Death and babies come in the night.

That is what Chief Medical Officer Asa Dael’s grandmother figure had always taught them growing up. As usual, the ancient woman was proven correct.

Asa had been woken from a sound sleep at 0400 hours with the news that Ensign Ayla Dabri and her husband Petty Officer Seth Dabri had exploded into Sickbay, Ayla moaning with the tell-tale signs that the couple’s first child was to be born shortly.

Grabbing a cup of coffee to gulp while en route to Sickbay, Asa mentally reviewed the careful birth plan that had been rehearsed for the couple with Nurse Vimes and Nurse Almera. Everything that could have been done to prepare for this moment had been done; the medical staff was well trained, rehearsal runs in simulation had been successful, all known variables had been accounted for. Now all that lay left to do was face the element of the unknown that was inherit to bringing any new life into the Universe.

Walking into Sickbay with their best imitation of bright-eyed and bushy tailed, Asa greeted the couple, “Hello Dabri’s. How are we doing so far?”

“Doctor! Thank the Prophets. She’s going into labor, or at least we’re pretty sure that’s what’s happening. The baby’s coming! The baby’s coming and we have to, we have to do something… what do we do?!?” The proud papa, for whom this was to be his first child sired, was clearly panicked, had forgotten all of the training and classes he had attended, and was practically frantic as his very pregnant wife moaned a bit next to him, clutching the side rails of the biobed as another contraction took hold.

“Calm down, honey. See? The doctor’s here now, we’re in Medical, all is well…. Uhhhhhrrr!” Ayla grunted around another contraction as she attempted to calm her husband.

“Nurse Almera, please bring the birth-safe muscle relaxers, and some hot tea for mom and dad.” Asa said calmly, moving over to the panicked petty officer, and reaching out to clasp both mother and fathers hands.

“It’s going to be ok. Yes, she is in labor. I’m going to do my part, and I need each of you to remember your parts, ok? Seth, you need to sit down next to Ayla and take her hand. Talk her through the visualization exercise you agreed upon. It was picturing the five moons of Bajor, right? Ayla, remember, the more relaxed you are, the less pain there will be, and the happier the baby is. You can do this, let’s work together, ok?”

Asa’s voice was calm and melodious, a practice they had learned in Starfleet Medical to soothe upset patients. They could only hope their own internal turmoil over their first solo delivery was not apparent to anyone in the room.

The expectant mother sneezed once, then lay back and started humming to herself, in an attempt to keep herself calm and relaxed, as well as to soothe the child in utero who was just as important to keep calm. For his part, Seth sat down, fidgeting in his seat anxiously, but he took his wife’s hand in both of his and chattered at her.

“The five moons… you remember the five moons, right sweetheart? That’s what we’re visualizing to keep you calm. Keep you calm for an easy delivery because the doctor’s here, and they are going to take care of everything, and soon we’ll have a fine healthy baby boy and all of this will be over, and we’ll be parents.” A shadow passed over the expectant father’s face as it dawned on him in the moment that he was about to be a parent, and more panic set in as he clutched his wife’s hand and rubbed it anxiously.

Patting Seth on the shoulder, Nurse Almera handed him a cup of hot chamomile tea.

“Here you go honey,” she said, her solid gray hair swept up into a neat bun, and her time-wizened face settling into a smile. Almera and Vimes were the two oldest members of the Sickbay team, both humans well into their 60’s. They both kept calm in spite of the chaos around them and seemed to know instinctively when to chide, when to soothe, and when to stay out of the way.

Before making an exit, Almera said, “You know Seth, I’ve been present for the deliveries of over 60 children, and not a single child or parent came to any ill. Doc Dael here has everything under control. Don’t you fret. Now, those five moons. I always favored Derna. Tell me about the moon Derna, Seth. Describe it so Ayla here can picture it. Think about how it looked on the night you first knew you loved her. Tell us about that.”

With a nod of thanks, Asa continued to take readings, drew the privacy filter across the delivery area, and worked with Nurse Vimes to help Ayla maneuver into her delivery gown.

“Well, Derna is the liquid moon, so she is blue, and they call her ‘the sea of tranquility, because the waters are so calm and warm and inviting. They are methane seas, of course, so they are no such thing. But watching them from the surface, she looks so calm and gentle in the sky, she has come to represent peaceful motion in Bajoran writings and literature. Derna is often found referenced in our romantic literature…” As Seth droned on, a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge about the moons of Bajor, his wife remained calm and sneezed again, even as the frantic father-to-be calmed down, handled masterfully by the experienced and canny nurse.

Ayla, now robed in a delivery gown, was laying on the labor and delivery biobed now, and Nurse Almera was handing her a cup of ice chips to chew on now that Seth was contentedly blathering away. After murmuring a word of thanks discretely to Almera, Doc Dael sat down near the foot of the bed.

“Ok, I’m going to take a look and check how things are going, Ayla. Your vitals are great, that baby is doing great, and Seth here hasn’t passed out, so I’d say we are doing fantastic, how about you? How are you feeling?” Asa asked, smiling calmly, doctor face in full force.

“Achoo!” the mother to be responded as she dilated another centimeter. “Fine so far, Doctor. I'm calm, Seth is… stay calm, sweety… calm and we’re going to have a baby. How do things look down there?” Ayla asked solicitously.

Meanwhile, in another part of the ship, an ancient being looks up from her book and out the window as a new star twinkles into existence. "I sense that I am needed. Computer, please inform Commander Paris that the Fates have called me to... Wherever babies are born on this ship." With a chirrup, the computer acknowledged the request and Hera was moving, strapping on her sandals and tossing her finest shawl over her shoulders.

Soon she was at the door and willing it to open with a wave of her hand, the Amazonian security on the other side looked a bit startled. "The fates call to me. Please escort me to the birth."

The comm badge of the hulking Jablonski chirruped, and the voice of Commander Paris spoke up. ”Escort Hera to Sickbay, ladies, on my authority, and find Dr. Dael.”

“Aye aye, Commander,” Jablonsi replied, then stepped out to take the lead in escorting the Goddess to the dawn of a new life.



After sitting down, Asa had begun a visual exam. Ayla was dilated 3 centimeters and seemed to be progressing well. However, as Asa placed their hand on Ayla’s stomach a contraction rippled through her. Something about the contraction felt….off….and Asa rushed to pick up an imaging scanner.

Keeping their face calm, Asa internally began to panic.

Oh hell. That umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck at least three times. This may require surgery… they thought, considering their options before speaking.

It was at that moment Sickbay doors whooshed open.

Hera walked in, almost lit with an internal light and seemingly with a divine purpose to her. Looking towards the soon to be mother, she smiled radiantly and stepped over to the group, placing one hand upon Ayla's swollen belly and her other on Seth's shoulder. The golden light seemed to flow out of Hera and into Ayla and for one brief moment, Hera looked weary beyond her years.

"Your child is blessed, young one. Everything will be all right. I swear this to you upon my very name."

“Ah, that’s… very kind of you… are you… another doctor? Doctor Dael is my pediatrician…” Ayla asked, confused, even as Seth slumped in his seat, awake but surprisingly weary as he had unwittingly donated energy to their child through the simple touch Hera had placed upon him. For what father would refuse to give every ounce of strength they possessed, to save their child?

"Seth, Ayla," Asa interrupted before Hera could announce her holy presence, "This is Her...Hermione. She's a specialist here to observe Starfleet birthing practices, and she is a practicing priestess on her home planet of.....Agaea. Hermione, can I have a word with you? I'd like to bring you up to speed."

"Of course, Asa." Hera looked at the Doctor curiously, wondering why they wouldn't use her actual name, but for now followed their lead.

Once the pair were in Asa’s office, the doctor activated privacy soundproofing.

“Hera, always lovely to see you. Um, I just wanted to maybe remind you that the entire crew is not aware your personage is on board? And Ayla and Seth are not cleared to know that particular bit of intel….so, hoping it doesn’t offend if I call you Hermoine? Ma’am?” Asa was a nervous wreck, trying to convey information quickly, but also respectfully to the one person on board who might be able to stop the train-wreck Asa was afraid they saw on the horizon.

"Of course, I understand," Hera replied, leaning against one of the office chairs.

“Um, as long as we are in here. Well, the cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck. I can deliver surgically of course, but that always has a higher risk of complications, a slower recovery time, and adds fear endorphins to the baby’s earliest life experiences, which in a Bajoran can result in developmental delays as their deliveries are typically so relaxed. Um, any tips, if I might ask?”

"Look again," the matronly goddess replied with a wink. "I was called here by the fates for that reason and you should find that the child's life is no longer in any danger."

Hugging Hera in an impromptu embrace, Asa called, "Thank you!" and rushed to return to Seth and Ayla. Without sparing too much time to investigate the now-subdued Seth, Asa scanned Ayla again, relieved to find the cord was no longer wrapped around the soon-to-be-newborn.

Sensing Aya's questions, Asa said simply, "Everything looks great, Ayla. You are doing a great job, and the baby is in position. Three more centimeters dilation and it will be time to push. How are you feeling?"

"Everything's going to be all right," Ayla replied, reaching for her husband's hand, who was reaching for hers. "Our baby is strong and healthy. Our son. Herman...?" The expectant mother's face settled into a puzzled expression as she dilated again, another pulse closer to her son's arrival into the universe. Then turning calmly, with a beatific smile, the mother to be looked at her husband. "It's time, Seth."

Standing to come around where she could see him, his back to the delivery, Seth, weary but upright, began to croon an old traditional Bajoran lullabye, in which his wife joined him in a duet, meant to be sun by mothers and fathers together to their children. As they sang to their child, the began to make his entry into the world.

Back at Ayla's feet, Asa said in a soothing tone, "Ok, Ayla, time to push. 5 seconds this time ok?"

After receiving a nod of acquiescence, Asa counted down the five seconds aloud, then led Ayla to repeat the exercise three more times while the contraction lasted. Once it had ended, they said,"That was really great. You are doing fantastic. Rest for a few moments, it will be time to push again soon."

Nurse Vimes fed Ayla ice chips as Almera kept Seth's tea refilled. While there was a moment, Asa turned to Hera and said, "Hermione, I'm glad you are here. Would you like to join me to observe the next contraction?"

"I'm right here with you. Everything will be ok," Hera replied, already knowing everything was fine.

The monitors on the biobed showed the contraction before Ayla seemed to feel it, and Asa told her to push for all she was worth. Bajoran deliveries tended to go quickly, and after Hera's intervention, this one was back on track. Soon enough the infant was being cradled in Asa's arms who stood to say "It's a healthy Bajoran! Physiology is that of a person who will have eggs and be able to carry pregnancies, 10 fingers, 10 toes, and a perfect ridged nose!"

"Our... wait, you said... have eggs? Carry pregnancies? But this is, this is our son... Herman?" Seth looked dazed and confused that his son in utero had just been delivered as a girl. Turning back to his wife, his eyes went wide. "This was an epic prank? Really? You let me think we were having a boy but she's a girl?"

"No... Seth, I swear, we both saw the scans... a girl?!?" Ayla held out her hands to the doctor. "There must be some mistake! May I see my baby, please Doctor?"

Awkwardly rubbing their neck, Asa tried to not let the flustered feeling they had growing in the pit of their stomach show.

It was a biological male on all the scans. Bloodwork and hormone panels showed the same….but here we are….Light, what did Hera do? I have to report this to Paris. the diminutive doctor thought.

“Here you go,” Asa said smoothly, passing over the newly wrapped baby, “All the scans did indicate a biological male, but as most things in life, they are not foolproof. It’s incredibly rare, but these things can happen. Just makes your little one all the more special, yes? Go on, love on the little one, I’m just going to hover over your shoulder and do some routine post-delivery scans, ok?”

While both parents were still surprised and dazed by the recent discovery, the cooing bundle of joy in their arms quickly melted away the apprehension that they carried about the affair, for they were just happy to have a healthy baby, with mother and child both doing remarkably well. The baby was not fussy at all, wide blue eyes taking in everything around them for the first time, even as the mother was calm and energetic for having just delivered a child.

“She has your eyes, Seth,” Arya observed as she cradled her newborn babe.

“And your nose, thank the Prophets,” Seth countered, tickling his newborn daughter’s tummy. If he had misgivings about his son having been born a daughter, it was not evident in the moment. Instead, both parents seemed happy to be a family of three.

“Come on, everyone, let’s give them some time to rest. Ayla, Seth, your baby is in excellent health, and in the 5th percentile for weight, so congrats all around! We will be in my office, if you need anything, just press your call button, ok?” Asa said gently to the couple before standing to leave.

“Nurse Vines, Nurse Almera, can you please help sanitize the area? I need to discuss something with Hermione in my office. Thank you friends.”

With that, Asa swept Hera into their office, directed her to sit and went to obtain a couple of cups to tea for the pair to drink. Before sitting, Asa called over the coms:

=^= Doctor Dael to Commander Paris. Ma’am, we have a new soul aboard. Care to join Hera and me in Sickbay to toast to new life? We would certainly welcome your attendance. =^=

Great prophets and messiahs, I hope she takes the hint and comes in person. I really don’t want to try this particular confrontation solo Asa thought.

=^= I'm on my way, Doc. =^= came the reply.

Despite the hour, it was only 7 minutes later when Commander Rita Paris arrived, anachronistic golf minidress uniform pressed, blue eyes alert and awake, hair neatly brushed but bearing a large ceramic coffee mug that bore the legend ‘That’s not how they did it in my day’. Striding into the Chief medical officer’s office, Paris took a seat opposite the doctor’s desk, beside the goddess who was the starship’s namesake.

“So… I see mother, father and baby are all fine, the baby seems healthy and doesn’t seem to be made of stone or have horns growing out of her head. So, what’s wrong?” Clearly Paris had stopped to meet the new parents on the way in, but apparently had missed the mystery inherent.

“Well, I wouldn’t say wrong, “ Asa shrugged and went to retrieve Rita a cup of tea also, “Just….unexpected. All the bloodwork and biosigns and scans prior to delivery had shown a biological male. Instead, well, Seth and Ayla are now thinking of names for a daughter. Hera….do you think your blessing might have had a hand in that?”

Asa’s tone was carefully neutral, the young doctor was aware that Hera had likely expended a great deal of her now limited energy supply in aiding the delivery, but they were also concerned. Yes, the scans and bloodwork could be wrong…..but it would be the talk of Starfleet if so. Perhaps Hera did change the biology of the child, but Asa did not want to assume she did so out of any malice. Perhaps, the doctor reasoned, she had no other choice.


"I think it was a lovely birth," Hera declared, sipping at her tea with exhausted dignity. "And yes, I did intervene. That's why I was called here by the Fates. The child would have died upon being born even if you had saved it initially. You may confirm that with your other 'guest', if you like."

Taking a deep breath, Paris considered her response to this. Death could likely verify that the child was destined to die despite Dael’s best efforts- modern medicine was miraculous, but it wasn’t infallible. In truth, losing the first baby they’d ever delivered likely would have been as traumatic for Doc Dael as it would have been for the parents. However, Hera’s haughty countenance was not something heartening to her whatsoever, particularly since Doc had approached the topic gently and respectfully.

On Meroset 347, known as Hera’s Planet, she had intervened in many births through the years, using the parent’s love and devotion of their child to power her spells, which caused the babies to be born as Amazons, or living stone statues, or harpies… or minotaurs. When confronted with why and how she had done so, she had matter-of-factly explained it, with no remorse whatsoever… much as she was displaying now. Which indicated to Paris a disturbing backslide to old behavior.

“To save the baby, was it necessary to change their gender?” Paris asked plainly. Questions would serve at this point, and she had to tread carefully- she didn’t want to be unduly harsh, but she definitely didn’t care for the direction in which this was going.

"Ah, I guess that is an issue..." Hera set aside her tea and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, looking like she'd aged several years as she did so. "I'm sorry. Part of what I did was transpose the old reality with a new one. One where the child's lungs refused to inflate and the umbilical cord was wrapped around their neck three times and they were male. Those three things all had to change. I also gave them the best blessing I could muster."

"I should have told one of you first, but when the Fates call, even we must answer. They're one of the constants, like Death." The matronly goddess reached again for her teacup, but thought better of it, cradling her hands in her lap when she saw how much her hands were shaking. "The first birth aboard this vessel had to be a good one. No matter what the cost."

Choosing her words carefully, Paris spoke gently. "We have to be careful... you understand, Hera? You have noble intentions, and you performed a miracle today. For which the mother, father, little amazon yet aborning and all of us are grateful to you. It was selfless and you... had to use a transformation that you know to save them in the moment. For which you chose the most innocuous and humanoid version, again, which all involved appreciate. We just have to monitor you to make sure you don't go back to the old ways. Like the wise man says, the believers set the expectations of the deity, no? A little caution on our part is not imprudent in this case, I think you'll agree?"

After a moment of silence, Asa saw how unsteady Hera looked, and went to sit closer to her, offering their hand for her to hold if desired.

Speaking gently, Asa said,"I...I don't know what would have become of anyone in that room today if you hadn't have come when you did. Seth and Ayla would have been devastated, Nurses Vimes and Almera and I would have been shaken to our cores. I think all of Sickbay would be. The Hera's first baby was an important milestone, and I appreciate the risk you took. Are you ok? It must have taken a lot out of you....how are you holding up?"

Hera took the offered hand weakly and smiled as best she could. "I feel like I might have gone a bit too far this time, but time was of the essence. If I had not acted... I don't suppose you could run a genetic profile and predict what she'll look like when she grows up? The blessing might be a bit powerful so she might be a bit tall." She then turned to Rita and waved a shaky finger. "And I promise, this wasn't an actual transformation into something unnatural. She's still... The nose ridges... Bajoran, right?"

"Excellent point, so she was," the first officer admitted. "Hera, no one is saying that you did anything wrong we're just cautious is all. As for tall... eh." The buxom blonde shrugged. "Blessed by the Prophets, blessed by a Goddess... such things happen in the universe in which we live. And that's part of what makes it wonderful." Rita Paris laid a hand on the goddess' shoulder and smiled fondly at her. "The only question I have in this matter is should we be honest with the parents. How's that simulation coming, Doc?"

Using their spare hand on a PaDD, Asa had pulled up the genetic profile of the child as read during the after-birth scans. They had added 20 years extrapolation and showed a Bajoran woman with Seth's eyes and Ayla's chin (poor thing) and standing an estimated 180 centimeters tall with wavy blonde hair.

"Well, Seth and Ayla are both average height, so the child's height will be remarked upon, but not too remarkable. At least nothing to raise eyebrows, and that is assuming that the child will reach full genetic height possibility, which as you know also depends on the environment and health during early childhood into puberty. Blonde hair....now that might be more of a rarity given the family background. Both Seth and Ayla are from the northern continent, and dark brown hair is almost universal there. As with any recessive gene though, a few natural variations occur. Ladies, any one aspect of the child could go unnoticed. But a change from a son to a daughter, one that will be tall, and is already on the large size, and that will have unusual hair color....well, they are going to have questions. I don't want Seth questioning Ayla's fidelity, or for either to fear something is wrong. I recommend getting clearance to tell them who Hera is so they can understand the nature of these miracles a bit more."

"I'll authorize it. At least this way their daughter will know the truth of her own story, in case she grows up to be a legendary hero or something. So, if we are all in agreement..." The gold-clad commander stood and straightened her miniskirt. "Let's go explain to the nice people that their son was going to die, so the fates called a goddess to the delivery room, and in gaining the blessing of the goddess of women, their son was born hale, healthy, hearty... and female. Would you like to field this one, Doctor?"

"The Prophets do have some sway with the Fates... So who's to say they didn't pull some strings in this?" Hera tried to stand and failed, flopping back down in the chair. "If you don't mind though... It might be best if I stay here for a bit longer?"

"Uh uh. If these parents are thankful, you're going to be there to tell them they're welcome. Weak knees and all," Paris explained, getting up under the goddess to lend her strength in more ways than one. "What do you say Doctor? Think we can manage to support Herself and keep her looking dignified, or should we get the goddess a hoverchair?"

Locking an arm around Hera's waist and allowing her to lean onto them, Asa said encouragingly, "I think we can do that. And here....."

A wisp of the energy laying deep within psyche of the doctor wafted from Asa to Hera, invisible to the naked eye, but a lifeline of mental energy Asa had been learning to share from previous occasions. Asa projected a feeling of energy and happiness through the momentary bond and poured a bit of what energy they had left from the day into the link.

"I know it's not much...but I hope that helped. Light, I'm going to need a stim shot myself soon at this rate. But I've got you. And we have this," Asa concluded.

It was enough for Hera to stand up a bit straighter on her own power at least, though she still needed her two closest friends and allies to help keep her steady. "Thank you. That should be enough. Shall we go meet the new parents then?" With her best smile, she did her best to make herself presentable.

"Let's go make some mythology," Paris wisecracked, and they supported Hera so she could make a dignified entrance into the room where the happy parents were still marveling over their healthy baby girl, who was nursing at Ayla's breast. Looking up, she and Seth greeted the trio with smiles.

"So was there a glitch in the medical software Doctor, or did our charts get switched somehow?" Seth asked inquisitively. he was neither accusatory nor confrontational, just conversational. The sudden change in gender seemed to have been a momentary shock to which both parents seemed to be adapting.

Pulling up a chair for Hera, Rita and then themself, Asa flashed a smile at the new parents before speaking.

"It’s... it’s a bit more complicated than that. No need to fear, your baby is still a perfect miracle. Perhaps more than you know."

Taking a deep breath, Asa continued. "Remember back when the Hera went to Meroset 347? One of the goals to that mission was to stop the goddess Hera from continuing to rule over the planet. Commander Paris and I were part of the away team, and we managed to cripple Hera and brought her aboard to take her to face trial. Along the way we got to know her better, and she started to see there was a better way to be. Hera was imprisoned with the Asgaardians and continued to learn how she could use her unique abilities to help others and to thrive on good deeds instead of forced worship. While on the mission to the worldship she was accidentally summoned back to us. Due to her bonds with Commander Paris and myself among others, she was allowed to stay with us to continue her rehabilitation. Hera has changed from her time on Meroset 347, and she has saved lives with us...including my own.”

“Tonight she sensed the fates drawing her to the birth of your child. She’s a goddess of family and childbirth, you see? And....well, the fates alerted her that your son was fated to die in childbirth from the umbilical cord strangling him. So she came here and used the power of your love, and a great deal of her own energy, to rob fate of the chance. She had to change the biological sex of your child in order to change that fate and allow the baby to be born safely....so when Hermione blessed you... that was really Hera blessing the child to live.”

“I'm sorry for the deception before. Her presence here isn’t cleared to be common knowledge, and I was trying to protect everyone, and perhaps didn't say the best thing. But her blessing saved your child, and will even bring out some recessive genes making her blonde, and taller than average. She’s going to be exceptional, and you have the right to know why. What questions do you have? I will answer whatever I can."

Speech over, Asa went to lean on their elbows, searching the couples faces for signs of their thoughts.

With the explanation in hand, Seth looked to Ayla for her reaction, which she made immediately known. “So the Prophets sent a goddess to save our baby, and she’s going to what, grow up to look like Commander Paris?” Ayla nodded in the direction of the tell, blonde-haired blue-eyed model in the ancient Starfleet uniform who exchanged glances with Hera, then both shrugged and nodded.

“Basically,” Hera admitted.

“That’s pretty much it, yes,” Paris responded.

Looking at one another and the bundle of happy, healthy infant in their hands, Seth smiled. “Our little girl was blessed by the fates. What parent could be upset at that? And she will grow up exceptional? Do you hear that, little one? You are special, and the prophets have a purpose for you… Hermione?”

“I like it,” Ayla agreed. “We’ll name her Hermione, after the woman who rushed to our aid because the prophets decreed it to be so.”

And thus came Hermione Zeyes into the world... in some ways just like any other child of the universe, but this one would be special.... for the fates, a Goddess and the Prohets decreed it so.

The new ops chief was a Betazoid, according to the dossier. Which meant that Commander Rita Paris was going to be able to communicate in shorthand. Which was going to be handy in authenticating a new department head when they were preparing to begin the Tribunal, which made any new arrivals suspect. Empathy and telepathy on a scale such as Sonak had once weilded was impressive. The old-school officer just hoped this one wasn't as psychotic as the last.

Pacing in the corridor, she tapped away at the ever-present PaDD in her hands with another tucked under her rm. The gold minidress of her era stood out in the modern uniforms of unisex tunics and blacks, save for those who opeted for a skirt. But her anachronistic uniform had a loose open V collar in black that serve as home for the three pips of Commander, although the two solid braids on her wrist would portray the same rank to personnel of her day. Black leggings added a modern flair as well, leading into the sturdy black knee-high explorer's boots she wore.

While her sandy blonde hair was cur into a short, almost boyish asymmetrical cut, nothing else about the woman could possibly be seen as boyish. An abundance of bosom bounced within the velour uniform, while it clung to a slender wasp wait, before stretching out over the fulsome curves of her hips. Only in her early thirties, Rita Paris was a bombshell of a bygone age, a literal Starfleet poster girl in her prime.

Rena was running behind, which almost never happened, in fact it shouldn't have happened but there was a misalignment with the transporter that tried to beam her things over to the Hera only to have the signal bounce back into utter chaos. The Betazoid had patience like a saint, but as the time ticked by and the transporter officer couldn't stop her thongs from literally bouncing off the walls she decided to cut her losses.

"Look just keep the damn things and when you get your anina together beam my things to the Hera," she had told the officer before grabbing the one bag she didn't beam over and made a run for it to the docking bay. The long black curls flew back as she ran, no more like sprinted towards the docking bay. If she was able to keep up this pace she might make it on time.

The operations officer slowed her pace as she saw the docking bay doors. Good thing she was in shape otherwise she'd be gasping for breath at the pace she was going. " Alright this is a new start Rena," she told her self with a little nod of her head and hit the button to open the door. When the docking bay door opened the Betazoid was greeted by the sight of Cmdr. Paris. "Yail'yla ni mytha," the telepath said out loud. Realizing she just told her new commanding officer that she was beautiful she was thankful it was in an ancient Betazoid language that only the houses spoke.

" I Uhh..Hi! I mean... ma'am, I am Lt.jr grade Rena Pacci. Sorry I'm late there was a transporter malfunction and my clothes were literally flying around the room. I mean you should have seen my...uhh...never mind." The woman cleared her throat and stood to attention. ~Could you possibly be any more awkward~ she told her self.

"Lt.jr grade Rena Pacci reporting as ordered ma'am," the Betazoid said officially. ~ She's going to tell me no thanks. Yup. 3.4857 seconds and you have already talked yourself out of a job~

There was bemusement in the bright blue eyes of the anachronistic astronaut, and she stepped in the path of the junior officer, sliding the tablet behind her back in a 'parade rest' stance. Looking down at the slender woman, the curious cosmonaut smiled, something of a wry affair. "There's a phrase, I seem to recall... one that Starfleet personnel who wanted to come onto the ship used to say. It escapes me at the moment but I swear I seem to recall there being one..."

"Permission to come aboard ma'am," Rena said matter of factually and continued to stand to attention. ~ Ok she is amused. Maybe I still have a job. Just breath, don't say anything stupid~

That wry smile gained a little twinkle in the eye. "What am I feeling right now, Miss Pacci? As an empath you should know, correct?"

"Correct ma'am. I can tell you what you're feeling, thinking, I can even tell you that the ensign down the hall just decided to call that blond girl he met at the bar after all," the Betazoid told her with a smile. " But to answer your question you are bemused, you know... puzzled lets say about my current state which appears to be a mess to you. But this is just my normal regular self," Rena smiled again. Even though she was a mess she was an organized mess.

"You're a smidgen impatient that most people forget that common curtsy of asking to come aboard the ship. You're a little old school that way and understandably so as it has been a common practice since the begin of sailing ships to require the permission of the XO or Captain to come aboard their vessel." Rena tilted her head a little as she thought of her next words carefully. Her gaze never breaking that of Commander Paris.

"Love is in the air...You're not giving up the particulars. I could dig if I wanted, but of course I would never do that. I am respectful to those who do not want to full divulge what they are thinking or feeling." The Betazoid shifted the ruck sack on her shoulder, it was becoming a little heavy with the lack of movement. She knew her answers would satisfy the other woman, who was looking at her through inquisitive eyes. How could she not? Rena answered everything she wanted and also gave her the peace of mind that she wasn't going to be a complete nut job.

"Well done, Miss Pacci, well done," the anachronistically-uniformed officer nodded, as a smile that could light up a room dawned on her face and she extended her hand in greeting. "Welcome aboard... I'm Rita Paris, first officer of the USS Hera. You need a hand with that?"

Rena shook the Commander's hand with a firm hand shake. "Thank you ma'am. I'm looking forward to this next adventure. No it's okay, but thank you for offering," the operations officer replied and switched the bag to her other shoulder. "I didn't realize I had accumulated so much stuff from my last mission," the Betazoid chuckled. "Have you had many new recruits? Am I the first one that didn't ask permission to come aboard?" Rena asked curiously.

That earned her a musical laugh as the Commander led the way into the starship's corridors. "Oh, sadly, I'm afraid not. But with a demonstration of your empathic abilities you proved that you weren't a changeling- caught one of those trying to sneak aboard. Just an excitable Lieutenant who got a little turned around. I don't see that you've ever worked for the Division of Temporal Investigations, so that's a mark in your favor. Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

As she walked, the curvaceous commander settled into a brisk military stride, her standard speed for locomotion about the starship, partially seeing if the gold and black clad ops chief would be able to keep up, partially because it was her standard speed. It was important to know if the new onboards would be able to keep up with her- literally.

"No ma'am, never worked for Temporal Investigations...and I didn't know we still had problems with changelings." Rena said with an obvious fascination in her tone. ~ That's a thing? Why would she be worried about being investigated? Maybe she's from a different time?! That is would be so amazing. Oh right she asked me a question. ~ The Betazoid's inner monologue was thankfully not showing on her face.

"About me...well…" she laughed as she easily kept up with the pace of the taller woman. "I am from a large family of five. Three sisters and two brothers. I'm also a twin," she beamed proudly, "I am from the Fifth House. My parents are very traditional, they don't believe in speaking out loud and were against me joining Starfleet. But I have a very inquisitive mind and adventurist nature, so Starfleet was a good choice for me."

“Good to hear- family ties can be important. So what are your goals on the Hera and beyond, Ms. Pacci? After all, a career in Starfleet tends to move along quickly on busy intel starships like the Hera. Also, how are you at dealing with… unconventional situations?” The way the buxom blonde phrased the question, it might have been a come-on. But it was clear that while friendly, the first officer was asking each seemingly unrelated question quite pointedly.

"My goals for the Hera are to be the best damn chief of operations officer you've ever had," her smile beamed before she continued. "As for my goals for the future, I had wanted to work for Starfleet HQ or maybe Captain my own ship. But to be honest right now I'm just kind of going with the flow. Ya know?" The Betazoid smiled. She took a long pause before she answered the buxom blonde officer.

"Unconventional situations... can you be a little more specific?" Rena was always up for anything but if it went against her morals she'd be bowing out.

“Let’s see… picking up stray crew members in the Bajoran wormhole, discovering time-tossed androids from the future, stopping terraforming titans by convincing them to leave peacefully, liberating a planet from the iron rule of an alien despot… that sort of thing. We’re an... unusual ship, Miss Pacci. This isn’t the Enterprise… they still have one, right? The 1701-E or something?” Casually she brushed the reference aside as she thumbed the button to summon a turbolift.

“In short, we’re not your usual Starfleet vessel, Miss Pacci. I can assure you though, we are still 100% Starfleet, and it’s my job to insure that. I think that you will find that I’m a very old-fashioned officer for the modern day. But I am also approachable and reasonable, so don’t hesitate to come to me with issues. Or Captain Telvan- we both maintain an open door policy.” As the lift arrived, she stepped in, waited for Pacci to do so as well, then called out, “Deck 8, officer Country.”

“The officer you are replacing was ambitious but had a rather huge chip on her shoulder and a superiority complex the size of the saucer section. So the bar has been set pretty low,” the friendly first officer offered. “So now that you have some expectations set…” The door to the turbolift opened again, and Paris strode out. “Ask your questions, Miss Pacci. I’m curious to hear your thoughts.”

"First question...does the ship run into temporal trouble often? You have vaguely mentioned temporal occurrence's twice now." The subject of time travel fascinated her. The Betazoid remembered reading the mission reports from Voyager and their run in's with temporal occurrences. She often wished they were able to include all of the information but the Temporal Prime Directive stopped that.

"A fair bit," the first officer admitted. "As well as odd alien technologies and lifeorms beyond mortal ken and so forth. I myself am a chronodimensionally displaced officer, and I am not unique in this aspect. Not on the USS Hera. Thus the uniform," Paris posed to show off the uniform like a model. "This was the one I was wearing when I got here, and I added the pips so you'd know how to read my rank. Captain suggested the leggings, and she's right, they are sharp."

Smiling at her own indulgence, Paris redirected to the point as they strode along. "We rescued an android who will be constructed 84 years from now in a Section 31 base overrun by Romeros in zero G. The ship herself has traversed time twice, to my knowledge though not experience. I asked about the DTI because the last full Betazoid we had onboard was very... direct about how she had worked with them and the awful things they had made her do that apparently left her with no compassion. She also mentioned that most Betazoids in Starfleet were approached at some point or another to work for the DTI. Which I honestly don't think she worked for them, I think she got duped by Section 31 or she was just delusional."

"Thus, to see if you were cut from similar cloth, I asked questions and gauged your answers. It would appear that you are a reasonably well-adjusted officer, Lieutenant Junior Grade Pucci. I know this is a lot to process, but I have confidence you'll manage. Your discretion with your telepathy is appreciated. Also, a number of our crew have experienced psychic trauma, so they tend to be a bit... twitchy about telepathy. You seem a principled telepath, so I am only relaying all of this so that will understand some of the reactions you may receive. Understood?" It was a long lecture, and the ship was damned huge. But the cheerful commander seemed content to roll out her speech as the welcome mat.

There were so many questions in her head, but she decided to just ask one "How did you get displaced here? That must have been quite a shock for you!" The historian in her was incredibly intrigued. She loved to learn about other times and other cultures. How lucky was she that she had a living, walking history book in front of her.

"Transporter accident- damaged transporter, jury-rigged to work, during solar flares and an ion storm," Paris relayed matter-of-factly. "When it all started going sideways Sonak turned off the compensators and took a chance. I ended up in this universe as living energy, and before my energy dissipated the Hera hit me. They figured out I was here, reassembled me and I started adapting."

"Which, as you say, was a shock. Eventually we worked out how to send my final report back to my old command, and that gave Sonak all he needed to come find me. He would be that love in the air about me... while we keep it professional on duty, he came through space and time to find me, leaving everything he knew behind. Is that not the most romantic thing you've ever heard?" Paris turned and eyed the Betazoid inquisitively. "You? Anyone?"

"That is incredibly romantic," the operations officer put a hand over her heart with a goofy smile on her face. She was always a sucker for a good love story. "Me? nawww, no one can handle all this," she laughed awkwardly while she made a gesture about her entire body. "Maybe one day, if it happens it happens. I'm not searching for it."

"The Hera might just surprise you, then," the enigmatic executive offered with a bemused smile.

"Have we been given our mission yet?" the operations officer asked, changing the subject.

"Yes and no... we're actually here to handle some personal business of the Captain's that might keep us occupied for a few days," Paris indicated. "Somewhere out there Commodore Meowlith is getting into trouble, and she'll call us in when she needs the cavalry. In the meanwhile," Paris handed over the PaDD she'd been carrying tucked under her arm. "Here's your welcome aboard package, including your quarters assignment, maps of the Hera, limited computer access and some appointments to keep. You need to check into the command in order to have full access, so that means a meeting with the first officer, a meeting with the captain, a physical and a session with the ship's counselor. Once everyone signs off, you'll be checked into the command, and be granted full access for active duty."

"What do you hope for from this assignment, Lieutenant?" Paris asked as she stopped walking and turned to face the young Betazoid officer.

"I hope to gain some new skills, make new friends, the usual," she read over the welcome package as she talked. ~seems like a lot of red tape~ The Betazoid thought before making eye contact with the first officer and smiling. "Thank you ma'am. Seeing as the Captain is preoccupied, I will make my appointments for my physical and a session with the counselor."

"Doctor Dael pulls both duties, so that'll be convenient for you- an all-in-one. So, if you've no other questions," Paris pointed to the nameplate on the door before which they were standing, where the backlit LED panel read, 'PACCI, R LTJG'. Then she extended her hand with a smile for a handshake.

"Welcome aboard the Hera, Miss Pacci."

"Thank you ma'am," shaking Paris' hand firmly before she entered her quarters. "This will do nicely," the telepath said out loud as she looked around her modest quarters and dropped the heavy ruck sack to the ground.

With the recent arrival of Jaeih Dox aboard the USS Hera, with the distinct possibility of a long stay, there were problems. The woman was to be relied on to help swing a vote with the Romulan faction of the Artan family Baronesses, which meant that she needed to be kept motivated to do so. While she fervently wished that no one aboard would be involved, there was an inevitability to the looming Tribunal, which would pit the captain against the family matriarch, her own mother, who was attempting to manipulate and control her daughter ‘for the good of the family’.

When it came to familial manipulations, Commander Rita Paris was all too familiar, and in truth, she had little tolerance for it.

But the situation was what it was, and she had to make the best of it. Which meant establishing a better relationship with the elder Dox. Jaeih Dox had laid bare the truth and admitted everything to her daughter, the Hera’s own Lieutenant Mnhei’sahe Dox, so it was clear that she was trying to rebuild those relationships. Rita herself had counseled Dox to work on the relationship, even when it had gone so disastrously the last time.

Now it seemed the elder Dox seemed to labor under the belief that Paris loathed her, an overreaction to her one-word condemnation of her behavior with her daughter in their last encounter. It had hurt Mnhei’sahe deeply to be so disappointed by her mother, and that had brought cold fury to Paris, who was, she realized, surprisingly protective of the shipmate she’d come to view as a sister. Of course, defending those she saw in need of it was just part of who she was. But in the case of the elder Dox, it had raised a cold fury in her that she later recognized as the selfsame disappointment that she used to feel with her own father as time and again he refused to embrace a healthy relationship with his career-oriented and determined daughter.

Given the Tribunal, her rebuilding efforts and the fact that she might be a more permanent fixture on the USS Hera, that meant that Rita had to find a way to mend fences with the woman.

Approaching the door of the VIP quarters #15, where Liebmann and Kurtzberg currently stood guard, Paris inspected her security force, all arrayed at doorways down the hall, and nodded in satisfaction. Since assuming control of the department she had taken an active hand in Security, and it pleased her to see spotless uniforms, eyes intent and observant and none of the earmarks of the former Security chief in her new Security force. Approaching the door, she called out.

“Computer, unseal hatch of VIP quarters number 15. Authorization Paris, R, LTCDR 867-5309.”
=^= What is your Father’s name? =^= the computer asked solicitously as the security question drawn from her own personnel file.

“Clifford Paris, Commander, Starfleet, retired,” Paris responded, as the version of her father from this reality had never been busted for manslaughter in relation to his own daughter. Thus he had retired with his rank… the same one she currently held, at a much younger age than he had ever achieved it, she noted smugly. The computer chirruped its acknowledgment, and the door slid open to allow her entry.

Stepping into the spacious but sterile quarters, Paris called out. “Mrs. Dox? It’s Rita Paris. Have you a moment?”

"One moment, Commander." The elder Romulan's voice came from the bedroom. Inside the room, Jaeih Dox was hanging up a series of freshly replicated shirts in her closet that otherwise had little more than a handful of dark gray Starfleet Intel uniform tunics. She had been expecting a visit from the Hera's First officer and had been dreading the eventuality. Taking a moment, to compose herself, she stepped out into the main chamber of her quarters, straightening out her gray uniform top.

"My apologies. I was... getting settled in a bit, I suppose." The stern-faced woman stood with her hands behind her back. "How may I help you, Commander?"

The phrase brought a wry smile to the face of the human commander, as it was the same one that Lieutenant Dox tended to greet her with when she entered the young Romulan’s office on business. In this case, she opened her arms, palms out, and ventured into the conversation.

“I think it would behoove you and I to speak, Mrs. Dox,” Paris began. “I feel there may be some misconceptions between us, and perhaps clearing the air might help. Would you mind terribly if we sat down? Standing seems rather formal, and this is not an official visit.”

"By... all means." Jaeih was slightly on guard, not quite knowing what to expect, but was actively working to push past her own predilection towards being on defense. These people were, for all intents and purposes, her daughter's family and she wanted to make a concerted effort to be a better person for her daughter. She held out her hand and gestured wildly to the room. There was a small, two-person dining table, a couch and chair combo that could be used, but her gesture indicated that where they sat was the Commander's choice.

"Please. Have a seat. Can I get you anything?" Letting Paris choose where she wanted to sit was a minor way of letting the Commander know that she was not going to be combatitive that she hoped was taken as such.

Moving to take a seat at the dining table would sit them across from one another, which Paris preferred, as it was direct. Moving in to take a seat, she held up a hand. “No thank you, ma’am, I appreciate the offer, though. So,” Cocking her head slightly, Paris offered a half-smile. “I’m not exactly sure if you don’t like me, if I have somehow made an enemy of you, or if you are laboring under the misconception that I dislike you. So I’ll start.”

“I myself have… issues… with parental trust. My own father was a maniacal psychopath who was involved in a number of unbelievable deeds over the years in the supposed interest of safeguarding me, which disintegrated me on one occasion, poisoned me, got me shot… you get the idea,” Paris waved away the remainder of the summary. “In short, I am somewhat… defensive of your daughter. She is a fine officer of whom I am very proud, and she has made great strides on the Hera. When there was a chance for reconciliation with you, she was very hopeful, and when those hopes were dashed, I was… angry.”

Sighing heavily, Paris clasped her hands together before her, interlacing her fingers as she spoke. “I read your report, and I have spoken with Miss Dox. It seems that you have realized your stratagem is unsuccessful and are trying something new, which takes considerable bravery, and I applaud you for it. No, that is not sarcasm,” she added with a wry smile. “You are here to help the captain in a morass of a situation that I wish were not what it is, yet it is. As we will need your help, I felt it prudent to insure there is no miscommunication between us.”

“I would like to believe that your motives are pure, and given how you prepared your daughter for life, I believe what you have told us is the truth. I believe that there is nothing more important to you than your daughter’s safety, and I can respect that. I believe you have made choices you regret- but who hasn’t?” Paris nodded slowly. “I would like for us to proceed in a positive direction, Mrs. Dox. I feel it is very important for Mnhei’sahe, and I believe it is very important for the captain as well. Both are very dear to me, and I cannot afford for you to be distracted because you distrust me or feel as though I will act against your best interests. We will be walking a tightrope in this affair, and I need you focused on the goal. This is far too important for a variable such as this to exist when it could have been cleared up by frank and open discussion.”

“So I am here for that purpose. I assume, given your training, that you can tell any number of facts about me… not the least of which is my capacity for falsehood. So, please, Mrs. Dox… let’s talk. Let us mend this fence and move forward, for the Captain’s sake, for your daughter’s sake… and for your sake.” Paris sat back at that, her truth laid bare and presented to the elder Romulan who could now consider how to digest the facts presented.

"As I said before, I actually have no idea what kind of a liar you are, Commander, because I don't believe you've ever lied once in my presence. So, from how you worded that, I would assume you don't consider it one of your skills." The elder Romulan commented someone flatly, but with a growing relaxation. It was clear she was working through what she felt about what was said before responding fully.

"You were angry with me, and for good reason. Not a day has gone by that I haven't regretted almost everything I've said and done when it comes to the raising of my daughter. And... in the wake of Mnhei'sahe's and my last conversation on Earth... I have to admit that in my bitterness I found that I blamed you for what I now know was my mistakes. That was yet another failure on my part which I would apologize for."

The words were now coming more freely as she spoke. She crossed her hands in front of her on the table and looked up at Rita's face, trying to avoid interpretation of her expression. Trying to overcome a lifetime of guarded thinking and carefully chosen lies in favor of a bald truth that was legitimately frightening for the former Tal'Shiar agent.

"Yes, I have believed that you have since harbored animosity for me since then. And I would not blame you for that in any way. I understand how important you are to Mnhei'sahe and that is important to me. I am... I am trying, Commander. I am trying to be the person my daughter deserved. I can never be the mother she wanted me to be... that chance is long gone. But I am trying to at least make some things right." Jaeih's body language and face went slightly softer as she spoke, hints of legitimate vulnerability leaking through the carefully practiced facade that had been steadily cracking since she came on board.

"I... do not know how to do this. I don't know if I can do this, Commander." Her voice was now betraying her inner fears rather plainly. "I know that I do not deserve the forgiveness Mnhei'sahe seems willing time and again to hold out for me. But I rather selfishly crave it regardless."

"As for your fears that I may be distracted in my purpose by concerns over your feelings toward me, have no fear. Above all else, when I look into your eyes I see a woman who cares deeply for my daughter. Even if you loathed me, that would not supersede that fact in my mind. But... I am relieved to hear you say that this isn't the case." Jaeih replied, nodding slightly.

“So much of my life, all I ever hoped for was that my father might realize that his daughter was someone to be proud of… a Starfleet officer who would carry on the family tradition. That maybe he might see the error of his ways, and come around to being the man I had grown up believing him to be,” Rita Paris admitted.

The elder Dox knitted her eyebrows and frowned slightly as she listened

“There was a time when I would have given anything for that. In you, I see that opportunity for Mnhei’sahe… and I will admit, I want that for her, very badly. To have a good relationship with you. For her to know that you are proud of the woman that she’s become. That you could move forward together and build a good relationship. I will admit, I want that very much for her… what I never had and never will.” Paris offered a sad smile at the reflection her words had brought about. “Because it’s still possible for her… but it’s up to you.”

“I don’t hate you, Mrs. Dox. If anything, I am hopeful for you. Hopeful that you can be the mother she needs now, here. That you can be better than you were, and better than you yourself believe you can be. That’s my hope for everyone, ma’am. I’ve tried to teach it to your daughter, and I will help you as much as I am able.” The chin of the Starfleet officer dimpled as she fought back an emotional tide of her own. “I need your help, Mrs. Dox. I have to protect them both, and the ship and the crew, and this situation is complex and dangerous and so very much of it is variables I can neither predict nor control, and… I refuse to fail them. I can’t. I just can’t.”

“So I very much need your help, Jaeih Dox,” Paris ended, hands open and palms up on the table. “Please.”

Her trained hessitance failed her as she watched Rita Paris bare her concerns. Her own hands were still folded on the table, but slowly she uncrossed her fingers and put them into Rita's. The guarded Romulan was in uncharted territory for her and her training told her to withdraw and lock back down but she fought it viciously.

"I have known your Captain since she was a sixteen year old girl named Enalia Artan. I worked with her mother for years until I felt that her goals no longer aligned with my own and severed that relationship."

Rita could feel a tension lock up through the Romulan woman's hands as she shut her eyes for a moment. "I have feared Mnhei'sahe becoming like her grandmother her entire life. I have equally feared her becoming... Like me. Know that if I can help you keep Enalia from walking her Mother's path in any way, I will."

"I know that so long as you and Miss Gonadie are in her life, you will protect Mnhei'sahe from that fate. But I will do my part." Jaeih replied with no reservation in her voice. "What is it you need of me, Commander?"

"We're launching an undercover Starfleet operation. Mrs. Dox, you are a very deadly woman in a great number of ways. I have one volunteer for the mission, and she could use a partner who could keep up with her. How do you feel about being... a 'quadruple agent'? I know that sounds crazy-" Paris held up her hands in surrender. "But hear me out! It could work, and I think you and Az'Prel can pull it off. I honestly do."

"Az'Prel? A Vulcan, I take it?" Jaeih asked, leaning in intently with a serious focus on her face. "This sounds like you are pondering some level of covert infiltration mission if I'm correct."

"Why yes she is, and yes I am. It was something your daughter said, actually. This is a Starfleet operation, and we can still control some elements of the equation." Paris got up, then stood behind her chair, her hands on the back of the chair. "While we deal with the situation at the tribunal, you two free agents work your way through the Syndicate to find out who got paid who can finger Mommy Dearest, and get proof. Deliver it before the Tribunal's over, and you can end it. What do you say, Mrs. Dox? If you were to be responsible for the harmony of the Artan family of pirates with the Federation, as well as the rest of the galaxy... I really think they're going to call that time served."

"Call it a hunch. I know a Captain who'll put in a good word for you..."

"If we found evidence that Arenara was working against the prime code of law that the Artan family.js sworn to by siding with slavers, it could end the tribunal right there. Keeping you, Enalia, Mnhei'sahe and this crew safe. That is incentive enough for me, Commander." Jaeih stood up to meet Rita's eyes, though the posture was completely non-confrontational.

"However, if Arenara has been working with the Orion Syndicate then it's likely that her goal of corrupting the family has supporters amongst at.least some of the Baronesses. If we find proof, it may lead to any co-conspiritors. Knowing that will be invaluable in determining which will be likely to offer they're betrayal in the tribunal."

"That said, would I be correct in assuming you are also preparing for none of this to matter? If backed into a corner, I can assure you that Arenara will force open conflict. Regardless of the vote, she will take what she wants by force if she can." Jaeih added grimly.

"So I have been led to believe. Since I'm anticipating it, if all goes well, when she does force open conflict she'll have a rather unpleasant surprise. if not... well, I'm an old girl with a lot of tricks up her sleeve, Mrs. Dox." Paris paced around her chair, then sat back down. "Like the man said, I am a brilliant improvisational thinker. Meaning I'll figure it out in the moment- I always do."

"I'll keep them safe and moving forward here, but you and Az'Prel in the field could make all the difference. A ship is being prepared for you, and requisition whatever supplies you need. We should be ready soon," Paris rolled her eyes, looking for her schedule before fishing around in her top for her collapsible tablet. Snapping it open, she logged in and searched out the ETA on the creation of the ship she'd named Nihroi, which meant 'ask the question' in Romulan. "Would you prefer to deploy at the Artan fortress, or be away from us before then?"

"I will prepare a list of what I believe we will need to requisition for this purpose, Commander." Jaeih paused for the briefest of moments, thinking a bit more about Rita's last question.

"Leaving earlier will allow us to create a harder to trace path that does not lead back to the Hera, which would arouse suspicions and negate our abilities to infiltrate." Then, Jaeih stopped herself as she spoke, a thought occuring to her.

"Captain Telvan mentioned that her Mother may have specifically had the Orion's target the Romulan Baronesses ships so she could then seek out revenge on their behalf. Since Mnhei'sahe is a Baroness as well, that means she will have been registered as such with the Family which indicates Arenara knows that Enalia will be seeking my aid to sway the Romulans." Jaeih added, still standing and pacing slight.

Much like her own daughter, Jaeih clearly paced when she was deep in thought and she was clearly deep in thought. "She may anticipate my involvement, so we will need to create the illusion that I escaped from my custody as a cover. As an Intel ship, it's likely she does not know of my transfer here. A false report along subspace from Earth... appropriate phaser damage to this ship and..."

Jaeih picked up a small PaDD she had been doing basic ship research on to familiarize herself with the basics of the Hera's layout and operations on and called up a series of star charts. With a slight grin, she passed the PaDD to Rita as she sat back down.

"If we leave as soon as possible, it is only two days on high warp to the K'reo'n Nebula on a circular course. Passing through the nebula will obliterate our ion trail making it impossible to track where we actually came from. And it suggests a trajectory opposite of the path the Hera would be on. It's an old smuggling trick I believe would be to our advantage to use here."

"I see you are already on the case, Mrs. Dox. Outstanding. I will send Miss Az'Prel for you to meet. She is..." Paris began to offer an explanation for the young woman she was preparing to send into harm's way, but thought better of it. "You'll have a few days in a very small starcraft to get to know one another. I will let her tell her tale, but suffice to say, as unbelievable as it sounds, she is, as a logical Vulcan, not prone to exaggeration."

"I look forward to meeting this woman, then." Jaeih replied, somewhat amused sounding. "As for being on the case, I consider myself a fairly well accomplished improvisational thinker as well when the need arises."

"Lastly... I wanted to touch on your clothing and comm badge. You are considered a civilian consultant, and you may dress how you wish," Paris indicated the charcoal grey Starfleet uniform she wore currently. "I had the computer replicate that badge for you, not out of exclusion, but because I was unwilling to simply brand you as Starfleet. While you have done our dirty work for a very long time, you worked for reunification, then were exiled for it... but according to your daughter, at heart, you love your home and have never betrayed it. That's why I offered you a different configuration than our own. It was intended as a compliment... I hope the message wasn't misinterpreted."

Considering her response carefully, Jaeih thought for a moment. "I love my home, Commander. I love my people. I found myself on a path that began because I believed I was acting in the best interest of Romulus. Over time, those ideals became more and more compromised until I realized I had become something horrible. I tried for years to make amends through supporting reunification. In supporting a goal I believed could purge the corruption that had infiltrated the Romulan heart, I perhaps..."

The pause was brief, but it was clear there was strong emotion welling up in the woman. "Perhaps because I hoped it could do the same for me. I want to see my home again one day, Commander. I want to see my home free which is only part of why I worked for reunification. Mnhei'sahe has... never set foot on the world she hails from. Never seen it's turquoise skies. I wish for a restored Romulus for her, Commander." Jaeih added with a touch of melancholy to her voice.

"And... yes. I initially believed this badge was meant as an insult, but I understand your intentions now. Thank you. And... Perhaps it is a fitting reminder of the dangers of repeating the mistakes of my past and a reminder once more of what I wanted to restore. If that makes sense."

"Not my intention... but if it can serve as a positive reminder to you, then all the better. So, secret mission, partner, ship... well being of your daughter..." Paris added, almost as an afterthought, although it was the focus of the entire discussion. "I think we've covered a lot of ground today. I appreciate that you are willing to trust me, Mrs. Dox. I know this is asking you to take a lot on faith, and a suspicious type might see this as one heck of a setup. But I think you believe me, and you understand, and this will give you a way to actively affect the situation instead of passively with just a plea, which, were I in your shoes, would make me crazy. Do we perhaps understand one another a bit better now?"

"I believe we do, Commander. And I am... pleased for the opportunity you have presented to me. Not just in regards to this mission, but for the opportunity to repair the damage I have done." Jaeih took on a slightly more positive tone.

"In spite of my reservations, when we first met I genuinely liked you, Commander. As such, I am quite gratified for the chance to perhaps start over with you as well. You are an exceptional individual, and I understand Mnhei'sahe's affections for you. So thank you again."

"You're welcome," Paris replied, clearly heartfelt and touched. "My own mother died when I was very young. I wish I could have known her... so I'm glad your daughter will get that chance. So be careful and come back in one piece, all right?"

Nodding with a somewhat professional demeanor, Jaeih replied. "I have... much worth coming back for thanks in large part to you, Commander. I will."

Extending her hand, Rita Paris offered the Romulan woman a handshake that was accepted. As they shook, she smiled.

"I believe you, Mrs. Dox."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZLbUIa7exE

"How does this shit keep happening to us?!?" Briaar Gavarus called out from her seat in the back of the Starfleet Cyclone fighter dubbed 'The Getaway Driver'.

The golden, two-person craft was floating adrift in the empty blackness of space. The interior cabin lights were flickering on and off and the comm system was completely dead. Once again, the towering Tellarite, Ensign Gavarus and the diminutive Maraposian red-headed pilot, Ensign Fiona O'Dell found themselves in a powerless cyclone in the middle of nowhere.

"Diagnostics are coming back green, what the frickin' HELL!? I have no idea why this stupid goddamn thing isn't responding. Are you getting any input response from the helm, Fee?" Gavarus grumbled from the back seat where she served as the test engineer.

"Nay, I've got jack all up here. Stick's dead, I've a complete power failure across the boards. Again, I think the engine is hummin' but Ah canna be sure, these new mimetic couches are pretty sweet. Didn't Gonadie install redundancy systems to prevent this this shite from happ'nin agin? Is the sim broken or the interface twixt it and the ship? Because this is bollocks!"

"I have no goddamn idea!" Gavarus grumbled. "But I won't have to go back outside again. That crap should all be accessible from the inside now. Hold on."

With a grumble, Gavarus pulled the control panel to her side open to go over it. "Fee, pop the panel cover off of the one to your right and tell me if the circuts are still connected."

"Port is left and starboard right.. right, got et... ah... " Wiggling the connections, the tiny test pilot maneuvered her suit lights to peer about inside the panel. "Nae sure a'alla what I'm lookin at here but it looks alreet ta me. If everything shut down it was overloaded, like an ionization, right? So we joost hafta reboot? How do we do a hard reboot a' the system?"

"That makes sense." Gavarus commented. "That lines up with what I'm seeing here. All my connections are solid here. Okay, hell. Let's try a hard reboot. I can... Damn."

Sighing and rolling her eyes, Gavarus continued. "You're going to have to do it. The system access is under the panel by your feet. You'll have to twist yourself upside down and tuck down there. I can walk you through it."

Squirreling around in her seat in the zero G, O'Dell retracted her helmet to get better visibility, plucking a penlight from underneath the dashboard left there magnetically by the engineer in the back seat 'just in case'. Easily the midget Mariposian was able to get turned around and underneath her pilot's couch in what was for her a roomy fighter craft, even with the seat pulled forward to give Gavarus some legroom.

"Sorry aboot this, but the seat has ta go back to access the panel. Yuir g'win ta hafta suck it in, me chummy chum." With that, Fiona triggered the seat adjust back, squeezing her flight couch into Gavarus' personal space. "Alreet, panel open... what am Ah lookin at here?"

With her knees tucked up tight, the two meter tall Tellarite groaned under her breath. "Okay... There's a junction box above you. It's the manual power reset."

"Slide the cover back. There will be a flat gray panel to the side and a series of large, colored buttons. All mechanical. Do you see it?" Gavarus instructed.

"Aye, joost like ye described it," O'Dell reported. "Now what do Ah do?"

"Okay. Great. Now, you can't throw the main switch by hand. In order to get the charge you must pump up the primer handle. It's large, flat, and grey. The primer handle must be cycled four times. Got it?" The irritable engineer called down, breathy from sucking in her prodigious paunch.

Placing her hand on the handle and the other hand on the deck (the overhead to her at the moment) Fiona pulled at the lever, grunting and straining. "Who the bluiddy hell is supposed ta be able to reach under the seat and do this? I mean seriously. I'm the only one wee enough to get doown here, and I'm nae strong enough to budge the damned handle. Am I pullin it the right way? Oop, right?"

"It's the only place it fits right now. I'm working on getting it smaller and under the seat, though. Easier to..." Gavarus was getting frustrated. "It shouldn't be that hard to... Shit... there's a little tab on the side of the handle. It's a lock. Flip the tab and it should move freely. Sorry. Pump it about four times and that should build the charge and the yellow button should say 'charged'."

Snapping the tab on the handle, O'Dell pulled mightily, and it came up with practically no resistance, causing the lightweight pilot to bounce her boots off the canopy before recovering and adjusting to to the lack of resistance. "Alreet, now that's joost insane. Nobody's g'win ta be able to work that by touch under the seat inside a panel under the seat... I kin barely manage and I'm bluiddy upside down!" Fiona pumped the handle three more times until the yellow light came on. "Aye, system's charged. What's me next move?"

"Oh, for... it's a goddamn work in progress!" Gavarus replied, irritated more by the situation then anything g else. "Sorry. I'm just... this is frustrating! Okay. There's a big, green button that says 'push to close."

After a slightly pregnant pause, Gavarus continued. "Push it."

"Aye, well, when it comes to moments like this ye do need to instruct me yannow..." O'Dell muttered. "Yuir button's pooshed, the panel's closing now what's next on me list of 'how could a normal sized pilot manage this' fun under the pilot's seat?"

"Okay, now the system should..." There was a drawn out silence. "Why the @#$&!! is the system not rebooting!?!" Gavarus yelled as the screens remained dark. "Okay. Hold on, I'm coming down there!"

With a grunt, the wide-middled engineer struggled to put herself up over the top of the seat in front of her, only succeeding in wedging herself in the space between the seat back in front of her and the canopy. She could reach the control panel of the pilots seat, but her bottom was still on her side of the cockpit with O'Dell's legs sticking up around her head. "Oh, what fresh hell is... I... I think I'm stuck."

Hold on ye great barrel-shaped beastie, I think I kin..." O'Dell managed to get a grip on the seat recline lever, and slid her seat back all the way. Then fumbling for the side lever release, she got a grip on the recline release. "Poosh on the neck support of the pilot's couch and it should lay down, give ye enough room to get in up here. I'm guessin' ye still need me doown here in case that reset needs to be reset, aye?" Not claustrophobic in the least, and with the gravity not active nor the SIF generators to keep her glued to the couch, O'Dell was calm and in good spirits for the most part as her partner crowded her in the cockpit.

Pushing down on the neck support caused the seat back to drop as O'Dell indicated and Gavarus began to float free again, which was preferable to flumping down to the reclined sleep. As she would have if gravity were in place. "Okay... Opening up the console access panel up here to see... The hell?!"

Irritated, Gavarus fiddled with the isolinear chips controlling the power conduit connectors for a moment, grumbling while she hovered just above O'Dell. "Someone is going to have a lot of frickin' fun playing back the feed from the cockpit when this is over and it's not going to be me. Okay..."

"It canna look that funny," O'Dell brought her knees up to her chest to compact how much space she was taking up, to give Gavarus more room in the cockpit as she held onto the underside of the pilot's couch. "Besides, the Lieutenant needs a good larf every now and then..."

Tilting slightly to the side, Gavarus gestured to the retractable cord that could be extended from the arm computer on O'Dell's EVA suit. "...I need you to plug that in to the power adapter down there. The port is right... right here." Gavarus grumbled, feeling for the port under the control panel with her hands.

"AGH! Giant hand! Alreet, alreet, sure, acess port... seriously, who installed alla thus under the bloody seat! If I dinna have ye here I'd nivvir know..." All the power inside O'Dell's EVA suit winked out as she plugged int a port. "What the hells? Wait, armor systems said they just experienced a massive power surege.... are ye serious? Who puts a power coupling next to a data port under the bloody seat where ye hafta fumble blind fuir et! Got to talk to the chief aboot theat... alreet, hold on, I think I kin... aha!"

The light of her helmet returned as O'Dell got the plug inserted into the right port... or so she thought as a loud feedback squeal shrieked briefly in her ear before she got it yanked out. "Trasna ort féin! Alreet, third time's the charm..." With the correct port accessed, O'Dell managed to get her EVA suit online and the requisite system as well. "Izzat it?"

"Okay. The problem seems to be that the controls are working but the displays aren't getting signal from the main computer. So we're going to use your EVA and our HUD's to compensate." Gavarus plugged her own suits computer in and instantly, her visor's HUD began projecting a overlay of the ships systems, all functional.

"Okay. Now all we have to do is... shiiiittttt... switch places." Gavarus' voice sank as she said it.

"Alreet. Is there, uh, room for that...?" Again, O'Dell wasn't the least bit claustrophobic, so that wasn't much of a cross to bear for her. The well-rounded engineer, on the other hand, who currently had a small bungle of space-suited pilot between her legs, was already quite cramped and feeling the pressure.

"Okay... Umm... " Gavarus grunted, trying to wiggle alongside the pint sized pilot and spin herself upside down at the same time. "If I twist over and you ... you slide down this way... we can... No... craaaaaapp! the irritable engineer groaned accidentally having to pull O'Dell's legs around her own head.

"I can't fit under there. And this kama Sutra crap is not working. I can't... SHITSHITSHIT!"

“D’ye want me ta rotate up ta sit in yuir lap? Ah think I kin still pilot her like that… wait, ye need me down here ta work this port, concha.” There was a pause as O’Dell giggled. “The rest of the team is g’win ta laugh like hyenas when they hear the audio track from this one. Alreet, this is nae completely fubar. Ye can joost pilot us back to limp us ta the Hera, then we kin spend the afternoon replacing this system to where ye dinna need an upside down midget in yuir lap ta make it work once she shorts out.”

"What? Pilot? Fee, I can't fly! I only barely passed my basic, emergency flight tests and frankly am fairly certain I forgot every damn thing I learned!" Gavarus replied nervously. "And how am I supposed to do this with your damn legs wrapped around me?!"

“Look on the bright side,” O’Dell chirped from her position half under the pilot’s couch. “If it was the Commander and the Lieutenant who were tryin ta do these gymnastics in a dead Cyclone in space, how much trouble do ye reckon we’d be in by the time they got back to the flight deck wi’ both of them all tangled oop like this? better us than them. neither of 'em is the size a' ye, but neither of 'em is as wee as me, either. That'd be a right cluster fook, and ye and me would be on the carpet fuir sure then.”

"How is that BETTER?!" the irritable engineer balked, "My ass is still stretched over the back of the seat and we look like the worst 'twister' team in the quadrant!! And, to re-frickin'-iterate, I CAN'T FLY!

“Ach, quit yuir bellyaching, tis nae s’bad!” the cheerful copilot chirped through the comms. “All ye hafta do is punch in the coordinates and let the flight calculator do the…. Okay, let me do the flight computer’s job, which I’d really like to see that system get a battery backup or somethin’, and then we juust program in speed and duration. S’easy briar, ye kin do et! Realy pilotin takes some doin… that we’ll hafta do when we pop back oot and approach the Hera. Again, tis nee engineerin, so should be easy as a drunk on Sunday.”

"Yeah, fantastic! Except I'm pretty sure that this damn thing is set to manual controls because I am NOT seeing how to just enter frickin' coordinates!" The increasingly stressed Tellarite yelled with just a hint of panic lining the edges of her frustration.

“Gavarus… Briaar… s’okay, s’alreet, calm down. Here...” O’Dell compacted her legs, curling up into a very compact bundle of spacesuit, tucking her kees in tightly and minimizing the amount of space she took up in the pilot’s compartment. “Ye kin fly, ye’ve a perfectly good copilot right here. And I’m nae taking oop that much room, ye should be able ta get inta the pilot’s couch now… give it a try, aye?”

While the minsicule Mariposian was not particularly affected by tight spaces, it sounded like her very large and very broad partner was very much not fond at all of cramped quarters, and it sounded like claustrophobia was setting in. Had their positions been reversed, Gavarus would be working to keep O’Dell calm without ever pointing out the source of the anxiety. So today it was Fiona’s turn to be the cool under pressure half of the duo, and she was confident she could get them through this scenario successfully despite the difficulties.

Struggling against her own prodigious paunch, Gavarus grumbled to herself as she tried folding her legs up over the back of the seat. "God damn stupid gut! Okay, maybe I do need to exercise a little more. UUGH!" After a solid minute and a half of contorting and twisting and cursing, Gavarus was able to unfold herself into the pilot's seat, with her own long legs folded up on either side of Fiona's legs.

“S’nae life or death, we got this!” O’Dell reassured from below... Alreet, one step at a time, aye? She is set to manual control. Not a problem though- all we have ta do is plug in some coordinates. So, what does the astrogation positioning indicator say? It’s the console on the port side, midway up the dash, should be a few numbers then mark then another few numbers?”

"Uhh... hold one." The nervous engineer felt like she was almost actively forgetting what limited flight training she had the harder she tried to recall it. "Uh... okay. Is this it? Is it... three two six... point... is that the mark? Three two six, MARK Three eight two seven."

“Almost! Ye got the right panel, so good job! It’s actually 326 mark 38, mark seven. 325 is our relative position to the center of the galaxy. Mark 38 is our current angle of differential from that center point, and the bearing is how many minutes at warp 5 we’ve traveled on that course. Nae s’hard, right?” Without waiting for an answer, O’Dell continued.

“So on top an’ bottom of that display are tab arrows. Since we know where we’re going, since the Hera’s at spacedock right now, that makes it a lot easier than catching up wiu’ a moving target. So really, we just need to raise and lower the numbers ye see there til we get 114, mark 12, bearing…. Ahhh… 12. No, eleven. No, twelve,” the pixie pilot reported from underneath the dashboard.

"Which the hell is it? Because this crap is always insane. Eleven and we're back at the Hera and Twelve and we come out of warp inside a frickin' star ten light years away!!" Gavarus barked, overwhelmed and starting to panic. "Seriously, this is... how do you... I'm going to get us killed here, Fee? We're going to die sitting on top of each other with the insides of our thighs pressed together!"


“Okay, again, thighs pressed together? We’re joos beggin ta be mocked. But aside from that… Briaar Gavarus, I need ye calm, alreet? We’re nae g’win ta die oot here, this is nae life or death, and ye kin do this,” the pixie pilot reassured the aggravated anxious engineer. “None of the fancy stoof I do wi’ the Thunderchicken, this is joost basic astrogation, by the numbers- literally. Ye kin do this. 114.12.12, I promise. Ye’re smart and capable and while I will admit this isn’t the best ‘a circumstances, ye know how ta do this, so deep breath, punch in them coordinates and we’ll be back t the hera soon enow, aye?”

The unfailing good cheer that came through the comms was meant to reassure. After all, when she was panicked or upset or just plain frightened, Gavarus worked to keep her calm. So today it was O’Dell’s turn, and she was trying to soothe her porcine pal. If that didn’t work, the yelling would begin- for as much as she didn’t care to admit it, squabbling with Gavarus was a lot like being with her family, and Fiona O’Dell very much valued the Tellarite’s friendship and wanted to help. Which might end up being yelling at her to calm her tits, but that remained to be seen.

Looking down between her legs an over her ample belly, Briaar saw Fiona O'Dell inexplicably beaming up at her with an enormous smile, and the frustrated Tellarite couldn't help but let out a slight snort of a chuckle at the ridiculous sight. "O... Okay. 114 mark 12 mark 12. Okay..."

Hesitantly, Gavarus awkwardly followed Fiona's instructions, entering the coordinates as instructed as her thick, three-fingered hand shook in the glove of her EVA suit. "Okay... it's entered."

“Yuir doin great Gavarus! Noow, below that display and… one, two, three panels to starboard is another display, that’s set at 00.00 right now. That’s the speed indicator… how fast we want to be goin. Noow, this is the tricky part, but fortunately, ye got me. The telemetry is bein’ run through the suit at the moment, so I kin see what’s the what, as opposed to takin a blind hop on a wing and a prayer and the math skills in me tiny brain. This time all ye have to do is tap that one ta bring it to life, and ye kin bring her up to 4.0. That’s the warp speed setting, and Warp 4 is cruising speed for the Cyclone, so no strain on the engines or whatnot. Once ye punch that in, a display will light up below it with a low number, and that’s the travel time. See? Pushbutton flyin! And ye still have nae engaged the engines yet, so ye dinna hafta be nervous.”

"Oh, go ahead. Make fun of your tiny brain again and I will frickin' fart on you from here. And EVA suit or not, you will smell it!" Gavarus tried to joke to calm her nerves as she looked around for the controls and buttons Fiona had mentioned. "Okay. Warp four is entered. Flight time is calculated. Heading is... already in there... right. Okay. Okay. I think it's all entered in."

Ridiculously, a thumbs-up thrust up from around the flight yoke in the center of the console that Fiona was currently wrapped around to accommodate her position. “Alreet- there’s a big shiny red button should be flashin on the console that is askin ye if ye wanna engage, so ye do… joost poosh the button and we’re on our merry way!”

"Really? A shiny red button? Isn't the rule to NEVER push shiny red buttons? That's just terrifying." Gavarus kept talking and trying to put off actually pushing the button in question until she couldn't stall any more. "Okay. shitshitshitshit... Okay. Hitting the buttoooonnnn... Nnnnnnnnnooow!"

With the lightest touch of her thick finger, the Cyclone turned in space to face it's new heading, causing Gavarus to actually let out the quickest of squeals of fright before the Warp engine flared to life and the ship stretched into warp space. "SQUUUEEEEEEE!!!!"

“Woohooo! Ye did it, Briaar! Look, today yuir a pilot!” came the cheer from around the engineer’s feet. “Now we joost ride this oot, and when we get where we’re goin…” At that the simulation shut down, and the lights came up even as the Cyclone, still parked on the deck, popped the canopy to give Ensign Gavarus some room the metaphorically breathe.

“Or that might successfully conclude the sim too, sure. Think ye could get up so’s ye can haul me oota here by me ankles?” came the cheery request from below.

"Right... uh..." With gravity restored, Gavarus kept her HUD visor in place hoping to cover up her embarrassment as she pulled herself up from the pilot's seat, gently grabbing O'Dell by the ankles and extracting her gently up so she was held upside down by an ankle. In the panic of the moment, the mortified engineer literally forgot she was in a simulation for a few moments and was not looking forward to the review of her poor performance. "Here... here you go, Fee. Uh..."

The usually grouchy and opinionated Briaar Gavarus was ashamed and uncharacteristically quiet as she tried to figure out the quickest way to the locker room to get away from the sim platform as quickly as possible, looking around like a little girl lost in a crowd, even though it appeared to her that it was only the two of them in the room as the sim was running on automatic.

Or so she thought, until she caught a glimpse of the gold uniform that was worn by only one member of the crew of the USS Hera- the out of date uniform of one Commander Rita Paris, the First Officer. The one whose gold Cyclone fighter was sitting on the deck, the antique Starfleet delta on its wing matched by one on her prodigious left breast. Standing somewhat frozen, holding O’Dell upside down by the ankle, Gavarus was unprepared for what came next as the Commander offered a slow clap.

“Lieutenant Dox mentioned that she had formed a research and development team to work on the Thunderchicken and to hammer out the bugs in the Cyclones. She also mentioned that her test pilot and flight engineer were quite the comedy duo. I’m assuming that would be you two?” While the phrasing could be taken any number of ways, the Commander seemed, if anything, bemused by the awkward sight before her.

The thick, pink cheeks of the porcine engineer lost all color as Gavarus swallowed and her deep-set eyes all but bugged out of her visor. With a shock, her grip slipped and she all but dropped the diminutive test pilot she was still holding up like a prize fish. "Uh... Commander Paris?! Um... uh..."

“Hullo Commander!” O’Dell waved cheerily, still upside down as Gavarus appeared somewhat frozen by fear. Muttering on her internal comms, smile fixed in place, O’Dell squeaked, “We are SO dead…”

The eyes of the engineer darted down to the tiny upended form of Fiona O'Dell, and realized she should probably put her partner in crime down. Using both hands, she righted Fiona and set her down on the deck next to her, her heart pounding in her chest. "Um... I... yes? I'm... Ensign Briaar O'Dell and this is Ensign Fiona Gavarus... Wait... Fiona O'Dell and Briaar Gavarus."

The usually confrontational and sarcastic Tellarite was, instead, stuttering and stumbling over her every word as she whispered to O'Dell, the inside of her EVA suits visor almost opaque as she was breathing so heavily to have fogged it up. "Oh gods, kill me."

Striding over to the sleek golden craft, Paris traced her fingers along the metallic gold skin of the small starship, an affection for the craft clearly visible on her face. “I understand you two have been charged with finding all of the problems and troubleshooting them. So I’m curious, which problem resulted in your two exercising the Kama Sutra in the front seat of the cockpit, hmmm?” That light tone was still there, but there was that ever-present sense of danger in the high ranking officer having come across two low ranking officers in a compromising position.

“No! Oh, nae, mum, tweren’t like that a’ tall,” O’Dell volunteered. “See, we shorted oot the flight computer, which was one of the things for the sim ta test randomly. So we had to get at it, and in the current configuration it’s in a bit of a tight spot, so I was down there, aye? But to keep the system booted properly I hadda stay doown there, so Ensign Gavarus, she climbed up front to do the pilotin’. Did a bang-oop job too, she did, for an engineer in an experimental craft!” O’Dell patted the tall Tellarite’s bicep, then hastily added, “Um, ma’am. Sir. Commander.”

"Mmmm hmm. Anything to add, Ensign?" Again, the Commander's tone was one of amusement, but both junior officers knew that could change at any moment, and could well be the calm before the storm.

After what felt like the longest two seconds of utter silence, Gavarus exploded. Looking slightly down at her First Officer, the exasperated engineer began to verbally vomit in her still closed helmet.

"It was my fault, Commander! After the system shutdown that happened in the Cherry Bomb a couple of weeks ago, I experimented with installing a MANUAL reboot system that.would enable the pilot to physically restart the ship's systems in the event of a total power failure but I screwed up and put the access to the reboot controls under the main cockpit control panel where the only way to get to it properly was for the pilot to lay upside down and slide up under the console which only even worked because she's small enough to fit down there and while the controls rebooted the displays went dark so we needed to patch O'Dell's HUD into the hard drive and link to the ships mainframe which meant I had to fly the ship but I couldn't remember how to do it and Fiona had to walk me through the procedure which required me sitting in the pilots seat while she had to stay on the floor panels until we got the ship back into warp, Commander!"

At this point, the visor if Gavarus's helmet was beginning to drip on the inside as the towering Tellarite was beginning to feel light headed.

Stepping over, Commander Paris cocked her head, the short blonde hair shifting in its boyish cut. Stepping in front of Ensign Gavarus, into her personal space, in fact, the human representation of Starfleet past very precisely tapped the modern Starfleet delta on the Tellarite engineer's chest five times. The helmet immediately retracted, and the porcine junior officer's mild claustrophobia of the moment could relax.

"Breathe, Miss Gavarus," Paris cocked an eyebrow and smirked up at the perturbed pig playtester. "It looks bad if you faint in front of a superior officer when she isn't even yelling at you. Yet..."

"Uh... Thank you, Commander." The thoroughly overwhelmed and moderately perplexed young Ensign slowly caught her breath and started to calm down. The commander looked gavarus over, taking in a number of details, noting small details before peering into the woman's black eyes. Nodding at whatever she saw there, Paris moved down the line to O'Dell, who snapped open her helmet then came to rigid attention.

A small smile crossed the face of the ghost of the 23rd century as she stepped back with military precision, snapped to attention and returned the salute, after which O'Dell snapped hers off as well. The comely commander's smile returned, she moved into O'Dell's space, basically losing sight of her over her prodigious bosom. Stepping back, the Commander genuflected before O'Dell, bringing them about equal in height.

"May I see your hands, Ensign?" the inquisitive executive asked, and O'Dell obliged, holding out her suited hands. "D'ye want me to take me gloves off, ma'am?"

"No," Paris replied, checking the size of her own hands against those of the miniature Marisposian, then eyeing the little woman, much as she had Gavarus. Then she stood, resetting the tablet in her off hand on her hip. "I read the reports of you two getting stranded out there. Lieutenant Dox had the entire flight crew out there searching sector by sector, and Doctor Dael showed me the medical reports. You two had it very rough out there, and you handled yourselves with level heads and smart thinking. The command is proud of you two. Keep up the good work."

As they reacted, Paris held up an imperious finger that stopped both of them in their tracks.

"Which means we're watching. You two might be making history down here, but it's risky to you, and lives will depend on it later. So have your fun and blow off steam- you deserve it. But on the job, remember the responsibility you bear. All the lives yet to come, who will depend on these miracles of engineering we're producing here, will be counting on you two."

Beginning to realize she still had a career, at least for the moment, Gavarus felt her heartbeat begin to slow down to a mild gallop. "T... Thank you, Commander. We... will remember... W... w...we will keep that... We..."

Taking a deep breath, Gavarus tried to rein in her anxiety-induced stuttering. "T... Thank you, Commander. We will be better."

"We'll work oot alla the boogs, nivvir ye mind, Commander! We'll mess oop everything until they're foolproof, ye kin coont on us!" Nervous, the little leprechaun's brogue had become nigh impenetrable, but she was still chirping assurances.

"Good. Just keep up the good work and thorough documentation, ladies. Carry on..." the first officer dismissed the two test pilots as she clambered into the cockpit of the flyer they had just abandoned. In a few seconds, her booted feet were sticking out, as she was apparently inspecting that circuit breaker panel O'Dell had been operating.

"c'mon... c'mon... Let's go before we make this worse, Fee." Gavarus whispered, leaning down close to O'Dell as she began inching back toward the lockers.

"What? We're dismissed, that means piss off," O'Dell opined as she did a hotfoot scoot for the relative safety of the locker room, with Gavarus hot on her heels.

Once in the locker room, Gavarus began pulling off her EVA suit somewhat angrily. The porcine engineer was muttering under her breath unintelligibly for a few moments until the bulky panels of the suit were all off, leaving g her in just the black undersuit. "I... I can't believe I did that! What is wrong with me? This is why they sent me out of the damn department to begin with. I don't know what the hell I'm doing!"

"Whass alla this nonsense then? What're ye beating yuirself oop over noow?" Fiona, on the other hand, was used to wriggling in and out of things, and was quick to doff her armor, and even now was sitting on the bench, peeling off the leggings of the bodysuit. "Whist! Ye were dead brilliant an' I'll nair hear innything else!"

It was clear the atomic astronaut was still a bit rattled herself, as her accent was still quite thick, and not entirely Federation standard.

"No, it was stupid. I just put that damn panel where there was available space without thinking it out. But that's... I don't..." Gavarus pealed off the undersuit down to her underwear as she talked. "Fee... I got so flustered and forgot basic academy flight training. I mean, what if that was real and you were hurt and couldn't have talked me th... through?"

Sitting down on a bench brought her eyes down to O'Dell's. "I... I... UGH!" The frustrated engineer groaned. "I can fix the panel placement... But I need... help learning the basics of... ya' know... flying."

The grinning mop of red curls shoook excitedly. "Aye, a'course I'll teach ye! It'll help ye unnerstan the spacecraft if ye know what it's supposed ta be doin, aye? Makes perfect sense ta me. A'course I'll teach ya. Ye taught me basic maintenance, right? I kin disassemble me foot now!" O'Dell grinned at that as she wrestled out of the foot of the black EVA bodysuit.

Feeling just a bit less freaked out, Gavarus let the thinnest of smiles curl her thick jowls. "So... Inexplicably we're not dead OR demoted. We've lived to screw up another day. So, shower and lunch then back at it?"

"What screw up? We dinna screw oop. We done good today, ye and me. We went oot ta test some of the failure simulators, and we found a correctable design flaw. Which was an improvement installed from previous testing results and resolutions. We're buildin' a better spacecraft, Briaar. S'g'win ta be literally trial an' error. Tyhe higher oops, they think we got the right stoof. An' ye know what?"

"So do I. Out there today we jump started a dead cyclone, and wi'oot the pilot at the helm, the engineer followed instructions to get the ship home safely. Found a flaw, write oop the report, submit to the chief wi' a solution as to where ta put it. Inside the armrest, maybe? Tomorrow we try it agin, see how it goes. We test it, build it, improve it. Test pilots, ye and me, aye?" O'Dell smiled up at Gavarus, inviting her to the club, as it were.

"Test pilot? Me?" Gavarus snorted. "When pigs fly..."

The intel pod was one of the features of the adaptable Nebula class starship, which Captain Telvan had taken full advantage of with the USS Hera. While there were weapons pods that could be mounted, or enormous sensor arrays or shield generators, instead she'd followed the lead provided by the Commodore and sought out the intel pod of the USS Spectre, the Section 31 flagship. It was a wizard's cave of odd and unbelievable technology and artifacts, all catalogued by one Petty Officer Second Class Ila Dedjoy, the Captain's Yeoman.

Or at least, it had been when she was alive.

paradoxically, in a manner not quite like Schroedinger's cat, she was and simultaneously was not alive, in a biological sense. Connecting forced to create a quantum surge that would save the ship, her physical form was disintegrated, transformed into pure energy. But as had Rita Paris before her, Ila Dedjoy maintained her energies and kept them together. She was intangible and imperceptible, but she could still perceive reality, as a ghost. Working her way through the ship upon finding herself in such a state, she found herself at her own wake in 10-Forward, where she tried to comfort Rita Paris with a pat, who reacted.

Rita Paris had been a quantum ghost herself.

Touched by one, her own quantum field reacted, and she perceived the touch of the vibrationally out of synch quantum form of Dedjoy. Experimenting, she had managed to communicate with Ila in the simplest of ways, upon which the brilliant geologist had hugged the anachronistic astronaut, somewhat to her dismay.

In experimentation with the S31 transporter, only so much of Ila's biological pattern could be retrieved. So an android shell was currently housing her biological matter, one lacking arms and legs when it was called into service. Dedjoy had been working on creating one based off Kodria's designs, which had been uploaded to the database by the android girl from the future. Which now proved to be remarkably fortuitous to give Ila Dedjoy a semblance of quality of life.

It had been a few, and events had calmed aboard the Hera. Which meant that Commander Rita Paris had time to visit a recovering crew member. Keeping tabs of reports was fine, but a personal touch was called for in such occasions as this. Giving heroes their due was the right thing to do as a commander. Besides, the Captain had probably alreqady been up here to visit the inform Yeoman, so Rita was likely tardy in her visitation. Tardy or not, she had time now.

Exiting the one special guarded turbolift into the Intel pod, it opened onto the E Deck lounge, with the overhead view of the saucer section of the Hera from above that always took Rita's breath away. Sparing a few seconds to luxuriate in the view, Rita called out to the overhead.

"Lucky, would you be so kind as to ask Miss Dedjoy if she is amenable to a visitor?" the ancient astronaut asked quietly. The artificial intelligence that was Dedjoy's lab assistant was listening, and he knew she was speaking to him, much as the Hera did. There was no need to bark at the sky to get his attention.

The British voiced AI replied calmly. "Good day, Commander. Ila and the Captain are both in the cybernetics lab enjoying each others company now. Shall I inform them of your imminent arrival?"

"Lead the way Lucky, if you'd be so kind?" Rita watched as the corridor lights lit up, indicating where she needed to go, as the hatches opened before her as she walked. "Thank you Lucky- always a gentleman."

"You're very welcome, Commander," replied the AI.

Inside the lab sat Enalia at one work bench, and a much more whole-looking Yeoman Ila Dedjoy at another, now with arms and legs, though still without most of the covering panels or even skin. Still, her face had the ability to create basic facial expressions so there was that at least.

As they both looked up, Ila did her best to smile. "Commander! It's so good to see you again! How are you doing?"

"I'm well, thank you. It certainly is good to see you, Miss Dedjoy. How goes the life cybernetic?" Rita asked as she offered the android a hug. She wasn't sure if Ila could feel it, but when she'd been as ghost, sense of touch was something she craved, as an element of her isolation.

Ila returned the hug as best she could, not quite able to get up as her legs weren't fully active just yet. "Oh, well enough. My arms work at least so I can start doing things for myself. I've been working on the circuitry for my legs, but..."

"The data loss in the control linkages is being a bit of an issue," finished Enalia, when she saw that Ila wasn't going to. "Apparently some of the materials in Kodria's schematics don't exist yet and Ila's having to invent them, which is slowing progress."

"Far better than the alternative," Paris grinned at the android chassis. It was hard to see Dedjoy in there, remembering the woman's doll-like eyes and somehow just odd appearance. But at least she sounded like her old self. "I suspect the process of customizing yourself to make yourself comfortable in your own skin is going to take a little while. Although if you end up attaching yourself to some drider-style walker I think it might scare the crew. But you do have the unique advantage of customization beyond the means of the flesh. Which gives you a lot in common with Lieutenant Clemens, I'd imagine." Hopping up to sit on a bench, the first officer sat down with the captain and her rescued comrade to chat.

Ila looked up at the buxom bombshell with her facial features moving around oddly. "You say that... But I was considering adding a few extra arms... Just to help out with experiments and organization, mind you. There have been quite a few times I wished I had at least two more hands and I think four more armlets would be just enough.

“Given what you’ve been through and the current state of affairs, the least we can do is forgive you a few spare sets of arms,” Paris laughed, only partially joking. “How does progress look on recovering your organics and/or replacing them?”

Ila motioned towards a large glass tube and a privacy screen slid aside to reveal her biological remains... Which weren't much - just her head, torso, and some stumps for arms and legs. Thankfully the EV helmet and body armor part were still mostly intact, leading to the hope that the brain and nervous tissues were still whole. "My brain and spine are the only things that could be technically saved and they're keeping my 'ghost' brain alive right now. I figure I have about two months to come up with a final solution before either my ghost fades too much or my brain is too pickled."

Enalia finally interjected at this point. "But you only need two weeks to test your theory, right? To completely digitize everything?"

"I... wait, what? I thought..." Rita had thought the android shell was housing the biological remains of Dedjoy, and was a bit shocked to see the grisly remains of the quantum connection in the lab. "Okay, did not..." Rita pointed between the android and the bacta tank. "Right. So. Digitize? Pickled? We can't save your biological form? Break it down for the slow kid, if you would please."

As usual, Rita was quick to own up to not being familiar with the technology of the era, but she was always willing to learn.

"When you saved me, you saved my mind and my essence. The very thing that made me who I am. Inside of this cybernetic shell is a hybrid bio-organic android brain that I had been making based on Kodria's designs and I'm in it." Ila tapped the side of her silver head to emphasize her point, a light pinging sound being made as she did so.

She then pointed to the biological remains. "Unfortunately, roughly eighty percent of my memories are still in there. Lucky helped me build a stasis chamber based on a biosample canister and we were able to collect what we could of the rest of me before the quantum realm decomposed too much of my body."

"While separate, I was able to feel both my body here and being broken apart there, which, while guiding the genesis effect was an amazing experience in and of itself..." Ila turned back to Rita. "Those memories are also stored in there. And I would prefer not to lose them. Or the memories of my sister. Or of everyone else aboard this ship. I don't want to forget who I am."

Enalia placed one hand over Ila's and squeezed. "And you won't. We'll make sure of that."

"We didn't pull you out of subspace just to lose you now, Miss Dedjoy. Have you considered bringing in Sonak? While neither of these are fields of expertise for him... I don't think so, at least... he's surprisingly good at out of the box thinking, and he is a quantum physicist. Of that one I'm reasonably certain. And of course whatever resources we have tro bring to bear the captain has no doubt already offered you. At this point all I can really do is cheerlead, but I'm with the Captain." Rita took Ila's other hand.

"We won't let you lose yourself," Rita promised, then straightened a bit as a realization hit her. "We can help you save yourself. Because you are what we call a self-rescuing yeoman, Miss Dedjoy. You are brilliant and canny and brave, and you will find a way. In that I have confidence."

Ila smiled as best she could. "Thank you. Both of you. Right now, I just need time and mobility, neither of which I have much of to spare. I just wish Kodria had given a few hints at how to make a few of these materials. Lucky has been a major help as well." She then took a deep breath and let it out. "We'll get there. One day at a time, right?"

"Per aspera, ad astra, Miss Dedjoy. To the stars through difficulties," the old-school officer invoked. Then Paris turned the subject to another element of Dedjoy's unusual adventure."So I couldn't help but notice it seems you seeded a whole lot of black crystals on the planets in the Dedjoy system...?"

"Well... You know... I just..." If an android could blush without skin, this one would be doing it now as she poked the circuitry she had been working on with one cybernetic finger. "If something happened, I wanted a bit of a legacy. Besides, I had to do something with all that neutronium. Even Genesis can't break it down completely."

"You left something amazing and a string of planets that are going to become extremely relevant in the near future once their natural resources are realized. As I understand the situation, I think the future owes you a debt, Miss Dedjoy. So on behalf of the generations to come who will store data entirely differently than we do today, let me be the first to thank you. Your generosity will live on in the system which bears your name, with a world that is a wonder, once an engine of destruction. No longer, thanks to you."

The light in her cybernetic eyes seemed to gleam brighter as Ila smiled, an idea hitting her. "The crystals... That's how... Why didn't I see it sooner? These materials aren't new, they're old materials with my crystal matrix overlaid through them. I mean, there's a bit more to it than that, but... Lucky, start running quantum fusion overlay simulations with positronics and black crystal matrices."

"Beginning simulation now," replied the British-voiced AI.

"Commander, you are the best accidental genius I have ever met," added Ila with a grin.

"Why... thank you, Miss Dedjoy," Paris smiled, surprised but pleased. "Now that you mention it, Science has samples from all of the planets of the Dedjoy system aboard, so use what you need of those crystals, by all means. We left survey teams behind who are gathering a rather significant cache of geological samples. But we did collect some of the crystals of each world... I thought they might be significant somehow. Score another one for the accidental genius I guess?"

Enalia grinned and winked at Rita. "It's good to see you hard at work again. I thought we'd lost you for good. Without you, we'd have to scour the galaxy for another resident mad scientist and I guarantee none of them would have a heart as big as yours."

"Yeah, my people do have a six cham... Oh you mean caring don't you... Well, I do my best..." Clearly not comfortable being the focus of such praise, Ila busied herself with the circuitry she'd been working on.

"I took the liberty of applying for a second given name for you," Enalia added, which startled Ila as she stared at the chip on the bench. "There's no guarantee that it'll get approved, of course... Especially since so much of the report is redacted..."

“Is that a thing?” Paris asked. She’d hoped to hear more about the crystals, but this wasn’t her conversation, she was just visiting it.

"They almost gave me two names for not only finding the crystals, but finding a way to use them in the first place. This... And finding new uses for them... They might not stop at just giving me a piece of the name of our people," Ila paused and considered something for a moment. "I just realized something... I'll have to ask Mona if she's ever seen the crystals on her world before. Anyway, I think I'll need about twelve kilos of the samples, if we can spare that much. And I'd like to confer with Mona and Sam and Sonak soon. I think I can use them in ways even I haven't imagined."

"The future takes root in the present, as the wise man says. Of course, Miss Dedjoy. Let us most certainly experiment and educate one another, shall we?" Paris paused for a moment, eyeing the android chassis. "How does it... feel... to be inorganic now? Do you lack sensation? Is the mechanical interpretation somehow superior? I'm sorry if it's rude, Ila, but you have boldly gone where no one has gone before, and as an explorer I have to ask... what's it like?"

"Well, I designed a lot of the skin to have over a million sensing points per square centimeter...But as for the endoskeletal parts..." Ila clinked her fingertips together a few times carefully, a bit of a wistful moment coming over her. "In certain areas, there are sensing pads that have about a thousand points of sensory data collection. It's nowhere near what you'd get from even a pinprick, but it's at least keeping me sane. It's a bit like being numb all over and having the sleepy skin feeling in your fingertips when you touch something. I have a lot of new sensor feeds and I have sight and smell and hearing and a semblance of taste... But I miss the feel of things."

"Are your biological parts able to be regenerated, to get your organic body habitable again?" It was rough being the stupid one in the room, but Rita Paris had long ago adapted to it by being the one willing to ask what were probably stupid questions, yet were never evident to the uninitiated. As Dedjoy replied, her voice was similar to what it was, yet somehow still recognizable as a facsimile of her voice, and with the loss of sensation it was the logical question to ask in Rita's mind.

"No. Illarans are not known for our resilience and that... I'm amazed I survived what I did for as long as I did. After all, my sister died instantly after being exposed to the vacuum of space." Ila leaned back in her chair slightly, her first outward sign of relaxation. "After all, our bones are hollow and our eyes are big balls of fluid and..." She shook her head. "No, it would take so much work... I'd have to be mostly prosthetic just to carry around a few bits of organic matter."

“So you’ve made your peace with this?” While she herself would have a significant problem with such a transition, Dedjoy seemed to be unfazed by it all. “I can’t promise you anything like ‘I swear we’ll restore your biological form’ or what have you, given that you would be the one we’d turn to for something like this. But we could get Sonak and Dr. Dael working on it, if you want to go back. Or, if you are committed to moving forward, that’s what we’ll do, and we’ll accommodate your needs as best we can. The important thing here is your quality of life… so you make the choice, we’ll abide by it. And we could always keep your biologicals on ice in case technology advances, and you change your mind.”

"No, there's no changing my mind. My mind is in here now, after all." Ila tapped the side of her silver skull again, making the same plinking sound. "Thank you, but this is how it is and I've accepted it. Besides, how many people can say they've become essentially immortal overnight through the proper application of mad science?"

“Not many,” Paris admitted. “So long as you’re okay with how this worked out… I’m just very glad you are still with us, Miss Dedjoy. I’d miss you far too much for you to just up and leave like that.” In truth, Rita Paris was relieved that Ila Dedjoy was content with her lot in life, electronic though it was, and the fact that she would remain amongst the living was of great relief to her. Plus, with the tribunal preparing to begin, losing her closest ally and reliable Yeoman would not have been good for the Captain. But it seemed all was well that ended well.

“I guess this means I have to resign myself to the fact that you are going to be telling my grandchildren embarrassing stories about when you met their grandmother and she threw up on your shoes…” Rita grinned.

"I'll tell them all the stories they want to hear and more," Ila replied with a semblance of her old grin on her new android face. "But first is getting this new body working."

"Ila, I have those simulations ready for you," interjected Lucky. "They show promising results and I can have the materials prepared in lab reactor chamber three in seven hours."

"Thanks, Lucky!" Ila grinned wider at that news. "It seems I have more work to do. One thing I will admit to missing though, is having to eat. I do so enjoy my feline supplement forty seven."

“I guess this inspires you to figure out how to create a digestive system and taste receptors,” Paris replied cheerfully. “A mad scientist’s work is never done…”

A smile was on the chief engineer’s face as she took another spoonful of her broth, as she gazed out at the stars flying by. Everything was going rather well in Engineering, which was a good thing, given a quarter of her staff were unavailable due to the pregnancy plague as ensign Kaarja had called it.

She smiled briefly, thinking of the own children she was wanting. Would Hera's effect work on a species whose reproductive system was rather complicated before you added in the genetic engineering they'd all had, she wondered?

It was another hectic day for the friendly first officer of the Hera, Commander Rita Paris. Already she had been all over the ship solving problems this morning. It was reaching the stage where even bridge duty was a thing of the past for her, as she seemed to spend more time running all over the starship dealing with the various departments and their needs and issues.

While she did still spend some time on the bridge, most of it was spent staring at PaDDs and reports and duty rosters and progress reports and proposals. Drowning in paperwork, she’d come up for air and realized that it was early in the afternoon and she still hadn’t eaten. Rather than just grab a replicated meal and go, she’d decided to get out of her office and away from the hubbub and just go to the mess hall like anyone else, get a hot meal of real food, sit down and enjoy it for a change.

Taking her tray through the line, Rita decided to indulge in a vegetable medley casserole, and as she looked around the officer’s mess, she spotted the familiar blue engineer, which brought a smile to her face as she changed course to approach the Hera’s chief engineer.

“This seat taken?” she asked with a smile as she approached, indicating the chair opposite Thex.

It took a moment for Thex to realize she was been spoken to, before she snapped out of her thoughts. " Oh no, you can take it, Rita. Sorry about that… i was a million miles away."

“Not that far at warp speed,” Paris wisecracked as she settled into the seat opposite the polar pixie. “What’s on your mind, pal of mine? The three new bondmates driving you up the wall?”

"Nah, everything's going great. Other than Tathaa's combadge waking me up when she has to dash to help with the next delivery, and Oribiar's tidying habit," the andorian said with a grin. "Just with all the pregnancy and deliveries, I was thinking of my own family's future."

“Ahhh, time for some blue baby fever, eh?” Rita grinned at that as she began poking at her casserole. “I’ve got no room to talk… Sonak and I chose the names for all of our children months ago, so planning in advance is just a step in the schedule for us. I won’t even get pregnant for another three years yet, according to our schedule. Which I assume, like ours, you won’t be doing any accidental pregnancies. So… what thoughts are you thinking when it comes to your next generation?”

"Oh, plenty of thoughts. Many that get mixed up along the way. I never had much of a childhood so I don't know much about being a good mother combined with the complications that could happen... I don't want to hurt any my little zygote's and I'm nervous that I'll mess something up," The andorian replied.

Taking a healthy bite of casserole, the conventionally cheerful commander chewed and swallowed, then wagged her fork in the air as she spoke. "Sonak has reassured me on a great number of occasions that my crummy childhood will simply insure that our children will be insured a good childhood. That I won't repeat those mistakes. I'll instead make all new mistakes- but that's just life. I'll have him along and invested in that adventure, in our kids, and we'll do it together. You have four of you, that should make the distribution of duties pretty sweet, and you raise the child like a tribe, no?"

"Yeah I guess that makes sense," Thex said as she took another sip of her broth. Her best friend's husband always did make sense. "I guess having four pairs of hands will help immensely, as well as all of our friends on the ship."

"I suppose I can be counted on for some babysitting," Rita laughed, then pressed a few questions. The ship's computer was an enormous database, but sometimes just asking about other cultures tended to be more rewarding. "So your people tend to produce one child at a time? We do twins and triplets as humans from time to time, and apparently amongst Vulcans even twins tend to be very rare, as they just have a tendency to make one child at a time in a logical, orderly fashion. What about Andorians? No surprises, just one or do you get surprised by your own fertility every now and then as well?"

"Yeah, these days twins are rare and more than that even rarer. Mostly it's just one these days. A far cry from the eight we could have in the past. Not that I'd mind having more than one." Thex said with a grin on her face.

“Well, you do travel with the Goddess of Motherhood and Families, Protector of Women and Childbirth. So I’m just saying, be careful what you wish for…” While Rita phrased it like a joke, in point of fact, she was not joking in the least. She’d seen the power of the goddess Hera firsthand, and she knew that although she was benevolent these days, Amazons still flocked to her banner. As evidenced by the Security force of almost entirely women who were in surprisingly good shape. A birth in Sickbay in which she had intervened had spawned a future Amazon, and the fertility rate on the starship was statistically beginning to look suspicious. So with Thex considering it, Rita felt compelled to intervene.

“If you are serious, though… go talk to Hera. Bring the whole family. Bring her a bottle of real wine, a wedge of nice cheese and some crackers, maybe some olives if you can swing it, and talk to her honestly about what you hope for, see what she has to say. I mean, she’s the patron of the starship, she genuinely wants to help, and this is very much exactly what she’s all about.” Paris paused to take another bite of her lunch before pointing out, “Her quarters are just restricted access, but you are on the list, and I can authorize the rest of your family as guests if you like.”

"I'll think about it. Asking my quad if we want to get a goddess involved would be quite some conversation." Thex answered with a grin on her face.

“It’s a thought. While I am a big fan of modern medicine, there’s something to be said for seeking the blessings of a goddess of motherhood when considering motherhood,” Paris shrugged. “So beyond that, life in the quad is nice?”

" It's going great." The andorian said with a cheeky smile on her face. " I never though i'd get the three people who know me without having to say a word. One literally in her case."

“Good, I’m glad to hear it!” Paris responded, genuinely happy for the formerly lonely Andorian engineer. “So how’s work going? Any more progress plumbing the secrets of mythological treasures that are best left undisturbed?”

" Nah no luck with the others. Tried a few hundred words, but still no luck. Not tried wearing the armor again even if the batteries are fueled up. Asa said not to do anything that could change my bodies chemistry if I'm attempting to get pregnant." Thex explained.

“Seems like sound medical advice,” Rita replied, taking another bite of her casserole. “Okay, so that’s your love life, family, job… I am guessing with three new roommates your hobbies are a bit on the shelf at the moment…” Having asked all the probing questions she could think of as the engineers only seemed to be replying, Paris let the silence sit for a moment while she finished her meal.

" So how's life been treating you my friend? Is everything going well with Sonak? " Thex asked realizing she'd not been asking how her friend had been doing.

“Sonak is eternal,” Rita chuckled. “Constant as the North Star and placid as a windless lake. We haven’t been entertaining of late, but perhaps I should remedy that. With all that’s been going on with the titans and now the buildup to the Tribunal, I’ve just been so busy lately. Which reminds me, I should get back for bridge duty.”

" I'll see you later my friend. Want to try and get a holodeck later?" She asked as she finished her own meal.

“I really should probably try to get some fun in somewhere… sure, you’re on!” Rita grinned at the acrobatic engineer. “You let me know, I’ll work it into the schedule and we’ll go spend some time doing something fun for a change. Great idea, Thex!”

" See you later than my friend. Start thinking of holo-programs! I think it's your turn to pick one!" Thex said as the two of them headed for the door.

"I'm thinking something familiar and traditional..."

Walking up to the door of the holodeck reserved for training exercises, former Romulan engineer and Tal'Shiar enforcer, Jaeih Dox was flanked by the two security escorts that still accompanied her wherever she went on board the U.S.S Hera.

The elder Romulan was called a 'consultant', but her legal status was still that of a political prisoner of Starfleet. However, the security detail was something of a formality as they also didn't detain her from going almost anywhere she wanted in the ship at her leisure. But this morning, at 05:30 hours, she had business with the ships Chief Flight Officer, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox. Her daughter.

"Computer, status of program in process?" The elder Dox asked of the panel outside the holodeck. With a chirp, the computer replied in its usually steady voice.

=^=Program in progress. Sword combat sparring program of Baroness Schwein von Alcott, level six. Customized by occupant, Lt. Mnhei'sahe Dox. Currently in progress.=^=

"May I enter?" Jaeih asked as her two, Amazonian guards stood at the sides of the door, already taking up this guard positions as their training dictated.

After a moment, the computer chirped again. =^=Access granted. You may enter.=^= As the computer finished speaking, the doors wooshed open. "Thank you, ladies." Jaeih commented with a nod as she stepped in, the doors closing behind her.

The walls of the holodeck were bare. The standard black and yellow grid pattern still visible. Across the door, a series of blue mats were stretched out. In the near right corner to the side of the entrance was a white table with a water cooler mounted in top with a small plastic cup. At the table, a single folding chair with a black towel draped across it.

In the center of the room was Mnhei'sahe Dox. Wearing a basic black work out leotard, the young red-headed Romulan looked trimmer that she had in a long time. An increasingly intense training regimen combined with a genetic code that had filtered out the overlay of human DNA made it a bit easier for the young woman to finally start shedding some excess weight.

In her hands were two curved short swords, held backwards with the blades coming out from the bottoms of her hands. Advancing on her was a tall, featureless figure that appeared to be, for all intents and purposes, a rubber practice dummy with arms and legs, come to life. In it's hands was a pirate cutlass that it was bringing down in a series of swings against the intense young woman.

As it swing, Dox moved to keep her guard up, blocking each increasingly furious strike with her own blades. As it advanced, a neutral male voice came from the figures sculpted, unmoving mouth.

=^=What is the fourth rule of dual combat for tribunal proceedings?=^=

There was the slightest glance from Mnhei'sahe acknowledging that she was aware of her mother's presence as she continued, blocking strikes as she spoke. "At any time during... tribunal proceedings... a Baroness may have a statement or question challenged... in open combat. Open combat may... May be either met or refused. Refusal..."

Slightly distracted by the questions, Dox sidestepped a swing that was entirely too close to her face and responded with a hard side kick that sent the training figure stumbling back. As it did, Mnhei'sahe switched her posture from defense to offense, beginning to slash away at the figure that was now blocking.

"Refusal may be met with either a censure of the vote of the challenged or a removal of the challenged from the proceedings. Challenge may be met, but must be met in the... Manner if choosing of the Challenger. Combat may be tactical, referring to ship to ship, or via direct combat with ritual sword dueling."

As the agressive young Romulan spoke, she pressed her attack harder. "Defeat is measured in four primary manners: Grevious bodily harm that ends the duel under the judgment of a neutral arbiter, unconsciousness, surrender or Death."

Punctuated the word 'death', Mnhei'sahe ducked low, avoiding a wide, high sword swing while twisting her twin blades around in her hand and burying each deep in the lower ribcage area of her opponent.

The holographic figure undulated like a real person as the blades cut deep. Pushing off with her foot, Mnhei'sahe yanked the twin blades out as opponent fell to the floor. From the sidelines, Jaeih watched with her hands folded behind her back. "I did not teach you that, Mnhei'sahe."

Panting slightly, Mnhei'sahe stood for a moment looking over at her mother with a slightly angry expression on her face, clearly still riding an adrenaline wave from her match. "I've... got some very good teachers here that have shown me... quite a bit, Mother."

Walking over to the table, Mnhei'sahe put her swords down and took a drink. "Baroness von Alcott is a master swordswoman and has been trying to prepare me for the Tribunal. As the Baroness under her and the newest Baroness, I will likely have my vote and legitimacy challenged in combat."

"You appear to be... progressing well." Jaeih replied, flatly. A tone that concealed her legitimate pride in the display she just saw.

"I'm trying. Baroness von Alcott has been tailoring a training regimen for me that takes advantage of my existing fighting style as best as possible." Mnhei'sahe replied, wiping some sweat off with the towel. "That said, what can I do for you? Or is this a social call?"

There was a touch of tension in Mnhei'sahe's voice. While she and her mother had been making serious progress in repairing their seriously damaged relationship, it was clear there was still a cold distance and tension just under the surface.

"I needed to speak to you regarding my own involvement in this tribunal. Commander Paris and I have spoken at length and she has an idea that I have agreed to." Jaeih replied somewhat plainly, her hands folded behind her back.

"Infiltration and investigation? I know. I partially suggested asking you to the Captain weeks ago." Mnhei'sahe replied, matter of factually.

"Well, I will be working with Mona today and her R&D department developing a new Cyclone specifically for this purpose and will be apparently working with someone named Az'Prel. Are you familiar with her?" The elder Romulan asked, digging lightly for information.

"I am. She's a Vulcan refugee from... well... it might be best if she explains it to you herself." Mnhei'sahe replied, walking back to the center of the room. "She is an infiltration specialist and master combatant, so she is ideal for this assignment, I would imagine."

"Commander Paris suggested I ask her myself as well. It is... unnecessarily cryptic, Mnhei'sahe." Jaeih replied, with a twinge of irritation in her voice.

"Computer. Restore opponent. Program, Dox seven. Hand to hand training, level twelve, thank you." The younger of the two instructed to the room. "If you don't mind, I need to continue while we talk."

With a chirp, the computer regenerated the same opponent, empty-handed now, and replied. =^=You're welcome, Lieutenant Dox.=^=

Taking a brief moment to look up at the room with an arched eyebrow, confused at a computer that returns pleasantries, the elder Romulan stepped closer to the center. "I will not interrupt. Unless you wish to practice with a real partner. It would be good to see if my own skills have atrophied during my time with Starfleet."

There was a long pause as Mnhei'sahe looked at her mother with a slightly perplexed expression. This was, after all, the woman who taught her how to fight. Whose training in the Romulan martial art of Llaekh-ae'rl was often brutal to the point of cruelty. She stood there, staring at the woman who broke her nose 8 times and broke both of her arms twice and one of her legs three times in training before she was ten. The woman who forced her to endure hours of training to increase her own endurance and ability to absorb physical punishment in a fight. The woman who taught her how to take a punch in order to force an opponent open at the age of thirteen. And in spite of the strides that the two women had been making, she made a decision that she knew might be a tremendous mistake.

"Computer. Please remove the simulated opponent. Thank you." Mnhei'sahe said flatly with a twinge of a cold chill in her voice. With a chirp, the holographic practice dummy vanished and Jaeih stepped in to stand in its place.

As the two squared off, Mnhei'sahe shook out with her arms limp at her side. "It's quite probable that the Captain's Mother will know to expect you. She's aware of my appointment as a Baroness and has already been working to sway the Romulan Baroness to her side as a result."

Cricking her neck and stretching out slightly, the stern-faced elder woman replied matter of factly. "Yes. We are working on a plan that will make it appear as if I had escaped my custody on Earth as she has no way of knowing I'm already here unless she has spies in Starfleet or here."

After finishing speaking, Jaieh threw a sharp, tight punch to the face of her own daughter without warning. It was polished and didn't appear to be the move of a woman who had let her skill atrophy. Nevertheless, Mnhei'sahe swatted the blow aside easily, maintaining a defensive posture.

"We believe that there may be spies among the Baronesses. Specifically, we believe that many of the Baronesses that possess cybernetic enhancements may have been compromised and not be aware of it." Mnhei'sahe blocked her mother's blows as they came, each faster than the last.

"That sounds like something Arenara Artan would do, for sure. Anyway she can manipulate someone to her purposes is fair game to her." As she spoke, Jaeih shifted to an area that she knew her daughter was less than an expert at with a volley of high kicks. They were easy enough for her to block, but she was unconfident at returning them do to her short height and wide, thick hips which limited her kicking range.

Instead, Mnhei'sahe stepped into one of the kicks, just barely avoiding a foot to her face as she landed a knife jab to the inside of her mother's raised thigh. With a grunt, the elder Dox fell to the mat but quickly rolled back to her feet. "You would know about manipulation, wouldn't you Mother?"

The words hung heavy in the air between the two for a long moment as they circled each other. "I am making every attempt to be honest with you, Mnhei'sahe. But it is clear that there are things you will not let go of. Is that why you accepted this offer today? To exact some measure of closure through physical confrontation."

This time, the younger woman pressed the attack with a number of seemingly wild swings designed to force Jaeih into a defensive posture. "Essentially, yes. It seemed only fair since I know it's why you offered. Even when your intentions are good, you still insist on using manipulation to get to your desired goal, Mother."

Jaeih was pushed back several steps as Mnehi'sahe shifted her tactic from wide swings to tight, surgical jabs to her mother's middle. But it was a technique Jaeih had taught her and was prepared for as she swatted the jab away and landed a tight jab to the nerve cluster on the outside of Mnhei'sahe's shoulder. Instantly, the young woman's arm went momentarily numb as she winced in pain.

But pain was something she was trained to the point of mental conditioning to ignore in combat, and her eyes seemed to gloss over as she quickly spun around using the momentum of Jaeih's strike to feed into a strong backhanded punch that landed squarely on the side of the Elder Romulan's face knocking her hard to the mat.

Stunned momentarily, Jaeih heard a ringing in her ear as Mnhei'sahe continued her attack, dropping a stiff leg down at her position. "I can only try and move forward with you, Mnhei'sahe! I can't undo our past together."

Barely avoiding the kick, Jaeih replied with a kick of her own, twisting up to sink a kick deep into the inside of the thigh Mnhei'sahe's weight was being carried on as the red-headed Romulan fell to the mat as well.

Separated, the two scampered back to their feet, squaring off again, but now clearly both showing fatigue setting in. "And that makes everything OKAY!?" Mnei'sahe shouted as she lunged forward with a hard jab to her mothers face that forced the elder into a high block that acted to leave her middle open for an equally harsh punch to the ribs.

Staggering back, Jaeih responded with another jab to the already tender nerve cluster as she tried to reply. "NO! Nothing I can EVER do will make up for what I've done to you!!! I KNOW what I did! I just..."

This time, the jab didn't quite hit its mark and Mnhei'sahe pressed in, grabbing the arm and pulling Jaeih in for an elbow jab to the side of her neck, causing her mother to cry out in pain. But as she did, she looped her own arm over her daughters and responded with a flat palm across Mnhei'sahe's face that cracked the young woman's nose, drawing first blood in the match.

"I just want things to be different for us NOW! I don't want to be the woman I was anymore!!" Jaeih shouted at her daughter, who seemed to be almost trying to not listen. But in spite of herself, Mnhei'sahe shouted back. "You think I want to be the woman you MADE!?!"

Wiping the green blood from her nose, Mnhei'sahe redoubled her attack. "I hate everything you made me become!!! I hate everything I see when I look in the mirror! All I want to do is beat her away! Drink her away! BUT SHE WON'T GO AWAY!!! SHE'S ALWAYS HERE!!!!" Tears ran down her face as she shouted, swinging wildly now.

Jaeih frantically grabbed both of Mnhei'sahe's arms, locking them into a tight embrace. "I'm here now too! Let me help you be better! You can help me be better, PLEASE, Mnhei'sahe!! Please, I need you!!"

Caught up in the emotions, Mnhei'sahe pulled Jaeih in closed and lept up, slamming her forehead down into her mothers face hard, cracking the elder woman's own nose. In a jumble of limbs and green blood, both women fell hard to the mat over each other.

Rolling apart, Jaeih scootched to a seated positing, clutching her freshly broken nose. "What was THAT?!"

Across the mat, on her elbows, Mnhei'sahe began to calm down a little as she let out a light chuckle. " Mok'bara. I spar with our resident Klingon security officers every Wednesday."

"Agggh..." Jaeih winced slightly. "I was wondering. I know I didn't teach you that."

The two women settled into sitting positions across from each other on the mat as they both calmed themselves down and caught their breaths. After a long few moments of silence, Jaeih spoke. "Mnhei'sahe... I... I know I can never make right what I did to you. I cannot erase the lies and the years of pain. I just... I don't want to be that person anymore. I can't live being her anymore. I know I can never be the mother you deserved... but I want to at least try and be... something better in your life now if you'll let me."

Sitting, wiping blood from her face, the young Starfleet Lieutenant sighed. "I know. And... and I want to let you in. I do. But I'm also scared to. So much of what I am is what you made me, Mother. And sometimes I don't know how to live with that woman either. I'm scared that one day, that ugliness in here will drive all of this away. Drive Mona away."

It was at this point that Mnhei'sahe finally mentioned her Miradonian bond-mate and Jaieh stiffened where she sat. "I do not know my daughter-in-law that well, Mnhei'sahe. Not yet. But what I know is that she will never abandon you because of your scars. And I think you know that too. That woman's love for you fills the room when you're together. I could see it so clearly even across space when we talked via hologram that It frightened me. And I think it frightens you too."

Fresh tears began to fall as Mnhei'sahe nodded slightly. "I know... I know she won't go. She won't let me go. But what if all that means is that I pull her down and destroy her with me when I eventually implode?"

Standing up, Jaeih grabbed the towel and the cup of water and brought it back over to sit next to her daughter. "Is that what you're afraid of? Is that why you're afraid to be a mother with her?"

The younger Romulan was suddenly a child again as she began to shudder. "I'm t... too broken, Mother. I can't... can't be... I'll break her too. I'll break THEM! It's... it's not fair to do to them."

Jaeih Dox didn't quite know how to comfort her daughter or take away her pain, but she desperately wanted to as she hesitantly put her arms around her trembling daughter. "No. No, Mnhei'sahe. I won't hear it. You are NOT broken. You are stronger than anyone I've ever known. And that strength is completely yours. And I've seen you two together. You make each other stronger. And together you WILL raise children that will shake the heavens with that strength. And I... I want to be here to see that happen. I do."

As her body began to slow it's shaking and Mnei'sahe's breathing started to slow back to normal, she looked up at her mother with tears in her eyes. "I... I want you here too, Mother." I... I need you here."

Sitting together, alone in the holodeck, the two women held each other in silence. There was a great distance still between the two, but they felt closer to each other than they had felt in decades.

Hera was draped over her fainting couch as usual, reading a book and suddenly she realized her eyes were drooping and she'd read the same page three times without actually reading it. For the first time since being reborn into this universe, she was getting tired, likely due to overextending herself in sickbay, previously. Setting her book aside, she decided to inspect the bedroom to see what kind of amenities there were to sleep in.

Upon entering the bedroom though, she found the controls for the lighting unresponsive and even the computer couldn't turn them on. It made sense since she'd never had need of the slumber area or the lavatory before.

"Computer, please inform whomever is authorized to repair the accoutrements of my quarters that parts of it are non-functional and require repair." As the computer chirruped and relayed her message, Hera slipped into one of the larger chairs and yawned, bringing the back of one hand to her mouth.

Down in her personal office, Thex received the message. Grabbing her tool kit she handed control of engineering to Ensign Briaar Gavarus before heading up the turbolift to the guest quarters.

Outside of the goddess quarters were two of her usual guards of amazons who nodded as Thex gave her authorization code to enter before one of the questions she had given the computer was spoke. " What did you wish to..." It began before she cut the computer off. " I'm proud of you."

With that, the doors slid open and she stepped inside giving the goddess a warm smile. " Hello, Hera. What appears to be the problem." She politely asked.

"There's no power in my bedroom. I've never used it or the lavatory, so I guess I never noticed." Hera replied, looking bleary eyed and sleepy as she stood and motioned towards the darkened doorway. "I was hoping to look over the bed and see if I could sleep a bit. I've not slept since Mount Olympus, you see..." Trying to keep from rambling, she crossed her arms, but with one hand touching her forehead.

" Probably a problem in the light switch. They sometimes jam if not used in quite a while. Shouldn't be that hard to fix." The andorian said as she placed her tool kit down and after pulling a few tools that she'd need. As she got to work she looked over at goddess. She truly looked shattered. " I hope you don't mind me saying, but you look shattered. I don't think I've seen you like this. "

"Yeah, I'm a bit drained. The Fates called me to sickbay the other night and I used up a bit too much of what I had left to save the firstborn child of this vessel." Hera had to stifle another yawn as she slipped back onto her fainting couch.

" I heard about that. Changing fate to save a life must have taken a lot out of you. " Thex said as she removed the light switch and started to do a little tinkering. " Was it always like this or is it due to the lack of worshipers?" She politely inquired.

"With a horde of worshipers, I was able to perform miracles like that at will..." Hera nodded her head, either from weariness or from thought, who could say. "But that kind of power... Ruling with fear and... Stuff... It warps the energy you take in and bends your own will to the expectations of the people, turning you into a tyrant. I think I prefer the kind old grandmother I've become. If you want some sweets, there are some in the kitchen, by the way. I made some tarts and cookies."

" Thanks, I'll have to get some when I'm finished with this. " Thex said as she continued her work. She had to swap a few things in the light circuit to get it working again. " If you don't mind may i ask you something?" She said as she checked the voice recognition module.

"Of course. Anything for you, dear heart," Hera replied with a kind smile.

" Well." the andorian began before she turned to look at the Greek goddess. This was a question you'd want to ask face to face even if it did sound insane in her head. " Well me and my quad are trying to have some kids of our own, but with all the problems of our species, we could use any help we could get. Would it be possible to get a blessing or something when your feeling better?" The andorian said softly trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.

The matronly goddess smiled motherly. "My dear, if I bless you any more than you already are, you might have triplets or more. I'll do my best to be there for their birth though."

" Oh, that's........" Thex said as her brain began to say something before it realized what had been said. " What no I can't be pregnant. I'd have felt something by now, wouldn't I? " She said feeling slight disbelief.

Hera shook her head as she tried to stifle another yawn. "Not if it was your most recent attempt. I won't pretend to understand Andorian mating... But you're glowing and my eyes are never wrong. Perhaps you should go see Asa after you're done here."

" I will you can be sure off that. " Thex said as she finished off the lights. Now it physically turned on with the touch of the button. " Do you want to try the voice module?" she asked.

"This may sound weird coming from me, but I feel strange talking to the air like that to some unknown entity," Hera replied.

" Don't worry I was startled by it the first time I found voice recognition," Thex said slightly chuckling to herself at a goddess finding something unusual.

Getting up, Hera headed into the bedroom to inspect it now that it was lit. "These are rather nice sleeping accommodations. I don't suppose I could get an addition to them though? If it's not to much trouble." She motioned with her hands around the bed as she described what she wanted. "A post at each corner with sheer drapes around the bed in the same type of fabric as my shawls that pools on the floor? For privacy. And a small wooden table at the foot of the bed outside of those drapes for offerings... If anyone should feel so inclined... And pictures..."

" I could put in a request for you get some additions. I don't see why it shouldn't be allowed." Thex said making a few notes on a padd she had in a pocket.

"Thank you, my friend," Hera replied, placing one hand on Thex's shoulder as she smiled softly. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

A few thoughts began to jump into the andorians head, but quickly faded. She didn't want spoilers. " Just promise me if you need to change the fate of any of them you'll warn me first okay? " She said with a grin.

"I promise. That sort of thing happens rarely and I don't think I have it in me to do it again if I had to anyway." Hera smiled and motioned towards the kitchenette. "Now how about you grab some of those tarts and cookies? There are a few travel containers in the shelves so just help yourself, ok?"

" I will. Would you like me to bring any for yourself?" Thex said looking back over her shoulder.

The matronly goddess shook her head sadly. "No thank you. I had to replicate all the ingredients so they do nothing for me and just turn to ash in my mouth after the initial flavor. You help yourself though."

"Oh not being able to taste your baked good must be unpleasant. " Thex said as she filled one of the containers. " is there anything else you need right now?" She asked the greek goddess.

Hera shook her head again. "No, that's all. Thank you again for all your help and everything that you do for this wonderful vessel."

" Thanks." Thex said as she headed for the door. " Call me again if you need help with anything else."

The matronly goddess barely heard her as she was already stretching out on the bed and dozing off for the first time since Mount Olympus. "Don't forget... Cookies..."

Thex smiled as she left the room after answering her the security question. Stopping to give the two guards a cookie she paused for a second. We're they getting taller or was she getting shorter?

Having finished off her task with for Hera the sapphire engineering officer had put away her tools and was heading straight to the medical bay. As much as she wanted to her hand kept drifting over her belly as if she would feel something.

The doors of sickbay opened up as she stepped inside. " Thex is everything okay?" Came the voice of the snow white anear she had fallen in love with.

" Yeah, everything okay I just need to ask Asa something."

" Doctor Asa to the front desk." Asa said into her combadge as she looked at Thex concernedly. " What's wrong my love you look shaken."

Pages to the front desk were not uncommon, but still something about Tathaa's tone had Asa running. Seeing Thex looking shaken up did not help the unctuous feeling in the pit of Asa's stomach.

"Hello there, how can I help" Asa asked as they approached at an almost-jog.

" Yeah, I need help with something doctor. " Thex said keeping her voice low. " I was talking with Hera around half an hour ago and she said I was already pregnant. I haven't felt any changes or anything in particular so could you check.." Thex said feeling rather embarrassed by all this.

“Yeah, let’s take a peek,” Asa said, directing Thex and Tathaa to a nearby biobed and drawing a privacy screen. The doctor held up a medical tricorder and the whirring sound indicated its location as Asa scanned Thex’s midsection.

Looking up in surprise, Asa begged for just a moment more and went and procured another tricorder. After repeating the process the doctor looked at the pair with a nervous grin for a moment before speaking.

“Well, um, I guess we can discontinue the gene therapy treatments to help with conception, because mission accomplished. And I mean, really accomplished. It’s….um, well, it’s too early to say if both will be viable, but um, it’s……..twins. You are pregnant with twins,” Asa said in an excited rush.

Thex said nothing as she felt the Aenar at her side grip her hand tightly. A few tears were in her eyes as she began to speak the happiness unmistakable in her voice. " Well looks like we have another pregnancy to add to the list. Is everything looking, okay doctor "

"No need to fear, ma'am," Asa said soothingly. "You are looking fantastic. Your pheromone levels are a bit high, but that's not uncommon in early pregnancy of multiples. It will likely mean your morning sickness is going to be a bit intense, so let us know if you have any difficulties there....we can definitely help with that in Sickbay. At some point we will need to begin to draft a birth plan for the four of you, but that can wait a few weeks. Take this time to celebrate with one another and think what you would like for the birth of the babies. I recommend delivery in Sickbay, but if you decide for a home-birth we can work with that also. This is your time to celebrate and enjoy.....and take things easy."

Taking a look over at Tathaa, Asa said gently, "We need to consider what preparations you need as well. I want both of you on pre-natals stat. And easy physical duty for the person carrying....twins need a bit more coddling, so you are going to need to get used to the idea of being easy on yourself, ok? Both of you, yes?"

"Of course doctor. " The two of them said in unison.

" You hear that Thex no more acrobatics whilst keeping the ship running." the nurse said to her quad mate still gripping her hand tightly.

" Okay, I'll take it easy. Well after we tell Thav and Oribiar." Thex said with a grin as she slid off the table the smile still plastered on her face.

"Do you have any questions for me?" Asa asked, "Or do you need some time to process? Remember, weekly check ups for now."

" I'm sure we'll have some questions, but can you give us a moment?" " Thex said as she gripped her mates hand tighter.

"Of course, please forgive me, " Asa said, "Take my office, go celebrate together for a while. Take as long as you need."

" Thank you doctor. " Tathaa said as the two disappeared into the room calling the other half of there quad to let them know the good news.

Thex couldn't help, but walk with a spring in her step and a smile on her face. After the news, she received she couldn't stop smiling at everyone on the ship. Now with the chance to hang out with her best friend who she couldn't wait to tell her the news.

Having allowed her friend to pick the program the andorian was now headed for the holodeck. Turning the corner her smile remained as she saw her friend. " Hello, Rita you're looking incredibly lovely today. What program have you chosen." She asked.

Clad in a grey Starfleet Academy tank top, a pair of science blue running shorts with a strip that went down to the knee. White ankle sock socks blended into white running shoes, and the throwback had on a hairband and a headband, as well as a sweatband on her right wrist. The old school delta was clipped onto her tank top, still in regulation for uniform though clearly she was out of uniform.

"Glad to see you wore your running shoes, Thex. This," Rita laid her hand on the doorway arch of the holodeck wistfully, "This was where you showed me what the future looked like... gave me a real sense of how much the universe had changed... in specific, my old hometown. I come here at least once a week, and I run the nature trail at dawn as a prerecorded holoexperience. Running over the same patch of ground lends a comforting connection to my homeworld, as well as reinforcing patterns of order in my mind. It's... copmforting."

"You gave this to me, and I'll forever be grateful. I have to come up with something like this for Az'Prel... or she could join us? I'd kind of like to show her in hologram what Earth looks like as the Federation and not the Terran Empire. Is this a 'just us' thing or do you mind if I call her?" Rita, going with the flow, saw an opportunity, recognized it and moved to act, but sought communication with the other party all instinctively- truly a wonder of Starfleet.

" Off course my friend you can call her. " Thex said with a smile as she did a few warm-up stretches in the royal blue and green gym wear the replicator had replicated. " Though I have another question I'd like to ask you. How would you like to be a godmother?" She said with the smile plastered all over her face.

The face of the human woman lit up at the news, and she swept the smaller woman into a hug and spun her about. Setting her back down, she held the Andorian engineer at arm's length to see her face. "THEX! Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for you! It's started? You've started? Is it at the stage where you do something? Oh who cares, you're... going to have a baby!" In truth, Rita was ignorant of the customs and actual biological procedures involved, but the core concept was that it sounded like the quad had wasted no time in getting down to the business of saving their species.

Thex let out a slight laugh even though the shortage of breath from her friends bear hug. "I went and asked Hera, and she said she couldn't do anything because I was already pregnant. A pair of girls, if you can believe it. Only two weeks old, according to the doctor."

"Wow, that's... that huge, Thex. Your life has really come together in short order, hasn't it? I haven't even been aboard a year, and you went from lonely single to pregnant with an entire family. I'm so happy for you!" Rita swept the smaller blue woman into another hug, squeezed and rocked her slightly then let her go. "Well... This might also be a good time to really introduce you to Az'Prel. Twins! What a day, Thex... what times we live in, eh?"

Tapping her communicator, Rita Paris sighed and shook her head with a wistful smile. "Crazy old universe... Paris to Az'Prel... If you are up for some morning cardio and sightseeing, Lieutenant Commander sh'Zoarhi and I would like to take you sightseeing, if you are interested. Wear running clothes, and meet us on Deck 11, Holodeck 3?"

=/\="I will be there shortly, Commander,"=/\= came the immediate reply from the displaced Vulcan. Indeed, it was only a few short moments before she was stepping out of a nearby turbolift and walking up to join them in a sand colored Vulcan unitard and low profile sneakers. As form fitting as it was, her undergarments barely showed underneath, but it was rather obvious that she was doing her best to compress and hide the true size of her upper assets. "Will this be adequate?"

“That should do quite nicely, I think. Miss Az’Prel, this is Lieutenant Commander Thex sh’Zoarshi, the hera’s chief engineer. Thex, this is Az’prel… she’s a refugee of a universe that was a lot worse off than ours, that no longer exists. Sound familiar?”

Thex smile was still one her face as Rita made the call. Interesting times idea. Thanks to a Greek goddess she was having twins, and now she was going to meet this stranger from another universe. Still, the Vulcan was something when she appeared from the turbolift.

Thex gave her a warm smile as she held out her hand. " Hello, Az'Prel it's nice to finally meet you."

Az'Prel hesitated a moment before returning the handshake. "It is nice to meet you as well."

“So… we were getting ready for a run, and one of my favorite trails is the Starfleet Academy running trail,” Paris explained to the ever-on-edge Vulcan. “As it gives a great view of San Francisco pre-dawn, which really shows off my old home town to a spectacular degree. I thought you might find it interesting to view- holopgraphically and from a distance- what the seat of the federation looks like in the modern day. I think you might find it… enlightening?”

"Well, I hope you like what we have planned to show you. " Thex said as she stepped through the holodeck doors. The program had changed slightly from the last time they'd used it. The dorm rooms near the start had changed slightly looking more organic with the new gardens planted on the roof.

"Starfleet Academy San Francisco," Thex said with happy nostalgia in her voice. "So many happy memories of this place."

"Indeed," the displaced Vulcan woman began with, stepping into the holodeck and surveying her surroundings for possible threats. "We were told that the seat of the Terran Empire was a beautiful and lush jewel of green and chrome with scarlett and gold banners as far as the eye could see and black armored enforcers on every corner. Other than that description, I have nothing to base my expectations on. I foresee this as educational."

" Well earth is beautiful I'll give you that. She's seen better days, but the humans repaired her well after the third world war. " Thex said as she did a few more stretches. " No scarlet and gold banners either unless you include the flag of the academy sports teams." She added. " I wonder if my girls will have such a happy time here."

"I ran this trail before I ever attended Starfleet Academy," Paris nodded wistfully. "I dreamed about going here, and it was an amazing four years. You're looking at my retirement plan, ladies."

Gesturing out to the campus that sprawled away from the already somewhat elevated position at the start of the trail, Paris expounded. "History, I think. Also ethics. I'll need to actually attend the Academy myself- I need the education again. I have no idea how most of this technology actually works save in theoretical practice. So around the turn of the century I'm going to come back to terra firma, mother Earth. Sonak and I will raise a few kids, he'll teach, I'll learn and teach, and we'll stay here for two decades at least. Take our summer vacations on Vulcan, raise our kids to explore the universe."

"Here in my old hometown. C'mon, this is a sight. The first turn in the trail is just shy of half a klik ahead, and the view speaks for itself. Sprint? Race up the hill? Ready, set, go!" With those words, Rita Paris took off running.

Thex gave her friend and the new vulcan a grin before she started sprinting up the hill. "You're on, Rita."

Az'Prel easily kept up with them as they ran up the hill, continuing to survey the area for threats... And finding none. This was unusual in her experience that she wouldn't even be able to find a single threat or even find a decent makeshift weapon. It was both refreshing and strange.

Racing up the hill, Rita Paris was not the first to arrive, but she didn't throw the race, either. But once they had arrived, the race was quickly forgotten as the whole of San Francisco was spread out before them- clean, modern, yet impossibly crowded and diverse, with hundreds of cultures represented in the signage and the home and building design, in the foot and sky traffic. Truly the home of Starfleet Command, and the seat of the Federation itself, was a bustling melting pot of peoples and cultures unparalleled in the experience of the escapee of the Terran Empire.

"This, Miss Az'Prel.... this is what we were building toward in this universe. Bringing peoples and cultures together in peaceful coexistence and harmony. Finding hundreds of worlds and offering them an open hand of friendship, not the iron fist of tyranny. This is what my people have striven for, and this is the culture they have created." Gesturing out to the city below in a grand gesture, Paris smiled proudly. "I brought you here to see this, because while we could just as easily be deceiving you, I think we both know I am not. This was the San Francisco, today, on Earth. This is the dawn that was, that rose and shined on my homeworld. This, Miss Az'Prel, is who we are."

Looking over the city, she saw the simulation in all it's complex glory and realized that there was no way, even in this far flung future, that such a complex scene could be fully created from scratch. This was based on truth and reality, and it made something in her Vulcan heart swell and her breath quicken. This was what the resistance had been reaching for. She counted at least thirty races in the morning light doing business together just in the market areas and riding the hover tram alone. The smells of fresh foods wafted up to greet them enticingly from at least as many worlds, including her own. Looking across the sights and sounds of the city, it was spectacular and like nothing she had ever imagined.

“This, Miss Az’Prel…. This is my homeworld. Well… at least, what mine would have become without interference in the timeline. But this is what the Federation has striven for, and this is what we represent. I thought… I thought it might do you some good to see that it’s not just us, on the Hera. We are just representative of the great combination of cultures that have come together as the United Federation of Planets.” Gently patting the Vulcan woman on the back, Paris sighed, a satisfied sound. “What do you say we go get ourselves a run in and see if we can’t get a little cardio today?”

Thex overlooked the campus/program that had been her second home after the years behind the walls of her family's cult compound. She did miss it sometimes even though she admitted she felt more at home in a starship. "We could stop at the representation of a great little seafood place after? I know it's replicated and not real, but the place has a great view of the bay," she suggested.

“I see no reason not to have some brunch afterward,” Rita agreed as the trio of experienced runners pushed up the hill, enjoying the morning air and the simulated glow of the dawn in the distance. “Assuming you’re up for a little more socializing, Miss Az’Prel?”

"That would be acceptable," the Vulcan replied, tearing herself away from the view to address her two new friends. "I would... Appreciate... The exploration of experiences." Her tendency to use emotional words with a completely straight face like that remained, but in this case there was definitely emotion within her.

Jogging along, all three women were experienced runners and excellent athletes, so it was in no time that they came to the next shift as the path angled back upward to the east, and as the trio crested the rise, Rita Paris paused. "Dawn... dawn is my favorite time of the day. The sun returns as the planet rotates and the shadows are banished, and the night gives way to the day. Darkness driven back by light. I love this view, too."

Pausing to take in the sight of the sun peeking over the valley basin below, Paris sniffed in a lungful of air. "Not exactly the same, but close enough for 18 light years from home."

"The fleet certainly knew the place to pick for the Academy. I wonder if the academy on Alpha Centauri has views as great as this one?" Thex said with a grin on her blue face.

"There's a second Academy?" Rita asked, shaking her head. "Will wonders never cease. For me... this is home. I grew up here, I dreamed of attending, I fought my way in and I fought my way through. And when my time with the Hera is done, I'll return here. Attend, teach... with a little luck I'll move into the Admiralty and someday I'll be out there doing what Commodore Meowlith does for the Hera, with Sonak by my side. That's the Paris 30 year plan, at least- I guess we'll see how it plays out."

"For now, what do you say, ladies? Take in a morning run, get some breakfast and enjoy a simulated trip to my hometown this morning to kick off the day in a future filled with wonders?" Part of why she had wanted to bring Az'Prel was to expose her firsthand to the Holodeck, but part was to show her how Earth had turned out, to help remove some of her lingering doubts about the universe in which she now lived.

Humanity would have to prove itself over and over again to the refugee of the Mirror Universe who had been a slave turned freedom fighter. But Rita Paris was willing to put in the time, and the effort. The Prophets had chosen her for the job, after all. Thus the Lost Navigator was happy to show the Refugee a better life, one day at a time... sometimes by such simple actions as talking her along a familiar trail.

Since joining the crew if the U.S.S. Hera during crew rotations just a couple of months ago while the ship was docked at the distant Deep Space Nine space station, Ensign Briaar Gavarus had certainly become quite busy.

By rank and seniority, the two-meter tall Porcine engineer was the lowest ranking member of the Hera's Engineering staff, but she was quickly moving up and making a name for herself.

Her gruff and sarcastic nature ended up putting her name at the top of the pile for when engineers were needed to perform repairs up in the Hera's busy flight decks as it's chief, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox, was notorious for performing minor repairs herself on the ships Runabout and shuttles.

But it was her time working on the flight deck that put Gavarus in the position to end up being co-opted to also working as an engineer in Ensign Mona Gonadie's new R&D Department. Performing routine maintenance on Gonadie's latest invention, a variable mode fighter that could transform into a walker, showcased her skills and the Miradonian picked Gavarus to continue to help with her creations.

As such, the towering Tellarite only actually spent about a third of her duty schedule as an engineer IN engineering. But today was one of those days.

As a very hands on engineer that liked getting her hands dirty, she found herself lying on her back, dangling from a catwalk upside down, tucked into a housing unit of the Hera's warp core exchanging a faulty field coil when the Chief Engineer and third in command of the Hera, Lieutenant Commander Thex sh'Zoarhi, came calling.

" Ensign Gavarus if you're not doing anything urgent can you grab your toolkit. Flightdeck needs a hand with installing the new nacelles on the runabouts." The chief engineer said in her calm yet normal tone.

Slightly startled by the somewhat stealthy Andorian, Gavarus sat up quickly to reply, forgetting she was buried in the console. Whacking her head with a loud thunk, the perpetually aggravated engineer let out a grumbled curse without thinking. "@#$&! Ow!"

Realizing her mistake, she quickly slid out, embarrassed. "Uh... Yeah, Aye, Commander. Yes. Sorry."

"That's okay." Thex called from her office where she was getting her own tool kit. Waiting for the Tellarite to arrive at the entrance the Andorian gave her a gentle smile. "Have you had an opportunity to look at the new nacelles, ensign?" the sapphire engineer asked politely.

Having closed up the panel she was working on, the flustered young assistant collected her equipment into her took kit. Grunting slightly, the rotund Tellarite hoisted her massive frame off of the deck and ran over on her disproportionately small hooves to the Chief Engineers office. "Not yet, Commander. I assisted the Lieutenant in her... uh... selections for the requisition. but I haven't had a chance to look the equipment over yet, personally."

" Well, we'll get an opportunity to see them up close know," Thex said as she lead the way to the hanger bay. " So how are you finding life on the Hera?" She asked the ensign.

Looking down at the Andorian Chief, Gavarus was terrible at small talk, especially when she had to curtail her usual attitude. But working with the R&D team and being genuinely afraid of Lieutenant Dox, she was getting a little better at 'peopling', as she put it. If only by necessity. "Okay, I guess. Busier than I was expecting based on my last assignments, but I prefer having sh... stuff... assignments to do rather than not. And Lieutenant Dox and Ensign Gonadie certainly fill my duty schedule."

"Well, you have plenty of work on the Hera given our usual mission. " Thex said as they stepped into the hanger bay. The runabout in question was sitting in the maintenance area ready for its work. " Right now, where is Dox so we can get to work." Thex said looking around the hanger bay.

Stepping down from the open hatch of the Runabout, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox had a PaDD in her hands as she greeted the pair. "Commander sh'Zoarhi. Miss Gavarus. Thank you both for coming. I just finished a complete systems diagnostic for you, but haven't otherwise touched our Unluck Lady."

The red-headed Romulan flight chief had a slight smile on her face as she made reference to her predilection to tinker with the runabouts when she had time on her hands. "Promise. I've got the Khallianen over in bay two if I get the itch to work on a ship now."

"Okay, so let's get to it. Gavarus can you make sure the main power is off and disconnected while I start disconnecting the old nacelles off." Thex said getting into full engineering mode.

"Well, then. I'll leave you two to it. If you need me, I'll be in the office. Thank you." The short, slightly rotund Romulan red-head stepped past the two gold clad women to let them work, sparing a smile for the Porcine assistant "She's my favorite Runabout, Miss Gavarus. Give her your best."

Never quite knowing how to react around the usually intimidating Romulan, Gavarus had a slightly nervous smile as she nodded. "Aye, Lieutenant."

As Dox walked away, Gavarus shook off the momentary nerves and refocused on her work. Stepping into the Runabout, she detached the panel over the ships power grid and deactivated the system entirely. "System is powered down and disconnected, Commander."

"Okay, I'll start disconnecting the right nacelle. Can you get the stabilizers in place? " Thex called from the outside of the runabout where she was removing the magnetic locks of the runabouts plating.

While the Andorian chief worked, her Tellarite assistant was scrambling to keep pace. Gavarus was more nervous than usual, working on the flight deck with the Chief engineer and Lieutenant Dox watching from the office made her feel very much under the proverbial microscope while she fumbled with her thick, three-fingered hands through her tool kit for the appropriate tools for the task at hand.

"Damn it!" Gavarus mumbled under her breath as she dropped a spanner under the nacelle for a moment. Correcting herself, she picked up the tool and kept at it, sighing. "Stabilizers in place and secured, Commander."

Poking her head over the ships nacelle Thex looked at her new crew member. "Everything okay ensign?"

Realizing that her mumbling and frustration was, as usual, carrying, Gavarus tried to cover for it with a painfully awkward and obviously fake smile. "Uh... yeah. Yes. Aye. Aye, Commander. Just dropped the spanner for a moment but it's fine. I got it. I... uh... apologize?"

The statement ended with an inflection that sounded more like a question from the flustered Ensign. Gavarus was a moderately skilled engineer, but absolutely terrible at social interaction and even worse at trying to talk to superior officers and not sound like an idiot.

A grin spread over Thex face at the young woman's behavior. Was she ever this awkward? "No need to apologize, Gavarus. Just checking my team's okay. We haven't had much time to talk have we." The Andorian said casually as she continued her work.

Assisting where needed, Gavarus removed the paneling and got it out of the chief's way and generally did her best to keep up. "No, Commander. No, not really." The answer was somewhat brief and perfunctory as the gruff porcine woman found her honest mannerisms tended to isolate her from most everyone on board except her best friend, the diminutive test pilot, Fiona O'Dell. But Tellarites, by and large, were known throughout the galaxy for their argumentative nature and Gavarus was no exception. But not wanting to be demoted off ship, she was doing her best to maintain an aire of professionalism, which was floundering at best.

Thex kept her grin as she and the ensign continued to work. She was clearly nervous, but judging by the very positive reviews on her desk she knew her way around the flight deck and its craft. She would go places in the fleet if she kept it up. " Okay," Thex said as she slid off the nacelle. "Let's get it moved back and lower the new one into place."

Grabbing a pair of Grav-Mag clamps, Gavarus attached them at either end and the pair pulled the bulky equipment to the side with comparative ease considering its size. Remembering O'Dell's prodding that if she wanted to advance in her department, she would need to learn to be more sociable, Gavarus struggled to think of something to say to follow up the Chief's earlier comments about the two not really talking.

"Uh... thank you again for the bottle of leftover Andorian Ale from your ceremony... by the way. It's helped a few frustrating nights go by smoother." Gavarus muttered slightly, realizing thanking your superior for alcohol was probably not the right comment, but it was the first thing she could think to say and winced as she said it.

"Thanks, well it was Tathaa quad who sent them. It was real stuff as well, not the replicated stuff you can get on most planets." The blue engineer responded as the two of them pulled the nacelle to one side.

"It's good. Correction, it WAS good." Gavarus loosened up a bit and let out a gruff chuckle as she worked as her comment didn't blow back at her. And as the pair walked over to the new nacelle to grab it, she paused for a moment, considering asking a different question.

Applying the clamps to reduce the Nacelle's weight, the two gold-clad engineers began carefully sliding it in place to be installed as Gavarus began to stutter slightly, as she tended to when anxious. "C... Commander... can I... m... may I ask a question?"

" Sure Gavarus what is it?" said Thex.

"I know that... I'm not the easiest person to get along with in engineering. I don't have any illusions about that." Gavarus up the nerve to talk, "But there was a rumor going around that I was picked to come and work the flight deck... um... because you... you..."

Pausing slightly, Gavarus groaned slightly under her breath, wanting to get an answer to this particular question. "Because nobody else wanted to have to come here to fix stuff for Lieutenant Dox and since nobody liked me anyway, I was the... well... the sacrificial pig." She had blurted out the last part so fast that she had to gasp a little to catch her breath.

" Who was saying these rumors?" " Thex said looking straight at the new member of her team. " Briaar I send people to complete the jobs I know they can do to the best of there abilities. The reports from lieutenant Dox have been absolutely positive in everything you've done for her. " The engineer said reassuringly. " If you want to go to another location just ask and I'll send you."

"Huh? What, no. No, I..." Gavarus was slightly flustered again. Being on the flight deck is how she met her best friend and what lead her to working in the R&D Department as well.

"I really... I like the assignment, Commander. I like working with the shuttles and the crew and Lieutenant Dox is kinda scary but not really! Sorry, I'm rambling. No, I'd really like to keep working here, Commander." Gavarus' voice was getting a little louder as she went on. "S... Sorry, Commander."

"Breathe, Gavarus." Thex said calmly. " You can stay here. I just wanted you to know I'm not forcing you to be here." She said as she grabbed the nacelle they still had work to do. " So why did you join the fleet? " She politely asked.

Continuing to work as they spoke, the two engineers barely needed to communicate about the actual task as the junior officer clearly knew what the seasoned Chief needed done as she needed it. It was a smooth work flow that made the conversation easier.

"This kind of stuff, really. Back on Tellarite Prime, I've got nine sisters and seven brothers. And there's kind if two careers you get into there: politics or engineering. My Dad's a senator and my Mom is on the city council for the Keron Provence."

While talking, Gavarus was handing off tools and reattaching the nacelle assembly. "I... do not have he temperament for that and I've always just liked doing THIS. Fixing things. Improving things. Getting under and engine and getting my hands dirty making it work better. I love engineering, but to be honest, I've got no ambition to run it. I don't want a ship. I just want to keep doing this. And stuff like we've been doing for Ensign Gonadie in the R&D Department. I love getting my hands dirty, ya' know?"

" Oh, I understand completely. Not everyone wants to end up running a department or a ship." Thex said as she started connecting the latest nacelle. "Are any of your brothers and sisters in the fleet?"

Setting the alignment vectors as Thex connected, Gavarus scoffed slightly. "My older sister Quinaa is the ops chief of the Venture. My older brother Chaantal is Chief Engineer of the Doyle. And my younger sister Riina is in her second year at the academy right now for Medical."

Resealing the housing panels in place, the new nacelle was secure. Immediately, Gavarus pulled out a PaDD and began running a systems diagnosis. "Connections are all reading green, Commander. Oh, and she has her sights set on command of a medical ship. So two chiefs and one with her eye on command. Back home, there's three sisters and two more brothers in the Tellar Congress. My lack of ambition is quite the frickin' topic at family gatherings."

" Don't let your family stop you from doing what you love." Thex responded speaking from experience. " Everything looking good. Shall we get Dox to give it a test before we install the other one?"

Suddenly just a smidge nervous again, Gavarus straightened up and tapped her comm badge. "Lieutenant Dox, we have the port nacelle connected and it's ready for testing at your discretion."

After a brief pause, there was a slight chirp and a response. =^=On my way, Ensign.=^= And after only a couple of seconds, the Flight Chief emerged from her office, typing away at her PaDD and matching the martial stride made infamous throughout the ship by First Officer Rita Paris.

"Looking good, Commander. I'll run a quick diagnostic, but I'm sure everything's green." The stout Romulan pilot kept her pace as she strode past Gavarus onto the Runnabout, smiling lightly as she passed.

For her part, Gavarus replied with an awkward, overly toothy smile.

Thex nodded moving back from the runabout as it powered up and went through the normal testing procedures. Judging by the sounds that was nothing more than a faint purr it seemed to be running fine.

After a few moments, the Runabout powered down again and the Red-headed Romulan stepped out from the rear hatch back to he flight deck. "Diagnostics are showing a 34% engine efficiency increase from the last baseline with a 19% reduction in power loss. Looks like these new nacelles are going to be a dream to fly with, Commander. Thank you."

" Happy to be off help lieutenant," Thex said with a grin.

"Well, I'll let you two finish her up so I can take her for a run later and really shake her out." Dox replied as she headed back to her office. Encouraged by the positive results, the engineering pair got back to work on the starboard nacelle.

It didn't take long before the two skilled engineers had the other nacelle finished installed and all systems showing green. As the two tidied up Thex looked up at the Tellarite. " You're shift finished five munites ago Gavarus. You can get going if you want i can finish up here."

Getting the sense that the suggestion was something of a hint, Gavarus nodded as she collected her tool kit. "Uh . Thank you, Commander. I'll see you at shit tomorrow."

As the towering Tellarite walked somewhat quickly to the corridor to leave, she stiffened slightly as she passed Lieutenant Dox who was walking back onto the deck. "Thank you again, Ensign." The flight Chief nodded, with her hands behind her back.

Gavarus simply nodded with an awkward and forced grin as she left the deck. As the door to the corridor closed behind the Porcine engineer, Dox walked over to where Thex was finishing up. "She's... afraid of me, isn't she?"

" I think she's a little nervous with all of us. " Thex said as she picked up the remaining tools. " I think she'll come out of her shell in time. "

Shrugging slightly, Dox sighed. "Probably didn't help that her and O'Dell watched me sparring with Petty Officer S'Rina in the gym last week. But..." While the two officers hadn't spent must social time together, Dox still considered the two friends and relaxed her own guard a little as she spoke.

"You have such a relaxed command style. And that helps those under your command relax. I... don't know how to do that. I've tried emulating Commander Paris' approach but ultimately, I end up just defaulting to acting like my mother and intimidating everyone in the department. I... don't know why Rita thought I would be good at this." The anxious Romulan admitted.

"Hey, you'll find a way of commanding that works for you." Thex said to her friend with a grin. "It took me a while to figure it out and I'm sure you'll manage. You're a better officer than you think."

Changing the subject off of herself, Dox raised an eyebrow towards the Andorian Chief Engineer. "Thanks... So, how's the quad? Everything going good so far?"

"Well as we have two new arrivals on the way I think I can say things are going very well." Thex said with a grin cheeky on her face.

Taking about a second or so to process what she just heard, Mnhei'sahe Dox's eyes went wide. "Wait, what? Two..." Then, without thinking, Dox slipped back into her native Rihan for a second before correcting herself.

"Taome dynt! Uh... Oh my goodness, that's wonderful, I mean." Dox smiled as wide as her chubby cheeks would allow. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks. " Thex said beaming with happiness. "Two girls and everything looks fine other than some odd pheromone levels in me, but doc says that's normal for first-time andorians. ."

"I'm so happy for you... for all of you. That's fantastic." Dox couldn't help share in Thex's happiness in the moment, which was infectious even for the typical anxious and notoriously baby-shy Romulan woman. "Twins? Is that common for Andorian's? I'll admit, I have no clue."

"Rather rare actually. We use to have births of eight in the past before the genetic problem are species suffer from. I guess being around Hera has helped a little." Thex said letting out a happy chuckle.

"Hera? You all got caught up in that baby boom aura of hers, I guess?" Dox added, smiling.

" Looks like it. " The andorian said patting her belly slightly.

A slightly melancholy expression fell off Dox's face for just a moment. While much of the ship seemed to be benefiting from the effects of having their patron namesake on board, the only aura that had so far affected the conflicted Romulan was that of the ships other cosmic passenger, Death herself. And she couldn't help wonder what that said about her.

But she did her level best to try and keep that thought burried and put a smile back on her face. "Well, I'm very happy for you. For all four of you, really. This is wonderful news. But... I should probably get back to work and run the Unlucky Lady here through her paces."

" Okay then. I'll talk to you later." Thex said as she put the toolkit and headed for the shuttle bay door.

"Thank you again, Commander. Have a good evening." Dox replied with a small smile as she stepped into the Runabout.

Taking a seat at the pilots seat, this was where the conflicted Romulan felt the most at home. Calling in a flight plan, she looked forward to testing the ship out in the expanse of space where she could set her concerns aside for another day, and her smile got just a bit bigger.

Stepping into Ten-Forward, half the eyes in the room turned to look at Jaeih Dox. The Romulan woman was dressed in her usual attire, the dark grey Starfleet Intelligence tunic she had been wearing for some time as a 'consultant' for that shadowy branch of the fleet.

In reality, her consultation was a plea deal she had made to ensure that Smuggling charges would never be placed on her then 16-year-old daughter when their ship was taken into Federation custody. That daughter was now Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox, Chief Flight Control Officer of the U.S.S. Hera, the ship Jaeih was now serving her sentence upon.

As always, Jaeih was accompanied by two security officers. Tonight, it was Petty officers Grell and Wagner. Grell, the shorter of the two, was stocky and thickly built Bajoran with a close-cropped head of black hair, and stood guard at the door to the lounge. Wagner was a taller, but equally thickly built woman of human origin that accompanied the elder Romulan woman into Ten-Forward.

The room had taken to mumbling about the Hera's newest resident as Wagner gestured to an open table by the windows. "How's this, Ma'am?"

Commander Rita Paris was in charge of the security on the Hera, and Jaeih Dox was to be considered and treated as any VIP guest, and Wagner was warm and polite, not liking all the scuttlebutt she was picking up.

"This should be perfect. Thank you, Miss Wagner." the elder Dox took a seat and gestured to her escort to take the seat next to her. "No thank you, ma'am. Eating on duty is frowned upon. I’ll be with Petty Officer Grell at the entrance if needed."

The reply was professional but polite as the statuesque woman made her way to the door where she stood guard, stoically. Moments later, Lieutenant Mnhei’sahe Dox entered.

The red-headed Romulan woman flashed a small smile at the security officers and began to walk towards her seated Mother, turning to raise an eyebrow at a nearby table as she passed them, as they were clearly trying to talk about the mysterious Romulan woman that was a topic among much of the lower deck crew. Very quickly, the muttering stopped and conversations returned to normal. Mnhei'sahe Dox had a reputation among the crewmembers for being a harsh department head and her regular training sessions with the security crew were well known, in spite of her being a pilot.

"Jolan'Tru, Mother." She nodded as she greeted her mother in a traditional, Romulan fashion.

"Jolan'Tru, Daughter. I'm glad you could make the time to dine with me this evening." Jaeih said as Mnhei'sahe took her seat.

“Have you ordered anything yet?” Mnhei'sahe asked as she got settled it.

“Nothing yet. I only arrived a few moments prior to yourself.” Jaeih replied. In spite of their warming personal relationship, the pair still had very official mannerisms with each other which came off as a little cold. But, in truth, Jaeih had been almost more of a commanding officer to Mnhei'sahe growing up then a Mother and it showed.

“Well, the menu has a number of really good Romulan dishes I had them add, unless you're feeling adventurous tonight.” Mnhei'sahe added with a lighter tone.

“Adventurous would be in having something traditional. The meals at Starfleet Intelligence were sad attempts at Rihannsu cuisine was… lacking. I look forward to something you had programmed.” Jaeih replied with a slight smile, using the true name of their shared people rather than the standardized word of ‘Romulan’.

As the server came over, they asked the group for their orders, and in short order, Dox ordered a simple beef stew and Jaeih ordered a plate of Viinerine, a common dish among Romulan military, but one she hadn’t had in quite some time. Mnhei’sahe ordered a glass of a tart Romulan beverage called lehe'jhme juice while Jaeih ordered a glass of Kali-Fal.

“The Captain provided a lovely bottle of Preator’s Choice upon my onboarding that I have in my quarters. But I’ve been told that this lounge was well stocked with high quality, non-synthoholic varieties as well. Another delicacy I was… denied on Earth that I’ve enjoyed since my transfer.” Jaieh added as their drinks were delivered. “I’m surprised that you’re opting for lehe'jhme juice, Mnhei’sahe. You were better at telling a vintage at taste than I was.”

Immediately, Mnhei’sahe’s body language stiffened slightly as she took a drink of her juice. “I’ve… I’ve stopped drinking. Since Mona and I began living together. When we began developing our bond. I…”

It was clear that the younger Romulan was slightly nervous now. “...there were some parts of myself I didn’t want to share with her. Me drunk was one of them.”

Setting her own drink down, Jaeih didn’t know quite how to react at first. “I… I see. Your father had… difficulties with such matters. He was a good man, but he could become… violent.”

“So can I.” Mnhei’sahe replied flatly before changing the subject slightly. “But I have… better outlets for that now. On Commander Paris’ request, I’ve been teaching the security team Llaekh-ae'rl fighting and defensive techniques. So far, just the milder stuff by and large. But we’ve got two Klingon officers that I spar with that I’ve been showing some of the harder moves. For their part, they’re teaching me Mok’bara, so it’s been a fair exchange that has given me a better outlet for my… issues.”

“I remember the Mok'bara well." Jaeih replied, rubbing her nose where Mnhei'sahe broke it a couple of days earlier in a sparring session.

’"That said, I am glad you have been able to find and outlet that is working better for you Mnhei’sahe. How did you end up teaching the Security team? It’s not exactly something I imagine falls under the aegis of the flight department.” Jaeih asked, taking another sip of her drink, keeping to herself her high satisfaction with its quality so as to not exasperate Mnhei’sahe’s temptations.

“Well… Asa… Doctor Dael. Our ship’s Chief Medical Officer and I are very close friends. And during Shore Leave, not too long after our talk on Earth, they had been kidnapped by mercenaries. The Hera was unable to respond in time to a distress signal they were able to send off.” Mnhei’sahe took a drink of her own drink, pausing for a moment.

“I have a… personal ship. And I took it and went after her. I had no weapons and when I found the mercenaries they had… beaten Asa badly. It was… I…” Mnhei’sahe took another long drink, eyeing Jaeih’s for the briefest of seconds. “I didn’t kill them. But when the Commander saw the report of their injuries, she became… interested.”

“Our… former Security chief and team were… well, I can’t go into details as it’s classified, but they were in serious need of replacement, and Commander Paris took over the position and asked for my assistance on occasion.” Dox continued as their food arrived.

“Well, judging from the quality of the women who have guarded me, I’d say she is an exceptional Security Chief and that your lessons have been well received. Each officer has been beyond exceptional AND remarkably well mannered.” Jaeih looked over at the two guards with a slight smile as she spoke.

“So, I realized that since I’ve come on board, we’ve talked about my past. Our issues. Your relationship with Mona…” In spite of herself, Jaeih paused ever so slightly and smiled as she mentioned the Miradonian woman that was, in essence, her Daughter-in-Law. “...But we’ve not talked much about you.”

“When we were separated by light years, you couldn’t even say the name of this ship over sub-space frequencies. I was… hoping to find out more about your life her on the Hera. What you’ve done.” Jaeih leaned in and took a bit of her meal while she waited, raising her eyebrows, pleased by the taste.

Taking a bit of her stew, Mnhei’sahe sat back slightly, thinking. “Well, the nature of this ship and her missions means much of the details are still classified, you understand. But… what do you want to know?”

Without a moment of hesitation, Jaeih leaned in to speak with a serious look on her face. “You said that a… psychic attack… lead to the revelation of the memories that enabled you to remember your real name. That… we had you surgically altered. But you could never say what happened.”

“It would be that…” Mnhei’sahe muttered. The subject was still a topic that gave her nightmares and while they have lessened, she disliked bringing the incident up. And even less so in mixed company. As such, when she next spoke, it was in her native tongue of Rihan.

“We were attacked. The ship was assaulted by beings of… deity-level abilities. One targeted me on the ship because of technology that had… inadvertently opened my mind to psychic detection and invasion. The… barriers in my mind had been stuck open. And it attracted a being that wanted that technology.” Mnhei’sahe hemmed and hawed around the specifics of the attack. She didn’t mention the experimental flight control helmet Mona designed that opened her mind artificially. And she never mentioned the God Anansi by name.

“It wanted the technology. I refused it. So it invaded my mind to try and dig out the information. To force me to give it up. It did so by… pulling up things I had forgotten, presented to me as nightmares. However, it had another consequence that caused a series of strokes as my brain began to bleed. If not for Asa, I would have died as a result.” Mnhei’sahe continued.

Across the table, Jaeih looked stunned. She had only been aware of the broadest strokes of the story. And even in this truncated version, it was still horrible enough for a Mother to hear. “By Al’hindor… I can’t… I’m sorry that I couldn’t have been here for you during all of this. And I’m sorry that it had… such secrets to use against you.”

The younger Dox could see the guild begin to spread as she interjected. “My recovery… it brought me to where I am now, Mother. Commander Paris and Asa carried me back to who I didn’t even know I was. They saved my life in more ways than I can say. It is why they are both my chosen family. My siblings.” As she spoke, she smiled warmly.

“Then they both have my eternal gratitude, Mnhei’sahe. Truly.” Jaeih was trying to maintain her composure, though she was becoming more emotional as they spoke. But as she spoke, her mind began to process the information. “You said… this technology opened your mind to psychic attack?”

Stopping Jaeih before she went much further, Dox replied with an attempt at a reassuring smile. “That door has been… closed. At least for now. But it was… a challenge to get there.”

Taking another bite of her meal, Jaeih lifted an eyebrow sarcastically. “Really, Mnhei’sahe? You can’t say that and be cryptic about it.”

“Scrunching her face, the red-headed Romulan fidgeted in her seat slightly. “It opened what I was told was the...Ninth gate of my mind. It opened my psychic perceptions but also turned my mind into a virtual glowing invitation to psychic forces. To give you an idea, I had to begin training my mind with Lieutenant Sonak. He’s a Vulcan Kohlinar master, and when he mind-melded with me, the pull was so great he had to physically break contact with me at first. His mind was simply drawn into mine. But he’s also an… exceptional teacher. He’s been teaching me to discipline my mind and mental defenses since that first attack and he taught me how to push him out of my mind. But in that time it was open…”

“What happened, Mnhei’sahe?” Jaeih asked with genuine concern in her voice.

“A lot. There was… an entity trapped on the ship. A being of… immeasurable power… at least a piece of one. And because of that open door, it could communicate with me. But to save it… get it home… it needed a host to leave the ship. And… And I volunteered. It could have only been me.” Mnhei’sahe tried to smile at the memory that was equal parts impossible wonder and terrifying fear. “But we did it. It...merged with me for a little while and we… uh… got it home.”

“What does that mean?” Jaeih spoke up, insistent. She knew when her daughter was keeping out information and she wasn’t having it. “The part that isn’t classified that you’re still not telling me! What happened?”

Taking another, longer look at her Mother’s drink, Mnhei’sahe licked her lips slightly and looked down at the table. “I was beamed off of the ship… Into... space.”

”WHAT!?! They BEAMED you into SPACE?!” Jaeih shouted in Rihan, causing every head in the room to turn towards them. Without missing a beat, the elder Romulan turned towards the room and scoffed in basic. “Oh, mind your business. Drink your drinks.”

Embarrassed, most did as she returned to Rihan and a much lower tone of voice. “They beamed you into space, Mnhei’sahe? This is what Enalia means by ‘keeping you safe’?”

“Mother, it’s not like that.” the younger woman protested. “It was my choice. But it had to be done. I promised it we would get it home. And I’m still here, Rei and He…” Dox stopped herself before mentioning that both Death herself and the Goddess Hera intervened to save her as their existence was classified, as was their status as Jaeih’s neighbors on Deck 8.

“Everyone came together to save me. Even classified people. And here I am.” Dox added with a smirk. “I merged with a cosmic being and lived to talk about it.”

“And you almost died… again! I think I need to have a long talk with your Captain about…” Jaeih was in full-on overprotective Mother mode before Mnhei’sahe cut her off.

“You will do no such thing, Mother. Risk is part of this uniform. You know that. And I’ll risk myself again when it is needed. But we always do everything we can to make sure we all come home. I trust the Captain with my life, Mother. And she trusts me.” Mnhei’sahe’s tone was serious and firm, but reassuring.

There was a long pause, as Jaeih looked across at her daughter. Both women taking awkward bites of their meals before either woman spoke.

Breaking the silence, Mnhei’sahe interjected. “That door’s been closed, but when it was open, it enabled me to bond with Mona. And that bond was powerful. We could see into each other's minds. Share our thoughts and feelings. Even our dreams. Without that risk, I would never have experienced that. And even now, with that door closed, what I learned in that time has enabled us to maintain that link. It’s not as strong, but it’s getting stronger every day.”

Jaeih allowed a slight smile to creep across her stern face as Mnhei’sahe continued. “With time and more training, Sonak thinks I may get back to where I was naturally. Without the danger of that door being open. I could conceivably get to Vulcan levels of mental control. That wouldn’t have even been a thought in my mind before.”

“Well, if any Romulan could achieve that, I’ve no doubt it will be you.” Jaeih added with no small amount of pride before her tone returned to inquisitive. "But... how did this door get closed?"

"Uh... Extremely classified..." Mnhei'sahe pondered for a second trying to sum up the experience with as little detail as possible. "The entity that I merged with was a shard of a larger entity and we used that link to ask it to... leave... which it did. But it shut the door on it's way out."

"Well, that's both vague and horrifying." Jaeih rised an eyebrow as she finished her meal. "Please tell me that's the worst of it. You've not been here a full year yet, after all."

Taking a last spoonful of her stew, Mnhei'sahe rolled her eyes A bit. "Maybe we should just say it is and skip the rest."

"I cannot believe that I almost wish you were less competent so you would have continued to be stationed someplace safer." Jaeih shook her head and sighed as she took a sip of her Kali-Fal. "But I believe you're correct, daughter. Ignorance, in this case, may in fact be bliss."

Looking across the table at her mother, Mnhei'sahe smiled lightly. She seemed almost like a different woman since coming on board. And the young Romulan office was glad for it. She felt as if she was meeting her mother for the first time.

"So... have has your work been since your transfer, Mother?" Mnhei'sahe asked with the slightest smile.

"Much more satisfying then what I was assigned to at Starfleet Intelligence." Jaeih replied, nursing her mostly empty glass as she looked around the room. "The research and development team is... an unusual grouping to work with. But all are highly skilled. And I am grateful for my time working on the this new Scorpion replica with Mona. It's given us a bit of time to get to know each other without it being centered around you."

"I met her on the job, first. She's beyond brilliant and the best pilot I've ever seen." Dox finished off her own drink and gestured to the bartender for refills. "She beats my numbers every time. If she wanted it, she'd probably be a Commander by now."

"We're talking about Mona's career now, Mnhei'sahe. Not yours." Jaeih mentioned, leaning on her arm with a cocked eyebrow.

"What's to talk about? I haven't been busted back to an Ensign so far, so I guess I'm holding my own." Mnhei'sahe deflected slightly as their fresh drinks arrived. Taking a sip, she looked across the table at her mother who was simply watching.

"You're expecting that, for some reason?" Jaeih replied, taking a drink. "Is that what you want, Daughter? To fail?"

"What? No, Mother." Mnhei'sahe replied with a hint of indignation. "Of course not, I just..."

The anxious aviatrix sat back and thought for a second. "With the Captain's tribunal and my... conflicting responsibilities as both an Officer of this ship and one of her Baronesses... there's a more than decent chance of me being forced to do something that ruins my career here."

"You know that world well, Mother..." Mnhei'sahe continued while Jaeih listened intently. "I have no illusions of what I may need to do if the situation requires it. No romantic ideal that's clouding my judgement here. But everything about being a Baroness in the Artan Family is at odds with my Starfleet duties. Commander Paris is... extremely opposed to my having taken the Baroness appointment."

"She cares about you, Mnhei'sahe. That much is evident. But her adherence to the principles of what Starfleet is supposed to be are extreme. She is uncompromising and this affair is nothing but compromise." Jaeih added. "That puts her in a difficult position. She is torn as well."

"I know. But we have to succeed. We need to..." Mnhei'sahe cut herself off. There was simply no euphemism or way to talk around the highly classified facts around what she and Commander Paris knew.

There was no way to explain to her mother anything about Kodria, the Android from nearly a century into their future who visited the ship. Who revealed herself to be the granddaughter of Captain Enalia Telvan and told Paris of just what this tribunal was going to do to the Captain and her soul.

Instead, she scrunched her face and took a drink. "We need to help the Captain to not become what her mother wants her to be. At all costs."

"You realize that she may have no choice, Mnhei'sahe?" Jaeih took a drink. "Her mother has poisoned what the Artan family once was. That poison runs deep, and removing Arenara from the head of the family will not undo the systemic damage. She may need to take her place is she truly wishes to right it's course."

There was a thick silence between the two for a moment. Mnhei'sahe nursed her juice as she thought before finally breaking that silence.

"I... Like what I'm building here, Mother. I'm... I'm proud of that. I did a lot to get away from the life of being a smuggler. Of living on the edges of that life for so long. But when the Captain offered me a way back into it, I didn't even consider saying no. She was a pirate Princess AND a Starfleet Captain, after all. She reminded me that my life before wasn't all bad. And there were parts of it I missed. So, I thought that it was something I could dip my feet into, but on some level I knew better "

"I knew that I was sabotaging this life here. I know I'm still doing it. Maybe because it would just be... easier." The conflicted officer took another glance at her mother's Kali-Fal.

"And then what, Mnhei'sahe? You throw away your career her to be, what? An Artan Baroness? Is that what you want? You're deluding yourself if you think that path is somehow easier. Less formal. Less pressure to be proper. But no less responsibility. You would still be responsible for lives. And still be responsible for the lives you'll take."

Shooting a glare across the table, Mnhei'sahe's smile evaporated. "Don't think I don't know that, Mother. We both know full well what that life means. And we both have blood on our hands because of it. I'm under no delusions."

"And what about Mona? Is she going to be your pirate bride? That brilliant mind put to service doing what? Repairing strike ships out on the edge of the Neutral Zone? Raising the next generation of Artan pirates to throw their lives away chasing a freedom they know is a lie?" Jaeih snapped back. "No. I won't have it. I won't let you throw your life away for that."

"I have a responsibility now, Mother. And I can't walk away from that because it might end badly for me. If I did, I wouldn't deserve to wear this. And I wouldn't deserve her." Mnhei'sahe said plainly. "I have no intentions of destroying this life. And no desire to do so, either."

"Are you sure about that, Mnhei'sahe? Are you sure you aren't still trying to punish yourself, because that is exactly what it looks like from here. I know all about punishing ones self, so I'm very well qualified in this arena." Jaeih's tone softened as she reached across to put her hand on her daughter's.

"You deserve THIS life, Mnhei'sahe. Here, with this family you have found. The family I could never provide. You deserve your successes. You deserve happiness. You deserve Mona and you owe it to her to FINALLY BELIEVE that." Jaeih continued with a warmth to her voice that almost seemed alien to her daughter who was stifling a tear.

"This life you've chosen is difficult. Doing the right thing always is, daughter." The elder Romulan leaned in. "By Al'hindor, I think it actually MIGHT be easier living at the end of a pirates sword then trying to survive the nightmares you've described that happen on this ship. But the rewards are far, far greater. That life would destroy you as much as it would Enalia. This life can rebuild you, Mnhei'sahe."

"But it's your choice. Give up everything NOW because you're scared of losing it later. Give up because its easier than trying and failing. But if you do, you're giving up on more than yourself." Jaeih had an insistent tone.

"But know that you, yourself, are worthy of these rewards you are now enjoying. You do not need to punish yourself for wanting them, Mnhei'sahe."

Across the table, Mnhei'sahe Dox had no words. Nothing to say. She knew her mother was right. She didn't want to believe it, but she knew it all the same. Instead, she smiled slightly and nodded, a plaintiff look on her troubled face.

She wanted to keep what she had. And she selfishly wanted more. She wanted the happiness she had spent years sabotaging. She wanted this life, as she looked down NOT At her mother's drink, but instead at the Starfleet Delta on her chest.

She wanted this life, and she was going to keep it no matter what.

Ila Dedjoy and the pod AI Lucky had been working literally non-stop since Ila's miraculous partial resurrection to finish her new android body and finally it was nearing completion. She had found a way to use the black crystals she herself had caused to form in the newly christened Dedjoy system to complete the neural control system and enhance the muscular gel fibers for the best control she could and now the only thing to do was to transfer her mind over to the new android frame sitting in the rack before her.

Taking a simulated deep breath, she gave the order she had been dreading. "Ok, Lucky... It's time. Initiate the assistant protocol."

"Initiating holographics now," replied the British voiced AI as a holographic representation of Ila in a grey Starfleet uniform shimmered into existence. "Linking holographics to your control." For a moment, both the android with Ila's consciousness and the hologram wavered and looked like they were going to pass out, but the android closed her eyes and focused, letting the hologram recover.

"Oh, goodness... This is almost nauseating... Let's just get this over with. Keep an eye on my systems and check my work, if you could?" asked Ila from the view of the hologram.

"Of course. That's why I'm here," replied Lucky.

"Okay... I'll start by unsealing the rear cranial framework and switching to backup power..."

The process was long and arduous, but twelve hours later Ila's personality core and very self was now locked securely into the new android chassis and running through the startup sequence. Within moments, she was opening her new eyes and looking around, trying to ignore her holographic controls for now.

"Lucky, disengage assistant protocol," Ila ordered from her new body, a wave of relief washing over her as the controls and the hologram vanished. Reaching up, she disengaged the safety cage around her and stepped outside onto the platform around it, stretching lightly and running through some movement exercises.

"Everything seems to be operating well within your operational standards," chimed in Lucky, who was kind enough to display a holographic display full of readings for her to peruse. "In fact it looks as if you may be ready for the next phase."

"I think you're right... But I think I'd like to make a slight change to it first." Stepping off the platform with a slight clanking sound, Ila pulled up her endocrine system details and made a few edits to the planned hairstyle before sending the whole job off to the pod's replicators. "Only two hours to replicate a full skin suit... There has got to be something wrong with that phrase but I can't remember what... How about we see if we can fix that next? Let's get started on phase three."

Lucky paused a moment before replying. "Biological memory transplant? Roger that. Ready to begin the process on your command."

Ila leaned back in her chair, as comfortable as she could be without skin. "The command is given."

"Initiating transplant. Estimated time to completion, three hours."

As the memories she had lost of growing up, the academy, her research, her sister... All came flooding into her, it was almost too much for her. But she endured. She knew she could handle it. She had to be able to. These memories were who she was.


Several hours later the memories were all tucked safely in her head and her new skin was tacked safely to her body. She had decided on a shorter, more daring haircut, but otherwise by all outward appearances, she was the same Ila Dedjoy.

Stepping out of the lab in a fresh new uniform, she greeted the day by tugging down on her uniform top and smoothing out her skirt before entering the turbolift with a smile.

The galaxies longest day was wrapping up for Lieutenant Asa Dael. The CMO had spent the day going through reports and preparing birth plans as delivery dates for four crew members loomed in the upcoming week. They had successfully delivered their first child two nights prior, but the pressure was far from off as the doctor helped with both the psychological and physiological aspects of the baby boom currently exploding on the Hera.

The turbolift whooshed open to admit Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox, a person Asa considered to be their closest friend aboard. They smiled brightly at seeing her and it suddenly hit the young El-Aurian how little they had seen their friend since a group-mind-meld some weeks prior.

What is wrong with me? I keep thinking how much I miss her, but I'm not doing anything about it. All I do is work and go home and read a bit and pass out. Am....am I depressed? I sure do seem to be isolating.... Asa reflected.

Turning to Dox, Asa said softly, "Hey there. I've..I've missed you Min. How have you been?"

With a slightly awkward smile, Mnhei'sahe stepped into the lift, not quite knowing how to react. She had talked a few days ago with Rita Paris of her own feelings of isolation and disconnection but didn't quite go into her fears regarding Asa. She had been fearing that the person she thought of as her best friend had stopped liking her and it had been eating away at her confidence. Her answer was sheepish and reserved. "I've... I've been... okay, I guess. Still getting used to having my mother on board."

It was a bit of a redirection, but an honest one. While mother and daughter had been making great strides in repairing their fractured relationship, it was still difficult.

"Yeah, I bet, " Asa replied with a sad smile. "Um, Min, do you wanna come over for dinner? I'm just replicating, but it's been too long since we caught up, and well, I miss my friend. If you aren't too busy or tired or anything....."

Asa's voice was sad, but tinged with hope. The doctor tended to be an optimist, but had somehow become bogged down in life lately, and with the sudden realization of how much things had changed between the two of them, they were determined to reclaim their friendship with Mnhei'sahe.

Taken slightly aback, Mnhei'sahe didn't quite know what to say. She was wrong about Rita. She was even wrong about her mother. And she desperately wanted to be wrong that Asa didn't like her anymore. As such, the request made her heart do the slightest of flips as a twinge of hope perked back up. "Y... yeah. Mona's on duty late tonight with R&D, so I was just going to replicate myself something anyway. Yeah. That sounds great."

A slight smile began to crack the corners of her cheeks. The last week had been one emotional kick after another. And while they had ended well, it had still left the red-headed Romulan exhausted. But she wanted to see her friend again. She wanted that family back.

Once the pair had reached Asa's quarters and were safely behind closed doors, Asa threw themself into a full body hug with Mnhei'sahe. The small doctor knew their friend was strong enough to handle the enthusiastic embrace they so badly needed. It was in that moment Asa realized they had not had any kind of positive touch in weeks outside of the comforting hand-holding and pats they gave to patients in sickbay. And while therapeutic touch was an important part of Asa's care, it did not provide them with the same level of comfort that it did to patients. The impromptu embrace had felt so urgent, like pouring water onto parched soil.

Without extricating themself Asa said softly through a few errant tears, "I...I think I'm depressed, Min. I... I didn't even realize how much I've been isolating until I saw you and realized how much I've missed you. I'm so sorry, light, I know I'm a mess. I'm...I'm sorry."

In Asa's arms, Mnhei'sahe started to tremble. So many times over the last week, she had found herself brought to tears and she was fighting to keep them at bay here. WHatever her fears had been, it was clear that in this moment, Asa needed her to be the strong one. "I'm s... sorry, too. I... I thought after the mind-meld... I thought you were in here and saw me for what I really am and... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so stupid."

In spite of herself, the words came out with a light stream of tears. "Since it happened... since Gaia closed that door in my mind, I can't... I can only barely feel my connection with Mona. And everything else has been... nothing. And... I didn't know how to deal with that."

Reaching up to wipe tears from both their faces, Asa let out a heavy sigh. "I confess, I didn't even think of how that impacted you. Some counselor, eh?"

Moving to direct Mnhei'sahe to sit, Asa went to the replicator and brought back two mugs of hot tea along with a plate of fruit, cheese, crackers, and bacon. Placing everything on a nearby coffee table, Asa continued, "You aren't nothing though, just in case your brain is pulling its usual trick and lying to you again. Seems like both our brains are pulling tricks on us, eh? What I saw of you was beautiful. You have a brave soul, and one that you give freely to others, even when it costs you more than you think you have. I can't think of a single good reason anyone would turn away from you- outside their own internal junk."

The last was said with a slight shrug as Asa rubbed their neck with one hand.

"I confess...I got so caught up in work that I forgot to live my own life, you know? The stress of the kidnapping, worry about all the upcoming births, being overwhelmed and overtired......I can make excuses, but at the end of the day, I just screwed up. Min, I was so averse to connecting to others I didn't even go see Jaeih in person to check her out when she got here...I sent the EMH. I haven't visited Hera or Rei as much as I would have liked...I haven't seen Rita off duty.....I'm just barely going through the motions. I.....i need to do better. Forgive me?"

"Of course. I'm the LAST person on this ship to blame anyone for being withdrawn. As for counseling, I didn't exactly make an appointment. So that's on me, Asa." Mnhei'sahe replied, with a slight smile as she sipped on her tea.

"But talk to me. You've been extremely busy of late with everything and it's clearly overwhelming you. Talk to me about it. I'll be 'Doctor Dox', okay?" It was offered with a light-hearted tone to hopefully put her friend at ease, but was a sincere offer.

Chuckling in response, Asa took a grape and ate it thoughtfully for a moment.

"Well, I've been doing the PTSD therapy with my old mentor over subspace, and I guess it's been going ok. The nightmares are still almost nightly though, and I find myself flashing back to that stupid, dirty hospital on Mars at the weirdest times. I don't always even know what is causing the flashback, I just find myself staring into nothing and realizing I was a million miles away. My mentor, Dr. Holiner, keeps telling me that's to be expected, but I guess I'm just sick of one really bad day defining my life, you know? I feel like an idiot for not being able to snap out of it and just get on with life. Then finding out how freaking long I'm going to probably be around....that was a mind trip too, you know? Holiner didn't really know what to say to that one.....they don't really cover 'touched by fate and a literal goddess to live more than 5 times longer than the rest of your species' in Psych 101, you know? And the whole goddess thing? Hell Min, I was a staunch atheist before serving on the Hera. Now I am freaking friends with a goddess. I guess it's just how much everything changed in the last year. This time last year I was getting ready to graduate Starfleet Medical. Now.....well, sometimes I wonder if I was the right person for the job. I wonder if the crew wouldn't be served better by someone with more experience, someone who is less of a disaster.....I don't even know if i'm making sense......"

Deflating a bit while taking a moment to breathe, Asa turned to look into Mnhei'sahe's eyes, searching for understanding and hoping against hope they wouldn't be deemed a fraud and a failure.

Sitting across from her, Mnhei'sahe had a melancholy smile on her face as she searched for the right words. "Well, Doctor Dox I'm not. But I can tell you... when I wasn't still sent to Earth, my... the Dox's brought me to six different therapists over four years. When I was at the academy, I saw another four. And the less said about your predecessor the better. There's nobody that has been better for me than you."

Fishing slightly in her seat, Dox continued. "I haven't... hit myself in weeks. And it's been... Sixty-three days since I've had a drink. You're helping me a lot. Yes, I've got Mona, but I wouldn't even have found the strength to talk to her without you."

Then her tone shifted down slightly. "As for Mars... So many times I wish I had just beamed you up and left them to security instead of... doing what I did to them in front of you. That can't have helped. And there's not much I can don't help with nightmares except to say that our room is still open if you need company. Mona and I... well... we both have our share of nightmares and we will always be there to help you whenever you need to just not be alone, okay?"

Sniffling a bit, Asa said, "Thanks...I figured now that you were living together you would rather be alone together, you know? I was so happy that you found someone worthy of your love that loves you back....and I didn't want to mess it up for you by getting in the way."

"That I can say categorically, you never need to worry about. Asa, you've been my best friend since I came aboard. You were the first person to reach out and just say 'hello'. You are shikaen... FAMILY. You are my revsam... Sibling. You are NEVER in the way, do you understand?" Dox leaned over to look Asa in the eves intensely.

Wiping an errant tear, Asa snuffled a bit before responding.

"You're my family too. I...I understand. I guess my brain has been lying to me about a few things, huh? I'll do better at just asking next time instead of assuming I know what you want. I guess I'm used to being told that I'm in the way.....God knows Keres made sure I felt that way most of my life. I thought I had moved past that, but I guess some of us must have sunk in, huh?"

"We both have a lifetime of terrible life lessons getting in our way. You know I know that all too well. My brain spends... More than half of every day trying to convince me that you'd all be better off if I got on that pirate ship, left and never came back. I understand. But our brains are Kreldanni liars!

Adding a bit of a curse in her native Rihan was second nature to the Red-headed Romulan woman, and something Asa was more than used to at this point. "So, I know you've been extremely busy lately. Want to talk about it?"

Letting out a sigh, Asa shrugged. "It's the baby boom....Most Starfleet doctors deliver 2-3 a year, MAX. But not us....it will be over 40 deliveries by the end of the year. And I'm so scared of messing something up. Of damaging a life before it even starts, you know?"

In truth, Dox hadn't considered what effect the influx of pregnancies might be having on her friend, and felt more than a little ashamed for it. "I'm sorry, Asa. I didn't even think of that. I can't imagine the pressure you're under right now. But If anyone can do this, it's you. There's no doctor that cares more about their patients than you."

Then Dox's tone shifted slightly as she fidgeted slightly. She could understand that last part. Worrying about ruining a life before it's begun. Mnhei'sahe's bond-mate, Mona Gonadie had started recruiting Dox's Mother in trying to get the Anxiety ridden Romulan to jump aboard that particular boom. AndIn truth, Mona and Jaeih Dox had done considerable work in weakening Mnhei'sahe's defenses, but she wasn't going to burden Asa with that.

“Thanks. Sometimes I just feel so…..inadequate though,” Asa said, leaning back in their seat.

“The first delivery I did, Hera had to come to the rescue. The baby boy had an umbilical cord wrapped around his neck three times and was fated to die in delivery. Hera felt the call and rushed in, changing the baby’s fate, but also biological sex and who knows what else. Now the Dabri’s have a baby girl who is going to be as tall as Rita and blonde to boot….and I can’t help but wonder what other changes have happened that we aren’t aware of yet. I don’t think Hera did anything untoward, but it’s like tempting her having her around all these pregnancies, don’t you think? I have this unease following me around that if I’m not careful one of these days a Minotaur is going to pop out.”

Smiling, Mnhei'sahe leaned in a little to make eye contact. "Ace, if you deliver it and it's raised on this ship... with this crew... then it will end up being the first Minotaur to Captain a Starship and probably save the universe two or three times."

It was a joke, but only partly. "It's... been unusual. I've been on the Hera for just about seven months and the things I've seen and experienced, nothing could have prepared me for. I've had gods in my mind and merged with one. I've had my DNA rewritten. Met gods and fought Valkyries. I mean, we're both friends with DEATH and we trust her. Rita has faith in Hera and when she was in my head, I didn't sense anything that makes me worried."

"But one thing I know for certain, is you are light-years from inadequate." Mnhei'sahe added confidently. "You've literally put me back together how many times now? You are more than enough, honey. And you aren't shaking me. You've got me to hang around with for... what... a good two hundred plus more years. After that, I'll figure out how to haunt you, okay?"

With a bark of laughter Asa said, “Well, we both have empirical proof that life continues after death, thanks to Death of all things. And you better not get rid of me. I’d hate to have to engineer an opening into your quarters. I’ve been widely informed that it is just not proper to blast holes into walls when we want into rooms. Or at least that was not the given protocol when I was 5 according to Nanna Yihawn. I’m assuming it hasn’t changed since then?”

Smiling broadly, Dox laughed along with her friend. In her mind, she pictured a 5-year-old Asa Dael blasting holes in walls and freaking out their Nanna, the impossibly endearing Yihawn. "I can so see that, Ace."

After a moment, as the laughter slowed down, Mnhei'sahe looked intently at her best friend as tears welled up in her dark eyes. "I missed you, Asa. I don't want to miss you anymore. E... Everything I've been through. Everything that's happened. I got through it because of all of you. Because of Rita and Mona and YOU. I can only imagine how scared you are, looking down the timeline in front of you. I'm terrified for you. I think of how I'm going to carry on after Mona is gone when I'll have a good two-thirds of a life left to have to live and it tears me apart. And that's not even a fraction of your future. But... but you'll have Hera and Rei. And you'll have Kodira. You'll have all the friends and family we've yet to make. You will never be alone."

"I don't want to miss you anymore either," Asa began.

"I've lost people already in life. I know I'm going to lose more. I try to live in the now, but somewhere along the way that started to feel like get through the now. I'll ask the EMH to check my neurochemical levels tomorrow. Hormone levels too I guess. Maybe I'm having an early adulthood hormone surge and I'm going to get pimples and my voice start cracking or something. Wouldn't that be a reassuring image, huh?"

Wiping a tear from her eye, Dox smiled broadly and chuckled. "Well, I'm still dealing with MY first real puberty in my thirties thanks to you fixing my DNA and hormones We can be awkward and emotionally unstable together. It'll be more fun."

With a guilty laugh Asa's eyes took on a wicked glint.

"Can you imagine if we fully embraced the awkward and unstable? Poor Ensign Carrott can barely handle me now, and I'm pretty sure Nurses Vimes and Almera would decide that I am in need of a talking to. You know Vimes has taken to bringing me cookies and milk if I get tired and cranky? I'm pretty sure there is an implied slight in there, but heck, I don't care. It's cookies and milk. Now.....how do we get your team to bring you secret snacks of bribery?"

Trying to stifle a laugh, Mnhei'sahe only managed to snort a little and smirk. "Well... I was sparring with Petty Officer S'Rina in the gym a week or two ago, and Gavarus and O'Dell saw a bit of it and I seriously think they're both scared of me now."

Taking a sip of tea, Mnhei'sahe gestured with the cup. "I think at this point all I'd he to do is wave an empty cup and stare at them and they'd throw tea at me. Heh."

Giggling a bit, Asa said, “Well, you are a bit intimidating when you have your game face on. Gotta say, it is a funny mental picture to imagine Gavarus scared of something though. That woman looks like she eats nails for breakfast. I think I’ve only seen her smile the once- and that was when she was exquisitely drunk in 10-forward. I think she outsources her good graces to O’Dell. Well, if I understand half of what O’Dell says....Carrott had me review the footage of the first trial R&D did to double check his work, and I’m relatively sure of the 15% of what I understood out of her mouth nearly half of it were curses.”

"Ha... yeah. Well, S'Rina and I go at it pretty hard, usually screaming at each other in Klingon while we do. WE enjoy it, though." Dox took a piece of the bacon and had a bite. "It's oddly relaxing for me. But yeah, I can only make out about half of what O'Dell says, but she knows her stuff. Best pilot in the department under Mona and me. She's smart and fearless and picks up new interfaces like she was born to them. A natural pilot. And her and Gavarus work exceptionally well together."

“Are they, you, know…..” Asa said, making a complicated series of hand movements that did absolutely nothing to illuminate their point. Blushing red around the ears, they continued, “a….thing? I mean, I think I saw Gavarus trying to flirt with one of the security staff, but it was a little hard to tell. She seems to be as natural about it as I am, and I only managed to flirt once because I had a telepathic communication link. I honestly don’t know how the rest of you manage to just ooooze your feelings towards people and get all….jiggy with it…. I think is the parlance. It sounds exhausting.”

Smirking at herself, Dox chuckled. "And to think In chastised them for gossiping on duty. Heh. But, no. I don't think they're a couple. I think they just good friends. As for flirting, it is a horrifying nightmare of hormones, mixed signals and endless anticipation that feels like it's literally eating you alive from the inside out. If you really want to laugh, call up the security feed from when Rita brought Kodria to the Flight Control office. It was a master class in how NOT to flirt."

Chucking again, Mnhei'sahe took another piece of bacon. "I wanted to KILL Mona, she was coming on so strong, but here we are. Go Figure."

"Here you are," Asa replied with a smile. "You seem to have figured it out quite nicely. How is that going? Are wedding bells chiming soon?"

As the subject fell to Mona Gonadie, Dox's body language softened as she smiled. "It's... It's going really well, Asa. She's really... It's been... it's not something I thought could ever happen to me."

Pausing for a sip of her tea, Dox continued. "Legally... we essentially are. I filed paperwork so that in the event of... something happening... Mona has complete control of decision making. Joint property. All that is written out now. We've... talked about maybe some kind of ceremony. Something that has elements of a Romulan bonding ceremony, with the braclettes and something incorporating Miradonian ceremonies as well."

Getting a bit caught up in the moment, Dox kept talking and forgot what she was trying to not say to add to her best friends stress, "Heh... Mona's even got my mother on her side pushing for..."

Clearing her throat as she stopped herself at the last second, Dox took another swig as she awkwardly tried to change the subject. "So... yeah. It really is going well."

Asa paused for a moment, thinking for a moment and reading between the lines of what Dox was and wasn't saying.

There was only one course of action left to them.

The little doctor launched themself atop Dox, tickling her viciously while saying, "This is what happens when you get married without letting people throw you a party! And this is what happens with you act like I don't want to help you get pregnant, you doofus!"

Laughing hysterically, Dox put up the most minimal oof defenses, a purely perfunctory effort, as the moment was a legitimate emotional release. HAHAHAHAHA!!!! Get off me, Crazy!! Hahahaha!!

Satisfied retribution had been served, Asa retook their seat gracefully, arching a cool eyebrow and continuing in a faux-haughty tone, "Perhaps you could make a bracelet from her feathers if they were preserved somehow?"

Catching her breath and still chucking a little, Dox replied with as broad a smile as her chubby cheeks would allow. "That's... That's a great idea. But... we're not married in the traditional sense. But with the nature of the empathic bonding she made, it just kind of... happened."

"As for kids... I don't know. Mona and my Mother keep trying to assure me that I wouldn't mess it up, but I don't know, Asa. I just... I'm such a mess all by myself. And since Mona's the one that wants to actually to the carrying... Asa, Miradonian's have about four children at a time. I'm absolutely terrified."

Fingers steepled in thought, Asa said, “Yeah….that’s a thinker for sure. Don’t think you would screw it up, though….I mean, more than any parent screws up their kids. Anyone without at least a little wrong with them is just…..well, wrong. But I know you would treasure having them in your life- be it one or four or forty. You have a lot more love to give than you give yourself credit for, you know. I mean, if you didn’t really mean it I doubt the empathic bond would have formed, correct?”

The naturally negative Romulan woman immediately wanted to protest the point. Argue in any way she could think of. Bring up her own painful upbringing or the mass murdering Grandmother she had just learned about. Mention the arificially enhanced psychic doors in her mind that made that link easier to establish. But she knew Asa was ultimately right, so instead she just smiled and nodded.

"Mona says Miradonian's can mate with either gender, but ultimately we're different species. There's going to be some mad science to pull this off, and I didn't want to put that on you. Ya'know... If and when we decide."


"Pfffft," Asa began with a smile, "Performing mad science with you is becoming practically a specialty. Don't see any reason to stop the fun now. Besides, in all sincerity, I would be honored to help you have a child. It sounds like you are thinking Mona would carry?"

"Yeah, she wants to..." Then Dox looked down at her slightly slimmer frame. "...Plus, I'm loosing weight for the first time ever. I have no desire to wreck that anytime soon." Dox chuckled.

Turning to sit upside down in their bean bag, Asa rested their legs against the wall and continued the conversation inverted and more than slightly askew.

"You know, you look good no matter what, right? But I get it....I've been widely informed that my current hummingbird metabolism is a temporary superpower and that when I hit 200 or so my 'real' metabolism will kick in and I'll have to eat less junk. Adulthood is just a bum deal, isn't it? Can't eat junk food, have to contribute to society, not allowed to be a complete weirdo....well, at least in public. Thank goodness I can let loose around you. Being professional Doc Dael all the time would drive me batty."

To punctuate the point, upside down Asa waved their arms back and forth and made a goofy face to imitate a bats closed eyes.

"See? Your CMO is a lunatic. Woe to the Hera," Asa concluded with a wink.

"Well, her Chief Flight Control officer isn't any better. And here we are. Flying straight and true, anyway." Mnhei'sahe leaned back in her seat and picked up a cube of cheese and tossed it at her best friends head playfully.

Grabbing the cheese as it flew towards their head, Asa happily munched on it while still upside down.

Getting up from the table, Dox flumped onto the bean bags next to Asa and smiled. "But I promise. The next time I'm feeling alone like that, I'll remember that I'm not. I'll remind myself that you aren't going anywhere. Deal?"

"And I'll do the same, Deal," Asa concluded happily, scooting their head into Mnhei'sahe's lap to cuddle contentedly.

Standing in the corridor outside VIP quarters #11, the chief of Security of the USS Hera inspected two of her officers. The hulking Petty Officer 2nd Class Jablonski was currently answering questions.

"How tall now?" Paris asked with a singular upraised eyebrow.

"203 centimeters, ma'am."

"Growth spurt, Doc Dael says. Like a second puberty."

"Yes ma'am."

"Isn't hurting you? Doc approved?"

"Uh, yes ma'am. Cleared for duty by medical."

"How much protien are you putting away a day, Miss Jablonski?"

"Lieutenant Dael said I should be taking in a target daily protein intake of 834 grams, with some other fats and sugars and fiber for 1500 grams of intake a day. Cuz I kinda live in the gym. But I keep the rest of the squad motivated, y'know? I do a lot of spots. Pushing my bench."

"That's... good to hear, Petty Officer Jablonski. Keep up the good work. And who's this? You're new, one of the DS9 transfers?"

"Sorry, no, Commander, I've been aboard since the security cleansweep protocol. I onboarded from Earth. Dickinson, ma'am. Cryptosurveilance security."

"Why... are you standing guard here if you're cryptosecurity? Aren't you supposed to be analyzing sensor feeds somewhere?"

"One would think," the crewman security officer rolled her eyes to her fellow security officer whom had once been described as 'a statue the sculptor created just to give all of the other statues body issues'. "But the squad is trying to get me out of the lab and into the gym more, so I'm here for 'motivational training', ma'am."

"Then it's rather fortunate that you're here, Miss Dickinson. You're about to receive some motivation. Computer, if you please, unseal the hatch on VIP quarters 11, on my authority. Paris, R, LTCDR, 867-5309."

=^= Certainly, Commander =^= the computer replied as the doors slid aside.

"Ladies, you're with me," Paris wagged a crooked finger beside her as she stepped inside, and the duo fell in behind her.

"Hera? Are you decent?" Paris called out to the quarters from the foyer.

Hera woke up with a bit of a start from her new bed, rising rather bleary eyed. Parting the curtain surrounding it, she called out. "Almost. Give me one moment, please."

She then headed into the lavatory to at least wash off her face and find her shawl, which she'd left draped over one of the towel racks for some reason the night before. It sounded like she was about to have guests and it wasn't proper to appear weary before them. She also knew that clothing was important in this day and age as well, and she did so enjoy her shawl. She wasn't about to wear her sandals in her own home though.

Having cleaned herself up some, she headed out of her sleeping area into her living area to greet Commander Paris and her guests, smiling brilliantly. "Good morning everyone. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Noting that the goddess appeared to have just arisen was a surprise to Paris, who was accustomed to finding Hera reading at whatever time of the day she came to see her. Noting that she was apparently sleeping, she wasn’t about to bring it up. Instead she called to the overhead.

“Questions, clarifications and understanding are on the docket today, Hera. Computer, please beam in Delacroix H-02.” With a hum of the transporter that Paris only slightly leaned back away from, a platter with a pile of quartered cold cut sandwiches appeared, in such abundance as to be able to feed six people. As it materialized into twinkling reality, Paris raised an eyebrow. “White wine with lunch, computer,” Paris corrected, and a bottle of chilled pinot grigio appeared as well.

“Thank you, Computer. There, that should bolster you a bit. The wine is real, of course, as are most of the ingredients of the sandwiches. Chef Delacroix understands that in order for it to matter, it needs to be real, not replicated.” Paris gestured broadly to the spread, then gave her hostess a moment to absorb it all.

Hera almost drooled over the platter of food and wine that was now laid out before them. She felt like she could eat all of that and more, but remained composed as she moved towards the dining table. "That looks amazing and delicious. Please, I insist that we dine together. I have some cookies and tarts for dessert, if you'd like, but the ingredients are replicated so they do me no good."

“That would be lovely, thank you. Ladies, you heard her. Table manners, but when the honoree tells the honor guard to sit and have lunch, we oblige.” Picking up the platter with a grunt, Paris carried it to the dining room table and set it down, despite Jablonski mincing close by wanting to help, yet not wanting to interfere. Waiting for the goddess to seat herself, Paris gestured to the Security officers to take a seat as she opened the wine. Pouring out a large glass for the goddess, the anachronistic astronaut handed the glass to her. After all, ritual was important as well, and letting the goddess serve herself didn’t quite manage the same level of offering as literally offering her the bounty of the grape.

“I’ve a few reasons for visiting you today, but I thought perhaps we should start with being up front about what’s happening to the Security force.” As she spoke, Paris was putting sandwiches on a plate. She stacked a half-dozen of the quartered sandwiches on Hera’s plate, the same on a plate for Dickinson, four on a plate for herself and a dozen on the plate for Jablonski. "As easily represented by Petty Officer Jablonski here, who seems to be experiencing a rather extreme growth spurt."

"My domain and aura are affecting those guarding me, aren't they?" Hera asked as she savored the smell of the wine for a moment, then downed half the glass in one draft. "That is delightful... Southern Napoli soil, if I'm not mistaken."

“You would be the expert in that matter, I fear,” Paris replied refilling the glass. “Yes, your domain and aura are most definitely affecting those on honor guard outside, and it seems to take root with varying intensity. Miss Jablonski here being my prime example. So, it would be nice if perhaps we had some expectations as to what to expect in this arena, as medical science is a bit baffled by the ‘second puberty’ so many of our officers are experiencing. Would you be willing or able to elaborate on this phenomenon?”

"One of my left silver bracelets has a microcomputer with data on the phenomenon if you want the specifics, but essentially those that have dedicated themselves to my defense gain the blessing of my domain and will gain the powers and strength of Amazons. Miss Jablonski, from the looks of you, you may be pushing to replace the recently vacated position of General." With a slight furrow of her brow to show her concern, Hera began eating her first sandwich, delight washing over her at the flavor and sensation washing through her. "Oh... This is heavenly..."

“Chef Delacroix outdoes himself quite often, and he knew what he was being asked to prepare this time. Genuine cold cuts, real fermented cheese, fresh baked bread from whole grains. So while it is a supernatural effect, it is one that has no ill side effects, save larger uniforms and a heartier appetite?” Paris asked, trying to direct the conversation to reassure the women of the Security force, whom had definitely been noticing the difference. As for Rita, while she’d gladly parse the scientific data, she was hoping Hera could offer some reassurance that the phenomenon was benign.

Hera chuckled softly as she munched on a sandwich. "It's as supernatural as gravity. You're guarding me so you have my blessing, which means you and others will be naturally... More super... Stronger, faster... But in a perfectly healthy way."

"Petty Officer Jablonski, do you have any questions about all of this? Here's your opportunity to ask, whatever's on your mind." The gold-clad commander encouraged the enlisted officer to speak. Who in turn furrowed her brow, then looked at Hera.

"Thanks." The polish kid from Oregon who was now able to bench 620 kilos smiled and nodded at the goddess, and in that moment Dickinson spoke up.

"I have a great number of questions about all of this, and some of them seem reasonably urgent!" the somewhat frantic programmer insisted. "Ma'am, Commander, do we have a... a cult on this ship?"

Standing there with a bottle of wine she'd been offering to the goddess, Paris' eyebrows rose in the middle. "It seems, a bit... yes. We're ferrying Hera toward whatever destiny has in store for her, and her presence creates certain... effects. Which in part is why I am here, to address that. And copies of those specifics for Sickbay would be most appreciated by Dr Dael." The lost navigator steered the course back to the factual.

It was clear that Dickinson was marshaling her thoughts to determine how best to express her conflicts with all of what she was processing.

"If you do not wish for the blessing, then it will be so," Hera replied, finishing off her first sandwich. "Simple as that. And if it helps to think of me as a more evolved alien being that happened to play act as a goddess on many different worlds, then please feel free to do so. The closest you could pronounce my race's name is Ambrosian."

"So... an alien life form-" Dickinson started, and Paris interrupted.

"Miss Dickinson, where are you from?" Paris asked even as she produced a PaDD to look it up.

"What do you mean? I was born of Turogar, in the Llanth system. I'm human."

"No, you're a Torogarian human. Slightly different gravity, air balance... things we adapt to, because that's one of humanity's gifts- we're surprisingly adaptable. But in doing so you vary from the basic model human. Martians are different than earthlings, even in minor differences. That is the diversity of the universe, Miss Dickinson. No one is an alien. We are all citizens of the galaxy. Either everyone is an alien or no one is seems overly simplistic, but try it out."

"Point being, Hera is a life form, yes. Try to not literally alienate the concept of such infinite diversity in infinite combinations quite so quickly," Paris tried to soften her delivery to make it less of a dressing down.

"So I can't even get my first point across without an interruption, a correction, a speech and a rebuke with presumptions to my spirituality?" Dickinson was worked up, and she was giving vent to it since in theory the floor was open. "This seems less Starfleet, more like you are defending her and can't see why this all might be not the best of ideas. Does the Captain know about this? Does Starfleet Command?"

"The Captain knows, yes. I file regular reports, which will include this exchange right here, straight to the admiralty." It might have been a threat, it might have been a simple admission of the facts. Commander Paris was smiling either way. "Hera is a guest of the Captain's, a consultant on forces we've had to face, and she's saved quite a few lives. In return she has asked for nothing. Well, she asks the ship's library to give her books, but other than that, honestly pretty selfless. Hers is a tale of redemption, Miss Dickinson. The reports are available and you have the clearance to read the files. On an Intel ship, we are all sharing secrets we will have to keep later- but for now, we share the truth with one another."

"By all means, do your research and make your own decisions, Miss Dickinson. Make them informed decisions is all that I ask." Paris sat up a bit straighter. "Lecture over or have you more objections to raise, Miss Dickinson?"

"I request permission to continue this discussion after time for research?" the cryptosurveilance analyst asked, which received a nod to the affirmative. Satisfied, Dickinson eyed the sandwiches in front of her, debated internally, then gingerly picked one up to sniff it before taking a bite.

"I like guarding your door."

All heads turned as the somewhat hulking form who had finished all of her sandwiches began to uncharacteristically express herself. I'm glad the Commander takes you out for walks and lets us escort you to functions and stuff. When we came aboard she told us we were your honor guard, and that sounded... y'know, noble. Some of the girls think it's dull, but it's... zen, y'know?" It was perhaps the longest sentence heard out of Jablonski since she'd come aboard back on Earth that did not involve gym or work talk. Apparently being in the moment meant that that she felt free to express herself. Right here and now, she was speaking specifically to the goddess whose gifts she received, for which she was grateful.

Blessed are the faithful, after all.

The matronly goddess smiled brightly as she addressed Jablonski. "And I feel safe with you nearby. Thank you for your service. You know, you remind me so much of my first Amazon protector growing up, Kydio. For over eight hundred years she watched over me as you do now. Another hand taller and you'll be a match for her, I think."

At that, Jablonski sat up a bit straighter and blushed. Despite her physique, she was a quiet and somewhat bashful type, and praise from the goddess made her feel good, and while she didn't have the words, she nodded respectfully to her charge.

Hera then turned to Rita and placed one hand on the Commander's. "Would it be too much to ask to be able to gift her a pair of wristbands? If you have a pair stashed away for study, that is. If not, I understand."

"Funny you should mention," Rita replied, rolling up her uniform sleeve to reveal a pair of intricately carved bronze bracers. "We have some of these that we collected from the Amazons of Meroset 347. I'm interested in employing them in a few venues, but I was hoping you might be able to shed some light and explain their workings a bit before I go around issuing them to Starfleet personnel?"

"Of course," replied the matronly goddess with a motherly smile. "The left one with the moon will project a small personal shield when you flex your forearm just right and the right one with the sun is designed with a quantum pocket for storing items in like weapons or preserved food. There's no real security on them other than knowing how to operate them."

"Fascinating," Rita Paris replied. "How do they function... by which I mean, what are the physics involved, and how were they forged?"

"The local craftsmen forged the bracers and only the most masterful were selected. Then the Amazons embedded sub-quantum projectors into the underside. The shield is a thin film transparent neutronium simulacrum which should be impervious to all but your most powerful weapons." As Hera spoke, she reached for a pencil and pad of paper she kept on the table for just these situations and started jotting down diagrams and notes. The notes were all written in a precise and clean ancient Greek... but they were notes and basic schematics, nonetheless.

As she continued her explanation, Hera nibbled on another sandwich. "The size is limited to about one meter tall by half a meter wide at most, but most projectors are significantly smaller. The other one uses a null space dimensional displacement drive to store items in fourth dimensional space. There's a bit of a trick to sending and receiving items, but once you get it down, it's not hard. It can store up to about twenty stones of gear. Ah, but time passes normally and there's no air, so... No living things and nothing that will spoil. As for the power cells, they draw from null space so they should last forever as long as they don't go more than around eight hundred thousand light years from any sun in this galaxy."

The casual explanation of the metaphysics of which, apparently, were contained in the bracers the Commander was modelling which were extradimensional weapons locker and a personal shield was exciting, confusing and surprising to Petty Officer Jablonski. Outwardly her eyes were wide, and she was just taking in the exchange, hunched in a bit to try to make out what Hera was laying out on paper.

With that said, the buxom blonde bombardier stood from her chair, stepped back to have some clearance, and pictured in her mind the circular shield she'd first seen an Amazon manifest. It had been encircled in patterns and Greek characters that glowed in a faint ghostly outline until struck, when they flared to life. Rotating her wrist and flexing the muscles of her left forearm, a shield of the same size and proportion as the one she'd first seen on Meroset 347 sprang into being.

"There's a game changer," Paris muttered as she reached over to tap the energy construct with her right hand. As she did do, the shield flared into greater visibility oh so briefly before subsiding. Focusing on the shape and size, the curvaceous commander flexed her muscles and rotated her wrist, and in short form figured out how to form from a kite shield to a very small buckler. Looking at Hera, Paris nodded. Not fueled by belief nor anything beyond advanced science. This might just be historically significant, Hera- thank you."

"Ah, well, Please don't reproduce it or anything. And keep it safe. It has quite a few of my people's secrets in it and there are so few of us to begin with. Unlike the Asgardians, there are no 'common' Ambrosians, hence why we tend towards the more worshipful side of things, I think..." Hera looked a bit sheepish at that. "Anyway, you are very welcome. Please test the other one and see if a sword was left in it, if you don't mind."

With that Paris cocked an eyebrow, flexed her wrist and forearm as if she were grabbing a weapon, and a crude bronze gladius appeared in her hand. "And of course I just know how to use them, because that's part of your aura. Miss Jablonski, you are going to be the test case for these. I want you to get hooked up for constant biomonitoring, then I want you to give these a workout and see what they can do, while we monitor your system to determine of they are safe for the crew to wear. If, that is, you are willing to volunteer to test them. In good conscience, I can't order you to do something like this."

The large mass of muscle in the tight gold uniform sat up straight- which, Paris noted, said uniform had not been that tight when she'd walked in the door. Or maybe it was the way she was sitting- hard to be sure. But her strong chin rose and with a pride not seen before on the humble Security officer's face, she looked at the Commander.

"I volunteer, ma'am. I'd be honored," She then looked back down at Hera.

"See? THIS is the sort of thing I'm talking about!" Dickinson objected. "Does no one see anything impropriotous about this? Would Picard have let this go on on the Enterprise?!?"

"The testing of advanced technology shared with us by one of the last survivors of an ancient civilization that could revolutionize extradimensional space access as well as being the key to an alternative energy in null space power cells? Yes, Miss Dickinson... I think he would proceed in a measured and careful manner, but he would not turn a blind eye to the possibilities he had discovered," Paris responded, making a mental note to look up whoever Picard was later. "Time for research was the request as I recall?"

The dubious Dickinson, retreated, holding up her hands in surrender as she resolved to dig deeper into this particular religious cult on the starship which she served.

"Picard... I know that name..." Hera mused softly, searching her memories. "Oh, some of the best wines Dionysus ever gifted me was from a small Mediterranean vintner named Picard. Has the family survived?"

Picking up her discarded PaDD from the table, Paris tapped at it until her eyebrows rose slightly. “Apparently it has… Picard wineries. Also related to a starship captain of note it seems…” Glancing over the PaDD at the expression of disbelief on Dickinson’s face, Paris rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m still catching up on 130 years of history. You couldn’t service a duotronic panel if your life depended on it, so try not to judge me too harshly for not knowing the breadth of history I skipped, Miss Dickinson? You time travel and see how quickly you catch up while serving as first officer of a trouble magnet starship.”

"Skepticism is healthy for you. After all, I might suddenly fly off the handle and try to go after my husband's illegitimate kids at any moment again." Hera's mood darkened drastically at that moment. "Especially if I ever see that no good, cheating, son of a bitch or any of his rotten crotch spawn again..." She quickly brightened back up after that though. "But anyway, I consider you all family now and I just want to help you as best I can."

“HA HA HA such a kidder,” Paris overcompensated. “Yeah, we’ll leave your philandering husband who hasn’t shown his face in any of the crisis that we’ve faced in the past few months out of this, since I’m sure neither he nor any of his illegitimate children are anywhere to be found, considering there’s trouble afoot. Although you do raise a valid point- skepticism is indeed healthy. I was more than skeptical when we brought Hera aboard, but she’s not who she was, and she’s worked very hard to reform and be a patron goddess whose name we can be proud to bear on the hull. By all means, miss Dickinson, be as skeptical as yo7u like, and do your research and draw your own conclusions.”

“As for you, Petty Officer Jablonski, anything to add?” Paris asked, feeling it was time to bring this particular discussion to a close.

“I won’t let you down, ma’am,” the hulking petty officer replied, nodding to both Paris and Hera in turn.

"Uh, with all due respect, Ensign, I was ordered to report to the Chief medical officer for this, so if it's all the same to you, I know you can help me, but orders are orders."

The words might have sounded different coming from one of the regular Security officers onboard the USS Hera. But this was coming from the somewhat incredibly hulking Petty Officer Jablonski, who towered over the blind nurse by nearly half a meter. Her gold uniform bunched at the chest and at the arms, despite it being clearly large enough for her.

"If you wouldn't mind, ma'am? I'll wait," With that said Jablonski lowered herself onto a chair rather delicately, as if she were insuring that the chair could holder her weight before settling down on it. Apparently a hazard of modern shipboard life for her.

If the words had bothered the Aenar, she didn't let on simply touching her pager to call Asa to the front. The human though did keep her attention. The woman's aura was glowing with the similar golden light that the white nurse had only seen on the goddess who now inhabited the ship. "Would you like something to drink while you wait? " she politely asked, still typing out the latest report on the computer in the strange way that her kind could manage.

"Water would be great. Gotta stay hydrated or I cramp up," the burly enlisted asked with a smile and a wave. "A liter, if you don't mind."

The white girl paused for a second. A liter? That was a large amount. Even still she ordered a liter water bottle from the replicator along with her own nutrient shake. It tasted awful, but she needed it to prepare her for carrying the twins.

"Here you go." She said as she offered Jablonski the water bottle.

"Thanks," the good-natured security behemoth replied quietly as she started to chug down the water, waiting for the ship's surgeon to make an appearance.

For once the ship's chief medical officer had a good night’s sleep, and was bright eyed and cheerful when the page came across. Not entirely sure what was needed, they grabbed their tricorder and a PaDD from their desk and set out to meet the waiting pair.

Walking up to reception, Asa smiled brightly and said, "Hello, how can I help you today?"

While the large, broad and muscular woman was clearly capable of intimidation, instead she remained seated and smiled, a surprisingly bashful expression on the face of the Security officer. “Commander Paris is gonna let me test out some specialized Security equipment. But she wants for Medical to monitor my biosigns and start measuring metrics since I keep, uh, growing. Because that’s what happens when you guard Hera. So since it’s happening to me more than anybody else, the Commander ordered me to coordinate with you. So maybe a medical ankle bracelet or something…?”

"Sure!" Asa chirped, "Come into my office, let's look over your chart, shall we?"

Guiding the towering woman to their office, Asa poured her a glass of water and took the seat next to her at the side table. They reviewed her file quickly, and looked up with a considering look.

"Have you experienced any changes in appetite? Growing pains? Any physical symptoms whatsoever aside from, you know, the actual growth?" Asa inquired.

“Well, yeah, I follow the guidelines for protein intake and I’m up to about 1500 grams a day, with about 900 of it being lean protein. But I get in some fats and carbs too, to keep it balance. So, yeah, more food. But no, uh, growing pains… I mean, no pain, no gain, right? I’m in the gym pretty much every day working different groups. Can’t skip leg day, right?” Jablonski seemed to relax a bit discussing familiar territory for her. “But I mean nothing extreme. I just… keep getting’ bigger is all. S’not so bad, really.”

Leaning in conspiratorially, the stout security officer whispered conspiratorially, “I benched 620 kilos last night, and I am gonna push harder soon. I can feel it, I got more in me, y;know?”

Asa blinked for a moment, slightly taken aback at the impressive strength. Laughing in a friendly way, the doctor replied, "Remind me not to get in a wrestling match with you. But boy howdy would you make a great partner at cheerleading. You could throw someone so high in the air you would win all the competitions. Now, let's take a look, shall we?"

Asa set about taking scans and readings. The newly Amazoned woman was indeed increased in size and muscle mass by over 40% from her last check up in Sickbay. Her bones were also more dense, as if to accommodate the added strength, although her heart remained the same....

Hmmmm, without some medical assistance she isn't going to have as long a life span. Her heart won't be able to support the new size for as long as it could her natural size. Asa considered.

Sitting back down, Asa turned to face Jablonski.

"OK, good news first. Your bones and joints and tendons have all beefed up as well to support your new strength. However, you heart remains the same. We need to get it a bit stronger so it can support your new size, and so you don't have any reduction in life span. You are going to need to add an extra hour of cardio into your workout regiment, at least 3 times per week. Also, add 3 squares of dark chocolate to your diet each day. I also want you to meditate for 10-15 minutes each day to control your stress. I'm going to recommend a heart supplement- it's a medication designed initially for those who have had heart attacks, but a low dose will work as a prophylactic for you. Finally, we need to limit you growth hormone levels. I don't recommend getting much larger, so I would like to administer a growth hormone blocker. It will inhibit additional growth but also make you unable to conceive. What are your thoughts so far?"

The doctor looked at her calmly, relaying compassion through a warm smile and open eyes, but allowing the exceptional woman a moment to consider what was being said. Asa wouldn't presume to order her to stop growing, but they did need to make her aware of the repercussions of such growth.

As she had been listening intently, Jablonski looked upward to remember everything that had just been said and started ticking points off on her fingers. "I can do cardio. Why chocolate? I'll have to learn how to meditate. Heart medication's fine, but no hormone blockers. I really wanna see where this goes, I think. Did I get 'em all?"

Apparently the security officer thought that was a test, and was trying to pass.

With a laugh, Asa replied, "Sorry, I guess I did bark a lot at you there. Dark chocolate has been proven to help the heart maintain its strength. If you don't want the sugar content we can always take some pure cocoa and work it into some dishes for you. I can show you some meditation techniques if you like. What do you currently do for stress relief?"

“Work out,” the petty officer who looked like she lived in the gym replied immediately.

"Ah, I should have guessed that," Asa said wryly. "We need to introduce some actual relaxation into your life as well. How is your social life? Anyone you spend time with to relax and unwind, have a few laughs with?"

“Well, I take shifts in 10-Forward and that’s always relaxing. I kinda zone out on Honor Guard duty, which is kind of zen, because we’re hardly ever called on to do anything more than just stand and guard, but I don’t mind. Uhhh, let’s see, I go to the gym and spend time spotting people or helping them with their form… uhhhh… I think one of the engineers likes me but she threw up on my shoes, so not sure if I’m really into that. Uhhhhmmm…” the musclebound maiden considered, then shook her head. “Shoot, Doc, I guess ya got me. That’s pretty much all I do.”

With a warm smile Asa said softly, "Hey, I get it. It's easy to become all work. Just try to find some time for play too, eh? If you like the engineer back-albeit without vomit because ew- maybe buy her a drink? Ask a friend over to watch a holo vid instead of working out. Your body needs some rest time too, especially while you are still growing and becoming this next version of you. OK?"

Still listening, the doctor walked over to a nearby replicator, pulling out a bracelet looking device and sitting in front of Jablonski patiently waiting for a response.

While Jablonski wanted to protest, the truth was that the doctor was correct, and she basically WAS the job. “Okay Doctor. Maybe I can do cardio on days off and skip the gym that day to do… something else? Does rock climbing count as relaxation? I like climbing…”

With a slight laugh Asa replied, "Kind of. If you do it with friends, or just to enjoy the feeling. Try not to push yourself to extremes every day. And here," they said while clasping the bracelet on Jablonski's wrist.

"This little doo-dad will help us monitor your vitals and growth. If you are hitting certain preset danger limits it will buzz on your arm, letting you know it's time to slow down. If it starts beeping, come to sick bay immediately. I'm sure everything will be fine, but I'd like to keep an eye on your heart and hormone levels until you reach a consistent size. Sound ok?"

“Sure su- uh, ma- Doctor,” Jablonski inadvertently stumbled, but managed to find her words. “It’s just… y’know when you’re on empty, and you gotta reach way deep down inside to get it? Pushing for that next bench or another squat? That’s the crazy thing…” the surprisingly stout security officer looked both ways, despite there being no one about but the two of them.

“When I reach for it… every time, it’s there. When I push harder, I always go harder. It’s like I haven’t found my upper limit yet because it isn’t there. Is that nuts? I mean, I know it’s a gift of Hera, but… like, pushing myself feels really good, and I keep just… getting it, y’know?” Jablonski was far from eloquent in her explanation, but the message was reasonably clear.

Tapping their lips thoughtfully, Asa replied, "Let's do a pain receptor test real quick, ok? It's possible that you aren't feeling the pain of exertion in the same way you used to. Can you think of the last time you felt pain? Even if it was just a stubbed toe....when did something hurt?"

"Today, this morning. Don't get me wrong, Lieutenant, it still hurts," Jablonski replied, bunching up a bicep that threatened to pop a few seams in her uniform. "They're a little stiff right now, not pain but more of an ache. It was arms day. Good kinda ache, though, y'know?"

"Pushing out that next rep when you feel your muscles are straining and you push it anyway, a little of that in every workout is good for you. Lots of reps with low weights yeah, don't get me wrong, that's where muscle is built." The burly security officer's body language relaxed a bit, and became expansive as she expounded on a topic that was a large focus of her life. "But you still gotta push for a little more somewhere during the workout, and if it doesn't hurt a little, then you aren't really trying, doncha know. So yeah, I still feel it, built we can do your test, for sure. Any tests you wanna do I'm okay with, uh, Lieutenant."

"Ok, I'm going to pinch you. Just tell me if it well.....pinches." Asa said with a shrug at the awkward phrasing. The doctor then pinched Jablonski's right hand between the thumb and forefinger. They were using a good amount of force and even using a tiny bit of fingernail....well, such as their fingernails were.

"Uh, yeah, that's a good nerve cluster right there and yeah, that hurts si- ma- Lieutenant," Jablonski, as large and muscular as she was, was still vulnerable in tender spots just like any mere mortal, and she looked confused that the doctor really seemed to be trying to hurt her.

"Ok, well good to know," Asa said smiling brightly, "And I will quit torturing you on two fronts"

Sensing the question in the air, Asa let go of the warrior's hand and rubbed away the hurt when saying, "It's Myx. I am agender....which is to say I am neither man nor woman, but I prefer Myx to sir to ma'am, and my pronouns are they/them. Thank you for being so kind to try to get it right without asking. I know it's a new concept to lots of folks,and it means a lot you cared to try. Thank you, petty officer."

The pain in her hand somewhat forgotten, the relieved petty officer offered a bit of a bucktoothed smile. "Aw, Myx, thank you. I known a few folks to whom a gender binary didn't apply- good old sqrflnyx was definitely not a sir nor a ma'am. Commander says always default to rank, but Security's supposed to be polite, so... and it's hard not to offend in asking, doncha know?"

Laughing once more Asa winked and said, "It is that indeed. And you are very polite indeed. I'm glad you understand that I value binary stars far more than binary genders. One makes for a much better view than the other, yes?"

"It's kinda keen that all these races come together from all these worlds and we all bring different things, different ideas, different bodies, different experiences... but we all come together on starships like arks in space. I like that everybody's different on this ship." Jablonski appeared to want to go on, to perhaps wax eloquent and get to a point, but she kind of ran out of gas there and looked at the physician to save her from awkward silence, before she rescued herself with a sudden thought.

"So whew... yeah, thanks Doctor. Anyway, so... You can keep up on my food logs if you want, I'm following the nutrition guidelines I think, but if you need to change it up, just let me know what I'm doing wrong I guess?'

"Of course, and I will review the data from your monitoring device. Come back in a week just to check in, ok?"

"Sure thing, Lieutenant." Rising from the biobed, the mammoth maiden stopped, then turned to regard the young immortal.

"Hera... she's touched you too, hasn't she?" Suddenly realizing how that might have sounded, the powerhouse petty officer held up her hands in surrender. "Not, uh, what I was trying to, uhhhh, I mean-"

"Oh you heard about our kiss?" Asa said playfully, "Yes, after Meroset 347 I went through a psychic change that would have killed me if not for Hera. She gave me a bast- a kiss- and shared her energy with me, awakening a part of my physiology that had been dormant. I imagine it is something similar with you. Seems like a good fit for you, yes?"

The jolly giantess chuckled. "That's kinda swell that she helped you. She's great like that, yannow? And yeah, she says I'm probably her general, which I'd think that'd be the Commander, but Hera says me, so... yeah." Drawing herself up to her full height, jaw thrust forward and a look of pride on her humble face, Ethel Jablonski briefly looked every inch the part of a Grecian hero of myth come to life.

Then she grinned, that shy, evasive smile and nodded. "I dunno. I guess? I'll, ahh, see you next week, Lieutenant."

"Looking forward to it! And who knows....maybe there will be more of you to see!" Asa said, walking their new friend to the door.

Pacing the upper flight deck on Deck 3, Commander Rita Paris was going over plans in her mind. While there were a great number of variables and unknowns in the mission that lay ahead, she was taking steps in the present to attempt to produce results in the future. Planning. Strategizing. Plotting.

A conversation with lieutenant Dox had inspired her, and currently she was working in the undercover Starfleet operation she would be carrying out with as few people as possible aware of it. Some parts of the plan she was being open with deliberately to appear to have her usual ‘above board’ appearance so that no one would suspect what else she was up to. But with the piratical Tribunal ahead, the Pirate Queen had already made it quite clear that she had no intention of playing it straight, nor of losing. So it was going to be Rita Paris’ job to ensure that she never learned what Rita was up to, so that she could not anticipate nor counter it.

The curvaceous chrononaut was accustomed to being an x-factor, a variable in the formula. In this matter, she intended to capitalize on it and insure what the Pirate Queen lost because she did not expect an old-school Starfleet officer… particularly Rita Paris.

One part of her plan that she had shared with more than one person, which to her mind was tantamount to blatantly advertising it, was to send Az’Prel and Jaieh Dox off to get evidence that the Queen of the Artans had cut a deal with the Orion Syndicate to accomplish her goals. That would make her a pariah amongst the pirates, although it would be insufficient to tip the scales, as the pirate would still press things to a bloody conclusion to win a pyrrhic victory if she had to. But that proof needed to be secured, as playing the long game it would be important. Rita knew better than to put all of her eggs in that basket, however, and she was preparing a number of contingencies for this event.

As she had for months now. As she would until the moment arrived, in which case she would default to her strength, and improvise, adapt and overcome.

For now, she was pacing the flight deck, waiting for the arrival of others who were aware of this plan. She had made the arrangements, and let people in on her machinations. Now she would watch for betrayals, to watch for the leaks which were evident everywhere in how the Pirate Queen had been maneuvering thus far. Rita disliked paranoia- but then, it wasn’t paranoia when they were genuinely out to get you.

Emerging from the Fight Control Office door at the far rear of the flight deck was the aforementioned Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox. As always, the young Romulan Flight Chief was finishing up work on a PaDD as she walked. It was a habit that she had picked up emulating Paris herself while on the job and one she didn't even think twice about now.

Walking towards the gilded Commander, Dox's uniform was sharp and looked freshly tailored as the accomplished pilot, in preparation for the upcoming mission, had been working out and training quite extensively. She knew that the tribunal would no doubt require extensive hand-to-hand combat along with actual swordplay. As such, the portly pilot was getting a fair bit less round in the middle and was tightening up.

Her thick, wavy red locks had been recently trimmed back down to the short pixie cut she usually wore it in and she seemed in fairly good spirits, all things considered. A state of being almost odd in and of itself considering the almost perpetual state of anxiety the Red-headed Romulan seemed to exist in.

"Commander." The alert Lieutenant said as she came to a stop next to the Hera's First Officer, standing with her hands folded behind her back and still seeming to be far less nervous than was usual for her.

“Lieutenant,” Paris responded with a nod. "Will Ensign Gonadie be joining us?”

"Aye, Commander. Ensign Gonadie is finishing up in the R&D department on the project revisions she's consulting with my Mother on. She said they would be here within five minutes." Dox replied.

The project in question was an improved cloak that would add layers of stealth to already cloaked vessels… which was technology Paris in particular saw only as a negative since Starfleet did not use cloaking devices, this such improved technology would only be used against Starfleet personnel in the future. But like the tribunal itself, Paris didn’t get a vote- all she would be left to do was try her best to ensure it never saw the light of day, and ensure that Starfleet had the information and tools to combat it moving forward.

Spending so much of her time at odds with her own people was exhausting, but it had to be for now, at least until the Tribunal was past. Rita missed the good old days when it was a joint team effort and everyone was on the same page. But the future was too complex for that sort of simple honesty, and she’d been forced to accept it.

For now. Rita Paris had very long-range plans, however, and she was closely watching every detail in the moment. When her time came to make sweeping policy changes, her arguments would be unshakable after having been thought out years in advance. Shunted to the future, Rita was determined to build a better one for the next generation.

Outwardly, she said nothing. After all, there was nothing to be gained by creating strife in the here and now. The future, however, was taking root in the present.

Mona was next to step out onto the upper flight deck, stretching as she did so. "Well, it took some doing, but the new ship should be ready."

At her side was Mnhei'sahe Dox's mother, and former Romulan engineer and Tal'Shiar agent, Jaeih Dox. As the pair entered, the two bulky security officers that followed the elder Romulan about the ship stay outside the door at their posts, waiting.

Walking with her arms folded behind her back, Jaeih nodded to the pair of officers as the four women converged. Rather than her usual gray Starfleet Intelligence uniform with the customized Romulan sigil comm badge, Jaeih was wearing a nondescript black outfit. Black cargo pants and a strapped black tunic with a high neck. And in spite of familial relationships, since her Daughter was on duty and so, technically, was she, she simply said, "Greetings, Commander... Lieutenant."

It was neither cold nor sarcastic, but simply a show of professional demeanor to which Mnhei'sahe had the slightest of smiles as she nodded back to the pair.

“I had the utmost faith in you, Miss Gonadie,” Paris observed as she addressed the Romulan agent. “Mrs. Dox, I assume you have been familiarized with the craft in question?”

"I have, Commander. Ensign Gonadie brought me up to proverbial speed quite effectively." Jaeih replied.

“Excellent. Miss Az’Prel should be along momentarily, so that the two of you can get acquainted and on your way,” Paris replied with a nod. “I’ll brief both of you once she arrives. Have you gathered the supplies and armor you’ll require?”

"I have, Commander. I have already loaded the appropriate supplies and armor in the ships hold, replicated and weathered to specifications for mission purposes." Jaeih replied with a nod.

"The enemies in this universe are not as obvious as they were in mine," Az'Prel commented as she stepped out of a nearby turbolift, her newer red armor weathered and donned and a red rugged duffel slung over one shoulder. "However, I will do all that I can to complete this mission successfully."

"I have the utmost faith in you, Miss Az'Prel. May I introduce Mrs. Dox... I'm sorry, Jaeih Dox. Somehow Mrs. Dox just sounds like a character from a spy thriller in my head. The two of you will be partnered up for this mission, should you choose to accept it, which is to follow the trail of who paid who to attack the Romulan faction of the Baronesses. Hopefully to trace it back to the Pirate Queen, in time for the Tribunal. So, no hurry. And no leads in particular. But as I said, I have confidence in you both. You are both singularly capable and competent women, after all."

Saving any pleasantries for later, Jaeih simply offered a respectful nod to the Vulcan refugee from another reality.

"If you make it back soon enough, there's an infiltration mission I've planned as well, but... it's a lit fuse, getting shorter all the time. Which means we'll have to play this by ear. So, without further ado... if you are captured, Starfleet will officially disavow any knowledge of you or your operation. As Starfleet Intelligence we need to succeed in this mission, but you can go where we can't and do what we cannot right now. Do you accept this mission?"

"I do, Commander." Jaeih replied as she then deferred to her new partner.

"Of course, Commander. This is one of the reasons I'm in this universe, after all," replied the displaced Vulcan with a nod to both the voluptuous angel in gold and her new Romulan cohort. "It is a pleasure making your acquaintance."

Raising an eyebrow ever so slightly at a Vulcan referencing pleasure in any way, the elder Dox replied. "For myself as well. The Commander and Lieutenant have spoken of your skills, but little else. I look forward to speaking with you during our journey."

The displaced Vulcan's eyebrow then raised as well. "They haven't informed you of my origins? Curious. I shall have to remedy that on our trip."

Looking over toward Paris, then at her own daughter, Jaeih replied with a slightly amused smile. "Indeed." Her response was brief to allow the Commander to continue.

"Better to let you tell one another your own stories, I am thinking, rather than filtering them through our experience," Paris offered honestly. "Well, no time like the present. Bon voyage, bon chance... and I need both of you to return to us safely after the mission. I have confidence that you will watch one another's backs and ensure the success of the mission and personal safety on both your parts. Meanwhile, tempus fugit, ladies... where is the Nihroi, anyway...?"

Mona pulled out a small remote and clicked a control on it, the modified Scorpion design shimmering into existence before them. She then handed the control off to Jaeih as she grinned like she'd achieved perfection. "I think I've proven that my cloak has zero spatial distortion. If it's removed from the housing though, it'll automatically destroy itself without my special tools."

Taking the remote, Jaeih added, "One of just a few precautionary measures to ensure that the technology is secure and unable to be replicated or stolen, Commander. What Ensign Gonadie has engineered is many steps beyond what even the Romulan Star Empire has been able to manage in generations."

“Advances in cloaking technology are never a positive to my mind, as it only encourages the shadows to grow deeper, and for those who wish to hide in them to retreat even further,” Paris observed, sharing her less than positive view of cloaking technology. “But the galaxy is what it is, and I appreciate you taking pains to ensure that your work cannot fall into the wrong hands, Miss Gonadie. So ladies… off you go.”

With a slightly pensive expression, Jaeih glanced over to her daughter who had been observing quietly, then back to Paris. "Commander... would you permit me a brief... indulgence before Miss Az'Prel and I depart. It will not take long." Her expression was more plaintiff then was usual for the normally stone-faced Romulan, but as she and her daughter had been working quite hard to repair their once-fractured relationship, it was clear that she wanted to bid farewell.

Reading the room, as it were, Paris took the hint. “Of course, Mrs. Dox. Miss Az’Prel, Miss Gonadie, if you would join me in the office, I should tend to something as well.” Shepherding the other two women toward the R&D office, Paris offered a subtle nod to Lieutenant Dox, indicating that the two women would have a moment of privacy.

As they began to step away, Jaeih reached out and took Mona's hand, keeping her from leaving as well. As the Miradonian engineer and Jaeih's daughters were bond-mates,that made the young ensign her daughter-in-law. She nodded with a smile to the accommodating Commander and spoke quite sincerely as Rita and Az'Prel continued. "Thank you, Commander. I appreciate this, and you."

As for the Commander in question, a simple smile and a nod of acknowledgment was sufficient. For one so verbose, Paris also knew when to let silence speak instead.

Turning back, Jaeih looked at her daughter, who only a couple of weeks ago she worried she would never speak to again with a blend of pride and love that the usually closed down Romulan woman didn't quite know how to process. When she spoke, it was in her Native language of Rihan. "Mnhei'sahe... Have no fear. I have not come this far with you to let it slip away now. We will succeed and I will be returning to you, my daughter. I will be returning to you both."

Taking her mother's hands in her own, the young Romulan woman's eyes shined slightly as a tight, emotional smile crept across her cheeks as she nodded, replying in Rihan as well. "You had better, Mother. When... when we start this family, those children will need a grandmother."

Glancing over to Mona, Mnhei'sahe shot her bond-mate a slightly awkward smile and the slightest of nods as well, with the subtle but clear meaning that the brilliantly plumed pilot understood. As the two seemed to speak without words, Jaeih was both overwhelmed by what she had just heard and yet suddenly felt self-conscious, speaking now in English.

"Oh, my dear. I apologize..." She spoke awkwardly, "I simply said..."

Mona shook her head and in her best broken Rihannsu interrupted her. "You will make a wonderful grandmother and we will both be fruity parents." She then scrunched up her face, knowing she messed up a word or two, but not knowing exactly how to fix it.

With which, Jaeih Dox uttered a sound neither woman was accustomed to hearing from the generally confrontational and distant woman: a genuinely warm,.if short, laugh. "You continue to both surprise and impress me, my dear. And my Mnhei'sahe has clearly chosen very well."

Stepping slightly back, and clearing her throat as she adjusted her top, Jaeih didn't want to allow herself to get overly emotional, though she was clearly putting effort into in. "Thank you, both."

Smiling broadly, nodding and understanding her mother's need to maintain her composure, the young Dox tapped her comm badge. "Commander Paris, Miss Az'Prel… all is ready."

In the R&D office, Paris had taken advantage of the moment to present Az’Prel with an odd gift.

“It’s a phaser of my day, updated to modern specifications. It can still be set to overload like we could back in my day, and to me, the pistol grip is superior for aiming purposes. You might not need it, and it’s… well, I will admit that it isn’t exactly the most conventional of gifts. But I can’t be out there with you… so the least I can do is send you with my weapon of choice to defend yourself.“ Paris’ brow contorted and wrinkled a bit, as she fought a surprising wellspring of emotion within her.

“I haven’t had a long time to get to know you, Miss Az’Prel. But I feel I am responsible for you, and your well-being. My people have a lot to make up for with you, and I think maybe that’s part of why the Prophets sent you with me. So that maybe I can help you see that we’re not all bad, and that you can build a life here, have some security, and be who you want to be, not who the universe makes you.” Staring at the pistol-grip weapon of her day, Paris smirked. “So a phaser might not be the best way to convey that, but if I can’t keep you safe out there, maybe this will.”

The displaced Vulcan accepted the gift and checked it over, going through the controls and settings systematically like a pro before twirling it in her hand like a well-balanced knife and tucking it into her belt. "It is excellently balanced and of exquisite craftsmanship. Thank you, Commander. I will treasure it and I know it will be a good companion. I never would have imagined that a... Human... Would become my guide and mentor someday, but you have become more than that. You have become my friend and shall always be so."

She then brought her right hand up in the Vulcan salute, which she had only done twice now since coming to this universe - in her own universe it was instant death to do so in front of a Terran. This was how much she trusted Commander Rita Paris though. "Peace and long life, Commander. I will return as soon as our mission is complete."

Raising her hand in response, Paris offered the same salute as she had offered to the Vulcan woman when they had first met on the floor of a shuttlecraft exiting the Celestial Temple of the Prophets above Bajor. Splaying her fingers in the traditional style, Paris raised herself stiff and erect. “Live long and prosper, Az’Prel of Vulcan.”

Unlike her stoic husband, though, Rita Paris was emotional to a fault, and lowering the salute, she gently moved in to hug the slight Vulcan woman. Although she understood the Vulcan prohibition from physical contact, she did so all the same. Knowing that despite their friendship Az’Prel was a shell-shocked survivor, Paris moved slowly but deliberately, wrapping the slighter woman in a hug.

“Be safe out there, Az’Prel,” Paris whispered, then patted the back of the refugee of a hellish reality. Stepping back, she wiped away a few tears she couldn’t help but shed. She was sending the two women on a dangerous mission with no backup. But they were both very dangerous, very competent individuals, and this mission would play to their strengths. There was no call for her to be concerned… yet she worried all the same.

The displaced Vulcan returned the hug in kind as best she could, though a bit more stiffly than her human counterpart, a slight greenish coloration gracing her cheeks as they parted. "I will be vigilant in all aspects."

“I know you will. You both will.” Stepping away, Paris exited the office, to reunite the two unlikely partners in espionage with their equally as unlikely spacecraft to begin their away mission.

It was nearing the end of her shift and Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox, Flight Control Chief of the U.S.S. Hera was cleaning up her office. Over the last few days, stress with her mother having come on board lead to the usually very organized officer to leave her desk something of a mess.

But with her Mother and the Vulcan dimensional refugee, Az'Prel now well on their way on their mission to infiltrate and Investigate the Captain's Mother's illicit business dealings with the Orion Slave Syndicate, things were getting very close to coming to a head.

The Hera would be arriving shortly at the Artan Family Fortress and very soon, the long-lingering Tribunal between the Captain and her Mother would begin. It was a tribunal Dox herself would be playing a key roll in as an Artan Baroness and a role she had been preparing for extensively with both physical training and studying of the legal protocol that governed the family.

Family was a word that popped up a lot for Mnhei'sahe Dox. The Artan Pirate Family. Her new family here on the Hera. Her Mother and the grandmother she had only just learned existed. And family was what was weighing on the red-headed Romulan's mind as she organized the PaDD's on her desk when a message came through.

=^=Lieutenant Dox. Please report to the Captain's Ready Room.=^= Chirped the even-toned voice of the ship's computer from overhead. Instantly, a knot of anxiety curled up in the notoriously nervous young officer as she replied. "Aye. On my way."

Closing up her office, Dox took a PaDD and made her way to Deck one and the Captain's ready room. Stepping off of the turbolift, she glanced at the bridge. Sitting at the helm was her bond-mate Mona Gonadie. The impossible love of her life that she spared a smile for as she pressed the chime on the Captain's ready room.

"Come in," called the Captain, looking up from the report she was reading. "Ah, just who I was hoping for. Please, have a seat. I have something you might be interested in." She slid a PaDD across her desk and waited for her Romulan Flight Chief to have a seat before going into any details.

"Thank you, Captain." The anxious aviatrix replied as she took the offered seat. Pausing for a second, she hessitantly picked up the PaDD as her heart sank deeper in her abdomen. On the PaDD was a picture of a face she had only just learned about, but knew all too well regardless.

It was a middle aged Romulan woman with long black hair pulled to the back, with the pointed bangs characteristic of the people. She was a thick built woman with almond shaped eyes and a chunky face, wearing a black military uniform. For all the world, it looked almost exactly like Mnhei'sahe herself might look when older, with black hair instead of red. It was the face of her Grandmother, Verelan t'Rul.

"We didn't have much in the way of a file on her but the Commodore was able to pull some strings and get a bit more data on her. She was able to corroborate your mother's story as well, which is good. I trust Mona's senses, but I like to trust multiple sources as well, just in case. Especially when Romulan mind control devices are involved." Enalia pulled up a few different files on her own PaDD and looked them over. "The Borg attack, the incidents she described... They all match up from several sources.

Looking up at the Captain, Mnhei'sahe had a trained neutral expression on her face, doing her level best to maintain a professional facade as she looked down at the PaDD and read over the information provided.

There were pages and pages of data, but what caught her attention first was a simple timeline. A list of dates matched up with her Grandmother's career with the Romulan Star Empire.

=°=Verelan t'Rul- born 2298 in the Borath Provence of Romulus. Currently 98 years old.

Married Gorath tr'Rul in 2319. First and only son, Daralath tr'Rul born the same year.

Gorath tr'Rul died 2322 of unknown causes.

Served in the Romulan military began 2324.

In 2340, ascended from Sub-Commander to Commander when her Commander was killed in battle against a Klingon incursion into Romulan space. Taking command of the ship, she effectively destroyed three Klingon Birds of Prey in battle.

As a commander for 20 years, won battles against Klingon, Cardassian and Breen forces.

Served as military fleet commander in 2350. Is responsible for the orders that lead to 26 military campaigns to expand the Star Empire, subjugating 14 worlds in total.

Made the Director of the Tal'Shiar in 2354 - Notable orders during this period are the eradication of 2 Reunification colonies resulting in the deaths of 325 Romulan citizens. With the use of her Neural Technology, instituted a "reeducation" program that has "serviced" over 16,207 Romulan Citizens to date. Ordered a self destruct of a Romulan Warbird that had been commandeered by separatists. Destroyed with 176 Romulans on Board in 2358. Largely considered responsible for much of the Tal'Shiar's authoritarian rise over the military.

Elected Deihu t'Rul (Senator) in 2380.=^=

Tens of thousands of lives stolen or destroyed, listed off as dry statistics. All the while Mnhei'sahe stared at the image. At the cold eyes that looked just like her own staring back at her.

Sitting in the seat across from the Captain, her professional facade was gone as she sat, curled forward over the PaDD like a child, her eyes shined with barely contained tears. "Nouhha... She's... she's a monster."

"Almost reminds me of my mother..." Enalia growled, tossing the PaDD on her desk. "We've dealt with worse. Not by too much, but worse. I'm going to leave our course of action in regards to her up to you though."

"My... my Mother's fear was that if she found out about me, that she would stop at nothing to possess me. Apparently, she's more than a little possessive and control where family is concerned, as I understand it." Mnhei'sahe replied, almost flatly. Her emotions overwhelming her to the point of going somewhat numb for it.

"My mother had my father's DNA repressed and covered up to try and hide me from her. But that's gone now... those changes repaired." Thinking long and hard about it, Dox continued. "I suppose there's nothing for us really to do unless she... Unless she finds out about me. Makes a move. Is there... anything in here about that?"

Enalia shook her head. "We know that Rendal works for her and we suspect that she might have seen you in our recent altercation with Starbase 336, however, there's no evidence that she's linked you to your parents. Neither do we have any evidence that they know that your mother is here, though we suspect that they know she's alive and in Starfleet custody on Earth."

"Then...there's really nothing to do but hope it stays that way, I suppose. But... thank you, Captain. This will... answer a lot of questions for me and I appreciate it." Mnhei'sahe replied, pulling her eyes up from the PaDD and regaining her composure.

"You're very welcome. And thank you. Intel Command will keep their operatives focused on her for a while since she's likely to be a threat in the future, but this is considered a personal issue, so please don't expect reports like this in the future." Enalia smiled softly and reassuringly, hoping she was at least coming off as comforting.

Nodding, Mnhei'sahe replied somewhat quietly. "I understand, Captain. And I appreciate you doing this much. It's more than I could have expected."

Enalia nodded and motioned towards the door. "I'd want the same if I were in your position. I'm sure you have a lot to think about. If you need anything else, just let me know."

"I will. Thank you again, Captain." Dox replied. Then as the shaken young Romulan officer headed to the door of the Captain's ready room, she looked at the picture again, with that face so similar to her own and whispered under her breath, quietly, in her native Rihan. "You're not her, Mnhei'sahe."

Enalia was only conversational at best in Rihan, but she caught it and whispered back. "No, not you..."

In the small room, Mnhei'sahe's keen hearing picked up the Captain's whisper easily. She paused, turning back towards Enalia and smiled, thankfully, before stepping back out onto the bridge to consider the information on the PaDD in her hand.

Cybernetics had been found to be less secure than they thought now that Schwein's had not only been compromised, but so too had the training program she had requested from Baroness Sarika. It scanned as normal, but had some nasty overlay within it, which nearly killed the silver haired pirate. It would have succeeded too, if she had been alone. Parts of the program had even been modified to further corrupt her cybernetics with an anti-Borg virus that had crippled her for days with migraines even after the code had been wiped.

This was why in this next briefing about the upcoming Tribunal extra safety precautions were being taken with Baroness Sarika, whom had not only cyber-eyes, but cyber-arms. There was no telling if she was infected with any sort of malicious code or not. Just to be sure, there were dampening fields in place in the chosen conference room and one Ensign Mona Gonadie was here, who claimed to be able to see through any lie with her Miradonian eyes.

Enalia just had to await the arrival of one of her oldest and closest friends.

Fiddling with the PaDD in front of her, she didn't like this whole game of deception with people she liked, but she knew it had to be done. She preferred it when she knew there was a good outcome or when there was a nice surprise at the end, sure... but this... This felt like her mother was forcing them to stoop to her level and she didn't like it.

“So what’s the purpose of this meeting, Captain?” Paris asked in the straightforward manner for which she was known. Paris was laboring under the assumption that anyone cybernetically enhanced was compromised since the pirate Queen of the Artans had made it abundantly clear that was one avenue of attack she was employing. Ideally if it didn’t succeed it still managed to foment distrust and suspicion within their ranks, which Paris recognized. But she had her own plans and machinations, and was determined that the queen of the Artan fleet was going to suffer an ignominious and thoroughly humiliating defeat.

Or a terrible accident; which Paris was, in truth, still debating.

"I'm told that we have a lovely update on the status of the Tribunal to look forward to and as such things are best done in person for security purposes, Baroness Sarika will be delivering the report herself." Enalia motioned around the room. "Hence the extra precautions. I just worry since her arms and eyes are both cybernetic. It may not go well at first so I'll need some help calming her down."

Standing to the side was Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox. The Flight Chief of the Hera, but also one of Enalia Telvan's chosen Baronesses for the upcoming tribunal. As such, her presence at the briefing was requested although the quiet officer felt that her presence might also be required to help calm the extremely gregarious Baroness Sarika.

Having only met once, Dox took an immediate liking to the admittedly foul-mouthed Baroness and was truly hoping that it was only her cybernetics that were at risk for corruption and not the woman herself. But she was nervous as she stood, unspeaking, near her bond-mate and assistant Flight Chief, Mona Gonadie.

"Two security teams are on standby, Captain. My best officers." Paris considered her next statement, brow furrowing as she shifted in her seat, then she pressed on. "Meaning no disrespect, Captain, but how verifiable is intel from Baroness Sarika? She's still a person of interest in one of our incident reports, is she not?"

"I trust her with my life, just as I do with everyone else in this room. However, if her cybernetics are compromised, we must take precautions. Also, to allay any suspicions that her mind has been altered, that's why Ensign Gonadie is here." Enalia set aside her PaDD and tried not to fidget any further.

"Would you care to brief us on what precautions to which you are referring Captain, or are they a secret?" Again, Rita was of the school of asking a question if you wanted an answer, and she never minded being the dumb one in the room willing to ask.

"The dampening field to disable her cybernetics and Mona to make sure she's not lying for the basics. Other than that, I'll ask her a few questions that only she and I should know. If she answers them correctly, all is well. If not... Then there's something rotten in the Nibenheim..." The spotted woman was obviously nervous, still doing her best not to fidget. "The hard part will be keeping her calm. Suddenly going blind and not having the use of your arms..."

Which is when the security checkpoint at the docking hatch reported in. "Checkpoint one to Captain Telvan. Captain, Baroness Sarika just boarded and is being escorted to your location now."

"Thank you. We're ready to receive her." Enalia straightened up in her seat and readied herself to activate the dampening field with the manual switch that had been installed just under the table.

"Captain, if memory serves, she's a hugger." Dox turned to offer a suggestion. "With your permission, I can meet her at the door and hold her so she can't hurt herself when the field activates and hopefully keep her calm."

Looking around from the Captain to Paris and back, Dox continued. "If she's still herself, she liked me and hopefully I can talk her into listening. If she's not, I'm... best suited to be between her, you, Commander Paris and Ensign Gonadie.

Enalia thought it over a moment before nodding consent, giving time for Baroness Dox to take her place by the door. "Right then, if we're ready."

Which was right before the door opened and in came the excitable woman known as Baroness Sarika. "My bitches! It is soooo good to see you all again!" Immediately she went in for a hug on the nearest person, which was the resident Romulan. "Have I got some stories for you!"

Suddenly her red cybernetic eyes went dom and her arms went limp as the door behind her sealed itself. Her now useless eyes went wide, not knowing what was going on. "What the... The FUCK IS GOING ON!!! I CAN'T SEE! YOU FUCKING BITCHES!"

"I've got you, Sarika." Dox said somewhat softly, as she wrapped her arms around the silver-haired pilot. "But I need you to listen to me an try to be calm. Please..."

Tucking her head over to the side of Sarika's to keep her from getting head butted and tucking her outside leg behind the Baronesses to remove any leverage with her legs, the much heavier Dox had a firm grip as she spoke.

"Arenara has compromised Baroness Schwein's cybernetics, and we believe yours as well. And even unintentionally, I cannot let you endanger the Princess, so I need you to calm down and listen to her!" The verbiage was a Gambit. Sarika was fiercely loyal to Enalia, and Dox was hoping that speaking to that loyalty would get through to her as she continued to try and struggle.

Sarika paused in her struggles, realization hitting her. "Compromised?... The holo-program... Those fucking bitches! I'll fucking kill them all! No... This isn't the time for that..." Slowly, she calmed down, though her eyes were still wide and searching. "Ok... I'm... I'll be ok... I just want to skull fuck that fucking bitch now though... All the precautions we've taken, and she gets around them anyway..."

'I want to hold her down for you.' the red-headed Romulan thought to herself as she looked over to the Captain and Paris for the cue to continue.

"This is where we enact some sort of antiviral or signal blocking mechanism... who was in charge of this part of the plan?" Paris asked of the room.

"I've got it," Mona replied, patting a small case at her hip. "Any and all signals are being blocked now and as soon as I have the go-ahead, I can start a scan."

"Okay, I'm gonna to lead you to your seat and we can figure out our next step together." Dox said, lightening her grip just enough to move Sarika over to the open seat as she positioned herself behind the compromised fellow Baroness.

"Ok... So... It seems we both have a lot to brief each other on then," began Sarika.

Enalia nodded and leaned forward. "That we do. Sorry about all this but my mother has forced us to take some extreme measures, even with our closest allies."

Sarika grinned and shrugged as best she could without the use of her arms. "It is what it is. This is pretty much the state you found me in, isn't it? In that slave pen, waiting to die, useless cybernetics hanging around my neck. I assume you have a plan this time as well?"

The spotted woman chuckled softly and leaned back in her chair. "Just like in that bar on Setlak Prime."

"You crazy..." Sarika shook her head and leaned back as well. "Can we skip the bar fight with the Andorian Imperial Guard and get right to the Rigelian whiskey this time?"

"You're really you and fully dedicated to our side, aren't you?" Enalia finally asked, glancing over at Mona to see what her reaction to the Baroness's answer would be.

"Until the day I die, I will be your friend and would never knowingly betray you, Princess." As she spoke, Mona watched closely, but could see no hint of untruth in Sarika's voice or demeanor. She then nodded to the Captain, giving the Baroness the all clear.

"Then let's make sure your cybernetics are clean, shall we?" Enalia replied, finally smiling, the tension finally starting to drain out of her.

"Okay..." Dox let out a light breath at the signal from the Captain. She didn't have any history with the impertinent pirate beyond a few shared hugs, but was fond of the woman and recognized how important she was to Enalia, and that was enough for the anxious aviatrix to feel relieved for her Captain and friend. "...Ensign Gonadie is going to come over and Purge your system."

Stepping to the side to give Mona access, Dox nodded over to her Miradonian mate. "She's the absolute best there is. And... the Princess and I trust her with our lives... and then some. You're in good hands and we're going to make this right in no time, Sarika."

The slightly-less-portly pilot chose to wear her feelings for Mona on her sleeve in the moment, hoping that the tone of her voice would be reassuring to the incapacitated pirate and help.

Sarika nodded blindly, her eyes finally closing for a moment. "Ok, if you trust her... She's the 'donian, right? Got one in my crew. Lovely man. I'd trust him with my life."

"Yes, that's her." Dox replied, smiling even though Sarika couldn't see it. She kept her hand on the Baronesses shoulder, reassuringly.

Mona pulled out the specially prepared set of tools for the cleansing of the cybernetic parts of Sarika. She first scanned for malware, the feathers on her head floofing up as she did so. "I'm detecting malware all right. In your left eye and left arm." She then took out a cyber-key injector and linked it into Sarika's systems, downloading the suite of cleansing software and starting the process. "That should take care of it after a few minutes. It definitely has the same signature as what Schwein was infected with though."

"That explains the headaches at least..." Sarika grumbled, trying to hold still.

“How are we scanning the hardware? No offense, but compromised cybernetics with software is one thing, but cameras, recording devices and scanners could also have been installed without knowledge. What steps are we taking for those?” Again, left out of the loop, Paris asked direct question to address her concerns. After all, while she did not think like a sneaky pirate, she had certainly seen her share of espionage over the years, and this seemed reasonable to her.

"That's what this little scanner is for, Commander," replied Mona, holding up the first tool she was using. "It scans for foreign attachments and data streams as well as malware. From what I'm seeing, it used a combination of the sensors in your left eye and arm and for transmission... I assume you plug in to recharge?"

"Yeah, every night when I'm sleeping on my lef... That fucking bitch... My charger is infected too, isn't it?" Sarika was barely containing her rage at this point.

"I'm guessing so. We'll need to send some equipment with you to cleanse it." Mona replied softly and reassuringly.

"While we're waiting on that, how about we begin the briefing?" Enalia prompted, trying to get things moving, but still clearly worried about one of her oldest friends.

"Yes, and you're not going to like it." Sarika flopped her right arm a bit, obviously trying to gesture with it. Instead she just ended up frowning. "Your mother decided to petition the Arbiter of the Tribunal, Captain Magnus to level the voting properly now that we have fourteen Baronesses. Since the vote would require a fraction over nine, now we need a full ten votes instead of rounding to nine. We have six solid, she has three solid... The two first class bitches are abstaining of course... The rest are undecided."

"So the problem is how we get the Romulans on our side instead of hers, and secure the three undecided votes," Sarika added. "Freedom is all nice and beautiful talk, but the older ones remember your mother and the fear and terror she wreaked across the stars."

“Fear will make people do very stupid things. Let me guess, she’s currently spreading propaganda that should the captain win, that will be the end of their lives as they know it, since she will bring sweeping change and do away with their traditions. Whereas her benevolence is well known, and all who aid her will be recognized, while those who oppose her know what will come of it?” While she knew nothing about pirates or their mindsets, people really hadn’t changed over the course of Rita Paris’ lengthy lifespan, and motivations by commanders and politicians also tended to follow familiar patterns.

“Also, why is the science department not involved in this operation, out of curiosity?” Paris added, as it seemed odd to her that an inventive pilot was currently acting as a science officer in this particular scenario.

"In the interest of keeping as few people involved as possible," replied Enalia, looking none too pleased with the news she had heard. "The less the crew has to gossip about, the better."

"I've also worked with cybernetics like these before. They're not too dissimilar to those of the Thunderchicken or the systems I've helped other crew members with," Added the brightly plumed Miradonian, tapping the controls of the anti-malware device. "That should do it. I'm not detecting any further compromised systems."

"May I have my eyes back at least please?" the silver haired pirate asked softly.

Standing at her side, Dox looked up silently at the Captain and Commander awaiting their answer.

Looking around, Paris realized the question was somewhat directed in her direction. As she had very little idea of what was going on, Paris shrugged broadly. “Frequency jamming is blanketing the conference room right now, so even if anything is still compromised it can’t broadcast. If that’s a question to me, I don’t see why not.”

Enalia took a deep breath and let it out slowly before toggling the switch under the table, turning the electromagnetic jamming field off. "If you're clean, then there's no point to keeping it on and depriving you."

Sarika blinked a few times and flexed her arms as her arms and eyes restarted, Then smiled at Enalia, finally able to see her clearly. "Thank you. So...I suppose this means it's even more important that we get all the other Baronesses on our side."

"We have a plan in effect for gaining some support, but it's not going to help us with the old guard." Enalia leaned forward and picked up her PaDD, once again working now that the field was down.

Sarika nodded and stretched her sore shoulders out, not used to her arms hanging limp like that. "Yeah, those old bitches really need to get with the times. We can't go around harassing people like we used to just because we think they've got some ties to someone we don't like. We can't rule the spacelanes with fear like in your mother's day. Freedom to do what you want is one thing... But..."

"When it infringes on the freedoms of another, then we have an issue," finished the Trill Captain with a lopsided grin.

Sarika grinned wider. "And that's how it should be."

"Freedom for all," Enalia chuckled heartily as she flipped the PaDD in her hands. "So now... Who are the undecided Baronesses?"

The cybernetic pirate then pulled out a piece of paper with a written report on it and unfolded it, sliding it over to Enalia. "Bloody Batra is so far abstaining of course, being first class... but I think that if we can convince her that she can kill all the Syndicate she wants with you, she'll vote for you. Flora Tyrel, no one knows what that old bitch is ever thinking. She'll likely not even show up until the last vote. Lilly Von Schtupp, the information broker, is mainly hanging around the station these days and I don't have the funds to secure a vote from her. Thankfully, neither does your mother. She's asking for either one hundred bricks of latinum or your jade fire dragon tea set."

Enalia's eyes shot up in alarm at the mention of the tea set. It was worth several moons on its own and was the centerpiece of her Swiss collection. "I'll consider it. Please continue."

The cyber-armed pirate scoffed slightly before continuing. "Marelith is concerned about the timing of the recent attacks and is worried about the future as well, but if there's no proof, she means to abstain as well. Garan and Terethis are so deeply in the Queen's pocket that I can't even get an audience with them. As for Seinae, she feels she owes her a debt and her honor demands it be repaid, even with the timing of that aid after the attacks being a bit too convenient. And of course you know Merinda von Stolina is sitting this whole thing out to act as peacekeeper as the highest ranked Baroness, just in case. Which doesn't help at all, really."

Sighing, Sarika leaned back and stretched her arms behind her head. "Which means we have pledged support from me, Baroness Dox here, Schwein, Snodarss, Frederica von Grelica, and Mirana."

Leaning in, the anxious Romulan lieutenant interjected, hesitant at first, "Baroness Sienae swore a life debt to my mother over twenty years ago, and if she has any sense of M... of honor at all... of being Rihannsu... then that debt should supercede this."

By the end of her brief statement, her nerves were mostly gone, except for pausing to stop herself from using the Rihan term for honor as it was actually her own name.

"I've an introduction and a redirection or two, if I may?" the anachronistically-uniformed Starfleet siren stood, looking to the Captain for permission, then she came around the table, extending her hand in greeting. "Baroness Sarika? I'm Rita Paris. You come highly recommended. Sorry about the subterfuge, but now you understand the necessity."

Sarika slowly stood, her eyes widening in amazement. She reached out both hands to shake the commander's hand gently. "You're the bloody Rita Paris... From the poster the Princess kept on her wall growing up... Her bloody Idol... In the bloody flesh... On her bloody ship... That's why she was missing for four bloody years... I thought you were just someone that kind of looked like her and the Princess had dressed in the old uniform, but, you're actually her, aren't you? Your pulse, blood pressure, air pressure, none of that wavered when you told me your name..."

Glancing over at the pirate princess turned Starfleet captain, Paris smiled, a self-effacing expression. “I am indeed Rita Paris… I’m not exactly THAT Rita Paris, I’m… a different edition, if you will. It’s a long story. But yes, I am her, she is me. Nice to meet you, Baroness Sarika.” Rita returned the handshake gently, maintaining eye contact.

"You didn't need to..." Enalia groaned, blushing bright red and doing her best to maintain her composure but failing at it. "Anyway, now that we're all introduced... Where were we?"

Trying to help the Captain change the embarrassing subject back to business, Dox, who was still standing to the side of Sarika, added, "The old guard Baronesses. And what, if anything, we can do to change their minds."

"Ah, yes, indeed." Finally releasing Rita's hand, Sarika returned to her seat, still in awe. "Ahem... Well, we could try blackmail or bribery... But I doubt any of you would go for that, and personally, I'm not fond of it either. Which leaves us with appealing to their grandmotherly side. Garan and Terethis are both grandmothers and Therethis' only granddaughter is a member of Magnus' crew. That being the case, she has to stay out of it... However... If we can force an audience with the old bitch..."

"Considering what Arenara wants to do... force you to give her a grandchild against your will... that might be a good angle to get them to at least listen to reason." Dox added, looking to the Captain as she took a seat finally. "Bribery to get them on our side might not be a good tactic, but is there anything we have that we can give to get a sit down with them? A gesture of good faith?"

Enalia thought about it for a moment before replying. "Well, I could give her the tea set that I stole out from under her at an auction some years ago..."

"That might at least ease some tensions..." commented Sarika softly. "The one thousand year old Romulan set made of emerald china, right? I had forgotten about that."

“If nothing else, it does show just how willing you are to negotiate, captain,” Paris chimed in, moving to take her seat. “She threw that out there as an unreasonable demand to see if you would come to the table to parley. While I’d wager she does want the set, she wants to test your commitment more. I’d say take a meeting with her at the very least and be prepared to pay her price if you think she’s serious. Or she might be dangling that as a false hope as she doesn’t ever plan to change her vote. You know these people captain- I’m just whistling in the dark.”

"Yeah, but I'm relying on you to be my light in the dark," Enalia leaned back and sighed heavily. "Ok, so that's two literally priceless tea sets I'll have to give up for this... Anyone else want a tea set while I'm handing them out?"

Sarika raised one hand. "I'd actually like the tea set that we used on the Garan... If you still have it..."

"I... Yeah..." The spotted Captain smiled softly at the memories of the old plastic tea set. It had nothing but sentimental value, but she had kept it anyway. "It's tucked away in storage. The teapot is a bit melted, but all the teacups are ok. No idea how they survived, but they're yours."

“Captain, I’ll not hear this defeatist talk,” Paris responded sharply. “A psychological profile of these women would be ideal, but you are the ones who have known these women for your entire lives, so in theory you should be experts on their behavior. I’m just walking in here, so when I say I am whistling in the dark, that means I am operating on practically no data, no personal experience and no foreknowledge of these people. You three have known them for literally decades. Ideally you should know them well enough to divine both their surface as well as secondary motivations, and understand how to appeal to them.”

It was a bit of a sharp rebuke, but listening to Enalia already throwing in the towel instead of rising to the challenge was simply not going to do at all. If she was going to win this she had to want it, and she needed to be confident in the maneuvers she understood. Because if she showed this level of indecisiveness and capitulation to the actual baronesses, she would be finished before she started, unless she just out and out murdered her mother.

Which was one of many plans Rita Paris now had spinning in the background, which she was deliberately not telling her captain nor anyone else for a number of reasons. In this affair, she trusted her own counsel, and she had no intention of losing. But she couldn’t let the captain be beaten before she began.

The spotted woman looked up at her first officer oddly before continuing. "As Commander Paris has said, we should be able to divine their motivations. So then, let's go through the list and do that."

Looking over the piece of paper Sarika had handed her, she looked at the names of the Baronesses that were decidedly on the side of her mother first. "Baroness Garan, provided I can get an audience with that tea set, is your classic Yakuza type. She prefers to rule her crews with a tight fist and a kind hand at the same time. Once you're part of her crew, the only way to leave is in a torpedo casing. If we returned to raiding merchant lanes today, she'd be perfectly happy. She's also got a soft spot for family. Of all the Baronesses, she's the only one that's ever been able to intimidate me, though I was young at the time..."

"I remember your mother beat you most of the night after that..." Sarika added softly.

"If we could just get rid of her..." Enalia shook her head and moved on. "Then there's Baroness Terethis. She's got a life debt to my mother. It's also about the only thing she takes seriously. She's also a traditionalist."

"Meaning she'll push for the head of the family to remain in your family no matter what," interjected Sarika.

"Exactly." Enalia then went on to the next one. "Baroness Seinae, we have a plan in progress to handle her. It should cover Baroness Marelith as well." Enalia glanced up and looked at the others. "Marelith has an overinflated sense of law and order and acts as a judge if there are disagreements between crews. She also heads up the task force we run that hunts down rogue pirates that Tortuga Station is tired of."

Sarika grinned and pointed into the air. "She gives them a fair trial before turning them over to Starfleet Security. Or the Klingon Defense Forces. Whomever has a higher bounty."

"Law and order among thieves..." muttered the spotted captain before moving on. "Baroness Flora Tyrel... My grandmother appointed her and I've never actually met her. She shows up to vote at functions now and then and just leaves."

Sarika nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I've only seen her once and she had a distortion field around herself so my scans and sight were fuzzy. I don't even know what race she is."

"Vulcan." Enalia interrupted, setting the paper down. "She asked my grandmother for a ship and crew for something and that's all I know. If anyone else can logic out that one, by all means..."

"Which leaves Baroness Lilly Von Schtupp, the information broker. She wants one hundred bricks of latinum or a tea set worth three times that..." Enalia sighed heavily. "If I send her the latinum, I tell her she's not as valuable as the centerpiece of my Sweden collection. If I send her the tea set, I tell her I'm desperate."

"Von Schtupp wants something else. The money or the tea set are distractions... she wants to be pursued. You've got something she wants. Information, if she's an information broker?" Paris offered, as the dual offers showed a surprising lack of focus for a secrets peddler, at least to her mind, and hinted at a deeper motivation.

"Which means she's testing our information network to see if we can figure out what secrets she's after in time..." surmised Enalia. "Good thinking."

Listening intently, Dox might have been a part of this world as a child and teenager, but its more complex machinations were somewhat beyond her. She was however, a fast learner and the ins and outs were coming back to her. "Captain. Are there any of the undecided Baronesses where getting THEIR favor first might sway one or more of the others. Even lean them closer to our side? The most respected or the most feared, for example?"

"That's probably one of the reasons the two first class Baronesses are abstaining for now. Most of the others look up to or fear or idolize them. Though Bloody Batra..." The curvy Captain shook her head. "If she didn't have morals, that woman would be as bad as my mother..."

Sarika nodded and sighed deeply. "That woman... On the bright side, she's had so many problems with the Syndicate that if she thought she'd have more luck going after them with us than under your mother..."

Having listened and digested, Paris felt she'd made enough connections to contribute. "Can anyone challenge a sitting Baroness for her seat? Or is it a hierarchy system where you have to be promoted to the rank? How does all of that work, because I am thinking that's another potential avenue of opportunity for motivation."

Enalia punched up the Artan bylaws and started scrolling through them to the particular chapter on her PaDD. "It's setup similar to Klingon ships. The second in command can challenge the Baroness at any time for her position. However, the Baroness chooses the duel type. I can bring them up on charges as well, but not during a tribunal, and not without due cause. If a man is ever named Baroness..."

"It's only happened once..." Sarika interjected.

Enalia's demeanor turned grim at that thought. "I think that might be half of Bloody Batra's issues, if I'm to be honest..."

"Elaborate please? If we can swing a vote just by the Captain promising sexism, that's an easy out right there," Paris opined. Out of her element she might be, but this was strategic planning, and this was somewhere she could contribute with just a little information to work with. "Also, do we know of any second in commands who might be motivatable to challenge their Baroness? It might cause a swing vote, and if nothing else fomenting dissension in the ranks sows its own chaos and will keep the Baronesses less focused. Thoughts?"

Enalia thought on the sexism thing as Sarika chimed in grumpily. "Mine challenges me daily... That doesn't help us though. Intel like that is hard to get and the only one that might have it..."

"Currently isn't talking to us," Finished Enalia, having completed her thoughts on the Matriarchy. "I just realized that out of all of our leadership roles, the Captain of the fleet is the only one that's even allowed to be male. We're so steeped in tradition and heritage, we even took the old lessons from the old Trill Matriarchy days and ran with them like they were latinum wrapped in bacon dipped in booty. That's another thing that's going to have to change."

"As for your question though," Enalia paused for a moment in thought. "I've always heard that there was a lot of dissent in Terethis' ranks. Is that still true?"

"Not after she spaced half a dozen people and broadcast it for the whole family to see. Called it a lesson in tradition." Sarika shook her head sadly as she described the incident. "The poor souls were woefully underprepared for a raid because of bad intel and they barely made it out alive. Then she goes and blames them of being lily-livered and tossed them out the airlock herself one at a time just to make a point. The intel agent, she tortured to death. This was of course while you were missing."

"I see..." A mix of emotions was going through the Captain right now - regret at not being there to remove Terethis from her position when that happened, anger at herself for allowing this to go on for so long, sadness for the crews under people like this... She did her best to remain the impassive and strong fortress on the outside, but she was pretty sure her facade was crumbling by now.

As the Captain and Sarika talked, Mnhei'sahe's stomach tightened and her face had taken on the stern facade familiar to anyone who had known the young Romulan woman's mother. Listening, the young pilot could no longer hide behind pretty speeches from Captain Magnus or Baroness von Alcott about fighting for personal freedoms or some noble cause. This was what it meant to be an Artan Baroness. This was the world she had so willingly accepted being a part of, and in the moment, she felt disgusted. But she kept her face neutral as she listened.

“Hell of a traditionalist,” Paris growled, noting the look on the face of Lieutenant Dox, seeing this might be the first time that she really considered just whom she had thrown her lot in with, and perhaps begun to realize just why Rita had been so adamantly opposed to her joining the pirates as a ‘sideline career’. “Well, if I wasn’t motivated before, captains who space their crews for failure are people I like to call, ‘should be removed from power and put in a hole somewhere’. So it sounds like dissent beneath the Baronesses is a bit of a strategic dead end, then?”

Sarika stood up for the Captain though. "To be fair, Magnus has been following Enalia's orders to guide the fleet and family towards a kinder and gentler path. He even brought her up on charges several times, but with the Princess missing... Well... The queen came back out of retirement and started fighting against him on things like that. Hence why we have people like them still. Most of the Baronesses aren't filthy murderous bitches unless we have to be. And even then, we uphold the code."

Sarika shook her head and continued. "As for dissent among ranks, if we had more time maybe. With the Baronesses we're talking about though, it's a good way for their seconds to get killed unless they're really sure of themselves. Plus, what if they're just as bad?"

“In this instance, the ‘what ifs’ are all too many,” Paris grumbled, then sighed. “So, we’ve got strategies for possibly converting a few of the baronesses to the captain’s cause, but basically this is all spinning our wheels in the mud because the captain seems certain her mother is determined to force this to a duel one way or the other. Do I have that much of the situation down, or am I missing something?”

"We're missing her plans," Enalia stated simply, setting her PaDD on the table. "And I guarantee she's been planning this from the moment she decided to demand my obedience. That's the kind of woman she is. Remember the plans I've woven around this ship and crew? Your meeting with Sonak on the flight deck, for instance? She's where I learned all that from. Unfortunately in this case, I'm well behind the curve and she knows it." Enalia grinned that piratical lopsided grin of hers though. "But I have a secret weapon. I have a far better crew than she ever will. Even if the vote fails and we go to a duel, we can win just because of that. We just have to watch out for her tricks and sabotage and make sure my ship actually works."

Feeling hesitant to say anything, Dox quelched her anxiety for the moment as she wasn't here simply as a pilot in this instant. "Even if she insists on forcing a conflict, it will be beneficial to have swayed as many Baronesses as possible, I'm thinking. You win the duel and you... we... need that support to keep the organization from falling into chaos in the aftermath."

"Excellent thinking. Especially since two of my biggest supporters don't even have their own crews," Enalia added. "I've encouraged Schwein to rebuild, but after she lost her entire crew and all her ships... I don't think she has it in her."

Enalia wasn't entirely sure she should reveal this next part, but went ahead anyway. "Before the auction, I tried to talk her into naming you her second, even if only for the day, but she refused. Instead, she talked me into making you a Baroness ID. For better or worse, you're in this world again. Hopefully, together we can see the family through to better times and my mother can spend some time in a Federation prison. If she isn't somehow killed, that is..." She really hoped it wouldn't come to killing her, but she knew her mother. The woman would likely find a way to force her death on her daughter's hands.

“All right, so what is her plan? Some of you have literally a lifetime of dealing with her, one might imagine that would lend itself to some degree of divination of intention? And as it seems to be a foregone conclusion that regardless of any other outcome she will force this to a duel, she’s going to find out that the squeaky clean Starfleet officer has entirely different rules of engagement when it comes to dealing with murderous pirates,” Paris fairly growled. The entire situation stunk, and struggling to try to make sense of it while she made her own secret plans and machinations was getting on her nerves. But she was trying to keep a cool head and wring some productivity out of this meeting beyond debugging the first Trojan horse that had been sent their way in the form of the cyber-infected Baroness Sarika.

"She knows there's a legitimate chance she can lose the vote. But if she pushes for combat, it might just be... honestly... to kill you, Captain." Dox added grimly. "She needs an heir. YOUR heir. And if you won't give her one on your own terms, blood on a sword would give her all she needs. And we can't let that happen."

The Trill Captain nodded. "Exactly that. She's put a lot of work into my genes and she made sure the lab that did that work couldn't reproduce me or talk about it. I also made sure the samples she had of myself and my sister were destroyed. She's going to use the boarding claws on the Bloody Rose as soon as she can to latch on and try to get to me. She's also one of the three people that taught me swordplay. I've been practicing with Schwein for that reason."

"As for her preparation plans, if I were her, I'd have seeded spies, willing and unwilling, in every crew years ago. Sarika's second, Marelith's first mate, a couple of the Romulans... She already has the old guard Baronesses in her pocket, but I'd have a few of those crew seeded as well - probably the advisors. She has the holographic maids bugged so don't discuss anything around them. They've been that way since they were installed. I have the access codes though so I'll forward those."

Then another thought occurred to Enalia. "Has any of the tech from Meroset been proven safe? We confiscated quite a few of those bracers from the Amazons and Minotaurs, didn't we?"

“I’ve begun testing with them at the moment, yes. What do you have in mind, Captain?” Paris replied cagily. That was another one of those cards she was hiding up her sleeve- literally in this case- and she basically distrusted everyone with any of the information of what she had planned. Her ramped-up paranoia told her in this instance to trust no one- particularly anyone in the room, at least when it came to her plans for the Tribunal.

Enalia eyed her first officer for a moment, sensing that she had something up her sleeve, figuratively speaking. "Just looking for an edge. I won't be able to wear a suit of armor under my white uniform so I'll need to visit the armory again and look for more options."

"White uniform? Part of the Tribunal I assume? I mean, you weren't going to be doing this in your Starfleet dress whites I assume?" Paris asked, turning over ideas in her mind.

"No, I'll be in my Artan Royal Uniform. Remember the white, gold, and platinum thing with the cape and tassels that made me look like I was fresh out of some animated war holo?" Enalia waved her hands in the air as she described the outfit.

"Ahhh, the BIG pirate outfit," Rita nodded, then crossed her arms beneath her prodigious bosom. "All right, let's recap. Fomenting dissent with the ranks of Baronesses who are problematic, and they are old and evil tyrants, set in their ways. We can't do anything about them at this point, and we have to just watch for attacks from any, possibly all of them so they can curry favor with Mommy Dearest. Dox, you'll have to handle the negotiations with Sienae in place of your mother. As you are setting up the meetings with the ones you think can be swayed, we have to figure out what Von Schtupp wants, because it's likely to use information she's gathered- if properly motivated she could be the key to this whole thing."

Turning, Rita eyed the spotted Captain. "You have some work to do, Captain. The old guard will be a lot more enthusaiastic about someone taking over who has a plan and a platform, rather than 'I'ma wing it'. I would suggest that you start drawing up the compacts and plans for how YOU would like to see the Artan fleet run- what policies, what codes. Give them a reason to stand beside you now and follow you into the future, aye?"

Enalia nodded thoughtfully. "I came up with a one hundred year plan when I took command of the Hera and indirectly, the family and I asked Magnus to begin implementing it. I think it might be time to revisit that plan - add some details and reveal it. It was meant to revisit the ideals of my great grandmother, with a few of my own ideals I picked up in Starfleet."

For the first time in the entire meeting, Rita Paris smiled- the genuine, real deal. Nodding, she uncrossed her arms. "I am so very glad to hear that, Captain. I'd like to hear it myself when you're ready."

"We're gonna get through this, Enalia. I swear I will do my damndest to pull this off without a casualty, but that vote isn't always up to me. The one thing I'll ask of you- of all of you- is trust me. Believe that no matter what I may say or do, I have your best interests at heart. I," Rita stepped over and leaned against the table beside the spotted captain. "In turn, will believe the same of all... of you..."

It was a flaw in her character, a fault in her espionage training and an asset at times. But Rita Paris could not convincingly lie, and as she tried, the truth in her own realization overcame her delivery as she realized it herself. The smile kinda froze in place.

"My life and soul are in your hands," Enalia replied immediately, ignoring the obvious verbal stumble. She knew Rita couldn't lie, but even to reassure people like this that she trusted them? They were definitely from two different worlds, as the woman that was raised to become a pirate queen was taught how to tell a crowd a lie, get them to believe it, and even believe it herself. Thankfully, she hadn't used that particular skill since her Valedictorian speech in the academy.

"Aye! Good enough for me!" Sarika added, standing and pumping one cybernetic fist into the air.

Picking up on Rita's words and the awkward meaning behind it, Dox smiled... but it was a hollow thing. Every step she took towards Enalia's world seemed to take her further from Rita's and she felt very alone in the room for it. The young, insecure Romulan instead simply nodded, not having any words to add.

"We will be entering the K'reo'n Nebula in 14 minutes. I will drop us out of Warp for entry at two hundred thousand kilometers from the leading edge." Jaeih Dox called back from the pilot's seat of the small two-person replica-Romulan Scorpion fighter dubbed the Nihroi.

The Rihan word for 'The Question', it was an appropriately whimsical choice, made by the Hera's First Officer, Rita Paris. And it was the kind of thinking Jaeih Dox had begun to expect from the unexpected human.

Sitting behind and slightly above the elder Dox was the Vulcan refugee from a mirror universe of horrors, Az'Prel. She, like her Romulan companion, was volunteering her prodigious skills in service of the Hera on a covert mission to gather the information that might aid the Hera's Captain, Enalia Telvan, in her upcoming tribunal to wrest control of the Artan Pirate Fleet from her mother.

"Once inside, I will have to drop us out of warp as warp fields are far too unstable in the nebula. However, the cloud will completely obliterate our trail making it impossible for anyone to track our path of travel back to the Hera." Jaeih added. It was close to the only conversation the two women had shared since they left the ship together on this mission.

"A most fortuitous natural occurrence. Sensors show no signs of pursuit or detection." The displaced Vulcan woman then paused a moment before continuing. "In my native universe, the Terran Empire scans for and destroys all ships that employ similar tactics in such nebula."

"So would a Romulan Warbird, were one near. It appears Empires think alike regardless of the universe." Jaeih commented somewhat flatly. For a Romulan, her mannerisms were often deliberately emotionless. It was a necessary coldness in her former life as a Tal'Shiar enforcer that never quite went away. "The Commander and my... the Lieutenant... mentioned something about your origins, but no specifics. I am to take it from your statement that like Commander Paris, you also hail from a different reality from this?"

"Yes, I am from the mirror to the Commander's own universe," began Az'Prel, maintaining her own emotionless speech patterns. "As my universe collapsed, I tried to escape its destruction and eventually found a hole in space and was rescued by the beings known as the Prophets. As far as I am aware, I am the sole survivor of my universe."

"I cannot imagine how that must make you feel, which for a Vulcan of any reality must be... distressing on multiple levels. However, from the limited intelligence reports I have read regarding this realities Mirror, I can only surmise you are in a far better situation having survived to come here." Jaeih added.

"Just from my limited experiences aboard the USS Hera, I am inclined to agree. Fortunately, I am unlike my more emotional Vulcan counterparts and am a logician so am a closer fit to what this universe expects of me." There was a slight pause before Az'Prel made an addendum. "Other than being a highly skilled former slave and freedom fighter that has killed nearly a thousand Terrans through hand to hand combat and infiltration. I assume that those are not common Vulcan traits."

From her seat in the front, Jaeih allowed a slight smirk to cross her face. "No, not inordinately. Vulcans here are both logical to a fault and very peaceful. Though with those skills, I can see why Commander Paris thought we would be well suited to working together on this mission."

"In my universe, it was Romulans that were very peaceful. The Republic did not last long against the Empire during the war." Az'Prel performed another sensor sweep, just in case. The small craft didn't have the range of most other vessels, so she wanted to stay on top of things.

"A true mirror, then." Jaeih replied. The tone of her voice was largely neutral, with the hint of a chuckle on her lips at the idea of a peaceful Romulus. "It is going to be a long journey, so I do hope you do not find any of my questions intrusive. But, also, if we are to be working together, it will benefit us both to have some level of familiarity with the other."

"On the contrary, I have learned much of this universe, yet it is but a fraction of what is truly out there. If my experiences offer some insight as to what I will need to know for this mission, then by all means. I would be happy to answer any and all questions you may have. It would only be logical." The Vulcan woman from another universe may have said the word happy, but her cool, emotionless voice carried no hint of it. Indeed, she'd used emotive terms many times over her time in this universe, and yet showed little to no signs of emotion and what she had shown would be expected for someone having watched the destruction of the literal fabric of their reality and everything they knew changed and flipped upside down.

"One thing I would like to ask you first, if I may. I have only met one other Vulcan in this universe and he is a Kolinahr Master. I had to adopt certain... patterns... In order to blend in and not be killed from an early age as a logician. He has informed me of several traits that I have that make me stand out, such as emoting in my speech. The Commander also had to correct my saying from 'I live to serve' to 'I come to serve'. If you notice anything else that stands out, will you please inform me?"

"I will." Jaeih replied. "I spent many years as a smuggler and in that time worked with many Vulcans. It led me to learn the language to teach it to my daughter, but I've also come to be fairly adept at reading Vulcans. In my time on the Hera, I had not had the opportunity to meet Lieutenant Sonak, but my Daughter speaks extremely highly of him. But as a guide for behavior to blend in, he would be an extreme example. One that may actually make you stand out even more if blending in is your goal in regards to espionage."

The elder Romulan turned back towards Az'Prel with an eyebrow raised and a slight smile. "Outside of espionage, you are under no obligation to monitor your verbiage. Speak however you are most comfortable."

"Most Vulcans I've met show some degree of emotion underlying their words or actions. Only Kohlinar masters are truly without emotion, after all. The rest simply excel at controlling theirs. As such, your body language cues should not be an issue at all. As for your choice of words, I'm sure you can work out the proper swaps. 'Amenable' in place of 'pleased', and so forth. But I will assist you as needed."

"However, a suggestion. Since we are endeavoring to infiltrate an organization with many Romulan members, creating a persona of mixed heritage may be of benefit. Can you speak Rihan?" Jaeih asked, in full on 'work' mode now.

Switching to the language now, Az'Prel tilted her head back in a slightly haughty manner that she had picked up from years of studying Terrans. "It was only slightly more difficult to learn than I had expected. It took me four days to learn, instead of three. From this point on, I am half Romulan. My mother was Vulcan and my father was Romulan but both were killed when I was very young and I was raised by... Reconstru... Refornifi... Redecor..." She paused a moment, trying to remember the shape of the word before proceeding. "Reunificationists. In secret."

As the Vulcan infiltration specialist began talking, Jaeih turned on the comm screen so she could watch her new partner without having to twist around in her seat. She replied in Rihan, "Excellent. And your backstory will aid in covering up your lack of a distinct accent. I can hear a hint of your natural Vulcan accent on emphasis, but that's very common for those raised cross-culturally. I would recommend, if asked, that you claim that you grew up or at least spent time in transit ships and on... the T'Viick Colony. A heavy, but highly transitory reunificationist population. All the accents are muddied there."

"The ship has a decent library of information on the subject you can study for specifics. I made sure to have Ensign Gonadie supply a very up to date file on reunification efforts for infiltration purposes." Jaeih added.

"Accents are hard to cover and I had not practiced enough, it seems. I will take your recommendation. Anything that will aid in this mission's success is amenable. Thank you." Az'Prel pulled up the respective data and began reading over it as they continued their talk. "It has been a while since I had to adopt a role like this for infiltration. There is something... Electric... About it."

The elder Romulan couldn't help but smile at that. "I agree. It's been many years since I've been on a mission like this as well. And never before for positive purposes. 'Electric' is a very apt description." Then her tone shifted to a more somber one, "My... prior infiltration missions were... nothing to be proud of."

"If you did them for the purpose of what you believed in at the time and you performed admirably, then you may take pride in the job itself. If your views have since changed, then the logical thing to do is to work towards your new goals and taking pride in that and repairing any damage that you may have caused, is it not?" The Vulcan woman broke it down as simply as she could, but she knew that the galaxy was a far more complex place than that. In the end though, that was how she made her decisions - simple logic like that.

Listening, Jaeih raised her eyebrows up in mild surprise as a slight smirk crossed her face again. She softly nodded as she replied. "I knew there was a reason I tried teaching Mnhei'sahe...Lieutenant Dox... Vulcan philosophy. I was terrible at it, of course, but there is a comfort in logic. It simply... is. It exists regardless of how we may feel about it."

"And while there are many things that I've done that... cannot be repaired. Logically, it serves no purpose to dwell on them other than as a reminder to not repeat those mistakes and stand against others who would. Would that logic hold?" She asked plainly, trying to take Az'Prel's words to heart.

"Indeed, that is sound logic from my experience. My mentor also counseled me in similar advice though. Do what you can with the power you have and let the rest take care of itself." The displaced Vulcan almost sounded callous in her words, but there was wisdom and logic in them. "There are things outside of your control and worrying about them only leads to your own suffering. If you can do something, do so. If you can not do anything... Do not."

But Jaeih heard no callousness at all in Az'Prel's words. The former Tal'Shiar agent turned reunification freedom fighter had tremendous respect for Vulcans, their culture and their logic and she took great comfort in Az'Prel's perspective. "It sounds as if you had an extremely wise mentor, Miss Az'Prel. And from my own experience with Vulcans, you seem a credit to their teachings."

Then her tone shifted slightly down again. "Tell me, in your time on the Hera, have you interacted much with Mn... Lieutenant Dox?"

"She was one of the ones that welcomed me aboard. I have also spoken with her several times and sparred with her." Az'Prel nodded as she spoke. "She is a highly skilled and competent officer."

From the pilot's seat, Jaeih sighed slightly. "I'm afraid I can take more credit for her skills in combat and as an officer than I can in much of anything else. In truth, I was more of a commander to her than a Mother. And since verbal subterfuge would be meaningless here, I will admit that In my limited time on the Hera I have attempted to discover what kind of a woman she has become through her friends and shipmates."

Cutting herself off, Jaeih began working at the controls. "We are at the leading edge of the K'reo'n Nebula. Dropping out of warp for insertion." As she spoke, the small craft slowed to normal speed in front of the swirling pink and blue gasses of the Nebula. "Within the Nebula, we will not have access to our cloaking device or warp speed. Sensors and shields will be limited. But unlike larger starships that might be hiding in here as well, we actually have a window to look out."

"Still, When I submitted our flight plan to Commander Paris, the Hera's long-range sensors didn't pick up anything in the surrounding space. But all bets are off within the nebula." Jaeih added.

"I have come to have a certain faith in such unknowable things." Az'Prel dimmed the ship's lighting and entered a lower power running mode as they entered the nebula. "If we remain calm and on our intended course of action, the universe will either let us pass unhindered, or we will be delayed. If we are delayed, we are in a small, fast craft that is virtually impossible to track under normal circumstances so our odds of evasion are high."

"Indeed. And it is not bragging when I say that I am a more than adept evasive pilot. We should be fine so long as we stay alert." Jaeih replied as the moved silently through the nebula on course and on schedule.

With their ingress to the nebula managed, Jaeih switched topics back to those of a more personal nature. "You mentioned that my daughter was one of the crewmembers that greeted you, and you mentioned also 'the Prophets'. Would this be the prophets of the Bajoran Wormhole? I've read much about that subject."

The Vulcan woman grunted slightly at the memory. "Yes... I believe it was that wormhole that I found in my universe and allowed me to cross to this one with their assistance. They delivered me to Commander Paris upon her traversal through the wormhole and asked her to act as my guide, in a manner of speaking. I have since learned that with the fated collapse of her own universe, mine was destined to collapse with it. I am forced to wonder if there are other survivors of my universe. She has Sonak, another survivor of her universe. What if another survived mine?"

"In a universe of infinite possibilities... a multiverse really... there may be a high probability of this being true." Jaeih said with a slightly somber tone. "However, given the nature of the universe you described, whoever else may have survived may be less than benevolent."

"That is not a comforting thought."Az'Prel paused a moment, trying to collect her thoughts on the matter. "Especially with what I saw during a holographic training exercise that turned into an assassination attempt upon Baroness von Alcott's life. Agony tech that should not exist in this universe. It is possible it existed in the mirror of this universe rather than only in mine... But the similarities... They were disconcerting."

"Similar concepts are disconcerting enough. Were you able to examine the construction to see if the similarities we're more than superficial?" Jaeih added, quickly slipping in to an investigative mindset. One of the traits that made her idea for this mission.

"Unfortunately, I am not as familiar with the particular console in question as I could be. I am more familiar with being in an agony booth, as I spent around three years in one." Az'Prel didn't mince words as she stated the simple facts of her history. "I was able to infiltrate and assassinate several members of a research team working on a system that looked identical to the one on that bridge, However, the lead scientist escaped me. They were working on a way to integrate the Agonizer tech into localized ship-wide forcefields."

"That would enable someone to use that technology across an entire ship in concept. Anywhere with field emitters, which is essentially everywhere." Jaeih reasoned. In her readings, she had come across the descriptions of the technology and so didn't need to ask Az'Prel any additional questions considering how the woman's entire demenor had changed when the subject of the Agony technology had come up.

"The nature of our investigation may yield information on this subject. Considering the nature of this tribunal, if this so-called queen does have this technology then we must find out. The Captain must know and be prepared." Jaeih added somberly.

"Of that, we are in agreement. Not just for her sake, but for the galaxy at large." Indeed, Az'Prel's demeanor had darkened at the turn of subject - the memories of the constant pain were still fresh in her mind. Thus, she decided to turn the subject to another topic. "We have discussed my background somewhat extensively now so it would only be fair to discuss yours. Is there anything you would be willing to share?"

In truth, Jaeih had spent the majority of her life learning to lie and keep secrets. Sharing had become almost an alien concept to her, but in her commitment to being the mother her daughter deserves, she was actively working to move beyond the woman she was.

And that meant truth. Truth not just with Mnhei'sahe but with those she called friends.

"I will admit that it is... difficult... for me. But I made a decision for the sake of my daughter. And that means extending trust outward. And if we are to perform our tasks in this mission, that means giving you my trust." Jaeih began.

"In this universe, the Romulan Star Empire has ruled it's sector for generations with feat, terror and deception. When our people left our Vulcan roots behind in the great Exodus, they embraced a darker path. But it was a path I was raised to believe was just."

"I believed the propaganda of the state and joined the military out of school. I was a trained Engineer but I dreamed of bringing honor to the Empire." Jaeih scoffed as she spoke, disgusted with herself.

"I rose to the rank of sub-commander. Second in command of the Warbird Deleth. Soon, my military service brought my skills to the attention of the director of the Tal'Shiar. The Romulan secret police and I was recruited. In time, I served the director, a woman named Verelan t'Rul directly. I was... her enforcer." Jaeih sunk her head slightly, knowing where this story was leading.

"As an enforcer, I hunted down those disloyal to the Empire. So-called traitors. Successionists. Any Romulans who had come to recognize what we really were. I hunted them down. I tortured them. And eventually I... killed them. And for a time, I could still cling to the believe that I was right and they were the enemies of peace and Romulan prosperity."

Telling the tale was clearly difficult to Jaeih, but she continued. "The director had a son. An investigator in the Tal'Shiar named Dralath tr'Rul. In time, we found love. In time we both began, through that love, to see things differently. To see what we had become. It came to a head when I was sent to put down an Insurrection from a group of colonists I was told we're anarchists."

"They were reunification supporters. Nothing more. I was given a device. A horrible tool called a Neural Extraction Converter. A device Verelan t'Rul designed to rewrite an individual mind. Make them believe whatever you wanted them to. Or erase those minds entirely. I had my orders. Change their minds or wipe them out, but I couldn't. They simply wanted peace. They wanted to explore the serenity of logic and rejoin our ancestors. They were no threat."

"As I realized it, I realized what I had become and I couldn't be that any longer. I disobeyed my orders, turned on my own crew and gave the reunificationists our ship to escape. But the director ordered the ship to self destruct remotely, killing them all." Jaieh continued, her voice cracking ever so slightly.

"I was imprisoned, as my skills as an engineer we're still of value to the Empire. In time, I escaped, becoming a smuggler. So as to dedicate my future to aiding those that wished to escape Romulus." The story hung in the air for a time while Jaeih waited for a response.

The Vulcan woman listened intently, neither judging, nor interrupting. "You have led an interesting life as well, it seems. I assume that your actions weigh heavily upon you as well. If so, may I offer some advice?"

"Extremely so, yes." Jaeih replied, nodding slightly. "And please, I welcome it."

"Nothing I say and nothing you do will ever lighten that burden and we are all products of our experiences and choices." Az'Prel paused a moment to let that sink in before continuing. "However... In every moment... In the here and now that you live in... As long as you learn from your past, none of it matters. Live for the future and cherish every moment you have in the present."

Listening intently to a woman Jaeih knew understood all too well, she nodded silently and processed for a moment. "Thank you. I will take that to heart. I have been... trying to craft something of a future. If only for Mnhei'sahe's sake. She deserves the mother I couldn't be in her youth."

"That is a wish both of us share. However in my case..." The displaced Vulcan trailed off for a moment, leaving the thought heavy in the air. "When I was a slave, I had a daughter. She was taken from me and I was told she would be sold. When I escaped, I tried to find her, but was unsuccessful. I try to put my faith in the words of my mentor to ease that pain most of all."

"I... I am terribly sorry. I can't imagine..." Jaeih was genuinely shaken by Az'Prel's revelation. "Throughout everything since having her, I have always taken comfort in knowing that she had taken a better path. To have no knowledge... I have no words."

"My universe is now gone, and thus so is she," Az'Prel replied flatly, focusing on the files on her co-pilot screen. "There is nothing more to be said."

"Perhaps." Jaeih responded. "Although the core conceit, as I understand the nature of the link between the universes, is a reversed balance. Have you considered that a version of her could have existed here? Could still exist?"

"This universe's version of me may still be alive as well," Az'Prel replied. "However, if they are my mirror version of me, I have concluded that I would rather not research that possibility for now. I would rather not be confronted with what that possibility holds just yet."

"Well... right now it is only just a possibility. And a possibility can be whatever you choose to make it." Jaeih replied, turning slightly. "So it's up to you to imagine what you choose for now. Imagine the best."

Realizing the conversation had gotten perhaps a bit too hard to manage for the both of them, Jaeih moved back to their task for a moment. "At our current speed, we will exit the nebula in 7.2 hours."

Reducing the interior cabin light slightly, Jaeih turned slightly towards Az'Prel. "Once we exit, we can resume warp and will be at the first station point within two hours, but for now the route ahead is clear. We both have files to review and should take turns resting."

Az'Prel nodded in acknowledgement. "Agreed. The mission ahead will likely be dangerous and stressful. Now is the time for meditation. If possible..."

At impulse speed, the tiny black Scorpion cut it's way through the swirling through the brilliant gasses of the K'reo'n nebula on it's way towards it's destiny. The two women, both taking the time to prepare themselves for the challenges ahead of them. Both survivors of their own unique flavor of horrors. Both committed to using those life experiences to ensuring that the crew of the U.S.S. Hera would have the tools to survive the trials to come.

As an improvisational thinker, advance planning wasn't always Rita Paris' strongest suit. While in the moment she could usually be relied upon to produce an answer or at least pose a pertinent question, and that tended to get her through such situations. But in this case, there was a trial ahead, that would require her to be smarter than normal, to have contingencies planned and backup plans to the contingencies. This was going to be a series of maneuvers all seemingly destined to end in a starship battle.

Knowing one potential outcome she was hoping to avoid, already having promised her assistance, Rita Paris was spinning wheels in the present trying to be prepared for the future. But in doing so, she was cutting the most capable person she knew out of the loop. Today, she remedied that over lunch in the Intel pod, in the lounge that overlooked a holographic real-time representation of looking down on the saucer section- a breathtaking vista even when the USS Hera was not in spacedock at the Artan family orbital fortress.

The arrangement had been added to his schedule in the morning, as she wanted time to organize her thoughts before presenting them to him, although of course he already knew her mind on all of the relevant subjects. But voicing and ordering her thoughts helped her immeasurably, which he understood from years of association.

Having arrived early, she had two Andorian kelp salads with extra phloog waiting.

As usual, he didn't keep her waiting. At the exact appointed time, as was his habit either in his private or professional life, Sonak arrived. He went straight to her and stood in front of her, the grey of his eye slightly more luminous than usual as was the case every time he was alone with her. He didn't glance at the salads but it was obvious that he had noticed the entire setting of their planned meeting.

''It is agreeable to share your work with you, Rita my wife. As always.''

“It is always agreeable to see you, my husband. Please join me to share a meal, so that I may seek your perspective on a number of topics, and filter my choices and actions through a prism of pure logic.” While a Vulcan speech pattern was not her default setting, over the years the human bride of the kolinahr had learned how to phrase questions and requests in a logical framework. Although if she expressed herself emotionally, Sonak still responded, translating it through his own filters of having spent years dealing with the emotional humans whom had once surrounded him.

On the USS Hera, human was far from the default race one might find oneself involved in a discussion. But the emotional content was generally present, which tended to make communication more challenging. But not so for the logical Vulcan whose understanding of the emotional nature of most of the rest of the universe held no mysteries, due in no small part to his shared life with his emotional bride.

Sonak sat with her and looked at his bowl, appreciative as always of the effort she made to accommodate his vegetarian diet.

''Andorian kelp; always the explorer, my wife, even in such simple matter as a meal. You are always a source of discovery and wonder, down to the simplest aspects of life. I am honored and grateful.''

It had never been his habit to talk while he ate, as it distracted one from enjoying fully both. But his new life with a human woman has taught him to ''multitask'' as she was fond of saying. it had forced him to learn how to get all of an experience even if another was superimposed on it, never miss anything out of the complexity of life. In this, he had been the student and her the teacher, and he appreciated it. He took a bite of the alien dish to emphasize his voiced appreciation, then spoke again once she had done the same.

''Now, what it is you wish to discuss?''

“You never fail to bring a smile to my face,” Rita mused as she settled into the discussion. The way that Sonak was always to the point, while still observing the subtleties of their interactions, made the human woman happy. Compromise was always in play between them, which both offered willingly to the other. Adding to that his seemingly inexhaustible appreciation of her always made her melt inside.

“There is a trial ahead… the civilian pirate organization into which the captain was born is coming to a tribunal, as her mother wishes for the captain to reproduce either willingly or unwillingly. In challenging her authority, it has resulted in a power struggle. I have committed to helping, as have a number of the senior staff. It has been prognosticated that the final battle will be a starship duel, fought between customized Miranda classes.” The buxom bombshell paused in her explanation to collect her thoughts and take a bite of her salad.

''Interesting how the behavior of some species and societies remain the same despite significant advancement in knowledge and technologies,'' the Vulcan mused out loud. ''But to the problem at hand; Miranda class starships are a product of Starfleet technological development. It should be easy to find the flaws that made these vessels obsolete and exploit them. If they have customized those, this could also mean several additional deficiencies as a result of such tampering. Accessing the ships' specifications would certainly help.''

"That... is a magnificent point, m'love," Rita filed that way immediately. She knew she was too close to the problem, and calling in Sonak was clearly the right move, as evidenced in his opening offering.

“There are a great number of variables in play that make much of this difficult to describe or predict. What I do know is that the pirate queen is known for leading vicious boarding parties, and I plan to be a few steps ahead of her. But in order to do so I will need to outsmart her at her own game, and there is no one on the Hera smarter than you.” It might have seemed like flattery, but in truth, Sonak was easily the highest IQ onboard, even before factoring in his mental disciplines and creative application of intelligence for problem-solving.

The Vulcan pinched his lower lip a moment before speaking again.

''In military philosophy, it has always been proven successful to consider first and foremost the personality of the opposing leader in order to find how to defeat that opposition. On your Earth, during your so-called second world war, allied destroyer captains could locate German U-Boats and Japanese submarines by knowing the psychology of their commanders. Closer to us, Captain James Kirk defeated many enemies in space battles, from Klingons and Romulans to even a genius like Khan Noonien Singh, by knowing their way of thinking. I believe this should be an avenue to explore.''

"Again, you make an outstanding point, Sonak. Your logic is flawless, as always." The pirate queen's psychology would make her far more predictable were the Captain to simply embrace 'knowing thine enemy', which in this case, she'd had years of behavior to study.

"I believe she will engage some sort of transportational jammer that will project a field of interference to prevent a transporter target lock engaging during her anticipated boarding action. My proposal for circumventing this is to carry the portable transporter you've used to save me in the past to maintain my armory in subspace, in the buffer. It is inorganic matter and it will not be carrying an antimatter payload, thus the buffer rate required is much lower. I do not know how long I can power the reaction though. I need your help for the math, and probably to find a way to extend that battery life, complete with sufficient charge to beam the armor onto my position. Which is, I know, very dangerous. Which is yet another reason I require the input of my brilliant spouse."

''I come to serve,'' he simply answered. Then he added; ''Whatever jamming frequency she will use, there is always a counterjamming one to find. But easier to consider circumventing the problem. She might not allow us to interfere with transporting or use it against her as we did in our recent battles; but she will not be able to prevent us from implementing confinement forcefields around unauthorized transporter signals coming aboard. And once confined, locally reconfiguring gravity plates will pin them defenseless on the deck regardless of any powered combat suit they may use.''

"That's brilliant!" Rita exclaimed, then it brought about a moment of self-reflection. "I... I miss working with you. On projects, on challenges. Back in the old days it was just us, and Michael... mostly us," she grinned at him and stroked her cheek with her trailing fingers. "Now it's all mad gods and englishmen."

''And since I am not English, I estimate that you put me in the former category,'' he said deadpan.

"Mad you most certainly are not, my sensible spouse. The challenges in this century are different, but still surmountable. I just miss solving them more often with you," Rita clarified.

"So let's see.... the starship battle tactics Miss Dox and I have been going over, although now we'll look historically to study previous battles, which will provide statistical data to build a predictive behavioral model for her. Another strategy that I plan to employ is taking her bridge from the outside- our variable mode fighter is as yet still an unstable platform, but for a brief outing I feel this is warranted as both a tactical advantage as well as a field test of the system. It should be able to breach the bridge and assault it. Are there any pitfalls you could see there beyond the preventative tactics you outlined here already?"

''Targeting the command center is a sound approach,'' he acknowledged; ''and it is of course predictable. Henceforth, a feint would be in order, like seemingly adopting a completely different tactic to keep their attention on something else."

"A fake beam in, if I can get someone else on her bridge..." Already Rita had an idea, and an idea of how to implement a longshot plan that might just work if she could get Az'Prel into position.

Waiting patiently, Sonak recognized his exploratory partner's attention returning to the moment, so he proceeded. "Working on blinding their sensors with an antimatter spread could further hamper their own tactics. Also, a multi-pronged approach could be wise to consider; for example, targeting engines with main ship weaponry, their main computer core with viruses transmitted through comm channels, their piloting with tractor beamed debris, their navigational and deflector dish EM pulses, their personnel with transporters while sneaking in boarding parties to their bridge, using thruster suits, while they think our shuttles are trying to board their shuttlebays.''

"Use a shuttle as the kinetic sling... that'll be a new one. Load it with a torpedo, I like that one," Rita muttered as she took notes. "And chroniton particles still scatter everything, right... make it a nebula fog for her."

He paused a moment before adding;

''Then again, it is my advice that what may be the best course of action is to attack the opponent directly, personally; her mindset, her emotions, her needs and desires. Whatever tech or tactic involved, if she cannot think straight, she cannot succeed; then you can.''

He looked at her straight in the eye.

''Have you considered studying how some people have beaten the Starfleet Academy No Win Scenario? In particular, one Andorian cadet by the name of Kheren?''

“I have not… I’ll admit my studies in that arena are sorely lacking,” Rita replied, tapping away at her PaDD to copy down the ideas that were coming so seemingly effortlessly from the somber scientist, yet were all great ideas she had not considered. “Apparently beating the unwinnable scenario has become a thing. What was Kheren's angle?”

''Both the Andorian and the Klingon angles; he challenged the Klingon commander to personal combat.''

He took a bite of his salad to let that sink in.

''The tactic was logical and sound according to all data we have about the Klingons included within the simulation. But, as the computer had no programmed hand to hand confrontation within the simulation and the computer could not deny the valid approach in this instance, it simply ended the program. From this, we may find a way to approach the particular adversary we will have to meet here. Of course, it will not simply shut down the situation, but the point is: target the people and their psychology, not the technology and it's capabilities.''

Another bite in his meal and then he concluded:

''Instead of trying to find a Picard Maneuver, I suggest to go rather with a Corbomite Maneuver.''

“Outmaneuver her psychologically rather than confront, or at the very least, make it resistant force rather than offensive. Fascinating, and definitely a wiser strategy… which leaves me the physical tactical options should psychological warfare fail. I suppose I need to do my research on the target. So, another element… more of an ethics or behavioral query, really.” Rita paused to take a bite of her salad, then she sat back, waggling her fork as she spoke.

“I’ve been trying to keep more Starfleet personnel from signing on to this mission, as I have considerable misgivings about getting Starfleet involved in pirate affairs. However, since this is now a Starfleet operation, should I be more liberal in employing Starfleet personnel? I feel as though I am sticking to my principles here, but I also suspect I may just be acting intractable and stubborn for no good reason. Thoughts?”

He put his fork down and steepled his fingers in front of his face as was his habit when pondering something important.

''I myself was pondering on this very subject. Starfleet General Orders, chief of them the Prime Directive, explicitly forbid Starfleet personnel to get involved in local planetary affairs. Such interference would unravel the very fabric of the Federation. At best, it is allowed for a Starfleet member to request a leave of absence so that he or she may get involved in one's homeworld affairs... but any use of Starfleet resources or personnel in doing so would be the worst compromising of one's Starfleet oath. In this instance, you and I could not be allowed to get involved in this conflict.''

His gaze became even harder as he spoke further.

''Now, if this is an operation dictated by Starfleet Command, it is even more disturbing; because it would mean that, unless this pertains to the security of the Federation, Starfleet itself would be ignoring it's own rules and the spirit of the United Federation of Planets.''

“Ugh. I am now in the unenviable position of defending this,” Rita rolled her eyes, but in truth she had felt quite strongly about this from the beginning. But hearing her logical mate put it in plain and succinct terms was refreshing for her to hear as she had felt herself becoming mired in shades of grey in regard to the issue.

“According to the Admiral, if the Pirate Queen is actually changing allegiances and allying herself with the Orion Syndicate, this will upset the balance that has allowed the Artan family pirates to operate as privateers under letter of marque, if you will- pirates who hunt pirates. But intelligence is indicating that should the Artans side with the Syndicate, there would suddenly be an enormous threat to shipping in a great number of sectors. Thus, this has been authorized as a Starfleet intelligence undercover operation. We are to stabilize the situation by stopping the Pirate Queen in her quest to eliminate the captain and solidify her power base. I’m working on this from a number of angles but… I’ll admit, I’m struggling not to sink into the mire of moral ambiguity on this one.”

''If this is a directive from Starfleet Command and it concerns the security of Federation citizens, then there is no moral ambiguity. The mandate of Starfleet is to protect our citizens and ensure galactic peace, the very first reason for the United Federation of Planets to exist. As Orion is not a member of the Federation and acts against it's laws and policies even within Federation territory, it is classified as a hostile foreign power. As Starfleet officers, it is our duty to prevent any hostile foreign power from threatening peace and security.''

He paused before continuing to let her ponder on this.

''That being said, it is within the rights of any society or members of such society to choose freely who they wish to align with. Again, our interference in such a case would go against our core values. However, since this choice directly threatens the life and well-being of Federation citizens, mainly our captain and those associated with her, fulfilling our duty is thus directly called for.''

He took a new bite of his salad.

''In this instance, I understand the logic in opting for covert activity. Out in the open, even so justified, it would bog Starfleet into a quagmire of legal issues discussions and tie Starfleet hands while the threat would act unimpeded in the interim. By acting discreetly, the threat can be addressed now and the legal niceties resolved later, come what may. Michael would have approved.''

“When did he ever NOT approve our plans?” Rita chuckled, then poked at her salad a bit. “Thank you… I wasn’t really on solid moral ground until I got the go-ahead to make it a Starfleet intel undercover operation, with authorization to use Starfleet resources. Still… I needed that dose of perspective. And of course the input in regard to my plans, which has been invaluable... you have quadrupled our odds of success. So how long have you been listening to me turn this over in my head night after night?” Knowing that anything prevalent in her mind would be shared with him regardless of her intention, it was abundantly clear that he had known of all of this for quite some time. But as per usual, he would not intercede unless he grew concerned for her safety or was convinced her actions would be ruinous.

It was a level of respect to which she had been unaccustomed before him, and could not imagine living without

''Of course, because of our bond and our proximity, I am well aware of your thoughts,'' admitted the Vulcan. ''That being said, this awareness is more of a subconscious nature. When I was a full blown telepath back in our native universe, it took decades for me to build mental screens against the thoughts of others around me. My telepathy in this universe might now be as limited as that of any other Vulcan, but my training remains. Unless you ask me to, I do not intrude upon your mind. I must say it makes our relationship more... intriguing, and therefore interesting and valuable. Learning to know you is a gratifying experience.''

"Yet I spend so much time in yours," Rita raised her index and middle fingers together in the traditional method, and extended them toward him, meeting him halfway, as was custom. Ritual was important, after all. "You are truly a marvel, my One. How in all the universe did I get lucky enough to land a guy like you?"

''Luck is only the result of unknown or random variables we fail to properly calculate,'' Sonak gave as an explanation, reaching out with his own fingers to make the intimate connection between them and express his bond with her in return. ''But in our case, it did not merely come to pass; we made it happen. And, in my estimate, that is a good thing; for the both of us.''

"Pursuing you was the smartest thing I ever did," Rita smiled, enjoying the sensation of passionate embrace that transpired with the simple ritual contact. You never fail to amaze me, my t'hy'la.

And you make existence most fascinating, t'hy'la.

Basking in the moment, as she was still connected to him, her mind was sharper and far more easily able to grasp complex concepts. In short, in touch with his brilliant mind, she was far more intelligent than normal. Thus it was a good time to ask.

I have been selfish thus far in this exchange, my husband. I have sought your input on a situation, and received just what I needed. What are your labors and projects of the day, that I may offer some insight or suggestion? Or are there personal matters you wish to discuss? Our exchange must ever seek a balance, after all. Smiling at him, she beamed her contentment, her joy of being near him, the happiness that she brought to her heart by his mere presence, that much greater to experience his touch, both in mind and body. Plus he was still just as handsome as he'd been the day she met him, and those amazing eyes of his still arrested her attention.

Your input is always welcome and useful, my wife; even if only to validate my reasoning, he admitted out of hand. I am currently without major official ship business. Therefore I was endeavoring to complete a personal endeavor; data analysis and theory on what we have experienced with temporal and quantum physics; specifically, means and consequences of tampering with them. At the moment, I have devised a new hypothesis that is rather... intriguing; possibly with new and farther reaching consequences than expected.

He paused to better collect his ideas in the most succinct manner he could before continuing.

It was established in temporal mechanics that, once you changed something in the past, the future was irremediably changed; a new reality replacing the original one. Multiple instances in Starfleet History proved this point, from the incident with the Guardian of Forever, to the Krenim time war, as well as the Temporal Cold War. This presented problems like the well-known Grandfather Paradox.

He waited to see if she needed a reminder of these notions before resuming. They might have been connected mentally, but this was not a mind meld with instant exchange of thoughts. And he wanted her thoughts to be free of any interference, so as to truly help his own from her unique perspective.

"Aha! I read up on this one!" she said, speaking aloud. "When I first got here I debated going back in time and preventing the Sonak of this reality from getting disintegrated so that I could... ah. Well. But as I recall, the grandfather paradox is a paradox of time travel in which inconsistencies emerge through changing the past. The name comes from the paradox's common description: a person travels to the past and kills their own grandfather before the conception of their father or mother, which prevents the time traveler's existence. Despite its title, the paradox regards any action that alters the past, since there is a contradiction whenever the past becomes different from the way it previously occurred."

Well stated. In this regard, our own tangent reality recently suggested that quantum mechanics also could be at play; instead of a reboot, a new reality would be created each time a change was made in the past, however insignificant, while the original timeline remained. Although ours is the only observed instance of such an aberration, it still scientifically establishes that it is a possibility. The existence of different quantum universes has been observed and recorded, like the occasion when Lieutenant Worf of the USS Enterprise D experienced quantum shifting.

That, however, does not resolve previous paradoxes such as the one I mentioned. Neither did the various special conditions that interfered with such paradoxes; for instance, the time wake that isolated the Enterprise E during the Borg's attempt to change Earth's past. Do you see where I am going with this line of reasoning?

While she had been following along intently and with considerable interest, when asked directly, Rita drew a complete blank. First came a bit of panic, followed by some reassurance that he would not berate her for not foreseeing the conclusion. Then her curiosity won out, all over the space of a second. "No, I'm afraid I don't, my darling. But I'm dying to know. What does it all mean?"

The logic is so simple, it is a wonder that it escaped us all for so long. First of, we know for a fact that our form of existence can only exist in the present and move towards the future. Second, we understand that all paradoxes are resolved if we postulate that the past can not be changed. Yet, and thirdly, changes were observed in what followed such perceived altered past in comparison to our originally perceived past. Therefore, the logical answer lies in what your own Terran Albert Einstein initially postulated in his theory about spacetime; it is all about perspective. Does that sound correct to you?

"So Spock never changed the past, he just created an alternate timeline, and that's all anyone who time travels has ever actually done? While it appears they are living in the same timeline it is in fact a new timeline?" Despite the boost to her intelligence Rita wasn't positive where this was going, but she was giving it the Starfleet try.

He switched to verbal communication as she did.

''Affirmative, but more than that; by creating this alternate reality, he ended the original one. Removing oneself from one's actual reality effectively alters the original one just as much as intruding somewhere else on the timeline, regardless of any action or lack of, since one was part of it and now is not; henceforth ending it by making it a different one than what it should have been.''

His grey eyes focused on hers.

''A reality that was is obliterated, while two new ones that should never have been appear with one single displacement. Then, the distortion is exponentially amplified with every action taken from then on. If my reasoning is sound, do you see what it truly could mean?''

"Infinite possible realities?" Rita took a guess.

''Affirmative; and all artificially created... and destroyed... by our actions.''

He let that sink in a moment.

"So this is the theory you have been working on... that there are infinite realities as each decision causes a branching off of two divergent realities, thus causing are an infinite universe of possible realities?" Rita had a hunch that maybe she was getting a grip on the topic, but like any endeavor, first one had to ask questions.

''Affirmative; the theory itself is far from being a novel one; but the implications of deliberately altering the normal flow of spacetime, and without actively seeking to correct it, it is... exceedingly concerning.''

"Wait, now I'm confused- while we've done corrections, what are you implying about alterations?" Having caught up, now the concerned part was coming into focus for Rita, which was only more confusing.

''What I am implying is that, when someone removes oneself of the timeline, that timeline is instantly destroyed; altered in ways we can not begin to calculate. Unless such a displaced individual is then returned reasonably close to the point of departure, the timeline is altered; and the correction made is of another timeline created by the displacement itself.''

"Wait wait wait- this is multiversal theory, right?" Pulling her PaDD over, Rita tapped away at it for a few seconds with her free hand, then read what her research revealed.

"A prediction of chaotic inflation is the existence of an infinite ergodic universe, which, being infinite, must contain Hubble volumes realizing all initial conditions. Accordingly, an infinite universe will contain an infinite number of Hubble volumes, all having the same physical laws and physical constants. You're saying we're adding more through time and dimensional travel?" Still maintaining their two fingers together, Rita was getting excited about the theory Sonak was explaining to her, one perspective at a time.

''You understand clearly. But what I am implying beyond the mathematics and physics of it, is the moral responsibility of someone altering this multiverse. The mere act of moving out of one's reality potentially destroys it and at the same time creates a new one that never should have been.''

He looked at her.

'' The moral and ethical implications are serious enough; but there is more. It opens the possibility that you and I were effectively robbed of our true existence in this reality when temporal displacements like that of Ambassador Spock occurred... and given a false one in this artificially created reality we allegedly sprang from.''

"That... is sobering." Rita sat back in her chair, gently breaking contact with Sonak. "If that's true, how many others? Michael too? It's a bit unbelievable in scope. But by the same token... wait, doesn't that mean that our own presence in this timeline is causing divergency and disrupting the natural order in precisely the same manner? So does that mean our existence is causing ripple effects to ruin other people's timelines and destinies?"

The Vulcan's gaze nevre wavered.

''That is a definite possibility.''


He gave her time to emotionally process what he said before elaborating further. in his always deadpan tone.


''There is no way of estimating, whom, what and by how much our own displacement altered reality; or have even the merest chance to ever correct it. The number of time displacements known alone makes it next to impossible; and how many are unaccounted for? How many and which one did the Krenim alone made, during their centuries of deliberate time alterations, vainly trying to restore their lost empire from their initial attempt? Since I have been studying this, I have found out a few discrepancies that seem to have escaped even the Bureau of Temporal Investigations; like the fact that there should never have been a Third World War on your Earth in the late twentieth century... and no advanced TY-100 spaceship program to send Khan Noonien Singh into space... and not even a Khan Noonien Singh to conquer a quarter of the Earth back then.''

The Vulcan's gaze never wavered.

''That is a definite possibility.''


He gave her time to emotionally process what he said before elaborating further, in his perpetually deadpan tone.


''There is no way of estimating whom, what and by how much our own displacement altered reality; or have even the merest chance to ever correct it. The number of time displacements known alone makes it next to impossible; and how many are unaccounted for? How many and which one did the Krenim alone made, during their centuries of deliberate time alterations, vainly trying to restore their lost empire from their initial attempt? Since I have been studying this, I have found out a few discrepancies that seem to have escaped even the Bureau of Temporal Investigations; like the fact that there should never have been a Third World War on your Earth in the late twentieth century... and no advanced TY-100 spaceship program to send Khan Noonien Singh into space... and not even a Khan Noonien Singh to conquer a quarter of the Earth back then.''

“Jeez, now I feel guilty for surviving…” Rita muttered. The fact that their arrival here didn’t add a positive value but was actually a detriment to the space/time continuum genuinely bothered her. The effects of their existence and continued survival here might well be unravelling the future that was destined to be, truncating lives and careers that would otherwise have flourished. “Was this supposed to make me feel badly? Because I’ve spent most of this conversation feeling dumb, and now I feel bad about actually being here in this place and time. Nothing in anything that you’ve explained about this theory is even remotely positive.”

''I do not understand your... feeling about this. For all we know, we should have been born and live in this universe and were deprived of it because of unchecked time displacements, finding ourselves duplicated in a false universe that should never have been. It is pointless to assume responsibility for events you have no control over and no way to estimate their impact. Moreover, Knowledge and understanding have nothing to do with emotional comfort. But you may gain some emotional comfort, if ever needed, by knowing and understanding what should and should not be done; and by acting accordingly. That is the only true positive we may gain from it all.''

He paused before elaborating.

''If my thinking is correct, then we now know how to avoid causing such problems; the Temporal Prime Directive. And to ensure it, any temporal alteration must always be avoided unless there is a clear need to correct a recognized previous alteration. That should be corrected right at the source; which now should include the very act of correction. This means each displacement must end as close as feasible to it's point of origin, so as to avoid the consequences of departure before it actually has any tangible effect.''

He eyed her again without flinching.

''As for our personal impact, you and I; we can only measure it by what we can ourselves perceive of the consequences of our own actions. And considering all the lives we have positively impacted since our coming to this universe, we should consider our presence as a positive element of this reality, according to our own way of estimating such things. That is all we can understand... and need to understand.''

For a long moment she stared into those unflinching grey eyes. When she spoke, it was in measured tones... at least, at first.

"I've done my best. I sent the android from the future back to the future, and I didn't have her time locked or anything. Either she will come to pass, or by paradox she'll be wiped away. I will find out through the linear course of time in ninety-four years, give or take. The anachronism from the mirror universe who was thrust in my path was delivered by forces of the universe, and I think... this is like an undreamt of afterlife compared to her universe. I don't know if she belongs here, but she deserves to be here."

Tears were welling up in the eyes of the emotional executive as she spoke. "All those possibilities we create, all those destinies offset... I have to believe that's just life. We make changes, yes, and we alter the timeline by our presence. So I'm glad you glad you can see that it's a good thing," she smiled, a close-lipped smile as she traced her fingers along his heroic jawline.

"We weren't meant to be here. I think we're the x-factor, the element of chaos that the universe played as a wild card. The cosmos pulled us here for a reason- of that I am sure, although there is only faulty logic to back that up so far. But I'm sure of it- I feel it in my bones, Sonak. Why else would we be present at such a convergence of forces?" Rita's big blue eyes sparkled in the light as she proselytized. "If nothing else, I was brought here for Enalia. She needed a second like me, and I'm glad to be here for her."

''Your reasoning along the lines of the chaos theory is quite fascinating. There is much to ponder about when considering it as a premise. Thank you. This shall guide my meditations and research for quite some time.''

Rising to clear the dishes from the table, Rita shook her head, then leaned over to kiss her stoic scientist on the cheek. "Who else could turn a twenty minute lunchbreak into a challenging, stimulating discourse on the multiverse? Sonak, he who is my husband."

''Which is only a possibility only because of you, Rita my wife. Your mind is a perfect balance of emotion and reason. I am priviledged to have you as my mate.''

"Ditto," she replied with a smile, settling on his lap. "We've still got ten minutes left, you know..."

"Indeed..."

-----------------------
Two Weeks ago…
-----------------------
Sitting on the deck of her small, modified j-type ship, the Khallianen, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox was going through a series of small crates. Crates that had been left for her as gifts from the other Baronesses of the Artan Pirate family to celebrate her induction into their ranks.

Gifts of well-wishing, mementos of her own childhood as a smuggler that often intersected with the Artan Pirates, and forgotten family heirlooms.

Reaching inside, Mnhei'sahe picked up a small, ornate red box wrapped in velvet and trimmed with gold filigree. Inside was a beautiful necklace. Swirls of platinum framing a brilliant green stone. Dox recognized the piece as a Romulan ceremonial pendant, used in years past in bonding ceremonies. Holding it up to the light, she saw a name on the inside of the lid. The small gold plaque read: “Verelan t’Rul’. It was the name of her paternal Grandmother. The former director of the Tal’Shiar and current Romulan Senator that Dox has only recently learned about.

After examining the pendant, holding it in her hand for a moment, she replaced it in the box, placed that box back in the crate and continued to explore their contents for a while longer. After a time of sitting in silence, alone with her thoughts, the melancholy officer stood up, powered down the Khallianen, locked the ship up and left.

After a few minutes, in the darkness of the empty freighter, something stirred. The velvet lined box creaked open as a series of long, platinum legs reached out. The slightest green glow from the gemstone showed the hint of a shape that crept out of the crate and onto the deck. Eight thin metal legs clinked delicately, reaching out from the metal casing around the green stone. Behind it, the long necklace chain retracted, linking together and curling up over the rear of the body like the tail of a scorpion.

Skittering across the deck, the small metallic arachnid climbed up under the helm controls where it curled up to wait.

Its Target had touched it. Activated by a scan of her DNA left behind through errand skin cells, it had imprinted on her at last.

Its Target was Baroness Mnhei'sahe Dox.

And it was waiting.

-----------------------
Three Days Ago…
-----------------------

The hatch of the Khallianen hissed open as the small ship came to life. The overhead lights flickered on as Mnhei'sahe stepped on board. The stout, red-headed Romulan woman was wearing black sneakers, black work out pants and a snug black tank top with the word 'HERA’ in gold across the chest.

The thickly built young woman looked a bit slimmer of late, as her exercise regimen in preparation for the Captain’s upcoming tribunal had been intense. And it was to that purpose that brought her to her ship.

Opening up the locked weapons locker, Mnhei'sahe pulled out the crisscrossing black leather belts that held the sheathed twin Caitian short swords that she was to be practicing with today. As she shut the locker, her sensitive ears gave the generally anxious officer a momentary pause.

She looked around for a moment, sure she had heard something. A light sound of metal tapping on metal for just a second, but it was gone.

Walking down the ramp from the ships hatch, she powered down the ship and locked up the hatch behind her. Walking briskly towards the corridor, Mnhei'sahe strapped the x-shaped belts around her torso, the sounds of the busy flight deck obscured another sound.

From under the hull of the Khallianen, the platinum Scorpion peered out, watching its Target as it skittered across the deck, close to the bulkhead, following.

But the ship was a massive maze of busy corridors, and the small, metallic mechanism could only move when it was being unobserved. But it knew it's Target now.

In its green gaze, it could see where she was anywhere on the ship.

And it was patient.

Hours had passed as it moved through the Jefferies tubes. There, the platinum Scorpion could travel unseen. It had made its way slowly through the tubes. Careful to not trip any detection sensors as it made its way down from the flight deck to where it's Target slumbered. To Deck 8.

Slipping its thin legs through the hatch, the Scorpion crawled slowly down the bulkhead of the corridor, behind the edge of a panel. And it made its way to the deck, it paused.

Lifting its green torso, the mechanical creature scanned the corridor in the direction of its Target as it froze in place.

The delicate sensors in the slinky creature saw something inexplicable. 3-D scans of the corridor over fifteen meters away showed the doors to two separate Chambers. Outside of the chambers, though separated by a good distance, each door was guarded by pairs of towering women. But it was not the guards it would have to pass that caused the silent mechanism to pause.

It was the energy auras.

From the nearer of the two rooms, was a vacuum like blackness that both radiated out while absorbing it's scan data entirely. And beyond, at the other door, was a golden radiance that pulled outward in all directions.

Passing the auras would alert those that were projecting them to its presence. And the auras appeared to be of types its sensors had never encountered. It could not approach its target on Deck 8.

Scampering back to the Jefferies tube, it would wait.

-----------------------
One Day Ago…
-----------------------

On Deck 4 of the Hera, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox was hard at work at her desk in the Flight Control Office. The room was empty but for the Romulan officer as she reviewed crew rotations on her computer. From above, however, she was being watched.

Slowly, the platinum covered mechanical Scorpion moved around the perimeter of the room, watching its target from the edge of the ceiling as it inched close, being careful to not be seen.

Moving to the ceiling behind Dox's field of vision, the sharp pointed metal legs began to move slightly quicker until it was nearly within a few feet above its target. Unfolding it from below, the links of its barbed tail began to slowly extend downward towards Dox.

Suddenly, the twin doors of the office slid open with a twist as the sensor eyes of the palm-sized Droid observed a subject unknown to it enter the room. It was Dox's assistant flight chief and bond-mate, Mona Gonadie. The platinum mechanism paused to evaluate the situation as the barb of its tale twitched above the two women.

Mona flounced in, happier than usual, and pronounced her latest trials down in R&D a success, insisting that her bond mate join her for lunch so she could enjoy the best view in the galaxy.

Before it could strike, Dox stood up, kissing the brilliantly feathered woman softly on the cheek, accepting the offer as the pair left the room together. The shiny legs of the Scorpion twitched as it scampered back into the darkness of the corner of the ceiling. Its target had escaped again. The green stone at the center of its form pulsed for a moment as the palm-sized creature pondered its next move.

The Baronesses room was inaccessible. Deck 8 had protections on it that the assassin didn't comprehend. And while it's programming allowed for collateral damage, it was ordered to be as unseen as possible in the execution of its duty. This office space was too busy. Too many sensors recording activity that were difficult to avoid. But the flight deck was different.

The flight deck where Dox's small freighter was parked was busy during the day shift, but only had one officer on duty overnight. It was quiet. It's doors easy to seal. It's security systems easy to override at night. An ideal location to trap the Romulan pilot.

There it would wait, the Scorpion decided as it skittered away to set its trap.

-----------------------
Today...
-----------------------

It was just shy of Oh One Thirty hours, and has been her habit of late on Saturday evenings, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox was just finishing up a particularly intense work-out. Walking down the corridors of Deck 22 of the Hera's Stardrive section towards the Shuttlebay, where her personal vessel, the Khallianen was parked.

Dressed in her usual workout gear, the red-headed Romulan was still sweating with a towel draped across her neck and the black belts of her twin, curved Caitian blades in hand. She was getting much more proficient in sword fighting, which was important this close to the Captain's tribunal as those skills were likely to be put to the test for real within a few days. As such, Dox was putting in extra hours in the holodeck to practice and it was paying off.

As she walked up to the double door to Shuttlebay two, the surprised officer had to stop herself from walking right into the doors that failed to automatically open for her as usual. Momentarily confused, but not thinking much of it, the exhausted officer simply tapped the door entry pad on the side and the doors slid open with a hiss.

Stepping in, she paused for a moment at a bizarre sight. In the center of the deck was a crew member, laying face down. "Paulson?" She called out cautiously

Ensign Raphael Paulson was on the duty roster for the overnight shift, and the cavernous room was otherwise empty of personnel. Concerned, she trotted over to the center of the room, passing her ship parked to the starboard side of the chamber. On the port side, a small yellow worker bee shuttle at rest. "Paulson, answer me!"

Sliding to her knees, Mnhei'sahe was now worried. She felt for a pulse on the back of the officer's neck, but found nothing. "Paulson!??" She yelled as she turned the body over to see a small pool of blood around a sickly looking puncture wound in the side of his neck. His eyes were frozen open in a look of shock, bloodshot but hazy. Crusted foam was collected around the corners of his clenched jaw.

Tapping the comm badge on the breast of her tank top, Dox yelled out. "Medical emergency in Shuttlebay two! Dox to sickbay, Dox to security!" But there was no telltale chirp or response. She tapped her badge again, but there was nothing.

Behind her the double doors hissed shut with a loud clanking sound as they locked and in an instant, Dox found herself in darkness as the lights turned off. "Imirrhlhhse!" She muttered in Rihan.

Immediately, the emergency lights came on, filling the flight deck with a dim, eerie red glow. Mnhei'sahe was crouched next to the body of her fellow pilot, squinting to let her eyes adjust to the minimal light, listening for the slightest sound. She heard a faint skittering of metal on metal to her left, against the portside bulkhead moving through the space.

Quickly, she grabbed Paulson's body and with a bit of a strain, began dragging his limp form over next to the nacelles of her small private craft, tucking him into as safe a position as possible.

Still standing in a crouch, she sidestepped toward the nose of her ship as she pulled the twin curved blades from the sheaths on her back, listening for any sign of who was in the room with her. The skittering was gone, so she tried to make her way over to the main door, only to confirm that the hatch had been security sealed.

Suddenly, there was a sharp hum of power turning on somewhere in the room. Mnhei'sahe spun around to try and see where it was coming from as she stepped slightly forward. In the dim, red light, details were all but lost, but she thought she saw movement across the room, against the port bulkhead where the work bee pod had been parked.

"HNAEV!!!" She shouted in Rihan, realizing the work bee was no longer where she last saw it. Suddenly, the twin spotlights at the top of the dome of the small yellow craft flared to Dox's left as the pod rushed forward towards her. Leaping forward, the pod rushed past her, slamming against her legs as she went spinning to the deck hard with a shout of pain.

There was a dull crack as Dox hit the deck, trying to roll back to her feet as she gave out a shout. The twin blades slipped from her grip as she grabbed at her left kneecap that had been snapped by the impact of the pod. Tears falling from her eyes, she grabbed the only blade close enough to her reach as she pushed herself back towards her ship with her right leg. As she did, the work bee spun back around and above her, extending it's servo clams towards her.

Grabbing her right ankle as she tried to scootch away, it clamped hard causing the young pilot to cry out in pain again. As it brought it's other clamps forward to try and grab her neck, she twisted the blade in her hand down and plunged it hard into the rubberized joint covering of the arm holding her.

With a hiss, the hydraulics released and she scampered back away, but her sword was now stuck in the joint. Still muttering in Rihan, Mnhei'sahe tried to get up to her own good leg, but fell back to the deck. "Think! Think!" To one side, out of reach, was her second blade. Even further away to the other side was her ship. But the work bee made her choice for her by forgoing it's clamp arms and flying straight down towards the deck, trying to simply cleave her in half with its mass as she barely rolled out of the way in time.

The work bee slammed hard against the deck, twisting itself into the metal floors with a loud wrenching sound as Dox pushed herself up to her one good leg and began limping in pain towards her ship.

As the work bee pulled itself free of the twisted metal of the deck plating, Dox slammed hard against the side of her ship, slapping her hand against the biometric pad next to the hatch. As the work bee hovered back around, it began flying at full speed towards her. With only seconds to spare, the hatch slid open and Dox rolled in just as the work bee slammed into the side of the ship, wedging it's triangular canopy sideways into the open hatch.

The entire ship slid sideways, slamming into the starboard bulkhead as the work bee strained, stuck in the hatchway. Dox had rolled hard against the side of the interior of her ship, smacking her head against the bulkhead and seeing stars. After a second of blackness, she shook off the impact and pulled herself back against the far wall, grunting as the spotlights from the work bee filled the small interior of the cabin. "Okay, the computer may not be working in the shuttle bay, but somebody had to have heard that! C'mon, Security!"

Muttering to herself, Dox pulled the thick leather belt off her back and tore off the two blade sheaths. Pressing them on either side of her shattered kneecap, she wrapped the two belts around the sheaths and pulled them tight, creating a makeshift knee brace. As she tightened the belts, she let out a gravely scream inside the small ship. "IIIEEEAAAAGGGHH!!!!!"

Suddenly, the work bee stopped moving in the hatchway and powered down, the bright spotlights going dark. Once again, it was only the dim, red emergency lights leaking in from the flight deck that illuminated the interior of Dox's ship. With a hiss, the hatch of the work bee opened, as Dox pulled herself up to her feet. "Hnaev..." She whispered.

Limping to the storage locker, she swung the door open to grab the antique Romulan Disruptor she had purchased at auction with the captain and slapped the power cell into place as she swung it back towards the open canopy. "W... where are you?"

Expecting to see a person step out, she instead saw an empty seat as she heard that eerily familiar scampering sound again. That same metal-on-metal skittering she had heard a few times over the past week. The sound seemed to echo through the small chamber as she limped towards the cockpit of the small ship.

As her eyes began to adjust again, she saw the faintest green glow moving towards her on the floor a few meters away. Taking aim, she fired towards the glow as a green flash of disruptor fire streaked forward, punching through the deck of her small ship. But the small shape leapt back away. She could see it now, silhouetted on the deck by the red light creeping in from outside the ship. It was a small, metal creature with eight sharp, spiked legs and a barbed tail curving up the back, not unlike a scorpion.

Firing again, the creature bounded to the side and was now against the side bulkhead as it began scampering forward towards her. She fired again, missing again as it was too fast to get a bead on in the darkness. As it flew towards her face, she ducked and rolled forward onto the deck. Turning around, she saw it sitting on the console of her ship, it's tail swaling like a lance about the strike. Struggling to her feet, she kept her disruptor aimed at the platinum assassin as it waited.

To her left was the open cockpit of the work bee. As it lept for her again, she scrambled to roll into the seat of the work bee. The force of her full weight hitting the seat was enough to push the small pod free of the twisted metal of the door frame of her ship. The power was completely deactivated, so she reached up and grabbed the handles on the inside of the hatch and with all of her strength, she pulled it shut just as the creature landed on the transparent aluminum canopy.

Scampering back and forth, the small metal creature began stabbing at the canopy with it's razor-sharp tail. The scritching sound was unnerving as Dox tried rebooting the power inside the work bee. "What did you do in here, you little... You overrode the entire system. Shut out the security overrides and sensors. This whole room is dark to the ship right now, isn't it? Imirrhlhhse!"

There was a cracking sound as the tail strike caused a stress fracture in the canopy shield. The creature was small, no bigger than Dox's hand, but strong. In a few minutes, it would break into the cockpit for sure. Dox looked around in the cockpit trying in vain to restart the internal power.

"Think..." She muttered to herself in Rihan. "It cut the power to the entire chamber. You can't get out. You can't call for help. And since security hasn't beamed in, it's likely nobody heard the impact from before. That wound on Paulson's neck... it must be from its tail. Poison. You've still got your disruptor and you know where it is. And... the Khallianen! The door opened! It's got power!"

As she spoke, the glass fractured more as spider web cracks began to fill the canopy above the frightened Romulan officer. Looking around again, she saw the manual canopy release lever next to the seat. In an emergency, even without power, explosive bolts will blow the canopy away from the work bee. "That will give me a few seconds..."

Grabbing the lever tight, Dox tried to curl herself forward as much as possible as she brought her disruptor up as she watched the platinum scorpion digging away at the canopy glass. With one strong strike, the sharp edge of its tail punched into the glass.

"Gotcha!" Dox mumbled as its tail tip was wedged in the glass momentarily. Yanking hard on the manual release, there was a loud series of bangs as the canopy was blown off the work bee, flying up and away from the ship with the platinum scorpion attached.

As it fell back to the deck15 meters away, the glass shattered freeing the creature. But Mnhei'sahe was already moving. Limping out of the cockpit and towards the rent door of her damaged ship. As she moved, she raised her disruptor and fired in the direction of the canopy, hoping for a lucky shot as the scorpion skittered away with ease.

Her broken knee screamed in protest as she climbed up into her ship, trying to shut the hatch behind her. But the work bee twisted the frame too much when it rammed the doorway earlier and it only groaned in protest. But it's impotent whines proved her small ship still had power so she quickly made her way to the cockpit, powering up the small craft. With a flicker, the console lights came on. "Yes!" She exclaimed as she first tried the comm system, but it was jammed from the outside just like her own com badge.

"Hnaev... now what..." Dox slammed the console angrily as she heard the metallic skittering of the scorpion as it circled the hatchway. Trying to keep it from entering, she fired wildly at the doorway as she tried to think.

'Okay...' Dox thought to herself, looking at the console. 'No communications. Can't call for help. Sensors are blind in here but... "A slight smile crossed her face. 'Nobody's heard the commotion in here so far, but they can't miss this!"

Calling up the weapons console, Dox aimed at the bulkhead ahead of the ship and opened fire. The room shook violently as powerful phaser blasts hit the internal shields that the creature had erected. As they did, her sensitive Romulan ears picked up the faint sound of a security klaxon in the distance. "That did it! They know something's going AAAAGH!!!"

As she spoke, the sharp metallic legs of the creature dug into her upper back as it leapt from the door frame onto her. Scrambling, she ran her back across the edge of the pilot's seat, shaking it off to fall to the deck plates behind her, it's legs dripping with her own green blood. It was between her and the hatch now and scampering back towards her.

Turning towards the windshield of her own ship, she fired a series of shots from her disruptor that shattered the transparent aluminum glass from within as she crawled up and out of the cockpit. Rolling to the deck with a massive thud, she let out a scream as her right ankle, already damaged when the work bee grabbed it, snapped on impact. GYAAAGHH!!!

With both legs out of commission, Mnhei'sahe tried to pull herself back from the ship with her one free arm, keeping the disruptor aimed at the cockpit as the Scorpion skittered into view. "C... c'mon... where the hell are you?"

For a long moment, Dox stared at the mechanical assassin in the dimly lit red light of the room as it stood there, readying it's tail to strike as she could no longer pull herself any further. She squinted an eye as she prepared to fire, hoping to hit it before it could strike with its poison filled tail like it did to Paulson. Then, without a sound, the creature skittered back into the cockpit.

"Hnaev..." Dox muttered as she could hear it crawling out of the side hatch and down to the deck plating on the other side of the ship, out of sight. "This would... this would be a great time for security to appear!" She yelled to the room, exhausted and frustrated.

Panic setting in, she was darting her eyes around, trying to see what she could hear getting closer. Suddenly, she saw a flash of light reflect off it's shining platinum limbs as it flew into the air at her face from the shadows. Dox winced back in fear as she heard a shimmering sound, as when the holodeck is activated and saw a blur of green pass in front of her, snatching the platinum Arachnid out of the air, inches from her face.

At first it was a hazy outline of purple with green stripes in the shape of a very fat and fluffy cat floating in the air, a green glowing haze coming off of it and the tail swaying back and forth as there was a metallic crunching sound. Then the face of the cat turned around to show two big bright moon yellow eyes and a very wide white-toothed grin, the remains of the scorpion between the teeth. This was definitely a holographic Cheshire cat of some sort, and it was definitely Starfleet, judging by the golden patch of fur in the shape of a delta shield on its forehead.

As it studied Dox with that mad look on its face, it floated a bit closer and first turned its head upside down, then its body, grinding its platinum prey almost in half as it did so. Finally, it blinked and floated right side up, resting its head on its paws and wrapping its tail around its body. It then said one word in that slightly odd voice that the computer sometimes used. "Me-ow..."

Catching her breath, Dox looked at the bizarre sight as the sparking, platinum creature fell from the jaws of the projected feline, clanking to the ground. "M... Maru?" She muttered.

"Yes?" asked the holographic purple and green cat, the fine mist still coming off of its fur. It tilted its head ninety degrees as it waited.

Then young Romulan pilot tilted her head as the slightest of exhausted smiles cracked the corner of her lips. She had only heard Maru speak once before, when she was mind-melded with her closest friends to try and talk down the goddess Gaia. But in that link that connected her mind to that of the crew and the ship, she felt a presence in the background. It was a presence she now understood was the entity before her, and it gave her just a bit of comfort in the moment.

"Thank you." Was all Mnhei'sahe could think to say.

Maru grinned wider, rolling over a couple times as her body seemed to fade into nothing but green mist that quickly faded away. Then her eyes closed and vanished and her smile morphed into a crescent moon that closed out to a new moon - invisible and gone, just as the first of the security teams forced their way through the doors.

As they did, power was restored to the deck and the lights came back on as Mnhei'sahe winced in pain. She tried to scooch back to a seated position but only succeeded in flumping back against the bulkhead behind her. "Aaaagg!" She hissed.

"Lieutenant! What happened?!" The first two security guards came in the door. Dox looked up, squinting at them as she fought back a wave of nausea that was coming on as her adrenaline was beginning to subside.

Recognizing the two tall women from her training sessions with security as Petty Officers Grell and Wagner, she waved them over. Wagner, a wide shouldered human with caramel skin and a short buzz cut ran over to Dox while Grell, a stockier Bajoran covered her rear trying to see if there was still a threat.

"Th... Threat is neutralized Miss Grell. That's what's left if it. Call a science team in to contain it right away, though." Dox gestured to the small piece of crumpled platinum by her feet as the pair of Amazons-in-training looked at it incredulously. After all, the pair of officers were both a head taller than the young Romulan, but that didn't stop her from putting them both down on the mat in combat training, so they had a hard time processing the minuscule creature as a threat at first.

Hissing in as her cracked ankle and shattered knee cap protested her movements, Dox chuckled lightly. "Trust me... It hits harder when it's ramming you with a work bee. Call a med team, please. And... Nouhha... Paulson."

Reaching up to grab Wagner's shoulder, she gestured with her chin to go up. "Help me up, please."

Looking at the twists in her legs, Wagner hemmed for a moment. "Lieutenant, I don't."

"Help me up!" Dox snapped back, but there was a tremble to her voice that Wagner responded to as she motioned to Grell. After calling in science and medical as ordered, a second security team entered, weapons drawn. Then Grell joined Wagner and the two women tucked themselves under Dox's shoulders and lifted the stout pilot up.

As the weight of her lower legs pulled on the broken joints, Dox winced in pain, clutching at the women's backs as she bit her lip trying to not cry out again. "It... It killed... help me over... Please. Paulson... he's over behind the ship."

Slowly, the two security officers obliged, keeping most of Dox's weight on their shoulders. Still, each step was clearly agony as they arrived at the limp, lifeless body of the young Flight Officer. Gently, as Dox motioned with her head, they lowered her down to the deck to Paulson's side. Tears down her cheeks as a medical team arrived.

Gently, she put her hand over his heart as she whispered over him in her native Rihan. "May Al'thindor carry you on swift wings."

The young Romulan had never been a religious woman, but on a ship with three God's in residence, one that had just saved her life, the words came naturally to her.

Lightheaded and nauseated, she turned to the medical team and gave a simple nod. Quickly, they stepped over to help and she let them, offering no protest as they moved her gently to a grav-lev gurney for transport to Sick Bay.

As she was being moved to the door, she whispered again in Rihan, "I'm sorry, Raphael. I'm sorry."

https://youtu.be/NlzkGd7qaMY

Shuttlecraft Bay 2 of the USS Hera that occupied part of the aft section of Deck 22 was heavily insulated. After all, shuttles, freighters and any number of small to medium sized craft might make a poor landing on it, and had, more than once. The tritanium triple reinforced honeycomb system of interlocking layers acted as a shock absorber utilizing a polymer gel sandwiched within said honeycombs. The deck was resilient, sturdy, and reasonably crash-proof. If there could be considered a 'safest place' to crash a small starship on the USS Hera, it would be the flight deck.

As attributed by the worker bee left smoking on the deck, it's canopy hatch shattered nearby, the explosive bolts still smoking.

The blast doors were there as part of a bulwark defense. While it was nice to trust in forcefields, sometimes they failed when ships lost power, and rather than vent the entire starship via the shuttlecraft bay, sturdy blast doors lined the entrance to the Hera proper from the flight deck on both Decks 21 and 22. Which was fortunate, because the security alerts had gone off when those blast doors came under attack from heavy phaser blast from the Khallianen, Lieutenant Dox's personal pirate craft, which she'd taken to parking on the flight deck.

With everything else that was going on, the irritation that she felt seeing the pirate ship parked prominently on the Starfleet shuttle bay was minor, and she'd decided to let it go. Now the first officer was glad that she had. If the attacks had occurred on the flight deck, there might have been more casualties..

But then, Ensign Raphael Paulson might not be dead.

It had taken her a few moments to get up, get dressed and cross the ship to get to the flight deck, during which Lieutenant Dox had been hauled off to sickbay, and the security officers on the scene had updated the situation. Operations had already confirmed a viral worm loop in their systems that had kept the flight deck silent from sensors, and they were shunting it out now, and reported that the data from the suppressed sensors might be retrievable, and they were working on it.

Now, at just after 02:15 hours, Rita Paris was looking at the flight deck that was the scene of a murder and an attempted murder. One officer lay dead, another gravely wounded. Knee and an ankle had to hurt. Dox would live... which meant right now, Rita Paris needed answers. Because when the Captain finished checking on Dox, she was going to expect answers.

"Mr. Carrot, you're the flight deck doc, I want to know what killed Mr. Paulson. Also determine if he needs to be quarantined. I want scans, people- take that ship apart screw by screw if you have to, but if she's got any more nasty little surprises like this, I want them found in short order, identified and neutralized. I want this debris over here to be analyzed, down to the point of manufacture, and I want to know everything about it. In no small part because the fluid is eating into the deck, and that is some very, VERY tough deckplate right there."

"I want scans of the flight deck to determine that there are no more surprised lying dormant. In short, people I want you to be able to tell me what color underwear I've got on because you've scanned that thoroughly. Because something killed Mr. Paulson, and tried very, VERY hard to kill Lieutenant Dox." Paris addressed the assembled officers, chin high, brow set, resolve firm. "Not on our flight deck. Not on our starship."

"Let's get to work."

Thav nodded as he began walking forward, his eyes on the scanner and the floor as he walked in a straight line across the flight deck. Around halfway across his scanner detected something just in front of him. Stopping and getting down on one knee his blue eyes found the foreign objected. A few shattered pieces of metal. Placing a marker at the sight he used a pair of tweezers to pick up the shards after having his scanner logged their structure completely. "Got something over here. The scanner shows it as part of a Yemmars energy cell." He said calmly.

"Break that down for me, Mr. Th'ovohrot," Paris replied, standing in the center of it all to coordinate, as if she were on the bridge.

"It's a small energy cell, often used in spy equipment and black market robots," the andorian responded as he sealed the evidence bag.

“Excellent,” the gold-clad commander replied. “Finish gathering up the rest of the remains there so we can seek out all the clues involved. Get that investigation launched and trace that power cel- I would very much like to know more about where our little assassin droid came from, who made it, who sells it, and how it got here. Good work, Master-At-Arms- keep it up.”

After a few minutes, the gold clad security officer, V'Nus emerged from the twisted metal hatchway of Dox's ship, the Khallianen, PaDD in hand as she walked up to Commander Paris at full military attention.

"Commander, I have compiled the report from Petty Officer Wagner, who was first on the scene and took the Lieutenant's first statement along with the inventory listing of the ship. The investigation team is beginning to disassemble the vessel, but initial scans have found nothing further matching the energy signature of the damaged sample we have. It left a detectible trail from one of the four crates in storage and all are being taken for further investigation."

Finishing, V'Nus handed the PaDD to Paris. "That trail should make it possible for us to determine where on the Hera it's been. And I've also compiled the past security scans of the Khallianen for comparison to determine how this eluded us."

That's when the silver haired, eye patch wearing, augmented human of a pirate entered the flight deck in her full Baroness livery, hat, cloak, and tasseled shoulder pads and all. She strode up to Commander Paris like royalty and looked up to the taller woman, completely ignoring the carnage around her as if it was normal. "I am here, Commander. You have need of me?"

“Someone murdered one of our crew, and tried to kill Lieutenant Dox,” Paris turned, a hint of the cold fury she was restraining leaking through in her stiff and formal manner. “I will know who has perpetrated this act. Once we have determined that information, a course of action will be determined from there. As it stands, you are the resident expert of the Artan pirate baronesses. As we narrow the focus of the investigation, your input and analysis would be most helpful and would be appreciated.”

While she couldn’t order the platinum pirate to do anything, von Alcott was close to Dox, and the first officer suspected that an assassination attempt would likely anger her nearly as much if not more than it infuriated Paris.

And so it did. The Baroness clenched both her fists and her jaw at the news and took a moment to compose herself, taking a deep breath. The smile on her face after that was not one of friendship but one of deadly intent. When she spoke, she had to force her teeth to unclench. "Do we have the means of assassination? Has it been determined how it came aboard?"

“Mister Th'ovohrot. You have the debris of the device, correct? Petty Officer V’Nus, you have scanned the Lieutenant’s ship and indicated it originated in one of those crates… the ones bearing gifts from the other baronesses? Anyone else? I need an answer, an analysis determining how the assassin droid came aboard. Anyone?” While she herself was a reasonable investigator, Paris gad called in the crew of experts for a reason. Now it was time to see what they produced.

Ensign John Carrott looked up from the body of Paulson, sadness evident on his face. He shook his head as if to clear it, and scanned again, leaning closer to gain a visual inspection of exposed skin on the body. When he looked up, he was three shades greener than Kermit.

“Stop!” he exclaimed, “Gloves everyone, now please! There is evidence Paulson succumbed to a particularly virulent poison, and in the event any of it leaked anywhere….well, better safe than sorry.”

Suiting actions to words, Carrott took long-legged strides to the replicator and procured protective gear for himself and the others, putting his own on and preparing to pass the rest out.

The andorian had been flicking through something on his PaDD before the ensign's words rang through his head. He'd already been wearing gloves for his search, but the words made his eyes twitch as he flicked the padd back. A certain model of assassin droid was on the page. A Scorpinox 7 model.

"I think we may have a culprit, ma'am." the Master At Arms said, handing the PaDD over to the Commander with the highlighted droid model.

On the PaDD was the technical information for the small, palm sized assassin droids that matched the small pile of twisted metal that had been collected from the flight deck.

'Designed to replicate jewelry, the Scorpinox 7 has an advanced internal A-I and targets based on DNA scans built into a replica gemstone containing the processor and scanning equipment. The platinum body converts into a series of extendable and retractable platinum legs and the linked chain converts into a powerful, retractable tail with a durasteel toxin delivery Lance.

The Lance can be loaded with up to 1,500 CC's of any toxin and can puncture most forms of body armor.

The Scorpinox 7 is equipped with dormant scan reflection technology rendering it undetectable to all but an individual, level four security scan.

The Scorpinox 7 can be configured and customized to match jewelry from multiple cultures for maximum infiltration expediency and is primarily used by the Orion Syndicate, the Tal'Shiar, the Ferengi Alliance and the Dominion. Of Orion manufacture.

"Get me DNA off that thing. It'll have Romulan and human DNA that will match up with what else we have on file. I want to know who else handles it, because that might give us some clues. Where can such a thing be purchased, Baroness von Alcott?" Paris directed. "Also, you said you found traces on which crate it came from- Baroness, coordinate with Mr. Th'ovohrot. While I understand that in the wheels within wheels and worlds within worlds of espionage, it could have been slipped into someone else's crate, which likely tells us nothing, I still want what answers there are to be had."

At which point, Petty Officer V'Nus returned with another PaDD, which she handed to Paris. "Commander. The investigation team traced the point of origin on the ship to this. The box in question is still being scanned and is quarantined for the time being, but there is a name inside."

On the PaDD were holo images of the small, velvet wrapped jewelry box the false pendant was found in. Visible on the inside of the open lid was a small gold plaque that read 'Verelan t'Rul'.

While she was remaining outwardly calm, it was abundantly clear to all personnel in the shuttle bay that the Commander was In No Mood. An attack on the decks of the United Federation starship Hera itself that had murdered one officer and damn near killed another was just the opening act of getting involved with pirate scum, and the entire affair was bringing her anger to a boiling point she was working very hard to contain, as now cold logic and determination were called for.

"Has Mr. Sonak arrived as yet? No?" Tapping the comm badge on her left breast, Paris made a direct call. "Paris to Sonak, you are needed on Deck 22, Shuttle Bay 2 immediately."

''Acknowledged,'' came the instant reply.

Meanwhile, based on the data that she had seen so far, Schwein had pulled out one of her PaDDs and had tapped into the ArtaNet and was looking up the registry of who had given Dox each of those gifts. When she found the gift, she forwarded the data to Rita's PaDD. She was so pissed, she didn't even bother trying for common, instead speaking in German and letting the UT handle translations. "It was from one of our own. A Romulan of the name Theran T'Werska. He registered the gift as a pendant he found at Tortuga station from a Romulan vendor he knew that claimed the person in the picture to be the deceased grandmother of Mnhei'sahe."

She then easily crushed the reinforced PaDD with one hand in frustration and dropped the fragmented remains to the deck before pulling out a backup.

"Investigate this personage, please. If he is innocent, I want it proven," Paris grumbled. While she was here to represent the Artan family, the Baroness was her friend and confidante. As angry as Rita was over the situation, she wasn't about to take it out on the pirate whom she had cheerlead to chase her fiance, who had taught her swordplay and who, if she was not turned against her will, would take a disintegration for the Captain.

One of her greatest fears in the coming storm was that just such a thing would come to pass, which would destroy von Alcott, and the Captain as well. Grinding her teeth, Rita sough reserves of calm as fear and anxiety continued to try to turn themselves into anger inside her.

At that moment, the shuttlebay door wooshed open to admit the blue clad, grey-eyed chief science officer of the Hera. After a quick visual survey of the current state of the small hangar deck, the Vulcan walked straight to his superior officer who was also his wife. But none could have told it was so, looking at his deadpan, professional demeanor and hearing his flat tone of voice.

''Reporting as ordered, Commander. How may I be of service?''

Internally, a wave of relief swept over Rita Paris, although it was tempered by the severity of the situation. But while she often doubted her own logic, Sonak's was logic which tended to be flawless, even if not always applicable. Right now, she needed his sharp, critical eye, his keen understanding of personal motivation and his threat analysis capability.

Right now, she needed Sherlock Holmes. But she had Sonak instead, who was actually superior.

First came a basic statement of the facts as they stood, then her thoughts. "An infiltration and assassination droid was slipped into the cargo of Lieutenant's Dox's private vessel, amongst gifts from other Baronesses of the Artan family. Ensign Paulson is dead, and Lieutenant Dox is in Sickbay. The remains of the android have been collected by Master-At-Arms Th'ovohrot, and at this point we have a probable representation of the manner in which it was smuggled in, by whom and it seems the culprit behind it all, if the trail of evidence is to be believed."

The Vulcan asked to see the data regarding the assassination tool and started studying it before he spoke again.

''Identifying the origin point of the device is greatly simplified by the tools we have on board. This is an investigation ship with state of the art apparatus and personel. So, as with any device encountered, our first, best bet of avenue is to identify it's molecular composition, technological design and power signature.''

He contacted the different ship departments and programmed the computer for detailed analysis and correlation with their data banks as he continued.

''So far the data found seem to point to a Romulan source. But, unless we are dealing with fanatics eager to promote their agenda, the first rule of a successful assassination is to divert suspicion; as much from it's intended target as away from his, her or it's true identity. I think we can rule out fanaticism, as the manner of execution was too anonymous, too subtle and unspectacular to act as an effective socio-political message.''

The Vulcan completed his programming.

''Engineering will soon confirm if this device is truly of Rihansuu manufacture and design. Our good doctor should also be able to send us the analysis of any residual DNA imprint and if such trace is that of the manufacturer and user or if it has been implanted as a decoy. There is also the chemical composition of the poison used with the device, which should allow our science lab to point to it's possible manufacturer and origin. Xenosociology is also studying the repertoire of known user of similar assassination methods. Correlating all those pieces of data from our various departments should give us the best possible probability of who the culprit truly is.''

He stepped back to let Rita Paris see for herself the result of all those analysis and correlations as they appeared on screen.

"Theran T'Werska registered the gift as a pendant he found at Tortuga station from a Romulan vendor he knew that claimed the person in the picture to be the deceased grandmother of Miss Dox, which would stand to reason that he himself may have been used as an unwitting agent, but that coincidence is too broad to be statistically likely. Instead he was given the android by a Tal Shiar agent, and paid to sneak it into the various gifts, playing a long game. But with that line of reasoning assumed as correct, why would she be trying to murder her own granddaughter, with Mr. Paulson as an accidental casualty along the way?" While she wasn't a detective Rita could see how the chain of events and the data came together, but that was an element that eluded her.

''Romulans live in a very archaic hierarchical society where lineage is manipulated for political gains,'' the Vulcan answered. ''In such societies, murder is often but a tool to an end. But it remains to confirm that Romulans are truly involved in this specific instance. Poison is far from being unheard of among them, but usually open challenge is more the norm. Honor is a central concept of their culture and it is harder to make a recognized claim through covert means. For most Romulans and most of their socio-political needs, this would appear counterproductive.''

"Ja, I concur," the platinum haired pirate interjected. "With the timing of mein own assassination attempt, zis is too suspicious. Romulans are definitely involved, given the means and method, but I suspect as a diversionary tactic. I suspect that Theran and this supposed vendor are pawns in the Queen's plans, just as Sarika was in delivering my own means of demise." Peering up at the Vulcan with her one human eye, she studied him for a moment. "Ist that a logical enough assumption and a good starting point for mein own research?"

''The truth about the logic of an assumption can only be established through the validation of it's premise. You are far more knowledgeable about your own culture than I am. If you have external data relevant to this, then you can assert the probability of you being correct.''

Looking up from his crouched position, Carrott had been letting the words wash over him while he completed his scans. His slightly dazed look became more focused as he processed what had been said. Brain and mouth finally caught up, he began to speak in his usual deliberate fashion.

"Commander, the poison implemented was not Romulan in origin. At least not in part. There are multiple layers to the neurotoxin. The strongest element is a derivative of the Borgia plant from M-113. However, it has also been mixed with the kaylo plant and a binding element from a plant native to Romulus. This was engineered. I've never seen anything like this....someone paid big bucks to have this created."

Schwein's eye opened wide as she slowly looked over at Carrott recognizing at least the basic description of the toxin. "Was ze toxin encased in ze resin of ze dunkip trees of Setlik five?" Receiving a nod from the medical officer, she mumbled to herself a few German curses before continuing. "Zat is ze signature of an assassin I... Dispatched... Some years ago. His blades are now in the ownership of our Lieutenant Dox. Whomever obtained that recipe is not a friendly person and likely has ties to the family of said assassin. The Queen's attendant is rumored to have such ties..."

"Baroness, follow up with Theran T'Werska, if you please," Commander Paris asked, then followed it up with a twist. "Bring Petty Officer Jablonski- this is a murder and attempted assassination of Starfleet personnel. So while we would very much appreciate your assistance in navigating these waters, this is Starfleet custody they are being taken into for questioning. I assume this is clear to all involved, correct?"

"Ja, perfectly, Commander," Schwein replied, giving the buxom lass a salute and forgetting that she still had a reinforced PaDD in her hand. The remains of which shattered against her forehead and sprinkled to the floor like confetti. The platinum haired pirate just sighed and brushed the pieces from her face and uniform. "Almost time to replicate more..."

Just as Schwein was smashing a PaDD into her face, Enalia made her entrance onto the flight deck, looking like she owned the place, which, in a way, she did. "Status report, if you please." She shook her head at Schwein and the small pile of electronics at her feet, but said nothing, knowing how she could be. She also judged it to be serious by the looks of the size of the pile.

"Someone snuck an assassin droid into the Baroness gifts on Miss Dox's personal vessel," Paris drew herself up to report- this was why the investigation had proceeded as it had, after all- so the Captain could be briefed. "Apparently Ensign Paulson must have spotted it, and it killed him with a neurotoxin encased in the resin of the dunkip trees of Setlik V. After a pitched battle, Lieutenant Dox managed to overcome the android."

"We have a lead, with a myriad of potential shadow motivations behind it, including your mother's attendant. The box small, velvet wrapped jewelry box the false pendant was found in apparently bore a small gold plaque that read 'Verelan t'Rul'- Grandmother to our Miss Dox on her father's side. Wheels within wheels, Captain... which have left one of ours dead, another in sickbay, badly injured." There was no humor in the tone of the first officer- these were grave tidings.

The spotted captain closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly let it out. She then pulled the PaDD out of her pocket and handed it to Schwein who cracked the screen just accepting it. "Add that to the pile for me, please." Without another word, the platinum haired woman crushed it like paper between her hands, the remains falling to the floor in a shower of plastic and electronics.

Enalia then opened her eyes and grinned ever so slightly. "I assume you've already handed out marching orders for the investigation then?"

"Aye ma'am. The investigation is underway as we speak, and I'll keep you apprised of progress, interviews and arrests. Someone out there will pay for this, I assure you." Paris was not usually given to grim proclamations, but it was clear in this case she was rather determined. "Justice will be served."

"I swear I don't know what I would do without you. Keep up the good work." Enalia surveyed the deck once more before turning to leave but stopped long enough to reminisce about when she and her team at the time had saved the augmented human from a Syndicate raid that had wiped out her entire research colony but her. It had taken the woman some time to learn to treat the tech gently enough to not destroy it casually and as far as she knew, it had been a long time since Schwein had destroyed even one of her own PaDDs and the ease of which she had destroyed the one she gave her... She had somehow grown even stronger over the years.

Taking another deep breath and slowly letting it out, the curvaceous Captain looked around the flight deck again, burning the image into her mind. They had been too late to save Raphael Paulson, who was likely just an innocent bystander in the way of this assassin droid. They just had to make sure they weren't too late to save anyone else. This time she knew she had the best crew in the galaxy though, so they would pull it off.

Looking up at the Commander and Captain, Carrott said, "I would like to move the body to storage in Medlab 2. No quarantine is needed as the live toxin must be injected directly into the bloodstream or muscle mass to be active, but better safe under lockdown than sorry."

“Do so. See if an antivenom can be assembled, in case we encounter this again,” Paris ordered. “Seal the private ship, clear the deck and file your reports. I have to go write a letter to the next of kin.” Eyeing the Captain, the Starfleet officer added, “Hopefully not one of many.”

Being carried into sickbay on a grav-lev gurney, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox was more angry than she was in pain and it was making it slightly difficult for the medical crew.

“Look, you can let me down. I can make it on the biobed myself, okay?” She protested in vain as the crew prepared to move her into place for Doctor Asa Dael to work.

“Please lie still, Lieutenant. Scans show you have a broken left patella, two hairline fractures in your left hip, a break in your right ankle, two cracked ribs and a mild concussion.” The medic read off the bio-scanners as they moved the patient to the biobed.

It was just after zero two fifteen hours in the morning and the Red-headed Romulan pilot was the survivor of an assassination attempt in Shuttlebay two from a small but deadly Scorpion droid. It locked down the bay and tried to use a work bee shuttle to kill the resilient Lieutenant. But she wasn't nearly as angry about that as she was that it had succeeded in killing the flight office she had assigned the overnight duty in that bay, Ensign Raphael Paulson.

The sickbay was almost empty and unusually quiet as Doctor Asa Dael rushed out of their office, with Dox's bond-mate, Mona Gonadie right beside them, looking extremely concerned as she ran ahead of the doctor to the bio-bed.

Her feathers were in a flurry as she inspected her lover and bond-mate from head to toe, worried beyond belief and petting Dox gingerly on the head like a Miradonian child, her other hand instinctively taking her lover's hand. "Are you ok? Where does it hurt? Ooooohoohhhhh... You're going to be ok, ok? Everything's going to be ok now. Asa's here and they're going to make everything ok."

Wincing slightly as she tried to scooch up in frustration, Mnhei'sahe tried to calm Mona down as best as was possible. She hated how often her love had to see her in sickbay like this, but she hated why she was there on this night more than anything else. "I'm okay. I'm okay, Mona. It's really not a big deal. It's not... It's not me."

Scrunching her face angrily, Dox shut her eyes as she muttered through the pain coming from her broken legs. "It's Raphael. It killed Raphael in the Shuttlebay trying to get to me."

Mona paused for a moment as that news sunk in. She wasn't the biggest fan of Paulson and his cocky attitude, but he did well enough and he was a reliable pilot that always volunteered for extra shifts. "I'm sorry... We'll have to... he loved lilies... Someone will have to water his flowers..."

Trying to think about her duties and not focus on the unknowns of the assassination attempt that was just made on her life, Dox muttered. "I'll have to talk to MacNielle. I... I think the two were seeing each other." But as the two women were talking, Doctor Dael stepped over to the bed to do their job.

"Ladies, I need Lieutenant Dox to lay still now, ok?" Asa said softly, squeezing their friend's hand in comfort as they set to work.

Starting at Dox's head, Asa began correcting the concussion, confirming Mnhei'sahe's pupils were symmetrical and the correct size before moving on. Using the osteo-generator they set about mending broken bones, and soothing cuts and abrasions with the tissue knitter. All told the procedure took only about 15 minutes, but the wide-scatter of damage spoke to how tough the battle had been for the young officer.

"OK, I'm finishing up your abrasions now, bones are all set. Concussion is mended... Now is not the time to be tough. Going through all this would make anyone feel horrible. Any pain? Are your bones sore, tissue itchy? Anything?"

Laying on the bed, Dox was still a swirl of emotions and her pain was the last thing from her mind. But considering how often she had been on Asa's table since coming on board the Hera, the anxious Romulan pilot wasn't going to be difficult with her best friend. "Yeah. My muscles are still really... sore. Stiff."

"That's understandable. I'm going to deliver a mild muscle relaxer. Um, be forewarned it may make you....talkative. It tends to relax inhibitions as well as muscles, but not in the same way as alcohol. Don't fear, you are among friends, nothing you say will offend us."

With that Asa delivered the relaxer and sedative with a mild pain reliever mixed in for good measure. The concoction flowed through Mnhei'sahe's veins, delivering a feeling of warmth and relaxation.

But that sense of relaxation was limited to her body more than her mind and the physical relief only served to fuel her internal guilt and, ironically, her anger at herself as she fidgeted on the table, trying to sit up. "I'm better. I am. Can I... I need to get out of here. I need to..."

"You need to lay down, Lieutenant," Asa said in full doctor voice. The usually genial doctor had a bit of iron in their voice now, and while their eyes remained concerned, a bit of fire was visible there as well. The good doctor did not tolerate their patient's recovery being endangered.....not even by the patient themselves.

Softening their voice a bit, Asa continued, "You have been through an ordeal today. And unlike times in our pasts where both of us have decided to push through at the cost our own sanity later on....you are going to rest. You are going to lay here and let me monitor you. You are going to let Mona fret and hold your hand and send her love through your bond. You are going to just be for just a while, ok?"

Flumping her head back a bit, Dox sighed and rolled her eyes like a petulant child, but she conceded and replied contritely. "Yes, Doctor. Sorry." Then the frustrated pilot turned her head towards Mona and opened her hand with a half smile.

"Excellent," Asa replied, "Now I'm going to set up some monitoring for the next few minutes. You seem to have dodged what could have been a far worse encounter, but better safe than sorry. The bed is running the program now. I'll be back in a bit to check on you. I'm just in my office if you need me in the meantime. You two love-birds, pun fully intended, take a breath together. Everything is going to be ok."

The brightly plumed Miradonian smiled and nuzzled on her lover, intertwining her fingers with Dox's. "Everything will be ok. You're safe now. Let's just focus on that for now, ok?"

Nodding, Dox shut her eyes and just tried to focus on Mona. On her warmth and her breathing and the rhythmic thrumming she made whenever they touched. As she tried to relax, her mind flooded with horrible thoughts. What if the assassin droid had attacked her in her office or quarters. What if it had been Mona that had gotten in its way.

At the thought, Dox's entire body shuddered ever so slightly as she gripped Mona's hand tighter and the two simply held each other for a time.

After a few moments of this, the doors to sickbay opened and closed, allowing in the ship's captain as she silently headed for her Flight Control Chief. "Hey. How are you feeling?" she asked, lightly placing one hand on Dox's shoulder.

Though groggy from the muscle relaxers, Dox looked up to see her Captain standing above her. "I'm... I'll be fine, C... Captain." She replied weekly, her voice trembling as a wave of guilt built up inside her.

Enalia recognized that look all too well. She'd seen it in the mirror countless times and she knew nothing she said would get through to the young Romulan right now. She could at least offer the comfort that she wished she had gotten on her first time losing a crewmember though.

The captain smiled as she did her best to do so. "Hey, that's right. You will be fine. I know it hurts now, but we're going to catch whomever is responsible and they're going to be spending a long time in a Federation prison. We just need to keep moving forward, ok?"

Nodding lightly, Dox pursed her lips. "T... Thank you, Captain. I'm... I'm sorry I couldn't... I was too late."

The spotted captain shook her head lightly and patted Dox's shoulder. "Hush. Maru is supposed to make sure systems breaches like this don't happen but was occupied elsewhere because of something I asked them to do. On top of that, as Captain, I'm responsible for the conduct and actions for the officers and crew under my command. You know what that means, right?"

Nodding again, Dox shut her eyes tight. Her head was a jumble and the muscle relaxers made focusing nearly impossible, but she understood. "Yeah..." She answered.

Then she looked up, her eyes heavy. "Maru... they saved me. I was... I couldn't stop it... And they... I said thank you... but... please... let them know..." Dox was rambling and emotional as she clutched Mona's hand just a little tighter.

"I will. Don't worry." Enalia smiled softly for a moment before turning to Mona. "Will you brief the Flight Control Office in the morning and adjust the schedules?"

"Yes ma'am, I'll take care of it," Mona replied with a nod. "I heard that Paulson had just started dating Ensign MacNielle though..."

"I'll pay her a visit tonight to break the news to her, then," Enalia replied.

"Captain, wait..." Dox said from the bed reaching up to put her hand on the Captain's arm, plaintiffly. "Please, This is... it's my department. I'm their supervisor. I should... I would like to talk to her myself, please." Her head was clearing as the meds were settling in and her strong metabolism did its job.

Enalia studied her for a moment before finally nodding consent. "Ok... But you'll make it brief and you'll go home immediately after and rest, ok?" She wanted to make it Captain's Orders, but then thought better of it, instead holding up her pinky finger in what she knew was childish, but she still took it seriously. "And no beating yourself up over this. Pinky promise."

"Thank you." Dox replied, reducing the near-death grip on Mona's hand back to a normal one. "And... I will try. I promise." The injured Romulan woman's predilection for beating herself up was almost legendary on the ship at this point among the command crew, so she knew better than to make a promise she knew she couldn't keep.

As Enalia stood there with her pinky held out expectantly, Mona cleared her throat. "You can't leave the Captain hanging like that, Minay... It's a pinky promise..."

Trying her best to let a light smile fall across her face, Dox brought her hand over and hooked her pinky to the Captains. Of course, the young Romulan officer raised on a smuggling ship found herself facing yet another weird affectation she was unfamiliar with. "Uh... what do we do now?"

"Now you declare your promise," Mona whispered to Dox as Enalia looked on with that innocent smile of hers. "And if you break that promise, she gets to keep your pinky."

"Okay... uh. I won't beat myself up over this." Dox replied, still a little confused and wiggling her pinky back and forth. "Not literally, at least." She had a weak smile on her face as she spoke.

The captain wrapped her pinky tighter around Dox's and leaned in a bit, still smiling. "Good. I'll hold you to it." She then let go and grinned wider. "If you'll excuse me, I should check on the investigation and see if there's anything else I can do to help on that front."

"Of course, Captain. Thank you again." Dox smiled a little bit more authentically as the Captain nodded to make her exit.

"Thank you." Enalia then pointed to Mona. "I'm counting on you to make sure she gets plenty of rest." And with that, the Captain was gone.

"Should I just have Asa chop it off while we're here? It seems easier." Dox turned to Mona, trying to joke even though the emotional storm in her head was clearly evident on her face.

The brightly plumed aviatrix chuckled softly. "I was kidding, silly. That's just an old chick's tale. Though with the look on the Captain's face, I wouldn't put it past her to try... Never play poker with that woman..."

"I'm drugged. It's hardly a fair playing field at this point." Dox replied, getting some more clarity back as she looked around. "I... I don't know what I'm going to say to MacNielle, Mona. I know it's important. She deserves to hear it from me, but what do you say when something like this happens?"

Mona took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Well, I normally start with 'I regret to inform you, but...' And then I list the time and that there was an incident at this location and that they are no longer with us. Then offer my condolences and support."

Dox didn't say anything in response at first, instead simply holding Mona closer, trying to relax enough to feel their empathic bond. It had been getting stronger over the last few weeks but was hard to find in the moment through the lingering pain. But it was still there and Dox could feel it just enough to give her a measure of strength.

"Thank you, Jhu Dhael." She whispered, using the term of endearment she used for Mona, the Rihan phrase for 'Angel Bird'.

"You're very welcome, Minay." Mona went back to thrumming softly as she did her best to snuggle. "You know... I don't much care for holodecks... But we could go spend some time in one this afternoon, if you feel up to it. I could maybe show you what my homeworld looks like?"

Bringing her hand up, Dox cupped Mona's face and smiled. "No... All I want is to be in your arms. Besides... not all your dreams were nightmares when we were still that linked. You've shown me and it was almost as beautiful as you "

"You always know just the right things to say," Mona replied, thrumming softly.

Duty on a Starship meant that life goes on even when it doesn't for everyone. For Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox, that meant that she was sitting alone in her quarters off duty for the day while Mona Gonadie was taking over the Flight Control Department.

Officially, Dox was ordered to rest by the Chief Medical Officer, Asa Dael, due to injuries sustained surviving a failed assassination attempt in Shuttlebay two the night before. Dox made it out of the attack with a broken knee, a cracked hip, two cracked ribs, a broken ankle, a mild concussion and a plethora of cuts and bruises.

Painful injuries that were easily fixed by the ships diligent doctor. But they had still insisted on Dox taking the day off to recuperate and recover anyway, leaving the emotionally exhausted officer alone with her thoughts. And her thoughts this morning lingered on the person who didn't survive the assassin droid's attack: Ensign Raphael Paulson.

The young ensign was opinionated, lazy with paperwork, poor with following regulations and had a big mouth that often got him put on the short list for undesirable duties. Duties like working the overnight shift in Shuttlebay two. The duty that he was assigned to by his flight chief, Mnhei'sahe Dox. The duty that got him killed.

Sitting at the small, glass top dining table nursing the last sip of a cup of tart Romulan Coffee, the flight chief was reading Paulson's service record on a PaDD. Today, she wouldn't be in the flight control office to talk to the crew about what had happened. Today she was confined to quarters where all she could do was think.

Wearing a pair of black sweat pants and a baggy black t-shirt that was a size too large for her, she got up to get a refill from the replicator. As she did, her body protested that decision. Her bones might have been mended and her skin healed, but the muscles and joints remembered the damage and screamed at the red-headed Romulan pilot in protest at their use. The muscle relaxer Asa had programmed into her replicator would have helped, had Dox chosen to take it.

But for now, she welcomed the stiff joints and painful spasms as she stretched out her legs to walk. It was a pain that would fade within the week, but it was a cold comfort to her in this moment. It reminded her that she was alive when she shouldn't have been. The droid that killed Paulson did so trying to get to her. It was programmed to kill her, hidden on her personal pirate ship that was parked on Shuttlebay two.

She survived. Raphael Paulson didn't. And the inequity of that trade weighed on her mind heavily as she called up another coffee and paced around her quarters, stiffly.

She wanted to go to the holodeck and fight something. She wanted to break her knuckles open on her own face or explode with all the pain she was feeling inside. And more than anything, she wanted a drink. Instead, she sipped her coffee and paced.

There was nothing she could do. It was only 07:00 hours and she couldn't pretend to sleep anymore. She couldn't lash out at anything. She couldn't hurt herself as that would only cause Mona pain once she came home later that evening. She knew that there had to be an investigation going on, but any files on that subject weren't being made available to her so all she could do was wait and think and fail at her promise to the Captain to not beat herself up.

Which was when the door chime sounded, announcing someone other than Mona or Asa. Rising stiffly to answer the door, she realized she could just command it from where she stood.

“Come,” she called out, and the door slid open to reveal Commander Rita Paris.

While both women were close, Rita had been conspicuously absent when Mnhei’sahe had been in sickbay, even to when she’d returned to her quarters. She had expected a visit- hell, the Captain had been there in Sickbay with her. But the golden girl of the USS Hera hadn’t made her appearance until now, which seemed odd for her, until Dox saw her face. It was clear that the first officer hadn’t slept well, if she had slept at all, as dark circles were evident under her eyes. As she strode into the room, she crossed the distance in that measured military stride of hers, then the statuesque beauty swept the chief helmsman up in a hug.

It was more than the emotionally torn young pilot could manage and she began to shudder in the arms of the woman she considered her sister. Wrapping her arms around Rita and clutching her tight in the same way she did so many long months ago after learning of her mutilation as a child, Dox did her best to hold the tears welling up in her but she was beginning to fail. It was a long, painful night of failure for the young Romulan woman.

Taking a few long breaths, Mnhei'sahe relaxed her grip and let go of Rita, trying to gain some measure of composure. Her eyes were thick and green with the tears welling up behind them and the evidence of a long night of tears. But she was trying her best to be an officer and not break down completely to give Rita whatever strength she could manage.

Pulling the wounded woman back into the embrace, the ancient astronaut held her there, while speaking in a soothing tone. “It’s okay… it’s okay. You’re not on duty, it’s just us here, and I know… I know.”

At which the dam finally broke again as Dox crumbled in Rita's arms. "R... Rita... I... I... I was too late. I couldn't... It was... it was my fault! It should have been me!" The red-headed Romulan sobbed. "It should have been me! It was supposed to be me!"

At that, Rita Paris pulled back, then picked up the chin of the distraught young officer. When she spoke, her voice was gentle and soft. "I imagine you are very angry right now, and sad, and frustrated. I'd suspect you feel worthless and small... and like you don't deserve to still be here. How'm I doing?"

Nodding, Dox wiped her cheek off as she was clearly grinding her her teeth slightly. "All that and more. I can't stop thinking about it. I don't want to stop thinking about it."

"Ahhhh, the guilt. Yup. All right, let's sit down and talk about this, Miss Dox," Rita patted Mnhei'sahe's shoulder, then steered her to the couch. "Because unless I miss my guess, this is the first time you've lost someone under your command. As it was an attack aimed at you, that just twists the knife a bit more. So I'll give you a choice- you can have the 'how do I cope with it' advice, the 'inspiration to pick up and carry on' or you can get it off your chest and rage at the unfairness of the universe. I've got a few more options than that, but those are the big three for this situation."

While her tone was a bit irreverent and light given the situation, it was neither sarcastic nor anything but truthful. Rita saw the best options, and laid them out for the officer under her command who needed guidance from a senior officer. The ancient astronaut remembered how she had felt when she was the one on the other side of this conversation, and she knew what she wished someone had told her then. Here and now, in this far-flung future, she could be that to the officers of the Hera, and Lieutenant Dox in particular.

Walking to the couch to sit down, the stiffness and pain was readily apparent, no matter how much Dox was trying to conceal it. As was the painful, light hiss she made when she at down as her joints and muscles protested. As she settled she simply stared into the space between the two silently for a solid thirty seconds.

"I remember all the speeches at the academy about this. But now, in hindsight, they all feel like filler written by people who have never been on a ship. But I can't blame an unfair universe. This wasn't some random accident. And one thing I've learned here ... is that when I let my rage out, it only ever hurts myself and the people I care about." Dox spoke quietly.

"I have plenty of inspiration to get back on my feet and carry on. Finding out who sent that thing, for instance." It was clear just how angry Dox was. There was the familiar undercurrent of anger in her voice.
but it was tempered by her desire to know what exactly happened and what could be done about it.

"I guess what I really need to know is how I'm supposed to live with this. With knowing that it was my fault. I... Don't know what to do" Dox finished sheepishly.

"Did you send the assassin droid? You did not. The fault lies in that person or persons. Paulson was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the thing damn near killed you, and you had to wreck half the shuttle bay to destroy it. Bear that in mind- Paulson didn't have your training, your survival instincts nor your will to live." Paris sat back a bit, getting chatty with her hands. "Don't get me wrong- I mourn the loss of an officer. But the universe tested Mr. Paulson, and he failed to meet the challenge. That is in no way, shape or form your fault, and I want that to sink in."

"Now, how you live with losing someone under your command, or on your orders. That one's a little harder." At this, the gold-clad commander parked her elbow on her knee as she leaned in toward Dox. "You obsess and analyze what you could have done better. You write that letter to the next of kin. You clean out their quarters, sending their effects off to the family, or recycling it if they didn't have anyone. You write the final report and close their service jacket. You make sure you personally do all of the dirty jobs that come with letting someone under your command die." Sitting up straight, Rita changed the tone.

"You can only beat yourself up so long though, you see. Because there are a lot more officers and crew under your command. And if you are spending too much time trapped in your own head, you aren't looking out for all of them. You've still got a job to do, and at the end of the day, you have to do it, or walk away and let someone else shoulder the burden. Feel it, remember it..." From the look in her eyes, clearly Rita Paris had lost men before, and still recalled their sacrifice. "But don't let it consume you."

"You take care of the rest of your crew, train them, teach them, make sure you pass along what you know, and be there for them. That's how you live with it, Miss Dox," the long-winded legend wrapped up her dose of advice with a very simple yet effective summary.

"You lead."

Reaching over, Dox picked up a PaDD from the small coffee table. "His Father passed away 6 years ago, but his mother lives on Mars. He has... had... two sisters, also in the fleet. One serving as a yeoman on the Otomo and the other in engineering on Starbase 227."

She fidgeted with the PaDD in her hands. "I wrote about ten different letters over the night. I couldn't sleep. But..." Then she looked up with a pained expression. "He was... he was in a relationship with Barbara Ann MacNielle. She's a good pilot. Fifth in the department. They started dating just after Thex's wedding. I..."

A fresh tear slipped free to roll down her cheek and she wiped it away almost angrily. "When Asa dismissed me from Sickbay, I had a fresh uniform replicated to change into. I had to go tell her before... on my way back here. I couldn't let her just read a report or leave it to Mona this morning in the office. It wouldn't be right. I keep seeing her face..." Dox began to curl up in a tight ball as she sat on the couch, crying.

"I... I did what I could. I told her what happened. I tried to comfort her and I kept my shit together. I held in my own tears until I got back here with Mona... But I keep seeing her face. Knowing she didn't have anyone to turn to anymore because..." Dox tried to pull herself together, sniffing as she straightened up, planting her fist over her right thigh, firmly pressing it in a series of short punches to her leg that she was using to try and give herself some degree of focus.

"Ah! Ah! None of that," Rita reached out and gently took the punching hand in her own, and held it. "Yes, it puts a personal face on the loss. Yes, it makes it hard not to feel haunted by guilt when you see them. So you cope by making sure nothing happens to the survivors, you see? We carry on because they still need us- the living. We can do better by them. It's okay to feel the loss. It's okay to feel guilt over the fact that we're still here and they are not. What is not okay is blaming yourself for something over which you had no agency or responsibility."

"You want to be angry? That's fine. Be angry at the actual responsible party, So, ask yourself," Rita let go of the hand, scooting back onto the couch again to fix Dox with a quizzical eye. "Who is ultimately responsible for this? Who is the true agency behind this cowardly act?"

The anger simmering under the surface was beginning to boil. "I recognized the droid. It had been disguised as a pendant in on of the crates on the Khallianen. The crates Magnus and Schwein said were from the other Baronesses. 'Welcoming gifts', they called them."

In her focus, Dox put an emphasis on their names, clearly eschewing their ranks and titles. There was no 'Captain' or 'Baroness'. What respect she had for the pomp and circumstance behind the upcoming tribunal was clearly gone.

"Whoever actually put that droid in there wanted me removed from the equation. Dead or scared enough to stand down. I had to be someone working for the Captain's mother. To silence my vote in the goddamn tribunal. My vote and any potential influence I can have with the Romulan Baroness. I remember her and if I can help it she will damn well remember me and the oath she made to my mother."

Looking at Rita seriously and with determination. "Do we know anything yet? Schwein arranged the handover of the ship, maybe she has a manifest of who filled those crates?"

“Unfortunately, we can’t be positive of anything. But the toxin used is one that apparently only Mommy Dearest has access to through her adjutant. The delivery man is our current lead, which the Baroness is following up on, teamed with Security. What the case has is a lot of possibilities and a potential labyrinth of answers for now. What I have is a firm determination that this is a Starfleet matter. These pirates apparently think they are above the law, and they are in for a rather large-scale rude awakening.” As she spoke, Paris tried to retain her composure. However, she was clearly a simmering cauldron of rage beneath the surface, as all of her misgivings and frustrations seemed to be manifesting the closer they got to the actual Tribunal.

“In short, I concur,” Rita continued. “Someone was trying to kill you to send a message, intimidate you at the very least and most likely attempting to remove you from the equation of the Tribunal as a vote that the Captain can count on. As this occurred on a Starfleet vessel and the crimes were against Federation citizens, I will see this pursued to the fullest extent of the law.”

Listening, Dox continued to simmer as she thought about the situation. "This is the third charge we have if we can find the proper evidence to link it to the Captain's mother. Sabotage of the ship's systems through the corrupted holodeck program. Espionage with Sarkia's compromised cybernetics. And now murder. But when this is all over, Starfleet still wants its arrangement with the family through the Captain to help keep the other parties like the Orion Syndicate in check."

Fidgeting with her hands as she talked, Dox was running down trails of thought as best as she could in the situation. "If we can conclusively link these to her, it would force Starfleet to remove it's backing of the Family so long as Arenara is in command. That could help us sway votes so that when the dust settles, the Captain at least has a stronger footing to reestablish order with the Artans."

Then Dox thought of Rita's descriptions, which were conspicuously light on names. "Do we have a name for this delivery person?"

“We do,” Paris responded, clearly not volunteering any further information to the victim of the crime. She might not be the universe’s greatest detective, but the ancient astronaut understood procedure and the law reasonably well, and she knew that there was only so much of this she could share with Dox.

Understanding full well what was going on, Dox hung her head and sighed slightly. Ultimately, she understood why she couldn't be involved with the investigation of her own attempted murder, even if it was frustrating. "So... what, if anything, can I even do with this?"

“Deal with the living. Take care of your officers and crewmen.” The old-fashioned officer paused, considering her course before committing to it. “Look very closely at the people you have allied yourself, and how they comport themselves. Starfleet and the Federation may not be perfect. But we don’t traffic in lies, deception, murder, assassination and genetic trafficking. We don’t romanticize a life of slaughter and thievery. We don’t subsist by claiming ourselves to be better than the lowest of the low, because we prey on them… so what sets us apart is a technicality.”

“If Az’Prel is to be believed, that was an Agony Booth on that woman’s bridge. I’ve been in one before, and anyone that would employ such a device is so far beneath my contempt as to make me physically ill. For that alone I would bring her to justice. I will see her pay for her crimes, with due process and under Federation law. We will do this right, and we will wipe this blight from the stars.” Paris paused in her clearly motivated and rather dire diatribe. “That’s how I plan to deal with it, at least. I will see justice served.”

"Thank you." Dox said weakly. She would have to think very hard about how she was going to move forward.

"Focus on the job. Focus on the crew." Dox all but whispered as she felt like she was spiriling again and Rita knew the Red-headed Romulan well enough to notice it easily.

“How would you propose to handle it, Miss Dox? I’m curious,” Paris asked. She couldn’t keep the young officer from spiraling into depression and she couldn’t seem to reach her, either. Perhaps she’d offer the answer on her own if prompted.

Leaning on her hands in thought, Dox struggled to find an answer. Frustrated, she stood back up to pace, which was an awkward affair as she was still stiff. But Rita also knew Dox thought clearest when she paced. As she walked about, Dox began thinking out loud.

"I agree that we need to take them down as Starfleet. For all of us AND for the Captain. But if we go in representing the fleet, then we risk pushing the Baronesses already on the Captain's side against her and..."

Stopping suddenly, Dox froze as her eyes went wide. "No, that's EXACTLY how we can... Rita!"

She was rambling, but there was a glimmer of hope in Dox's eyes again as she grabbed a PaDD off of her table and began scrambling through it for a moment before stopping. "Yes!"

The anachronistically uniformed officer's eyebrows rose as Rita's lips curled in the hint of a smile. It had been this way with Sonak, and Stuart, and she'd adopted the habit of being the dumb blonde in the crowd who asked a very good question. Sometimes it wasn't about being the smartest person in the room. Sometimes it was about asking the smartest person in the room the right question.

"Okay, so in preparation for the tribunal, I've been studying the Artan Codes for weeks. Trying to learn it backwards and forwards. Rita, if we can find PROOF that the Captain's mother is behind ANY of the things we know she did. The assassination, the sabotage, anything... It's a violation of..."

Scrolling through the PaDD, Dox handed it to Rita. "Article 7 of the Treaty with Starfleet that allows them to function is SPECIFIC! ANY attacks on Starfleet personnel or vessels is a violation of treaty. It could void it ENTIRELY... and no Baronesses will back her if it means losing the Starfleet charter and protections."

"I understand. But for pomp and circumstance we have to sit through the parade of fancy coats and the grand spectacle of a formal Tribunal. After which herself's mother is apparently hell-bent to destroy us in a starship battle, because she loves to ram and board. Because until we can prove anything, we have to make nice with the pirates. Bloody pirates..." Paris growled, then tacked a fake smile onto her face.

"We have two investigations. We have no proof from either, but both away teams are out there. Unless we can produce the evidence here on the Hera?" the miniskirt model asked from the couch.

"Her damn voice was used in that holodeck program. Can we isolate that? Prove if it was a recording or a simulation? If it was an unaltered recording, Science should be able to determine it." Dox thought as she talked, caught up in stumbling towards a possible solution.

"If the data is recoverable, if it wasn't filtered, if we can prove it's not a recording. It's weak even if we could prove it." Catching the look of exasperation, the Starfleet siren held up her hands. "I'm not shooting it down- we'll pursue it and prove it to the best of our ability and it's a good idea, just saying from a legal standpoint in a kangaroo court it's weak is all. Better a component of the larger case."

"I've walked in circles on this, Miss Dox. We have no evidence to link her to anything. Yet." Paris held up that finger of which she was so fond from time to time. "For now, we've sent out people. We have to have faith that they'll get the job done, and bring us home some concrete evidence."

"In the meanwhile, we continue to prepare to play footsie with the pirates. Of course, I have no intention of playing fair with the pirates, so that's been keeping me occupied," Rita smirked and wobbled her head for a few seconds.

"My Mother is many things, and good at digging up things people want hidden is one of them, so I'm confident between her skills and Az'Prel, they will succeed." Dox replied, clamming down slightly as the momentary rush of energy was starting to wear off, leaving her feeling a little pain. "Hnaev... This is stupid." She muttered to herself, stiffly stepping over to the replicator

"I'm assuming that means you are continuing to form contingency plans? Good." Dox replied, ordering up the programmed muscle relaxers from Doctor Dael. As the medication shimmered into existence, Dox tossed it into her mouth and chased it down with a sip of coffee before returning to the couch.

"And I can stick to the existing plan and try and sway the Romulan Baroness once we get there. It'll be smart to try and have this covered from as many angles as possible. As many ways that we can win from. The debt she owns me and my Mother should supercede her debt to the so-called queen." Dox scoffed slightly as she said 'queen' being fed up with the pirate nonsense that had gotten people killed. "And I can channel my Mother if I need to to remind her of her honor-debt."

"I'm glad to hear you are willing to step in for your mother with the Romulans, Miss Dox," Rita added, turning to face Mnhei'sahe on the couch. "I do indeed have plans and schemes, and I fully agree- we will assault this problem from every conceivable angle. Because I will not lose Enalia Telven to the bloody pirates, and I will be well and fully damned if beating them is going to cost her soul. We can do this, we can do it right, and we can beat them Starfleet style- with cooperation, and the rule of law."

"As a crew, all working together for the greater good- not as self-serving pirates," Rita added with a bit softer tone. "It sounds like either I've worn you down, or you are starting to see your new friends through clearer eyes?"

"Not them... Me." Dox sighed as her gaze drifted to the window and the expanse of space beyond the ship. "I've never had an illusions about what they were. Even when I was young, we tried to maintain a... professional distance. But it was still a part of my life growing up."

Trailing off for a bit, the emotionally exhausted young Romulan sunk slightly as she took several breaths, trying to find the words she didn't want to say. "For a time, I couldn't stop myself from thinking that sooner or later, you were all going to figure out that I didn't belong here. That I didn't... deserve this life. I thought... maybe that was all I deserved."

"I didn't believe it myself. Why would anyone else?" As she spoke, she lifted a hand to the green and purple drapes Mona had put around the windows of their shared quarters, feeling the silky material. "When the Captain brought me in, it felt almost good. Like a relief to feel wanted, even if it was a life I worked so hard to get away from. But then, I started to want this more. I started getting to know all of you better. You, Asa, Sonak. I started to almost believe I might actually belong here. Or... at least it's what I wanted."

As she spoke, her tone got more serious and that anger from before began to rumble below the surface."They sing a pretty little song about 'freedom' and a romanticized idea of something that doesn't exist. But it's the opposite of freedom. It's exchanging one kind if oppression for another. It's peace through violence above all else. It's all a lie."

She turned back towards Rita with a look if determination in her thick, bloodshot eyes. "I won't let myself live a lie again. This is my truth, Rita. Here. And even if I can't believe that I deserve this... to be whole... every day, I can at least want to."

"Hey," Rita patted the knee of the convalescing pilot. "You DO belong here. You have earned everything you have on the Hera. You earned that seat on the bridge. You earned the chief's position. You earned that rank. You earned the love of a good woman, and the friends who love you. Nothing was given to you here to try to buy your loyalty or your compliance. This is all a life you built for yourself, and you deserve it. You should be proud of yourself."

Making sure she had eye contact, Rita Paris offered one of those dazzling smiles that was a little different. It was almost maternal, in an odd way. "I'm proud of you. In the time you've been here, you've come so far. And I know I have opposed the pirate thing and that it has made it harder for you to work with me but... I can't lose you to your past, Mnhei'sahe."

"You are so much more than that, and I just... will NOT let that happen. Not to you. I'll save Enalia from it, and damned if I'll lose you to it." The comely commander sighed, looking away and nodding. "Maybe I've been a bit rabid about it, but... you know me when I get determined."

Chuckling slightly, Dox nodded. "Indeed. But it's what we need, now more than ever. And... It's what I needed. Thank you."

“You are a dear friend, and a fine officer, Miss Dox. As poorly as I may be managing to show it, I genuinely do want what’s best for you,” Rita admitted. “Eighty years from now, when we meet Kodria again for the first time, I daresay that Captain Dox might be a retired Starfleet captain, or she might be a private merchant. Or maybe she will be a pirate, who knows? But that’s a very, very long time from now. A lot can happen between now and then, and frankly, I am working to change that future verdict in the present. I can’t live for the future… but we can improve it if we work together, and we try hard enough. I have to believe that.”

"Together then." Dox nodded. "That's how we'll do it." Then the young officer chuckled slightly as her eyes, thick from crying, seemed to droop just a tad. "Preferably after the muscle relaxers."