Chapter 46: Romulan Surprises

A/N: Hi romulanlover, writing the scene between Thorek and Vreenak was really tricky. I was trying to imagine what it would be like for two men who both love Asha but are very suspicious about each other to interact with each other. And yes, Asha's growing fame might have repercussions of the more ominous sort…Unfortunately, her family, Starfleet etc. still have no idea about what happened to her, and she has been registered as "missing". Her family and friends won't give up and still hope they'll see her again, though.

Alaya Karangalan, wasn't it the unnamed Romulan Commander in the TNG episode "The Chase" who told Picard that maybe there would be a time when Humans and Romulans cooperated peacefully? Tomalak was unfailingly snide – except for when Picard was time-travelling and he expressed appreciation for a suggestion Picard made and of which Starfleet knew nothing about. I'll have a look at the Tasha and Volskiar story. I have got a Tasha story listed among my favourites – "Yesterday's Tasha" by IluthraDanar. And yes, the chemistry between Asha and Vreenak is increasing with every meeting they have! Thorek is quite a dream Romulan – it's difficult not to turn him into too much of a dream Romulan! :-)

Notes: Hiren is canon, he appears in Star Trek: Nemesis and also in a Star Trek novel.

Vocab fun: "A'rhea" means "dear heart", and "ri'hwathech" means "queen". I invented the pesky green insects and the name "rathakir" to go along with them :-)


Asha had just finished correcting a series of essays in English describing the life and habits of the Romulan raptor when Kihika came up the stairs.

"Ihhei t'Jo'rek asks if you are available."

Asha looked at her with a start. "You mean...Christine t'Jo'rek?"

"Yes, my Lady," Kihika confirmed. By now, she was well aware that her mistress and Ihhei t'Jo'rek had had a misunderstanding of some kind or the other.

"Thank you, Kihika. I'll go down to receive her," Asha said, patting Kihika's arm.

She took a deep breath. Maybe Christine had come to shower her with fresh insults. Vekal must have told her about Senator Cretak's letter and the special offer to request full Romulan citizenship.

She was probably here to tell her how spoilt she was, how everything was going her way, how she didn't deserve it.

"My Lady?" Kihika asked gently, interrupting her silent catastrophising.

"I was lost in my thoughts," she explained, shaking her head as if to clear it. "I'll go down and call you if she wants to stay for tea."

She left, bracing herself.

Christine was standing in the hall. She was gazing at her own feet and twisting her hands. She froze and looked up when she saw Asha coming down the stairs.

The two women stared at each other.

"Uh...Hi, Asha. I...Actually, I don't know where to start or how to start," Christine said first.

"How about starting by sitting down? I'll ask Kihika to bring down your favourite tea." Her voice was polite but neutral, as if she were addressing a stranger.

Christine went red and shifted. "If-if it's okay with you."

"It is," Asha said crisply and called for Kihika.

Kihika soon had Christine's tea and a plate of confections ready.

"Vekal told me you received an offer from Senator Cretak to submit your request for full citizenship," Christine informed her.

Asha didn't say anything. She was watching Christine coolly as if she were a rathak, an insect known for infesting houses and which Letant was currently battling against. Flustered, Christine set down her teacup nervously, almost spilling the contents.

"The exams are quite something and I remember being truly grilled during the oral part. I thought that maybe...you know…I could help you revise. If..."

Asha waited silently. Her silence was starting to unnerve Christine. "If you think that you might find it useful."

She moistened her lips. "Vekal says that you ask about me every time he visits."

"Yes, I do. You are more important than you give yourself credit for," Asha finally replied.

Christine's lips quivered, and her face crumpled as she began to cry.

"I'm sorry. I said horrible things to you. I was so jealous. You seemed to have it all and I forgot what I had. And I figured that you since you were getting successful with your book, you'd forget about me. You'd want to be around the top Romulans. Doors would open for you, and you would walk away."

Asha got up and held out her arms. "How about if you walked this way?" she asked. Christine threw herself into Asha's arms and clung to her. Asha stroked the short brown hair.

"You tried to pre-empt me in case I walked out on you?" she asked.

"Yes. I didn't even realise it until Vekal pointed it out. He told me yesterday that it was I who was trying to walk away first for the eventuality that you walked away beforehand."

"Oh, Christine, why?"

"I don't know, Asha. It used to happen a lot before I ended up here on Romulus. Or maybe because my baby…walked away, in a manner of speaking. I've made an appointment with a mind healer. A Romulan psychologist." She laughed, and Asha knew she was trying to cover up her embarrassment. "Doctor Metak recommended him. She thinks he'll manage with a Human."

"You have made a very wise and courageous decision. And I'm here for you to speak with."

"I don't want to stuff you up with my complaints."

"There are different ways of complaining," Asha said. "As I mentioned, I'm here for you to speak with, but not to insult. I won't be your punching bag, Christine. I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty. You apologised, and I forgive you. Just don't do it again, please. It really hurt."

Christine nodded and hugged her harder. Their reunion was interrupted by the arrival of Thorek, who raised his eyebrows and cast a very cold look at Christine. His face softened a little when he saw the tears on Christine's face and that the two women had their arms around each other's waists.

"Am I correct in assuming that you have come to your senses?" he asked her somewhat gruffly. She turned red again. "I…well…yes."

"Good," Thorek commented tartly, removing his top robes and hanging them up in the wardrobe.

"My deyhhan, Christine would like to help me with my application and studies for full citizenship," Asha explained.

"I'm glad to hear it. It's the least you can do to make amends," Thorek remarked, staring at Christine.

"E'lev, it's alright," Asha said gently.

Thorek approached her, kissing her forehead tenderly. Then he glanced at the tray with Christine's cup and confections.

"You have hardly touched anything. Please help yourself," he said more kindly.

"Thank you," Christine said, looking grateful. Thorek inclined his head in a nod and retired to his office.

Once they had finished their tea, Christine suggested almost shyly to Asha: "Shall we start getting your documents ready or would you prefer another time?"

"Now is fine," Asha said. "And I appreciate your help."

"Anytime. It's written that you'll need at least five people to vouch for you, so you can start with me and Vekal."

"Christine, are you really sure-"

"Of course I am," she responded with her familiar impatience. Asha laughed. It was contagious, and Christine laughed, too.


When Asha visited Vreenak the next time, she discovered Letant sitting in the hall. He smiled gently as he watched Vreenak and Asha exchange a formal but tender hug in greeting. Vreenak had been very cagy about what was going on between the two of them, but to Letant, who knew him like a brother, his behaviour only confirmed that he cared deeply for Asha and she for him.

"Ri'hwathech," Letant said to her, rising and bowing deeply to her, "I am discussing the infestation of insects which is slowly taking over my house. It has been going on for many months - almost a year, in fact. By now, two of my rooms have been taken over by those pests. I have engaged the best exterminators on Romulus, but it's not working. They are immune to everything! I even tried stamping on them, but they seemed to predict my movements and simply scattered before me."

"How did the infestation start?" Asha asked.

"At first, their number was very small. They appeared in one room and a few months later, they spread to the room on the upper floor."

"The upper floor? Not to the corridors or rooms next to the infested one?"

"Well observed. I find it very strange, too," Letant admitted.

"Did you have the insects analysed?"

"There is no need - they are the common rathakir. They are usually easy to exterminate, though."

"Which rooms have they taken over?"

"My study and sitting room."

Asha frowned. "Delon, it sounds like a very odd infestation. A bit too odd. You use one room for professional purposes and the other is for more informal situations, such as entertaining friends or relaxing. Those insects seem to know a bit too well what they're doing and especially what you are doing."

Vreenak and Letant looked at her.

"Do you have an idea?" Vreenak asked.

"Well...Maybe you are being bugged in the technical sense."

"Bugged?" Letant asked.

She explained: "I was reading about how bugging and surveillance devices were and are often used in political circles. Maybe I've got too much imagination, but those bugs may be more than just bugs. They've been used back on Earth, too. I bet every planet has its spies and bugs."

The two Romulans glanced at each other, then back at her again.

"I'll have those insects analysed after all," Letant said finally, inclining his head gracefully towards her. "Thank you for your ideas."

When he left, Asha looked at Vreenak. "You haven't noticed infestations at any of your residences, have you?"

"None so far, a'rhea."

Asha blushed at his endearment, and he raised his hand and touched her rosy cheek lightly. She noticed that he, too, was blushing. She was tempted to put her arms around him and kiss him, but she decided to offer him her arm instead. It was a gesture which never failed to impress Vreenak, as she was bold enough to breach protocol around a Senator, yet remain perfectly respectful around him. After a stroll in the gardens, they retired to the chaise longue, where she proceeded to update him about Senator Cretak's letter and offer.

Vreenak smiled. "I am very pleased to hear that, for your sake and for mine. You see, I am very selfish. The faster you become a citizen with full rights…" He let his sentence trail away.

"Merken, that was a terrible attempt at seduction. Don't think I don't know what you're doing," Asha said, raising a stern eyebrow.

"This," he said softly, gesturing at both of them, "is foreplay."

"It's not!" Asha protested. "And even if I do become a citizen with full rights, do not even think of taking it for granted that I'll automatically share your bed."

"I like that about you. Your directness. Your spirited words. Your pride. A'rhea, I would not touch a hair of your head if I knew that you didn't want it."

"I know," she said softly, brushing his cheek gently. He closed his eyes, as if drinking in her touch.

Later, when she left, he could still feel her warm fingers against his skin.


Vreenak was at his main residence drawing up a bill for one his political meetings when his house assistant announced the arrival of Letant.

"Deihu tr'Letant declares that it is urgent," the assistant said. Vreenak closed and sealed his files with his thumbprint and went down to receive his friend. There was no trace of mischief in Letant's face this time. He looked grim.

"Asha was right. Look," he said without preamble, placing a box on the table with a microscope.

"Have a look, Merken."

Vreenak obeyed and sat down, peering through the microscope. Letant explained:

"Now what you're seeing is the exoskeleton, and next to it are its inner organs, if that is what you want to call them."

Vreenak sucked in his breath. "What a clever and vile deception!"

"Metal, my friend. And a chip inside. A cloaking device would interfere with their capacities, so they had to remain visible, and they were programmed with the capacity to reproduce themselves."

"It was such a simple solution that we never thought of it. But who would plant this in your residence?"

"I checked my schedule from last year. I hosted a meeting at my home. Vice-Proconsul Hiren was among my guests," Letant said.

Vreenak narrowed his eyes and paced around with his hands behind his back. "It would be possible."

"More than possible, my friend. I am sure Hiren has ties to your former employers." He tapped the box with his finger. "This kind of device takes a lot of innovation, research and resources."

"It does seem foolish, however, to infest a room with these things. Which person would willingly stay in an infested room to discuss secrets?"

"Maybe these things would have spread. They started in one room and went over to the other room. In fact, I'm quite sure I spied one in my bedroom. However, there is a device to destroy them." He held up what like a hypospray.

"This will emit a frequency which is beyond even our range of hearing. I tried it out and they were disabled. I was able to stamp on them this time. I suggest that you check all your residences for rathakir. You know that if anyone became aware of your passion for Asha t'Darak, to whom, by the way, I owe my warmest thanks…"

"To say nothing of my political plans," Vreenak added.

Letant laughed softly. "I can see how much you care for her. You always change the topic."

Vreenak was silent. Together, the two Senators stared at the box containing the dissected rathak.


Asha sent off her application two weeks after she had received Senator Cretak's letter. Waiting for the answer was nerve-racking, but within three days, the Senate had sent off their reply.

As it happened, Vekal, Christine and Thorek were present when Kihika brought in the letter, sealed by Senator Cretak.

Asha swallowed. "Oh, good heavens," she said. "Kihika, please don't go. I might require smelling salts."

"Smelling salts?" Kihika asked, confused.

"Ammonia pills which were given to people who fainted in earlier centuries," Christine explained. "They smelt so strong that they had the reputation of reviving fainting people."

Asha fumbled with the letter, not daring to press her thumb to the seal.

"I can't open this," she stated. "Let's hide this somewhere and forget about it."

"Certainly not!" Thorek exclaimed, knitting his brows together. "Even Lilou wants to know what the letter says."

Sure enough, the set'leth placed her head on Asha's knee and sniffed loudly at the letter.

"Come now, paenhe," Vekal said. "Remember that Romulans are warriors. By becoming a full Romulan citizen, you are becoming a full warrior. And warriors don't hide things. They confront them. As you have done many, many times before."

Asha took a deep breath.

"How am I supposed to help you study if you don't open it?" Christine pressed. Asha gave in. She opened it with her thumb print and retinal scan.