"T'Pau has requested that the Discovery be in orbit in less than a week," Lorca said. "I don't know about you, Ellen, but the whole ordering Ensign Tilly to attend a some Vulcan ceremony after sending my second officer down there is suspicious."
"She is her grandmother," Landry said. "and it could be exactly what she asked of you earlier."
"Perhaps," Lorca said. "Life or death over a ceremony. . ." he shook his head. "I don't like it."
"Neither do I," Landry said.
"How long will it take for the repairs in the hull?" Lorca asked.
"Minor repairs will take at least two days," Landry said. "Major would take a week."
"Alright," Lorca said. "We can be late by two days."
"Captain, we should at least inform Ensign Tilly," Landry said.
"At the last minute," Lorca said. "We don't need a distracted Starfleet Officer to make a mistake,He knew how they walked and even met with them on a mission or two, now do we?"
"No," Landry said.
"Then you tell her before we do the jump," Lorca said. "You're better at that," he looked on ahead brightening up. "Hey Ash!" He walked ahead leaving the first officer alone.
Georgiou came to the communication officer's side then leaned onto the black strip of the console.
"Ensign Uhura, inform the USS Shran that we will be on our way to the meeting," Georgiou said.
The dark young woman with gorgeous earrings simply nodded.
"Aye, captain," Uhura said.
"Afterwards. . ." Georgiou said. "hail Captain Koloth and inform him that we will be on our way in the hour."
Georgiou turned toward the science station half of the bridge where Saru and T'Shay were sitting.
There was undeniable silence coming from the two.
Aside from the occasional clicking coming here and there in the past two days had been pleasant.
It was almost as though a entity haunted that side of the bridge.
If Georgiou was prodded about having Saru being in the company of a child, she would describe it as a relaxing experience during war. The child's presence had lifted the crew morale in the past two days. She can sense their renewed energy at ending the war. Every day there was victories from the side of the Federation and then there were loses. They had lost colonies yet they gained orphans. They were currently being cared for by several volunteering Vulcan and Andorian families. Saru felt the admiral's eyes laid on him. He turned his attention toward the Admiral. There was a look in her eyes that easily said that the time had come. He turned in the direction of the child seated next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. T'Shay looked up in the direction of the captain as Saru knowingly turned his gaze toward the child.
Koloth sat at a table playing with a twirling, rounded silver item.
Each time it fell, he flipped it up and watched it twirl.
A body flew over the table missing the twirling item.
He was in a bar that was bustling with activity. Behind him there were a pair of Thans having a bar fight. Klingons were staying out of the war as it was, per se, dishonorable. There was honesty in it. It was a bunch of radicals and extremists, terrorists, fighting against the Federation. It seemed that one percent of their civilization had bigger backing than they had originally thought. He had gotten rid of his baldric as soon as the war had started. He donned on a shirt made of gold, a long sleeved simple dark blue turtle neck, black pants with golden sparkles, and a long black pants with a Klingon disruptor belt that had a pocket at the back for a D'k tahg. Contrary to the heavy armor lacking a baldric. He looked up as silence took over the room. There was a Kelpien in a dark outfit that made him seem menacing. His threat ganglia came out.
Great, just what I needed, Koloth thought.
All the attention, on him. And it had to be Starfleet. Staring at a Klingon with a smooth forehead. It occurred to him what he had told them. His eyes slightly widened then returned to their normal size. They were still under the impression that he was in the command of a Bird Of Prey as a Captain. A lie he had spun while his commanding officer was down below going on a mission to rescue his wife. Oh boy, did he screw up. He stopped spinning the item as the Starfleet officer came toward his table. The way Saru walked and presented himself screamed Starfleet. He knew how they walked and even met with them on a mission or two. Saru walked toward the Klingon. Koloth straightened up in his chair then gestured toward the seat.
"Come, sit," Koloth said, with a smile.
"Captain," Saru said. "I am not here for drinks."
"Then what else did you come here for?" Koloth said. "You said not in public."
"We were attacked on the way here," Saru said.
"We?" Koloth asked, puzzled. "There is only one of you."
"Two," Saru said, as he revealed the inside of his long trench coat. "T'Shay."
"Hello," Koloth said, as he recognized the child. "This is Voq's child."
"And he wants him dead," Saru said, as he drew the coat back.
"Oh," Koloth said, looking back toward the first officer. "So that is what brought you here. . ." he glared at the Kelpien. "Speaking of which, your superior officer. ."
"We are at war, Captain," Saru reminded Koloth. "She cannot afford to break rules."
"So you came in her stead," Koloth said.
"It was the only choice," Saru said. "I must make sure the child is handed over to a crew you trust to be taken to safety."
"Why doesn't Starfleet use other avenues?" Koloth asked.
"Starfleet has gone through that and decided, if the rogue Klingons got their way, they would find T'Shay easily and kill him," Saru said, with a click. "Should you have been planning to take a Starfleet officer hostage then you will be severely disappointed."
Koloth took a drink from his glass then turned his attention onto the first officer.
"I will help you," Koloth said, then he held his index finger up. "On the condition that you give me at one hour to gather my crew."
"That is acceptable," Saru said. "We will be at the carnival awaiting your coordinates to your ship."
"Good place for the child to spend his remaining days in the Federation," Koloth said, with a smile.
Tilly adjusted the red dress uniform to her figure for what was the thirty-fifth time. She pried off the velcro then reapplied it once more. She straightened the dress uniform then came over to the computer. She tapped on the screen following the path to the mirror option. A mirror image of Tilly appeared across mimicking her movements. She came to the side of the computer then observed herself. Her curly hair in a bun, dark bellbottoms, and her rosy cheeks stared back at her.
Tilly relaxed with her hands linked behind her back and then her face turned from unsure to a emotionless mask.
"You look good, Sylvia," Tilly said, in a emotionless manner. "There is no need for you to re-organize yourself every five minutes."
Tilly nodded as the facade vanished off her face.
"Hell yes!" Tilly said. "I do look good!"
Tilly sighed and the mask came back.
"Now go out that door and be my Lek Noy at my wedding ceremony," Tilly said. "I await for you at the appointed place."
Tilly's happy demeanor came back.
"Anything, bestie," Tilly said.
The shuttle craft returned from Vulcan piloted by a security officer.
Tilly's hands were fidgeting. She had to touch something and fiddle with it.
This was her first wedding ceremony that wasn't featuring her family or having a companion.
The last wedding she had attended last year was her Aunt. Her Aunt had divorced her husband and married another in favor of a Andorian couple. The ceremony had been unique. The final bonding itself was done in private away after marrying the human way. So many Andorian men and women around her age were in attendance including well aged individuals. It wasn't a surprise to find elders in attendance. Her Aunt was dressed well in a dress that was themed in various shades of pink. Fancy and majestic just as the way that Andrea Tilly lived. So far, Andrea was very happy with her three partners and raising her newborn. Something that her previous husband had been unable to give her.
"Need a friend to go along with you?" Culber's voice came from behind Tilly.
Tilly turned in the direction of the doctor. Culber was in a formal variation of his medical blues.
"Yes!" Tilly said. "I never attended a Vulcan bonding ceremony before."
"Vulcan bonding ceremony?" Culber said.
"Uh huh," Tilly said.
"Tilly. . ." Culber started, in concern as Stamets came from behind heading into the shuttle bay. "You do realize that you may need to watch them consummate the bonding right then and there?"
"Wait, what?" Tilly said.
"Sex," Culber repeated.
"Oooh, that," Tilly said. "Don't worry about it," she shook her hand. "It won't go that far. She got a plan."
"What kind of plan?" Stamets asked. "Is there going to be Vulcan alcohol? Plomeek cake? Plomeek icicles? Vulcan singing? I am all in for it!"
"Vulcan is too hot for that, honey," Culber said.
"You never know what is possible at a Vulcan ceremony," Stamets said. "they could be held anywhere."
"Like in the middle of a desert?" Tilly asked.
"Yes," the two men said.
"Remember the last ceremony that we had to attend?" Stamets asked.
"Yes, yes, I do," Culber said. "You got the groom drunk."
"And we had the greatest debate about cremating and letting mushrooms break down the body after death," Stamets said, handing Culber a knapsack. "The most fun I had at a colleague's wedding."
"I hope this ceremony goes off smoothly like yours," Tilly said.
"Given this is Burnham, it might go off without a hitch," Culber said. "after you, Tilly. It'll be all right, if worse to comes worse then I am going to be a doctor and save the day."
"Actually happened once," Stamets said. "We will be right behind you."
"Thanks for coming," Tilly said, then went into the shuttle craft.
"She knows nothing about a Vulcan bonding ceremony," Stamets said.
"Not at all," Culber said.
"Shouldn't we educate her about it?" Stamets said, looking toward his partner.
"She might not participate at all," Culber said. He smiled, placing a hand on Stamet's shoulder. "She will be fine."
"Yes, my dear doctor," Stamets said, looking back lovingly toward his partner. "you're right."