—- USS Luna, Captain’s Ready Room —-

Captain Adriana Cruz groaned as the doctor scanned her. Being seated hurt, standing hurt. Even laying down came with a certain amount of pain. Doctor Thomas Elordi nodded, “You’re healing nicely, a month and you’ll be as good as new.”

”Thank you Doctor,” Cruz said then held up a hand, “Before you go, given the death of Doctor Va’Tok and our Assistant Chief Medical Officer being away, I’m promoting you to Acting-Chief Medical Officer. When T’Rala returns you’ll be Assistant Chief.”

The young doctor nodded, “Thank you ma’am, it’s not the way I was hoping to move up.”

”No Va’Tok was a friend of mine, and I miss him,” Cruz said, “We will do services for the slain crew members once I’m healed more and some of the victims of attacks are out of the woods. How is Klar?”

”Klar is stable, but not awoken yet,” Elordi said, “He’s the last crew member on the cusp, the rest I’d say have pulled through, or…“

”Not,” Cruz finished for him, “Thank you again doctor. Please send in the Yeoman, I’m sure he’s anxious to give me reports to read.”

The doctor nodded, “You can be reading but I wouldn’t advise much else. You need to take it easy, you’ve suffered serious injury. Take some time off.”

”I’ll try,” Cruz promised, then waved him away.

A young male Bolian entered and set a PADD down on the Captain’s desk, “Reports and also messages from Starfleet for you ma’am. Also Sub-Lieutenant Navan wants to see you.”

”Send her in, and thank you,” Cruz said as he scuttled away. On the USS Seattle she had not had a Yeoman, and was finding it hard to adapt to having someone doing some of the basic things she felt that were part of her job now on the USS Luna. Still he was keen and she did not like sending him away.

As he departed Sub-Lieutenant Navan of the Romulan government entered. She looked more concerned than usual, and she always looked a little concerned.

”Have you read your briefings?” Navan asked.

”No what’s up,” Cruz said gesturing to the PADD on her desk.

”The Klingons are being… frisky. Martok has vanished and they have a new Chancellor, one who promises the grow the empire at the expense of my people,” Navan said.

Cruz nodded, that was an issue, and one that she needed to read up on. If the Klingons were at war with the Romulans, or soon to be, the Federation was going to be pulled in on one side or another. The question was which side, and what role was Starfleet going to play in that?

”For now our mission is the same, we’re meeting up with a science ship from your navy and studying gaseous anomalies,” Cruz said, “But this could change things, particularly with my First Officer.”

Navan nodded, “I suspected as much.”

”I trust Klar, but given this we may need to pivot,” Cruz said, “He’s still in the coma following having his throat slashed, so it’s not an immediate issue, but one we’ll have to address. For now on doctor’s orders most of the science fun will be conducted by Lieutenant Commander Gabriella Miller who I’m making temporary Captain after the welcoming party.”

”You are going to Hallavat?” Navan asked, almost smiling.

”Romulan Risa, how can I not,“ Cruz laughed, “A week of sun, and fun is exactly what the doctor ordered.”

”I will take your word about Risa, but yes it is where Romulans go often to be promiscuous,” Navan said.

Cruz nodded, “Much more fun than gaseous anomalies. Do you want to come? I’m taking the Captain’s Skiff, I have room.”

Sub-Lieutenant Navan considered the offer, “I think you think I am a Vulcan and would turn it down. It does sound better than gaseous anomalies. I accept the invitation.”

“Lieutenant Rebecca Avila is also coming, as a body guard,” Cruz said, “You know, just in case I end up getting stabbed again.”

—- USS Luna, VIP Banquet Room —-

The Romulans were apologetic. Most of them were scientists and they understood, at least on the surface, that one of their experiments had gotten loose and hurt the crew of the USS Luna. While Captain Cruz was not sworn to secrecy she did not expand on that during dinner, or the gathering afterwards. 

She shook the commanding officer of the Romulan scout’s hand, and gestured to Lieutenant Commander Miller on her left, “This is Acting-Captain Miller, I’ll be taking a break on Hallavat starting tomorrow, she’ll run everything in my absence.”

The Romulan nodded, “Ah you were saying she works on the arboretum we toured. Yes that is fine work, particularly the selection of Romulan plants you have.”

Gabriella Miller smiled, “Thank you, I tended to work with them much like I have Vulcan plants.“

”Yes I suspect there are similarities,” the man offered, “I look forward to a scientific partnership.”

Cruz pulled at her dress uniform and found Sub-Lieutenant Navan, “They all seem nice than I’m used to.”

”They are scientists, they are excited to be working with your advanced sensors and capabilities,” Navan said, “They are naive, and guileless, likely they do not even know of the instability in the Klingon Empire.”

”We’re far away from the border, they can remain innocent awhile longer,” Cruz said.

”You look uncomfortable Captain,” Navan observed.

”My injury is hurting and this uniform is too constrictive,” Cruz said, “C’est la vie.”

”I do not know that expression,” Navan said.

”It’s French for ‘that is life’,” Cruz explained, “I can’t really do anything about it.”

“I could take it off you,” Navan said.

”I don’t know if you’re flirting of threatening me,” Cruz said sipping her Champaign.

The Romulan studied her, “Can it not be both?”

Cruz laughed, and then winced, “Well now Havallavat is going to be interesting.”

S’anra Navan nodded, the Romulan eyeing the human, “That much is certain.”