If any one reading this is familiar with Ao3, I highly encourage you to go there. It has a much better selection than ff (which is unfortunately swirling the metaphorical drain as we speak), and I have the rest of my things posted there. You can find me there under ToeBeans-McGee. Thanks so much for reading and I will try to keep things updated here as best I can.

"Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education: they grow there, firm as weeds among stones."

― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

Edith read off the PADD as it balanced on her knee. "You have a meeting with Admiral Wallace tomorrow morning and several subspace conferences with various Federation officials throughout the week - I've uploaded a list of names and details into your PADD. Two Romulan military officials wish to speak with you at some point. Apparently, it's nothing time-sensitive, so I told them I'd get back to them with your availability since your schedule's going to be pretty rocky for the next week or so. Oh, and keep in mind, you must be back on Romulus in four months to be present when the Senate reconvenes. So, please, don't go making plans too far out without clearing it with me first. Otherwise, it's going to be a headache."

"Actually, it would be your headache. Which is why I hired you - to have my headaches for me."

"You didn't hire me, remember? Getting me and my services as a personal servant," Edith dramatically gestured to herself, "was all a part of the deal with the Federation."

Letant smirked as he set an elbow on his desk, leaning forward. "Yes, and you are the mouthiest personal assistant I could have possibly been assigned. Luckily for you, you've managed not to slip up - so far."

Edith was now used to the senator's little jabs and had learned to recognize them as a sign he was at ease with her. That change in attitude was a relief considering how bumpy their dynamic had been in the beginning. She'd just now passed the three-month anniversary of her position as Senator Letant's aide and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the time had passed. Unfortunately, none of Senator Vreenak's ex-aides could say the same.

Having become skilled at reading Edith's face and, therefore, the direction of her thoughts, Letant scoffed. "If you're thinking of Vreenak, know that he has high standards when it comes to who works for him - standards even higher than my own."

Edith rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair with a huff. "Thank you. I'm glad I meet your mediocre standards," she replied with some bite. "But, after four assistants, I'm starting to think his standards aren't just high - they're impossible. Half of them were thrown out of his office in tears. The whole station could hear them sobbing as they packed up their things…." She trailed off, thinking about the last failed assistant, Robert Kang. The poor guy had been so shaken up by whatever Vreenak had said to him, he hadn't been able to repeat it. Edith had chosen to sit with him the day he was unceremoniously fired, feeding him an endless stream of tissues as he cleared out his quarters.

"Yes, and from what he's told me, all four have been unforgivably incompetent. I'm starting to think I somehow managed to get the only half-decent assistant the Federation has to offer."

Now it was Edith's turn to snort. "'Half-decent', huh? Wow, that's halfway to a compliment. I think I'm finally wearing you down, senator."

Speaking of wearing people down, a thought about her friend floated into Edith's mind. The night before, she and Jo had had a mutual venting session over their nightly subspace call. Jo was stationed on Earth as assistant to the Vulcan agricultural…something-or-another. Honestly, Edith still couldn't remember who he was, even though Jo had told her countless times. In any case, the vague Vulcan in question was so horrendous to work for, Jo seemed to be nearing the end of her rope. While Edith had lightly complained about some of Letant's prickly behavior, last night Jo had admitted to being on the verge of quitting her post - an admission that made Edith's heart ache.

Since childhood, she and Jo had been so tight, they were practically inseparable. They'd risen through each grade in school, arm in arm, playing the same sports, taking the same classes, and never going more than a day without seeing each other. But when it came time to decide what they were going to do with their lives, reality came down on them hard. Somehow, the thought of being separated once they entered the workforce, their lives going in different directions, hadn't occurred to them. And so, in a not-so-well thought-out plan, the pair enrolled in the Federation Diplomatic Corps, where they learned the incredibly intricate world of interplanetary politics. For the most part, Jo and Edith were pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoyed the work. Managing another person's life had its difficulties, but being flies on the wall during intensely important meetings was fascinating.

After Jo had learned of her assignment, Edith had eagerly awaited news about which department in the embassy she'd be working in, but her excitement had turned to devastation when her posting notification read, "Assignment: Senator Letant of Romulus; Location: Deep Space Nine". At first, she thought it had to be a mistake; fresh and unseasoned, Edith was hardly the right person to deal with a Romulan senator. The tenuous alliance the Federation had with the Romulan Empire was stressful enough as it was, but thinking that a rookie could handle such a high-profile assignment was insane. However, insane or not, Edith and Jo had tearfully packed up her belongings, promised to talk every night, and then finally parted ways. Since then, they'd kept their promise to call each other every night, using that time as an opportunity to let off some steam. But, these days, thanks to a difficult Vulcan, Jo needed to let off far more steam than Edith.

"What is it?"

Edith looked up to find Letant staring at her from behind his desk, wearing an amused expression. "Huh?"

"You look as though you're pondering something profound. You've been staring intently at that little broken corner of my desk like you always do when you're in deep thought - or nervous. So, what is it?"

She was a little shocked he'd noticed, but then again, Romulans didn't miss much. Cheeks red, Edith wanted to argue with him, but he was right - her eyes did always seek out the chewed-up and cracked corner of his desk. Wooden desks were a rarity, even more so on a space station, but the grand piece she was currently seated in front of was hardly the only extravagance in the room. Both Romulan senators had moved several elegant and very obviously Romulan-styled items into their semi-permanent quarters on the station.

"Miss Brown?"

"Sorry," Edith muttered, shaking herself and ignoring how warm she felt. "Senator Vreenak's predicament made me think of someone else I know who's in a similarly unhappy situation - a friend of mine who also works as a UFP diplomatic assistant."

"Oh? Do tell."

"While I'm not sure she'd get along well with Vreenak, she is a very capable assistant. Right now, though, her abilities are being wasted, and she's…less than fond of her current assignment. Perhaps she'd be better suited here."

Letant's brow lifted skeptically. "And you think she'd be more fond of Vreenak?"

"Well, Jo," she stopped, thinking the nickname may not be the most appropriate given who she was speaking to. "Joanna currently assists a Vulcan official, and his unique personality," she paused as Letant briefly interrupted her with a snort, "clashes a bit with her own."

The senator leaned back in his chair and settled a calculating gaze upon her. "So, what do you propose I do? Call the embassy and demand some random Human be removed from her post, leaving a poor Vulcan bereft of his aide?"

Edith narrowed her eyes, knowing the senator was just playing difficult. "That poor Vulcan would be very put out if he had to break in a new assistant. You know how much Vulcans hate disruptions; it would inconvenience him significantly."

After a short, dramatic silence, Letant grinned. "Too true," he said, his eyes glittering mischievously. "Consider it done."

Edith couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head. In hindsight, she should have known a Romulan could always be counted on to disrupt a Vulcan's life, even if only in a small way. How instantly Letant seemed to fill with poorly masked glee was almost endearing.

But then, a thought nagged at her. "Shouldn't this be run by Senator Vreenak first? It's his aide…"

"Shouldn't this be run by your friend first?" Letant taunted.

Edith stopped, looking back at the damaged wood of the desk corner again. Letant had a point, she conceded. It was clear Jo hated her current job, but would she appreciate having a job set up for her? Vreenak might prove to be an even bigger nightmare than Jo's current Vulcan overlord, so what if this made everything worse? How would Jo feel about being trapped in a space station?

When a look of concern drew over Edith's face, Letant shot her an arrogant look, knowing he'd hit his target. "It seems as though both of us are intervening on another's behalf, Miss Brown. I've known Senator Vreenak for many years, and I understand him well enough to know when he is acting as his own worst enemy," he stopped to purse his lips, briefly considering his words before continuing. "And, between you and I, Vreenak is abysmal at managing his own schedule, and I'm tired of covering for him."

Edith immediately shot a hand up to stifle a laugh, some of her anxiety forgotten.

Pleased with the reaction he'd gotten from her, Letant sat back in his chair, hands steepled. "Well then, that will be all for today, Miss Brown. You may go. I will handle the matter myself."

Edith made for the door, planning to head straight to her quarters and call Jo, but a voice at her back stopped her.

"Edith?" Letant called, surprising her a little by using her first name, something he'd been doing more frequently lately. "If your friend ends up being just as incompetent as the previous disappointments, it will not reflect well upon you."

At his threat, a rush of determination ran through her. Even though she was worried Jo wouldn't be able to deal with Vreenak's cantankerous mood, she knew her friend was capable of impressive surprises. As a short, frizzy-haired, wild-looking girl, Jo had always thrived on toppling others' low expectations of her.

Edith lifted her chin at Letant, silently agreeing to his challenge. "I have no doubt she'll be just fine."

The turbolift felt claustrophobic and overly warm, despite only two people occupying it, but it may have just been Edith's nerves overcomplicating things.

"Okay, but seriously, Jo. Please, do well. Be on your best behavior, try to watch your mouth, and just be really on top of things. If his past assistants are anything to go by, Vreenak can be pretty rough."

Instead of the serious reaction Edith was hoping for, Jo just snorted. "Rough, I can handle. I'll be happy as long as he has a personality - even if it's a thorny one. Weirdly enough, I think getting screamed at is preferable to being blankly stared at or, God forbid, getting the stoic eyebrow lift. And if I had to run and get that man one more red-leaf tea, he was going to find himself wearing it."

"See, now, this is the kind of attitude I'm talking about. Romulans can be tricky - don't be weak and shy, but don't be overly familiar and aggressive either."

"Edie, we've been over this so many times. You've given me this speech every night since you told me about the job. I know what I should and shouldn't do. Calm down. Besides, I read up on the man - he doesn't seem that bad."

Edith shook her head silently, knowing that in ten odd minutes, her friend was going to find out just how naive she was being. While Vreenak certainly wasn't terrible, he didn't suffer fools lightly and had a tongue sharp enough to slice mercilessly deep. To be his personal assistant, someone who would spend most of their waking hours with the man, one had to navigate around him carefully.

"But you like your guy, though, right? Letant?" Jo asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"My guy?" Edith questioned, feeling more embarrassed than she should. "God, Jo. Please, only refer to him as that when we're in our quarters. I'd die of mortification if he ever heard that."

As Jo held back giggles, the turbolift doors opened, and the two women stepped out, beginning their trek through a maze of dark hallways.

"And, yeah, he's fine. Letant can still be an ass, of course, but that infuriating Romulan charm does tend to grow on you after a while. Look, neither one of them is unreasonable - even Vreenak, as abrasive as he can sometimes be. Just don't disappoint them, and you'll be fine."

Jo abruptly came to a stop in the middle of the corridor, eying her friend seriously. "You know I'm actually good at my job, right? Pretty good, even. Maybe even great."

Edith rolled her eyes. "Of course, I know that, Jo. I'm the one who vouched for you, remember? I just don't want this to blow up in both of our faces." Edith looked down sheepishly and nudged Jo's left shoe with her toe. "Also, I worry that if Vreenak is horrible to you and makes you cry, I won't be able to stop myself from smacking him - or worse."

Jo laughed, a sound that was as light and bubbly as it had been since they were kids. The ring of it in the hall made Edith realize how much she'd missed hearing it.

"It won't blow up…and if you try to kill him, don't worry. I'll stop you; I promise." Jo looped her arm through Edith's and continued forward. "Look on the bright side - which I know isn't really your thing but bear with me - now that there are two of us occupying a room, we get to have big quarters! And we're just down the hall from the senator's rooms, so our morning commute will be blissfully short. I really wasn't looking forward to cutting through the crowds on the promenade every day."

"You're the reason we need spacious quarters to begin with. I can't believe how much stuff you brought over. I mean, you've always been a pack rack, but my god, woman."

The two chatted away as they leisurely strolled forward, enjoying being together again. Distracted and unbothered, neither of them took notice of the time.

Their guards dismissed for the evening - a rarity - the two men stood silently in the gloom, listening intently for the sound of footfalls. Around them, an array of noises assaulted their sensitive ears; the creaks and groans of the station, the idle chatter of crewmen and guests a few corridors over, and the low ring of the energy conduits echoing through the air. But, among the static, there wasn't a hint of the humans they were waiting for.

"She hasn't even started, and she's already late," Vreenak sighed quietly. He was eager to wind down for the evening and slowly nurse a stiff drink before retiring to his bed. Instead, however, he was standing in the dark hallway with Letant, becoming more displeased by the minute.

"I'm sure the ladies were just delayed by the crowds on the promenade," Letant murmured, staring down the shadowy corridor expectantly.

Vreenak narrowed his eyes, clasping his hands behind his back. "Since when have you become so forgiving? As I recall, when we first landed ourselves on this station and were given aides, you were just as displeased with Miss Brown's performance as I was with…" he paused, lazily shrugging a shoulder. "That Trill, whatever his name was - suppose it hardly matters now."

Letant sighed at his friend. "While it is true that I wasn't pleased with her at first, Edith has proven herself capable on multiple occasions. Perhaps, if you'd just given…whatever his name was, more than two days, he'd have made for an adequate assistant."

"I do not require an assistant. Especially not an insipid Federation drone."

Letant laughed humorlessly and turned to shoot Vreenak a serious look. "You have missed five appointments in the last month, and because of your unwillingness to work with your assigned aides, you continue to place unnecessary strain on our diplomatic ties with the Federation - specifically with the officials on this station. I have no love for our new allies, as I'm sure you are aware, but there is nothing to be gained from being so difficult."

Vreenak fought not to roll his eyes but kept quiet about how exaggerated he found Letant's concerns to be. Clasping his hands behind his back and standing tall, he deliberately avoided his friend's accusing gaze. But a sudden thought made him smirk. "You used her given name." Out of his periphery, he saw Letant's head swing around, but Vreenak just stared ahead, chin up. "You've been doing that more and more lately, you know."

"Humans are far more casual with titles and greetings than we are - I see no harm dispensing with formalities occasionally," Letant replied after shaking off a flash of embarrassment.

Vreenak hummed skeptically. "Fine. Though, I assume you still require her to address you as Senator Letant, yes? Please, tell me you don't allow her to simply refer to you as 'Letant'."

Clasped in front of him, one of Letant's hands balled into a fist, but he successfully kept his voice as even as ever. "I have not bothered to correct her, no. It isn't worth the trouble. Unlike you, Vreenak, I do not find any merit in quibbling over trivial matters."

"So, you would allow a centurion posted outside your door to call you 'Letant'? Just dispense with titles complet-"

"Are you finished? Because I believe I hear the laughter of human women coming this way."

After a beat, Vreenak picked up on the happy chatter of two women - one voice was familiar, the other, completely foreign. Two silhouetted figures rounded the corner, but not even the senator's superior eyesight could discern much detail beyond the women's short statures and their oddly curled hair. Vreenak had found Miss Brown's curly hair interesting, but the stranger coming towards him had a mass of unruly curls surrounding her head like a halo.

As the women approached, they quieted, finally seeing who awaited them, and stepped into the shine of a nearby light. The moment Vreenak looked into the face of the alien woman, he stiffened - inside and out. The smug look he perpetually wore melted off and was replaced by one that most likely looked terrified. Though harmless, round-cheeked, and big-haired, the woman who looked up at him made Vreenak feel like a frightened boy. She hadn't said a word or done anything other than smile, but somehow, she'd managed to send a violent chill up his spine.

Somewhere to his right, Letant was speaking, his gaze too focused on his assistant to notice that Vreenak was rapidly crumbling. He didn't catch much of what Letant had said, but when the confounding woman opened her mouth to speak, it was as though he'd just taken his fingers out of his ears; everything came into focus again, and the human's pleasant voice brought Vreenak back down to reality.

"Hello, Senator. My name's Joanna Ortega. I look forward to working with you."

With two warm, lively brown eyes staring up at him, he could hardly breathe, but one word did manage to slip out.

"No," he murmured. With that, he turned abruptly to strut down the hall and into his quarters without another word, tail firmly tucked between his legs.