonstrated your abilities. You will be exceptional.”

She moved to scoop Goopy from her arm but took advantage of their closeness to kiss her soundly. T’Lyn cupped her cheek and their contentment amplified. Breathless, Tendi pulled back. “Are you already kissing up to your Captain?”

T’Lyn swiped her thumb over Tendi’s cheekbone. “I believe my Captain began kissing me.”

Tendi giggled and kissed her again.

Chapter Text

Captain D’Vana Tendi of the USS Enterprise-F would typically be admiring the cushioned interior of the turbolift of her Odyssey-class ship. The plush details were so funny to her considering their missions of exploration and defense, but the flagship did have certain perks and she was proud to command her!

But today, she wasn’t concerned with mindfulness in regards to her beautiful ship. Instead her attention was turned towards her Chief Science Officer, T’Lyn. Her gorgeous and lovely wife was trying to maintain some semblance of professionalism between them despite being the only ones in the lift. Still, T’Lyn was watching her from the corner of her eye and Tendi’s face was starting to hurt from smiling so much.

With no shame in the universe, Tendi admired how T’Lyn’s appearance hadn’t changed at all in the last decade. Well, now her dark hair was held back by an Odyssey-class Sciences' teal hairband. She pressed their shoulders together and savored the way the corner of the Vulcan’s lips twitched up.

Tendi’s smile grew when T’Lyn shook her head with fondness. Their quiet moment together ended all too soon when the turbolift came to a stop and the doors whooshed open.

“Lovebirds on the bridge.” Lt. Mariner, the Chief of Security, called out. It was a guaranteed way to rile T’Lyn up but it came from a place of love. She heard that she’d teased Ramsey and Durga in the same way when she’d done her Security stint on the Oakland. It was cute to know she was happy for them but it was kind of embarrassing and against regulations on discretion…