A/N: Thanks for all the well-wishes last week everybody; we had a close call with my grandmother (a nonagenarian!) but she's back home with us now and doing much better. Phew! Anyhow, here's another chapter for your reading pleasure—enjoy!


Lunch

Personal Quarters, T'Kara Mol, 2287.158, 0216 hours. "There is nothing more we can do for her; she is gone."

T'Alora struggled against the binding blackness. "NO!" she attempted to cry out, "I am still here! I AM STILL HERE!" Her body grew heavy; they were burying her alive. "HELP! STOP! I AM STILL HERE!" The world closed in around her as the earth was packed in and she began to hyperventilate as the mourning bells chimed…

T'Alora fell out of her bunk, sheets tangled around her, to the sound of her comm. Taking a look around to get her bearings she quickly discovered that Veren had not come to her quarters that evening. He had tried diligently to help her overcome her residual panic attacks since the incident on Dima's Planet but T'Alora's constant nightmares and restlessness disrupted even his minimal sleep patterns; it was only logical that he sought occasional refuge in his own quarters before his efficiency suffered too.

She became aware again of the chime persisting in the background and rose to answer the call; Se'tak's smiling image instantly filled the screen. Although they had exchanged numerous written and verbal messages they had not spoken directly to one another in 6.9 months.

"Hey, how are you?!" Before she could reply he looked behind her at the mangled sheets and furrowed his brow. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

The ringing comm had been the impetus that pulled her out of her nightmare so her words were not a lie. "Yes."

He looked genuinely contrite. "Sorry," Se'tak said with a shrug of the shoulders, "Guess I wasn't thinking."

"That is quite alright," she replied. "I would rather speak with you than rest." She did not give him a chance to question her statement before inquiring after his well-being.

"I'm good," he enthusiastically exclaimed, "Really good. I've been working hard but I've got a bit of a break now which is why I'm calling."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "You need a reason to speak with me?" she teased.

"What? No! T'Alora…" Se'tak looked at her more closely then broke out into a grin and stuck out his tongue catching on to the joke. "Very funny. Look, I heard a rumor that a Vulcan ship was headed this way to pick up supplies and I was wondering if it was you guys." T'Alora cocked her head to the side. The T'Kara Mol was indeed due to re-stock their stores but her pi'sa-kai had been rather vague as to where 'this way' was; when she asked as much he slapped his palm against his forehead for his carelessness. "Sorry, Starbase 23. We're here for a few days of downtime before our next assignment."

She nodded. "We are indeed headed toward that Starbase and unless unforeseen circumstances delay us we should arrive there in 1.78 days."

"Great! Want to meet up for lunch?"

The corners of her mouth ticked up in a smile. "That would be acceptable; and as I am employed and you are volunteering your time for the betterment of the intergalactic community I insist that you allow me to pay for the meal."

"No way I'm saying no to that! Let me know when you get in and want to meet up; here's the comm info for where I'm staying," he proceeded to rattle off the address of the hostel where he was currently residing, adding, "And bring Veren too, I want to meet my future brother-in-law."

"I will endeavor to do so. Veren is eager to meet you as well."

"Uh oh," her pi'sa-kai said with a nervous chuckle, "Eager, huh? That's not good. What'd you say about me?"

"You will have to wait until the appointed hour and ask him yourself."

"T, what'd you tell him? Seriously, T'Alora, you didn't…"

T'Alora cut the transmission with a smug smirk then submitted her request for shore leave and returned to bed.


Mess Hall, T'Kara Mol, 2287.159, 0645 hours. She had already been in the Mess for half an hour when Veren entered, bearing his food tray and making his way toward her. "Good morning."

"Good morning."

He set his tray down across from her. "Did you sleep well?"

"No," T'Alora replied, "I did not."

Veren canted his head to the side. "Perhaps we should re-visit the subject of an assistive sleep aid."

She bit back a scowl; they had discussed the matter at length and she had not changed her mind. She claimed not to want a prescription because the induced lethargy would interfere with her duties but that was not the full truth. Now that her humanity had been made known to the crew T'Alora was working herself twice as hard to prove her worth and she knew that medication would only further highlight her weaknesses. "I have already stated that I have no desire to rely on any narcotic Healer Ketrick might prescribe to help regulate my sleep cycle."

He narrowed his eyes as he leveled the challenge. "Then how do you propose we resolve your current issue?"

"I suggest we allow my subconscious ample time to heal itself without resorting to addictive medications that would impair my judgment." She kept her main motivations private and narrowed her eyes on her sa-sugalsu. Veren was on the verge of a rebuttal but kept his tongue, allowing her to change the topic of conversation. "Have you had an opportunity to review my request for shore leave?"

One eyebrow rose. "I was unaware that you requested shore leave."

She nodded. "I submitted the paperwork at 0248 hours this morning after receiving a call from Se'tak. He has informed me that he will be staying on Starbase 23 for the, and I quote, 'next few days'. We have tentative plans to meet for midday meal upon the ship's arrival."

"I see." Veren powered up his PADD and reviewed her proposal.

"Your presence has also been requested. Se'tak greatly desires to meet you."

His eyes widened at the unexpected invitation. "I will endeavor to join you."

"Thank you."

After he approved her request they partook of the morning meal in silence. Veren strongly believed that she was mishandling her treatment of her sleep deprivation and she felt the full brunt of his feelings from across the table, making for a very uncomfortable start to her day.


Bridge, T'Kara Mol, 2287.160, 1154 hours. In the ensuing days Veren kept a close watch on his ko-kugalsu but her nightmares did not dissipate—if anything they intensified. He did his best to comfort her but the images her subconscious conjured up were so terrifying that she could not be easily soothed. That morning he was so tired he was operating at 11.7% below peak efficiency and he knew that T'Alora, who was working the same shift and had slept less than he had, was even more exhausted. How she was managing her current workload was beyond his comprehension.

Presently they were on the Bridge updating the navigations console. Now that the ship was in dock a skeleton crew had taken over for the main bridge crew and were manning their stations, paying the two of them little attention. T'Alora was lying on her back on the floor with her torso tucked up into the machinery; she held one hand out in waiting. "Number 4 wrench please." Veren dutifully passed the tool and 3.06 seconds later it was returned. "I requested the number 5 wrench, please. This is a number 4."

He knew that she had asked for the number 4 and that the error was hers, not his. Still, he let the slip pass without any rebuke. They worked in silence for another 16.1 minutes until he was through, then he requested that she reinstate the power for that console; when she did not readily comply he leaned over and peered into her workspace.

T'Alora was fast asleep.

Veren was torn. He did not want to wake her but neither could he allow her to nap while on-duty. "Lieutenant." T'Alora did not budge. Looking around he caught furtive glances being shot their way by the crew. If not for their audience he would have let her be but decided that when she woke he would instead relieve her, allowing her to catch a nap in her quarters before meeting with Se'tak. He crouched down on his haunches beside her. "Lieutenant T'Alora," he firmly declared.


She came to with a start, banging her head as she did so. The wiring that had cushioned her during her slumber now ensnared her and she struggled to wrest herself free and get to her feet. As she moved to stand Veren rose with her and T'Alora became acutely aware that all eyes were on her; her cheeks burned hot in embarrassment.

"Lieutenant, you are dismissed. I will fulfill your remaining duties."

Lightning fast she turned her angry gaze on Veren. How dare he undermine her authority! He could not understand why he was the source of her sudden rage and his confusion incensed her still more. Knowing there was nothing she could do now without damaging her reputation further T'Alora held her head high and exited the Bridge. Her shift was scheduled to end in 20.07 minutes anyway, giving her ample time to change out of her uniform and meet Se'tak on the Starbase. As she entered the turbolift she turned and shot her sa-sugalsu one last glower as the doors closed.


Veren gulped hard as the turbolift descended. While he still did not know how he had erred he did know that T'Alora would inform him of his oversight at her earliest opportunity, repeatedly and vociferously. This knowledge only increased his trepidation.


Terran Gastronomy, Starbase 23, 2287.160, 1237 hours. Se'tak was late, as usual; she had thought that his punctuality would improve as he matured but it had not. T'Alora waited patiently and kept watch outside of the restaurant, scanning the faces of the people that passed. Loud music pulsed through the doors behind her and she internally grimaced at the prospect of spending any length of time inside such an establishment. If not for her sa-kai's insistence on Terran food she would have recommended the much quieter Risian restaurant on the other side of the Starbase.

Suddenly she spotted Se'tak darting through the crowd, his overgrown hair half flopping down in front of his eyes. He was 1.96 meters away when he accidentally knocked into a Deltan; he quickly apologized and ensured that she was not harmed all while flashing her his most charming grin. T'Alora remembered that smile well and recalled the many instances he used it throughout their childhood, usually to try and avoid punishment. As she reminisced she saw the scowl on the Deltan's face soon turn to a smile. Se'tak's easygoing demeanor served him well and would continue to do so in his future career.

Soon he crossed the distance between them and swept her up in his arms, lifting her and swinging her around the floor. "T!"

She smirked at his enthusiastic greeting. "It is pleasing to see you as well, Se'tak."

He set her back down and eyed her critically. "You're shrinking." Se'tak put his hand on top of her head and drew it dramatically to his chin. "Yep, definitely getting shorter."

T'Alora raised an eyebrow at his antics. "I am not shrinking, you have grown taller." Her statement was factual; Se'tak now stood 1.905 meters tall, taller even than their sa-mekh. He had also put on more muscle since she saw him last if the slight bulge of his biceps was anything to go by. However, his style of dress had altered little. He was currently wearing a pair of dark wash jeans and a faded, graphic print t-shirt with a dark gray, zip-up, hooded sweatshirt. All his clothes looked to be in desperate need of a wash and even his sneakers had seen better days.

He laughed at her matter-of-fact manner and hugged her again. "I've missed you," he whispered.

"I have also missed you," she whispered back. She had not realized how much she had missed her pi'sa-kai until he was standing there before her, making her long for the presence of Selas, Mama and Sa-mekh as well.

At that instant a group of patrons exited the venue and the blaring music hit them both with full force. Se'tak glanced up at the garish neon lights of the sign and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I know this isn't really your kind of place but…"

"You have a strong inclination for familiar food and this is the only establishment capable of providing it on this Starbase, therefore it is only logical that we eat here." Another young couple left as she spoke, the loud music pulsing out after them. "However, perhaps we may request that they lower the volume by 20% before we are seated."

He grinned. "Deal."


They were seated in a booth far away from the sound system and their waitress provided them with menus. Terran Gastronomy's offerings were extensive and as she perused the list Se'tak talked steadily about his life and work in the Federation Peace Corp.

"…and so then we had to dig this well and we figured between the 3 of us it wouldn't take that long but we ended up spending 4 days camped out in the wilderness before we hit water. It was crazy!" His grin broadened as he privately recalled the experience.

"It is most fortunate for the Mundanians that you were all able to assist them. I am certain that they are appreciative of your efforts."

"Yeah." The waitress set down 2 glasses of water and asked if they were ready to order. "Not yet," Se'tak glanced at her nametag, "Wanda, but thanks. We'll probably be a few more minutes."

"Sure, take your time." She grinned shyly back at him and twined a lock of brown hair around her finger before returning to her work.

T'Alora glanced up over her menu at him with one eyebrow raised. "Sa-kai…"

"What?"

"Were you flirting with our waitress?"

Although he appeared shocked at her accusation she knew it was a ruse. "What if I was?" he asked back with a waggle of his brow.

She set her menu aside. "Surely you did not miss the sizeable ring located on her left hand."

Se'tak shrugged and casually looked over his menu options as she sipped her water. "Engaged isn't married, T'Alora—you should know that. Besides, I wasn't flirting, I was just being polite."

His implication was clear and she very nearly spat her straw out of her mouth. "I can assure you I have been nothing but perfectly polite to our waitress since our arrival."

Her sa-kai leaned back in his seat and grinned, never bothering to look up at her. "I love that I can still yank your chain," he teased. Casually setting the menu aside he straightened again and leaned over the tabletop. "And speaking of engaged where's Veren? I thought you said he was coming today."

She picked up the list of offerings and studied them in earnest. "He will join us when his shift is over."

"Ooookkkk…" Se'tak took a large gulp of his water. "So tell me more about him before he gets here." She opened her mouth to start when he stopped her, "And not just the boring stats, please; I want to know what type of guy he is."

"Very well." Despite her own feelings at the moment T'Alora wanted her sa-kai to form a favorable first opinion of her sa-sugalsu and so began listing his many admirable attributes; as she did her earlier anger abated. Veren was a remarkable man by any account and Se'tak did not hesitate to agree with her assessment.

"He seems like a good guy—can't wait 'til he gets here." Before she could reply Wanda returned to take their order.

As the Moroccan portion of the menu intrigued her the most T'Alora worked from there, ordering an eggplant salad and chickpea and vegetable stew with a side of cous-cous. When she was finished she passed the menu to Wanda after she had input the order into her PADD.

"Sure thing, and do you want anything different to drink?"

"No, thank you, the water will be sufficient." She shot a pointed look at her sa-kai only he was too engrossed in the menu to notice. When he did not speak up straight away Wanda let loose a small cough to catch his attention and Se'tak looked up with an apologetic grin on his face.

"Sorry. My turn?" The waitress nodded and he exhaled slowly. "Ok, I'm going to apologize in advance 'cause it's going to be a bit complicated. T, you're still paying, right?" She replied in the affirmative while sensing that she would soon come to regret her offer. "Great. Ok, for here I'll have the garden salad with blue cheese dressing to start and a vegetarian cheeseburger with a side of fries and a soda. May I have pepper jack instead of American?"

"Sure, not a problem." Wanda hastily put in the order. "Was there anything else?"

"Yeah, I'd like to place some to-go orders too if you don't mind." He waggled his brows at T'Alora and she resisted the urge to smack herself in the forehead as she used to when they were children. Se'tak proceeded to order another garden salad with tofu, Thai-styled noodles with peanut sauce, 2 bean burritos, spaghetti in vegetable marinara sauce, a side of samosas and a large bowl of lentil soup. She wondered where he planned to put it all.

Se'tak handed Wanda the menu and gave her his brightest smile yet. "Thank you so much; I hope it won't be too much trouble."

She was tapping away at her PADD sending his orders to the kitchen and when she looked back at him her cheeks flushed scarlet. "It's fine, really. I'll have the chef keep everything warm for you and bag it when you're ready to go." She turned away to get his drink.

"You're the best!" T'Alora raised an eyebrow and stared at him until she got his attention. "What?"

"I do hope you were referring to me in your previous statement." She had already done the math in her head; the meal was going to cost her 187.45 credits, and that was before the inclusion of the customary gratuity.

"You're the best too, T." She continued to glare at him and he yanked uncomfortably on the collar of his shirt. "What? I'm still growing! And there's a stasis unit and microwave back at the hostel so I thought I'd take advantage of it while I could. You tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing if all you'd had to eat was kale for a month!"

T'Alora relaxed. "Very well," she conceded, "In this instance and only for you will I make special allowances, so long as it does not become a habit; however, you could have informed me of your plan before the start of the meal."

"Yeah, but if I had how could I have known if you'd still be willing to pay?" At her shocked expression Se'tak sank back in his chair and laughed long and hard.