[USS Anaheim – Holodeck 2]

The Vulcan studied the picture perfect mountains of her homeworld curiously. She undertstood how this technology worked but not why anyone would use it in this manner particularly when the mountains were not what humans called rainbow colored. They were in fact far more realistically colored and a reddish sand color.

”Why are have you done that to the ground,” she asked puzzled.

”To confuse you,“ Tashai said.

”I do not understand. To what purpose do you wish to confuse me?” Pr’Nor asked, quite confused. The El-Aurian only smiled and tapped the side of her nose. The Vulcan was not sure being ‘friends’ with this woman was going to work out. Granted there was a need for social connection that even Vulcans had but Tashai seemed to be the least logical member of the Senior Staff and despite her rank and age which she had hinted was quite old, the woman acted like a mischievous child, which the Vulcan found vexing.

”Keep you interested,” Tashai said.

”Interested in what?” Pr’Nor said.

”Me, of course,” Tashai said, asking “Do you like them?”

”I like their original color. I find this fictions coloring the be garish,” Pr’Nor said honestly.

“Fooey,” Tashai said and adjusted the rocks and outcroppings back to their real color.

”Thank you,” Pr’Nor said, bowing her head In thanks. She understood she was hard to get along with, despite being Vulcan she was also a pilot and thus could be impulsive. She appreciated that Tashai was trying to be her friend, and did not want to be what humans called a ‘stick in the mud’.

”I’m just glad I made you smile,” Tashai said.

”I did not smile,” Pr’Nor corrected her, “I simply appreciate exact reproductions of Vulcan’s natural beauty.”

”Yes let’s talk about Vulcan’s natural beauty,” the El-Lucian said, grinning at Pr’Nor.

Pr’Nor had the feeling that this conversation was about two things, but she could not quite tell what the secondary one was. She instead reached up and began to scale the rock wall, they had come to rock climb after all.

”You’re lucky this place exists, in another time it does’t” Tashai said, “My home doesn’t the Borg got it.”

Pr’Nor pulled herself up further, “Is that information something you sense, you have knowledge of other worlds do you not?”

”Or just chance, the theory of divergent worlds, but yes I used to dream of Vulcan dying being killed by someone,” she said, “your people scattered. But those dreams have stopped recently, though I do not know why.”

Pr’Nor was not sure what to do with this information, “What am I meant to do with this information?”

”Nothing. It is only my dreams, you’re right where you belong,” the other woman said.

The two were quiet for a long time, moving upwards or at least seeming to. At a ledge Pr’Nor pulled herself up and sat down looking at the valley that now lay below them.

”This is far more aesthetically pleasing than when the rocks were rainbow,” she confirmed.

Tashai pulled herself up beside the Vulcan and shrugged, “Less fun.”

”Color is not meant for fun,” Pr’Nor said.

”You are so Vulcan,” Tashai teased.

”Thank you,” Pr’Nor said.

Tashai leaned in and kissed the other woman on the lips. Pr’Nor looked at her, not quite sure what had just happened. 

“You kissed me?”

”Yes, did you like it?” Tashai asked.

”I found it satisfying though unexpected,” Pr’Nor said.

”That was the plan, would you like to do it some more?” she asked.

”I believe I would,” Pr’Nor said.

[USS Anaheim – Engine Room]

The warp core gave off the familiar blueish glow that constantly filled the room. James Young stood watching it, silently counting off the seconds between pulses. Starbase 72 had done a masterful job of setting everything up, and it all ran like a new car driven right off the factory floor. This was obviously good, but gave him and his team nothing really to sink their teeth into as it were. While medical was carrying out the mission and the other departments were supporting them, he was working over time to get a one percent improvement out of the engines and realizing that maybe there was no improvement to be found.

Once they’d been out a month sure. Things could always be realigened to recalibrated, but a week out of having a refitt? It was too early to find any noticeable improvements to make, which meant telling the captain that he and his team were basically useless.

A tall broadly built Andorian entered that James recognized as the Chief of Security. He nodded and want over to greet Kan Th’kaotross.

”What’s up?” James asked.

”I was wanting to see if you wanted to train today. I understand you used to be a boxer,” the Andorian said.

”Back in the Academy yeah. Sure, I’d like that, you box before,” Young asked.

”I am an Andorian. I am sure I can hit you in the face,” Th’kaotross said.

”Yeah, we’ll work on getting you boxing then. I don’t want to have Mueller reset my nose,” the Chief Engineer said.

”She would not do it, she’d have someone else do it,” the Andorian pointed out.

”That takes all the fun out of being hit in the face,” Young joked.

”Do you like Doctor Mueller?” Th’kaotross asked.

”What no she’s just a fellow collegue, an attractive fellow colleague. But changing subjects I’m off in an hour, want to get dinner at Nine Forward first?” Young said quickly.

Th’kaotross let him change the subject, and nodded, “Dinner would be good. I will save you a seat then.”

[USS Anaheim – Medical Bay]

The bond that had formed between the First Officer and the Chief Medical Officer had lead to the inevitable rumors though nothing of the sort was going on. Commander Doctor McCleod knew about what was being said, and steadfastly ignored it realizing there was not a particularly good way of clearing things up and Lieutenant Commander Doctor Mueller had not yet realized what was being said as she was too focused on the logistics of their work.

It was not particularly complicated, during what they were doing. The Anaheim was possibly one of the best equipped ships in the fleet for it, able to deploy the resources and manpower while not taking up an entire Olympic class medical ship. This was really what this medical variant of the California Class had been made for. And Michelle Mueller was rightfully proud of her work overseeing it.

Doctor McCleod kicked his feet against the counter, “The Captain showed me his short list for Second Officer.”

”I’m not on it am I?” Mueller said, recognizing the tone of voice as one her father used when he had bad news. 

“It’s either our Security Chief or our councilor,” confirmed Doctor McCleod.

”Seriously, she’s on her first posting. She’s a Lieutenant Junior Grade,” Mueller said, “Nice. I’m sure she’s great at her psedo-science but not ready for any leadership let alone a new role above being a section chief.”

”You know the Captain sees her as someone he trusts and who listens to him,” McCleod said, “You and me intimidate him. She’s good at talking to him, and of everyone on this ship he listens to her which is good. Look I don’t disagree with you, it’s a mistake but it’s entirely his call.”

”He thinks she’s Diana Troi,“ Mueller said, “but Troi was no Doctor Pulaski. Not even a Doctor Crusher.”

“You read her book?” McCleod asked.

”Pulaski’s sure of course. She was my hero growing up, and why I specialized in cardiac medicine,” Mueller said.

McCleod sighed, “I‘ll mention you again, but he’s pretty set. I’m sorry. You’re doing great work though.”

[USS Anaheim – Nine Forward]

“Getting married was fun, staying married that was the boring part,” Nurse Rebecca Smith said.

”Wow, six months, that’s quick,” Yuhiro Kolem said.

”Hey you’re not supposed to judge me,” teased the nurse.

”I’m not here as your therapist I’ve assigned you to someone else. Also I don’t care, it’s not like I’m a role model,” Kolem said.

”I took a job in Starfleet to get out of Calgary,” Smith said shrugging, “A city can get small after an ugly divorcee.”

”How ugly?” Kolem asked.

”I cut up his great grandfather’s prized Stetson. It’s a hat, a cowboy hat,” she said.

”Ah, I see. Sounds dramatic,” Kolem said.

”It was that’s why I’m just fooling around these days,” Smith said.

”I don’t know if that’s healthy. If you had to get out of Calgary, imagine how bad it would be on a ship. Maybe just not for awhile?” she suggested.

”This isn’t a Galaxy Class ship with families. We’re all young, and fun. You should have some fun too,” Smith said.

”I have plenty of fun,” protested Kolem.

”Sure, then why has that cute security ensign been looking this way and you’ve not once met his gaze?” Smith asked.

”That’s Ensign Hume and I’m mad at him,” Kolem said.

”Ah, so you do have fun,” Smith said making a dramatic realization. 

“I make mistakes, just like you. Being empathic doesn’t solve that sadly,” Kolem said.

The doors to the lounge opened and two other senior officers walked past. Kolem waved which caused the two women the stop. It was the Vulcan Chief Flight Control Officer Pr’Nor and Tashai the El-Eurian.

”What have you two women been up to?” the Councilor asked.

”We have been expressing fondness for each other,” Pr’Nor said.

Kolem looked at the two of them, both were like blank slates giving her nothing to read. El-Eurians had some kind of telepathic abilities and Vulcans were too damned mentally disciplined, both of which prevented her empathy from doing much of anything. She frowned, then nodded slowly, “Okay.”

Whatever that meant.

“Join us, we were just talking about the Councilor love life,“ the Nurse said.

”I am not interested in that conversation,” Pr’Nor said.

”I am,” piped up Tashai.

”I concede that learning Betazoid dating rituals may be more fascinating than I anticipate,” Pr’Nor said taking a seat.

”I’m not teaching dating rituals, and I date like a human. I’m also half human,” the councilor protested.

”Which half?” Tashai asked.

”What?”

”Which half of you is human?”

”All of it,” Kolem said.

”So you’re all human?”

”What? No half,” Kolem said.

”But which half,” Tashai asked, sticking with the dad joke.

”What’s happening am I going crazy?” Kolem asked Pr’Nor.

”I do not understand her either, but as she pointed out that is intriguing,” the Vulcan said.

Kolem’s eyes narrowed something was up with these two, and as long as it kept her mind of either Hume or the promotion to Second Officer that the Captain had brought up to talk though the possibility with her, she was happy.

”Now what does expressing fondness for each other men?” the Betazoid asked.