Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do own just about every character in this thing.

I fully expect this story to be received with a fair amount of trepidation, since it's populated almost entirely by original characters and the main characters aren't even of canon races. Teenin and Durga are relatively minor players who haven't yet appeared in The blood is the life, (but they'll hopefully enter stage left fairly soon) and through circumstances that occur in the parent story - no, there won't be any spoilers, or if there are they'll be teeny tiny ones - get a taste of what life is like outside Sangneen and in Starfleet, and are intrigued and wished to know more. We'll probably never get to know them very well in TBITL, but I fastened onto the plot bunny of what I had planned for them and ran with it, especially since I have a bit of writer's block concerning TBITL. It also gave me a chance to explore how certain less open minded people would view their relationship, and the symbiosis between the population of Sangneen in general. The answer is, not very well.

And yes, I'm plumping for stereotypical titles. And loving it. xx And yes, the summary is meant to echo TBITL as well.

I'm also going with the idea that, judging by Gaila and later Worf, Nog and even going back to T'Pol, you can apply to join Starfleet even if you're not a member of the Federation, as long as you have an least one fairly high ranking member of the fleet supporting you (although admittedly Worf was rasied by human parents and so was something of a Federatin citizen, but let's not get into a debate here.

Christopher Pike did not, as some of his associates claimed behind his back, jump when James T Kirk whistled. If anything it was the reverse, sort of, established very early on in their relationship. He'd made sure to keep himself out of Jim's business since he made captain and scored the Enterprise so that no claims of favouritism could be made, and had heard about all the stuff his not exactly protégé had pulled and caused and prevented with enthusiasm and humour that was often detached. He'd kept up a running communication between him and the ship and this was probably the first time that he'd even been asked for anything. And it wasn't even Kirk doing the asking, so there, big shots.

"You want me to do this? Wouldn't Jim be more appropriate, considering he's, I don't know, actually met them?"

"Oh, he's doing a letter as well, and so's Spock, but I felt we needed a bit more force to get this through all the protest it's bound to stir up."

"So you chose me. Because I have so much influence in the fleet at the moment."

"Well, yes, sir, you do." Uhura sighed, perhaps seeing her plan starting to slip down the drain. "You've made so few requests of those in charge, and I thought that they'd listen to you more than us."

"Uhura, I… I just don't know. I don't think the top brass is going to be enthusiastic about a plasmavore mingling with defenceless students." She just looked at him, and he amended that last bit. "All right, they're not so defenceless. But you know that's how the admiralty will paint it. They'll say he'll loose control, run amok-"

"Don't forget about Durga, admiral. We can provide documents of their successful pairing. Besides, the First Great Law – you know about that? Good. The First Great Law means that anyone who's unwilling is safe, even if Teenin did want to drink from them. And I seriously doubt that he would. Teenin doesn't need any blood other that what Durga provides, and joined Sangni are almost completely monogenic."

His expression must have irritated her, though of course she didn't show it. "Look, just…please, just talk with them, all right? Get to know them before you judge them. Admiral, they really, really want this; they've gone through all sorts of trouble to get this far, they had to work so hard to even get the Kin-Tei to agree to support their admission. All they need now is some support from the fleet itself. Please, just consider it."

He could never refuse her…much. "All right, all right, Uhura. I'll schedule a vid interview with them, and we'll see how it goes from there. All right?"

"That would be wonderful, Christopher, thank you."

"…so I have obtained an interview for you with Admiral Christopher Pike. Do not fear; he is a good and understanding man. He will be in contact in a short while to arrange the vid interview. Make certain that he knows why you are choosing to do this, that you have legitimate reasons for this choice and that you are eligible for the careers you plan to pursue. Make certain to practise your Standard; all cadets have to be proficient in it. If he asks explain how you feed; however you are not obliged to demonstrate. If you wish I can arrange for Commander Spock to tell you about his application to the academy."

Nyota stopped for breath and then smiled. "I am sorry that this has been such a strong message with no room for softness until the end; do forgive me. I hope you do well, I really do. With luck I will be able to send you a live message soon. Good luck, my friends." The screen went blank.

Durga had clutched his arm so tight he could hardly feel it any longer, and Teenin held her fingers tight. They turned to look at each other and had to laugh.

"We might get in. We might actually get into the Starfleet."

"There's still this…admiral. We have to do our very best. And then there are entrance exams, the ones that we must do separately."

"We'll be all right. We will do this together, but we will not be helpless apart. We go together. Always together."

"Yes. But…do you think they will let us go?"

"They gave us their word. They can't go back on it now. We're going to join the Starfleet, and then we'll see everything that they'd keep from us!"

"Are you afraid?"

"…A little. Now that we're so close."