Chapter 38: First Things First

A/N: Romulanlover, thanks for your comment! I just remembered that in Voyager episode "Unity", there is a Romulan, Orum, who was a Borg drone. It looks like the Borg and the Romulans had some nasty run-ins before or during the Dominian War...By the way, I love that moment where we see Cretak with a Bajoran jumja stick (DS9, "Image in the Sand"). A Romulan with a sweet tooth!

Ayala Karangalan, so glad you're enjoying the interactions between Asha and Vreenak! They're a lot of fun to write :-D

Today's vocab lesson: Eitreih'Okhala, the Fire Festival, is borrowed from fandom and TNG novels. I invented the name of Kihika's wife (yes, there's a Romulan wedding in this chapter!).


With a deep breath, Asha picked up the PADD which contained the first full draft of her poetry. It was also going to be illustrated by a skilled graphic designer – courtesy of Rhian – with detailed input from Asha.

Rhian, Thorek and she had spent hours trying to come up with the title. The unofficial one was simply Romulan Sonnets, which, of course, wouldn't do. In the end, it became clear that Asha was developing a block because of too many suggestions. Thorek and Rhian backed off when Asha finally snapped at them about their overenthusiasm and ordered them to give her a breather.

Irritated, she slammed the door behind her, leaving Rhian and Thorek recovering their energy over a bottle of spiced wine, and went walking in the woods with Lilou to clear her head. She appreciated Thorek's enthusiasm about her book. He wanted to see her poetry published because he believed in her talent. Rhian also believed in her skill, but for different reasons. If the book was a success – and Rhian was very sure it would be, and that was why she was willing to take the risk – then she, as the editor and publisher, would profit. It was not so much about money as it was about Rhian's sense of superiority. Thanks to Rhian, a Human with limited rights like Asha would have her poetry in print. Asha's success would position Rhian as more of an accomplished language expert, teacher and authority on Romulan literature than ever.

It was true that Asha was indebted to Rhian, and she mentioned this explicitly in the foreword. But Rhian would be smug with that insufferable Romulan smugness. There would always be a glass wall between Rhian and herself, she decided.

She had done the best she could with the cards she had been dealt, and some things had been beautiful surprises – such as the fact that she and her husband loved each other, or that she had made close friends with some Romulans, and had even discovered another Human in the same city.

As her irritation wore off, it occurred to her how other species, including Humans, described Romulans and Romulus as grey, colourless and dull. Cardassians and Klingons in particular viewed them as the most boring people in the whole universe. They were convinced that their run-ins with Romulan politicians, military and intelligence, where grey, green and spartan designs predominated, could be applied to everything Romulan.

Romulans were deeply offended and annoyed by this cliché, and Asha had learnt that Romulus and its people were vibrant and full of colour and passion. Only few outsiders had enjoyed the lovely flower fields of Mirek, the vastness of the Apnex sea, the vibrant warmth of the climate and vegetation, or Romulan hospitality among the less paranoid. Romulus and its people were full of colour. Asha froze. Lilou stopped, too, nuzzling her shin questioningly.

"I've got it, Lilou. The title. I've got it!"

The daredevil in her awoke.

She went home and marched into the library, startling Thorek and Rhian. They gaped at her as she reached for the bottle of spiced wine and took a huge gulp. Thorek rose, completely nonplussed. Asha usually never touched alcohol.

"My ailhun...?"

She coughed and lowered the bottle.

"Eijir u'sahe nnea ch'rihan. The Colours and Passion of Romulus. What do you think?"

"Yes," Rhian commented, nodding her approval.

"It is in fact perfect. It captures the spirit of your poetry," Thorek agreed.

"I will just check to see if any other work has the same title," Rhian cautioned, typing on her PADD. A minute later, she nodded again.

"It's free for taking," she announced.

"Cheers," Asha said, gulping down some more wine and toasting the title. Then she sat down heavily and blinked.

"I'm feeling a little funny," she remarked. She got up, stumbled and leant against the table.

"I'll accompany you upstairs," Thorek said, seeing that she was tipsy. Rhian pretended to ignore the embarrassing situation as Thorek left with one arm around Asha's waist.

"Hey, I'm a drunk Human, not a drunk Romulan. Isn't that good?"

"It's outstanding," Thorek said, guiding her into their bedroom, where he coaxed her into bed. Asha burped loudly. Thorek raised an eyebrow in gentle astonishment. He had never heard her burp before.

"My head is spinning!" she groaned.

Thorek hurried to the bathroom to fetch the medical kit. He rummaged for a hypospray, loaded it with a sedative and carefully approached his wife, who stared at him.

"I can see two of you, my deyhhan."

He placed the hypospray against her neck and successfully injected the sedative.

Asha yawned after a minute or two. "Night night," she murmured and went to sleep after another burp which sounded, as Thorek told her later, like a chair being dragged across the floor.

Rhian raised her eyebrows when he rejoined her.

"How is she?"

"She's sleeping. The wine was rather strong for her."

"Human physiognomy is less resilient than ours."

"It is immune to the Terothka virus, actually," Thorek observed coolly.

Rhian finished her wine and stood up.

"Well, it's time for me to leave. I'll get back to Asha tomorrow. She'll be properly rested by then?"

"Yes, very probably."

Thorek was right. Asha was her usual energetic but sober self the next day, though thoroughly embarrassed.

"I was so enthusiastic that I just felt like doing something completely out of character," she explained.

Thorek smiled. "That has happened to the best and worst of us."

"I burped."

"A normal reaction from ingesting large quantities of air along with the wine. You were gulping down the stuff like tea."

"I'm sorry for snapping at you yesterday when we were discussing the title."

"Well, my ailhun, you have been more irritable since you started staying up till dawn. And spending hours locked away with Rhian during the day."

"You're right, it's a bad habit."

"Then maybe it's time to break it," Thorek hinted heavily. "You're so fond of my endowments, after all."

"Thorek, you're terribly conceited!"

"I'm a Romulan."


In the meantime, Kihika was getting married to her partner Vereth, the assistant from the neighbouring clan, and when Rhian visited Asha the next day, she was annoyed when Asha insisted on delaying the publication date so Kihika's wedding would be in the spotlight.

"It is unusual for an assistant's plans to take precedence over the clan's schedule," she commented sourly.

Asha took a deep breath. "Rhian, it's Kihika's wedding day. Wouldn't you have hated another event clashing with your wedding day?"

"Yes, but she's an assistant. You have been long enough on Romulus to know our social structures."

"That's true. But Kihika is more than my assistant. She's my friend. It is also Romulan tradition that the master and mistress of the house attend their assistant's wedding."

"You're paying her," Rhian pointed out, "and you shouldn't indulge her. She has to be aware of where her place is."

"Kihika has done things for me which go beyond payment. Rhian, I understand what you're telling me, but Kihika's wedding has got priority here," Asha said with a tone of finality.

Rhian had learnt long ago not to argue with Asha, so she exchanged an exasperated look with Thorek, who had followed their discussion in silence, and shrugged. "Very well. Let's set a date after the wedding."

When Asha left the room, leaving the two Romulans alone together, Rhian said in a miffed tone: "She can be intolerably Human."

"Really? I find her Human eccentricities exquisitely tolerable," Thorek said coldly, his nostrils flaring.

Rhian hastily changed the subject and soon left for home.

Thorek thought it was a good thing that Kihika's wedding was taking place while the book was being prepared for publication. It would distract Asha and give her a break from the whole grind. He helped Asha with the protocol of attending an assistant's wedding and selection of traditional gifts for the couple. It also meant meeting the clan at whose house Vereth served – a surly family which avoided them and was not in the least neighbourly.

They were cold and monosyllabic during the wedding, but Asha didn't care. She was too busy enjoying her first Romulan wedding, and Kihika's parents and in-laws turned out to be polite, decent people.

It was a beautiful do. Romulans were fairly spartan, but their weddings were lavish. Flowers, including lush crimson lagga blossoms, had been placed everywhere. Food and drinks were served liberally, and Kihika and Vereth looked resplendent in matching green robes with full flowing sleeves. A priestess officiated the ceremony. Asha watched and listened closely. None of these things had taken place at her own wedding, and the lack of them reminded her of its forced nature. Yet she felt a wave of gratitude as she glanced at the husband she had learnt to love. She slipped her fingers between his. He smiled and squeezed her hand affectionately.

It felt like they were catching up on the ceremony the Tal Shiar had excluded. Towards the end of the ceremony, the priestess took out a dagger and held it with the handle facing the couple. Kihika pulled it out of its sheath and cut Vereth's underarm. The priestess wiped the knife and handed the blade to Vereth, who did the same to Kihika. The priestess collected their blood in a small crystal container, dipped a brush into it and marked their brow ridges with a dab of their combined blood. Then she sealed the vial and gave it to Vereth to keep as a symbol of their marriage. Afterwards, wedding bracelets were exchanged.

Music and socialising followed. Asha felt rather awkward being addressed as a high-ranking Romulan lady by Kihika and Vereth's friends and respective families. Special suffixes were used to indicate social status. Romulans who were of a socially inferior rank used such suffixes when addressing someone from a higher rank. She spoke to them in her usual natural manner while Thorek exchanged brief sentences and did not encourage further conversation. Vereth herself was a vivacious woman, an excellent match for Kihika.

After the wedding was over and the couple settled down into their new home, it was time to think of the publication date of Asha's poetry. While Kihika went about her duties with an extra spring in her step, Asha, Rhian and Lilou retired to the library.

"Finally! That wedding really delayed things!" Rhian couldn't help saying, much to Asha's annoyance.

"It was a very beautiful wedding, you know. And the first traditional Romulan one I attended," she snapped.

"Yes, yours took place without all the festivities, didn't it?"

The stress was getting through to both of them, and they couldn't bother about being polite to each other.

"Exactly. How very perceptive of you," Asha said with an acerbic tone that rivalled Vreenak's. "So. You are the expert, Rhian. Would it make sense to publish during one of the festivals?"

Rhian pulled herself together. "I suggest a month before Eitreih'Okhala."

Eitreih'Okhala, the Fire Festival, took place in summer. It was a time devoted to passion, colour and homage to the Firefalls of Gal'Gathong. This would give Asha and Rhian approximately five months' time to finish the preparations and the graphic designer to complete his holographic illustrations.

"That would be a very nice touch."

Rhian heaved a loud sigh of relief and reached for her PADD. Asha managed not to roll her eyes with a supreme effort. Lilou yawned loudly as she skulked underneath the table, thoroughly bored with the whole procedure. Asha got up and fetched the toy Vreenak had given her – a chewable knobbly ring which Lilou adored. It was bright green and very ugly, but it was a bestseller when it came to set'leths, cognitive stimulation and their dental health. Rhian pursed her lips as chewing and slobbering sounds filled the room.

"I'm sure the Senator gifted you with that atrocity in order to sabotage the publication of your book," she said finally. This was so absurd that Asha burst out laughing. She laughed until tears were running down her cheeks. Rhian glared at her. "I'm trying to imagine how the Senator would react if you told him that," she said finally, wiping away her tears. She bent underneath the table. "Lilou, off to the garden with you and that toy!"

The set'leth obeyed.


Given the final spurt until her poetry was published, Asha regarded her bimonthly meetings with Vreenak as a retreat. The Senator wisely refrained from pestering her about the progress of her book (which Christine insisted on doing), merely stating: "I know that when you are ready with your book, you'll tell me."

On one occasion, Asha arrived while Senator Letant was on his way out. By then, the publication date had been finalised.

"Jolan'tru, Deihu tr'Letant," she greeted him formally.

"Oh! How pleased I am to be running late this time!" he exclaimed, bowing over her hand. Lilou, holding her favourite toy firmly in her mouth, sniffed at him cautiously.

"A charming set'leth," Letant murmured, patting her ears, then straightening up. "It's Delon, Ihhei, Delon. Deihu tr'Letant? What a bulky affair!"

"Only if you call me Asha," she said, smiling.

"Well, Asha, I will leave you with my friend, who is most anxiously waiting to enjoy your company."

The tips of Vreenak's ears turned green, and a flush appeared on his cheeks.

"Now, Delon, you don't want to keep Praetor Neral waiting, do you?" he asked pointedly.

Letant made a dismissive gesture. "I will be at the Senate building punctually as usual," he remarked. He looked at Asha.

"Such a misfortune! Hardly have I greeted you when I have to take my leave! But that is why jolan'tru includes both greeting and farewell."

He bent over Asha's hand again and gave Lilou a final pat on the head.

Then he turned and exchanged a formal hug with Vreenak, taking the opportunity to whisper: "That's a hideous toy you chose, my friend!"

Vreenak reacted by giving him a small pinch in the side, reminiscent of their childhood days. Unimpressed, Letant sauntered out with a flourish of his robes. Rovuxo accompanied him to his flitter.

Asha looked at Vreenak and chuckled. "You two are like brothers."

Vreenak laughed. "Yes. We grew up as brothers and love each other as brothers."

"That's beautiful."

He smiled. "You don't have any siblings?"

"No. Actually, my parents hadn't planned on having children, but then I came along and…here I am."

"A most fortunate occurrence," he murmured. Asha's cheeks became red.

"Thank you for saying so. My parents are very loving, but I do think that parenthood was a burden for especially my mother. Parenting is not for everyone, but things happen in the heat of the moment, I guess," she said.

Arm in arm, they went out to the garden.

"Do you doubt your parents' happiness?" he inquired gently.

Asha bit her lip. "Sometimes I wonder. A child's needs come first, and so many parents end up sacrificing their dreams, their hopes, their identity. I had a happy childhood, but whether my mother in particular had a happy parenthood…I'm not sure. There was no one to help, too."

"Did you grow up in a small family, then?"

"Yes, in a nuclear one. Mother, father, child," she said.

"Romulan families are usually big. We grow up in large spaces which provide enough distance and with meeting points to ensure enough closeness when required. Wealthy Romulans also have assistants and housekeeping staff." He paused. "No doubt that there are advantages and disadvantages about every family constellation I can think of. One that they all have in common is that a child is not responsible for being born, for what word does a child have in that matter? Ah, Asha, the delight I felt when my wife told me she was pregnant, and the misery when I lost them both! I am convinced that your parents are feeling that same misery now."

"I simply hope they're fine," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. Vreenak looked at her, waiting for her ask him to create a way of communicating with her family and friends back on Earth, that surely he had power as a Senator to aid her, that she was actually cultivating their friendship so she could benefit from it…

But she suddenly smiled and said: "I have a family on Romulus now. I have friends. I wish the circumstances which led me to Romulus had been different and I wish my two families could meet; but when I think of my life here and of my deyhhan, I am so grateful, and I'm so happy you're my friend, Merken."

Vreenak felt a tightness about his chest, and he fought it down.

"So am I, Asha. So am I." He touched her cheek tenderly, and they went to visit his birds. He reached into a nest, ignoring the squawking protests from the outraged parents, and placed a fluffy nestling into Asha's hands. Her face was radiant as she held the bird, and Vreenak basked in the warmth of her expression. Then she carefully placed it back into its nest, and its parents calmed down, though they watched her with sceptical beady eyes.

"You decided against having children," Vreenak remarked.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why am I not surprised that you have access to my medical information as well?"

"Now then, I am being forthcoming about what I know about you."

"In bits and pieces," Asha said, smiling. "But to get back to your observation: yes. I can see that you're wondering why."

"I am also aware that it is a very personal question, so if you don't wish to answer, I will understand."

"Thank you. My answer is very simple, Merken. I think I would make a terrible mother. I know myself well enough. I don't have the patience or tolerance to put a child's needs first, and I'm happy that way. It's my body and my life, and I get to decide what I do with them, no matter how selfish and self-centred that sounds."

He looked at her with admiration. "That is a very refreshing and very Romulan statement."

"Why would I want to inflict myself on a child when I am not cut out for parenting? Wouldn't it be unfair to the child? It's very straightforward in my opinion." She paused. "You were almost a father, Merken. Have you thought of fatherhood since then?"

"Often. But the higher I climb up the ranks of the Senate, the more dangerous it is, as I mentioned once. Would I want to inflict that on my family? Letant has done wisely to steer clear of starting a family, and every Romulan knows how Praetor Neral lost his wife and child. Such is the life of a politician, Asha. We are married to our careers first, and our families come second, especially in these times. I myself grew up as the child of a high-ranking Senator and an admiral. I did not see my parents much, and others took care of me. I had a warm childhood. I was quite spoilt, actually. But sometimes, I wonder…"

He sighed. "It seems a universal habit that children have something to reproach their parents about. Or the other way around."

"Yes," Asha agreed. "I'm no exception myself, as you know. All the more reason for me to avoid parenting. Though, talking of parenting…Getting a book published is a bit like giving birth."

Vreenak's bright blue eyes sparked. "Ah! I sense that you are about to reveal the due date!"

"Yes."

He looked at her expectantly, but she remained silent, merely smiling.

"Well?" he prodded impatiently.

"If you bend your head, I'll tell you."

"I am most happy to oblige you," he murmured, obeying. She went on tiptoe and whispered the date into his ear. He straightened up and traced his lips with a tapering forefinger.

"A month before Eitreih'Okhala. Probably chosen after careful research and deliberation, am I right?"

"It's a distinct possibility."

"And you will honour me with a copy before the date despite your hesitation concerning my penchant towards merciless criticism?"

"Yes."

"Khnai'ra, Asha." His voice sounded smoky, and his face was flushed with green. Asha was suddenly aware that they were alone in his garden, that they were sharing an intense gaze and he had reached for her hand. She blushed, too, feeling how warm his fingers were. Just then, Lilou walked along the garden path and nuzzled Asha's leg firmly, breaking the spell.

"It grows late," Vreenak murmured. "Come, Asha." He let go of her hand and gave her his arm. Together, they went indoors, Lilou following them.