Chapter Text
Judy Hopps had made many sacrifices when she enlisted for Starfleet. She had left her home planet of Zootopia for several years, she had risked her life on Away missions constantly, and she had to wear dress uniforms at diplomatic functions.
Including this diplomatic function on Draconis. Judy wasn't suited for diplomacy - that was why she had joined Security, instead of Communications as was typical of rabbits with good ears. That diplomacy wasn't for her was especially clear to her now she was holding herself in a parade rest position, even though Starfleet hadn't been a military organisation for quite some time. The alternative was fiddling with her tight skirt and Bogo had already glared at her twice. He hadn't crossed his arms yet while asking Senator Rindja about the status of the Crurotarsi delegates, so that was a good sign.
Or maybe that was because Senator Rindja had already turned his attention to her, also drawing Captain Bogo's attention. Now more than ever it was apparent they were matched in height - komodo dragons were of a size with cape buffaloes. "I am sorry," the Senator said, and Judy tried not to stare as his forked tongue flicked out on the word "sorry". "It must be warm for you. Temperature is important for Draconians, because we are not - ah, there is no word for this in our language, nor yours. The word in Standard is warm-blooded." The default male voice set on the universal translator and the Senator's voice overlapped in a disconcerting manner on the use of the same word.
"Oh it's not a problem sir!" Judy hastened to assure, but Bogo had cut in.
"Ensign Hopps, perhaps you can check in with the perimeter guards." When Judy reached for her communicator, he clarified, "In person."
It was probably undignified to let her ears droop. But Senator Rindja probably wouldn't notice, seeing that Draconians in general didn't have ears. The closest equivalent Judy could think of was Senator Plumi's impressive crest that could shift with mood, but that was neatly tucked away now under the collar of his all white outfit.
As she left the ballroom, Judy tried to remind herself perimeter duty was where she should have been anyway, if it wasn't for her counterpart on the diplomatic team. Command had noticed that the meeting was dominated by the larger size lizards, and Senator Plumi was the largest for his species type, the basilisk lizard. Unfortunately, the Away team member in the same weight class that could be spared was Judy.
She probably ought to check in with Delgato now - that was probably what the Captain meant. She'd meant to just pass through the foyer where guests were still trickling in. There were an impressive number of mammals and reptiles milling around here, with the contrast of Starfleet's dress uniform red and the Draconian's white the most eye-catching against the greens that Draconians enjoyed in their decorations.
Judy still picked out Nick's pointed ears and relaxed grin from her vantage point at the top of the stairs leading to the ballroom. Even in dress uniform, Nick somehow looked as relaxed as he did in his favourite green button up. (Judy would never say this to his face, but she preferred the dress uniform. It did something to the line of his shoulders that made him look dashing.)
Well, the Captain had never mentioned that she should only check on one perimeter. There was a perfectly good security perimeter where the guests were being screened.
Target acquired, Judy bounded her way through the crowd, dodging larger Draconians and bounding over the smaller ones. Someone might have shouted a complaint, but she didn't understand and she didn't care right now.
Nick turned as she drew near, somehow picking up her presence. He faked a gasp. "Bogo threw you out already? Quick, what's the time now? I need to see if I can collect on my bet."
"Har har." She squinted at him. "You didn't actually bet on me, did you?"
"Your universal translator's still on, Carrots."
She tapped it off then repeated, "You didn't actually bet on me, did you? Because I can think of things with longer odds, like how you ended up on this mission."
"How else would I be able to get you any presents for your birthday? Unless you really don't mind something from the replicator, that can still be arranged. I don't bet on things that I actively try to avoid, like the plague and Claw when he's low on sugar. I'm here under duress, just like you are."
"You're just saying that so I won't get mad at you." But she was already grinning as her spirits lifted. This was why she had come here. "Sly fox."
"You know you love me." His voice was playful, but that didn't explain the tingle it gave Judy when Nick had said that right in her ear, as if he were on Comms back on the USS Integrity rather than next to her on an Away mission. Luckily for the both of them, Nick stepped away the very next moment. "However. I am a very important Comms officer doing very important Comms duty right now. And I will betcha you aren't here to help me calibrate the universal translators for the guests."
"I'm here to give the guests a non-sarcastic option in collecting their translators. I hear there's a fox with a very sharp tongue that's handling that important role right now."
"Oh you're definitely the non-sarcastic option, because the guests don't know enough Standard or Zootopian languages to pick up on your sass."
"I can totally be polite in Draconian!"
"Uh huh. You don't have the tongue for it, Fluff."
"What do tongues have to do with anything?" This was a public venue, so Nick was likely being serious instead of referring to what they did with their tongues in their free time. Maybe. Probably.
"See, languages that evolved on Draconis have a common feature - they involve tongue flicks to convey emphasis, emotion, and sometimes to convert a word to its polite form. Your tongue is too short to do a convincing flick, Carrots." Then his grin sidled to the salacious. "I've enough experience to know."
She was not going to blush in front of gathered dignitaries who wouldn't pick up on the double meaning of Nick's words. "As if your tongue is long enough."
Nick let his tongue loll out, even though it made him look like he was sticking his tongue out at her. Judy stuck out her tongue right back.
"Is everything alright?"
Although the question had been posed in Standard, Judy turned to find that they'd been addressed by S'ken Waran, Head of Security for Draconis and a Commander equivalent in Starfleet from the number of medals he had pinned on his black uniform. Judy couldn't read reptile features that well, but Waran's head tilt as he looked at them would have signalled confusion on a mammal.
And hopefully just that. Judy had flashes of trying to explain to Captain Bogo that she'd started a diplomatic incident because she'd stuck out her tongue at Wilde, sir, he did it first, sir, no she did not have the mental maturity of a 5 year old, sir, all evidence to the contrary.
While Judy was so occupied, Nick who had no sense of shame at all had already replied, "Everything's good." Then he went into a series of sibilant hisses and clicks that Judy had been told was typical of Draconian language.
Waran threw his head back such that it showed off the white of his neck, a contrast to his dominant green and yellow dotted stripes. The way he had opened his mouth read to Judy like he was laughing in response, but unlike a mammal there was no sound. When he looked back at them his voice was friendly without any hint of amusement. "They did not joke when they said you spoke our language well."
"I've had time to practise. It's been a while since Draconis began negotiations to join the Federation. Your Standard isn't shabby either."
"With luck, tonight all the hard work will pay off when Draconis' membership is formally signed. If there anything I can help with, let me know." Waran looked straight at Judy then. "That includes you, Ensign Hopps. Is there anything I can help with for the task Captain Bogo assigned you?"
Judy didn't know why the polite request had Nick scowling, but she hoped mammal expressions were just as hard for reptiles to read. She smiled, just in case it helped. "It was just a simple request really, I'm checking in with the other officers on the perimeter guard."
"Then I will go with you. Perimeter duty is important."
Judy's first hint that Nick was up to something was when his scowl cleared as if it hadn't been there at all. "Perimeter duty is oh so important," said Nick. "And while you're at it, can you pick up the guest list I've been asking for the past, hmm, hour or so?"
"Starfleet already has a guest list."
"Oh silly me, how could I have overlooked this?" He tugged his ears flat against his cheeks that pushed his contrite expression to the comic. "Only that doesn't explain why I've been hearing Gekkota all evening when they weren't invited, and no one will tell me if the Crurotarsi have sent any last minute delegates. But I'm just a dumb Zootopian who doesn't understand how much you hate the Crurotarsi, what do I know? I'll just recalibrate the universal translator to make Gekkota one of the defaults – "
Nick's spiel was cut short when Waran's tail lashed the floor hard enough to create a whip-like sound. The way Waran was staring at them made Judy categorise his current stance as pissed off. It didn't help that his tongue was flicking out more often, and that his tongue flicks were echoed by some of the nearby Draconians.
He spat an open-mouthed hiss at Nick, who merely pointed in response. Waran snapped, "Tsiny!"
A Draconian chameleon that had made himself the same shade as the drapery shifted his skin and clothing colours to a black that matched Waran's uniform. He surveyed the area that Nick had pointed out, where Judy had heard the shout she didn't understand, then opened his mouth.
Judy had expected hissing - she didn't expect a pink tongue to shoot out to ridiculous lengths. She'd barely had time to register the tongue was longer than a pangolin's before the chameleon's tongue was back in his mouth. He spat into his palm, and a shrieking reptile the size of a mouse came out covered in saliva.
Judy tucked both herself and Nick behind a pillar as black uniformed reptiles surrounded Tsiny and his captive. She whipped out her communicator. "Delgato, it's Judy. Crurotarsi spotted in the reception area. Judging from the reaction of Draconis' security, the Crurotarsi were not invited."
"We've been asking if the guest list was right all night," growled Delgato. "Are you with the Captain?"
"Negative. He sent me to check on the perimeter."
"I'll send someone else. You get back to the Captain and bring him to our Security area."
"On it." She thumbed the communicator off, and turned to Nick. "Did you spread the word?"
"Everyone's been told about the domestic dispute. Captain's not checking his comms."
"He was talking to the Senators, he wouldn't interrupt the conversation to check his comms."
"Then we'll have to bring the message to him."
The advantage of being in Security was that Judy got to keep weapons on her person, though it was a phaser instead of her preferred rifle. She powered up the phaser as she surveyed the scrum and the guests that were being ushered to the side. "Do you want to grab your phaser?"
"I'm not sure where Spots over there put it," said Nick, jerking a thumb at Waran. "I'll be more useful keeping an ear out for the Crurotarsi. It's up to you to defend my virtue, Hopps."
"Har har," said Judy, but she switched on her universal translator so she could hear which were the safe zones based on what Waran was snapping to his security. "The staircase to the ballroom has just been cleared."
They dashed back the same way Judy had come, though there were fewer reptiles to avoid now. A glance at Judy's Starfleet badge was enough to have the newly installed guards in front of the ballroom door step aside.
Once in the ballroom, Judy kept her phaser down low but at the ready. The delegates still mingled as if unaware of the commotion outside, though she supposed some of their security must have briefed them already. Captain Bogo and Senator Rindja were immediately apparent as the tallest in the room.
There was a light touch on her paw, which nearly made her bring up her phaser. The close proximity of Nick had her holding her stance.
"Stop standing as if you want to shoot up the place," he cautioned. "Walk with me, Carrots."
He angled himself so the guests they passed couldn't see Judy's phaser, even though she was keeping it at the ready. Once they got to Captain Bogo, he kept himself between Judy and Senator Rindja.
"Captain," said Judy. "We've spotted an uninvited member from the Crurotarsi faction. We suggest you come with us until we have a clearer view of the situation."
Bogo glanced at Judy's ready phaser, though his expression didn't shift. Instead he said to Senator Rindja. "It seems the Crurotarsi still have an interest in the agreement."
Rindja smiled. Judy preferred Waran's method of showing his amusement. When Rindja smiled, she wasn't sure if it was his intention to show off his teeth with their sharp edges curved back for tearing flesh. "Ah, trespassers," said Rindja through the universal translator. "We can expect no better of the Crurotarsi."
"As far as the Federation is concerned, they're welcome to sign the agreement that involves their own planet," the Captain replied. "That has been our stance for years."
"On Draconis, when you reject an invite, that choice is final. By choosing not to come, they've rejected their right to sign the agreement."
"That depends on whether they were invited in the first place. Perhaps you'd like to take this time to check with your staff on these details." Bogo looked down at Judy. "Hopps, Wilde, with me."
Judy kept her eyes averted from Rindja's smile as she and Nick followed the Captain out the back way to the ready room for the guests. Fangmeyer and McHorn were already at attention, their communicators buzzing with updates.
It was Judy that Bogo turned to. "Ensign Hopps, report."
"Wilde and I saw a Crurotarsi agent who is now with Draconian security. It's unclear if he's acting alone. Delgato recommends heading to the Starfleet Security area."
"It won't be an easy walk," Fangmeyer added. "They've found about four bombs that weren't found in earlier sweeps that could hint at more Crurotarsi. We'll have to avoid these areas."
Bogo huffed his displeasure. "We don't have time for an obstacle course. Did any Starfleet officer verify the Draconian sweeps were clean?"
"We did our own. The Draconian type of sweeps were... unconventional. Maybe a squirrel could have followed them, but we don't have any on our ship. The Draconians let us have video feeds of the other checks."
"Video can be tampered with," said Nick.
"Much as I hate to agree with Wilde, things are starting to look too convenient. Fangmeyer, find us a clear route to the Security area. McHorn, weapons."
McHorn tossed Bogo a phaser rifle, and when Judy had holstered her phaser McHorn tossed over her personal rifle too. To Nick, McHorn said, "Delgato has all the weapons originally kept with the Draconians at his Security Centre. You'll be without a weapon until we get there."
Having completed her checks on her rifle, Judy shouldered it so she could offer Nick her phaser. "Here, you can have this."
Nick simply eyed it. "I can see you work in armory, with how casually you handle a loaded gun."
"The safety's on, you big baby."
"If I admit to being a big baby will you hold my hand?"
"There are some things I cannot unhear," Bogo rumbled. "And that's regretfully one of them. If you could kindly shut up, Wilde, and take the bloody phaser."
"Don't be jealous, sir, you can hold my hand too."
"I said shut it!"
Nick winked at Judy as if it were all part of his plan, and took the phaser.
By then, Fangmeyer had finalised the route. "The corridor right in front of us is cut off, but if we take a right immediately after we'll be able to take a short cut through one of the function rooms."
"Alright team, let's move out. I'd like to get some answers before our hosts pre-process them like the appetisers served earlier."
McHorn left the room first, horn tilted down to clear any potential enemies blocking the way. Fangmeyer and Captain Bogo followed. Judy and Nick took up the rear behind the Captain - anyone coming from behind was likely to try an ambush that Judy had the speed to avoid.
Unlike the foyer, the corridor they exited to was white, with more reptiles in black uniform moving along them. They eyed the guests as they moved past. One reptile even swiveled his eye so he was still looking at them long after he passed them. Judy resisted the urge to look back, even though she felt the reptile's gaze until they ducked into the function room Fangmeyer had mentioned.
Function room might have been a misnomer. The room had been an architect's reinterpretation of a jungle in concrete and glass. In each corner of the room, a fountation gurgled.
Nick paused long enough for Judy to glance at him. "What's wrong?"
"Please tell me those fountains are decorative and aren't linked to any rivers."
"Why should they be?"
"Why should they be, of course they shouldn't be, who builds convenient doors for their enemies to come in?"
"Nick -"
The splash of water, Fangmeyer's yell and the snap of bone must all have happened at different times, but to Judy they all blended together into one awful sound. At the sound she brought up the rifle and shot with her phaser set on stun. Her shots spluttered as uselessly off the crocodile's hide as McHorn and Bogo's shots. She changed the setting -
A growl, twisted by an alien throat to boom as Judy had never heard before, filled the room. She swung her rifle towards the new threat, getting between it and Nick.
Armed crocodiles in uniforms that were any other colour but black had filed into the function room. She knew them from her briefing notes. They were part of a faction that had called themselves the Crurotarsi in their dealings with the Federation.
The largest, larger than even the crocodile that still had Fangmeyer's leg in his mouth, stepped to the front of the group. He held up his hands to show he was unarmed. "He was only acting on orders," he said in halting Standard. "If you must shoot someone, shoot me."
"I will if you don't let my officer go," said Bogo, his own rifle trained on the head crocodile.
"Don't you want to know what we want?"
"After your introduction I'm inclined to say no on principle. Let my officer go and I might reconsider."
"It will go better for you if he remains in his current position for now." The head crocodile paused, as if listening to something from his headphones. "I've been told if your officer keeps struggling, he will lose his leg. Please order him to stop."
Despite his blood flowing thick enough to mask his stripes, Fangmeyer grit out, "Leave me, Captain. Get out while you can."
"Stay still, Fangmeyer," said Bogo without a twitch out of his firing stance. "Whoever you are, hurry up with your demands before you lose your bargaining chip to blood loss."
"We'd like you to be our guest for three days."
"You should have sent me an engraved invitation a week ago."
"You will also not sign the agreement on behalf of the Federation until the three days are up."
"Why would I agree to either of those?"
"If you have no reservations about the agreement you were about to sign, you may turn around and leave. We will then respond as we see fit."
Judy kept her rifle at the ready. Her response would depend on the captain's response.
"My officers leave first, without any further injury."
The head crocodile gestured, and Fangmeyer was unceremoniously released. McHorn dropped his stance to prop Fangmeyer up and keep him off his injured leg. That left only Judy and the Captain with their rifles trained on the leader.
Then it was only Judy when Bogo lowered his rifle.
"Captain."
"Back down, Hopps."
"I don't think it's a good idea, sir."
"McHorn won't be able to defend Fangmeyer alone. Wilde, I assume your communicator would be on."
"Wouldn't dream of turning it off."
McHorn and Fangmeyer hobbled out the way they'd come. Judy held her ground.
"Hopps, that was a direct order! This isn't the transporter!"
"How you do know, sir?"
Her stance didn't waver, not even when Nick stepped closer. "It isn't," he murmured, low enough that the universal translator didn't filter his words to Standard. "You'll need five shots on the highest setting to make it stick. Walk with me, Carrots."
Judy knew her own rifle like the back of her hand. She could navigate the sixteen settings blindfolded, with the highest setting being the easiest because she just had to spin the dial all the way to the end. She had pretty good scores in markmanship, and the head crocodile was a target in clear line of sight.
But five shots would still take time, unlike yanking a part out of a transporter to disable it. The safety of both Captain Bogo and Nick depended her doing the right thing, and they'd made it clear they thought that the right thing should be retreating.
Judy backed her way out of the room, rifle still trained on the crocodile making the demands and keeping pace with Nick by her side. She was sure the mouths of crocodiles happened to be shaped that way, but the head crocodile's toothy grin still had her back up at its smugness.
She'd barely cleared the door when it slammed shut in her face, cutting off the Crurotarsi and Captain Bogo from her line of sight.