Chapter two – Poppy Pie

"So they finally managed to put some of you through basic training. What's your name, little lady?"

"Papipo Op."

"Did nobody remember to give you a new name when you came on board for your first assignment? If not, then I'll do it."

"Would you? That is so thoughtful of you! What's it going to be? The sniffer walked over to McCoy with eyes glowing with anticipation. McCoy put his hand to his chin in a thinking pose.

"Let's see . . . I think your new name will be Poppy. Poppy Pie. That works, I believe?"

"YES!" Poppy rushed up and threw her arms around his hips for a big hug that made his old bones creak. That hug brought back memories for him. "How come you knew just what I was missing? And you didn't even ask what I was. You've met my kind before, haven't you?" She loosened her grip a bit but was still holding him, leaning her head back to look up at his face. He looked down at the hairy, patterned face. Wider stripes, a bit darker shade of pigment, but still very much like Lily-Lee. Unabashed, pushy Lily-Lee, who had been dead for so long now. McCoy felt some old, old grief coming back to him and felt . . . weak.

He gently took her arms away and walked over to the closest chair to sit down. She followed and looked at him with concern.

"You are crying."

He opened his blurred eyes and got a glimpse of Poppy watching the tears running down his cheeks. Her pupils were following each drop as it left the corner of the eye and got tangled in his wrinkles. Despite his mood, he could see the irony and decided to follow an impulse.

"Go ahead and taste them. I know you are trying to be polite to an old human, but it's okay. Really, go ahead."

"Are you sure?" She sat down in his lap and touched his wispy hair with one hand.

"Yes, I'm sure." It was my own idea, darn it! That line from his past broke him completely and the tears flowed even worse. Poppy leaned in slowly and nuzzled her cheek next to his. A soft kiss, and she gently put out the tip of her tongue to lick his tears and taste them.

–***–

"How old are you, anyway?"

"Twelve years."

"Oh, for crying out loud, my cardigan is older than that!"

"Ewww! Why do you still have it? You people hang on to so much old stuff."

"Maybe you're right. I'll try your perspective. So, already twelve years old and you don't have children yet. How come?" He was sarcastic, but she took him seriously.

"Well, I've been focusing on my career in Star Fleet. Graduated from academy, like you said. I'm planning to go home to Vovaror Poplolanonetot after this mission. I'll be seventeen, sure, but I can still get many fertile years with the flock before I die. But you still haven't told me why you know so much about sniffers."

"I was there when they were discovered, we brought your first emissary Lily-Lee with us. They weren't called sniffers yet." Poppy looked at McCoy with disbelief.

"But . . . but that's ancient history. You can't have been there."

"It's not THAT long ago. I remember it well, thank you very much. There are others from that journey that are still alive."

She was still sitting on his lap but now she repositioned herself so that she straddled his thighs. Star Fleet uniforms were not as short these days as they had been eighty years ago, so she had to pull it up a bit. Poppy kissed his cheek again, and it was dry now. She hesitantly moved a little bit and came close to his lips. She pushed her hips in towards his and put her weight down on his groin. He spoke into her mouth.

"Now don't try any funny stuff, little lady. I'm too old for this sort of thing."

"Oh come on! You're not dead yet, right?"

"I may not have died yet, but I can still be too old! Be careful with my femurs, they're brittle." Poppy pouted at him. McCoy poked her in the chest with a wrinkly finger to emphasise his words. "Don't think that giving me some sad-puppy look is going to change my mind. I–Am–Too–Old."

"Fine. Can I still kiss you, though? I've been feeling lonely here and you taste so good." She didn't really wait for an answer and just leaned in for a deep kiss. McCoy joined in and put his arms around her back. Why do I get the feeling that she doesn't intend to give up so easily? She put her knees down on the seat of the chair to take her weight off his legs. He appreciated it but still . . . he sort of wished she would sit down again and let her heat seep into his skin. It felt cold where she left him, like he had no warmth of his own and it all came from her. This is not Lily-Lee, this is not what it was back then . . . but it feels good, just like it used to.

Just as McCoy was about to give in to another pang of grief over the fact that humans outlived sniffers by so many years, a very different thought struck him. He started chuckling. Poppy sat up and looked at him with an inquiring face cocked to one side.

"Oh, I'll explain . . . just let me get my breath back. I just . . . I just realised I'm finally doing what Lily-Lee asked me to do so many times. Getting started on a flock of small hairy four-nostriled women. She would have loved it."

–***–

"So, what do you do on this ship? Where can I find you?"

"Sorry, little lady, but you can't. I'll be going back to Star Base today. You'll have to try to get along with the crew on your own." McCoy could tell that she was disappointed, but it didn't take long before she shrugged her shoulders and got back to kissing. He heard the door open behind them. Now, if that is Spock, I'm going to swear the universe itself is out to get me perpetually embarrassed.

But it wasn't Spock. It was Data, coming to see why the branch Admiral had abandoned his escort and the inspection. McCoy reluctantly got up and said goodbye to Poppy. He bent down for a final kiss and had trouble straightening up again. She said she might see him someday and got back to the bench.

When they were out in the corridor, Data hesitated but eventually spoke.

"If you don't mind my asking, sir, but aren't humans your age considered too old for this type of behaviour?"

"Of course I'm too old. It didn't stop me."