25
"It's like looking in a funhouse mirror," said the Tripp holding Lili's hand. "I'm tempted to ask you how you got that facial scar, but we don't exactly have time for pleasantries."
The scarred Tripp scanned the room. "It's like the Red Queen and the White Queen in here, if you like chess. Crossman, what the devil is going on?"
"I – it's a way to really, really screw the Empress." she explained.
"What's in it for them?" the scarred Tripp asked, indicating the two Treves and the two Chawevs.
"They get to do the right thing," Lili said.
"And there's gonna be an attack," Doug said, "Tomorrow. What we were planning would've delayed it anyway, but doing more will make it pretty much impossible. The Defiant will limp out of Calafan space and you and Beth won't be bothered. They'll be lucky if they escape with only a few casualties."
"Where do I sign on?" asked the scarred Tripp.
=/\=
"Oh Geez!" Beth said, "Not you, too, Charles!" she put a hand on his arm and the fogged rolled in as the room changed.
=/\=
"They get to do the right thing," Lili murmured in her sleep.
"Do you have a theory as to why this kind of a transference takes so much power?" Phlox asked T'Pol.
"It is unprecedented." T'Pol said. I have virtually nothing to compare it to."
=/\=
"So you'll do it?" Lili asked.
"Sure." Beth said, "I want the Empress and her son to really take a hit – and if Charles and I can get away while doing so, that's all for the best. But we gotta hurry. There's just so long we'll have free access where we need to go."
"One thing you should be told," the ruddy Treve said, "there is a reason for the transference being so difficult. Beyond what you would expect."
"Yes," said the pale Chawev. "This barrier is not just a natural one. It was fortified by our ancestors. The night people are, as you can see, they are a distorted reflection of ourselves. And so a fence was erected to keep them on their side, and us on ours."
"What are going to be the consequences of breaching the fence, even temporarily?" Doug asked.
"The same as breaking any barrier." the ruddy Treve said, "Anyone can go in or out. Fortunately, it will only be a few minutes – the second piece of the experience. Then it will be done."
"Are you endangering yourselves?" Lili asked. "No matter how much I want this, I don't want you to be hurt by it."
"Both of our societies are in need of fresh blood and this, well, it may be a way to do that." the pale Treve said, "Perhaps we can redeem ourselves for our wrongs."
"We better go," said the scarred Tripp. "Beth, you and I got work to do. Old Man, break the connection soon as you can and head back."
"Understood," Doug said.
"You don't need me, I'm a Fifth Wheel." the unscarred Tripp said, dropping Lili's hand.
"Treve," Lili said, "I'll, um, if it's all right, I'll contact you later. The conventional way."
"By all means," he said, and left with his father.
"It's good to see you happy, Jenn," Doug said.
"Thanks." she smiled and left with her Treve and his father.
"Just you and me," Doug said after kissing Lili.
"Yes. And tomorrow, that kiss will be real."
"Y'know, um, we've only been doing kissing lately. I, uh, I miss the rest of it." he pushed in nearer.
"Me, too," she said, "Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow."
They kissed again and awoke.
=/\=
The mouse was out of its cage and Jun toddled after it.
"Sick Bay is not the place for this!" Dr. Morgan scolded. "Where the hell is Cutler?"
Torres staggered in. "Doc, I don't feel so good."
Taking advantage of the opened door, the mouse ran out and Jun awkwardly skipped after it.
=/\=
Tripp got up. "That was ... strange. I got a lotta work to do." he clicked open a communicator. "Crossman, you're gonna be busy for a while. Tucker out."
Lili rubbed her eyes. "I, it's dinner time. I should go cook. And, do you think he'll be here for lunch tomorrow?"
"The timing indicates that that may be correct." T'Pol said.
"Oh! Then I have menu planning to do, if Chef will be okay with it," Lili said.
=/\=
"Aiiiiiiiiidan!" Deb Haddon stretched his name out like a rubber band.
"Yeah?" MacKenzie was okay with her, but she wasn't as hot as Crossman and didn't have anywhere near the skills of the Orion girls he'd met in his travels.
"I wanna do something different."
"Uh, okay."
She said, "Let's do it somewhere else on the ship."
"Oh, for a different place, hmmm. You ever done it on a transporter pad?"
26
Small movements.
The mouse darted around corners. Jun followed, squealing and lunging, knife at the ready.
=/\=
"Here, hand me that spanner." Tripp said to Jenny.
"So, it's agreed. I'll take the first part, where our end begins, and you get the last part, where Hayes arrives?" she asked.
"That's the plan." Tucker said, concentrating on his work. "If Hayes is harboring any kind of virus or whatever, I may hit the floor before we even get to Quarantine."
"Hmm. Seems like it would be monumentally unfair if that were to happen."
"No one ever said this would be fair. Check those levels, okay?"
=/\=
"Oh, where has that child gone to?" Morgan asked.
Torres looked at him from a bed. "Uh, wha'?"
"You're useless." the doctor said, "That damned spoiled brat! I am not responsible for him."
The door opened, but Morgan didn't hear it.
"Uh, what, Doc?" Torres asked, still drunk, still holding his jaw.
"I said – as if it mattered to you in any way – that spoiled brat is nowhere to be found. That child needs a good whacking."
"Did you just call my son spoiled?"
=/\=
Pork loin. Side of cauliflower with a light cheese sauce. Bulgur with mushrooms.
Lili showed Brian how to make the sauce. "And not too high a flame."
"Why not? It'll cook faster," he said.
"It'll also burn faster, and it'll get gummy." she explained.
"Uh, thank you for teaching me this. Do you, do you think – there are rumors – you're going to leave the Enterprise?"
"That depends how today and tomorrow work out," she said, "Right now, I need to concentrate on working. Take my mind off things I'm really worrying about. Okay?"
=/\=
Tripp hoisted himself into a Jeffries tube. He began rerouting wires and was busy enough with it to not hear Ramirez. He did find something interesting, though.
When Tripp jumped out, there was Ramirez. "Sir, may I ask just what it is you're doing?"
=/\=
"Doctor, are you ready?" Captain Archer asked through a communicator.
"As prepared as is possible. The pathway to Quarantine will be clear and the door, of course, will be open for the Major's arrival. I have everything ready, including tricoulamine."
"Tricoulamine? Isn't that a neurotoxin?" Jonathan asked.
"Yes," said the doctor. "In case of, well, of Commander Tucker or Ensign O'Day becoming painfully ill. Or of Hayes becoming violent. We are still not confirmed that he will be able to even tolerate the Quarantine delay. A man with such high levels of testosterone is bound to be impatient at best. If he tries to take his frustrations out on, say, Commander Tucker, then I feel we should be prepared."
=/\=
Doug looked around the transporter room. He was about all set to just lay charges on the pads when he looked more closely. "Ah, yes," he said to himself. "These will do nicely." he laid three charges on the coordinate computer podium area and the other seven went behind the raised pads. "Yeah. These pads are gonna make excellent shrapnel."
=/\=
"Do you think it will really work?" Treve asked.
"I cannot say." Chawev said, "But our government supports it. It looks as if our punishments will be diminished, due to our efforts. That is something at least."
=/\=
"This," Tripp said, handing Ramirez a cracked sensor that he had found, "is why we don't have working sensors. At least it explains some of them."
"But sir, I have readings that indicate that power is being rerouted." Ramirez said.
"Huh, well, we don't have real working sensors, Crewman."
"Sir, I must insist."
"Look, Ramirez, are you lookin' for a commendation or somethin'? 'Cause I don't hand 'em out and I don't have the time. Uh, get this analyzed. Figure out why it cracked. See if we got others like this."
"Sir!"
"You got orders." Tucker departed.
"Okay." Ramirez said to no one. "But I still think it's not just some cracked sensors."
=/\=
"Doctor, you don't make these kinds of decisions," Jonathan said.
"I am well aware of that, Captain," Phlox said, "But I want it to be noted that while everyone else is busying themselves with trying to welcome this man, I want it to be understood that we may be unleashing a monster, and wedging open a doorway through which many more could cross over. This could be an elaborate means of beginning an invasion that we could be powerless to stop."
"Duly noted."
=/\=
"Empress!" Dr. Morgan said, pasting on a fake smile. "Didn't see you come in."
Despite his broken jaw, Torres chuckled a little, then winced.
"Of course you didn't. What the hell happened to him?" she asked.
"I'll have to wire his jaw." Morgan said, "He won't be able to talk and won't be able to eat anything solid for a while."
"There's almost nothing solid to eat here, anyway." The Empress said, "So, tell me about my son being a brat again."
"Well." Morgan said, working on Torres while talking. "If I may speak a bit freely, it's just that he is undisciplined. I feel that Cutler indulges him too much."
"Cutler does what I tell her to do," Hoshi said, "At least, most of the time. In any event, that's why I'm here. Have you seen her, or Jun? I can't find either of them, and it's time for Jun to have some supper. You need to come with me and look."
=/\=
"Yimar, your judgment is simply not well developed," Polloria said.
"No, I think it's very well developed." the young girl said.
"Yimar, you are, you have been rejecting all advice." Chawev pointed out.
"Yes," she said, "Mother is dead and I am the High Priestess. I may be young, still, but you will do as I say. I support this, this plan. And my decision is, for the second piece, for amplification, when it comes through our dishes – my decision is to throw open the doors and, and to let anyone come and go as they wish, at any time."
=/\=
Cutler came into the transporter Room. "I've got the Tactical targeting array rerouted completely. Should be a lot of power. Where are the charges?" she asked Doug.
"Over here. And twice as many over there. When they blow, the transporter pads will stay intact, at least for a while. Each one'll whip through the air like a discus. Should be able to do even more damage that way."
"Good thinkin', Old Man."
He opened his bag and emptied it, then started to remove his uniform.
"Don't tell me you're –" she said.
"No, no. Just changing," he said. He stripped to his underthings and threw his uniform onto the pads. He put on a blue shirt and a dark jacket, and jeans, and stuffed a few changes of underwear and socks into his pockets.
"You look really twentieth century," she said, "Why are you out of uniform?"
Tripp came in. "Time's a-wastin', kids. Hayes, what are you wearing?"
"These are the only really nice civvies I've got, even though they're hopelessly out of style," Doug explained. "And here." he gave his phase rifle to Cutler. "I don't want this."
"Don't want it?" she asked.
"No. And here." He handed over the dagger to Tucker, then took the extra knife out of his boot. "You'll need these where you're going. When you meet up with Jennifer down on the surface, these should be of help to you."
"Don't you need these?" Tripp asked. "I mean, c'mon. At least keep the knife. You don't know anything about where you're going."
"No, I suppose not," Doug admitted. "But I just, I don't want to make war anymore."
=/\=
"Do you think propping open this doorway will have consequences? Unexpected ones, I mean," Treve said.
"Naturally." Chawev said, "But I think it will all be very good for us. And the government agrees with me. Our lives are about to change."
=/\=
"All right." Tripp took a deep breath. "First coordinates are laid in. Just push down on the levers. Once we're gone and you've confirmed that, change the coordinates to the second predefined and set to auto. When are the charges set for?"
"Seventy minutes from now," Doug said.
"I hope for your sake it's enough time." Tucker said, "Bye, Old Man."
They shook hands. "Make sure she gets enough to eat," Doug said. He came over to Beth and kissed her on her right cheek. "Don't get another shiner, okay? And, uh, there's a hospital there. Get him there, maybe they can do something."
"You know he'll never go on his own," she said.
"Well, just try."
Doug returned to the coordinating computer as Tripp and Beth stepped onto pads. "Let's go." Tripp said, and Doug pressed down the levers.
=/\=
"It's like waiting for a show to begin," Malcolm said to Hoshi over dinner.
"Except we don't know if it'll turn out to be a comedy or a tragedy," she said.
"Or a horror film," Phlox said, "Is this seat taken?"
=/\=
Auto. Check. Coordinates. Check. Check coordinates again. Timer. Check. Check timer again. Sweat sprang from Doug's palms as he confirmed things yet again. He looked around one last time. "I won't miss a thing," he said, stepping onto a pad and waiting for the transporter to send him away.
=/\=
"Captain, there's been increased activity around the second-largest planet." T'Pol reported.
"Oh?"
"More ships are coming," Travis pointed out. "It's even more than were here for the festival the other day."
=/\=
Doug was, he was somewhere.
Grey. A little warm. Not falling but not really standing. He stood, as best he could, at attention. But that wasn't truly possible, and it was dull. His mind wandered.
He thought of Ganymede, and of being a child. He thought of Kathy Norris. You show me yours, I'll show you mine. Oh, yeah. He had been four years old at the time.
Then Darareaksmey Preap, the Cambodian bar girl who'd tolerated – albeit just barely – a young officer in Basic Training. She had taught him a few things, but almost no words of Khmer, except for the meaning of her first name: bright star.
He thought of Susan Cheshire, probably the closest he'd come to a real relationship while in his thirties. They had been together for four months when he'd started to realize just how dependent she was on synthbeer to get through her days.
Then Jennifer, sunbathing on Risa. They hadn't been together yet – it was just a tease on her part. And she'd gotten badly sunburned. He'd rubbed a salve on her back and that had turned into something far different.
That image was interrupted by his hands around Lucas Donnelly's neck. Then a phaser shot to Ethan Shapiro's belly. And on and on, to knifing Geming Sulu in the gut.
There was a voice. "Funny, you can't remember all the lays but you do remember all the kills."
Doug was nonplussed for a second. "Jay?"
=/\=
"You will live with the consequences, Yimar," Polloria said, "I cannot help you anymore."
"Good," said the young girl. "I never asked for that. Nor did I ask to be the High Priestess. But I am now. And you and Baden have been without justice. If our side will not do it, their side might."
=/\=
"C'mon, let's go do it on the transporter pad." Deb took Aidan's hand and led him to the transporter Room.
"Huh, there's laundry here," Aidan said.
"It's the Old Man's uni," she said, reading off the name on an arm patch. "I bet he's wandering around the halls in his undershorts, drooling."
"C'mon. Get your things off and you'll see drool," Aidan said.
=/\=
"You really do have rocks in your head," said the voice. "Jay's dead."
"I know that. And I'm thinking you're not, well, not something supernatural."
"No." the voice laughed a little. "Don't you know what I am?"
The imagery appeared again. Donnelly, Shapiro, Harris, and on and on to Sulu. Surprised or angry, bloody or clean, all at the moments of their deaths. At Doug's own hands.
"How are you going to do it, Doug?" asked the voice. "How are you going to be there, live under their laws? How are you going to take what they might dish out, without exploding? Your track record, it's not so good."
"I'll manage," Doug said.
"And when will you tell her, about the Denobulan village? You know, eighty-six dead Denobulans. Want to see them, too? I've got them all here," said the voice. "And so do you."
"I know what you are."
"Oh?"
"Yes," Doug said, "You're the, the ultimate sign of weakness. I had thought it was other things. But it's not being sick or hurt and seeking treatment. And it's not apologizing. And it's not even admitting that you love someone. No. The ultimate sign of weakness is, it's having a conscience. It's feeling guilt."
"Yes," said the voice. "And you do feel it."
"I do," Doug said, "This is, it's a new start. And a shot at redemption. And I know that apologizing to all of those families, and her forgiving me, I know that it's not all of it. I know that, now, I know that it's, that I will hold this guilt in me."
"And what will you do with it?" asked the voice.
"Lead a better life," Doug said.
The bottom dropped out.
=/\=
Jun banged on the door to the transporter Room. The mouse was somewhere nearby. He didn't know it was the transporter Room – he couldn't read – but the mouse was, maybe, in there.
"Go check on that." Deb said, "I'll still be here." she was lying back on the pad.
"This better not take too long," Aidan said, pulling on briefs.
=/\=
"Looks like we're in Act II." Tripp said, communicating to Jennifer.
"Okay, I'm coming." she arrived quickly. "I'll hold down the fort for a while."
"All right. You call me if it gets, er, hairy. I'll be back at oh nine hundred to relieve you."
=/\=
The Empress and Dr. Morgan saw Jun enter the transporter Room. "See, he has no discipline. Doesn't even come back when you call him." Morgan said.
"He's my son, not a Rottweiler," Hoshi said.
=/\=
It was a crossroads. Thousands, perhaps millions, of Calafans. Red and white, intermingling. Doug watched them passing back and forth for a few minutes. Then the scene changed again.
=/\=
There was the faintest of clicks as Aidan leaned over to grab Jun by the scruff of his neck. The last thing he needed was the kid when he was all ready to go. He barely heard the click.
Hoshi looked up to see him lifting up a struggling Jun just as the first of the charges went off.
=/\=
It was the Enterprise. 2:19 AM read a clock. Then over and over again, the same clock. Doug tried to move, but he was brought back to 2:19 over and over again. Finally he was able to move past it briefly. The time between resets got longer and longer. He could wait for about a minute, then everything would be reset to his arrival time. "Must be some time loop or something." he muttered.
=/\=
The transporter Room was in flames. More charges went off, and a transporter pad whizzed by their heads. Aidan did the only thing that training required – he pushed down on top of Hoshi and Jun. A boot flew past.
"Is there anyone else in there?" yelled Morgan over the din.
"H-Haddon!" yelled Aidan, cowering.
Morgan made his way in and found her body, or at least most of it.
=/\=
Doug found he could wander as soon as time began to stretch. No one could see or hear him. He could see people going about their days, then everything would reset and he'd be back at Square One at 2:19 and could start all over again. Lili was sleeping, and her breathing was quiet and she seemed to be in a dreamless state. Jennifer was monitoring the transporter. T'Pol was on the Bridge.
People walked around, talked a little. Night shift. Two male crew members were in the Observation Lounge. Doug stopped observing them when he realized they were on a date.
The Enterprise went about its nighttime business as he watched.
=/\=
"Sir, the cross-over seems to be going smoothly," Jennifer said when Tripp relieved her. "I think we're close to being done; we're starting to get different readings."
"All right. Stand down, Ensign. And tell your roommate."
Tripp checked the settings again as Lili arrived. "Ready?"
"Yes." she smiled. "Just got breakfast done. I hope he doesn't mind I'm wearing chef's whites."
"I don't think he's gonna mind." Tripp said, "Here we go."
Doug materialized and staggered a little. He looked up, and this is what Lili saw:
[img] .[/img]
"Can you run?" Tripp asked. Doug nodded and looked at Lili quizzically.
"Let's go," she said, taking his hand.
27
Breathless.
The run was quick and hot and all three of them were panting by the time they got into Quarantine and Dr. Phlox had sealed the door behind them.
Doug stood in front of the little bench and bent over, panting. Lili sat down, put down her PADD and held her side. Tripp shook it off by walking around a little.
"Everyone accounted for?" Phlox asked through the intercom.
"Yeah, Doc." Tripp said, "I don't think I've ever sprinted quite that quick before."
Doug and Lili looked at each other. She trembled a little. "You, you look different from what I thought," she said.
"Hopelessly ugly?" he asked.
"No. Just, just not exactly the same. Like you're taller, and I thought you'd be greyer."
"I am going grey." his eyes flashed downward.
"Oh. Me, too," she said, smiling a little.
He sat down next to her on the bench. "You're different, too."
"Hopelessly ugly, am I?"
"Of course not. A bit shorter. And definitely curvier."
"I, I'm in Food Service. Most of us are carrying around about nine kilos we can never seem to lose."
"Well, it doesn't look like it's in any bad places," he said, "And even if it is, so what."
"Your voice is the same. And your eyes are, too."
"Yours, too," he said, "I wonder why we didn't have perfect matching. You'd think we would."
"Maybe – if I may –" Tripp interjected, "maybe you kinda idealized yourselves. Or maybe you idealized each other. You know, eye of the beholder and all o' that."
"Possibly," Doug said, "I, um, I gotta thank you, Tucker. But I think you'll understand why I'm not so thrilled to have a chaperone right now."
"Feels like taking my Prom Date home to meet my grandfather," Lili added.
Dr. Phlox waved from the other side of a window in the wall. He spoke into the intercom. "Stay where I can observe you."
"And then there's him." Tripp said, facing Doug and Lili, and away from Phlox.
"Gawd." she giggled nervously and touched Doug's hand.
He looked at her intently. "The best hand," he said quietly.
"Hang on. And don't say I never do anythin' for you." Tripp said. He turned to face the window and got right in front of it. He flipped on the intercom. "Doc, I was thinkin', while I got you here. I got this kinda, it's a little bit of a pain and a clicking sound on the right side of my jaw. See it, here?" he opened his mouth wide and did his best to block the window.
Lili said, "Y'know, we never actually had a proper first kiss. Where you don't know which side to put your nose on and you're afraid that the kiss won't be welcome or you'll click teeth or something."
"That's true," Doug said, "Well, no time like the present." He put his hand on her back and drew her closer.
Her breathing got faster. She looked down for a second and then put her hand on his face.
It started off close-mouthed. Eyes open. A peck on the lips. Soft. Warm. Light.
They opened their mouths tentatively and she looked into his eyes, then closed hers, and he closed his. He drew her in nearer. She moved her hand from his face to the back of his neck. His free hand touched her side very lightly. Breathing was hot, breath to breath, tasting, touching, no more difference from one mouth to the other. She made a slight noise. He countered by pushing in harder, his mouth covering hers.
"And I get it mostly when I talk too much." Tripp said to Dr. Phlox.
"Commander Tucker, I can see what you are trying to do, but really. I have to observe them. It is for yours and the Ensign's own safety and well-being. Now, step aside."
Tripp cleared his throat, then cleared it louder.
Doug opened his eyes and pulled back. He blinked a few times and drew a deep breath.
Lili looked up, face flushed.
"What's that?" Phlox asked. "On the side of the Ensign's mouth."
=/\=
"Are you seeing consequences of propping open the doorway?" Yimar asked.
"Yes." her father replied. "Polloria and Baden have crossed over. Perhaps you are right. Maybe they will face punishment on that side."
=/\=
Doug touched Lili's mouth. "It's, it's blood," he said.
"It doesn't hurt," she said.
"Still, this may be a symptom," Dr. Phlox said, "You need to stay in my line of sight throughout the remainder of Quarantine."
"Doc, I think it's just overzealous kissin'." Tripp said.
"That may very well be the case." the doctor admitted. "But I refuse to throw caution to the wind."
"It's, it's all right," Lili said, wiping the trace of blood from the side of her mouth. More later?" she said softly to Doug.
"Yes." he whispered to her and took her hand again. "I, uh, I wonder why we didn't spark that time, when I arrived and we touched."
"Well, that was the dream. This is the real part," she said.
"This part's better," he said, smiling at her.
"How long we got, Doc?" Tripp asked.
"If there are no further symptoms, I estimate about an hour for you and the Ensign, and another hour or so for the Major."
"Major?" Doug asked. "I haven't been a Major in quite a while."
"I guess we've been sayin' that, and thinking about Jay when we've been saying it." Tripp explained. "And you're not him, of course."
"No more than you are the guy on the other side with the scar on his face," Doug said, "He, uh, he made this possible. And you have, too. Thank you."
"Ah, I'm a sucker for these things." Tucker admitted. "Just don't tell anyone, all right?"
Lili turned to Doug. "You, um, you said I was the second woman you ever trusted. May I ask who the first one was? Was it Jennifer?"
"No, no," Doug smiled. "It was my mother."
"Oh. Well, um, since we'll be here a while, what do you think – because we don't know this at all – can we talk about our childhoods? You, too, Commander, if you'd like," she said.
"Uh, that's all right. But you two go ahead if you want to." Tripp said.
"Well, I don't know if there's a lot to tell, although I get the feeling we don't have the same kind of system you've got," Doug said.
"System?" Lili asked.
"You live with your folks until you're seven years old. They home school you in things like reading and basic math. Then you get sent to a day school for seven years. Then a high school or academy for, you guessed it, another seven. I was born on Ganymede."
"That's a moon of Jupiter, right?" she asked.
"It's the biggest one." he confirmed. "I'm an only child. And then I was sent to Triton Day School. Lemme tell ya, Triton is always cold."
"When did you see your parents?" she asked.
"We have a one-week holiday every season. Everything shuts down. So I saw them during winter week break, that kinda thing. Took a series of tests at the end – everyone does. Maybe five percent become, like, elites, doctors, artists and the like. Another ten percent become engineers. And then the other eighty, eighty-five percent of all of us? We become soldiers," Doug paused for a breath. "Guess where I placed?"
Lili smiled. "So you were fourteen and they had your life all planned out?"
"More or less. High school was on Terra. I had scored really well so I went to West Point."
"What's Terra?" Tripp asked. "Er, sorry to eavesdrop, but it's gonna be inevitable while we're in here."
"It's okay," Doug said, "Terra is the home world. You know, third planet from the sun?"
"Ohhhh," Lili said, "We call it Earth."
"Odd," Doug said, "Anyway, finished West Point and went to basic in Cambodia, which I've told you about. I was there for around four years, waiting for an assignment. Then I just went wherever, did whatever. Did freighter defense to start, and then moved up to the MACOs."
Lili shuddered when he mentioned moving up. "I see," she said quietly.
Doug pressed on her hand a little. "Yeah, it was like that." he admitted. "Took off for wars whenever they intervened. Went to war on his planet, actually." he nodded in the direction of Phlox.
"What about the Xindi War? Didja have that?" Tripp asked.
"Yes. I fought in the Battle of Azati Prime."
"You don't have to talk about that. Not today," Lili said, "How 'bout if I go? Seeing as you only know about the big trauma in my childhood, maybe I should fill you in on a few of the other details."
"All right," Doug smiled at her.
"Y'know, you mainly smile with your mouth closed." she observed.
"My teeth are a little crooked," he said, "I guess I got self-conscious when I was a teenager and that never really went away."
"Oh." she squeezed his hand. "Anyway. My life. I was born on Titan. And our lives are very different, as you have surmised. Went to school and all. I'm also an only. And when I was nine years old, well, you know what happened."
"And?" Dr. Phlox asked. "I don't mean to pry, but this is interesting if you don't mind telling."
"It's all right. I, my parents were killed in a house fire and I was sent to live with my mother's parents, in New France on Titan."
"That have anything to do with you becoming a chef?" Tripp asked.
"Yes," she said, "The way I processed it all was to become a master of fire. Went to Titan High School, didn't do so well and was probably going to be all set for a thrilling career washing dishes when I got an opportunity to cook for the head of the Mars Culinary Institute."
"What did you make?" Doug asked.
She smiled. "You knew I would know this. It was Lobster en Croute. It's a strained bisque – that's a kind of soup – in puff pastry. I guess I impressed her and ended up being admitted to the MCI. Finished up when I was twenty and first worked at the Tethys Tavern. I didn't just cook there, I tended bar sometimes, too. Went through a bunch of restaurants and opened Voracious on Earth a little over five years ago. Then when the Xindi War broke out, I was drafted and here I am."
"So you can make a good martini, Ensign?" Phlox asked. "Perhaps I will ask you to show me that when I am next off-duty."
"I also know the proper way to pour a Guinness," she said.
"What's that?" asked Doug.
"It's an Irish dry stout." she explained.
"Ensign, you and Commander Tucker are free to go," Dr. Phlox said.
She got up. "Stay," Doug said.
"I have to go slave over a hot stove," she said, "Something about a very special lunch for a certain weary traveler."
"Oh?" Doug asked, mouth corners turned up a little.
"Yes. And I have to supervise and change and get it all ready because it's got to be perfect."
"I, I hope you don't serve that traveler like an Emperor. I think he can make his own plate."
She smiled. "I'll be off-duty when that lunch starts. So I'll be a guest, too. See you there. Oh, and here." she handed him the PADD. "Something to do to pass the time." She and Tucker left.
Doug sighed. "All right. Uh, Doc, if you don't mind, I'll just read."
"Very well," Dr. Phlox said, "I am right here if you have any difficulties."
Doug clicked on the PADD and started it up again. He read her letter to him and smiled, then started looking at Jay's service record. "December 5th, huh? Strange. I'm two days older than you." he murmured to himself.
=/\=
"I understand you think you'll continue to evade punishment by being here, Baden," Treve said.
"It was all her idea." A ruddy Baden said, "We did not want to kill your mother, but it was necessary. Polloria insisted."
"My mother is alive on this side," Treve said, "But no matter. You're both still responsible. I'll contact my counterpart. Your free days are coming to an end."
=/\=
"You look good, Roomie," Jennifer said as she and Lili stood outside the Main Conference Room.
"I feel a little like my boyfriend's meeting my grandparents for the first time."
"Well, he kind of is," Jenny said, "It'll all go fine. Oh, and I wanted you to know – I'm staying with Hoshi for the next few days."
"You don't know how grateful I am," Lili whispered.
"I can guess," Jenny said.
They walked in. Lili sat down with Jenny. Malcolm smiled at her and took a seat one away from her. "Where's the guest of honor?" he asked.
"They're on their way," Hoshi said, checking. "That's a pretty dress, Lili."
"Thanks. I feel like a teenager."
The door opened and Phlox and Doug walked in. She nodded her head to Doug, who came over and sat between her and Malcolm. "You look beautiful," he said softly. "I remember that blue dress."
She smiled. "Do you, do you know everyone?" Introductions were made. When she got to Jenny, Lili said, "This is Jenny Crossman. She's, uh, she's one of my very best friends."
Brian Delacroix walked in with a huge tray. Doug swallowed hard when he saw him. Brian said, "We, um, Ensign O'Day designed the menu. And she insisted that the portions be small because there are a lot of different things. And, um, a heavy lunch would make everybody nap afterwards anyway."
"I don't want to be asleep." she whispered to him. He squeezed her knee slightly and she jumped a little.
"First we have a salad. On, um ..," Brian said.
"A bed of mixed greens," Lili prompted.
"Um, yes. And with Mandarin oranges and slivered almonds. Enjoy," Brian set out the plates.
Doug whispered to Lili, "Oranges?"
"Yes," she said quietly, reddening a tiny bit.
He sat there for a while. Everyone stared. "Huh?" he asked.
"They're being really polite and waiting for you to start," Lili explained.
"Oh, well, on, um, on the other side of the pond, you wait for your superior officer to eat first. So I guess I'm waiting for the Captain, Commander T'Pol and Commander Tucker. Lieutenant Reed and I are the same, so I don't have to wait for him."
"Well, we don't stand on ceremony like that," said Jonathan. "But I'll start anyway." he smiled.
"Something to drink, sir?" asked Brian.
"Uh, water, I guess," Doug said, "Or show me where to get it."
"I don't mind serving, sir."
"We have other things to drink," Lili said, "There's fruit juice and soft drinks. And we have coffee and tea."
"Wait, you have real coffee?"
"Yes, of course. How do you take it, sir?"
"Uh, black, I guess. I don't want too many overindulgences."
"What was the transference like?" Travis asked, between bites. "What's everybody looking at me for? Isn't anyone else curious?"
"A long transport is not fun," Hoshi said, "But you were in way longer than I was that one time."
"Oh, Emp– uh, Ensign. Yeah, it's, well, you're kind of alone with your thoughts," Doug said, cleaning his plate.
"Next course," Lili prompted.
"We have a filet mignon with roasted potatoes and a side of spinach with, uh, with Vidalia onions and Wisconsin cheddar and, um, sea salt from, er ..," Brian said.
"Proteus," Lili said, "The, uh, you have the one that's cooked rare?"
"Yes, this one," Brian produced the plate and put it in front of Doug.
"You remembered everything," he said.
"All I want to do is please you," she said softly.
He squeezed her knee again, and she put her hand on top of his, under the table.
"There's no steak knife," he said.
"You don't need one," she said.
"Hayes, do you have plans?" Captain Archer asked.
"I, um, it depends on a lot of things, I guess. A lot to think about right now. I might just retire. I don't know."
"Well, you don't have to decide everything right now," Jenny said.
"Lots of time," he said, eating the last of his steak.
"Still hungry?" she asked.
"Yes," he said quietly, looking at her intently.
"We have chocolate chunk cookies!" Brian announced with a flourish.
"I remember the last time you made those," Doug said.
"Well, I don't think it'll end the same way," Lili said.
"Better not," Doug whispered.
"Uh, Captain?" Lili asked, blood rushing to her face. "Can we, uh, get these to go?"
Captain Archer smiled broadly. "Yes, of course. We've made you sit here long enough."
"Thank you, Captain," Doug said, getting up. He looked at her. She was grabbing two cookies and putting them into a napkin.
"Thank you all," she said, straightening up.
Once they got out of the Conference Room, they ran to Lili's quarters.