Wedding Bells & Warning Lights

When Jo left his office, Vreenak slumped forward to rest his head in his hands. The woman was vexing, but his lack of control was even more concerning. He hadn't raised his voice or his hand to her, but he had moved in far too close. At first, it had been an instinctive display of dominance - a way of showing another that you had control over the situation, and they did not. Towering over your opponent made intimidation easy, and Jo was so short it wasn't hard to get that message across. But then he'd moved in closer, leaned over her, and let his mouth run ahead of his brain. What had he been thinking?

"You weren't thinking," he groaned. "That much was evident."

He wasn't responsible for telling the woman, "You are mine," he decided. That had been the unfortunate influence of thao'jol.

The senator sighed heavily and threw a hand over his face, falling back into his chair.

From the moment he allowed Ms. Ortega to enter, everything about the encounter had been a mistake. He had thought seeing her again would be different, but the impact was just as powerful as it had been at first sight. His thoughts were jumbled, his heart was racing, and he made foolish decisions that could have ended disastrously, like allowing himself to get lost in the woman's scent.

It was still suspended in the air of his quarters, even though she'd left more than fifteen minutes ago.

His face hadn't been that far from her cheek, he remembered. He could have easily turned and dipped his head lower, tucking his nose in the little wedge of skin at the angle of her jaw.

Suddenly, Vreenak was desperate for something to do other than sit, aggravated and flustered.

He glared at his bottle of Kali-fal, temptingly arranged on a shelf not more than a few feet away. His immediate thought was to relax with a drink, but it was only 0900, and he'd never found day drinking tasteful. Not only that, but he'd made a pact with himself that he wouldn't reflexively reach for the bottle every time the curly little terror upset him. Now, he sorely regretted ever making that shortsighted pact.

How am I to survive like this?

In Edith and Jo's quarters:

"Dammit, Jo. I told you not to push him so much," Edith hissed.

The two women were laid out, side by side, on Edith's bed, admiring the Cardassian architecture displayed on the ceiling. Jo had just finished regaling Edith with all the details from her first real meeting with Vreenak, and Edith was all atwitter.

"I didn't 'push him.' We just traded some insults, that's all. He got off a few blows, and so did I. I will not show him more respect than he shows me, E. I just won't."

Edith sighed heavily. "I understand, but…Romulans don't operate like that. Rihan has an entirely different set of grammatical rules depending on the rank or class of the person speaking or who they're speaking to. It's not as simple as addressing someone as 'sir' or 'Senator.'"

"I get that. But…we make concessions and adjustments when working with different species, and they also do the same for us. That's what interspecies cooperation is all about. When it comes to my own name, I have to put my foot down about it. Besides, he said so himself - he can't fire me."

"Yeah, and he will make you suffer for it."

"I'm just going to keep doing the stellar job I always do," Jo said exaggeratedly, laying a hand over her chest. "And then he'll probably let up in a few weeks. You told me you went through a tough time with Letant in the beginning, right? Whew, I bet he can be pretty terrifying when he's angry."

Edith nodded, thinking back to those early days. "Yeah, we did get into a few good spats, but nothing too terrible. And yes, he can be scary, but he never got that mad at me. He's never really yelled or anything; he just throws out some scathing remarks. You know how those Romulans have wicked tongues."

"Mmm…has he ever physically intimidated you?"

"What? No…" Edith turned to Jo, concerned. "Did Vreenak do that?"

Jo waved her off. "Eh, he just stepped in really close. Actually, I was backed up against the wall towards the end there. I guess he was just trying to intimidate me, and I don't know why he even bothered. He's almost a foot taller than I am."

"He backed you up against the wall?" Edith asked, then rolling onto her back again, a little dazed. "Letant has never done something like that."

"Well, he's only three inches taller than you. Maybe he thinks it wouldn't intimidate you."

Edith snorted. "He definitely intimidates me. It wouldn't matter if he was three feet shorter than me. The average Romulan is more than three times stronger than a Human - and that's a Human in top physical condition! I have the total body strength of a spaghetti noodle."

"It's a little weird to think about, isn't it? That those two could easily kill us? I mean, I guess a lot of people could, but it's just…it's only now setting in that we work for two men who have had people killed. Vreenak? Definitely. Letant? Probably…I suppose I should be a bit more careful about what I say."

"Did you feel like you were actually in danger?" Edith asked her seriously.

"...Nah. Not really. I don't think Romulans hate us as much as they pretend to. It's like Vulcans - I don't think they find us as annoying as they pretend to."

"Eh, maybe…"

A few minutes later, after a deceptively serious silence…

"Spaghetti noodle, huh? That's pretty good…" Jo said. "If you're as strong as a spaghetti noodle, I must be as strong as…what?"

"Angel hair pasta," Edith joked.

Jo hit her shoulder. "Stop it. I'm definitely a ravioli." She slapped a hand over one of her thighs, admiring its volume with waggling eyebrows, which made Edith laugh. "Wait, are we talkin' al dente or raw pasta?... It matters."

"I'd like to think I'm more limber than a raw noodle. I'm not that brittle yet."

Jo looked doubtful and hummed. "Mmm, I don't know, E. When you got up earlier, I swear I heard some snaps and pops."

Abruptly, Jo found herself floundering under a brutal assault with a pillow. Her ruthless assailant reigned down blows without remorse. The struggle was violent, and soon their quarters were so filled with laughter that one could easily hear it from the hall.

Several weeks passed without much to report. Senator Letant and Edith continued to work well together, occasionally bickering or hassling each other but they were otherwise civil. Vreenak and Jo, as predicted, were a different story.

Vreenak was just as cantankerous as he'd ever been, but Jo was more than up to the task of handling him. However, trouble began when the senator decided that the best way to deal with his aide was to ignore her. She would report to his office daily, and he would simply wave her away, commenting on how she already knew what needed to be done, so there was no point in discussing it. At first, the newfound peace felt like a godsend, but Jo quickly grew tired of his attitude. She couldn't understand why she felt even worse now that the constant barrage of insults and threats had ceased, but she did. Vreenak's words, the ones he'd hissed in her face during their first meeting, played in Jo's ears one evening while she sat despondently on her bed.

…no matter how much you complain, how miserable you become, or how passionately you beg for a transfer, you are mine.

Well, she was certainly miserable now, but not for any of the reasons she had anticipated. The next day, when she stood before the senator's desk and looked down at him, she wished he would look up, even if just for a moment. Instead of busying himself with every possible thing other than her, Jo longed for him to snap at her for something stupid like her pink nails or the little silver "J" she wore around her neck. But her wish didn't come true; Vreenak shooed her out of the room without a glance.

But, Senator Vreenak's behavior was not just odd and upsetting to Jo; it also left a bad taste in Letant's mouth. To him, Vreenak was acting highly suspicious. Letant knew his friend to be a smooth-talking politician who usually worked well with everyone. He'd closed deals with some of the most adversarial political rivals, won over resolutely opposed parties, and garnered favor amongst a highly divided public. Typically, Vreenak could charm the scales off a snake, but he'd chosen to bury his head in the sand whenever and wherever Joanna Ortega was concerned. Why Vreenak was incapable of working with a Human woman who was, by all accounts, reasonably pleasant was beyond Letant's comprehension.

Three months after Joanna arrived on Deep Space Nine:

Important people were on the station, which meant everyone - except the senators, of course - was anxious. Regulations that had become lax with time were swiftly tightened up. Workstations were cleared, the Promenade was swept, uniforms were freshly pressed, and every officer and ensign on the station was all business. A keen observer would have sworn even their commbadges shined a little brighter.

No one wanted to look bad in front of high-ranking officials.

As for Jo and Edith, they didn't know what to do with themselves beyond treating the day like any other. During this special visit by Starfleet command and Federation reps, Jo and Edith were going to be under a fair bit of scrutiny, but nothing serious. They were technically UFP employees, but Starfleet also took an interest in their activities since they worked with men who were involved in many delicate political dealings.

The girls supposed the visit had something to do with an unfortunate event at the Romulan consulate two weeks ago. An office at the consulate was set on fire, the fire-suppression systems were disabled, and considerable damage had been inflicted. Currently, there were no clear suspects or motives, but it was determined that the event was undoubtedly the result of arson. No fatalities or severe injuries were reported, but the social shockwaves produced by the affair were damaging.

Both sides had their own theories about the crime, and none were favorable; the finger of blame was being pointed in both directions. The Romulans blamed the fire on an outspoken anti-Romulan Human organization that had a past of making threats. However, some Federation news publications questioned whether the Romulans didn't just set the fire themselves in order to create a rift. Either way, the amicable interactions that the Romulan Empire and the Federation had been enjoying were in danger of crumbling before they'd had the chance to truly flourish. For the sake of the Federation's safety and her interests, it was imperative that its friendship with the Romulans heal once more and stay healthy for the foreseeable future.

So, when they got down to thinking about it, Edith and Jo realized they were actually quite important in the eyes of Starfleet and the Federation. The two of them were like little, unofficial diplomats, representing the ability of each side to work together. This was made even more significant because Letant and Vreenak had been, and continued to be, instrumental in bringing the two governments together.

It was a historical undertaking, and Edith and Jo were at the center of it.

"Maybe I should have worn a better dress. You think I should go change?" Edith asked Jo. They were walking down a corridor en route to the conference between the senators and Starfleet brass.

"What are you talking about? You look great! I love this dress," she reached over to fiddle with Edith's sleeve. "Probably because it's mine, but I like it better on you. You should keep it. It looks so much better when the hem's above the knee. It hits me at my shins."

Edith laughed nervously. "You're sweet for trying to distract me, Jo, but it won't work. I don't know why I'm so anxious; it's not like this is any different than normal. But I don't get why they're here? The agenda they set seems innocuous enough, but a bit…?"

"Redundant?"

"Yeah," Edith agreed, exasperated. She and Jo had had this conversation before, not understanding why higher-ups were bothering with an in-person meeting when a subspace call would have sufficed.

The two women rounded the corner, set to enter the turbolift, but a sign was affixed to the doors, which read:

DO NOT ENTER: MAINTENANCE CREWS AT WORK

"Shit!" Jo cursed. "We don't have enough time to get to another turbolift. We'll have to get there on foot."

"Isn't the conference room all the way on the other side of the habitat ring?" Edith asked, wide-eyed.

They looked at each other in horror, and nothing further needed to be said. Jo kicked off her heels with impressive speed, carrying them in her hand, and ran alongside Edith down the hallway.

"Ahh!" Jo whined, "What I wouldn't give to have your long legs right now. Short people shouldn't run, and," she stopped to maneuver around several people clogging up the hall, "I'm starting to get a stitch. That jumja stick was a bad idea."

"Come on, Jo," Edith wheezed, not faring much better. "Just keep moving. I'll carry you if I have to because I will not let Vreenak get the satisfaction of catching you arriving late."

"Ughhh…fine. You're right. Dealing with him is way worse than a stitch."

After ten minutes of frantic running, the girls arrived outside the conference room with a few minutes to spare. It was a good thing, too; the moment their feet stopped moving, they had to lean against the wall, trying to appear casual despite gasping for air.

Jus then, a familiar voice crept up at Edith's shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Letant asked the pair.

Edith swiped her hair behind her ears and forced herself to breathe normally so she could answer before Jo did. Jo was an awful liar. "Oh, we're fine. We just had a friendly competition over who could get here the fastest, that's all," she lied.

Letant's brow twitched, and he kept his eyes trained on her. "Is that so? And who won?"

"Me," both girls said simultaneously, making Letant smirk.

"Okay, fine," Jo huffed with with a laugh. "Edith won, but that's only because she has longer legs than me. Wasn't really a fair competition. Besides, I had to do it barefoot." She held up one of her shoes for emphasis.

"Ah, I was wondering about that," he said, glancing at Jo's feet. "Well, you two better right yourselves quickly. We shall begin in three minutes." After imparting those words, he excused himself and walked off into the conference room.

"You didn't catch any of that, did you?" Jo whispered, eying the doorway where Letant had just disappeared.

"What do you mean? I was listening to what he said," replied Edith.

Jo looked at her oddly. "No, no. Not what he said - what he was doing. Your eyes must have been glued to the floor, so you didn't notice, but he barely even looked at me." Then, she grinned and playfully jabbed Edith with her elbow. "See, I told you you look good in this dress."

"Ehh, please, he was talking to both of us. Don't be weird." Edith was going to grumble more but stopped short. She was too busy looking down at Jo's hands in alarm. "Hey, where's your other shoe?"

Jo followed her pointed look and saw only one shoe hanging from her finger - the other was nowhere to be seen. "Are you kidding me?! Did I drop it? How could I have dropped it?"

She turned around, frantic, hoping the missing shoe would appear suddenly, but nothing miraculously popped into view. Thinking that she might be fortunate enough to find it lying in the hallway they'd just sprinted through, she hastily retraced her steps. But, when she pivoted around the corner, she smacked into something solid. Jo thought she may have turned too soon and bumped into the wall, but when she realized what she'd actually hit, she wondered if the wall wouldn't have been preferable.

Before her stood Senator Vreenak. His hands were clasped behind his back and his chin was raised so he could look down at her haughtily.

"Hello, Senator," she greeted without too much warmth. It was hard to be warm when your skin was tingling. It always did when under Vreenak's glare.

"Miss Ortega," he drawled.

She was so surprised he was looking at her in the eyes, let alone speaking to her, that she almost let his misuse of her name slide. Almost. "Jo," she corrected sweetly.

At that, Vreenak exhaled such a large, frustrated breath, Jo was amazed there weren't tendrils of smoke unfurling from his nares.

He does have a dragon-like presence sometimes, she thought.

"You seem to be in an awfully big hurry to leave this meeting before it's even started," he commented with a glower. He looked pointedly at her feet and suddenly appeared a little too victorious for Jo's comfort. "Is this some sort of primitive Human fashion statement, or has something happened to your shoe?"

"The latter," she deadpanned.

"Somewhat problematic, don't you think?"

Jo gnashed her teeth. "At least I'm not late, Vreenak."

"You're barefoot," the senator hissed. "And it is Senator Vreenak. I will not have you casually refer-"

"Technically," she interrupted, "I'm only half barefoot." She raised the other shoe up for him to see. "I must have dropped the other one while I was running here."

Vreenak's eyes followed the dangling shoe, and he turned smug. "If you had managed your time appropriately, you wouldn't have needed to run."

"Oh, please," she snorted. "You are the king of time mismanagement! That's why you need me."

His countenance darkened. "I don't need you."

Now it was Jo's turn to be smug. "Oh, yes, you do. You can't tell me your days aren't significantly calmer now that I'm taking care of things. You're never late, and you don't miss appointments, so people aren't piss-"

Before Jo could finish, Edith poked her head around the corner, eying the two cautiously. "We need to go in now," she told them before eagerly slipping away.

Jo nodded, steeled herself, and was prepared to bravely face the music when Vreenak stopped her.

"You're not going in there with only one shoe."

Jo slouched and rolled her eyes. "What do you suggest? 'Cuz either I wear one shoe and limp in, or I just go completely barefoot and hope no one notices."

He smiled, but not kindly - it was more of a predatory sort of smile. "That won't be necessary." As the words left his lips, he unclasped his hands from behind his back, revealing a green, dangling object. Jo's missing shoe.

She was speechless, mouth agape, as she watched her heel swing like a pendulum on Vreenak's long finger. Despite herself, she had to smile. "Uh, thanks…How'd you know it was mine?"

"I recognized it. I've seen you wear this pair before, and losing a shoe, of all things," he rolled his eyes, "is incredibly childish and absurd. So, it's something I know you are more than capable of."

"Huh," she replied, impressed.

She ignored his little insult, mostly because Vreenak had, perhaps for the first time in his life, done something kind. For her. By all accounts, it didn't make sense. Jo would have thought, upon seeing one of her possessions in the corridor, the senator would have just blown it out of an airlock and kept walking.

She grabbed for the shoe, but Vreenak pulled it back out of her reach and smiled wryly.

"Another vague clue that tipped me off…was this," he said and turned the heel over; across the sole, her name was clearly written in permanent marker.

Years before, Jo had marked the bottoms of the pumps so that she and Edith wouldn't mix up their pairs. Edith had bought herself the same set of heels as both women were too fond of green to pass up such a find.

For the first time in the senator's presence, Jo broke out in genuine laughter, tickled by the way Vreenak had played her. She'd never been on the receiving end of his humor, only his anger and derision.

He can charming when he wants to be, she giggled, taking back her shoe.

Meanwhile, Vreenak stared at Jo's laughing face and was struck. He'd never seen her smile before so genuinely and unguarded before. Her eyes hadn't lit up like they were now, nor had her nose scrunched endearingly. He despised how buoyant he felt when he looked at her, but really hated how disappointed he was when she covered her mouth and laughed behind her hand. He didn't like that she was hiding from him. But he had no right to think that way, and that fact sobered him up quick.

"Your history as a spy makes so much sense to me now," Jo teased. "I'm glad I finally got to see a demonstration of your skills." She grinned as she bent to buckle her ankle strap.

"How lucky for you," Vreenak drawled, back to his usual surliness. "And Miss Ortega?"

Jo didn't look up, still fiddling with the tiny buckle. "Mmm?"

"Despite all of your running, we are now late. Get going."

"I hope you have more to discuss with us than this, Admiral," said Letant, coldly. His mood had been steadily deteriorating for the last hour.

Edith had to agree. Everything Admiral Koh and the two Federation representatives had said so far was old business, hashed out at the last meeting. One got the sense that they were stalling for time, their eyes nervously shifted, and their speech was somewhat halting. The air in the room had felt awkward from the moment the doors to the conference room closed.

"I…we do have other things to discuss, but…we will only need to speak to Senator Vreenak and Miss Ortega today. We're very sorry for the inconvenience, Senator," said one of the Federation representatives, at least having the decency to sound regretful.

Edith looked to her side in alarm and saw Letant's hardened, skeptical expression. Two weeks ago, Edith and Jo had been informed that both senators were required to attend this impromptu conference, so this sudden, unexplained exclusion perplexing. Not to mention, an important meeting taking place with only one of the two senators in attendance was highly unusual. What concerned one, concerned the other; this was especially true of any meeting with Starfleet or Federation personnel.

"Pardon me," Edith called out. "Why was I instructed to clear the senator's schedule for the rest of the day if you didn't intend for him to be present?"

Judging by the silence that followed, no one expected Edith - a lowly aide - to make any fuss about having her and Senator Letant's time wasted. She didn't know if Letant approved of her attitude, but she wasn't brave enough to glance in his direction to check. Still, she felt his eyes on her.

"We knew planning a meeting where only one of you was in attendance would cause some suspicion. We hoped to avoid that for as long as possible. In truth," the representative looked acutely uncomfortable then, shifting his gaze to the floor, "our purpose for being here does not concern any military plans or even any official business between the Federation and the Romulan Empire. We need to discuss a personal matter. One that is somewhat delicate."

Everyone's attention flashed to Vreenak and Jo, who appeared even more apprehensive than Letant and Edith. Vreenak, especially, was glaring daggers, wondering what new burden the Federation would force on him. They'd tied his hands and mandated he have an aide; what would they demand of him now? He considered the thousands of possibilities with dread.

With reluctance, Edith and Letant exited the room, but not before Edith shot Jo a reassuring look just as the doors closed. She had a feeling Jo was going to give her an earful tonight once this clandestine meeting was over.

She could tell Letant was worried as they walked back to his office. Edith didn't blame him; she, too, was suspicious of this whole situation with Vreenak and Jo, and she could only imagine just how much more paranoid and untrusting a Romulan would be about it. But Edith trusted Jo, and she was confident Letant trusted Vreenak, so all that could be done now was speculate and wait.

"What is my schedule for the rest of the day?" Letant asked.

"Well, now that the meeting is no longer an issue, there's nothing else scheduled today. There are some documents that need signing and a proposal from the Bajoran liaison that you should look over before your conference next week, but other than that, you're free."

"Then you are as well. Feel free to take the day off. It's unfortunate that the Federation saw fit to waste our time, but I see no reason not to take advantage of the break. You've earned it."

Edith blushed from his unexpected praise and immediately felt like an idiot. The senator didn't dole out kind words often, and she'd become used to digging through his sass just to find a hint of a compliment. "Um, thank you," she murmured.

When they turned the corner, she realized she was just following Letant's lead as he took them toward the turbolift. "Oh, the turbolift is out of or-order…" her words dropped off when she caught sight of the turbolift doors in the distance. There wasn't a maintenance warning sign in sight. "Oh, nevermind then."

"Were they not working earlier?"

"No. Jo and I found that out the hard way - we got a pretty nasty surprise while trying to get over here. We nearly… um," Edith stopped abruptly, coughing in a horrible attempt to cover up her slip.

"Ah, that makes more sense. I knew you and Miss Ortega were lying about racing each other. No wonder you were out of breath," he laughed. "It was because of panic, not friendly rivalry."

He laughed even harder when he caught Edith's scandalized face.

"You knew?!" she exclaimed.

"You are not as skilled a liar as you think. You may be able to fool a Human, but to a Romulan, you are very transparent."

Edith shook her head as he ushered her into the turbolift. She thought she'd been convincing earlier, but the suave bastard had seen right through her. "Damn…" she remarked to herself.

"Miss Brown, I do believe that is the first foul word I have ever heard from you….Level two, section forty-seven, habitat ring," he instructed, his attention briefly directed at the control panel.

"Well, it's not exactly professional to swear on the job, Senator."

He smirked. "You aren't on duty at the moment, so I'll…what's the phrase you Humans say? 'Let it slide?'"

She smiled and leaned against the wall as they started to move. "Why, thank you. Though, since I've started working for you, you've let almost all of my snarky comments slide. For the most part."

"I prefer to surround myself with individuals who possess a spine. While knowing one's place is imperative in my culture, the lowly groveling of one's underlings can become tedious."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Rest assured, I will never grovel - to you or anyone else."

Letant looked over to his companion fondly, his eyes soft. "I don't doubt it."

As they held each other's gaze, Edith fought to not look away. In the past, Letant's stare had made her flustered, but only because of how formidable the senator could be. While Vreenak's derisiveness was insulting, Letant's ire often came off as though he was disappointed. And Edith loathed disappointing people. The way he used to glare at her, expecting her to be a failure, would to tie her stomach in knots, but the look he was giving her now wasn't nearly as sharp. Edith couldn't make sense of it, but instead of knots, her stomach was tied into tangles the size of boulders.

"Edith," he began, but the screech of metal on metal rudely interrupted whatever he was going to say, and the turbolift violently stopped.

Instinctively, he grabbed Edith's arm, and she didn't spare a second thought when she clung onto his shoulder, even if it made for an awkward position once the turbolift stopped bouncing.

Letant extricated himself from her without incident and pressed the emergency button, calling security for help. When someone finally commed back, the news they received was not encouraging.

"Ah, we've been having trouble with that turbolift all day. Don't worry, Senator. We'll get you and Miss Brown out safe, but it may take some time. We thought we'd fixed it a few hours ago bu-"

"Understood. We'll let you get to work," Letant bit out, rolling his eyes. He gestured towards the floor. "We might as well take a seat, Edith. I would say we are in competent hands, but I'm not sure that's entirely accurate."

The two passed an hour in comfortable conversation but as they approached the two-hour mark, the lights blinked out and cast them in darkness. Once the small space was pitch black, any calm Edith had been enjoying evaporated.

"Apparently, repair efforts aren't going well," Letant remarked dryly. When Edith remained silent, he looked over and picked out her profile amidst the black. What he saw was a woman in distress. "Edith? What's wrong?"

"I'm okay," she replied shakily. Her response came a little too fast to be convincing.

"Edith, I believe I mentioned you weren't a good liar. Your skills haven't improv-"

"Alright," she rushed to say. "I lied. I'm not okay."

"No…I don't suppose you are…What's bothering you?"

"It's really not important. I'll be alright. It's fine." She despised how her voice broke; it was pathetic, just like her increasing fear.

Letant didn't say anything at first; he just inched closer and tried to get a better look at her. His proximity acted as an effective distraction the warmth coming off his body drew Edith's attention away from her fear for a moment, but the relief was temporary. Soon, the enclosing darkness got the better of her once more.

"I can certainly appreciate the need for secrecy. However," Letant stopped as he wasn't sure how to phrase what came next. The words he ended up settling on sounded very un-Romulan, but it was the truth. "You may tell me, Edith. And you may do so without fear that I will use it against you."

"That's not the general impression most people get from Romulans, Senator."

"Letant."

"Hmm?"

"You're not currently working, and you are in distress. So, let us dispense with formalities, shall we? After all, I've been calling you Edith, so it's only fair."

She had noticed how informal he'd come around her but didn't want to ruin his good mood by pointing it out. The first time he'd called her Edith, she'd been pleasantly surprised by how much she preferred it to Miss Brown. When working with someone every day, the stuffiness became tiring, and she was glad to hear her first name roll off his tongue. "Okay. Letant, then."

"Simply put, Edith, you have earned enough of my respect that you can be honest with me without fear. I give you my word."

She could feel the truth on the verge of slipping out, but she hesitated. She didn't completely believe him, but that didn't matter much at this point. Edith felt like the dam within her would break if she didn't let out some of her panic and frustration. Only Jo knew of her childish fear, but Jo was so supportive and non-judgmental that she never offered any advice or encouraged her to move past it. Edith was immeasurably grateful to her friend, and always would be, but sometimes Edith was tired of trying to figure things out herself. Sometimes she wanted someone to fix things for her. Though it was a long shot, Letant appeared to be just that someone - at least when it came to her fear of the dark. She knew he wouldn't spare her feelings nor nullify the problem. He was a solutions man and a strategist; perhaps he would have some insight.

"It's… it's ridiculous," she whispered into her knees.

"How so?"

"It's so childish it's embarrassing. I always thought I'd get over it, but I never have," Edith breathed. At this point, she was gasping for air as her fear tumbled out of control. A chunk of ice sat in her chest, and it sent chills down her limbs, freezing her fingertips.

Sensing this, Letant touched her shoulder. "Edith, I'm right here. Now, you were fine before the power cut out. Is it the dark that bothers you?" When she didn't respond, he called out to her again gently. "Edith?"

She nodded sadly, finally saying, "Yes…I was so scared of the dark when I was a child. But, as I grew up, I got better about it, and eventually, the fear disappeared. Then, about five or so years ago, it just surged back, and now it's a constant problem. I…I can't even sleep without having a light on."

Immediately, Edith kicked herself for being honest. She should have kept her answer simple; Letant didn't need to know every detail of how ridiculous she was.

"As a child," Letant began, breaking the silence, "I was petrified of water - deep water in particular. Which is quite inconvenient when one lives on Romulus. The capital city is surrounded by water, and while not all Romulans enjoy swimming, all of us must learn how to do so as a precaution. To say my father was displeased by my unwillingness to even be near water is an understatement."

"Do you still have issues with water?" she asked him.

"No. Not anymore. But, if I'm being honest, I still don't enjoy the prospect of submerging myself in water. I simply tolerate it."

The two sat quietly following his confession, and Edith wanted to thank him for sharing but didn't figure he'd take too kindly to it. Something told her that the senator had just as much trouble admitting to his weaknesses as she did.

"Come here," Letant ordered suddenly.

His offer took Edith by surprise. "What?"

"Come closer, I have an idea, and it'd be much easier if you sat next to me. I won't bite."

Her cheeks burning, Edith slid over and accidentally bumped into him clumsily, but Letant said nothing. Instead, he reached around and touched the back of her neck so his fingertips sat on her transverse processes. In a flash, however, he yanked his hand back as though burned.

He hadn't asked for permission. Touching was highly significant for his people, and to do so without warning or consent was improper if one wasn't interrogating an enemy or collecting intel. He had no right to assume Edith would welcome his touch. "May I place my hand here? On your neck?" he murmured.

"That's fine; I don't mind. What are you going to do?"

He restrained himself from questioning how she could give him permission before knowing his motives but reasoned that she was likely too scared to have sound judgment at the moment. "Are you familiar with Romulan neuro-pressure?"

"I've heard of Vulcan neuro-pressure, but I guess it's not surprising that Romulans have their own version."

"Mmm, I wouldn't put much stock into Vulcan neuro-pressure. Too much philosophy, not enough substance. Typical Vulcan nonsense."

Despite her discomfort, Edith had to laugh at that, just as Letant had planned.

"Are you comfortable with me performing a few techniques on you?" he asked.

"...You don't have to do this for me, Letant," whispered Edith.

"I'm aware of that, but I'm offering. I doubt we will be released from here soon, and your breathing is still ragged. There's no sense in prolonging what you're going through." When she remained silent, he went on. "I won't pry into your mind if that's what you are concerned about."

"No," she said firmly. "That isn't it. I know you wouldn't... I-It's just…" she broke off, unsure if she wanted to continue. Finally, she relented. "Okay. Go ahead."

Shifting closer, Letant closed his eyes and focused on calming her. He'd been formally trained in neuro-pressure techniques during his military service, primarily in methods revolving around pain control, stamina, and stress resilience. Letant had only needed to use it on his fellow soldiers a few times, but the opportunities to exercise the skill dwindled significantly as he rose through the ranks. In his later years, after becoming a military strategist and then a senator, he no longer had the need to use neuro-pressure at all. Carrying it out now, and on a Human, too, was actually refreshing.

"My mother used to do this for me when I was a boy. She would take me to a lake not far from our home, wade in with me, and help me calm down. It must have been quite a feat; I remember I would begin to panic as soon as the water rose to my knees. She and I would go through these 'therapy' sessions at least once a week, always when my father was out of the house, at work. When I finally became confident in the water, which had taken almost a year, I showed off to my father. He was so proud…but not of me or my mother's hard work. In his mind, his heavy-handed discipline is what knocked the fear out of me. He took the credit, completely oblivious to the wink my mother shot me over his shoulder….She never told him…."

Edith was shocked and touched that the senator was being so open. As Letant's fingers lulled her to a near-drowsy state, she tried to imagine him as a young boy, much shorter but just as proud. A smile pulled at her lips when her mind conjured up an image of a black-haired child with pointed ears, soaking wet and clinging to his mother.

"She sounds lovely," Edith said softly.

"She was," he replied. His hand moved lower, just about where Edith's neck met her shoulders. "She was a gentle, humble woman, which - as I'm sure you know - is unusual for a Romulan. But she was one of the strongest people I've ever known…Take a deep breath and hold it."

Edith did as he ordered and felt her muscles relax one by one. When he let her exhale, it was like she expired all her stress along with her breath. She figured Letant would stop there, but he apparently had more work to do since he simply moved to a new segment of her spine, and she felt the same pulse of energy come from his fingers. Maybe it was because of how relaxed she was, or perhaps it was because she was subconsciously looking for some reassurance, but Edith let her next words slip out unchecked.

"You know, sometimes, especially with this fear of the dark getting so much worse here on the station, I think about how getting this post as your aide might have been a mistake. On the Federation's part, I mean."

"It was," Letant said simply.

She flinched as though she'd been slapped. "Oh."

Though he'd only uttered two words, the impact of what he said hit Edith hard. Here she was, thinking she and Letant were getting along fine, only to learn she'd had it backward. He thought she was unfit for the job as well. When Letant began chuckling at her side, her stomach dropped even further; she hadn't known the senator for that long, but she didn't take him for someone who would be so cruel as to laugh during a time like this.

"Don't get tense on me again, Edith. You misunderstand me," he said, giving her neck a squeeze. "You have proven yourself to be a capable aide, and I'm grateful to have you. However, your assignment here technically was a mistake. Didn't you find it odd that you, a woman fresh out of training, would be assigned a Romulan senator as your first job? Especially when your posting is on a precariously located space station outside of Federation territory? Your job is not for the faint of heart, and it's hardly the right assignment for a novice such as yourself."

Edith listened, agreeing with what he was saying; those facts had fueled her anxieties and self-doubt over the last few months. But she still didn't know what he was getting at. What mistake was he referring to?

"I received notice that I had been assigned an aide from the Federation Diplomatic Corps and that I should expect them to arrive on the station in a few days. I attempted to access the records of this mystery aide, but there seemed to be a glitch in the system, and no information was available. When you showed up, wide-eyed and eager to begin, I accessed your file directly. I was somewhat irritated to find you had no prior experience and thought perhaps sending you was some kind of insulting joke by the Federation. However, you adapted quickly, so I thought nothing of it. That is until," he chuckled, thinking back to the moment fondly, "I received an urgent subspace call from a Federation diplomatic coordinator, calling to apologize profusely for the unfortunate mix-up. Apparently, they sent you here by mistake, and the aide I was supposed to receive was a seasoned veteran who was, allegedly, far better suited to work for an imposing Romulan such as myself."

"What?!" Edith whipped her head around to look at him even though she couldn't see a thing.

"Shh," he shushed and grabbed hold of the top of her head. "Face forward. I'm not finished…As I was saying…I told them not to bother. You and I had already settled into a comfortable working relationship. Still, they made quite a fuss about it…"

She could hardly believe what she was hearing, but it made sense. Nothing about her assignment had ever felt right, but she had been too excited and nervous to say anything to her coordinator. She'd just hopped on a transport and hoped for the best, unsure why the Federation thought she was a good fit for such a delicate position.

Letant misinterpreted her silence as worry and sighed. "You rose to the occasion, Edith. You should be proud of that."

"I…I am. It's just…I had no idea. No one ever mentioned or hinted at it whenever I gave performance reports on how things were going here. And I'm a little shocked at you, to be honest."

"Because I didn't tell you?

"Because you kept me."

Edith's phrasing made it sound like she was a pet Letant decided not to return to the pound, and the senator fought not to laugh. "I simply wasn't in the mood to yell at a new assistant while I broke them in."

She grinned and relaxed into his hands again. "You've never yelled at me. Not really."

"No?" he asked. Little by little, Letant could feel the muscles in Edith's neck relax, and her breathing slowed. The nervous energy flowing underneath his fingertips began to dissipate. "The soldiers who have served under my command would be shocked to hear that," he joked.

He chose that moment to lean in closer, to better his grip so he could loosen the last few knots in Edith's shoulders, but the movement made Edith shift as well. Suddenly, he felt something brush against his nose, and his his eyes snapped open, only to find Edith staring back at him in shock, a few inches away. The side of her nose was lightly pressed against his. Neither one of them moved and they were overly aware of the other's warm breath so close. Only a tiny press ahead, and Letant would be able to settle his lips over Edith's.

Coincidentally, some far off Jefferies tube, a repair technician aligned the power relays to the turbolift, and caused the lights overhead to come on in a blinding flash. Instantly, Letant and Edith were thrown back down to reality and, without a word, they settled into a tortuous silence until the maintenance team gave the all-clear. Eventually, the turbolift began to move.

Back in conference room H204:

"There is no possible way I heard you correctly," Vreenak hissed. His voice was so hushed it was almost a whisper, but no one in the room doubted his venom. He was livid.

One of the Federation officials, a man who had casually introduced himself as Thomas (and instantly left Vreenak unimpressed), laid a comforting hand on the table. "We know this is a difficult thing to as-"

"Difficult? I think you mean asinine." Vreenak spit.

"We understand-"

"No," Vreenak shot up out of his seat. "You understand nothing. You all must be out of your minds."

"Senator…" Admiral Koh began cajolingly, trying to soothe the senator as he stomped away to the viewport.

Vreenak was so disgusted with what he'd just heard, he couldn't bear to look at anyone at the table. And he was far too scared to look at Jo.

As she watched Vreenak's retreating back, Jo chose that moment to speak up. "How is this supposed to fix anything?... Really. How is this supposed to fix your public relations problem? Because he's right. This is stupid. You have some of the best minds in the Federation working in the same building, and you came up with…a fake marriage? It's like a poorly written plot of a tacky holofilm. This is crazy."

Thomas and the other representative, Sobaush, just stared at her dumbly, and it prompted an old Earth expression to roll through Jo's head.

Like deer caught in the headlights...

Admiral Koh, on the other hand, was more collected. "Senator Vreenak has been through four aides already, and most of this station is waiting with bated breath for him to fire you, Miss Ortega."

"I can't," Vreenak ground out, still not turning around.

"No. You cannot. However, it's not just this station that is invested in how the two of you are getting along. The story of Senator Vreenak and his saga of failed aides is known by many on Earth as well as on Romulus. Even the general public has taken an interest. Now, as I'm sure you've heard, relations between the Romulan Empire and the Federation have become a little strained recently."

Jo nodded. She was well aware of the consulate incident.

"As such, we are desperate for some way to mend that relationship. Our research shows that the public - on both Romulus and in the Federation - aren't heavily swayed by political and diplomatic friendships. They want to see something more exciting - something that can be sensationalized. Given the senator's public status as someone who helped our side win the war, his support and cooperation carry more weight than most. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the greatest track record when it comes to working alongside Federation citizens, so…it was thought that he would be the perfect candidate for this, um…experiment."

Jo scoffed, not caring how powerful the people across the table were. "The man who can't stand being in the same room with a Human is the perfect candidate to be married to one?! And what about me? He especially hates me. There are billions of other Human women who would be far better for this than I am."

"An unlikely pairing is very poetic. It's very moving.…"

"I can't believe this," Jo laughed, feeling a little hysterical. "Wait, wait a second. Plenty of people on this station are more than aware of how much he hates me. You're never going to sell this."

"Actually, it's your turbulent relationship that made us even more keen to choose the two of you. The more improbable a couple is-"

"Couple," Vreenak spat bitterly. The word made him sick.

"Why can't we just tell everyone that we're married? Why do we actually have to go through with the paperwork?" Jo wondered.

Sobaush, a quiet Grazerite, took point. "Without documentation, it would be all too easy to prove that this is-"

"A sham?" Vreenak added unhelpfully.

"Not genuine, yes. But, so that you are aware, it won't just be paperwork."

Jo's blood ran cold, and she looked at the tall Grazerite in horror. "We're going to have a ceremony?"

Unlike everyone else, Jo was too stunned to jump when Vreenak slammed his fist down on the windowsill and marched back to the table. "I will be speaking to the Romulan Diplomatic Relations committee about this."

"We have, of course, been in contact with them. They have given the plan their blessing," the admiral told him.

"Lies."

"It is the truth, Senator. They, too, feel as though this is an easy and potentially very effective solution to our current public relations issue."

Jo shook her head and stared hard at the admiral. "Easy. For everyone but us."

Admiral Koh shot her a stern look. "A small price to pay, Miss Ortega."

"This is not a permanent situation by any means." Thomas offered sympathetically. "In a few years-"

"Years?" Jo was petrified by the thought of being tethered to Vreenak for more than a few months, let alone years. Tying herself to him at all was bad enough, but…years? They'd kill each other before they reached their second anniversary.

Thomas continued, though his words sounded fuzzy and distant to Jo's stunned ears. "However, public interest waxes and wanes frequently. I have every confidence that this arrangement will only be needed for a year - maybe two, at the most. Then, you can apply for a quick divorce. It will be an easy process on the Federation's end bu-"

Vreenak leaned over the table menacingly, close to Jo's shoulder. "Divorce is not looked upon favorably in Romulan society. Maybe for you Humans, marriage is something that can be taken lightly and thrown away just as easily, but we Romulans conduct our relationships differently."

Neither Thomas nor Sobaush was brave enough to respond, so Admiral Koh shouldered the burden. "Senator, I can appreciate the cultural differences we must navigate, but since your people know of the plan, I'm sure a divorce can be handled quickly and quietly."

"The only thing I understand, Admiral, is that I now harbor so much contempt for you and your Federation, that just being in your presence makes me physically ill."

At that, the room went quiet; no one knew what to say in the wake of such poison. Not even the well-composed admiral could find a way to respond.

Jo, however, did find her voice. She had dealt with Vreenak's wrath so many times it no longer stunned her into silence. "When is all this happening?" she asked.

"Immediately," said Thomas. "The Federation only requires signed documentation of a marriage to make it official, and that paperwork can be submitted right away. As for Romulan requirements, a ceremony will be needed in order to legitimize the union. But that doesn't need to take place any time in the immediate future. Most in Romulan society treat a formal intention to marry as socially binding enough. At least in the meantime."

Jo's mouth felt painfully dry. "Like an engagement?"

"Exactly."

It didn't take more than a handful of tense words and weak niceties before Vreenak burst from the room in frustration, fed up with the farce he was witnessing. Jo took this as a sign that the meeting was adjourned and left without offering so much as a farewell handshake.

She didn't feel she owed Admiral Koh or his two Federation lackeys a damn thing, all things considered.

She fled the room and floated down the hall like a ghost. Her mind tumbled in a free fall, and, on some level, she knew the full weight of what had been discussed in that conference room hadn't fully set in yet. She couldn't tell if she felt panicked, sad, or angry. At the moment, she felt nothing.

She was with it enough to remember that the closest turbolift was out of order, so she wandered in the direction of the nearest alternative. As she walked, she kept her eyes down and imagined how Edith would react once she told her the news. It wasn't until she entered a long hallway that she became aware of another person's presence. It was Vreenak.

He stood, in deep thought, at one of the many viewports lining the corridor. Jo was about to turn around and take the long way back to her and Edith's quarters when he spoke.

"Don't bother Mis-..." he sighed. "Joanna….I was just leaving." He strode to the turbolift and summoned it. When Jo didn't approach, he looked at her questioningly.

"Oh, you can go on ahead. I'll wait. With everything that's happened, you probably want even more distance from me than usual," Jo told him.

"Nonsense. Come…Sharing a turbolift for a few minutes cannot possibly make things any worse."

I wouldn't be so sure, she grumbled in her head.

When the lift arrived, they stepped in and didn't speak for the entire ride. The air between them was awkward and tense, not electric like it had always been before. For the first time since they'd met, they weren't angry with each other; their anger was reserved for the room of nameless, faceless idiots who'd concocted a bogus marriage story with the two of them in the starring roles. Vreenak and Jo felt like pawns in an odd, farfetched game, and neither one was in a position to fight back.

Even with Vreenak's authority, he knew if his government had given this insane plot their approval, there was nothing he could do. He was a loyal Romulan, and it was his duty to serve his empire even if they asked him to do something as ridiculous as marry a Human - or, at least, pretend to marry one.

But why does it have to be this Human? he wondered miserably.

Jo side-eyed Vreenak; he was staring straight ahead, his face hard but blank, and it seemed he was already returning to his usual self. And that meant ignoring her.

She was grateful he hadn't turned his anger on her, but that didn't mean she was eager to be treated like she didn't exist. Memories of their interaction a few hours before slammed into her, and she frowned.

For a minute there, things had really been looking up, she thought.

When they arrived at their floor, they walked to section forty-seven and drifted to their respective doors. Jo hesitated, overcome with the urge to say something, but every option felt too trite and hollow. Even the thought of saying something as simple as "goodbye" made her hands clammy. However, Vreenak didn't give her the chance to even look in his direction, let alone speak. He passed through the door to his quarters without a backward glance, and Jo just caught sight of his shadow before the doors hissed closed behind him.

Forlornly, she followed his lead and let herself into her quarters.

Edith was in; that much was evident by the smell of coffee perfuming the air, so Jo followed the scent back to its source. She found her friend lounging in her bedside chair, mug in hand.

"Hey! Oh God, Jo. We have so much to talk about. You've got to tell me what that meeting was all about, and I need to tell you about my harrowing ordeal with..." Edith's excitement fizzled out when Jo plopped onto the bed, looking shell-shocked. She had known Jo for so long reading her was like a sixth sense; at the moment, Edith could tell something was definitely amiss. "What's wrong?" she asked.

But Jo took was hung up on something Edith had said. "Wait. What harrowing ordeal? Are you okay?"

"It wasn't that big a deal, I promise. I'll tell you later." Edith slid off the chair to join her friend on the bed. "I'm fine, but you aren't. What's happened?"

Jo didn't know how to start or phrase what she needed to say. She decided details would have to come later; her shock was wearing off, and the 'breakdown tears' were well on their way, so she just let a straightforward answer tumble past her lips. "I'm getting married. I'm engaged."