The dogs settled into life on the NX-01. There were too many of them, and they were often underfoot, so most of them were quickly shipped off to the still-unnamed planet. Karin Bernstein-Rosen – for she had married Josh – and Jonathan found a great deal of satisfaction in training a lot of the new canines. They could get them all to sit and stay, and come when they were called. They had simple names, like Champ. The two retrievers were black – Midnight and Shadow. The ship joined in the namings and it seemed that everyone got a chance, even the Ikaarans, who were amused by the special bond between humans and canids.
Time off the ship had been good for the captain, and for Esilia, who had joined them. It had been a few months, and the air was decent and not recycled. But the lighting was somewhat dim there without artificial light, which was a power drain. Their efficiency was as good as they could possibly make it, but it was still difficult to grow crops there, despite their best efforts.
Back on the ship, they sat together for lunch. The captain had adopted the little tricolored dog and had named her Daisy. She sat, hoping for a morsel or two to drop. Brian served. "Another BLT, sir?"
"No, no, that's all right," he said, "You?"
"Oh, no, it is already too much. After so much want, to be around so much plenty, it is easy to overindulge," Esilia explained.
"Can I come back later for the dishes, sir? I, uh, I want to see my girl, if that's okay."
"Of course," allowed Captain Archer. Brian practically ran out of there. "He really likes Izquilla."
"I am certain that she appreciates him. Do you think he will give her a living gift soon?"
"A what?"
"You must have known this from the last time, Jonathan," Esilia explained, "When you give someone a living thing as a gift, it is to propose marriage. It is a very intimate act."
"I see. Here, Daisy," he beckoned the dog over with a small morsel of bacon and got on one knee. Lifting up the little dog, he stated, "Daisy, Esilia is your new mistress. I am giving you to her because; well, because I love her."
"I accept your living gift, and all that it entails," Esilia answered, "I will love you until the decline takes me."
"Let's hope that's a long time from now."
=/\=
Lili was in the galley, chopping vegetables. Despite her higher ranking, she still did that; Will almost never had, but her management style was far more relaxed and she didn't mind preparing or cleaning up.
As Ian had predicted – although she didn't remember – the little tan dog was hers. The mongrel dog had been named Cocoa, but Lili often called her Cokie. Cokie had had three puppies in Sick Bay but, to keep them from getting in the way, they had been transferred to a little boxed-off area in the galley. There had been a contest to name the three female puppies and Meredith Porter had won, with Windy, Breezy and Stormy.
Cokie's mate was evidently a pit bull, and had been named Sparky. He was technically Craig's, but he spent his time mostly with his little family and that meant the galley. He and Cokie were intently watching the vegetables, probably wishing they were meat.
"MACOs are down on Amity's surface, looking to catch procul. That's why you guys were brought on board in the first place. But I don't think any of you, personally, will be herding procul. I think the five of you will just be pets, like Daisy. Probably Shep and Champ and Duke will do the herding, eh?"
There were a few head tilts but no comments from Lili's canine audience. "I'm so glad you're here. I'm glad somebody loves me."
The door slid open. It was Brian and Izquilla. "Oh! We are so sorry!" Izquilla blurted out.
"That's okay," Lili replied, "me and my entourage were just getting an early jump on dinner."
"It's Movie Night tonight," Brian explained, "Chip is showing The Godfather. I think he's trying to get the more adult films played now, before Jenny has her baby and we start just watching kiddie stuff. You coming, Lili?"
Lili shook her head. "Violent films give me nightmares. Plus, who would I go with?"
"Well, Brian is taken," Izquilla giggled, "But there is Derek Kelby. Or maybe Gary or Eddie would like to sit with you."
"I dunno," Lili sighed, "Derek's so serious all the time."
"Then Eddie. He can be funny," Izquilla suggested, "We do not wish for you to be lonely and sad."
"I've got my little loves," Lili gestured at her entourage.
The door opened again. This time, it was Craig. "You lost?" Lili asked.
"Very funny," he replied, "just wanted to grab a few stalks of celery. Maybe the procul will be attracted to 'em. I dunno what we'll do, as stun kills 'em. I dunno about you, but I don't wanna share a shuttle with a procul moving around in the back."
"Maybe they can be beamed, or boxed up, or something," Brian suggested.
"I'm sure I dunno," Craig replied, "You coming to Movie Night, Lili?" Izquilla arched an eyebrow but put it down when Craig added, "You think Dakiza would go with me?"
"I think she would like that," replied the Ikaaran.
"Ah! Look at the time! Gotta go!" Craig exclaimed.
"Be careful, Craig!" Lili called out as he left, "Don't forget what happened last time on Amity!"
"Don't worry!" he replied.
After the door had shut, Lili turned to Brian and Izquilla and sighed, "Of course I worry." She thought for a moment. "Brian, where are the dishes from the Captain's Mess?"
"Oh, uh, yeah, we'll get them," he said. They left.
Lili looked down at the dogs after the door had shut again. "I guess he's in love and he's a little oblivious to that right now. But still! The dishes need to be cleaned, whether he's in love or not."
The door opened. It was José Torres.
"Something I can do for you?" Lili asked.
"I, um, I was wondering, uh, are you going to Movie Night tonight?"
She looked at him, and he was hopping from one foot to the other, as if he were either nervous or really needed to visit the head. "I don't really like those kinds of movies."
"Oh," he was disappointed. He turned to leave.
"I, uh," Lili volunteered, "I usually just read in my quarters or something. But I could, uh; I guess I'll hang out in the Observation Lounge later. You know, look at that half-built sphere and stuff."
"Oh. Uh, yeah." He departed.
"Huh," Lili murmured, "I can't tell if I have a date or not, or what any of that was about." Sparky barked once. "Really? You think so?" she joked. "Actually, I need to do something. I need to talk to someone who actually speaks English. Er, sorry." She put the chopped vegetables into a bowl in the refrigeration unit and walked out.
=/\=
Amity was much like they had left it. "It's weird to know," Eddie stated, "that our counterparts were here recently. The Major was even here a few months before." He sighed. "God, how can Lili stand it, and Sandra and the others, knowing there's another version out there that loved them?" He was a touch overcome as he could include himself in that number.
"Can't say as I know," Craig shook his head, "here; let's try the celery as bait, okay?"
They were able to get very close to the procul, who were as tame as lambs. "Which part does the eating?" asked Eddie.
"I read about this," Susie explained, "it's the undercarriage. Everything goes on under there. That's where their eyespots are, too."
"Huh. Why would they keep their eyes underneath like that?" Eddie asked. "They've got fourteen legs in the way. I mean, what good are their eyes if they got all this stuff in the way all the time?"
"I didn't design 'em," Susie joked.
"Let's try just leaving the celery out," Craig suggested, "and see what happens."
They watched for a while as the procul mainly just milled around, seemingly without purpose. "This feels pointless," Eddie called, "Here, procul, procul!"
"I dunno as that'll work," Craig laughed.
They waited some more, and then noticed the malostrea coming out of their dens, shells clattering and clapping and chattering. "Now, we know the procul will head back to the ocean, once a few of 'em are killed by the malostrea," Susie clarified.
"So let's head 'em off at the pass," Eddie suggested.
They took places on the shoreline. The largest procul changed from rust to celadon color and then reared up and rubbed two of its forward legs together, thereby making a high-pitched whistling sound.
The malostrea, still clapping and chattering, attacked it, and the big beast soon fell. The herd scattered. Many of them headed straight for Eddie, Susie and Craig. Craig opened a plastic cargo container. With Eddie pushing the beast, they managed to get a procul into the box. Susie sealed up the box as the men worked on capturing the next oblivious procul.
They managed to get eighteen in all. The others ambled back into the water and swam away, and they could see why the eyespots were on the underside of the animals – they swam in a way that seemed backwards, so the eyespots ended up being right in front. They were unexpectedly graceful swimmers.
After the eighteen cargo boxes – each containing one procul – were loaded up, Susie, Craig and Eddie began to gather plants that they had seen the procul feeding on. They filled two more cargo boxes and headed back to the Ikaaran shuttle, which had been recently christened the Daniel Chang.
Kerna, the pilot, reported, "They have been quiet. Perhaps they accept their relocation."
"I dunno," Eddie added, "they're pretty dumb. I'm not so sure they'll even notice they're somewhere else."
"Shh," she cautioned as they took off, "they'll hear you."
He laughed at that. "Silly gal." He tentatively touched her shoulder and looked at her when he said that, and smiled. She smiled back.
Susie explained, "The other NX-01 studied two of the malostrea. They named them Thing One and Thing Two, and painted those numbers on their shells."
"So?" Craig asked.
"So I wonder why we didn't see them today," she speculated.
"I dunno," Craig replied, "maybe they weren't going on a procul hunt today. Or maybe they were still on the other ship?"
"I dunno," she shrugged.
Unbeknownst to them, Thing One and Thing Two were there – two malostrea with chipped paint on their shells. But perhaps because they knew a little something of humans, they had not shown themselves.
=/\=
Lili went to Sick Bay. "Something I can help you with?" Phlox asked. He and Andrew were tending to Meredith Porter and Karin Bernstein-Rosen.
"I can wait," Lili told him.
"We're finished up here. And congratulations to you both." The two women thanked him and left. Phlox added, "Two more pregnancies! I'm awfully glad you're here to assist, Andrew."
"It's why I'm here. You're not pregnant, are ya, Lili?" Her face fell and he quickly added, "Open mouth, insert foot. I'm so sorry. It was dumb and not very sensitive of me to say that." Embarrassed, he pretended to take an inordinate amount of interest in the Derellian bat.
"It's, it's all right," Lili stammered out. "Doc, can I talk to you? I mean like a counselor?"
"By all means. Would you prefer if Andrew were to depart?"
"No, uh, that's all right," she allowed. She thought for a moment as to how to begin. "I, uh, I think José Torres asked me out."
"You think?" inquired the Denobulan.
Lili smiled a little. "He mentioned Movie Night, and I said I didn't want to see the picture Chip was showing. Then I mentioned maybe going to the Observation Lounge. And then he, well, he didn't agree to it, but he didn't disagree, either."
"I can see where that would be a bit confusing. Why are you asking me about this, Lieutenant Commander?"
"It's just, I kinda don't know what to do. I mean, he's a nice guy and all, but he's not my first choice. Or my second. Those are, they are, they're, they're dead."
"Is he, perhaps, your third choice?" the doctor asked.
Lili shook her head. "I'm not so sure where he fits on the spectrum. Maybe there is no more spectrum any more. Maybe there is no one else. I dunno."
"Is it," Andrew asked, injecting himself into the conversation, "that he in particular is approaching you, or is it that anyone – and it just so happened to be him – has approached you?"
"I dunno. And I know how unfair it all is. How can he possibly compete with two ghosts?"
"Perhaps you are idolizing the departed," Phlox opined.
Lili decided to change the subject as she was getting uncomfortable. "Doc, is there maybe something you could give me?"
"Give you?"
"For the way I'm feeling. I suspect I've got depression. And I know you've got drugs for that."
"I do," the Denobulan admitted, "but there may be other avenues we could try first."
"But–"
"You are, to be sure, still affected by the Major's and the Lieutenant's deaths. You are probably also somewhat affected by Chef Slocum's as well. But there has been some time in between, and you have been able to function perfectly well. After all, the first of these events was last September; the most recent was last November. You even made it to Earth and back and now care for your own pets. You received a substantial promotion and have thrown yourself into your new duties with what is, to all observations, enthusiasm."
"Doctor, I feel terrible. Please!"
"Wouldn't you rather at least make an effort to talk out your problems?" he insisted.
"I–"
"Lili," it was Andrew, "why don't you and I go for a walk, okay? Maybe we can, I dunno, let's just chat a bit."
"Okay."
"Is this okay, Doc?" Andrew asked.
"By all means, Mister Miller."
Andrew and Lili departed.
=/\=
They stopped by the galley and she collected her little entourage. She and Andrew carried the puppies, which didn't really walk much yet. "Might as well get 'em all exercised," she decided. Sparky and Cokie trotted behind as they walked. "Well?"
"Actually, I was hoping that you could help me with something," Andrew explained.
"Oh?"
"See, I don't really know how to approach Shelby. I know we work out, but God only knows exactly how. Every time I see her, I think about what's supposed to happen and I just end up getting all tongue-tied."
"Well, I guess it's just that initial hump that you've gotta get over."
"I guess so, but it feels like a mountain. What do I say? What's the key that unlocks that door?"
"I guess only you and Shelby could ever really know that," Lili mused, "But in the meantime, just keep on doing what you're doing. Interact even if it's just regular old normal talking. It can be about work or whatever. And whenever it's going to come, it'll come."
"Yanno, I look at my old logs from that earlier kick back and I have no idea who that guy is." He put down Windy and Breezy, who sniffed the corridor.
"I saw something in Jay's logs that was like that. He said he was; let me see if I can get this right, not the only one who's unacquainted with the self."
"It's a second chance, kinda," Andrew stated as Lili put Stormy down and the little dog joined everyone else as they sniffed some unseen yet fascinating thing on the floor. "But I just don't know. Just talk to her? About anything?"
"Yeah, uh, Andy?"
"Hmm?"
"I know what you're trying to do."
"You do?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
"And you're sweet for trying. But it's not just, for me, that it's a second time. It's, well, I had my second time. I barely know what this is now. José isn't a part of my first time around. He is not them."
"Right," Andy asked, "But I think that's all he's guilty of, right?"
=/\=
Lili made dinner, thinking about what Andy had said. Brian flitted in and out, mostly out, with Izquilla in tow. The captain was having dinner with Esilia and Dakiza in the Captain's Mess and Craig, nervous, nearly spilled a pitcher of iced tea in Captain Archer's lap.
"Life goes on," Lili murmured to herself, "whether I go along for the ride or not."
Finally, the cleanup was finished.
"Got any plans for tonight?" asked Craig.
"Yeah," Lili replied.
"Well, have fun."
=/\=
Lili went to her quarters and changed out of her chef's whites. Nothing too provocative, she thought to herself.
There were various tee shirts with assorted necklines in her closet and bureau. There were a few turtlenecks as well. Way in the back of the closet, there was a yellow boatneck top she'd forgotten she owned. She selected one of her more modest tees.
There was the sapphire dress. There was a denim skirt and a few more business-like skirts. She rejected all of those in favor of a pair of somewhat loose-fitting jeans. She added a plain turquoise hoodie and was ready. No makeup was applied.
Picking up her PADD, she departed. Her destination was the Observation Lounge.
=/\=
The Ikaarans had been staying there, but they were mainly gone. Esilia and the captain were living together, as were Brian and Izquilla. Most of the other women were, tentatively, trying relationships on for size. Lili figured that most if not all of them were at Movie Night.
She sat in a comfortable chair facing the viewing portal. She clicked on her PADD to open a book – The Trial by Franz Kafka. Quietly, she began reading, and about jumped out of her skin when a shadow passed over the PADD's surface.
"Oh!" she cried out.
"I'm sorry. Did I startle you?" It was José.
"It's okay," she replied.
"Is this seat taken?" he indicated the chair next to hers. They were alone in the large Observation Lounge.
"Of course not."
He sat down, a little fidgety. "Whatcha readin'?"
She showed him. "It's weird, and very paranoid. It's like, I dunno, kinda like death by bureaucracy."
"Sounds scary. Sure you wouldn't rather go and see The Godfather instead?" he joked.
"At least this doesn't have pictures."
"Got it." He jiggled his leg a bit, edgy.
"Do you have your PADD with you?"
"Uh, yeah."
"I could transfer over the file, in case you want to read the book, too," Lili offered.
"Uh, maybe another time." He fiddled with a loose thread on his uniform.
"José!"
"What?"
"Stop that. Please. You're making me nervous."
"Oh, sorry. I, uh, I thought we could talk."
"About what?" she asked, setting her PADD down.
"I dunno, uh, stuff."
"Stuff?"
"Yeah," José mumbled, "I, um, I don't run around. I don't drink. I will never hit you. I will, I will always listen to whatever you have to say. If, uh, if you have anything that's broken, I will, uh, I will always fix it."
Lili just looked at him. "I don't know what to do."
"I know there are, there are guys who are more romantic than me. I don't know how to do that. I just, I don't. I wish I did. And God knows they're all better-looking than I am."
"José–"
"It's funny, my old logs, they show I went after lots of women. Hoshi, even. And then you were taken but we met Ikaarans then, too, and the youngest one and me, this girl named Corda, we were together. But they die so young."
"The Ikaarans don't seem to have a monopoly on dying young."
"I, uh, yeah, that's true." He looked her in the eye and bit his lower lip. "I'm no replacement for, for either of them. And if you, if you wanted another fellow, I, uh, I guess I'd understand."
She looked at him and her brain screamed, it's too soon. Terrified, she grabbed her PADD and lit out of there, nearly hyperventilating once she got back to her quarters.
=/\=
"I am here," Ian announced.
"Oh, good. I need you."
"That's lovely to hear, but why, Lili?"
"José Torres asked me out. He practically proposed to me and everything. I got the distinct impression that he wanted to skip about fifty steps and just cut straight to the chase."
"I see."
"All I can do is freak out," Lili had an edge to her voice, "I can talk to you just fine, even though you're, um, …"
"Deceased. Gone to meet my maker and all that."
"Yeah," she agreed, "I, uh, I didn't know if that would be an offensive term or anything."
"Hardly. It's a fact, is it not? But back to you. What troubled you so much about José?"
"It felt prickly and strange, like I wasn't supposed to be there and he wasn't and it was all just, I guess the term is against the grain."
"He told you he's not romantic."
"You were listening?"
"We hear and see everything. We are constantly looking out for you, even though your waking self has no idea that we are there."
"Ah. It just, Ian, it all scares me."
"What, precisely, frightens you?"
"Moving on."
"It feels final, yes?"
"Yes," Lili agreed, "it feels like if I moved on, I'd never see you again; lose the sounds of your voices and the feel of you holding me and all of that. It feels like the door would be shut and locked, just like, like Malcolm and Jay's quarters."
"But you can go back into those any time you wish," he whispered to her, "what makes you think that the key will be dropped in the dark and swept 'way by a flood, never to be retrieved again?"
"Are you sure?" she whispered back, groping for him in the dark.
He held her hand and kissed it. "This bond transcends death. It'll transcend José Torres or Derek Kelby or anyone else you find you fancy."
"I just, I've gotta be sure. Don't ever leave me."
"Never."
=/\=
José Torres's Personal Log, May fourth, 2038
I bet I botched it.
=/\=
Jonathan Archer's Personal Log, May fourth, 2038
We've got procul. Now to train the dogs to herd it and not chase it. Karin informs me that Shep seems to show the most promise. Shep the shepherd – I guess that works.
But that's not my really big news. I gave Daisy to Esilia. We'll marry soon. Er, me and Esilia. No word if anyone will marry Daisy.
=/\=
Craig Willets's Personal Log, May fourth, 2038
I walked Dakiza back to the Observation Lounge after the movie, and we kissed. Awesome.