Everything in this fanfic I made up for poetic/romantic purposes. Enjoy!

"Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice."

* Robert Frost - Fire and Ice

After two encounters with the "pink skins", Shran could use the respite.

But he couldn't deny he liked it.

Until an Alert sounded.

"Blast.", exclaimed Shran, from his bed, starting to dress his uncomfortable uniforme.

"What is happening?"

"Commander", the Number One, a slender, beautiful Andorian, with slim waist, high cheek bones, full mouth and long hair said in a mellifluous voice. "We received a distress call."

"And you imbeciles used 'Alert' for that?! It's just a small freighter on the Viewscreen!"

"It could have been a hostile species.", she said.

The girl who was in the freighter had nothing of pink. She was... chocolate. Or more. And her eyes were pitch black. Her hair was done in a most exhotic manner. Not straight like the pink skins. She was so different.

She was in danger. But Shran felt something agitate in his trousers. Bad timing...

"Help! Help!", they could see there was fire everywhere. "If there's anyone there, I require assistance!"

Shran was mesmerized. He couldn't let her die.

"Orders, sir?", asked Number One.

"We can't let her die. Let's save both her and her freighter."

He knew it was difficult, but not impossible.

And in a few hours, she had been rescued, covered in soot, passed out.

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When Layla, for that was the girl's name, came to, she was wearing very comfortable clothes and lying in a rough bed. She could sense she wasn't on a hostile enviromenmt.

She looked in a mirroed wall and her billowing dress seemed to reflect starlights.

The walls seemed to be made of ice. It was so beautiful. It shone, but not in a disturbing manner.

Like the Moons of Andoria.

She walked and got to a control room.

"Hey, this is off limits.". Said a very beautiful Andorian. The Number One.

"No, Talas, she can explore the ship. I want to know more about her. She has no pink skin and her eyes are extremely black. Also, her hair is... I have no words. It's not soft, in my opinion."

"Don't touch me!", Layla backed off. "My father was African American and my Mother a Betazoid. Which makes me Half-Betazoid. Not all humans are white. And have straight hair."

Shran gave a loud laugh.

"Forgive me for being suspicious, dear Betazoid! I've never seen your kind before! But, as of now, we are fixing your small freighter. Make yourself at home."

"Thank you...", she said, uncertain.

"And today, you eat at my quarters!"

"Commader! This is not appropriate—" said Number One.

"I say what is appropriate, Talas."

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The food was fire and ice. She had no idea of how to start and how to finish.

"It doesn't appetize you?", asked Shran, eating a spoonful.

"I still don't know your name."

"You could have just asked."

"Okay. What is your name?"

"Shran. Dark skin.", he smirked.

"I don't like being called like that.", she sulked, taking a bite of some blue thing. It tasted like coconut.

"You must taste of chocolate. I'd love to know. And look at you. You can hardly blush!"

"Stop it!", she stood up.

"Wait.", he touched her hand, ever so gently. "I don't know how long you're going to stay here."

"What you don't even know, is my name, Mr. Shran."

He laughed.

"True. And what a Betazoid is."

She smiled.

"A pure Betazoid is a telepathic. Since I am mixed with a human, I can only sense emotions. And yours are so strong the pull is magnetic. Lucky you I can't read your thoughts. But I know you just want to sleep with me because you find me an exotic animal. Goodnight."

"WAIT! You said your piece, now let me say mine."

She had already risen. She was just waiting.

"It's true you are different, in your own way. I've had my share of females. Sorry if that offends your sensibility. There's no way for me to know. But you would be especial. I saw you were carrying medicine and food on your freighter. Probably for someone in need, yes? You don't have to say. Actually, I'd like you to stay."

"But you know squat about me!"

"All I know is that I saw you... And I don't need to see anyone anymore."

Layla couldn't handle it. Why was she acting like a mature Betazoid? Such a cheesy line! Plus, he had insulted her in so many ways! But she could feel him without the layers he was trying to hide. He was a hopeless romantic who only put on a show, sensitive, caring. Her heart beat fast. She saw a white moon in her mind, icy cold, but burning at the same time. So, without reason or thought, she attacked Shran at that very moment, kissing him so hard their teeth scraped and they laughed. They threw all that wonderful food on the floor, blind with lust and made love on the table.

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Weeks passed by and Layla wasn't adapting. She looked at her freighter, full of provisions for people in need that soon would go bad...

And that Talas that clearly hated her. And Layla knew why.

But Shran was oblivious. He had bigger plans. He would ask Layla in marriage, Andorian fashion. How she would suffer, not being able to marry naked in Betazed.

Layla pondered.

She was in love with Shran...

Wasn't she?

Or was just those hot nights they spent in each other arms and then she spent crying by herself?

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Talas was, more often than not, going back and forth into her freighter. Did it need that much repair? When Layla meant to ask, the other's hostility seemed to have dissipitated.

"You should stay, you know... You make Shran happy."

The Betazoid could feel Talas's effort to proffer those words.

"Talas, I know we aren't exactly the best of friends-"

"And we aren't.", she became suddenly serious. "I'd be always aware if I were you."

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Layla decided to talk to Shran by that amazing starlight dinner table. And the timing was poor.

"Shran...", she cried. "I do love you. But it's not my life choice.", she played with her food.

He was an Andorian. His heart was ice. But he felt so angry and devastated. He could apply some legal measure. Not that Betazed entered the jurisdiction.

"Look what I wanted for us!", and he showed her a ring with a gem, "starstone", one of the rarest gems in the Universe. It seemed Andorians were all about Moon and Stars. All fire, all ice. She would perish by both.

"I'm sorry. Maybe it's better like this.", said Layla.

"Take it with you. To remember me by. And spend this week with me."

And so it had been. Between his Commander duties, he stayed with his lover. Space had been uneventful anyway. No Vulcans.

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"Good-bye, dark skin.", said Shran on the Viewscreen to her lover.

"I hate when you call me that blue skin!", she smiled from her freighter.

He smiled.

Layla engaged thrusters and heard a beeping, strange noise. When she realised, there was something strange, a circle, blinking, on the wall.

A bomb?

Damn.

Talas. Somehow, Layla should have known it. The Andorian woman was not being as unpleasant and made herself scarce. No wonder.

And the freighter blew up.

Shran was in shock.

"Are you okay, Commander? It was probably a malfunction!", said Talas, carressing his back.

But he felt... numb. He watched the love of his life's freighter in pieces like stars and his eyes were fire. His heart was ice.