Chapter 20

Dan Ashby laughed as Reg walked into Main Engineering dripping wet but stopped when he dragged him from his seat and shoved him against a bulkhead. "Come on Reg it was a joke. So you got a little wet."

"A little wet? Do you have any idea how a horse behaves in a lightning storm? My program depended on the safety protocols when a horse bolts or throws someone and you corrupted the damn failsafes."

"Well you look fine to me." Ashby argued as Geordi appeared. "No harm done."

"I wasn't alone. One of the Orion girls was riding with me and she got dragged around the holodeck by her terrified horse."

"You mean you had a date?" Ashby looked alarmed. "Oh God I'm sorry Reg, I never thought. Is she okay?"

"No thanks to you, you jerk. Stay the hell away from me!" Reg ordered and stalked away.

"He's really mad. Must be her pheromones." Dan said pulling his uniform straight.

"Mr Ashby, we need to have a little chat about your practical jokes." Geordi intoned.

…

"Just a minute." Reg shouted at the door chime as he fastened his turtleneck jersey and tucked it into his pants. He'd just got out of the shower and he grabbed his jacket as he headed towards the door. "Oh." he smiled, "I was just on my way to find you. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Taryn replied, she had also changed her clothing and was wearing the kaftan she was wearing earlier with her hair loose but twisted over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry I just left you there, I was angry…come in please. Can I get you anything?" he asked nervously, wringing his jacket in his hands.

"No thank you." she whispered as she looked around his quarters.

"I understand that you're angry. I shouldn't have just walked away…"

"I'm not angry. It's been suggested to me that I may be taking advantage. I'm out of practice at interacting with Humans and I may be influencing you in ways I'm not aware of." she explained.

"I…I think if you were influencing me I wouldn't have stood you up at that concert. I'd certainly have found it harder to walk away after you kissed me." he reasoned. "Not that it wasn't like amputating a limb. Please, make yourself comfortable, are you sure I can't get you some tea… or coffee?"

She sat on the couch with her hands on her knees primly. "I've been acting improperly. I've been exercising freedoms on this ship that are beyond my reach on Barin Prime and will be again when the negotiations start on Earth."

"Wait, are you a slave?" he asked earnestly, sitting beside her.

"No, I'm not a slave. We have no slaves on Barin Prime but…" she began and took a deep breath. He leaned in and kissed her softly. "There are things I have to tell you…"

"Tell me later." he whispered as he took her in his arms and kissed her as though his life depended on it.

…

"Marry me?" he whispered as they lay together in his bed. His fingers entwined with hers. "You could live here with me? I could ask for bigger quarters, and a bigger bed." he added and they giggled and rubbed noses. He only had a single bed, he was never optimistic enough to requisition a double.

She sighed. "I wish I could but it's not that simple."

"It could be that simple." he argued. "We're lovers now, we could be really happy together." He kissed her palm and wrist tenderly.

"I have duties, obligations…"

"I'm sure the Tahedri has other girls in his household that could do your work. Not that you aren't special…very special…" he leaned in to kiss her but she stopped him with her hand on his chest.

"Reg, I need you to listen. I want you to know that if things were different I would be so happy to be your wife but…" she caressed his chest, toying with his hair.

"Then let's get married. I've never felt this way before and…" His face fell. "You're already married aren't you? Or spoken for?"

"No, no of course I'm not. I'd never mislead you like that but…" The ship rocked suddenly and the red alert siren sounded.

"Battle stations. All hands to battle stations."

"Hold that thought." Reg stated as he jumped out of bed, grabbed his underwear and uniform and pulled it on rapidly while she began to dress hastily. "Do you know where you're supposed to go?"

"Back to guest quarters." she told him as she pulled on her thigh length boots.

He nodded. "I'll come and find you when this is over and we'll talk properly." he kissed her hurriedly, cupping the back of her neck. "I love you."

"I love you too." she whispered as he grabbed his jacket and her hand and they headed for the corridor. They parted company at the first intersection, she reluctantly released his hand when he flashed her a shy smile before he turned and ran towards the best turbolift to reach Main Engineering.

She ran towards another turbolift as guest quarters were two decks above and she saw a woman running towards her clutching the hand of a small child. As she reached them the ship rocked again and a conduit blew. Taryn was blasted against a bulkhead and fell to the floor.

…

Engineering was chaos when Reg arrived. "Barclay! I need you to get the fire suppression system back online. We have conduits blown all over the ship." Geordi shouted over the fray.

"Aye sir." Reg responded and ran to the terminal and began to work. "The main interlink to the computer core is severed. I need to bypass it sir."

"Where's the break?" Geordi asked in between barking other orders.

"Junction 24." Reg replied.

"Ashby's already there. Call him."

He touched his communicator. "Barclay to Ensign Ashby." He waited. "Ensign Ashby please respond." Geordi looked over and Reg shook his head.

"Go check it out Reg." Geordi told him.

Snatching a toolkit from the floor Reg grabbed a stanchion as he rounded it at a run and shot into a small room off Main Engineering. He climbed a ladder and dove headlong into the Jeffries tube, scrambling down it towards the first intersection.

…

Taryn coughed, acrid smoke filled the corridor and nearby a young child was screaming for its mother. Through the dim light she could see her arm was burned and from the pain she felt so was one side of her face, she could smell the singeing of her hair. She felt along the floor and crawled towards the sound of the child, a boy she recalled from seeing him before the explosion, no more than three or four. She felt a small hand and gripped it.

"I've got you, it's going to be alright." she told him, hoping it wasn't a lie. She could feel the heat and see the flickering flames and wondered why they were still alive. Force fields should have contained the fire and removed the oxygen to suppress it by now.

"Mommy, Mommy wake up!" the boy wailed and sobbed inconsolably. Taryn strained to see through the smoke and realised the boy was clutching the mother's sweater. She felt for a pulse and found none, the woman's neck was twisted at an awkward angle, probably broken when she hit the bulkhead as Taryn did. She grabbed the screaming child, tore his hand from his dead mother and crawled, keeping low to avoid the worst of the smoke and scrambled, trying to get way from the smoke and flames.

…

Reg opened the hatch in the Jeffries tube and swore. He tapped his communicator. "Barclay to Commander La Forge." he stated as he felt Ashby's inert form for a pulse. The man was covered in burns and shrapnel wounds, he was lucky not to be ripped to pieces given the state of the crawlspace he'd been working in. "The whole subsection is blown sir. Ashby's down but he's alive. There's nothing here to repair."

"Get your butts out of there on the double Barclay." Geordi ordered. "We're losing containment. We're about to abandon the Drive Section."

"Aye sir." Reg replied and dragged the blond Ensign back to the intersection which crossed a larger corridor.

"You should leave me, save yourself." Dan murmured.

"Shut up. I'm saving your sorry ass whether you like it or not." Reg replied and grunted as he put him over his shoulders in a fireman's lift and went in search of a way to the Saucer Section.

…

The section of corridor ahead was open to space and contained by a force field, the quarters adjoining it gone so she doubled back, still buffeted by the impact of the attack from ships she recognised all too well from what she saw through the gaping hole in the hull. She was worried for the boy in her arms, not just the loss he had experienced although his expression was one of stunned horror. His breathing was becoming laboured and in the light she could see his mouth and nose were stained with soot. He'd inhaled smoke and he needed urgent medical attention in addition to minor burns that must be causing him pain.

"What's your name?" she asked him brightly, belying her concern. "Sweetie, what's your name?" she repeated, turning his face to her to make eye contact.

"Michael." he replied softly.

"My name's Taryn and we're going to find a way down to deck seven to see Dr Crusher. Do you like Dr Crusher?" she asked and the boy nodded. "I do too." She stopped and thought for a moment, desperately trying to recall a schematic of the ship she had looked at briefly some days ago, cursing the fact she didn't get her brother Cadfael's eidetic memory. The turbolifts didn't seem to be running and she couldn't carry a child and climb down a shaft and she doubted he was well enough to cling to her back, besides if one did come along it would be game over. Every door she'd tried on this deck was sealed, the residents probably at their stations although she suspected the quarters on the outside of the Saucer may be voided into space, emergency bulkheads had engaged all around them and she was running out of options. If she was right she was around the corner from a Jeffries tube. It probably joined an intersection with a ladder to higher and lower decks and she may be able to hotwire a hatch to get through.

She put the boy down and pulled open a panel, grabbed some thick coated cabling and yanked it out. Then she crouched, asked Michael to ride piggyback then threw the cable over her shoulder and wrapped it around them both several times, fixing him to her like a papoose. Then she rounded the corner, opened the Jeffries tube and climbed in.

"Five minutes to Saucer separation." came the Computer's impassive voice.

"You'd better be shifting your hairy behind out of the Drive Section Mr Barclay." Taryn muttered.

"Who's Mr Barclay?" Michael asked.

"The man I'm going to abdicate to marry." she told him as she crawled along.

"What does ablidate mean?" he asked.

"Abdicate means to give up being a Queen." she explained.

"You're a Queen?" the tiny boy asked.

"U-huh." she replied. "Well, sort of anyway."

"You look like a Princess, not a Queen." he told her. She laughed and it echoed through the intersection.

"Hold on tight Michael." she told him as she grasped the ladder, although she knew he was tied to her securely. "We're going climbing."

…

"I'm slowing you down Barclay, you won't get out." Dan told him.

"I thought I told you to shut up." Reg chided the injured officer he was carrying. "Don't be such a martyr Dan."

"I never thought anyone would get hurt or it would embarrass you with your girlfriend." Dan muttered. "I'm really sorry Reg."

"Luckily for you she thought I had that Mr Darcy in the lake look and it turned out okay. I even proposed to her."

"What did she say?"

"When I find out I'll let you know." Barclay said as he took hold of the ladder and began to climb it.

"Thirty seconds to Saucer separation."

"Can I be your best man?" Dan asked.

"You can be the flower girl." Reg told him as he struggled to climb the ladder to get to the other side of the bulkhead before it closed.

…

"Missing?" Dr Crusher stated. "Well she isn't here."

"Nareev, her Rhadaman Anthos is most concerned that she did not return to their guest quarters during the alert and internal sensors are offline." Data reported.

The auburn haired doctor ducked into a corner. "You didn't hear this from me but she may be in Barclay's quarters." she said quietly.

"I hope not. That section has multiple hull breaches." Data replied. "We have engaged emergency bulkheads."

"I'll let you know if she turns up. Crusher out." Dr Crusher said as Geordi entered, helping a wounded crewman with severe injuries.

"Bring him over here." she ordered and helped Geordi put him on a biobed. "Did everyone get out of the Drive Section?"

"I hope so, but I've got two engineers unaccounted for."

A panel was kicked open in the corner and Taryn crawled out of the conduit with a small boy clinging to her. "Which two engineers?" Taryn asked, her eyes wide.

"Crusher to Commander Data."

"Data here."

"We have your missing Tahedri, she's injured but she got herself to Sickbay." Dr Crusher reported.

"Which two engineers are missing?" Taryn asked desperately as Nurse Ogawa took the boy and Dr Selar steered her to a biobed.

"Barclay and Ashby." Geordi replied softly.

"No," she whispered and dropped to her knees, a stunned expression on her face that was burned and bloody. Selar helped her to her feet, all but carrying her to the biobed.

"Michael!" an officer shouted as he entered sickbay and ran to his son embracing him. "I thought I'd lost you." he looked carefully at his son's injuries. "Where's your Mommy?" he asked desperately.

Taryn blanched even paler and shook her head in response to Dr Crusher's enquiring look. "An EPS conduit blew, the three of us were caught in the blast…her neck was…she must have died instantly." Taryn sniffed. She patted Taryn's shoulder as she passed to break the bad news.

"I need a hand here?" Reg said as he carried Dan into sickbay.

Taryn ran to him, nearly knocking him off his feet and barely allowing time for him to offload Dan. "Oh God, you're bleeding…" she stated as she noticed his clothes were soaked in blood.

"No, it's not mine it's…" His eyes widened in horror. "What happened?" he asked as he took in her injuries. He held her gently as she sobbed against his shoulder.

"I thought you were in the Drive Section when it blew." she cried.

"No, I had to get out." he whispered into her hair. "I knew you were waiting for me." he looked at Dr Selar. "You need to get these burns treated. Come on." He told her and helped her back to the biobed.

"I don't believe your face will scar Tahedri." Selar stated as she began to treat her injuries. "I can't say the same for your other burns."

"I don't care about that. Is the little boy alright?" she replied.

"What?" Reg snapped. "Did she just call you Tahedri?

"That's what I was trying to tell you earlier." Taryn whispered guiltily.

"You're the Tahedri?" he asked incredulously and she nodded. "How can you be a patriarch? You're a…a…" He blanched and turned away. "I get it now." he replied with a coldness that barely covered his pain. "I was another diversion just like the holodeck. Another freedom beyond your reach on Barin Prime." he knocked her hand from his sleeve as he turned and walked away.

"No, it's not like that…" she called after him but he just kept walking.

…

Geordi sat beside Reg as he sat against the bulkhead, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. His uniform still filthy and caked in drying blood just like Geordi's and most of his team.

"Ashby's gonna be fine." Geordi told him.

"That's something at least." Reg murmured.

"You know, she was lucky to get out of that section alive? There was a failed hatch in the Jeffries tube she crawled through with that kid. She even fixed it once she was on the other side, we could have lost another section if it wasn't for her and Moran would have lost his son as well as his wife."

"You don't have to tell me how great she is." Barclay swallowed. "She would have been safe in guest quarters if she hadn't been with me and wouldn't have scraped half the skin off her back on the holodeck or got all burned."

"She's okay, her shoulder and arm is scarred but she's more worried that she hurt you…"

"I hurt myself, I always do." Reg said sadly. "I always fall for the wrong girls. Counsellors, holograms, patriarchs…"

"…Dabo Girls." Geordi added without thinking. In this timeline Reg couldn't have met Leosa.

"Dabo Girls?" Reg frowned. "I've never… Someone told me a lot of them are…professional ladies for hire." He blushed involuntarily. "And some of them are involved in Ferengi confidence tricks."

"Yeah, I heard that too. Some even pass themselves off as teachers to unsuspecting idiots." Geordi added wryly.

"What was that quote? There's a sucker born every minute." Reg smiled. "You must be thinking of Ashby. He's the one who chases women on shore leave." Reg looked at his hands.

"Yeah, I must be thinking of someone else." Geordi smiled. "I'm not sure it's Dan 'Have dick will travel' Ashby though. The Grand Nagus wife was a Dabo Girl apparently, although she was one who worked the table not the clientele. His brother Quark rented out holosuites, not his staff." Geordi rubbed the back of his neck. "But getting back to the point… If you'd gone to that concert with her you'd have known, and she said she tried to tell you." Geordi argued.

"She did, she really tried." he admitted and laughed mirthlessly, "I was even told the Tahedri's pet wolf was called Laika and I never realised. Laika, the first animal sent into Earth's orbit. It's obvious the more I think about it, only she would call a dog Laika." he sighed, "We lost the Drive Section, the contents of my quarters are floating in space and I lost the girl. Can today get any worse?"

"Reg, don't tempt fate. Besides, you loved her when you thought she was a…I don't know what you thought she was but she's the same person. She didn't really lie. She is part of the household, just the head of it."

"It's not that, I'll love her till the day I die. I'd resign right now to be with her but…other Orions would see me as her Human pet and my presence would diminish her. You know how important she is. We need her to swing the balance of the war. How can I ask her to walk away to shack up with Starfleet's oldest lieutenant?" Reg stated. "We're from different worlds. It could never work between us." He sighed. "What do you need me to do sir?" he asked. "I'd rather work than sit around moping."

"We need to get internal sensors online to find trapped survivors." Geordi stated.

"I'll get on it Commander." he said and stood up.

…

He didn't notice her until she was right behind him. "I've been assigned to assist you." she told him and he jumped and hit his head on the console he was under.

"You…you…you're a passenger, you should go back to your quarters Tahedri, where it's safe." He told her as he rubbed his scalp and checked his hand for blood.

"I'm Tahedri now am I?" she noted. "You didn't call me that in bed." she quirked her lip.

"I didn't know who you were," he replied, "and this is a restricted area."

"The operative word was assigned. Most of the diplomats on board have offered to help and incidentally Commander La Forge didn't tell me you were the officer working here."

Reg might have known Geordi would try to play matchmaker and throw them together. Why couldn't he have sent the Grand Nagus to help him? Word had it he was a great engineer before his elevation to Ferengi Doge.

Reg looked up at her pretty face and sighed. "Well, there's nothing to be done, all the sub-processors are burned out. I hoped it would be the control unit but…" he looked sad and frustrated. "External sensors are working but they're fused. We can't even redirect them to the interior of the ship." he added and threw his interphasic coil spanner across the floor angrily.

Taryn crouched beside him. "Reg," she said softly and touched his sleeve. "No one expects you to work miracles."

"People are missing, they could be trapped and we can't help them if we can't find them." he blurted.

"There are other ways to locate people." Taryn intoned.

…

"Considering we have precious little to lose please proceed Tahedri." Picard intoned. "Mr Barclay will assist you."

"Sir?" Barclay said with alarm. "Surely one of the other officers would be better…a security officer or…or…"

"Mr Barclay, they may come across fused doors and unsafe conduits, while I don't doubt Miss Barsha and the Tahedri's capabilities they have limited experience of our systems. They need an engineer and you're Johnny on the spot. Besides, you already have plenty of muscle power." he nodded towards Nareev.

"Johnny on the spot…I see sir." Barclay clenched his jaw and looked dejected.

"This way." Emlyn's presence echoed in their minds as he touched a wall. "Behind this wall."

Reg pulled off a panel and crouched. He removed some components rapidly and peered into a conduit. "I don't see how we can fit through here." he stated and looked up at the Captain. He checked his tricorder. "There's a breathable atmosphere but I'm not reading any life signs."

"They are there, they are alive." Emlyn assured them. "They are a fair distance away. Possibly beyond the range of your tricorder Lieutenant."

"I'd fit." Taryn stated, kneeling beside Barclay. She was wearing a Starfleet overall with the sleeves and legs rolled up as they were huge on her, her hair held back in a messy curled pony tail. Extremely large and extremely small overalls were replicated on demand and that system was also down.

"No," Reg blurted, "it could be dangerous."

"Don't be absurd." she snapped and pushed him aside. She wriggled into the tiny space and vanished.

"Is she okay?" Reg asked Emlyn after ten minutes had elapsed, all of which he spent pacing nervously, fidgeting with his hands. He checked his tricorder again, there was no sign of her coming back into range and he tutted.

"I don't know. I can't read my sister's thoughts."

"You can't?" he asked with alarm. "What do you mean you can't? She's your twin?"

"I can't hear or speak. She can't be contacted via remote telepathy."

"So how do you communicate?"

"With great difficulty." Emlyn scowled. "We use sign language."

Reg sighed despairingly. He'd belatedly realised he should have given her his combadge. The captain was still waiting with them if she ran into difficulties and needed to call for assistance. "So how do we contact her?" Reg asked desperately.

"We don't." Barsha replied.

"Look." Picard stated as Laika's ears pricked. The wolf shot into the gap, following her mistress. A few moments later the wolf emerged leading a small girl that Reg pulled out and handed to Picard, followed by a slightly older boy and an injured teenage girl with Taryn bringing up the rear half carrying her.

"Well, it appears your idea is a good one Tahedri, please proceed. I shall ask Dr Crusher to assign you a medic. If you need any further help just ask. Good luck all of you." he turned and strode away.

"You're bleeding." Reg said gently taking her arm and pressing a handkerchief to it.

"It's a scratch. It's nothing." Taryn said and pulled her arm away. "What do you care? You only gave a toss when you thought I was a slave, someone to rescue from servitude and bring to live on your Starship and be a submissive little wife."

"That isn't true." he protested.

"The hell it isn't. Why don't you walk away again? It's what you always do after all." She turned and followed her twin as he wandered down the corridor, his head bowed in concentration.

…

"Alyssa?" Taryn called from the far side of the bulkhead. "I think he's in shock." she told her. "His breathing isn't good."

"I'm coming over." The nurse stated. Reg gave her a leg up and she placed her knee on his shoulder to scramble through a small gap where the ceiling had given way as Taryn had moments earlier. Nareev continued trying to force open the emergency bulkhead with a makeshift lever while Reg re-joined Barsha who was trying to rewire the control panel. Laika sat obediently watching them work and staying out of the way until she was called as was Emlyn.

Dr Crusher arrived on the scene accompanied by Data. "What's his status?" she asked.

"May I?" Data said to Nareev who stepped aside. He grasped the door and slid it open easily. Taryn was kneeling at the man's head, holding it immobile while Alyssa rendered treatment.

"He has an unstable T4 spinal fracture. His spleen is ruptured and his diaphragm. His bowel is entering his thoracic cavity, we need to get him in stasis doctor." Alyssa reported.

"Medical Emergency, transport required." Dr Crusher requested, as she pressed a hypospray to the man's neck between Taryn's fingers.

"Sorry doctor, there's too much radiation in that compartment to get a transporter lock." came the response.

"Do you have a spinal board and a collar?" Taryn asked. "The way they did it before transporters?"

"We'd have to replicate them and replicators are still offline." Dr Crusher.

"We need to improvise." Data stated and began looking for something suitable in the wreckage.

"Do you need anything more for the pain?" Dr Crusher asked the injured man.

"No." he gasped. "Are you a real Green Woman?" he asked Taryn.

"I think I qualify." she smiled.

"His adrenalin is elevated, even taking into account his injuries. It's you. Your presence is helping reduce his pain." she realised and Taryn nodded. Alyssa's tricorder made an alarm.

"I…always wanted…to…meet…" his breathing stopped.

"Damn it." Dr Crusher stated and sat back on her heels. "The internal damage was just too severe, there was no room left in his chest for his lungs to expand with his bowel pushing up. Without the transporter…"

Taryn closed the man's eyes and kissed his forehead tenderly. "What was his name?" she asked. "He looks very young. He doesn't look old enough to be commissioned."

"He's new." Alyssa stated. "I don't remember."

"Adam McKenna." Dr Crusher advised them. "He was given a battlefield commission after he distinguished himself in combat during a cadet cruise. He was nineteen."

"Our youngest brother is nineteen." Taryn stated with tears rolling down her face. "He's a cadet, currently on the Sutherland. Is it awful that I hope he isn't distinguishing himself?" she asked Dr Cusher, "We already lost two brothers and a sister in this war."

"There is someone else this way." Emlyn broadcast into their minds and signed for the benefit of Taryn and Data.

…

They stood back as Nareev lifted a heavy beam that was in their way.

"Is he your bodyguard?" Reg asked.

"No. He's my cousin. Nareev is a prince of the royal bloodline and my right hand, he's a Rhadaman Anthos." Taryn replied. Reg recognised the term describing a high ranking leader or arch-executive of royal status.

"And…I assume she's your handmaiden?" he indicated Barsha.

"What do I need a handmaiden for?" Taryn scowled. "She's my most senior Engineer and Scientific Advisor." She glared at him, "I can dress myself, wipe my own arse and defend myself."

"The other Tahedrin all brought servants and security. It was a reasonable assumption." he frowned. "So there's no one to watch your back?" he asked.

"Laika watches my back." she replied curtly.

"So you don't have any staff?" Reg asked.

"Of course I have staff. I live in a bloody palace." she stated indignantly. "But they have families, children. I can't ask them to up sticks and abandon their other responsibilities to travel across the quadrant because I have to have my fennel tea made just so." She sighed. "Slavery is so ingrained in our culture that my fellow Tahedrin forget that their people, and I don't just mean employees indentured or otherwise. They forget that the people don't belong to the Tahedri, the Tahedri belongs to their people. That's the first lesson Edara, my grandmother taught me."

"She sounds wise." Reg commented.

"She could also be a hard-nosed bitch but the wellbeing of her people was always foremost in her mind. For Orions success is marked by the quality of life of those below you on the ladder, not the numbers on your balance sheet."

"It sounds lonely at the top. Who keeps you warm at night?" he asked softly.

"That's no business of yours." she snapped. "You're just a diversion apparently, a freedom I'm not afforded on Barin Prime." He caught hold of her arm and pulled her back she went to walk away.

"You know I didn't mean that and I'm sorry…" he snapped and froze as he heard a snarl and turned to see a pair of scowling blue eyes and a set of long bared teeth shrouded in white fur.

"Let go of me." she whispered. "I warned you, Laika has my back." He let her go and the wolf backed down. "That was just a warning." she told him softly. "You're lucky she likes you or she'd have ripped out your throat." He could tell it wasn't a threat, it was a simple fact.

"How did you end up with a wolf as a pet anyway?"

"We apprehended a ship involved in the illegal trade of wild animals and there was a pregnant she-wolf on board. The mother and her cubs were returned to Earth and now live on a wildlife reserve in Scotland. Laika was the runt and I hand reared her, she needed a lot of care and attention but in saving her life she became too domesticated to survive on her own." she explained. "She imprinted on me. She thinks I'm her mother, her family so now she's part of mine." Taryn explained. "To answer your question she keeps me warm at night." she snapped, "She does hog the bed though, and she farts." she admitted softly.

Reg stifled a laugh. "I meant it, I'm sorry I said that. I was hurt and angry and I felt stupid that I didn't realise. It never occurred to me that a Tahedri could be a girl when it means patriarch."

"How misogynistic of you." she replied. "The translation isn't exact." she conceded. "I'm not the only female Tahedri by the way, just the only one on this ship."

"So can you have a male Tabadi?" he asked. "That is the right word for a Tahedri's mate isn't it?"

"It's the right word but you can't have a male Tabadi. There isn't a term for the male consort of a Tahedri."

"Why not?" he asked indignantly as Nareev continued to clear rubble.

"I don't know, I didn't create the bloody language did I?" she snapped. "If you'd given me time to explain I'd have told you I decided to retire after this summit and let Nareev take over. I wanted to be with you."

"I would have resigned and gone with you after I found out who you were but the last thing I'd want is to undermine you with your people. They probably expect you to marry an Orion."

"Whatever they expect that's not going to happen. I'll never marry an Orion and I've made no secret of that. Some of my cousins are like brothers to me but on the whole Orion men are muscle bound airheads. Not my type at all."

"So what is your type?" Reg asked.

"Tall, intelligent and shy, with big brown eyes and a fluffy chest." she looked at him askance.

"I meant it when I said I love you. I meant it when I proposed." he said softly.

"I meant all that I said in your quarters." she replied. "I could have made you listen to me if I'd wanted to, literally, using my pheromones but I didn't. I should have told you who I was in the first place but I liked you. I didn't want to intimidate you at first and later I liked that you seemed to like me for myself, not my position or the money. It was wrong of me. I still feel the same way about you but everything's different now." she added sadly.

"How?"

"Haven't you heard? We were attacked by Orions. The Syndicate wants to stop me from speaking at the negotiations."

"There are other Tahedrin on board…" he argued. "You don't know they were targeting you."

"They've already threatened me, more than once. That's why Nareev insisted we travelled on the Enterprise and not our ship," she whispered, "and now people are dead and it's all my fault." Her lower lip quivered, she savagely wiped her eyes and sniffed. "We need to stop soon, Emlyn looks tired." She looked sideways at Reg, "so do you."

"I'm fine." He lied with a forced smile. "We've covered the whole Saucer now anyway."

"You keep blinking and squinting and you're crunching your toes in your shoes. You're tired and your feet hurt." she informed him. "You look like you were rode hard and put away wet."

"You were the one in the saddle remember?" he whispered with a smirk.

"I have found the thermal signature Barsha can see." Nareev stated. "Aargh!" he withdrew his hand from the gap and there was the sound of a frightened cat. The prince swore in Orion, his hand covered in deep scratches.

"Here let me?" Reg offered and stepped forward. "Come on, it's okay." he said softly as he crouched to reach in and pulled the filthy, terrified cat out by the scruff of the neck. "Spot, poor little kitty." he cooed as he cradled her in his arms, stroking her gently. "This is Commander Data's cat." he explained. "She looks a little worse for wear but I don't think she's injured." He said as he looked at her carefully. "There's no blood on her. Not hers anyway." He added guiltily and gave Nareev a sympathetic look. "She's not the most sociable of cats."

"I prefer larger felines." Nareev smirked.

"We all know you've been seeing the Caitian Envoy since we came aboard. You don't have to brag." Barsha snapped.

"I believe you are jealous." Nareev teased.

"Of course I'm jealous. He's gorgeous." Barsha added with a yawn.

Taryn touched her brother on the shoulder and signed something to him. He walked away tiredly taking Laika with him and Nareev and Barsha followed.

"Emlyn is going to take a break, he's exhausted. This has taken a lot out of him. Reaching beyond his line of sight is a strain and Nareev and Barsha need to get some sleep." Taryn stated as she rubbed Spot behind her ear, "I sent that big hairy thing off with him but he says he's not tired and refused to go." Taryn gave Reg a cheeky smile, she clearly meant him and not the wolf.

"I'll take her back to Data and see if Commander La Forge has any more work for me to do." Reg said and stood up. "Will I see you later?" he asked plaintively.

"I don't know." she replied sadly. "For now I'll come with you to see if there's anything else I can do."

"You've done so much already. Don't you need to sleep too?" he asked as they walked.

"I sleep less than three hours a night and I can go for a week without sleep if need be." she explained. "It comes with the ears." She smiled warmly at him.

He wanted her, he yearned for a life with her but deep down he knew she was probably right. Had they met under different circumstances he didn't doubt they could overcome anything together but there was so much at stake, so much pitted against them. It was hopeless. "I…I can't bear this. I c…can't be around you. I'm sorry." he said and strode away with his head down. "Come on Spot." he whispered.

"You are a complicated man Mr Barclay." Taryn whispered as she watched him go. "And you're walking away again."