“There’s a joke somewhere about two Trills walking into a bar.”  Commander Miados stood, gesturing the chair across from her, “The pub’s the only shop that’s halfway operational.”

Lieutenant Tir slid into the chair. “I didn’t expect to see you again, Commander.”  He ordered a sparkling green tea. “I was surprised to see your name on the list.”

She swirled her steaming chai, “I was pissed they took Mackenzie from me.  My second home.”  Miados sat back, a curious look in her eyes, “You’re not much better, Tir.  You lasted a month on the Douglas.  You gotta think Command is looking at all this shuffling and ducking between the squadron crew…and wondering just what kind of dysfunctional group they have on their hands.”

“Always with the bite, Miados.”  His eyes remained Calog’s, but his reply was heavily weighed with Tir.  “Will we need a referee?”

A chuckle was her first response.  Miados and Tir had run into each other in their previous hosts, and there had been conflict from the start.  Shealynn had helped Miados process the events but felt the warmth of annoyance bubbling just beneath the surface of her nerves.  Old habits died hard, she lamented.  She dove straight in, “We’re going to have to work together – Miados, Shaelynn, Tir, Calog – all for one and one for all.  What went on between us in the past.  It’s going to be a short career for either of us if the Engineering and Operations Directors can’t get along.”

“She’s got feelings.  And her feelings are my feelings.”  He gritted his teeth, “But I’ll work on making sure they don’t spill over into our working relationship.”  He took a drink from his cup.

She cracked, “Well, we could just sleep with each other and get it over with.”  She laughed as he choked and spat out his green tea.

He accepted the napkins from the amused bartender and gave her a severe look, “That was out of line.”

Miados rolled her eyes, “We both know they had the hots for each other at certain points – just never the right time…not to mention the constant back and forth when they were not getting along…which was a lot.  Shaelynn,” she pointed to herself, “has never had a problem saying what is on her mind.  I’m not going to lie or dance around the reality.  I don’t dance, for one.”

He tossed the napkin onto the table, his uniform ruined.  “Tir’s more your speed, if we’re honest.  She’s the brash, bully pulpit and brawler.  We’ve gotten better at being…together, but sometimes, I can lose myself in her…anger.  Which she has a lot of.”

Miados chuckled, “My solution is a quick and easy fix.  Get it all out in the open…and in the bed.  Problem solves itself.”

Tir rolled his eyes, “That would not go well with our new Fleet Captain, let alone regulations.”

She shrugged, “I’m mostly kidding, Tir.  Mostly.  Sounds like you’re coming around to the idea.”  Her smile was full of mischief.

He was having none of it.  He stood, “I’m due back in the operations center, and this uniform will need replacing.  Let’s not do this again.”  He stalked off in search of a quartermaster station.

Miados watched him walk away. “Shame. He is kind of cute…in a certain light.”  She checked her watch. She was due for a department briefing. There was always something to do in Montana Station.