‘We should have got someone in as cover,’ Beckett grumbled as he adjusted his shirt collar, restless while the turbolift whisked them through the depths of Gateway Station.

‘Cover?’ Thawn resisted the urge to smack his hands away. He needed to stop fidgeting. But she wasn’t his mother.

‘You know, someone who can talk polite business or small-talk to fill the gaps. Take the heat off us a bit. But who also has a reason to be there.’ He seemed to pick up on her irritation, at least, dropping his hands. ‘Like making up an excuse for Elsa or Ed to come along.’

‘My aunt would find that very odd.’ She pursed her lips. ‘I would have invited Commodore Rourke if he were still my direct superior. This now feels a bit beneath him.’

‘He’s got a call with Fourth Fleet Ops tonight anyway, but, yeah. Shame that Valance or Kharth would be the opposite of help here.’

‘Captain Valance would…’ Thawn’s brow knotted. ‘She’s a trained diplomat.’

‘Yeah. A problem solver. We need someone who can play nice. Not a word I’d associate with either our captain or XO. Can’t believe Shepherd came back to Gateway…’

‘Why would she take that effective demotion and stay on Endeavour? Anyway, I don’t think Commander Shepherd would have been much use right now.’ Thawn hated the idea of thinking ill of her superiors. She hated the idea of the irreverent Shep trying to manage her aunt even more.

The turbolift slowed, and Beckett took a deep breath as the doors opened. ‘Right. Play nice. Be charming. Be myself.’

‘Under no circumstances,’ Thawn muttered as she swept into the Arcade, ‘did I tell you to be yourself. I’m not an idiot.’

But he snickered at that, following, and she felt the tension in her chest ease as she headed through the crowd towards the restaurant. Once, their bickering had been like boiling a kettle, tension wracking up until one or both of them went too far and lashed out. Now, it was like a release valve, a playful exchange that reconnected and grounded them.

It was, however, a short-lived relief, because when they reached Arrakain, the most exclusive restaurant on Gateway, and were shown to their table, they found Anatras Thawn had not waited for them alone. There, across from the Betazoid matriarch, calm and collected in a perfectly fitting suit, hair neatly coiffured, sat Adamant Rhade.

But Arrakain was an upscale restaurant, all white linen and minimalist silverware, the soft ambient lighting and sleek, modern decor punctuated with holographic art installations home to the great and the good of this frontier, such as they were. It was not a place for Thawn to swear in surprise at her ex-fiancé’s presence.

To her enormous shock, Beckett stepped into the gap, advancing on Anatras as she, too, stood, and reached to clasp her hand. ‘Madame Anatras Thawn, daughter of the Twelfth House, Chosen of the Four Deities, Spire of the Night Sky – please allow me to introduce myself. Lieutenant Nathaniel Beckett, USS Endeavour.’

He’d done his homework. Thawn might have been more impressed by that, and by him leaping up to give her cover while she reeled at Rhade’s arrival – but she was busy, indeed, reeling. Rhade was on his feet as well, but he gave her a quick, furtive, guilty glance, and even without telepathic communication, she realised what had happened.

You thought I knew you’d be here. That had to have been deliberate from her aunt.

Her aunt, who was gushing over Beckett like a dog who’d brought her slippers. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant! I think you have me at quite the disadvantage; you seem to know plenty of me but I know almost nothing about you!’

‘Then we should definitely get settled in,’ said Beckett with his most transparently charming smile, ‘and get to know each other.’

Thawn wasn’t at all comforted by this display. She knew when he was putting on a face, trying to wrap people around his little finger, and not only did she not trust it as a tactic in general, she could not be reassured by him trying to use it on her aunt. But then, would sincerity work better?

He knew what he was doing enough to pull her chair out for her before sweeping to the seat opposite. ‘It’s a delight to get the excuse to eat at Arrakain. I haven’t had the chance before now.’

They’d considered it for their date the other night, only to decide they wanted somewhere more relaxed. Here, even the soft ambient lighting was feeling more bright, and Thawn’s dress strap felt too tight. Sincerity would not work better here, either.

‘I’ve only heard good things,’ Beckett continued, waving a finger as he held court, ‘about their fusion food. But it does include some experiments with Betazoid cuisine and ingredients native to Alfheim, so I wouldn’t want to assume either quality or authenticity.’

‘My,’ drawled Anatras. ‘We’ll have to find out, then, won’t we?’ The snap of her finger had one of the staff scampering over. ‘A bottle of the sapphire and we’ll of course have the chef’s fusion tasting menu. With, of course, the fish course included.’

‘Of course,’ said Beckett with a smile that made Thawn want to throttle him.

But the waiter was gone, and now Anatras beheld him with a more canny gaze. ‘I warn you, Lieutenant, you may have to do more than know a little food and read a news report to earn my favour.’ She spoke with levity like this was banter, but Thawn could hear the blade on whetstone underneath.

‘Lieutenant Beckett,’ said Rhade quickly, leaning forward, ‘is one of the finest young officers I ever trained.’

‘Trained?’ Anatras arched an eyebrow. ‘Why, he’s not your protege, Adamant?’

‘I served under Commander Rhade on Endeavour’s Hazard Team,’ said Beckett smoothly.

‘That’s, ah, the ship’s elite unit for dangerous away missions,’ Thawn interjected. ‘But Nate is now, as I said, Chief Intelligence Officer.’

The bottle of wine appeared conveniently quickly, glasses poured all around, but they all knew better than to drink before Anatras had had her say. She clutched the stem as she held her drink aloft and said with a supercilious smile, ‘To our houses. May we find a way through this dispute together.’

Beckett frowned a half-inch but drank, Rhade merely bowed his head before sipping, but Thawn didn’t move, glass in hand. ‘Dispute?’

Anatras blinked amiably at her. ‘I’m not sure what else you’d call it, dear.’

‘I thought this was dinner. To meet Nate.’

‘I didn’t come all of this way simply to meet Lieutenant Beckett,’ said Anatras, more kindly than Thawn she feared she might have. ‘Nor did I invite Adamant here. We have to discuss the arrangement. All four of us.’

‘I don’t see what -’

‘What does that entail, Madame Anatras?’ Beckett said quickly, and she didn’t know if she felt gratitude to him for appeasing her or irritation that he was playing her game.

Anatras smiled. ‘An accord has to be reached on what the Twelfth House and Seventh House tell people,’ she explained indulgently. ‘So there are no possible misunderstandings.’

‘So it’s optics,’ said Beckett, giving Thawn a pointed, reassuring look. ‘Ensuring everyone’s as happy as can be with the arrangement and nobody is hurt by it.’

It sounded too easy. There had to be a trap somewhere. But she couldn’t summon words as Rhade shifted his weight, leaning forward.

‘The Seventh House is prepared to initiate the dissolution of the match,’ he said. ‘There need be no disgrace to you or yours, Anatras. It’s only fair.’

Of course, thought Thawn. Because your family don’t live in the sixteenth century.

‘Is it fair?’ said Anatras, cocking her head. ‘Because, forgive me, Adamant, you are so very gallant. It would appear as if my great-niece is the one who disrespected the accord between our houses.’

Beckett looked like he might say more, and under the table, Thawn jabbed him with her toe. ‘Auntie, I’m not sure this is something to dissect -’

‘Your niece has always made it perfectly clear to me what she wanted,’ said Rhade with what Thawn felt was an unduly generous interpretation of events. ‘This is too pleasant an evening to soil with unnecessary details, but if there is a dishonour here, it is mine.’

Beckett this time threw her a brief, confused look, and she gave a near-imperceptible shake of the head. Now was not the time to introduce the Dathan factor.

Anatras paused. Then harrumphed gently. ‘People make mistakes, Adamant. I would be most disappointed if the two of you made an even bigger one by being unable to move forward.’

‘It’s simply not going to happen,’ Thawn said, digging deep to find the words and the surety of them. It did, after all, help to have Rhade here, so prepared to throw himself on his sword. But then, he didn’t have to live with the blade through his gut if this went well. He would, in fact, be pulling himself away from the edges of the Twelfth House forever. ‘Adamant and I discussed matters, made compromises, tried everything we could for over two years, Auntie.’

Anatras’s gaze turned beady as she regarded Rhade. ‘And you are willing take the blame for the arrangement’s failure?’

‘I am. I should.’

The matriarch gave a small, sad smile. ‘That is very good of you. I am sorry, Adamant. We thought this was for the best. For everyone. But so be it.’

It couldn’t be that simple, Thawn thought. It was impossible to just tell Betazoid society this was Rhade’s fault and have them accept that. There would be mutterings of inter-House politics, and besides, escaping without losing face still didn’t get Anatras what she wanted: a close alliance with a powerful family.

And right on cue, Anatras turned to her left. ‘Lieutenant, am I right in understanding that you’re the son of Admiral Alexander Beckett?’

Oh, thought Thawn. Oh no.

Beckett was halfway through a sip of the sapphire wine, and put the glass down quickly. ‘Ah, uh. Yeah. Yes. He’s my father.’

‘I should very much like to meet him at some opportunity.’

‘Oh, we’re… well, if you’re ever in the vicinity of Starbase Bravo. I’m sure he’d make time.’ Beckett didn’t sound convinced.

Anatras’s gaze snapped back to Thawn. ‘Have you met him, dear?’

‘The admiral? I – well, technically yes, he was at the medal ceremony, but we didn’t socialise…’

‘It wasn’t exactly a time to make introductions,’ said Beckett, and Thawn’s heart sank as she heard the cloud of suspicion settle on him.

‘Hm. That will have to change. I expect it’s more likely you’ll be in the same place as him than I,’ Anatras sounded thoughtful, like she was planning out loud. Around them, the appetisers were being brought out, some sort of terrine Thawn hadn’t paid enough attention to the menu to identify. ‘Child, you must make sure you’re introduced, and seen properly,’ she told Thawn.

Beckett made a face. ‘Seen?’

She means it has to be public knowledge that I’m coupled with an admiral’s son.

‘Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself,’ said Anatras, and the brief moment of relief that she might back off evaporated as she looked between them and said, ‘Is this an affair that ought be publicly known?’

‘Uh…’

‘Auntie.’ Thawn tried to not speak through gritted teeth. ‘We cannot simply supplant one arrangement for another…’

‘I’m trying to find out if there is an arrangement,’ Anatras said defensively, before looking at Beckett. ‘I apologise, Lieutenant, if I’ve been too forward.’

‘Oh.’ Beckett’s expression had settled, and, finally, the knot of fear in Thawn’s chest moved away from thoughts of what Anatras might do, what Rhade might do, what she might do tonight. When Beckett leaned back, dropping a shoulder, and said, ‘You know, my father and I don’t actually talk much,’ in an indolent voice, she realised who she should have been worried about.

‘You… don’t?’ Anatras’s voice went a little distant.

‘Yeah – I mean, you know I didn’t even grow up with him, right?’ His voice had dropped, accent shifting back to much more of his Scottish brogue, and a distant part of Thawn wanted to sardonically wonder if he’d been taking lessons from Rourke in how to turn from scion of the heart of the Federation to disaffected rogue.

‘That,’ said Anatras delicately, ‘does not mean our families could not be friends…’

‘Yeah, but – he and me aren’t so much friends.’ Beckett had a swig of his wine. ‘Sorry if that makes resolving this dispute or whatever harder.’

‘Nate.’ Thawn tried to catch his eye. She’d anticipated him perhaps being uncomfortable at Anatras liking him solely for his family connections. She hadn’t expected this.

‘What? I just wanted to be honest. You know, if this is some sort of political breeding programme or…’

Anatras coughed, and Rhade sat bolt upright. ‘You’re here for some time, Anatras, yes?’ the commander said quickly.

‘Some – ah, some days, yes, Adamant…’

‘Then perhaps we ought to simply catch up tonight?’

‘That… might be nice, Adamant.’

Had it not been for Rhade, Thawn wasn’t sure how the evening might have gone. But for all they had been through, he was still pitch-perfect in matters of etiquette, his courtesies too smooth even for the increased grumbling of Nate Beckett or the dogged determination for Anatras Thawn.

It was not a good dinner. Beckett descended into nearly mono-syllabic contributions, and Thawn found herself chipping in with the filling on Rhade’s perfect nothingness in the discussion. Once the final course was finished, they all exchanged polite pleasantries and got up to leave.

When Anatras hugged her goodbye, she felt her aunt’s thoughts press against hers.

We’ll have to talk about this.