—- Cruisers Point, Lounge —-

“Enjoying ship life so far?” Lieutenant Kolem asked as she slid into the booth across from Commander Andrés Sánchez. He was drinking a soda water and staring out at the star field that was moving past them as they travelled at warp speeds across the cosmos. 

“I’ve been on ships before, the USS Amiens,” he said.

Kolem nodded, “You seemed to natural down on Earth, like that was where you belonged.”

”You sound like my mother, she wanted me to stay, take over the running of the vineyard,” he said.

Kolem shrugged, “Sure, maybe. But life isn’t about what your mother wants, or I’d have two kids and live in a town house on Jupiter, it’s about what you want. What do you want?”

”I want to see the USS Seattle, to explore,” he said taking a sip of his drink.

“To seek out new life and new civilizations,” Kolem said, wishing she had a glass to toast. Andrés raised his hand and signaled for a waiter and she game him an order for a cherry cider. 

It was delivered and they were left alone, the vastness of space out the view port.

”I think Adriana hates me,” Andrés said.

”They thought they were giving her a XO who she trusted and would have her back. Instead she got a new brother, or half-brother, a father and a winery. It’s a lot to adjust to, she’ll warm up to you,” Kolem said.

“You like the translator for her?“ he asked.

”Nah. She does that herself, I just got picked to be her friend by her and sort of stuck around,” Kolem said, “Everyone’s got that friend who’s just that bit more of a disaster than them.”

“And what makes you a disaster?” Sánchez asked.

”I’m a serial monogamist. I always have to be in a relationship but I’m not ready for it to get serious,” she said, “on a small ship, that can get awkward. That’s what you’ll learn, everyone’s been inside everyone else’s dirty laundry hamper or something. Whatever the saying is.”

”So you shouldn’t make out with the ship’s new First Officer?“ he asked.

”You mean my Captain’s hot brother, no I shouldn’t,” Kolem said.

Sánchez chuckled, ”You think I’m hot?”

”Exact words I used to Cruz, she said I could make out with her hot brother,” Kolem said.

He smiled, “Did she?”

—- Captain’s Lounge —-

Captain Shraa of the Obama nodded at her guest, “It is wine I got the last time I was on Andoria it’s an ice wine.”

”I don’t know anything about wine, other than I own half a winery now,” Captain Cruz smiled at her fellow captain accepting the glass.

”That seems quite the change, you the girl arrested for thievery,” Shraa said, “The whole academy knew it.”

Cruz nodded, they had been at the school at the same time. Shraa was a few years older and had been in her final year when Cruz was in her second. Anytime their paths had crossed the two had been very competitive. Cumulating in a fight in the gym over a slight at basketball a sport neither of them played. 

“Well I knew it was part of the gossip,” Cruz said. She knew that she could not control what was said about her, and that her past was part of her story that she told herself, and apparently what other people said about her behind her back.

”The USS Seattle, have you been to the Earth city?” Shraa asked.

”No,” Cruz said.

”You get to do a lot on it. I’m in charge of these mild runs to Starbase delivering dignitaries and supplies,” Shraa complained.

”It’s ’milk runs‘, not ‘mild runs’,” Cruz pointed out.

The Andorian nodded, not caring for human expressions, “I only mean you are lucky, to get to do more interesting things. Back at the Academy, well I would not have thought you were going to make it past Lieutenant.”

Cruz smiled, “Neither did I some days.”

”I just remember the little human girl I’d beat up,” Shraa said.

”I remember beating you up,” Cruz teased.

“May I be frank Captain,” Shraa said.

”Well I don’t know where this is going so sure,” Cruz said, “Captain.”

”I do not even now understand how humans work, but I would like to find out,” Shraa said.

”You want to dissect me?” Cruz asked, not quite sure what was going on.

”In a way, I wish to date you. I am out your way once a month, more some times. I know it is not ideal but there are…” Shraa began to explain.

”No I get it. Look I’m fooling around with someone, but she’s cool. I’m not…“ Cruz sipped the wine, not sure what made this ice wine and the other wine wine, other than the fact that Andoria was colder but it was strong which she appreciated. There had always felt like there was a flirtatiousness back when she was fighting Shraa at the Academy, but the woman (girl then really) had never made it clear.

”I’m not tied down any more,” Cruz said, “It’s an expression. Not a preference.”

Shraa nodded, “It’s a three night journey, spend it in my bed Captain.”

Finished her wine Cruz set the glass down, and wrapped her arms around Shraa’s neck, “Sounds perfect Captain.”