Raspberry sherbet was the flavour Tikva always associated with impish joy. It always preceded troublemakers for her, spoiling surprises and giving away intent. The vast majority of people just couldn’t help themselves, and it was just a weirdly strong emotional essence that she always picked up on.
That coyly sweet, fizzy sensation of a surprise birthday party around a corner, or a friend coming over to share news of a prank. Always, always preceding the troublemaker.
So, when she sensed it while sitting at her desk, busy with paperwork, she knew someone was approaching the ready room door well before the door chime went off. A quick mental list of likely suspects was dashed when the door opened and in stepped Stirling Fightmaster, the second most collected individual in her orbit. She always struggled to read the young man, finding him a steady rock amongst everyone she knew, so the feeling she was getting from him was rather off-putting.
“Do I really want to know?” Tikva asked as the door closed behind Stirling. No greeting, no polite acknowledgements, no waving him to approach, just the question wielded bluntly towards her flag lieutenant.
If Stirling was finding something funny, and he’d come to her, she wasn’t going to find it funny.
Promote the man, send him on a command training course, and now he’s full of emotions? Don’t like it.
Yeah, this can’t be good. He’s up to something.
No…he’s the bearer of news. Any conspiracy he runs, he’d be far too careful about.
“Priority holographic communications for you, ma’am,” Stirling answered. “From Perseus, Nyx and Archer IV.”
Tikva’s eyes narrowed into a glare, trying desperately to pry any more information from her chief minion. A futile gesture thanks to the quirks of empathy versus telepathy. And then realisation hit her. Archer IV. Matthew Dayton. He’d recently moved there, leaving the S’lun because his partner had gotten a teaching position planetside.
The calls were the rest of the Fantastic Four.
All at the same time. Aimed at her.
“Oh, shit,” she muttered.
“Captain Garland’s exact words to me, ma’am, were ‘scare anyone out of her office, cancel all her meetings and put us in the room right now’.” Stirling then started to smirk ever so slightly. “I’m disinclined to go against her polite request and relieved to see there is no one to scare away.”
Again, that sherbet fizz hit her. Stirling knew what the call was about, and he was enjoying the awkward position Tikva was suddenly finding herself in.
“Someone’s getting flayed for this,” Tikva grumbled, then waved Stirling away. “Go, get. And find Macha before she comes back from her errands. I’m sure you can find something actually useful for her to do.”
“Of course, Commodore.” Stirling offered the most perfunctory of head nods before spinning on his heel with practised ease and removing himself from her office.
We can’t kill him, but we could send him to SB80.
And have him whip that place into shape within a week?
Good point.
Taking a moment for herself, Tikva sucked in a breath, stood from her seat and sighed. “Computer, open priority communication channel.”
It took a few seconds, computers exchanging data back and forth, syncing what Tikva’s guests were about to see from wherever they were calling from, be it holo-equipped offices or appropriated holodecks. Eventually three holograms snapped into existence before her as she circled around her desk. Rachel, arms crossed and looking mildly annoyed. Zillia, barely containing a smile. And Matt, grinning with reckless abandon.
All four of them talking together hadn’t happened in years now. Rank truly did have its privileges, even if this call was a massive abuse of resources that someone would have to answer for later. If only it could have been in person. Then at least she’d have a better read on everyone, instead of just what she could glean from body language.
“Something you want to tell the class, Bug?” Rachel launched straight into the heart of the matter. “Something important, perhaps?”
“Oh, pssh!” Matthew Dayton waved Rachel’s grumpy mood off as his eyes cast about the ready room in appreciation, then settled on Tikva. Two large steps, open arms and a hearty, warm embrace as he made an effort to squeeze the life out of her. “It’s been too long, Tikva.”
“Not happy,” Rachel grumbled. The two words came out almost as distinct sentences. “Well?”
“Well, what?” Tikva asked back when Matt finally let her go. “You’re calling and you roped these two in, so you obviously know.”
“Would you just admit it?” Zillia asked. “Then Rhea can get her faux anger out of her system and-”
“Excuse me?” Rachel challenged.
“Ladies,” Matt’s deeper tone cut between Zillia and Rachel before anything further could brew. “Maybe we give Bug a chance, yeah?”
“Well, I hadn’t said anything yet, because I was going to see two of you in person in a few weeks when you get to Kyban.” Tikva shrugged her shoulders at Rachel’s redoubled glare. “But seeing as someone spilled the beans, and you’ve all called me now, I guess I can tell you.” She paused for effect, smiling briefly. “I asked Adelinde to marry me.” The accompanying widening of her smile told them how Lin answered.
Matt’s response was to wrap Tikva back up into another hug, even lifting her off the ground briefly. “So happy for you!”
“You owe me,” Zillia quipped to Rachel. “Knew Bug was going to jump first.”
“What?” Tikva asked her Andorian friend.
“Tik, sweetie, I’ve met Lin only a few times. But I could tell she was waiting for you.”
“You cost me two,” Rachel started in on Tikva, “Two bottles of Aldebaraan whiskey to this blue bitch.”
“That’s it, let it out,” Zillia teased. “Let it all out.”
“I’m going to kill Lin when I get there,” Rachel continued. “Kill her, I say. She was supposed to ask you, Bug!” Rachel tried to maintain the façade of anger, but it cracked under Tikva’s continued glare as Matt let her go from the second bear hug. “Just glad one of you finally decided to make a move,” she said as she stepped forward for her own hug. Even if it was via holographic comms, it was heartfelt and genuine. “Still going to kill Lin,” Rachel whispered.
“Good luck,” Tikva replied.
“I hate to be that guy,” Matthew interrupted, “but this little call is going to be a pain to explain to no small number of people. So, Tikva, date set?”
“Oh, gods, no!” Tikva gasped. “Geez, man, it’s been like a few weeks. Give me a break, will you? I’ll let you know, of course! Unlike you, Mr Dayton, I’m going to be holding out for my friends to make the wedding.”
“Ouch.” Matthew held a hand to his chest in indignation. “Just the way your mother-”
“Mother,” Tikva growled. Now she knew the source of the leak. Who had told her friends about her proposal to Lin. Who had ruined her surprise.
“That’s my cue to leave,” Matthew said to Rachel and Zillia. “Have fun, ladies.” Then he turned for one last quick hug, an affectionate peck on Tikva’s cheek, and then stepped back. “No fighting, ladies. I don’t have a ship I can just commandeer to come out there and sort you three out.”
“Go,” Zilla ordered. “I’ll keep these two from starting a war.”
“Oh, please, Rachel’s too nice to start a war.” Matthew then winked before his hologram blinked out of existence.
“What the hell does that mean?” Tikva demanded. “No, dammit, get back here, Matthew!”
“He can’t, oh never mind.” Rachel shook her head. “I’ll get those bottles over to you later,” she said to Zillia.
“I’m at the back of the convoy, Rhea. And I don’t trust any of the crooks between you and me to pass them along. I’ll grab them when I come aboard for dinner next week. Besides, who else would I drink them with?”
“You two doing dinner?” Tikva asked her friends. “Like, just you two, or all the convoy captains?”
“Eh, alternating,” Rachel answered. “This week is the group thing. Honestly, Bug, you have to have dinner with the Escribanos. Emilio’s pasta dishes are to die for.”
“I didn’t eat the entire next day,” Zillia added in agreement. “So good.”
“I’ll put it on the list of things to do when you all get to Kyban.”
“Good. Also, there’s this place on Kyban I’ve heard about that I want to try. Plate?” Rachel asked, to which Zillia just shrugged.
“I’ve got a booking there tonight, actually,” Tikva said slyly. “I’ll let you know what I think. Girl’s night maybe?”
“Now that sounds like a plan.” Zilla stepped forward, taking her chance for a hug with Tikva. “We can’t keep this call going forever. So happy for you, Bug. But when we get to Kyban, you know Rhea and I are going to give you heaps for waiting this long to tell us, right?”
“Only if she’s not in the stockade for killing her mother,” Rachel interjected.
“Mother,” Tikva grumbled. “But yes! Get here already!”
“Aye, ma’am!” Zilla responded. “Talk soon, Bug.” And then she blinked out of existence.
“I’m serious, Bug. Lin owes me,” Rachel added before she too disappeared.
