A/N: Wow, didn't think the last story/chapter would do so well! Anyways, it should've been posted eons ago, but I never got to it... *puts paper bag over head* Anyways, this second story, the picture for it was posted to DA only a few days ago, so this story should be pretty fresh. (If that even makes sense...) Also, as for my other story(ies), I have come down with a cold, and it has gotten worse with sore throat and I can't breathe through my nose, so my chapter posting isn't going to go too fast... Anyways, enough of my ramblings; onto the story!

UPDATE: Again, thank you to VulcanTrekkie for pointing out all of those typos!

"Hey, watch where you rub!"

"Well, if you want them to be fixed, you'll have to sit still and stop complaining!"

Karmen crossed her arms, sulking like a scolded child. "Fine..." She muttered.

The med-bay was pretty well empty, and for that Karmen was grateful; she didn't want anyone else seeing her little predicament that she had gotten into. All she had done was try to re-route the power to the main computer in Engineering by replacing the wires, and the next thing she knew she was running around trying to put out the flames on her wings.

She was very glad that she had not lost her wings; they mean everything to a Feluma! They represent their people and their honour, and if she were to lose them, her honour as a Feluma would be practically ripped from her.

Despite the feeling of relief, she could not help but also feel embarrassment, as they were now horribly singed at the tips, there were a few small bald spots, and she smelled of 'chicken' as Bones had bluntly put it. He was now putting an ointment onto the bald parts of her wings to help with the healing process. Unfortunately, Feluma wings were very sensitive to being touched.

She twitched again as his hands touched another bald spot. "Stop moving, please. It's very hard to get the right areas when you're moving."

"I'm trying not to, Dr. McCoy. It's just... nevermind..." She trailed off.

She continued to sit on the medical table, twitching or shifting every so often as he applied the ointment. After several moments, he was done applying the ointment. "Well, you must've had one hell of a fire; you used up the whole container!" He exclaimed.

She lifted herself off the table and straightened out her uniform. "Sorry." She apologized quietly.

Bones started to clean up his tools, putting them in several cabinets and shelves. "I heard you're going with us onto Andoria, tomorrow." He said.

Karmen shrugged. "Mhmm, the Captain said that he needed Mr. Scott on the ship 'in case something went wrong', but he needed another technician along."

Bones raised an eyebrow. "Did he say why?"

"Yeah, he told me that if negotiations went awry, he would need me to disable the missiles-"

"Missiles?! Jim never told me anything about missiles!" He exclaimed. "What kind of a negotiation is this?!"

Karmen flinched as if being slapped. "Well, the Klingons have threatened to destroy the planet if they don't get what they want; but they haven't said what, and that's why we're going down there. After all, the Andorians are the ones who-"

He shook his head. "I know, Karmen, I was told about that part already..." He muttered.

"I don't understand how we'll get down there so quickly, though; if we go down by shuttle, it'll take hours to get there." She pondered.

"Wait, you think we're going down to the planet by shuttle?"

"Well, yes... is there another way?"

Bones laughed at her question. "Ever heard of the transporter?" Karmen nodded, "Yes, Dr. McCoy, I have. I am in engineering, in case you have forgotten."

"Yes, I know you're in engineering." He chided. "It's just that, well, haven't you used the transporter, before? Isn't that how you arrived on the Enterprise?"

"No," She shook her head. "I did not. I had arrived by shuttle, I did not use the transporter. I do, however, have a great interest in the machine." Bones only chuckled. "Well, it'll be a whole new experience for you, then! I, however, have had enough experience with transporters, and I don't like them..."

She cocked her head. "Then why are you coming along? And why do you not like them?"

"I am a doctor; you'll need one with a violent situation like this. As for your second question, I don't like them because I don't like my particles floating around in the air." He then jokingly added, "I always think that not all of them will make it."

Karmen's eyes widened slightly. "Oh."

Nothing more was to be said, so she left the medical bay more confused than anything. 'Not all of them will make it'? Has that happened before, where a human has lost a part of their body because their particles didn't make it? She shuddered slightly at the thought of losing a body part, more importantly her wings.

She couldn't think of something like that, now. You need to rest so you're ready for tomorrow. She chided herself as she entered her room. You shouldn't worry about such a petty statement. It won't happen to you... Right?

She started to change out of her uniform, unzipping the back and shrugging it off her feathered shoulders. She had seen the female uniforms, and had asked Starfleet if she could have a change in uniform, preferably pants and a sleeveless top with a partially bare back to accommodate to her wings. They had told her that the top part of her uniform would be slightly inappropriate according to Starfleet regulations, but they understood her predicament and made her a top that would be easy to wear, despite her wings. She was very grateful for their understanding.

She was finally out of her uniform. She looked around for her sleep-wear, but then decided against it. She would be waking within a few hours, it would be pointless to change into a different set of clothing only to get out of them and then into another. I'll take off my brandoshïn, but I should probably leave on my lower-wear...

Karmen pulled back the sheets of her bed, flopping herself onto it and tugging the sheets over her body. Her wings were spread out wide, hanging over the bed. The captain had not known that Feluma often sleep upside-down, so he had not provided any sort of bar or pole for her to hang from. He had said that once they got to the next nearest base, they would find suitable materials for her 'sleeping place', as he called it.

So, she had learned to sleep on her belly and allow her wings to spread out so she wouldn't crush them. It is very uncomfortable for Feluma if they lay on their wings, and if too much pressure is applied to them, they could get damaged.

She turned her head on the pillow. No matter what, everything seemed to trail back to her wings! I really don't want to lose my wings... She thought worriedly.

Despite the thoughts running through her head, she was finally able to get some sleep.

/

"Karmin, are you avake?"

She stirred, muttering tiredly, "Just a few more minutes..."

"Karmin, ze keptin said zat eet ees almost time to leave..." The voice said.

Captain... Time to leave... But where?... She finally came to her senses. THE NEGOTIATION! She leapt up from her bed. "Daushvet! Yero stelputarin, yeron bes leour!" She cursed in the Feluma language. She whipped around and noticed a young man standing beside her bed, a hand placed over his eyes and his head turned slightly away.

"Chekov, is there something wrong?" She asks him.

She could see a faint blush form on his cheeks. "You are... Not fully clothed..."

She was confused at first, but upon looking at herself she realized he was correct. She had forgotten that she didn't put on her sleep-wear the previous night. She gasped and grabbed at the bed sheet, covering herself. "I-I am so sorry!" She stuttered.

He raised his hand. "No, eet's fine, I should be saying 'sorry'; I deed not know you vere..." Chekov trailed off.

She grabbed her brandoshïn off the floor. "Why are you even in here, Chekov? And why didn't you ring for me, or at the very least knocked?!" She demanded.

"Ze keptin had asked me to check if you vere avake! He told me to tell you zat it vas almost time to leave!" He answered. " And I deed ring, seweral times, een fact! You newer responded, so I came een!"

"Well, thank-you for waking me up." Even though she knew he wouldn't see, she raised her free arm and pointed at the door. "No need to stay, now out!"

He nodded. "Good idea." He turned, his hand still over his eyes. He attempted to navigate through her room, his free hand out in front of him. She opened her mouth to speak, but was already to late as Chekov tripped over the small table.

She almost smiled when she saw that his hand was still over his eyes. "Wery sorry!" He apologized.

He slowy walked towards the door, placing one foot cautiously in front of the other so he wouldn't trip again. Karmen found this almost comical. He's rather cute...

He finally reached the door, and it opened with a swoosh. "Wery sorry..." He apologized once more before leaving.

She paused and stared at the door for several moments. Despite the embarrassment, she couldn't help but feel touched at his chivalry and restraint. Such a gentleman... She smiled to herself as she gathered her uniform.

/

Finally, after asking for directions nearly five times she had finally found the transporter room. While walking there, she continuously thought back to what Bones had said the previous day; "I always think that not all of them will make it."

She desperately didn't want to lose her wings, the mere thought of it made her want to cry!

She paused outside the transporter room, wrapping her wings around herself. Calm down! This is your first time on a planetary mission, you shouldn't make yourself look like you can't handle it! Taking a deep breath, she unwrapped herself from her wings and strode through the door.

She was the last one to arrive, she saw. Spock, Bones, Kirk and Chekov were already there. Now she just felt stupid.

"Miss Leison," Kirk greeted her, "glad to see you could make it!" He smiled warmly at her. She nodded sharply.

"Wouldn't miss it, sir." She smiled back.

He nodded. "That's good. Now, I take it you have never used the transporter?"

"No sir."

He chuckled. "Well, this shall be a whole new experience for you, then."

As the doctor has already said... She thought sarcastically.

As he was stepping onto the transporter, Karmen's eyes had locked with Chekov's, who was standing beside Kirk. His eyebrows furrowed slightly and a frown was visible on his face. 'Wery sorry...' She could practically hear him say.

She shrugged. 'Meh, that was then...'

Spock had caught the look between them. Odd, perhaps something had happened prior to coming here...

She allowed the men to step onto the transporter before she followed. She paused. They were all standing on top of circular pads, pads that looked rather small...

'...not all of them will make it...'

Karmen stepped onto one of the pads. She then tried to make herself as straight as possible; tightening her posture with her hands at her sides and her legs pressed closer together. She was forgetting something...

My wings! She tried pressing her wings against her back, but realized that she couldn't as it was dangerous for a Feluma to press their wings directly against their backs. She had to do something!

"Ready te transport, ser." Scotty informed the Captain.

Do something! She then thought back to before she entered the transporter room. Aha!

She quickly wrapped her wings around her and for extra measure, she grabbed at her wings and pulled tightly.

She waited for several moments before she realized that she was being watched. She looked around, and saw that five pairs of eyes were on her.

Chekov, Scotty and Bones were looking at her with blank stares. Spock had one eyebrow raised, as if silently judging her. Kirk looked severely confused as to what she was doing.

Kirk broke the silence. "Is there something wrong, Miss Leison?" He asked her, almost amusingly.

She looked at him and shook her head. "Not at all, sir." Why did you lie to the Captain?! Itarin!

She was surprised when he turned back around. "Very well." She was relieved; it would've been embarrassing if he knew she was scared over such a seemingly petty matter...

He nodded to Scotty. "Energize."

Karmen closed her eyes, praying to the gods that she'd make it alive. I'll never go on another drinking binge again if you let me live through this moment!

Her eyes remained closed for what seemed like several minutes before she felt someone tap her shoulder. "Karma, you can come out of your little shell, now. We're on Andoria." Bones told her

Dr. McCoy, if you're lying... She cautiously opened one eye and then the other. They were on solid ground, no longer on the Enterprise.

My wings... She looked down to her hands. They were still holding onto her wings, but were they holding on to all of them?

She let go of them and spread out her wings, turning her head to look at them. They were all still there. Her wings drooped in relief. "Oh, thank the gods..." She breathed.

She heard Bones chuckle. "Karma, you know how I said that I don't always think my particles would make it?" She nodded. "Yeah?"

"I was only joking."

She paused at his statement. 'Only joking'? What does he mean... Oh, that little...! She glared menacingly at the doctor. "I am not amused, Leonard..."

"Well, some jokes aren't meant to be laughed at." Bones smirked at her.

Karmen shook her head in disbelief. Humans are the most strangest creatures, ever!

A/N: I was writing this as I was (and I still am) sick, so if you guys see any mistakes or typos, lemme know. ^_^

Also, Feluma language translations! (Remember, this is a made up species, so you won't find this on the Internet.)

Brandoshïn: Roughly translates to 'chest-cloth'; better known as a bra. It wraps around the breasts and can be tied in the back. No straps because of wings.

Daushvet: dammit/damn

Yero stelputarin: roughly, 'you dumb-ass'

Yeron bes leour: roughly 'you're late' or 'you'll be late'.

Itarin: idiot.