"Commander Burnham report to the holodeck,"
Burnham looked up from her station raising a eyebrow.
She was very familiar to the holodeck. It was in the process of being approved within Starfleet. There were many studies that had been sprung up about it. Countless man hours put into it making sure it was in working order. So far, there was a control console that was said to have features capable of controlling the holodeck. It was currently tested on Constitution classes. She picked up her padd and used it as her guide to lead into the holodeck. She left engineering with a slow pace making it to the holodeck. She came to a stop inside the room that was purple with the symbol of Starfleet on four sides of the room. Landry stood in the center with her hands linked behind her back. She turned in the direction of the xenoanthropologist.
"Arrived as ordered," Burnham said.
"The captain needs the Krikri to be occupied with familiar surroundings," Landry said.
"Already on his nerves?" Burnham asked.
"Krikri hasn't told the captain the frequency channel that his civilization uses," Landry said. "Two days of no information is very frustrating."
"Understood," Burnham said. "He wants him to relax and feel at home."
"For now," Landry said. "Afterwards, he is sending Krikri back to the ship and the Discovery is set to escort him."
"It will take ten minutes," Burnham said.
"I will inform the captain," Landry said. "Burnham. . . Kowski wasn't supposed to fly the shuttle over to the Glenn, it was Bryce, Kowski was a pilot in training. A new officer fresh out of the academy." Burnham listened intently to the first officer. "It's a shame we had to lose Kowski, but he was scared and I wouldn't have handled that well as you did." Burnham tilted her head, confused.
"I did not handle it at all," Burnham said. "I should have made him lower his hand then remove the phaser."
"You did your best," Landry said. "The security cameras showed that."
"What would you have done?" Burnham asked.
"Stun him," Landry replied.
Burnham nodded.
"Logical," Burnham said.
"I will leave you to it," Landry said. "The computer controls the holodeck."
Landry left Burnham. Burham rubbed her shoulder as though it ached. She stopped letting go of her shoulder. She turned away from the doors looking around the scenery. She took a sigh then breathed out. She walked to the center of the holodeck.
"Computer," Burnham said. "Prepare a forest simulation."
"Does not compute," came the computer's female voice.
"Computer," Burnham began. "activate holodeck." A light blue grid surrounded the dark woman. "Prepare a forest holoprogram." A forest appeared around her in a bright scenery. Burnham walked through the scenery. "Prepare a cave entrance across by five hundred feet. Computer, adjust size of leaves. Thicker and larger. The bottom floor of the forest became coated in darkness."
Burnham walked through the forest as little details came here and there. Lower branches appeared with dangling fruit that seemed to be odd. Patches of grass had large, green balls with lines. Plants appeared around the five hundred foot scenery. Burnham came to a stop once at the mouth of the cave. She walked into the cave. New streams of water came down the sides of the cave upon Burnham's command. She looked up seeing the ceiling glowing in the dark. The glow in the dark figures vanished and she resumed her trek.
"Computer, save holoprogram as Krikri environment," Burnham said.
Tilly landed onto her bed. She let loose her locks of hair discarding her scrunchy onto the table alongside the specifically adjusted bed. She was in her exercise outfit waiting for Burnham. A two piece black outfit with the word "Disco" on the front. She had her hands behind the back of her head looking up toward the beautiful purple. It was a nice color. A comforting, friendly color. She had been used to the light green halls of the academy. The academy's technology changed just as it did from the outside. Visible improvements seen from a historical perspective when comparing and contrasting how it aged in the past two hundred years.
Before she graduated, there was talk of repainting the academy to light gray over the course of the summer. The academy had this kind of paint argument. One time, during the early 2250's, it was yellow. Bright yellow paint staring back. There was a special break for that excusing cadets on a unexpected holiday where the halls were repainted. She leaned herself up onto the edge of the bed. She played with her fingers. The doors opened only to reveal it was Kram who came to retrieve the tray.
"Have you ever dated a Vulcan?" Tilly asked.
"Can't say I have," Kram said. His antennas turned toward the woman. "You are afraid."
"Yes," Tilly said. "Very afraid."
"It's alright to be afraid," Kram said. "You're dating the woman who saved the entire crew of the USS Shenzhou."
"Hey now!" Tilly said. "I am not dating her because she is a epic, totally awesome mentor figure who got to kick Klingon butt."
Kram gave her a strange look.
"Then why are you dating her?" Kram asked.
"Because I like her," Tilly said.
"Then you shouldn't be afraid," Kram said. "if she likes you too, then she accepts the package."
"What if I screw this up with her?" Tilly asked. "Swear her off dating humans in general? A bad sting on a highly emotional species."
Kram snorted, muttering "She is a human, Tilly."
Tilly gave a glare that could kill.
"What if I do the wrong thing that's considered no-no in her culture," she fiddled with her fingers lowering her eyes. "and then she doesn't want me afterwards because of the mistake? What if she requests to be reassigned with a new roommate?"
"Vulcans have a thing about touching," Kram said.
"I know, touch telepathics," Tilly said. "Everyone knows."
"How often has she been touching your hands?" Kram asked
"Well, there was this one time a few days ago where we were working together on a string of code-" Tilly stopped, as her eyes looked toward the left.
"Then you don't to be worrying if she is touching your hands," Kram said. "You are doing just fine."
Kram began to walk away as Tilly began to speak
"But you're not the one unsure if-" Tilly said. "You're doing this right with a Vulcan-Human."
She placed her hands onto her face lowering her head down. She rubbed the side of her face lifting her head up then sat down onto the bed. Tilly evaluated in her mind how she had been doing in the first seven days respecting Burnham's privacy, her personal bubble, and when to touch her on duty. So far, Burnham liked to be held when they were spooning. Burnham's right hand wandered over toward Tilly's slightly larger hand. Tilly opened her eyes to see the doors opened once more this time for Burnham to come out. Burnham took off her science blues that outlined her figure. She then slid off the black regulation shirt going over toward the small locker. She opened it up then slid off her pants.
"How was the end of your shift?" Tilly asked.
"I did not finish the last hour of my shift as Krikri's personal holoprogram required more effort than I initially planned." Burnham elaborated, in a calm manner, taking out a pair of sneakers from the box.
"Oh, I didn't notice you weren't there for the past hour," Tilly said.
Burnham neatly folded her uniform placing it into the locker then turned back toward Tilly raising her right eyebrow.
"I am not that silent, Sylvia," Burnham replied, then turned toward the locker. She took out her black exercise outfit.
"Yes, you are," Tilly said. "you fell asleep last night while were having small talk and I didn't notice until I had to look over to see whether or not you were still awake."
"I was tired," Burnham said, putting on her shoes while sitting on the edge of her bed.
"And the past seven days say you don't like small talk," Tilly said. "If you don't like small talk, then tell me."
Burnham slid on her black form fitting pants.
"I am not much of a social person off duty," Burnham said.
Tilly sighed, falling back onto the bed.
"Good," Tilly said. "We made a break through in our relationship."
Burnham turned toward Tilly while sliding down her top.
"How is that a break through?" Burnham asked, approaching the ensign.
"We can have pillow talk rather than small talk," Tilly said. "When you want it."
Burnham unlinked her hand from behind her back then let her two fingers gently trail down Tilly's knuckle. It was a warm yet gentle touch. Yet it felt like she was being teased. Tempted, actually, by her roommate. Given a taste of something that their relationship could unravel into over their companionship.
"I look forward to our further 'break throughs' together," Burnham said, then took Tilly's hand helping her up. "Now, on to our intimate exercise routine?"
"I was joking when I said that yesterday," Tilly said, as her cheeks grew a shade of pink.
"It is our 'thing' to do together," Burnham said. "Is it not?"
"It is," Tilly said. Then it occurred to Tilly. She picked up her scrunchy and stylized her hair so that it was a ponytail. "Let's do our thing!"
Tilly and Burnham jogged on out of their shared quarters.
Lorca came out of the holodeck two hours after Burnham's initial entrance. Landry was waiting beside the door with her arms folded looking toward the ceiling. She looked over toward the captain leaning herself off the wall. She linked her hand behind her back.
"Did he talk?" Landry asked.
"He did," Lorca said. "I have a navigator to inform where to go." he sighed. "After I get my uniform cleaned." he smoothed out the large yellow shirt on his waist that had stains seen around it and slid it down. "Make sure that Krikri gets a VIP room."
"Aye, captain," Landry said.
Lorca looked over then back.
"How many officers reserved a hour?" Lorc asked.
"One," Landry said.
Lorca raised his eyebrow
"Who was that?" Lorca asked.
"Junior grade Rhys," Landry said. "He understood. Rearranged his reservation for tomorrow."
"The things I do for Starfleet," Lorca said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Get him out in fifteen minutes."
Lorca walked past Landry.
Landry waited in front of the doors. The time ticked by, slowly. She took out her communicator to see what the standard time was. She slid it into her pocket then walked into the room. The doors closed behind her. She came down the path following the bread crumbs that Burnham had designed on her departure out of the cave. She strayed seeing the big ears standing out in the distance. There was a large bush that he sat next to on a fallen tree. She came to a stop alongside the resting Krikri. Krikri looked over toward the woman. His helmet laid on his lap with curious big eyes looking Landry over. She flipped out her communicator turning on the automatic universal translator.
"You look pretty in person," Krikri said.
"You reservation in the holodeck has just expired," Landry said. "You are to return to your quarters."
"What quarters?" Krikri asked. "My prison?"
"It's a place where you can sleep," Landry said.
"Back home, we sleep on the cieling," Krikri said.
"That's a small problem with that," Landry said. "you would make holes."
"No, we don't," Krikri said. "We cling onto them."
"Come along," Landry said, collecting a few of the fruit for Krikri from the wooden seat. "There is someone else waiting to use the holodeck."
Krikri nodded, jumping off.
"It was nice to be in a artificial environment," Krikri said. "You can save a species like this while relocating them."
"A entire species?" Landry asked, as they made their way toward the doors.
"It's possible," Krikri said.
"No, it's not," Landry said. "that would take a massive starship that had hundreds of decks, maybe," she paused for a moment then went on. "if not thousands or millions for that fact to transport a entire species without their knowledge."
"It is possible because you working with aliens like me in a time of war," Krikri replied. "A dream that became reality," his voice grew in optimism. "made aliens become friends with those different from them. It's like, in my culture," he looked down toward his unusual hands keeping his pace. "loving a animal and working with it every day and it wears clothes and it takes care of itself."
"You see that as a good thing," Landry said.
"Who wouldn't?" Krikri asked. "My species need a reality check. Mostly that we are not alone."
"I think you're make a good speaker with that optimism," Landry said.
"Me?" Krikri asked. "I am afraid not," he put the helmet on. "I am never going back into space after this."
"If you say so, Krikri," Landry said. "What were you before?"
"I was the planetary protector officer," Krikri said. "Making sure alien bacteria did not get contaminated nor that it got out into public, bacteria was safely secured, and making sure our bacteria didn't contaminate other worlds," Krikri nodded to himself. "It is a very important job."
"That sounds very important," Landry said.
"It is," Krikri agreed. "And I am quitting."