—- Chief Counselor’s Office —-

“I almost got into an argument with the Captain about the ship being small,” Commander Andrés Sánchez said.

”You don’t insult a new Captain’s command, it’s what Cruz has spent her adult life achieving and someone close to her had to get badly hurt for it to happen,” Lieutenant Kolem said, “Even if she didn’t feel sensitive about you being so much more than her…”

”Attractive,” Sánchez joked.

”I was going to say, well off. You’re tying her pride in the ship into her confusion about her place outside Starfleet, and her life. As her brother that makes sense, as her XO you’re supposed to have her back,” Kolem said.

”But what you meant was attractive,” he joked.

”Stop flirting, I also said we couldn’t bring you onboard as my boyfriend,” Kolem said, “And I need time single, to learn to appreciate me.”

”I appreciate you, your hips, lips, eyelash tips,” Sánchez smiled.

”This whole Latino thing it working for me,” Kolem admitted. She set down her note pad, which mostly consisted of doodles anyway since Sánchez was not there for a formal session. He was not her patient, and the crew had been divided between her and her fellow counselor who did not know the senior staff so well.

”We can keep it confidential between Doctor and patient,” the Commander said picking her up off the couch and then sitting down with Kolem positioned in his lap.

”To be clear I’m not your doctor,” Kolem said softly, “and this is just….”

Sánchez kissed her neck, “A one time indiscretion.”

”Yes,” Kolem said closing her eyes.

”A one time, slip,” he said laying her down on the couch.

—- Nine Forward, Lounge —-

The name had been cheeky, but had stuck. Nine Forward, when the ship only had eight decks, and the lounge was on the seventh. Hume recognized this time in a ship’s tour, when couples were being formed. They were all fairly young, and with a month posting couples formed and held for a bit. Some lasted beyond the mission, others were just temporary. 

Lieutenant Junior Grade William Hume had tried to make his permanent, but had failed. He realized now that his own stupidity was to blame, and that he had done something with the goal of hurting Lieutenant Kolem, and so was done with her. Or she was done with him at least.

He nursed his beer, trying not to feel sorry for himself. Lieutenant Thomas Winfield joined with Lieutenant Akane Sone and new security officer Lieutenant Junior Grade Rosa Flores. Hume nodded at them, noticing that Sone and Winfield pressed against each other as they were entering the booth. So one of his closer friends had paired off, likely either during their downtime or before all the men aboard had been poisoned.

”Is everyone with someone now?” Hume asked, more complained.

”I told you not to cheat on Kolem, you don’t try to trick a Betazed,” Winfield said, “Besides she’s right to be mad, you’re better than that.”

Flores asked, “What did you do?”

”I slept with someone,” Hume said.

Rosa laughed, “That’ll do it.“

”Not just anyone, but the weird one who wants to be a Borg,” Sone said, “Lieutenant Maria Cortez.”

”She hypothetically wants to be a Borg, not really,” Hume said defending her.

”Where ever you go there’s a gal making us look bad,” Flores said, “But you’re the one who slept around. That’s lame. I’d dumped you too.”

Hume grimaced, he knew he deserved it but he was hoping that his friends would eventually lighten up on him. They were lower deckers, while Kolem had gone on to become the ship‘s Second Officer and a certified upper decker. Truthfully there was not much left for them, they were now moving in as different circles as you could and still be on such a small ship.

”It was a mistake,” he said, though he knew as many times as he said it it was not going to convince Yuhiro Kolem to take him back.

—- Bridge —-

Stepping out of the turbo lift and onto the bridge Winfield saw that they were in the middle of something. The Captain signaled for him to take over on flight controls, and Lieutenant Junior Grade Flores who had come up in the turbolift with him filled in on tactical. 

“We’re following a ship, came out of nowhere, I think it’s the True Path,” the CO explained, “stay just within our sensor range. Keep shields down for now, we don’t want to light up and scare them.”

”Yes Captain,” he said taking over for the last shift. Pr’Nor was the only pilot that was maybe better than him on the ship, though Winfield would dispute that.

“I was just on Earth Lieutenant Winfield, you father owns a restaurant there right?” the Captain asked, which meant this cat and mouse game had been going on for awhile and she was bored.

”No ma’am, it’s on Starbase 23,” Winfield said.

Cruz nodded, “Sorry, I thought it was Earth, but it’s southern food right?”

“Yes ma’am, gumbo, po’ boys, things like that,” Winfield said.

”Well maybe I’ll find my way out that way one day,” Cruz said, “I love a good po’boy.”

Winfield smiled, he knew that Cruz likely had no idea what they were, but he appreciated her attempt. Po’boys were not popular as far south as she was from, and if they had shrimp down there they usually went in tacos, not sandwiches. The Captain seemed nice, down to Earth. Her initial buttoned up all business Starfleet appearance had faded quickly, and she’d been a good XO. Winfield was not sure if she was ready to make the step up to Captain, but then it was not as if he’d have wanted anyone else on board to do it. 

“Hang back,“ Cruz said standing as four more blips appeared on the screen.

”We have multiple contacts,” Flores said.

”Dorian can we get ears of that,” Cruz asked her Chief Strategic Officer.

”Negative, not unless we get close enough that we’ll be seen,” Dorian said.

”If that is a hostile four against one isn’t great, we’d probably survive but…” Flores voice trailed off.

”But we don’t want to limp back to Starbase again and less than a week after leaving,” Cruz finished for her.

”Let’s just relax here,“ Cruz said, “Flores keep an eye on those ships, if any of them move I want to know. Also radio silence from here on out, only communication between the Captain and Starbase 72 is allowed. Institute that.”

—- First Officers Quarters —-

“We’re on communications blackout,” Sánchez said running his hand down Lieutenant Kolem. 

She pulled the blanket higher and shivered, not from the temperature, but his touch. He was a much more experienced man than Willam Hume had been, who’d been all enthusiasm and awkwardness. She bit her lip, “Something must be going on the bridge.”

”They’d call us if they needed us,” he pointed out.

”I like that logic,” Kolem said, “Besides after the Borg this is what I deserve.”

”Oh so God gave me to you because you deserve me?” Sánchez joked.

”Yup, and you thought nobody believed in God anymore,” she said.

”I would if God gave me good treats like this every day,” he said, “but I am afraid he won’t.”

”Watch speaking so lightly about God around your sister’s squeeze, Andorians are still believers,” Kolem cautioned. He dark hair framing her face on the white fabric of the pillow. Sánchez rolled over and propped himself over her, leaning down to kill her lips.

”My mother still is. But let me ask you, can you feel my mind?”

Kolem nodded, “All minds on the ship, but yours is closest right now so I feel it the most centrally if that makes sense. It’s wise, and brimming with knowledge and smarts.”

”Flatterer,” he said.

”It’s my job, keep you and your sister equally flattered,” she replied.

”Hopefully not equally.”

”Well not quite equally.”