“Surprise!” Jaxxon nearly shouted, his voice bursting with unrestrained enthusiasm.
Anizza opened her eyes after feeling her husband’s hands drop in front of her face. The whole concept of keeping a secret was almost laughable. Being Betazoids and each other’s Imzadi, they rarely kept anything from one another. Their minds were too closely linked to hide even a flicker of emotion. So the moment they materialised on Kovar, Anizza had indulged Jaxxon’s request to keep her mind clear and not ruin the surprise he had planned for their short vacation.
Immediately, her senses were overwhelmed by a gentle, warm sea breeze and the sounds of light crashing waves against a nearby shoreline. After opening her eyes, she saw that they were standing on the edge of a boardwalk looking out onto a harbour filled with luxury yachts. The strong summer sunshine bathed them in warmth, complementing the already balmy weather.
Anizza looked at her husband; instantly, she could see how happy he was, as he had now revealed this surprise break for them. However, she was still unsure of what they were doing.
“So, Dad, are we staying here in Zifi Bay or going on one of those?” Tateumm asked, pointing to one of the luxury yachts moored in the harbour. Anizza was partly pleased her son had wondered it before she did.
Turning towards his son, Jaxxon sighed briefly before answering. “We’re going on one of those!” Jaxxon declared, gesturing proudly toward the bobbing yachts.
Straight away, Anizza was impressed. “I love it, well done, Imzadi!” She leaned in against her husband and kissed his cheek.
“Thanks! But just wait until you see which yacht is ours!” He replied before taking her hand in his and leading them down towards the harbour.
Zifi Bay was one of Kovar’s luxury resort settlements that had become home to most of the planet’s large Bolian population. After the colony on Zifi VI had been obliterated nearly a decade earlier by a massive asteroid, one that Starfleet had been unable to deflect, the refugees had settled on Kovar. Since then, Zifi Bay had become a world-class resort and settlement on Kovar. It was almost as large as the colony’s capital, New Hampton City. Its famous harbour was one location where many who owned yachts, boats, and sailships of all types would dock. The locals were always happy to welcome visitors and guests to Zifi Bay.
As the Horin family made their way to the end of the promenade, they approached one of the largest yachts docked. Standing by a ramp leading up to the yacht itself were six Bolians and two Risians. All of them were wearing white, smartly pressed shirts along with matching white shorts.
“Captain Sandor,” Jaxxon called out to the female Bolian who stood at the end of the line.
The Bolian woman turned and smiled at Jaxxon straight away. “Hello, Captain Horin! Welcome aboard the Mote,” she greeted, smiling warmly.
Jaxxon went on to introduce Annizza and Tateumm to Sandor before she presented her crew to them. After she finished, she led them up the ramp to board the yacht.
Gesturing towards a tall Bolian male, Sandor smiled as she explained what they would do next. “This is Zym, our chief steward, who will show you around and get you settled in. We’ll be leaving shortly.”
Zym led them up to the spacious sundeck, where the Kovar sun highlighted the smooth, polished decking. A circular hot tub was nestled at the far end, bubbling gently beneath a translucent canopy. Nearby, a sleek bar, stocked with colourful bottles and a humming replicator, curved gracefully along one side. Comfortable loungers and shaded daybeds lined the deck. The Mote was a pure indulgence, a luxurious escape that promised an exotic experience.
After they finished the grand tour, Jaxxon and Anizza were alone in their large cabin, slowly unpacking their belongings. The Mote was underway and had pulled away from the harbour and was now moving across the waters, heading further away from Zifi Bay.
“Jaxxon, this seems like a lot for the three of us,” Anizza said as she quietly sat on the edge of the dark, wooden, polished bed.
Turning his head as he placed some shirts into a drawer, Jaxxon was curious about her comment. “What do you mean?”
Waving to the room around them, Anizza explained her point. “A massive, state-of-the-art yacht for just the three of us, for a few nights? It feels like a lot.”
“It’s a lot as we’re celebrating our wedding anniversary, and this is the first time in a long time that Tateuum has agreed to be seen in public with his parents,” Jaxxon replied as he walked over to her and sat beside her. “Am I not allowed to spoil my Imzadi?”
Taking his hand into hers with a gentle squeeze, Anizza gave in and admitted she liked the gesture. “It is romantic,” She said. “Do you honestly think Tateuum would want to hang out with his folks?”
“It’s a big boat,” Jaxxon replied. “And knowing him, he will find something to do, like using the ship’s gym, or he’ll find a quiet corner on the sundeck and enjoy just reading to himself.”
“Meaning you and I can spend some more time together?” Anizza quizzed with a smirk.
Jaxxon chuckled and connected his mind to hers. *Absolutely, Imzadi*, he shared through their bond, leaning in to kiss her softly.
After the grand tour of the Mote, which his father had thoroughly enjoyed narrating alongside the ever-enthusiastic Captain Sandor, Tateumm had only one thing on his mind: the hot tub on the sundeck.
The yacht was undeniably impressive, with its sleek corridors, polished wood interiors, and luxury amenities. Still, after half an hour of listening to his parents make soft “mmm” noises at every design feature, Tateumm had quietly excused himself the moment they reached the guest cabins. His own room, which was modern, minimal, and pleasantly sunlit, was more than comfortable, but he barely gave it more than a passing glance. The second the door slid shut behind him, he peeled off his clothes at what could only be described as warp speed.
Tossing his civilian attire in a pile, he rifled through his travel bag, snatched up his favourite black swim shorts, and wriggled into them like he was being timed. The sun was calling, the water was warm, and he had no plans of missing even a second of it.
As he left his cabin, one of the Risian crewmembers, a tall, striking man with a radiant smile and a towel draped around his neck and bare chest, politely intercepted him with a soft-voiced offer. “Would you like a massage, sir?”
Tateumm, blinking in slight surprise, managed an awkward chuckle. “Thanks, but I think I’ll take a rain check. Maybe after I’ve melted in the hot tub for a bit.”
“Of course,” the Risian replied with a graceful nod. “All that is ours is yours.”
Now, stretched out in the gently bubbling hot tub on the sundeck, he was precisely where he wanted to be. Shades on. A cold, fruity mocktail in one hand, expertly mixed by the Bolian steward, Zym, and a PADD in the other, loaded with The Never Ending Sacrifice, a novel that had so far delivered very little joy.
Draped in sunlight, the yacht swayed gently beneath him as it cruised out into open water. The sea sparkled endlessly in all directions, the sky painted in late-afternoon golds and blues. Everything was perfect, except the book.
Counsellor Taff had recommended the Cardassian novel to him a few months back. It was supposedly a classic, hailed as one of the finest examples of Cardassian literature. But despite his best efforts, Tateumm found the prose dry, the pacing slow, and the characters unbearably bleak. His mind kept drifting elsewhere, and the words had begun to blur.
He was about to swipe to the next chapter when a voice behind him caught him off guard.
“Wow, you’re brave,” the voice teased.
He looked up, twisting slightly to peer over his sunglasses. Standing a few steps away was a tallish Bajoran woman around his age, with sun-kissed skin and a cascade of dark, copper-tinged locks pulled into a loose braid. Her freckles caught the sunlight as she smiled. She came across as polite, curious, and slightly amused by his posture and what he was reading. She wore a pale green sleeveless top over casual white linen shorts and was barefoot on the warm deck planks.
Tateumm blinked, caught off guard. “Uh, sorry, do I know you?”
“I don’t think so,” she said. “I’m Darin Shaynia. I’m not part of the crew. Captain Sandor is an old friend of my parents, and she allowed me to join the trip. I believe your father was told about me.”
“Oh,” Tateumm replied, sitting up a little straighter in the water. “Right. Well, it’s nice to meet you.”
She nodded. “Likewise. I didn’t mean to interrupt your reading, but I just noticed the cover. The Never Ending Sacrifice isn’t exactly light holiday reading.”
“So I’ve discovered,” he sighed, turning the PADD screen off with a tap. “It’s intense.”
“It’s miserable,” she said, tone dry but not unkind. “The literary equivalent of eating cold field rations in the rain.”
Tateumm chuckled. “Exactly.”
“I’m actually here to do some work below deck tomorrow,” she explained, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Captain Sandor is allowing me to observe the migratory paths of the Kovarian spinefish once we move further out of the bay. I’m assisting with a project back at the New Hampton City Marine Biology Institute.”
“So this is like part vacation, part research?”
“Something like that,” she said, with a small smile. “Anyway, sorry for bothering you. Just thought I’d say hi. If you decide Cardassian literature isn’t worth the headache, then try Kiss Me Deadly.”
Tateumm tilted his head. “Never heard of it.”
“It’s an old Earth crime novel. Mickey Spillane. Became weirdly popular on Bajor after the Dominion War. My parents adore it. Fast-paced, gritty, and way more fun than tragic Cardassian family dynasties.” She gave a little wave and started to turn.
“Thanks for the tip,” he said, trying not to sound too eager.
She glanced over her shoulder. “You’re welcome. Enjoy the tub.”
As Darin walked away, Tateumm watched her go.
He glanced back at his PADD, still stuck on the same paragraph of The Never Ending Sacrifice, and sighed. After a pause, he tapped the screen, brought up the database, and searched for Kiss Me Deadly.
“Why not?” he muttered, downloading the Earth novel.
He leaned back into the hot tub, letting the bubbles rise around him. The sun warmed his skin, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere. He didn’t know much about Darin yet, but something in her voice, her smile, the way she’d looked at him. It lingered, like a spark he hadn’t expected.
And it wasn’t going away.
“Sir?” came a smooth voice, warm and lilting. It completely interrupted his thoughts around Darin. Looking up, Tateumm saw the tall Risian man from earlier standing by the edge of the tub with a hopeful smile, a towel in his hands, almost offering it to Tateumm. “Would now be a good time for that massage?”
Tateumm blinked, caught between the fading traces of Darin and the undeniable appeal of the offer in front of him. He glanced at his PADD. Then at the masseur. Then, back at the hot tub jets, which were bubbling gently around him.
“Maybe,” he murmured to himself. He couldn’t decide what to do.