Mess Hall

Izi spied her targets and quickly moving through the mess hall, reached her destination, sitting at the table without asking.

“Please join us.”

With her antennae leaning slightly forward, Izi stared at Haia.  Did the science officer just make a joke?  Izi glanced at Hok who just shrugged.  “All right, you two.  Out with it.”

Haia continued eating her meal, a traditional Japanese dish Izi didn’t recognize.  Hok smiled like an innocent child.

“The captain might be okay with not knowing how you bested Perry, but I’m not.”  Izi looked back and forth between the two.  Haia acted like Izi wasn’t there, so her glare zeroed in on Hok.  “How did you do it?  What was in that communique from Earth?”

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant, but I’m not at liberty to reveal Haia’s personal message.”

Izi tilted her head to the side, a large frown on her face.  Hok was right, but he was being technical.  She also got the feeling he was enjoying flustering her.  “All right, Ensign.”  Izi hoped emphasizing Hok’s rank would cause him to relent.

“Would you like some tube grub stew?  The replicator can’t produce live grubs, but the flavor and texture are close enough.”  Hok held up a spoonful of the Ferengi delicacy.

Izi harrumphed and focused her attention on Haia.

“Would you like some oyakodon?  The replicator can’t produce real chicken meat, but the flavor and texture are close enough.”  Haia held up a spoonful of the simple rice dish.

Hok sputtered a laugh.

Izi drummed her fingers on the table, her antennae moving in slow circles.  “Fine.”  She felt like steam was coming out of her ears.  As she got up, she could see Haia and Hok grinning at each other.

Iziraa’s Quarters

Kicking off her shoes, Izi noticed a blinking light on the computer at her desk.  Wondering who sent her a personal message, she sat down and opened it.

“Keval!”

On the screen was a young, handsome, muscular, Andorian chan male.

Izi smiled and her antennae curved toward the image.  Touching the screen, she traced around the outline of his face.  Keval was one of Izi’s betrothed bond mates.  They had met when they were children and always had a connection.  If her people were like most races, with only two in a marriage, it would have been with him.  He was a scientist and she would have stayed on her home world to be with him.  That wasn’t the Andorian way, so they were two of a betrothed set of four and she was serving in Starfleet.

Still beaming, Izi started the message.

“Hello, Iz’i’raa sh’Solom’aa”

The tips of Izi’s antennae quivered after hearing Keval’s voice.  She loved how her full, formal name sounded when he spoke it.

“It’s been a long time, Sh’za.  Too long.”

“Yes.”  Izi’s voice was soft and her eyes began to water.  The tips of her antennae went from quivering to tingling.

“I have news, Sh’za.  The project my team has been working on, we had a breakthrough.  The Parliament agreed to full funding.  This is going to revolutionize medicine.”

Izi didn’t fully understand the technical aspects of the research, but she knew enough to be proud of him.

Keval went on to update Izi on friends, family, local and world events.  When he had finished, he chuckled.  “I know.  I tend to ramble when I get excited.”  He paused.  “Speaking of excited, I haven’t told you the real reason I called.”  He paused again.  “Zaya’s time in the Imperial Guard ended and she’s back home now, so you know what that means.”

Izi’s antennae went rigid, her jaw dropped, and her body went ice cold, like she was trapped in a terrible blizzard.  ”Computer, pause playback!’

Keval’s image stopped moving, Izi’s quarters now eerily silent.  She stared blankly, unable to move.

Zaya was the zhen female in the bond group.  They had never joined because of her commitment to the Guard.  It was always understood the four would marry when her term ended.  Was that what Keval meant when he mentioned the true purpose of his message?

Izi was trembling.

“Computer, resume message.”

“That’s right, Sh’za,” said Keval.  It’s time for the shelthreth.  It’s time for you to come home.  We’re going to be a family.”