Elnor was exhausted by the time he made it back to his room. He almost went straight for the bed intending to sleep in his regular clothes but decided against it. Instead, he undressed and changed into the soft, loose pants and sleeveless shirt Naseema gave him earlier. He folded his clothes up and placed them on a chair before he brushed his teeth and washed his face. He finally collapsed into his bed and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. He was so deeply asleep, he didn't even stir when she climbed into the bed next to him. Her energy field was strong enough to penetrate his subconscious, and a warm, sensual feeling ebbed its way through his body. She delicately traced her fingers down his bare arm and watched the smile spread across his face as he shifted his position to get closer to the source of the pleasurable feeling. His sleep was not so dreamless anymore. She continued to caress his skin, his face, and his hair and watched his reactions with interest. He seemed to enjoy her touch, his eyebrows, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly when she changed direction or moved to another part of his body. She wondered who he pictured in his mind as she teased his senses. She noticed the goosebumps spread across his olive skin, and the tiny, nearly invisible hairs rise in response to the stimulation. She grew bolder and leaned in closer to gently exhale a warm breath across his cheek. She traced the outside of his ear up to its point and down the other side, earning a low satisfied sigh in response. She cupped his cheek with her palm and dragged her thumb across his lips as she prepared to move in for a kiss, but as he shifted his position again and moaned almost too softly for her to hear, his hand came up to hold her wrist. He opened his eyes, and it took a few blinks for his vision to adjust to the dark, but as Salome's foggy outline sharpened, his eyes grew wide, and the smile disappeared from his face. He pushed her hand away and jerked himself backward.

"Who were you dreaming about?" she asked coyly and propped herself up on her elbow.

"What are you doing in here?" he demanded, becoming more horrified as the stupor of sleep fell away and the chilly realization of what was happening set in.

"You were enjoying yourself a minute ago," she replied with a slimy purr. "What's the matter, am I not who you were hoping I'd be?" Feeling violated, he didn't answer and edged further away as he clutched the bed linens tight against his waist. "You should close your eyes again," she cooed and patted the mattress next to her. "I can make you feel things you've never felt before, and you can pretend I'm whoever you want me to be."

She already liked this. She could smell the fear on him, and it made the monster in the back of her mind squeal with glee.

"No thanks," he said and uneasily eyed the exit from the corner of his vision. Salome caught him glancing at the door but remained undeterred.

He felt sick. He didn't like Salome. Her aggressive advances already put him on edge, and this was way past trying to make him uncomfortable. He could see the look in her eyes, and he felt the strength of her energy field. She wanted him to be afraid, and he was.

"Those rumours aren't true," she told him, her voice still syrupy. "I'm not going to hurt you...unless, of course, you want me to." She sprang toward him suddenly. He tried to get away, but she was too fast, and his legs became tangled in the sheet. He flailed and reached for his tan qalanq, but it wasn't where he left it, and then she was on top of him. She pinned him on his back and held his wrists against the mattress as she straddled him. "I bet you like it a little rough," she growled as she dragged her nails down his arm and let her hand pause at his throat. She increased the pressure only slightly, but it was enough to take his panic up a notch. He tried to push her off, but she was far stronger than she looked, and his struggle only increased her enjoyment.

He felt the salty taste of impending hysteria rise in his throat. Every instinct screamed for him to fight, but he needed to remain calm and avoid making her angry. He knew what she was capable of and how quickly she could incapacitate him. If he cooperated just a little, maybe it wouldn't be so bad, and maybe she wouldn't kill him.

She pressed her hips against his and leaned toward him. He squeezed his eyes shut as she licked the side of his face before she bit his ear hard enough to draw blood. He let out a sharp gasp and then started to whimper as she moved her hand down toward his waist. "Please, don't," he begged. She sat upright and looked at him with curiosity. His dark eyes were full of fear, and she felt him tremble underneath her.

What was this now? She'd seen him in the gym with Naseema, and she moved the stupid sword out of reach on purpose because she knew he could fight, and she expected it. Hell, she even looked forward to it. Beating him in a contest of sheer physical strength would've been fun, but this...oh, this was so much better. He was terrified, and she immediately realized why.

"Oh, wow," she said, smiling like an eager crocodile. "You've never done this before, have you?" Again, he didn't reply, but the expression on his face and his other physical responses told her the truth. His silent declaration excited her further, and she draped herself over him again. "I've always wanted to fuck a virgin," she purred. "I can do things to you that will blow your little backwater mind, baby boy. All you have to do is relax." She brought her hand to his throat again and positioned it up against his chin to hold him still as she pressed her lips firmly against his.

He was a pure babe in the woods, and she guessed he'd never even made it to first base before. She hadn't anticipated this development, but it certainly wasn't a disappointment, and she even felt a rush of satisfaction knowing she was about to defile Naseema's, pristine little darling before turning him into a pile of ash.

As she pushed her tongue into his mouth, he grabbed her arms and shoved. He kicked his legs out and tried to throw her off, but all he accomplished was making her laugh. "Aww, were you saving yourself for someone special?" she teased. "Or do you just want me to tie you to the bed? I think we'd both enjoy that." She sounded playful, but he knew she was threatening him. She kissed him hard once more before she pulled away. She kept her face close to his and started to glide her hand down his body again. He gave up trying to push her off and grasped the bed sheet with both hands determined not to let it slide any lower. When she reached the hem of his shirt, she slithered underneath it and stroked his belly a few times before she brushed her fingers under his waistband. It made every muscle in his body tighten. Her hand was far too close to the part of his body he was trying to protect the most, and it intensified his panic response. She slowly pulled the drawstring of his pants loose while she caressed his face with her other hand and moved her mouth to his ear. "I can feel how excited you are," she whispered. "I saw you earlier, and a body like yours was made for this. I can make all your dreams come true."

He shuddered at the revelation she'd been hiding in the shadows waiting for him the entire time, and his body was forsaking him. He didn't want this, but it didn't seem to understand that. He'd had enough of this nightmare and knew this was it. He either had to make one last attempt at escape or completely succumb to her and pray she didn't kill him.

She grabbed his face and forced him to look at her. Once she locked eyes with him, he saw the orange rings start to pulse and glow.

He felt her pushing her energy into him and started to become lightheaded, just like before. He knew his mind wouldn't be able to fight her off indefinitely. It was now or never.

He brought his knees up, dug his heels into the mattress, and pushed against it as hard as he could. He simultaneously braced his hands against her hips to keep her from moving with him. It was almost a futile effort, but as he wiggled himself from under her, fate intervened on his behalf, and he pitched headfirst off the edge of the bed. Salome lurched backwards to keep from falling, and he was free. He scrambled to his feet and yanked a pillow off the floor to use as a shield. He held it against himself and quickly backed towards the door.

Rather than follow him, Salome plunked herself down and crossed her legs. She rested her elbow on one knee and balled her fist up under her chin. "We'll finish this another time, baby boy," she cooed and stared at him with a disturbing mix of disappointment and satisfaction as he continued to move away from her out into the hallway, his eyes still wide and fearful. A sliver of light leaked out from under another door. It called to him, and he knew exactly where to go. He hurried to the source and, without hesitation, rang the bell.

When the indicator on her door sounded, Naseema left her spot on the bed to answer it. The door slid open, and she was surprised to see Elnor standing there barefoot and dishevelled in the pajamas she'd provided him. He clutched a pillow against himself with both arms and appeared visibly shaken.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, worried that something had happened to Picard.

"Can I stay with you?" he asked, and the desperation in his eyes alarmed her. She stepped aside and beckoned for him to enter. He slid past her, still clutching the pillow tightly.

"Are there monsters under your bed?" she inquired as she looked him up and down. His shirt was twisted, his hair was a mess, his pants were barely hanging onto his hips, and he was panting. "You look like you have seen a ghost." She touched his arm to reassure him and nearly recoiled as the full brunt of what he was feeling hit her. "Good Lord, what happened!?" She guided him to sit on the end of the bed. "You are shaking, and I can feel-" she dropped her voice down to a whisper, "oh my god!" She pulled her hand away and used it to cover her mouth.

"She was hiding in my room and-and she tried to-"

He wanted to tell her, but he couldn't make the words come out. He hadn't even been this afraid when he knew he was about to be tortured by the Tal Shiar. He tried to force himself to calm down, but his mind kept pushing Salome to the forefront of his thoughts. He couldn't stop picturing her face, her determined eyes, and he kept hearing her sybaritic voice telling him to relax. His revulsion was so powerful he wanted to vomit.

Naseema knew exactly who he was referring to. "So there was a monster in your bed. Salome?" He nodded, still unable to pull a coherent sentence together. He let out a shattered sigh, closed his eyes, and rested his chin on the pillow.

She was already annoyed about Salome's earlier behaviour, but now she was becoming enraged. She couldn't believe Salome's nerve. After repeated polite requests from Elnor and less congenial instructions from the rest for Salome to leave him alone, here he was nearly terrified right out of his mind. She understood Salome struggled to keep her predator under control, and she was sympathetic for the most part, but the repeated advances were making him afraid for his safety, and that was bad enough. Sneaking into his room so she could watch him undress and then climbing into his bed while he slept was completely beyond the pale. It was a despicable violation of his privacy at the least, and she was positive it was far worse. His current emotional state was incredibly visceral, and it was one she found all too familiar. He had been violated in the worst way possible. What the fuck was wrong with Salome!? Once she got Elnor calm, she would stand guard over him so he could get some rest, and as soon as she got the chance, she would deal with Salome.

"You do not have to tell me anything if you do not want to," she told him. "I can feel what you are feeling, and I understand the desire to try to forget it happened."

"I am so humiliated," he muttered, and Naseema felt the grief and anger roil up inside her, but she forced it back down and swallowed hard to release its grip on her throat.

"I know," she said as she fought to keep her voice steady and calm. "It is a natural response."

"I should have been able to fight her off," he insisted, the harsh words directed at himself.

"She is extremely strong," she told him. "The situation was out of your control, and the only person you should be angry with is Salome. She attacked you." He met her eyes but quickly looked away again as he chewed on his bottom lip. Then Naseema noticed his ear. "Elnor, you are bleeding!"

He touched his earlobe and saw the blood on his fingers. "She bit me," he admitted, his eyes still on the floor. She slowly inhaled a deep breath to keep herself composed.

Elnor needed her full attention right now. Losing her self-control and going after Salome in the middle of the night was not going to help him.

"Will you allow me to clean that up for you?" she asked. "It needs tending to."

"It hurts," he replied.

"Come with me into the bathroom," she said. "There is better light in there." She offered him her hand, and after hesitating for a few seconds, he accepted it. He left his pillow on the bed and let her lead him into the adjoining room. He'd been in there before but hadn't looked around until now. The floor was tiled with smooth river stones and a glass shower big enough for three people ran along the far wall. There was a deep, white porcelain tub sitting under an enormous skylight, and the walls were a peaceful pale blue. The accents were done in dark, exotic wood as was the furniture, and there were three large potted trees situated throughout the room. It was a relaxing private oasis, and he could already feel its atmosphere help to soothe his fractured nerves.

Still holding his hand, she dragged a wooden stool over to the generous sink with her foot, and he sat down. She retrieved a lidded basket from the tall cabinet next to the sink and then noticed him looking around the room.

"It is nice in here, is it not?" she asked.

"I could live in here," he replied, grateful for the distracting conversation. As gently as she could, she began cleaning all the dried blood from his ear and the surrounding area.

"Luka created it for me," she told him. "He has a flair for design and is also responsible for my little courtyard." She stepped back to look at him and gave him a compassionate smile. "I am sorry, but I do not have anything here that will eliminate your wound, so I must sterilize it. A bite, even from one of us, is likely to become infected, and I would hate to see a permanent blemish on such a lovely ear." He flushed slightly and nodded his permission.

"It may sting a little," she warned. It did sting, and he winced as she applied the antiseptic. As she knelt beside him to put the first aid materials away, he looked down at her partially exposed back and noticed evidence of a scar between her shoulder blades, just to the right of her spine. He turned himself toward her and brushed her hair aside so he could see it better. It was long and discoloured, but its line was clean. He could tell it had been made by a large blade. "It is alright if you wish to ask me about it," she told him without looking up.

He ran his fingertips down the length of the scar. "I thought you always healed?"

"Usually I do," she replied as she finished what she was doing and stood up. "And I have certainly had far more serious injuries that left no evidence, as you have witnessed. That wound was inflicted by someone who did something very similar to me, as what Salome has done to you, a very long time ago. The knife was laced with a poison that is very toxic to us, and it left permanent damage. That is why I have a scar."

He was shocked to hear Naseema had ever been somebody's victim that way. He was aware that her prowess in battle had been slipping in recent years, but Simon said she was once able to face incredible odds without incurring even a scratch. He'd never seen anyone who could fight as she could, and her physical strength alone should have been enough to prevent someone from overpowering her the way Salome had overpowered him, but it made him feel less stupid and helpless to know that even she was capable of losing a fight like that.

"Would you like to return to the other room with me?" she asked. "I am going to get myself a cup of tea."

His expression brightened a little. "May I have one too?"

"Of course you can," she smiled and offered him her hand again. He took it readily this time and followed her out of the bathroom. She retrieved two large mugs of her favourite tea from the small replicator while he climbed onto her bed and sat cross-legged in the middle. She handed him one of the mugs, sat next to him and moved her book to the nightstand. He grew sad and reticent again as he looked down at the cup in his hands and watched the steam drift up, and dissipate into the air.

She watched him quietly, wanting so much to be able to heal all his wounds with words or a hug, but she knew that was wishful thinking. She also knew he would need to talk about it eventually, but she didn't want to push him before he was ready. She wondered if Salome even recognized what had been done as a criminal act. They were all so equally matched between their little communities that her aggressive behaviour had only been an inconvenience up to now and largely ignored. Their male counterparts had always been available for Salome to release pent up energy on, but the prospect of a new experience must have been too much to disregard. They couldn't watch her every second, and Salome had proven she couldn't be trusted to control herself. Action would need to be taken to prevent anything like this from happening again.

When she realized tears were running down his face, she furrowed her brow, unsure if she should try to comfort him as he might not want to be touched.

For someone who was typically quite affectionate, having someone use tender expressions of love as a weapon against him must be devastating. His openness and cuddlesome tendencies were some of his best qualities, at least she thought so, and it made her angry and sad to think he might withdraw from those parts of himself because of this. She also understood that Romulan cultural norms were not so different from human ones in that as a man, Elnor was expected to be able to protect himself against such an attack especially, when the attacker was female. She knew he was punishing himself for not being able to fight Salome off, and it broke her heart to see him so disconsolate. He never stood a chance against her counterpart. Salome looked as innocuous as any human woman, but in reality, the young Feeonix was far stronger, far more agile, and could move much quicker than Elnor. It would have been easier to fight off a tiger protecting her cubs.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" she asked.

He shook his head and roughly wiped his tears away with his hand.

"Please understand that there is nothing you are feeling right now that is unreasonable or unusual," she said. "It took me years to come to terms with my assault, and I will readily provide you with anything you feel will help you deal with what has happened."

He took in a shaky breath and exhaled loudly. "Why me?" he asked. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"Elnor, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you, and you did not do anything to deserve or encourage her attack," she said. "Only Salome knows why she was compelled to do what she did, and I am unsure if she even understands the seriousness of her actions, but she will be held accountable, regardless. You are welcome to stay in my quarters for as long as you like, and you will be safe here."

He wanted to tell Naseema everything that happened, but he wasn't sure how. He wasn't used to keeping his thoughts and feelings to himself, but he'd also never felt like this before. The first time Salome exerted her power over him, he'd been afraid, but fear was an emotion he was used to. He knew how to deal with it, and he'd been taught that being afraid was nothing to be ashamed of. He didn't know how to deal with the feelings he had now. He wasn't even sure how to describe them. He felt like a disgrace. How could Picard ever accept him as his qalankhkai now? How could he ever expect to protect anyone else again when he couldn't even protect himself against a single individual. He felt worthless and pathetic, defiled and humiliated. He was dreading the arrival of morning when he'd have to leave this room and face his friends. He was sure they would all be able to tell he was a coward, too weak to stop Salome from holding him down. He couldn't make the feelings go away. He couldn't stop himself from replaying everything over and over in his mind, looking for the mistake he made, for the reason she picked him. How would he tell Naseema about what...about who he'd been dreaming of before he woke up and found himself in a real-life nightmare. He'd never be able to look her in the face again.

"Maybe I shouldn't have tried to fight back at all," he said, and the dejection in his voice was heartbreaking. "If I just let her get her way, it would be over, and she would leave me alone."

"I know that is perhaps an easy thing to believe in hindsight, but you did not want her attention, and she tried to take something from you that you did not want to give her," Naseema told him. "I did what you wish you had done. I did not fight back, and afterward, I wished I had. I wished I made him kill me before he got what he wanted. I completely understand that right now, you are blaming yourself, and you believe that doing the opposite of what you did do would have been the better choice, but the truth is, either choice leads to an unsatisfactory outcome. Not only would you not feel any differently now if you had just given in to her, but you would also be dead if you had. Assaults like the ones we have experienced are a matter of survival and any choice you make that ensures your survival is the right choice. You did what you had to do, and you survived so you made the right decision."

"I feel so stupid," he said as he wiped more tears away. "I begged her to stop, but she didn't care, and every time I tried to get away, she laughed at me." He inhaled another ragged breath. "Then, when she realized I've never had sex before, it got even worse. She acted like I wasn't even a person like I was nothing more than a-a-," he struggled to get the word out, but he didn't need to. Naseema knew what he meant, and she touched his knee to console him.

"I know what you are getting at," she said. "You do not have to say it."

He let out a burdened sigh and gratefully moved on, although what he said next wasn't any less awful. "She told me she always wanted to f-fuck a virgin," he divulged, a hardened look of disgust on his face as he repeated Salome's words with identical savagery. "It never mattered to me before, but now I feel ashamed of it. Maybe if I wasn't one anymore, she wouldn't be so interested in me."

Naseema was appalled. "I am so sorry she said such a vulgar thing to you. Your sexual experience had very little to do with it," she told him. "What Salome did to you is far more about power and control than it is about sexual gratification. If she only wanted sex, she would have chosen someone willing or easier to entice." She reached over and placed her hand on his. "There is absolutely no shame in being a virgin," she said quietly. "While there is certainly nothing wrong with casual sex, being physically intimate with another should be something you want to experience with that person, whomever you chose. I would hate for you to believe that you should discard your virtue because Salome has made you feel vulnerable because of it or convinced you that it is not worth protecting. I believe that it is worthwhile to wait until you are truly ready, and until you find someone you want to give all of yourself to, not just your body. It is a choice that is ultimately up to you, but I think you are worth waiting for, and I will certainly not be the only one who thinks that."

"I guess you don't want my virginity then?" he asked with a weak smile and a small laugh, his eyelashes still wet with tears.

He wanted her to say yes, but at the same time, he knew he wouldn't be able to go through with it, at least not tonight. Still, he liked hearing her say she thought he was worth waiting for and was willing to admit to himself that his thoughts of her had started to drift in that direction recently, but he wasn't sure he was ready to reveal that to her yet.

Naseema tilted her head and softened her expression. "While that would certainly rile Salome, I do not think it will make you feel better, nor do I believe that is something you actually want."

"Maybe not tomorrow, but right now, I just want to feel anything other than what I do," he sighed.

"I know you do and as willing as I am to do just about anything for you, that would likely leave you feeling even worse in the morning and would also probably prove to be fatal," she said and reached out to tuck an errant lock of hair behind his ear. He looked over at her after she moved her hand away, his eyes still full of sorrow, but she could tell he appreciated her attempts to console him.

"Why can't she be more like you?" he wondered out loud as he returned his eyes to his tea.

"I am not so different," she told him. "I am a fair bit older than Salome and have learned to control myself, although I still have difficulty with my temper. While I perhaps do not have as aggressive a libido as she does, I have exerted that same power over others in the past. It is not something I am proud of. With time, Salome will also come to the understanding that just because you possess powers like ours, does not mean you should wield them."

"Did you ever kill anyone?" he asked, and by the way he emphasized kill, she knew exactly what he meant.

"I have taken a great many lives over the course of my existence but never in that way," she replied. "I was only ever intimate with one...by choice." Elnor nodded but didn't say anything.

He wished his dream had been real. He was tormented by Salome's assertion he was aroused by her while he slept because she was right, he was aroused. The sensations he felt were pleasurable. They just weren't Salome's hands on him in his dream. He wasn't sure which was worse, waking up to see who was really in his bed, or the idea that Salome somehow knew and would reveal his dream to everyone...to Naseema. His faith in the Qowat Milat way was failing him now. He was torn between staying true to Absolute Candor and preserving what little dignity he had left. He didn't want to be truthful about this, but he was afraid that Salome would force him to, and if Naseema found out, she wouldn't feel the same about him anymore. He decided he didn't want to wait for Salome to give him away in the morning and humiliate him all over again. That would be letting her have even more control over him. If he was to be exposed, it would be of his own volition.

"When she first climbed into the bed next to me," he started to confess. "I was still asleep. She started to touch me, and I..." he trailed off and needed to regather his confidence.

"You do not have to tell me," Naseema said and put her hand on his knee. "You have been through enough tonight. Please do not feel as though you must divulge details to stay here."

"No, I want to tell you," he insisted. "It's just...embarrassing."

"I am not going to judge you," she said with a sympathetic smile. "Anything you choose to disclose will stay between us and only us."

He nodded and took a deep breath before he tried to tell her again. "While she was touching me I was dreaming, and when I woke up she told me I was enjoying myself, that I was...aroused...and she was right. I did like what I was feeling, but in my mind, it wasn't her, it was somebody else. It was-"

Naseema stopped him. "It does not matter who was in your dream," she said. "I know you are accustomed to being truthful about most things, but when something pertains to your intimate self, such as sexual fantasies or dreams, you are entitled to keep those things for only yourself. It is nobody's business, and even though you were initially aroused that does not justify anything she did to you before or after you awakened."

"I'm afraid she's going to tell everyone," he admitted as his voice started to break again.

"Did you tell her who you were dreaming about?" she asked.

"No, but I'm sure she knows."

"If you did not tell her, then she knows nothing. She can imagine you were dreaming about whoever she wants to imagine it was, but only you will know the truth, and even if she does know, this planet is home to fifteen Feeonix. It is full of highly charged sexual energy. Every single being here right now, including me, has sensual dreams about others. It is a fact of life here and is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. If she actually has the audacity to attempt to embarrass you with a dream, she will only end up embarrassing herself."

"Really?" he asked, still uncertain.

"Yes."

The firmness of her reply was reassuring. He knew he made the right decision to come here. He wasn't sure if it was an effect of the bond, but something told him Naseema would understand, and he was right. He felt safe as soon as she opened the door. She was accepting him just as he was like she had ever since he first met her, and she didn't think he was weak or pathetic. She was sensitive and honest like he was, and he didn't make her uncomfortable when he expressed himself. He needed that right now. Salome may not have succeeded in taking his virginity from him, but she stole his self-confidence and most of his dignity. He wanted those things back, and he was certain Naseema would help him do exactly that.

His tea was finally cool enough to drink, and he took a big gulp. It was the same tea as the night before, and it tasted good, slightly sweet and mildly floral. "I like this," he said. "What is it?"

"Vulcan white tea," she replied and took a drink from her cup. "It will help you sleep, and I will remain over there to make sure you are undisturbed." She motioned to the table and chairs several feet from the bed.

He looked at her and asked, "Can you stay right here?"

"Right next to you?" she asked, a little surprised.

"Yes," he nodded as his face started to flush. "I want you to stay close, so I can feel your energy and touch you."

"Alright," she replied. "If it will help you to feel better, I will stay right here."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," he said and had to blink back new tears. "Thank you for being so kind to me."

After spending the last hour fighting back her own feelings of grief and rage, his earnest expression of gratitude finally pushed her over the edge, and her eyes also filled up with tears. "You are so welcome, honey," she replied as she choked on the words.

He put his nearly empty cup down on the mattress and threw himself around her. She dropped her tea and caught him. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and let him bury his face in the curve of her shoulder. His tears came easy, and she rested her head against his and rubbed his back.

"I love you, Naseema," he murmured.

"I love you too, Elnor," she whispered back. He straightened himself up and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. She held his face and used her thumbs to clean up the last of his tears before she pulled him in to place a kiss on his forehead. "You poor, sweet thing, you must be so exhausted," she said as she leaned back to look at him.

Still sniffling, he nodded. "I'm sorry I spilled all the tea."

"Not to worry, the moss has already absorbed it all," she replied, referring to the weird, soft moss all the mattresses were made of. He ran a hand over it and picked up the toppled cup. He handed it to Naseema, who had already collected her own. She slid off the bed and dumped them back in the replicator. Then she lowered the lights until only the warm glow of the bedside lamp remained. She sat back on the bed, propped herself up on the pillows, and he crawled up beside her to lay on his side facing her. She stretched her legs out and crossed one over the other. "Are you comfortable?" she asked him.

"Yes," he replied. "And thank you for these clothes. They're more comfortable to sleep in than my other ones."

"I am glad to hear that," she smiled. "I hope the light won't keep you awake. I can switch to a padd if it will."

"No, leave it on," he said. "I don't want to be in the dark anymore tonight."

"Okay," she agreed. "Let me know if you change your mind, though." She picked her book up and opened it. She flipped through a chunk of pages looking for the one she'd left on. He lay beside her and studied her face as her fingers turned the pages. He was tired, but his thoughts weren't quite ready to settle down, and they kept him from drifting back to sleep.

He was embarrassed to acknowledge that leaving his convent on Vashti was harder than he thought it would be. He was excited by the adventure of joining Picard on La Sirena, but he was discovering that it was also quite lonely. He already knew he was different from other Romulans, a boy living entirely with women, practising a distinctly feminine faith. He'd grown accustomed to his derogatory nickname and learned not to let it bother him. Out here, though, away from the company of the sisters, he'd become acutely aware of how different he was. His companions were friendly, but they weren't used to The Way of Absolute Candor and seemed to find it irritating. He didn't understand a lot of their language and social nuances, and that made it difficult for him to fit in. Left alone with only his thoughts at night, he felt isolated. Naseema made that feeling subside. She understood what it was to be an outsider. She made him feel like it was okay to be different, and she seemed to want to help him adjust to his new life. She understood where he was coming from better than the others, and now they had their shared experiences to bring them closer. She made him feel accepted and confident in himself. That made him want to be around her, and he knew it wasn't because of her bond or her energy field, it was because of who she was.

He noticed the delicate, silver bracelet around her wrist and gently fondled it. "This is pretty," he said. "Was it a gift?"

"It was," she replied and allowed him to take her hand and pull it closer to him.

"Who gave it to you?" he asked.

"It was from Data," she said.

"You miss him still, don't you?" His eyes were clear and curious. He seemed more like himself again.

"I miss him every minute of every day, and I always will," she replied with a sad smile.

"I can feel how empty your heart is without him," he said. "I wish I could fill it with joy for you, and then maybe you wouldn't feel so lonely anymore."

Touched by Elnor's warmth and sensitivity, she knew he was going to make her cry again if he kept this up, but she also wanted him to know how much she appreciated his company and his sweet personality.

"You do fill my heart with joy," she told him. "I am never lonely when I am with you. What I shared with Data is something that comes around once in a lifetime. It is only a memory for me now, but someday you will find someone who will fill your heart with that kind of love, and it will be nothing less than pure magic."

"It fills me with joy to know that I fill you with joy," he said and looked at her with the warm brown eyes that were so welcoming and familiar. He shimmied himself down the bed so he could rest his head against her hip. He tugged the sheets up to his waist, and she watched him wriggle around for a second as he tugged his hair out from underneath his body.

"May I help?" she asked. He nodded and held himself up to allow her to gather all his hair in her hands. She held it for him so he could settle back down without it falling beneath him again, and then she smoothed it back behind him. She untied the ribbon that held it up and away from his face and gently combed her fingers through it. He closed his eyes and sighed in response to the comforting sensation.

He liked it when she touched his hair.

She continuing to caress him until she knew he was asleep, and then she watched him breathe for a while longer.

It had been a long time since she watched anyone sleep like this. His features were relaxed and tranquil, and his shoulder gently rose and fell with each slow breath. He looked so innocent she could almost forget how lethal he was with a sword. She just wanted to protect and nurture him so he would have the chance to become the great man she knew he could be. Watching him roused her anger again too. She was outraged by Salome's behaviour, and she was going to make sure her counterpart never went near Elnor again.

She brushed a few stray hairs away from his face and tucked them behind his ear. He stirred slightly and nuzzled himself a little closer to her. Once she was sure he was still fast asleep, she reached out to her oldest friend and closest ally.

"Jagger?"

"What's up, doll?"

"What are you doing right now?"

"Watching some old movie. Wanna join me?"

"I need you to come to my room as soon as you can. It is important."

"Alright, is it serious? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am fine. Please stop at Elnor's room on your way and collect his things. I would like you to bring them here."

"Oh-kay..."

"I will explain when you get here, and please try to be quiet when you come in. This will be a silent conversation."

"Roger, I'll be there in ten."

When Jagger arrived, he slipped quietly in the door and paused for a second to let his eyes adjust to the very low light in the room. He placed Elnor's clothes and sword on a chair and tiptoed towards the bed.

"What's with the clandestine midnight meeting?" he whispered. Naseema held her finger up to her lips to shush him. "You look like a hot librarian when you do that," he teased. "Seriously, what's going on-oh!" He stopped whispering, and his eyes widened when he saw what was in the bed, cuddled up against her. He gave her a horrified look. "Seriously, Naseema!? You bedded the teenage monk? What the fuck is wrong with-"

"Of course not, you idiot," she hissed and then she shouted in his mind, "NOW STOP TALKING OUT LOUD!"

"Sorry. You realize how bad this looks, right?"

She folded her arms across her chest. "We need to discuss Salome."

He glanced over her at the sleeping Elnor. "Why, what happened?"

"She attacked him."

"What do you mean she attacked him?"

"She was waiting in his room for him. She stayed quiet until he was asleep, and then she got into bed next to him. You can use your imagination to fill in the rest."

Jagger stared at her for a minute to process what she'd just told him. "Is he okay? I mean, did she hurt him? I mean, hurt him physically?"

"She bit him, but otherwise I believe he is alright. He managed to get away from her, and he came straight here. She scared him half to death, Jagger, and I do not believe she would have stopped short of killing him. This is very serious, and it cannot be ignored."

"No, you're right, this is serious. I honestly never thought she would take it this far."

"Neither did I."

"Do you want me to call a meeting of the seniors?"

"I promised him I would not leave this spot, so it will have to wait until morning."

"Really? You're just going to sit there all night?"

"Yes, Jagger. You cannot imagine how horrendous this was for him. I, on the other hand, do not have to imagine anything, so yes, I am just going to sit here all night."

"I'm sorry. That's pretty fair. What do you think we should do about Salome?"

"I have a plan, but I will likely need backing up."

"You're not planning to kill her, are you?"

"I will not pretend I didn't consider it, but no. I am, however, going to make sure that she understands the gravity of what she did."

"Naseema, I don't like these 'I have a plan' plans. I agree that Salome needs to understand how serious her behaviour has become, but I'm worried you're going to go overboard because of who she attacked."

"I promise I am not going to lose control, but we all made a promise to protect this planet and its inhabitants. You must appreciate how much of a liability she has become for us."

"Yeah, I know. Alright, I'll back you up, but if I start to even suspect that you're taking it too far, I'm pulling the plug."

"That is fair."

"Okay." He paused for another minute to look over her at Elnor again as a mournful frown formed on his face. "Poor kid, he looks so small and helpless right now. Why'd she have to go after him? He hadn't even had his first kiss yet, and now, well, he's probably never going to want to have sex again."

"I do not think it went quite that far, but I'm sure you are right that he will likely lose any interest he may have had for at least a little while." She looked down at him and very gently stroked his hair. It caused him to stir a little as he let out a tiny sigh. "He has an open heart and a very forgiving nature. I believe with the right attention he will recover most of what she took from him. Perhaps, he will want to talk to another man about what happened?" She turned her eyes back to Jagger.

"I'm always around here somewhere. Let him know that for me, will you?"

"Of course."

Taking one last glance at the bed, he turned to leave.

"Jagger?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

He looked over his shoulder to meet her grateful expression and nodded once. Then he slipped out the door and disappeared into the dark hallway. Naseema sighed sadly, not looking forward to the future confrontation with Salome and returned to her book.