Captain's log, supplemental. Commander Pon and I have located Avala and Rylek, and are attempting to make contact with them. We've been assisted by an entity called Zey-Ar, who was apparently created by the Iconian habitat's advanced computer system based on my psychological profile. The other crew members remain unaccounted for, and we still have no information about Icarus. But our immediate challenge is to find a way to leave the habitat – something which it was clearly not designed for.

Rashid enters Pon's chamber in the habitat, followed closely by Zey-Ar. Pon is sitting in a comfortable piece of furniture and eating from a bowl of brightly-coloured fungi. Across from her, the room seems to open into the Iconian city, at the base of a hill topped by a large statue.

"Captain," she says, her mouth full of fungus. "New developments."

"Let's hear it."

The Tellarite swallows. "One. Vanda and Rylek were making out."

"Alright, when I told you to keep an eye on them, that's not exactly –"

"Here, look." She waves her hand, and the room seems to move to the top of the hill, where Avala and Rylek are clumsily undressing each other, lips locked.

Rashid blocks the scene with her hand and looks away. "Okay. Is that really them?"

"I think so, if I'm understanding the technology correctly. Also, Avala got some water from a spore-fruit, which caused the alien control system to try to kill them because it's a public memorial donated by a wealthy Iconian, or something. Which brings us to point two." She waves her hand again, and the room once again moves to the bottom of the hill, where Avala and Rylek lie on the ground beneath an Iconian sphere, contorting in agony. Over their cries, a serene voice says, "The aliens may not have known the significance of their act of vandalism, but the law must be applied nonetheless. What do you think? Does the Sel-Eight alien control system unfairly brutalize innocent alien migrants, or does it send a firm message that we are willing to stand up for Imperial values in the face of their barbaric practices? Let us know what you…" A silhouette appears between them and the sphere, and there is loud bang as the scene shifts in a jarring way to an empty cityscape.

Pon waves her hand the other way, and the sequence of events replays in reverse. Then she holds up her palm, and it freezes on the silhouette and moves close so the figure is fully visible.

"A Romulan," Rashid observes.

"Looks like it. I can't see how she could have got to this planet though. My theory is she was created based on their fears. Look at her; see all that cybernetic shit?"

Rashid examines the Romulan. "It is possible. There have been reports of Romulan activity near the edge of the Core for some time. Actually, Susan was on a ship that was attacked by a rogue warbird near the Core some years ago."

"Well, there you go. Rylek has Susan's memories. All the more reason to think the Romulan is synthetically generated for some reason."

Rashid looks closely at the Romulan. "Maybe, maybe not. But regardless of whether she's the real thing, she could be quite dangerous." To Zey-Ar, "It looks like she destroyed that drone. Do we know what happened to them afterwards?"

"I do not have that information," he replies. "The alien seems to be able to conceal herself from the security system."

Rashid folds her arms. "The cybernetic implants probably mean she's a code breaker. I've seen the Orion Syndicate use them before. Good code breakers are in demand and can do well working for the right employer, but the experimental cybernetics they use are extremely dangerous and often cause psychological and neurological damage. And they're usually forced into it young, too."

Pon says, "Well, if she's been able to break into the Iconian computer systems, she'll do well on this planet. With access to the gateways, she could be literally anywhere."

"What about us?" Rashid asks Pon and Zey-Ar. "Can we use the gateways?"

Pon stands. "We can go wherever we want. But it won't be real."

"The habitat's gateway technology is designed for internal use only," Zey-Ar says. "The maximum range is approximately five kilometers."

"There is a central planetary gateway system which could theoretically take us anywhere into the galaxy," Pon says. "But surprise: you need Currency. Did I mention how much I hate capitalism?"

Rashid paces. "Is there any way to boost the range of the internal transporter? Or our tricorders?"

"Maybe." Pon turns to Zey-Ar. "Recreate the Icarus engineering bay for me. I might be able to figure out how to access something functional without having to pay for it."

"As you wish. Please follow me." He leads them out the door into a corridor lined by paintings, some moving, some still, towards the lift leading to the habitat's terrace.

As they walk, Rashid suddenly stops, her gaze fixated on a painting. It is a bleak, impressionistic portrait of a rugged landscape with a massive red gas giant looming on the horizon. On the broken terrain, a few lone figures bow to the planet in the brown and red sky.

"This piece isn't Iconian."

"No." Zey-Ar stands next to her. "The Sy'ar clan collected art from many species."

"I've seen this painting before. This is by Master Graak."

Pon steps toward her. "Captain?"

She turns to the Tellarite. "Probably the most influential artist of the Gorn Classical Age. My husband is very interested in Gorn art." She says to Zey-Ar, "But Master Graak only lived about twenty thousand years ago. I thought you said the Sy'ar clan died out a hundred and twenty five thousand years ago."

"They did. But they left a standing directive to collect significant pieces of galactic art to add to their collection. It is their legacy. And we, their companions, understood their tastes well. In life, they were always pleased with our selections." Zey-Ar's face is expressionless.

Rashid moves closer to the painting. "How did you get it here? Did you travel to Gornar?"

"No. I cannot exist that far from the habitat computer. The computer synthesized the Central Gallery on Gornar here, and I purchased it from a recreation of Graak himself."

"Why pay money for a duplicate of the original when you can make it for free?" Rashid asks.

Zey-Ar pauses. "I believe it was the act of purchasing the piece which assigned it value for the Iconians. The term 'original' had no meaning for them."

"Wait," Pon says. "Are you saying there are still AIs on this planet who are willing to buy things?"

"Yes, Pon," Zey-Ar replies.

Pon looks between them. "Can you get them here?"

"I can, if there is something you wish to auction."

She grins. "Well, yeah, let's do it!"

"What do you wish to sell?"

"Hang on." She moves closer to Rashid and says in a low voice, "I think we can part with a tricorder and phaser, right? I don't think we need to worry about contaminating their culture, and we can get by with one set."

Rashid raises an eyebrow. "Why would they want to buy our equipment? It would be primitive by their standards."

"Leave that to me."

"Alright. But have you ever done an auction before?"

"No. But I understand the basic principles." She shuffles toward Zey-Ar. "Tell the AIs that I'm willing to sell them a priceless memento – rare tools from a primitive society encountering these awe-inspiring Iconian ruins for the first time." She pauses. "It's… uh… a limited offer."

A small crowd of alien beings appears in the corridor, pale white with large eyes and tentacles coming from the back of their heads, all simultaneously indicating interest in buying the items and inquiring about the price.

Pon's eyes widen, and Rashid steps forward to stand beside her. "And also," the Tellarite says to the entities, "A Federation environmental suit." To Rashid, under her breath, she adds, "I highly doubt we'll need it at this point."

"You're probably right." She turns to Zey-Ar. "You can add mine too."

"I'm sorry, Zia," he says. "Your suit was almost completely destroyed during entry. Very little remains of it."

Rashid's jaw tightens. "I see."

Pon turns back to the crowd. "So, uh, a Federation environmental suit, tricorder, and phaser! A one-time deal! So much value! Definitely worth a lot of Currency!"

"Five hundred thousand," one of the entities says.

"Six hundred," says a second one, a split second later.

"Seven."

"Seven point five"

"Seven point five five."

"Seven point five five three."

"Seven point five five eight."

After the lightning-fast exchange is over, all of the beings but one disappear. "I represent the Ty-Et clan. Do you have an Account?"

"Um." Pon casts a desperate look at Zey-Ar, who tells the being, "I am opening an Account for Commander Pon."

"I have transferred the Currency to Commander Pon's Account," the program says. "Please give me the items."

Pon turns to Rashid. "Well?"

"Excuse me? Give him mine?"

"You heard him."

Rashid folds her arms. "I don't think so. This was your idea, Commander."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Pon retorts. "Have you been gradually building and adding upgrades to your tricorder over the course of the entire mission? Because I have. Thus, it's objectively better to give them yours."

Rashid opens her mouth, then closes it. "Alright. But I want to be clear that I am only doing this because it's the best use of our resources. I am your captain, and it is not acceptable for you to sell my things without my permission."

"Well, that's fine. You don't have any more things."

Glaring darkly at Pon, Rashid takes the tricorder and phaser from her hip and gives it to the buyer, and Zey-Ar disappears, then a gateway opens and he emerges carrying Pon's environmental suit. The other entity takes them and vanishes.

Pon says to Rashid, "I have to say, captain, I've changed my mind. Capitalism is great."

"Except for the counterproductively unequal distribution of goods, needless mass impoverishment and inherent instability," Rashid replies sternly. "And also how it essentially guarantees disproportionate influence and power to sociopaths."

"Well, yes. But look at all the money we made selling our junk to those dumb suckers!"

"This is my point." She puts her hand on her hip. "Anyway, we have Currency now. Let's figure out what we can do with it."

"You now have access to the planetary gateway network," Zey-Ar tells them. "Each use of it is eight thousand Currency."

"And it will take us to the actual, physical location we're trying to go, and not another simulation?" Rashid asks.

"Yes. However, many areas are privately owned and may require further Currency to enter."

"What about our ship? If Icarus has repaired herself, can we go aboard?"

"I'm sorry, Zia. Travel offworld requires a minimum of one point five million Currency, and the approval of an Iconian."

Pon grunts. "Ridiculous. It makes no difference to that gateway whether it takes us somewhere on this planet or to my beach house at Lake Barlak on Tellar. The sole reason to have a difference in price is to exclude."

"What other purpose could money serve in a post-scarcity society?" Rashid asks. "Zey-Ar, can we do a scan of the planet to find our crew?"

"A full planet scan is thirty two thousand Currency. However, there are many areas of the planet which cannot be scanned for privacy reasons, and the Romulan may be able to conceal herself from it. For that reason, I have taken the liberty of conducting a physical search of every area of the planet which is accessible to me, and speaking to the computer system of every habitat on Terminus."

"You did? When?"

"I am conducting it right now."

"Physical searches?" Pon asks. "Are there billions of you out there on the planet right now?"

"Approximately one point three trillion." Zey-Ar is silent for a moment. "I believe I have located them. The computer of a habitat on the floor of the Var-Elshak Ocean appears to have been tampered with."

Rashid smiles at Zey-Ar. "Great work. Did you find any sign of Commander Sparks and the others?"

"Only the wreckage of their shuttle. However, I have identified the forty six most likely locations they could be."

"Alright. We'll get Avala and Rylek first. That is very helpful, Zey-Ar – thanks for taking initiative on this."

"It is satisfying to be able to carry out my function," he says.

"Can the gateway take us inside that underwater habitat you mentioned?"

"Yes, Zia. The damage to the computer system appears to have compromised the habitat's gateway permissions subroutines, presumably to allow the Romulan access to the habitat by gateway. However, I cannot exist in other private habitats, and can provide no information about what is inside."

"What about blueprints? Can you tell us the layout of the place, and what we can expect inside?"

"I can access the buyer's guide for habitats of that type," he answers. "It will contain schematics and a virtual tour. However, she could potentially create an environment of her choice inside."

Rashid nods. "I understand. We'll review the schematics and then lay in coordinates for the gateway."

"How much is it for a transphasic wave emitter?" Pon inquires.

Zey-Ar blinks. "A simple tool such as that can be purchased for thirty thousand Currency."

"Great. I'd like to try something with the combadges to get the signal out farther. Could I get a couple different field modulators as well?"

"Yes. Those will be seventeen thousand Currency each."

Pon smiles. "You're a gem."

Rashid turns to her. "I appreciate what you're doing, Pon, but try not to deplete our Account too much. We may need it."

"I'm sure we can figure out a way to make more money." She eyes the captain. "Hey, you sing, right?"

"What?"

Zey-Ar tells her, "I can play any instruments you need, if you wish me to accompany you, Zia."

"I think we could sell it," Pon says. "And trust me, if one of us is going to sing, it's better you than me."

Rashid holds up her hands. "Okay. No. We are not doing that. See what you can do with the combadges, and stand by for transport to the habitat. It's time to get our crew back."

"Aye, captain."

Rashid regards the Tellarite. "And since you sold my phaser, I'm taking yours." She seizes the phaser from Pon's hip.

"…Aye, captain."

A portal opens in a sunlit field, and Lerex, Avala, and Rylek step through the two-dimensional plane. In front of them is the edge of a cliff overlooking a magnificent vista. From a dozen caverns in the side of an immense black mountain, blazing lava gushes downward for several kilometers, giving off a luminous, smoky haze. It collects in a pool far below the cliff.

"Where are we?" Rylek inquires.

"Romulus," Lerex replies. "The Gal Gath'thong Firefalls."

"That is impossible. Romulus was destroyed sixty years ago."

"And yet here we are." Lerex leads them to a small rectangular hut facing the edge of the cliff.

As they approach, a creature leaps out from behind the structure, hissing angrily. It perches on six spider-like legs, with two long claws on the end of each. Its body is squat and covered in woolly black hair, about a meter in length, and two long stalks jut out towards them. Gaping mouths are open at the end of the stalks, dripping with saliva, with rings of teeth visible deep down the maws.

Avala and Rylek scream. Lerex walks forward, with a hand extended. "Down, Tev! Down!"

The monstrosity crouches before her, retracting its mouths.

"What the hell is that?" Avala demands.

"Tev is a set'leth. He is my animal-friend."

"Your animal-friend…"

The door slides open, and a small child comes out of the hut. She is wrapped in grey cloths, with pointed ears, curly hair, and greenish skin. "Mother!" she says, holding out her hands and toddling towards Lerex.

Rylek and Avala glance at each other, still trying to calm their breathing as the set'leth scuttles back to the other side of the hut, trailing two spindly antennae behind it.

Lerex picks up the child, who points a tiny finger at Avala and Rylek. "Um. Who are those people."

"Aliens, Valis." She looks up at the Starfleet officers. "Come in, come in. I will feed you."

Lerex enters the hut, with Rylek close behind. Avala glances around the side of the hut anxiously, then follows them inside.

The interior is sparsely furnished, with an angular chair and a viewscreen embedded in one wall. Next to it, a computer console is open, and a number of improvised modifications are evident. Through a wide window, the Romulan sun shines in. Remus is visible in the sky close to the sun.

"Do you live here, Lerex?" Rylek asks as the Romulan calls some food from the replicator.

"Yes. My daughter Valis and I." She takes a tray with one hand holding a large, covered bowl and some small dishes. Setting it on a table suspended from a pole hanging from the ceiling, she says. "Eat."

Rylek and Avala stand at the table and spoon some of the thick green soup into their bowls. Rylek tastes a spoonful. "Viinerine?"

"Yes. You have had it?"

"I have. Viinerine has become an increasingly popular dish on Vulcan since Reunification."

"How does mine compare to what you have tried?"

"It is…" Rylek tries another spoonful. "Comparable."

Lerex's expression is indecipherable as she sets Valis in a high chair. Valis puts her fist in her mouth. "Mother, where do the aliens live?"

"They came from a ship," she says, feeding the child.

"Ship," Valis repeats.

"And they went somewhere they shouldn't have gone."

"Why?"

She looks between Avala and Rylek. "Because that is what their kind do."

"Why?"

"We are on a mission of exploration!" Rylek looks earnestly at the child. Avala eats her viinerine, saying nothing, her antennae trained on Lerex warily.

Valis gazes at her mother. "Will they go back to their ship?"

"In fact, we are trying to re-establish contact with our crewmates," Rylek says. To Lerex, "Do you have a communications unit?"

"Yes," Lerex replies. "No. But I can have one. I will make."

"I want them to go back to their ship," Valis says to Lerex.

"They are our guests, Valis," Lerex tells the child.

"So what, is this a hologram?" Avala runs her hand on the table. "Some kind of advanced matter projector technology?"

"We are on Romulus."

"Yes, but you are aware –"

"Yes," Lerex interrupts. "Yes yes yes yes yes. I know." To Rylek, "I will prepare your comm unit."

She opens the window, and Tev crawls inside, his claws clicking on the floor. He climbs the wall and stands motionless, legs reaching from ceiling to floor. Lerex crouches before the computer terminal as Valis plays with her spoon.

Her antennae pointing towards the set'leth, Avala whispers to Rylek, "Let's go outside. I could use some air."

"Oh. Yes. Of course." He follows Avala out the front door, calling to Lerex, "We will return."

They pass through the door, and Avala releases a suppressed shudder. "Why doesn't it have eyes?"

"It is a most unsettling creature." As they walk around the hut to the edge of the cliff, he says, "I appreciate your misgivings toward our host, but she has thus far been quite hospitable."

"Maybe. But does she seem a bit, I don't know, insane to you?" She gestures at the falls. "I mean, what is this? Can the gateways take us back in time?"

"There were many Romulans in the district of ShiKahr where I grew up," Rylek says. "Some of them, especially the elderly, used to spend much of their time in holographic simulations of Romulus."

"Alright, well, what's with her kid? I think she was part Orion."

"I am not certain."

Avala yawns. "I don't even know anymore. I'm so exhausted I can barely think straight. I don't think I've slept in two days. But I'm definitely not going to be able to sleep with that nightmare thing crawling around."

A gust of wind rises from the falls and catches the beige tunics they wear. Avala brushes her white bangs from her eyes.

Rylek steps closer. "Would it be appropriate for me to kiss you again?"

She looks at the ground and smiles, her antennae pointed at him. "It feels like it, doesn't it? You and me, here, in front of the firefalls. It's like a moment from a holo-novel." She stares into his dark eyes. "Okay. You can kiss me."

She presses her body close to his, and he puts his hands on her back and kisses her deeply.

After a moment, she steps back. "I… I'm sorry, Rylek. You know I really, really care for you. I just… I can't do this right now. It's not fair to you. I don't even know what this place is. We're on a planet that doesn't exist. When we get back home, I promise you we will figure out what's going on between us. But until then, I need you to be my crewmate, a Starfleet officer."

"I understand. I merely…" he pauses. "On the hill, before. I was concerned that you would not survive. And I could not stand the idea of never telling you…"

She puts her hand on his arm. "It's alright. I know. When you kissed me, I could feel it. And… I guess I always knew."

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Lerex standing next to the hut, peering at them, with Valis in her arms. Avala jumps. "How long have you been there?"

"I have made contact with your ship," Lerex says, ignoring her question.

"You have?"

"Yes. Captain Rashid wishes to speak to you. Come with me."

She walks back to the entrance of the hut, and Rylek and Avala follow. Valis looks at them over Lerex's shoulder. "Your ship."

Lerex leads them to the computer screen on the wall near the window, and Rylek follows Avala as she approaches it, her antennae trained on the set'leth still perched on the far wall, motionless.

"Hello Vanda. Rylek." There is an image of Rashid in the command chair on the bridge of Icarus, with Sorensen and Sparks smiling, watching from their consoles.

"Captain. Is that really you?" Avala glances between the screen and Lerex.

"It's me, Lieutenant. We're in a far orbit of Terminus. We've been scanning for you but haven't been able to find you. I've been talking to your Romulan friend, and she's going to use the gateway to take you back to Icarus."

Avala turns to Lerex, her eyes narrowed. "You're just going to take us there? Just like that?"

"Well, I certainly don't want you to stay here," she replies. "It's important that I raise my child in the purity of Romulan culture."

Avala opens her mouth in disbelief. "Okay, well, why don't you take us to Icarus right now."

"I will."

"Good." She says to Rashid, "I guess I'll see you momentarily."

"It'll be good to have you back. Rashid out."

The signal ends, and Lerex crouches in front of the computer console and holds her cybernetic hand near it, open. Red beams shoot from her palm and a gateway opens in the center of the room, the Icarus bridge visible through the rectangular rift. Avala approaches it.

Rylek nods to Lerex. "Thank you for your assistance. We owe you a debt."

"You owe me nothing. We are kin." Lerex holds her organic hand in the Vulcan salute. "Peace and long life."

He returns the salute. "Live long and prosper."

Seeing Avala's impatient expression, he walks to the portal. As they pass through it together, Valis waves her small hand. "See you!"

Then they are on the Icarus bridge, and the portal to the hut closes behind them. Pon and Alomar have joined the crew on the bridge, and they begin to applaud, smiling at them.

"Thanks." Avala looks around the bridge, uncertain. "I can't believe it. Just like that. We're back on Icarus." She puts her hand on a console. "It's in one piece."

"I keep telling people. Matter projector technology." Pon pounds her fist on a bulkhead. "It's going to change the way we think about space travel."

Rylek looks around at the crew, struggling to keep his expression neutral. "And you were able to return to it."

"Yes," Rashid answers. "Pon and I ended up in an abandoned Iconian luxury property, and a computer-generated entity called Zey-Ar helped us establish contact with the Icarus computer. Pon was able to do a remote beamout."

"It was a thing of beauty," Pon gloats. "And we were also able to get in touch with Isiaiah, Susan, and Tomas. Interrupted their camping trip."

Avala turns to Sparks, who explains, "We spent the whole time in the woods, evading Iconian drones."

"I've had my share of moss for some time," Alomar adds.

"And we were on Terminus all along?" asks Avala. "We were in some kind of holoprogram?"

Rashid says, "It's a similar principle. But instead of holograms, they can simulate the environment on the molecular level."

"I see." Avala hesitates. "So… don't take this the wrong way, but can I borrow a tricorder for a minute?"

"Oh, what, you think we're a simulation?" Pon feigns umbrage. Then she hands Avala her tricorder, grinning. "Don't worry, I often wonder about that myself."

Avala scans the bridge, then herself and Rylek. She shows him the readings, and they exchange a questioning glance.

"Would this simulated reality be distinguishable in any way from a real environment?" Rylek asks.

"It's pretty hard to tell, but you can tell the difference if you know what to look for," Pon tells him. "There's a quantum phase varience their technology creates. I've programmed the tricorder to scan for it."

Avala peers at the device's screen. "Alright. Well, I'm glad to hear it. It's good to be back."

She passes the tricorder back to Pon, who takes it and asks, "Who was the Romulan?"

"I have no idea. I guess she was kind of a hermit, living with her kid and her horrifying pet in a simulation of Romulus. She did not like Andorians, though, I can tell you that." Her antennae point to Sparks, and she says, "Listen, Commander, I want to take full responsibility for disobeying your order. It was a stupid call and it almost got me killed. There is no excuse."

Sparks nods gravely. "Why don't we take a walk."

"Aye, sir."

As he stands, Rashid faces Rylek. "I think we've seen enough of Terminus. Let's get back to the comm beacon and make a report to Starfleet. Mr. Rylek, would you like to do the honours?"

"Yes, captain." He takes the conn and lays in a course.

Rashid leans forward. "Engage."

The ship hums softly, and the stars on the viewscreen turn to streaks as Sparks and Avala enter the transporter. "Deck 3," Sparks says.

As the lift descends, he says to Avala, "So the bad news is there's going to be a hearing. Once we get back to the Federation."

"I understand, sir."

"A panel is going to review what happened," he informs her. "If they find against you, you could be demoted."

She nods, her eyes downcast. "I understand."

The turbolift doors slide open and they enter the corridor running between crew quarters. "The reason we're doing it this way is because it would be a conflict of interest for me to make the decision," Sparks tells her.

"I see."

"The good news is the captain is satisfied with doing it this way, and since we can't really afford to be shorthanded, she's prepared to keep you on active duty pending the hearing."

"I'm very relieved to hear that. Sir. You have my word that for the rest of the mission, everything I do will be according to the highest standards of Starfleet conduct."

"I expect nothing less." They pause in front of her quarters. "It's really good to see you, Vanda."

"You too, sir." She relaxes slightly and meets his gaze. "Thank you, sir."

He smiles slightly. "Get some rest, lieutenant. That's an order."

"Yes, sir."

He walks back to the turbolift and she enters her quarters.

"Ughhh," she groans, rubbing her eyes with her hands. She pulls off the Iconian robe and puts on a comfortable black t-shirt and underwear. She taps a console next to her bed, and a combadge appears next to her bed.

She lays her head against the pillow and watches the dense stars of the Galactic Core streaking past the porthole in her quarters.

After a while, she taps the combadge. "Avala to Rylek."

"Rylek here."

She waits before saying anything. "Where are you?"

"My quarters. Preparing to meditate." He pauses. "Where are you?"

"My quarters. I'm so tired. I want to sleep for three full hours. It will be glorious."

"That is a logical course of action." When she says nothing, Rylek asks, "If I may ask, what did Commander Sparks say?"

"Well, there's going to be a hearing once the mission's over. But until then, I'm still on active duty. Which is good. I have a chance to redeem myself. And he seemed alright personally. Not happy about it, but we'll still be able to work together at least."

"I am pleased to hear that."

"Yeah. And… thanks for having my back."

"Thank you for having mine, Vanda," he says. The line is silent for several seconds. "Do you… wish to come to my quarters?"

She gazes at the stars. "Um. Sure. Do you mind? I mean, I'm so tired. I don't have the energy to… you know…"

"Of course, Vanda. I have no expectations concerning… What I mean is, I merely…" he stammers.

"I know. I don't want to be alone either," she says softly. "I'll be right over. Thanks, Rylek." She gets up and leaves her quarters, and crosses the corridor into his. The room is small and sparsely furnished, with a few pieces of Vulcan art on the walls and his red uniform neatly folded on his bedstand. Rylek is sitting cross-legged on a cushion in front of a candle, wearing a black sleeveless shirt and shorts.

"Thanks," she says. "I feel like we should talk about what happened, but I'm so tired. Is it alright if I just lay down?"

"Please."

She lays down on his bed as he sits in meditation, glancing over at her from time to time.

"Rylek?"

"Yes, Vanda?"

"Do you want to hold me?"

"Of course." He walks to the bed and climbs in behind her, his arm wrapped around her chest.

She presses herself close to him. "Mm. I always forget how strong you are."

Rylek holds her close, saying nothing.

The candle burns low and goes out, and soon the room is illuminated only by streaks of starlight.

Avala finds herself navigating the corridors of Icarus, past empty science labs, their doors open.

From a shadow inside one of the labs, there is movement, and suddenly the set'leth leaps at her, hissing from its gaping maws.

She screams, then opens her eyes from the dream to find herself in bed, with Rylek's arm still around her. The combadge on his bedstand is beeping.

Groggily, she reaches over and taps it. "Avala here."

"Lieutenant?" a garbled voice asks. "Is that you?"

"Pon?" she asks.

"Where are you?"

"My quarters."

"Quarters? Where? In the habitat?"

Avala frowns. "What habitat? I'm on Icarus!"

"What?" Pon's voice replies. "No you're not."

"I just saw you on the bridge! I'm in Rylek's quarters."

"Rylek's quarters…? Interesting. But never mind. Listen to me, lieutenant. You're not on Icarus. You're in a simulation."

Avala's eyes widen. "Are you serious?"

"No, this is just a really gnarfed up practical joke. Har har har." Pon mutters something under her breath. "Of course I'm serious!"

"If it's a simulation, how do we get out?" Rylek asks, agitation in his voice.

"I don't know. The captain and I are working on that. Hang on, I'm losing the signal. Stand by." Her voice becomes garbled, and the transmission ends.

Avala sits up and faces Rylek. There is a look of panic in his eyes. "Do you think it is true?"

She nods grimly. "It all seemed a bit too easy. Lerex sending us back to the ship, just like that. Then again, I suppose she could be a simulation as well."

"These simulations… if there is no way of differentiating them from reality, then for all we know…" He stares at her.

She puts her hand on his arm. "I'm not a simulation, if that's what you're thinking. And neither are you."

"How can you know?"

"Trust me, Rylek, I know. The fact that you're real is the only thing I'm sure of." She stands. "Come on. We need to get out of here."

"How?"

"We'll figure it out. Together." She takes his hands. "Are you with me?"

He holds her hands tightly. "Always."

TO BE CONTINUED...