Philippa stared at the shuttle manifest with mixed emotions that coiled around her insides. Apprehension mostly… but there was relief too that stated the discomfort of this meeting. It was bound to happen, she supposed… it was all due timing. Philippa knew she was on her way up too with Landry. She lowered the PADD down, leaning back into her chair with a heavy exhale.

It had been a long six months. Even now, Philippa was still healing from T'Kuvma's blade. An injury that should have killed her but Michael had been fast—even if it had cost them their attempted-hostage. Medical had fixed up the damage to both heart and lungs in a long 13 hour operation but her ribs, partially her sternum had been severely weakened as a result. Pain still lingered but Philippa wore a skin-tight brace under her uniformed jacket to help support her chest and back. A small price to pay to get active—to be active.

To be a captain again.

Philippa knew what happened to Burnham. She had been in a medically induced coma at the time of her trial. Waking to hear the news. Life imprisonment. She knew she had been held at the prison facility at Starbase 21 but… Georgiou hadn't expected her to be moved to a convict mining station on Tellun. The accidental rates were high even if the mines produced a lot of dilithium. One of the few things Philippa didn't quite agree was using prisoners as manual labourers. Slave labourers if it was brought down to the basic overview. Prisoners were seen as more expendable due to their history.

First officer of a Starship to a mutineer classed Miner. What sort of future was that? It twisted her gut a little and picturing Burnham working hours on end in a dark pit did little to help. Philippa took a deep breath, shaking those thoughts from her mind in the next breath out.

Not now.

But Burnham did present a good….opportunity. A reputation that had caught up with her shuttle crew; leaving her at risk. Philippa pondered further but a new thought appealed...

The doors opened.

Philippa's eyes rose to the door, fixing up an immediate mask of the authority of a captain though she felt some part of her soften at the sight of her but she held all that back now. She couldn't afford to cave to old feelings.

She was a captain and Burnham was her prisoner.

Burnham did look better than expected as she walked in, an air of confusion hanging around before her head turned to her. Though her hair had grown out from the Vulcan cut and resumed natural tight curls. She looked though a little paler, with evident weight loss that made her mustard convict suit look a little big for her but her expression was…void. A crafted mask; built back from her time with the Vulcans.

If possible, Philippa watched as a little colour seemed to drain from Burnham's face, brown eyes widened a fraction before it was gone and the eyes looked away. Down. She didn't say anything, but Georgiou could feel the silent questions within her.

"Take a seat." Philippa nodded to the chair in front of her desk. She had been purposeful to keep her ready room beside the bridge and to have it similar to her one on the Shenzhou. Familiarity.

Something she needed here.

Burnham moved, slow as if approaching an injured lion but Philippa said nothing, watching as she slowly sunk into the seat, stiff as a board and right on the edge.

It couldn't help but bother her a fraction on this unusual behaviour was bordering an almost pitying. Though she knew it wasn't intentional on Burnham's part.

"I know this isn't what you expected, neither did I." Georgiou started, fixing a stern but delicate tone as she talked to Michael. "The engineering crew says it'll take about three days to clear out the lightening bugs so you'll be on this ship for the next three days. I've considered the options in your placement here."

A light indent formed between Burnham's eyebrows, her gaze rising up though a hint of confusion lingered in those brown depths. "Placement?"

Georgiou nodded. "I could put you in the brig, but given your….traveling companions attitude towards you, I don't see that working out well. So, I've decided to assign you to quarters and to engineering."

She knew Stamets and she knew Michael. While there would be a personality clash, they both had strong work ethics. It was logical. Even if it was bordering double standards of her option of work ethics with using prisoners. Better her here than the alternatives.

"Now, I know you might argue—" She jumped in as Burnham opened her mouth "—but right now, it's the best option. I know your skills and I know I need people who had them. I can't afford the paper work that comes with prisoners killing each other and all precautions will be made."

Burnham's jaw shut tightly but after a moment, she nodded. "Yes, Captain Georgiou."

"You'll be sharing quarters with a cadet and escorted to and from engineering. When you're not working you're confined to quarters. Your meals will be sent to you. Commander Landry will take you there now. You're dismissed." Her tone remained absolute

Burnham was quick to jump to her feet, surprising her a fraction as the finesse she had. It was like someone had attached a live wire to her chair. Georgiou held her lingering stare before Burnham turned and scurried away.

As soon as the door closed, a shallow breath hissed passed her lips. The threat of emotions hanging around her neck like a noose but Philippa held them back. She could deal with them later.

Just not now.

"With respect, Captain, do you really think this is a good idea?" Saru spoke softly, drawing her attention up from the report sent to them but Georgiou didn't raise her eyes. "Burnham is a federation prisoner. I do believe it's one thing to have her working on this ship and another to send her off on an away mission."

"Well, given she's not like Cold, Stone and Psycho in our brig, I do believe she's capable of being part of the team." She remarked drily. "She's not a heartless murderer, Saru. I can trust her enough to be put on the team. Landry will keep an eye on her. I'm positive her work will be invaluable. She was, after all, my first officer. I don't need to remind you of that."

Saru's clicked his tongue and his fingers fidgeting with his PADD with obvious traits of discomfort and there was no argument. Fortunately. Right now, getting an earful of Saru's discomforts was the last of her needs.

Even if understanding his concern was easy to see. Especially given the high-classification of this mission but she was confident, even if her trust in Burnham was smaller than it ever had been but if she performed well…. It clarified her need to know on extending her stay.

"I'm…just concerned, Captain." Saru sighed. "She was your first officer, as you said. You had a very close relationship. I remember it well."

Georgiou's lips curled a fraction but couldn't deny he wasn't wrong. They were very close. They hadn't progressed anything passed it, even if she was well aware the younger woman was attracted to her. Neither of them willing to push the boundary between captain and first officer.

Signs were clear but Georgiou had ignored and supressed it for a very good few reasons. The age gap, their positions in rank and… Michael didn't have the emotional development that would be necessary for a relationship. The younger woman probably felt the attraction but didn't want to pursue for most of her own reasons. Georgiou knew Michael wasn't the sort for a brief relationship but there had been a lot that she needed to learn first before she have allowed her mind to look down that alley.

Now, there was no alley to look down. It was foolish of her to have considered it, not necessarily because of Michael's actions that day; but the injury was a reminder that she was barely fit to be captain, her body not nearly so young enough to recover as quick. Now, she had to lock everything like that away. In a water sealed box and now she had done.

She had kept her distance and kept to mission.

Though she understood the Kelpien's concern…. Attachments and emotions could be messy. Especially now as her position as ship captain and Michael's status in the federation. "I'm not going to try and keep to old memoires of her, Saru. Our history is irrelevant to the current situation. I know you're reminding me of the potential shit-storm if I forget."

Saru's face softened, giving her a soft look at her phrasing but she smiled softly at him and rose to her feet.

"I know what I'm doing, Commander. As Long as Burnham does her work well, I fail to see why she can't be of use."

"As you wish, Captain."

Georgiou's lips curled as she read through Landry's latest mission report from the Glenn. Undeniable not able to squash feeling of a little bit of pride that Michael had helped quite significantly. A little concerned too given the woman had used herself as bait so carelessly for the others to make their escape…

She hadn't considered the threat of a suicidal urge the woman might have. She made a note; maybe the ship needed a councillor –she had already seen the growing use of birth control drugs in the ship's medical stock usage-inventory so better that then everyone fucking their way through this war.

"Captain, the other prisoners are being escorted back to the shuttle. It's ready to depart in the hour." Landry spoke up after a moment from her chair. "I'll escort Burnham to it myself once I'm dismissed."

"No, bring her here." Philippa lowered the PADD, "I've decided to grant her temporary assignment to the ship—"

"Captain!" Landry blinked, her voice decorated with a look of surprise though quickly regained her composure and straightened her back. "Captain. She's a prisoner due to go to Tellun. They're expected four prisoners, not three."

A heavy exhale passed her lips, giving the head of security a steely look. "Make the appropriate security arrangements if you want but… given what I've seen she'd not caused an issue and from what the reports are saying is… she performed exemplary work, both in engineering and on the away mission. I hardly see the point of wasting that skills with bashing rocks for the entirety of the war."

Landry looked like she swallowed a sour apple, her chest puffing out and her cheeks flushed with colour. "Captain—"

"I said she's staying." Georgiou spoke sternly, "Bring her here and start the necessary preparations. She'll stay with Cadet Tilly and Ill assign her work tomorrow after she's settled. You're dismissed."

The officer's face stayed flushed, though left quickly.

In the silence that followed, Georgiou picked up her PADD, sending the notification to the pilot in the hanger to pass on then one through Starfleet command. Burnham wouldn't be likely to be quick to say yes, but she knew she could persuade her. She did have a large well to draw from… even if it could be a dirty card to pull. Philippa could almost feel the annoyance from Cornwell… but at times of war, she did have the authority to conscript anyone into the fold. That included prisoners such as Michael.

She'd allow Landry to do her part of course, she couldn't be a good chief of security if she didn't implement the appropriate precautions.

Ding

"Enter."

Looking at the woman now, there was a definite change in her posture as she walked. Sublet enough that most would ignore but Philippa couldn't help but even note that Michael's face had regained a new flush of colour, even if her expression became professionally composed.

"Captain."

Georgiou rose to her feet, offering a short smile but retained her professional stance. "I've read the reports Commander Landry and Stamets have done on your performance along with working with this crew." She started, holding up the PADD, "I… didn't have my doubts about your working capabilities so I've decided to offer an official invitation to our science division on this ship to you."

Burnham's mask slipped, her eyes widened, her jaw slacking and her head tilted before it was washed away a moment later with a frown. "Captain?" She swallowed thickly. "I've been court martialled and convicted—"

"I know." Georgiou interrupted softly, shaking her head. "I can deal them. There are protocols in place that can allow me to have you here."

The mutineer stared silently and still as a statue before she broke out with a sharp nod of her head. "I'm sorry, Captain. I can't."

"Why not?" Georgiou narrowed her eyes, "You can do a lot more here than you can in a mine, Michael."

"I have to pay for my crimes, Captain" Burnham spoke truthfully, her gaze low as her arms folded over her chest "I can't just…escape that."

"You won't you're still serving your sentence but doing something more productive than smashing two rocks together." Georgiou remarked back, moving smoothly around the desk before she leant back, closing her eyes a moment as the familiar tugging ache ran through her chest at the angle of her sitting position, her breath pausing before it was gone… allowing her a long second to breath it out.

"Are you alright, Phi—Captain."

Georgiou nodded, opening her eyes that settled back to the concerned woman. "You're not…unredeemable, Michael." She masked the discomfort. "I want you here. I know you still feel guilty on the whole thing…. On me, on the war… but how can you try and earn my trust when you won't give yourself a chance."

"I don't deserve it."

"You disappoint me with that attitude." Her tone clipping, "I expected more from you. I expected you would want a way to earn yourself some new self-respect and to try and redeem yourself in my eyes. You won't ever get that from me again if you go back to your cell." Her gaze bore into Burnham's angrily. She knew it was harsh. How it sounded but Michael needed to hear it. Get her head out of the wrong impression she was warping herself into. "I wouldn't offer this opportunity for you for nothing, not for anyone."

Michael blinked rapidly, blinking away the hints of tears that had settled there though held her composed expression. She couldn't deny she wasn't impressed at the control she had but she could damn Sarek for teaching the woman such restraint over those emotions…

"So, Michael Burnham. Are you going to help me or slink away?"

Burnham's breath rasped quietly, looking though on the verge of her mask to crack though her eyes remained wider than usual, almost tongue tied. Her jaw shook and a deep breath was finally taken. "I'll help."

Georgiou gave a single short nod, but relief surged through her veins silently. Releasing the tensions within her heart. "Good. You'll stay assigned to your previous quarters. Landry will handle the security measures if necessary. I'll get your new assignment ready tomorrow."

Michael nodded quickly. "Can—" She stopped herself shaking her head. "Can I ask…. What's going on on this ship?"

A snort chuckle left her lips. "Well, it didn't escape me your curiosity would get the better of you." No, she knew Michael well enough. Plus, Burnham had done exactly what she had predicted in breaking into the mycelium crop bay. Also showed her a flaw in their security… she hadn't lost her creativity in getting around that.

"I know you know about the spores. By logical assumption, you would have assumed we're developing some type of weapon, right?" Georgiou moved up from her desk, raising her eyebrow.

Michael's head bobbed slowly.

Philipps scoffed lightly. "Well, no. That's not what we're developing. Our ship is unique and was built on specifications of a propulsion drive. We don't need weapons. We need to get from A to B quicker….we need ways to get past the cloaking technology the Klingons have if they start to spread it around."

She remembered that so clearly; they had had no idea how far they were from that Klingon ship until it uncloaked. Not on sensors, not even to their own eyes. While it hadn't been seen for the past 6 months, there was a strong chance its technology was capable of being shared. They were just a little bit fortunate at the moment the others couldn't. It was why their side was even with their enemy.

"The spores?"

Georgiou nodded. "We're working on the work of a…organic subnetwork of mycelium. We can use the spores to…pull the ship along the network and to materialise wherever we need to be. We're still… doing small jumps and trying to perfect long ones but we're close." She couldn't deny that Stamets wasn't thrilled with their progression over Straals. But she knew Lorca had pushed his crew before their deaths but it save them the necessary equipment and data needed to perfect their own.

The captain moved, smiling softly now. "Go and collect your things from the shuttle then go back to your quarters. I'll send you the debrief with Tilly then come to the bridge tomorrow. You'll be on Alpha shift."

Swallowing again, Michael nodded. "Of course, captain Georgiou."

This I felt was a necessary step and in the first POV of Georgiou so we get to see her perspective on their relationship first and well... we all know what happened on Ep 3 anyway, so we didn't need to go through all of that again-plus i didn't want to write up that ep with a few tweaks due to Georgiou's survival.

This was also setting the grounding for the next chaps so please bare with :) The more interesting ones are gonna come next and I should expect some sort of time-jump in the next bit to their away mission.

as usual, drop some comments :) I love to hear them anyway