Chapter 23: Travelling

A/N: Thanks for your review, romulanlover! There are probably other aliens on Romulus, but probably only very few. One time there was a Cardassian embassy on Romulus where Garak ostensibly worked as a gardener (mentioned in Deep Space Nine canon). As for Klingons…Oh boy. I'd rather hope not, seeing how much they and the Romulans despised each other. Then again, there is Ba'el who has Romulan-Klingon parents. But…on another planet (TNG Birthright episodes).

Hi G, thank you so much for your kind review! I'm so glad you enjoy my fanfics!

Drummer, you'll find out more once Asha & Co. get back home to the capital :-)

Anya, always a pleasure to read you! I'm glad Asha and Thorek are getting shippers! Though I can discern some Asha-and-Vreenak-shipping as well. Yes, comparisons are self-detrimental and particularly easy to do in today's world. Looks like this trait is hardwired into us but it can be overcome, so that's a good thing.


For the first time, Asha flew over a wide stretch of sea separating the province of Merik from Romulus. She equipped the aircar with the inbuilt security features just in case an emergency would require them to land in the water. She was a little nervous, but seeing how relaxed Kihika and Thorek were, she felt more confident. It was a big honour to have two Romulans trusting a Human to handle a Romulan flitter competently. Every now and then a signal would beep, reminding her of other traffic close by. It was basically an internal portable air traffic control tower programmed with state-of-the-art technology. She landed twice for meals and a toilet break, during which time they joined Christine and Vekal before taking off into the air again. Finally, they approached their destination, and Asha blinked in happy astonishment.

"Oh, that's amazing!" she exclaimed, watching colourful fields pass underneath them. Those fields were full of flowers.

On Earth, people scoffed about the planet of Romulus, claiming that its geography was as grey, spartan and dull as its people. Asha knew by now that they were sorely mistaken on both accounts. Neither they nor those thugs who had assaulted her had managed to take away her admiration for the beautiful things on Romulus or the gestures of kindness she had received from Romulans.

Thorek and Kihika looked up as she prepared to descend. To land in front of the residence, she required clearance from the Romulan "hotel" they were going to stay at because of the heavy incoming and outgoing traffic during the evening when guests wanted to check in for the night. She dispatched a request for landing clearance. There was a small pause, during which she knew the aircar was being scanned, and she received permission and final navigation instructions. She landed the flitter gracefully onto the runway and parked it in a hangar reserved for tourist flitters.

Once they got out, Asha stretched a little, moving her neck from side to side; then she tilted her head skywards and stuck out her arms with her palms facing upwards, almost like she was praying. She closed her eyes and breathed in the perfume wafting gently from the flower fields. Thorek looked at her silently while Kihika removed their luggage. There was admiration his eyes.

"Like jasmine," she said, dropping her arms gracefully and gazing at him almost dreamily. "It grows in many countries, including India. Aunt Preity has a jasmine tree in her garden."

Thorek smiled. "I am glad that it brings home memories as sweet as the aroma surrounding us."

She smiled, too, then pointed at the darkening sky. "I think Christine and Vekal are arriving."

A few minutes later, the two couples and their assistants met, chatting merrily.

"I'm starving," Asha announced.

"So am I," Christine agreed.

"Our wives are endowed with a healthy appetite, it would seem," Vekal murmured, raising his eyebrows somewhat suggestively at his wife. Christine pretended to ignore him, but her eyes crinkled slightly as she suppressed a grin. Kihika and Galan stood a small distance away, discreet and proper.

"Most definitely," Thorek replied to Vekal's observation.

"Shall we eat first or unpack first?" Asha asked.

"Eat!" was the unanimous answer. They sat down to an interesting delicacy of fish wrapped in paper-thin slices of spicy meat. Asha enjoyed it and helped herself liberally to the side dish of vegetables and kheshoe nuts.

Afterwards, they went for a digestive walk in the gardens, listening to the flute-like song of some birds that were active during the night and slept during the day. They watched their dark silhouettes fly over the fields.

Afterwards, they wished each other a good night (Christine's hand slid low onto Vekal's hip when Asha and Thorek were not looking) and went to their respective rooms.

Asha gazed around in admiration. There was a real live tree with trailing blue flowers in their room, and their bathroom contained plants hanging from the ceiling. They had a pool and a sonic shower at their disposal. Asha chose the former, trying to relax in the flower-scented water, and Thorek the latter. While he was showering, Asha resumed her book on Romulan mating practices – something she felt just a bit too shy to read in the presence of her Romulan husband.

Some of their amorous activities sounded rather violent and off-putting to her, although consent from both participants was an absolute must. Injuries, blood and the like almost seemed to belong to the whole process. She was surprised to read that this type of mating was recommended for couples planning to procreate. Such practices, Romulan belief argued, would give the child a high pain threshold, bravery and stamina for dealing with dire situations. Well, she supposed it made sense from a symbolic point of view. She was also reassured that gender equality was reflected in their sexual practices.

The section which interested her most, however, was one on touch and gestures of affection through hands and fingers – a remnant from Vulcan traditions. The text even included pictures: palm to palm, knuckles to knuckles, clasping fingers in different variations – the range of gestures was bewildering. She was so engrossed in the depictions that she didn't notice Thorek return in his nightwear. He didn't bat an eyelid when he saw the title of the book and simply asked: "Which chapter are you reading?"

Asha had learnt by now that Romulans had no hang-ups about sex or discussing the topic.

She turned the book towards him, blushing a little; not so much because of the book, but because her husband looked very alluring in the soft incandescent light.

"Ah," Thorek said. "Fingering."

Asha suppressed a guffaw that came out as a spluttering cough. He raised an arched eyebrow. "I am unaware of the finer nuances of the English language. If you would care to enlighten me…?"

"Well, fingering is slang for using one's fingers to stimulate especially female sexual organs," she explained clinically.

"Yes, I can see why this act has its own term when you take its popularity into account. I am speaking from personal observation," he said candidly.

"Thorek, you sound like you're the master of sex," Asha stated, laughing. He frowned thoughtfully.

"Am I coming across as immodest?"

"No, merely as very knowledgeable about intimate encounters." Her eyes twinkled. "I am starting to think you have mated with every woman on this planet."

He sat down on a chair opposite the bed, crossed his legs and watched her closely. "Does it disturb you that I have mated with different women in the past?"

She smiled. "No. I know you. Besides, that's part of your personal life. It's between you and those you have mated with."

"Romulan couples talk very openly to each other about their past mating experiences. "

"It varies with Humans." She considered. "I think it depends on how often and into how much detail you go into. There's a limit, I guess. Some people get mad or insecure because they view their sexual predecessors as competition, and then it all turns into a jealous contest. It can be very ugly."

"That makes sense. Misunderstandings in cases of love and lust can result in blood feuds and deaths among Romulans. But to get back to the point, you seem amused rather than insecure."

"It's because you're so innocently candid. And since you mentioned Romulan couples, that means you consider me Romulan, yes?"

He smiled, and his eyes became tender. "You, my wife, are Romulan, Human and a mystery. You have a very unique view of me. No one has ever referred to me as innocently candid."

They both began to laugh. They read for a little while until Asha felt sleepy. It had been a long day, and it had been the first time she had driven the flitter for several hours.

"Shall we sleep?" she suggested to Thorek. He nodded, got up and turned off the lights.

She heard him remove his robe and when he joined her in bed, she sidled over to him. Ah, such trust! Thorek thought. When a Romulan discovered someone trustworthy in the paranoid society of Romulus, it was like discovering a precious gem. As he put his arms around his wife, he realised that from the beginning, establishing trust had been their main priority. He knew that he could trust her with his life and vice versa.

She was restless however, and kept shifting. Finally, she said: "Thorek?"

"Yes, my ailhun?"

"The book I was reading, my deyhhan…Your mating practices seem very rough verging on violent. Do you enjoy it?"

Thorek chuckled. "Asha, we have countless ways of mating. Of making love. A very enchanting Human expression, by the way. Whether it's rough or tender or both, you will find many delicious surprises in the arms of a Romulan."

Asha smiled in the dark. There was something in Thorek's voice which sent pleasant shivers over her whole body. "So I shouldn't go too much by the book."

"I think a more hands-on approach would be far more enlightening," he agreed. "You seem to be very curious about Romulan mating practices."

"Yes, that's why I'm reading so much about it," Asha said in her direct manner. "And while there are many similarities with Human sexuality, there's something about your touching and gestures that sounds so unique to me. And sexy."

He stroked her hair and brushed the side of her neck. More shivers rushed all over her body. And was that moisture gathering between her thighs? Her face grew warm.

"That is very agreeable to hear, my ailhun."

She laughed and snuggled closer to him. Thorek's pulse increased. Her scent had changed a little. She felt warmer, too, as she lay against him. He realised that she was aroused, just like he was.

Both of them hesitated, unsure how to proceed. And finally, both of them silently decided to give it more time by choosing sleep over seducing each other.