Vocab:
thao-jol = Romulan shon-ha'lok
jhimnir = "Those snakes"
Nouhha = God
ra'tar = prey bird on Romulus (the same bird can be found in the Romulan Empire insignia)
set'leth = Romulan pet
iarr'voin = instruments (I was going for "gong", like in Vulcan weddings)
dathe'anofv-sen = honor blade
uhhael'anna = bonding ring
gresh seed pod = a pod from a Romulan tree that, according to me, is tightly closed.
kllhe hwiiy = "You're a worm/You're a piece of shit"
"What the hell are they thinking?" Edith wondered aloud, mostly to herself. The question had now been asked so many times it was becoming rhetorical.
She and Jo were lying on their sides, facing each other, and discussing the craziness of the last twelve hours. Jo was still sniffling, a lingering consequence of the good cry she'd had only twenty minutes before, and Edith sympathetically rubbed circles over her arm.
"That, somehow, having the public watch two horribly matched people playhouse is going to solve their problems. It's insane. Throughout the meeting, I kept waiting for them to shout, 'just kidding' and laugh…Why couldn't they have just made you and Letant get married? At least you two like each other," Jo muttered thickly, holding a pillow tight against her chest.
Edith was glad the room was dark for her cheeks grew warmer. "We tolerate each other, Jo. Thankfully, Letant isn't nearly as thorny as Vreenak. But then, you said they chose you and Vreenak because you got along so terribly." Edith reached out to tuck a stray curl behind Jo's ear. "Guess I can see the logic there. You and I both like the 'enemies to lovers' trope…we always have."
"Yeah, well, that was until I was shoved into it."
Edith was content to remain silent, letting Jo simmer down, but a worrying thought nagged at her. "Hey…I don't mean to make you feel worse, but…do you think they'll make you move in with him?"
"What?!" Jo exclaimed, rearing back.
"Well, it makes sense, doesn't it? Why would two people who are madly in love with each other live in separate quarters?"
Jo sputtered for a moment, trying to grasp at some reason why Edith had to be wrong. "...People…do that. They sleep in separate beds, and, and-"
"Separate beds, Jo. Not separate quarters. If anyone found out that you two don't live together, it would sorta ruin the illusion that you're so in love you're inseparable."
Jo stared at her, frozen in horror, before shaking her head. "I am not living with him. I'll play nice and let him stick a ring or whatever it is that Romulans exchange-"
"They use rings," Edith interjected.
"Fine. Rings, then. Anyway, I'll let him stick a ring on my finger, and I'll smile and say how sweet he is, but I will not live with him."
"You may not have a choice." After a beat, Edith groaned as another depressing realization dawned on her. "Oh no…"
"What now?" Jo begged. "I'm not sure how much more bad news I can take today, E."
"No, it's…it's nothing. It's not important or really even related to what's going on. I'll tell you later."
"No, tell me now."
"I just realized that, if you live with Vreenak and not in here, then they'll probably make me move to different quarters. Quarters this big require two occupants."
Jo glowered at her friend. "I'm being forced to marry Vreenak and you're worried about having to move quarters?"
"I told you it wasn't important, but you demanded to know, so…" Edith waited a moment, side-eying her friend and grinning. "Although, having to move would be really inconvenient for me." She could see that Jo was smirking a little now, too.
A second later, Jo reached out to pinch Edith's arm, and Edith retaliated by grabbing a pillow and whacking her opponent in the face. "Sorry, Vreenak, but I'm going to smother your bride to death," she laughed.
From under the pillow came Jo's muffled voice. "That is not funny."
After a few more hits, the pair's laughter started to settle and Edith flung the pillow back towards the head of the bed.
"I mean, it is kinda funny," Edith reasoned. When Jo made an exaggerated frown, she snorted and flung the pillow back towards the head of the bed. Plopping down at Jo's flank to stare up at the ceiling, she sighed, "This whole thing is ludicrous."
"You know what?" asked Jo. "On second thought, get the pillow. Just go ahead and smother me."
"Oh no," chuckled Edith. "I hear Romulans avenge their mate's death pretty violently, so even though I'd get in a few good licks, I'm not going to take my chances against Vreenak."
"'Mates.' Ugh." Jo mocked with great distaste. "It makes us sound like a pair of lions going at it behind a bush."
Edith grimaced at that mental picture and had to agree that the term elicited some pretty intense visuals.
Intense and exciting visuals, she thought, a little mortified by her own mind.
Quickly, she rushed to say something that would get the intrusive image of Letant out of her brain, even if what she blurted out was a lie. "Actually, the word 'mates' always makes me think of a pair of socks. At least that's less graphic."
"That helps," Jo grumbled. "Thanks."
"Sure thing."
"Besides, I'm not his mate. I'm going to be his wife," Jo stated matter-of-factly, but when the words came out of her mouth, they felt terribly foreign. The full weight of what she was being thrown into had only started to hit, and now there was a faint ringing in her ears. "Oh God, E, I'm going to be someone's wife. I'm going to be a wife. I'll have a husband…this is so bizarre…How the hell am I going to tell Mom and Dad?!"
"Can't you just tell them the truth? That it's all fake?"
"Technically, I wasn't even supposed to tell you the truth, but because you work with Letant, the higher-ups let it go. Plus, I could never keep something like this from you. But Mom and Dad? No…no, I don't think I can tell them." She sighed. "They are going to be so upset and heartbroken, though. Mom has always fantasized about helping me with wedding plans and going with me to dress fittings. Now, her daughter is marrying a complete stranger and she won't even be able to attend the wedding."
"Don't you think they're going to care a bit more about the fact that you're getting married to a Romulan?"
"Probably, but they will be much more upset about me not telling them I'd met someone who I was serious about, Romulan or not. I just better tell them before the Federation paperwork goes through and definitely before the Romulan ceremony. I don't want them finding out through the news or a tabloid that they have a Romulan son-in-law."
"The news? You think the Federation is going to make it that public?"
"If this whole circus is for public relations purposes, then yeah, they're definitely going to cover it in the news. Gossip's going to do half the job for them, but I imagine they'll stick something about it in a tabloid or two. It doesn't help that Vreenak is kind of a big deal. Along with Letant, he's been instrumental in bringing the Federation and the Empire together as allies."
"I suppose a prominent Romulan marrying a Human is big news."
"At least Mom and Dad won't just be mad at me," Jo suggested, eyeing Edith.
Edith knew Jo was right. She was extremely close with Jo's parents and was sure they would be just as upset with her as they would be with Jo if she didn't spill the details about the engagement.
From the day they met, Edith and Jo had been in each other's pocket, joined at the hip; if you saw one out and about, the other had to be somewhere nearby. Jo's parents, Mary and Eli, took this to mean that Edith was just another member of the family. As far as they were concerned, the day Jo introduced them to Edith was when they went from having one daughter to having two. Every weekend and most weeknights were spent at Jo's house, and any time Edith wasn't at the Ortega residence, Mary and Eli worried. They were delighted to have Edith stay with them but were even happier to keep Edith from spending too much time at her own home. Jo's parents knew Edith's home life left much to be desired.
Edith's parents were, by all appearances, lovely people. They never raised a hand or even their voice to their child, nor did they fail to provide her with food, clothes, and other necessities a child needs. But a child requires more than just the necessities. Unfortunately, the Browns were not keen on providing anything to their daughter that wasn't strictly necessary, love and warmth being among those pesky "unnecessary" things. Cecilia and Todd Brown were the sort of people who had fallen deeply in love with each other and had then proceeded to take what they thought was the next natural step in their relationship: having a baby. Neither of them were overly fond of children, nor did they relish the idea of losing a sizable chunk of their freedom to the demands of a baby, but they thought that perhaps since Edith would be their own flesh and blood, they would come to feel differently. They did not.
Emotionally neglectful was the best way to describe their lack of attentiveness. They did the bare minimum in terms of childcare and were relieved when Edith was old enough to make her own meals, get herself to school, and stay at a friend's house. Despite the countless days spent at the Ortega's home, Edith's mother and father never called Jo's family or met them in person. They had no idea what sort of people were looking after their daughter, nor did they care. They truly regretted having a child and were so wrapped up in each other that they considered Edith a burden and a distraction. As long as their burden was being taken care of and raised by someone else, they were happy.
The fact was Edith was planned for, but she was not wanted. This was something the young woman was all too aware of.
In the past, thinking about that had made her miserable, but Jo and her family's unwavering presence in Edith's life was a soothing balm for her pain.
Moved by her reverie, Edith reached out to take her friend's hand and smiled when Jo's fingers curled tightly around her own. "It's okay. We'll get through this together. You know I'll do anything I can to make this better. Besides, I'll bet Vreenak is even more freaked out than you."
"I hope so," Jo sighed. She turned and pecked Edith's cheek. "Thanks, E."
{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}
The weeks following Jo and Vreenak's meeting with the Federation were an exercise in how to maintain poise in the face of mortification.
The station's reaction to the news of their engagement was diverse; some offered a confused and tentative congratulations, while others ignored Vreenak but shot Jo the dirtiest looks imaginable. They thought she was a traitor. She couldn't blame them; the Romulans hadn't been allies with the Federation for that long and while being friends with a Romulan was acceptable, jumping into bed with one, intent on marriage, was entirely different. Further still, some residents of Deep Space Nine questioned the validity of the relationship from the start. They remembered the endless train of failed aides that Vreenak had sent fleeing from his office in tears and were skeptical of the woman who had, reportedly, broken Vreenak of his mean streak.
It didn't help that the entire situation wreaked of Romulan deception, which led to the worst reaction of all: pity. It was obvious that some people thought Jo was being used, but she was too stupid or lovesick to realize it.
Jo preferred the dirty looks over the pity.
The other nerve-wracking development was the upcoming trip to Romulus for the gathering of the Senate. The visit would have been difficult anyway, just by virtue of the fact that two lone Humans would be surrounded by hordes of unknown Romulans. However, now that Jo and Vreenak's engagement was becoming public knowledge, Jo was expecting a tense and embarrassing experience. It was going to be torture. She would need to deal with prying questions and a dizzying amount of Romulan pompousness, but nothing would be more torturous than dealing with Vreenak.
For the first week of their engagement, Vreenak reverted to ignoring Jo, only speaking to her about professional developments, meetings, etc. He wasn't much more enthusiastic on the rare occasions he was in public with Jo. He claimed his coldness was because Romulan couples did not "obnoxiously" display their affection for each other in front of others. But the Federation, unhappy with the development of their romantic public image, was not convinced. They demanded a greater effort, more ardor, and so Jo took it into her own hands to get that proverbial ball rolling.
Vreenak and Jo's first kiss was a product of improvisation, good timing, and a lot of gall.
{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{ One pivotal afternoon }}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}
Vreenak was sitting at a table on the Promenade conversing with Letant, who'd goaded him into coming out of his quarters and ceasing his "broody hermitude," as Letant put it. When people walked by, they couldn't help but stare at the two Romulans. Neither man was wearing a boxy military uniform, nor were they scowling and pointing a disruptor. They were just relaxed, lounging and warmly chuckling amongst each other.
When Jo and Edith happened upon them while on a friendly stroll to the Bolian restaurant, Jo tapped Edith's shoulder and made a beeline over to the men's table. She didn't stop once she reached a respectful distance and instead slung an arm around Vreenak's shoulder and leaned her hip against his side. The look on Vreenak's suddenly very green face spoke volumes.
"What are you doing?" he asked tensely.
"I'm allowed to visit my fiancé, even when he's enjoying some quality boy's time." She gestured to Letant, who was staring with interest.
Vreenak sneered. "'Boys?' We're nearly one hundred years older than you."
"Maybe technically, but not at heart." Jo patted her faux-lover's chest with affection. "So, how's your day been?"
Outside Jo and Vreenak's bubble, Edith stood awkwardly off to the side, unaware that Letant had directed his attention to her.
"Edith," he greeted politely.
She smiled, more flustered than usual. It was a state she was prone to succumbing to since her experience with the senator in the turbolift. "Good afternoon, Senator," she murmured.
Her cheeks felt warm, and she prayed it was only her imagination.
Amused, Letant grinned at her while he sipped his drink.
"What are you playing at?" Vreenak hissed in Jo's ear.
She hadn't expected him to immediately be at ease with her plan, but his obvious resistance was frustrating. Eyes were on them, keenly looking for signs of love, and Vreenak wasn't putting in any effort. Kicking it up a notch, Jo released him only to swing herself into his lap and hang from his neck. At once, Vreenak became so rigid she wondered if he was going to dump her onto the floor.
"We are supposed to be engaged and madly in love. Having my future husband glare at me like I'm a bug on his shoulder doesn't send that message," Jo whispered while playing with the hair at the base of Vreenak's neck.
She had no idea where all this courage had come from or how long it would last, but she was going to take advantage of it while she could.
"Does Miss Joanna have a death wish?" Letant mused. He'd coaxed Edith into a chair by his side so they could watch Jo and Vreenak's drama unfold.
"Not really," Edith smiled. "She's just…brave and, clearly, not very intimidated by Senator Vreenak anymore."
"She should be. He looks to be on the verge of detonating," Letant chuckled into his glass.
"Is having a woman sit on your lap such a terrible thing in Romulan culture?"
"If such a thing were to happen to me, I wouldn't consider it terrible," he flirted, making Edith blush. "However, when it comes to public displays of affection, Romulans are not as open as Humans."
"Well, she had to do something. They're supposed to be acting out this dramatic, star-crossed lovers' story, but it hasn't been convincing. Until now."
Letant and Edith, who had subconsciously leaned toward each other, looked across the table at their friends.
Breathing heavily, Vreenak reluctantly set one hand on Jo's waist, and the other found her thigh. At this distance, Jo's scent slapped him hard, stirring his thao-jol into a frenzy. It howled painfully now that Jo's warm body was planted atop him and assumed it was close to achieving victory, but Vreenak kicked it back into its cage.
"Humans may find this behavior acceptable outside of the home or bedroom, but Romulans do n-"
Jo rushed to shush him when his voice grew too loud. "If people overhear us bickering, it's going to spoil everything."
"Ah, yes, we don't want to destroy this little fantasy, do we? Fine," Vreenak grabbed hold of Jo's hand.
To any passerby, it appeared to be a tender gesture, but his intentions were of a more practical nature. Suddenly, Vreenak's voice cut through Jo's thoughts, only a little fuzzier than if he'd spoken out loud.
"I'll play along with your Federation's game, and lie to our 'adoring public', but when I want to communicate the truth, I will do so in this way."
Jo, far from being disturbed, found the experience wondrous. "Woah. Can all-"
Vreenak winced. "Mind your volume."
"Sorry," she internally whispered. "Um, can all Romulans do this?"
Vreenak rolled his eyes. "You do not need to whisper. And, no, they cannot. The trait for telepathy is somewhat dilute among the general population but it runs deep in my family."
"Huh, that's handy. So, do-"
"I have no interest in having this conversation with you right now. At this moment, I want you to get off me and be on your way. You've made your point, you've done your duty to the Federation by humiliating me in public, and now it is time for you to leave."
"Fine," she smirked. "But there is one more thing…"
Jo pressed forward before she lost her nerve and grabbed Vreenak's jaw, yanking him in for a kiss. She pulled back after a few long seconds to see Vreenak's tightly controlled face; a grassy tinge was coloring the bridge of his nose.
Edith watched Jo hop off Vreenak's lap and could hardly believe when she said, "Come on, E. I'm starving," without a hint of embarrassment. Apparently, Jo's crafty scheme had successfully concluded.
"Senator," Edith nodded at Vreenak, who was too shell-shocked to even look at her. When she slid her gaze over to Letant, he was smiling. "Senator," she murmured to him.
Letant's grin spread wider, and he dipped his head. "You ladies enjoy your afternoon."
Once the women were gone, Letant laughed at his friend. "I don't understand you, Vreenak. How can you look so depressed after the attention you just received?"
"I merely tolerate the little imp. Having her put her mouth on me…" Vreenak shook his head, disgusted.
"I'm not sure. I've always thought 'kissing' looked rather enjoyable. Was it really so awful?"
"It may not have been… if I'd had a different partner." He took a swig from his drink, chasing away Joanna's taste from his lips, but not for the reasons Letant assumed.
{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{ Two weeks later }}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}{{}}
The senator's quarters were dark, the stars slowly spinning by the viewport were the only source of light. Vreenak's sharp profile was silhouetted in their cool white glow.
To sit in a dark room, mysterious and silent, was almost cliche for a man associated with the clandestine, but the senator wasn't attempting to put on a shady front. He was contemplating the difficult situation he'd been locked into. In addition to his personal life becoming tabloid fodder, his professional life was also experiencing some turbulence.
The Tal Shiar, an organization he had once firmly and naively believed in as a young man, had long revealed itself to be a snake pit. Even knowing this, he'd been eager to take the position of Vice Chairman of the Tal Shiar, as well as the power it afforded. The prestigious title granted him the political sway he craved, eventually winning him a senate seat. Then, once in the Senate, he became the Proconsul's most trusted advisor. However, simultaneously working as a senator and as Vice Chairman of the Tal presented Vreenak with a problem; it forced him to have a double life and conflicting priorities.
Contrary to what some believed, the Romulan government wasn't a cohesive machine. Oftentimes, the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing, which was by design. It was a widely accepted fact that the Romulan Star Empire was deeply fractured. Every bureaucrat on Romulus knew the system was corrupt, so it was well understood that to be a player in a crooked game, you, too, had to be crooked. The player must adapt to the game, so to speak, if they hoped to win. This meant that if you sought a position on a cabinet or committee, you had to step on others to get what you wanted, and if you weren't willing to go so far as to assassinate your rival, you might as well stay at home.
This is where the Tal Shiar reared its head.
Every major power had its own version of the Tal; such organizations were meant to operate as one of the checks and balances within a government. Or, at least, that's what they were supposed to do. Power corrupted all, and the Tal had an immense amount of power.
If a government figure threatened the Tal's values, they were dealt with or used as a pawn in a game that suited the Tal's needs. But such things were precarious, and few were confident that they engendered enough loyalty from others to remain protected by or from the Tal Shiar's wrath. This was a constant issue for the Praetor, the Proconsul, and members of the Senate. The answer to this problem? The Tal Prai'ex.
The Tal Prai'ex was the legislative branch's solution to the threat the Tal Shiar posed to Romulus's democratic system. A government couldn't operate efficiently, at least not with integrity, if those in power were assassinated every other day. And so, the Prai'ex, directly controlled by the Praetor, were responsible for protecting the Praetor and all members of the Senate from the Shiar's nefarious schemes.
Not that the Tal Prai'ex didn't have nefarious schemes of their own.
For example, the current Praetor, Hiren, assassinated his predecessor, Neral, in order to ascend from his place as Proconsul. The individuals who acted as the messengers of death in Neral's assassination? The Tal Prai'ex. They'd been convinced by Proconsul Hiren that Neral was dangerously influenced by the Tal Shiar and, therefore, must be killed. So, the Prai'ex were swayed enough to take out the very man they swore to protect to prevent Tal Shiar influence.
This piece of history never ceased to amuse Vreenak because everyone knew that the Tal Shiar had agents within the Tal Prai'ex and vice versa. Each group had moles within the other organization to monitor activities and maintain balance.
So, where did this leave Vreenak?
As Vice Chairman, he was intimately involved with the Tal Shiar, but as a senator, he was protected by the Tal Prai'ex. He was also in Praetor Hiren's good graces because Vreenak had been Hiren's trusted ally when he was Proconsul. Thus, concomitantly, Vreenak was hated and loved, trusted and mistrusted. One could either look at him as truly bipartisan or as a potential traitor to either side. Vreenak had enjoyed that odd contradiction in the past, but after he stepped down as Vice Chairman of the Shiar, his loyalties then appeared to be in question, which was perilous.
Now, he was just a senator; one who happened to be in the Praetor's pocket.
Now, there was no balance.
Years of looking behind the curtain of the Tal Shiar told him that his life was now in considerable danger, and his best bet was to cease his highly active and vocal role in the Senate. With this in mind, Vreenak accepted the job of Resident Representative to the Federation, a diplomatic position free of the burdensome restrictions typically placed upon an Ambassador. As the Romulan government saw it, Vreenak - and Letant, too - were uniquely qualified to be representatives due to the political and strategic cooperation they'd brokered during the Dominion War.
Months after accepting the job, he and Letant continued to be successful custodians of Romulus's alliance with the Federation and Bajor. For Vreenak, it was the easy, albeit annoying and tedious, job that he'd hoped for, a task that distanced him from the dangers of the Senate while still allowing him to retain political clout. Everything had been running smoothly until the peaceful waters turned choppy.
Vreenak couldn't understand why something as trivial as an office fire in the consulate had caused such an eruption. Nevertheless, rabid opponents of the Romulan-Federation alliance, like the Tal Shiar, were using the incident as fuel for their arguments. The Senate, the Proconsul, and the Praetor were unmoved and publicly reiterated their support of the alliance following the "unfortunate accident" at the Romulan consulate. Still, the unexpected strain Romulan and Federation ties suffered due to the fire was worrying but not nearly as worrying as the pitiful solution invented by the Federation. What they'd concocted was nothing more than a bandage.
Publicly announcing a romantic Romulan-Human relationship was supposed to ease tensions, but in Vreenak's eyes, it was yet another volatile ingredient in an already disastrous recipe.
Take Vreenak's past working with the Tal Shiar.
Add in the betrayal that some within the Tal Shiar undoubtedly felt upon his exit.
Sprinkle in his continued membership in the Senate.
Blend in his sudden, 180-degree change of opinion regarding who to ally with during the Dominion War.
Combine with his acceptance of Resident Representative to the Federation.
Add a dash of his perceived loyalty to the current Praetor.
Stir in his friendship with Letant, a senator who had also publicly cooperated with the Federation.
Finally, drop in a heaping teaspoon of Vreenak's engagement to a Human woman.
With all these factors swirling together, the target on Vreenak's back grew larger by the day, and he was torn about how to proceed and who he could trust. Besides Letant, there weren't many people upon whom Vreenak could rely.
What about Miss Ortega?
For a time, he was highly suspicious of her; the intersecting elements surrounding her were too coincidental for Vreenak's taste. Joanna was assigned to him on the recommendation of Letant's aide, only to wreak havoc on his physiology and knock him off balance, his thao-jol distracting and weakening him. Now, she was to play his wife and worm her way even deeper into his affairs? She had to be involved somehow.
Was she a plant installed by his enemies? Or maybe she was a Federation spy selected to gather intel and seduce him into becoming a Federation sympathizer? He avoided Joanna like the plague while he considered those questions.
It wasn't until he'd first made telepathic contact with the woman that he discovered how misguided his paranoia had been. On that day, his Human fiancé shocked him with more than just a kiss. As soon as his hand touched hers, it was clear that Joanna's character and motivations were pure. There was no hesitation, no boundaries, and no ulterior motives. Since she didn't have prior mental training, Jo's mind was as open as a child's, undisciplined and unaware of how to set boundaries or keep her secrets shrouded. Everything Joanna was was boldly on display for Vreenak's analysis.
To his surprise, she didn't harbor any hatred for him, just frustration. She possessed the same tenacity all Humans seemed preprogrammed with, and she planned to use it to prove him wrong. But, above all else, Joanna was extremely loyal, not just to her friend, Miss Brown, but to Vreenak as well.
The senator couldn't understand why she felt so committed to him - their partnership was only a cheap mirage, after all - but he blamed Human stubbornness.
Integrity is the more likely culprit, he reluctantly admitted, reflecting on the experience. In all likelihood, my life is in danger, but that danger will never come from Joanna. Of that, I'm certain.
A chirp rang out from his console, the shrill cry of an incoming subspace call, and Vreenak was loath to move out of his chair. But, when the computer warned him, "Incoming priority call from UFP: Interstellar Relations division," he groaned and dragged himself over to the desk.
A cheery Human male's face filled Vreenak's screen. It was the same petrified and callow man-child who had come to the station about a month before for "The Meeting".
"Senator Vreenak, it's nice to see you again."
"What do you require?" Vreenak asked shortly. Not only was he not in the mood for prattling, but he also didn't think the Federation deserved much civility from him at the moment.
The young man faltered under the Romulan's glare but didn't appear too daunted. "Well, um, I wanted to check in on how you and Miss Ortega are getting along. The leaked publicity has gone over very well, especially the photos."
"Photos?" Hot apprehension crept up the senator's neck.
"Yes, the photos of the, uh, well, they were taken when Miss Ortega was, um-"
"Please, spare me your babbling and get to the point."
"Right. Ah, so, the photos show Miss Ortega sitting on your lap and, um, they look very convincing."
Jhimnir, Vreenak swore. He was rapidly losing what little patience he possessed.
"Did you place a journalist here to spy on us or was this all just a coincidence?" he hissed.
"Not a coincidence, Senator, no." The boy looked sheepish. "We've got a man up there whose job is just to take some," he stopped, grasping for a word that wouldn't make the senator even more enraged, "'agreeable' candids of the two of you. To make sure the news agencies get images that convey the message we want, you understand. Anyway, a few tabloids got ahold of the photos and, so far, opinions are largely favorable."
"I'm thrilled. Is there anything else?"
"Just a few more questions, and then I'll let you go. What are some of the opinions on the station? Are most of the residents opposed to the relationship or are they supportive?"
"Neither. There were some rumblings in the beginning but, for the most part, if anyone has an opinion on the matter, they've kept it to themselves. Most on Deep Space Nine seem content to mind their own business. An admirable quality, don't you agree?" Vreenak glared meaningfully at his screen.
"Uh, yeah," the man swallowed. "Okay, well, no news is better than bad news, I suppose. But, uh, what about you and Miss Ortega? I imagine it hasn't been easy having to share quarters, but are things getting any easier? Do you need us to arrange larger quarters on the station so you two can have more space?"
The senator squinted. "We do not share quarters."
"What? You live separately?"
"Of course. We agreed to a marriage of convenience, not complete upheaval of our personal lives."
The young man suddenly looked very concerned. "What if someone sees? Notices that you two don't go into the same quarters at night?"
"Senator Letant and I have guards who man our shared hallway. I assure you, no one is lurking around trying to ascertain what our living arrangements are."
"What about the guards?"
"What about them? They're professionals, they don't engage in gossip, nor do they spread rumors. They are loyal officers." Vreenak was affronted at the Human's insinuation, though he knew full well how divided loyalties could be among Romulan security and the Tal Prai'ex guards.
"Senator Vreenak, you know as well as I do that everyone, including professional soldiers, are prone to gossip."
"Perhaps Starfleet officers are vulnerable to such failures, but not Romulans."
"Sir, when I said tabloids got ahold of the photos of you and Miss Ortega, I wasn't just talking about Federation tabloids. The Romulan public has also gotten a good look and they're just as fascinated as everyone else. They were shocked at first, but now they want to know every detail. I think you underestimate just how much interest your relationship with Miss Ortega has generated." The Human sighed and shook his head, looking genuinely regretful. "I'm sorry Senator, but we simply cannot allow you and Miss Ortega to live in separate quarters. The risk is too great."
From the moment the boy had mentioned "quarters," Vreenak knew what was coming and that it was a lost cause. Forcing him and Joanna to live together was logical, given the cover story they were attempting to pass off, but that didn't mean he was happy about it. Naively, he'd hoped they could simply skirt around the issue.
He should have lied when the sprog asked about their living arrangements, but it was too late now.
"Are you going to discuss this with Joanna or is that my task?" asked Vreenak. He was already fatigued by just the thought of it.
Evidently, the Federation welp also found the prospect terrifying because his alarm was poorly concealed. "Well, uh, it'd be easier if you-"
"Of course, it would be," Vreenak sneered before muttering, "Cowards. All of you."
"Senat-"
"Thank you for your call. It's been a delight." Slapping the controls, Vreenak terminated the connection and rubbed his temples.
You call him a coward, but you're just as reluctant to tell her as he is, he thought miserably. Then, he cringed. Nouhha, to have her here in your quarters…full-time, no less…Your thao-jol is going to have a field day, you know. You'll need to be even more controlled than usual. It's bad enough knowing that she's down the hall, but one room over? Torture.
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Sliding into one of the last free bar stools, Jo reached for her PADD, intent on shooting Edith a message. She was going to order her friend to haul ass to Quark's the moment Letant let her go for the day, but the bar's namesake abruptly popped into view as if out of nowhere.
"Miss Ortega, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Quark asked salaciously, cleaning a glass with a rag.
Despite herself, Jo grinned. In her estimation, Quark was a little bright spot on the complexion of Deep Space Nine, and she considered him to be very charming. Sure, he was sleazy and lewd at times, but he could be surprisingly tender, too. He'd shamelessly flirted with Edith and Jo since they set foot on the station, but now that knowledge of Jo's engagement had widely circulated, he'd been much more tame. Quark didn't want to get on a Romulan's bad side, especially not when the Romulan was Vreenak.
"I'm just looking to unwind a bit, take a drink over to a quiet table, and have a few laughs with Edith."
"Edith is coming?" he asked with far too much interest.
Now that Jo was "off the market," Quark had since focused his efforts on winning over Edith. For the most part, Edith handled the attention good-naturedly, kindly redirecting the little man's advances, but not everyone was as composed about the matter as she. Letant, for instance, was less than amused by the Ferengi's antics. The last time Quark sidled up to Edith, within Letant's vicinity, the senator swooped in like a ra'tar in pursuit.
Jo remembered the tense moment well, for she'd been walking across the Promenade with her friend when it happened. Once Quark cornered them, shamelessly flirting with Edith, Jo caught sight of Letant across the way and smirked, knowing what was likely coming next. The look on the senator's face - a scowl so dark, Jo was surprised disruptor beams weren't shooting out of his eyes - left no room for misinterpretation. In that moment, the Romulan clearly wanted to see the little bartender reduced to nothing more than a singed skid mark on the Promenade floor. And, so, true to form, he crept forward on an intercept course, hands clasped behind his back.
"Uh, Quark," Jo said as she tried to get the man's attention, but the warning had been in vain.
Quark's schmoozing died out quickly once the foreboding presence behind him grew too significant to ignore. As soon as Quark turned, Letant sunk his talons into him. Undoubtedly, the tongue-lashing Quark received that day would be forever branded into his memory; it was hard to forget such silver-tongued insults, especially when they cut with surgical precision. Letant was a skilled orator, but his eloquence wasn't confined to the Senate floor. Apparently, threats were also his forte.
The sound of someone clearing their throat ended Jo's reverie.
"I said, 'I hear congratulations are in order,'" Quark repeated.
Jo's brain drew a blank, and she blurted out, "Oh?" before thinking it through. She cringed when realization dawned too late, and Quark sprouted a confused frown.
"Your impending nuptials?"
"Oh…" She tried to inject at least a tinge of enthusiasm into her tone. "Yes. Thank you."
"A Human and a Romulan…" Quark shook his head. "Never thought I'd see it. And, to be honest, I don't get it. I thought you two hated each other."
"Humans and Romulans?" Jo deadpanned.
"You and Vreenak."
"I thought we did too, but then…we realized that the tension between us wasn't hate," she lied. "It was a bit more complicated than that."
"Uh-huh," grunted Quark, unconvinced. "That senator of yours doesn't seem very affectionate. You are, but he's like a statue. If statues could glare and sneer, that is."
Jo blushed, thinking about the kisses and embraces she'd initiated with her prickly fiancé. "He's much warmer in private," she assured him.
"Warmer than what?" Quark scoffed. "A Breen winter?"
"No. Romulans just don't wear their heart on their sleeve, that's all. They're a secretive people, and he's a secretive man. It's just his way."
Quark tilted his head. "If you say so."
The way he said it put Jo on edge, and she regretted coming to the bar alone. Since announcing her engagement, she'd intentionally kept out of public view as much as possible. When she did go out, she almost always had either Edith or - God forbid - Vreenak as a shield. Peering at Quark's scrutinizing face, Jo sensed she was about to be drilled on the details of her relationship with the senator, and she braced for impact.
"So, when did you two officially get together?" Quark asked shiftily as he leaned closer.
There it is.
"Why?" asked Jo.
"I run a promotion here, a little gift to my patrons on special occasions. Birthdays, anniversaries…" He pursed his lips and shrugged. "That sort of thing."
"It was a slow and gradual process to get to a point where we could admit our feelings, Quark," she sighed. "I don't know the date exactly."
"Well, then, when was your first kiss? Or when did he propose? Or was it you who proposed? That's how Romulans do things, right? The females propose?"
"Our first kiss was…over two months ago." Jo desperately dug through her brain, trying to recall what date she and Vreenak had decided their fictional romance began. "I think this past Monday was two months, actually. And…he proposed to me, uh, about three weeks ago."
Quark looked surprised. "That's fast."
"Romulans move fast. Plus, like I said, we'd already felt…things for each other since the beginning." Jo almost winced at how cheesy it all sounded.
"What was the date?" Quark pressed.
"What?"
"What day was it? If the one-month anniversary of your engagement is coming up, I want to make sure I make note of the specific date. So, what day did he propose?"
Jo took a deep breath to stall for time while she came up with the correct number, but a deep voice beat her to it.
"The 22nd. This Saturday will be one month. Surely, you haven't forgotten already, e'lev?" Vreenak's velvety words wrapped around her just as his hand did the same around her waist. He pulled her against his chest and nuzzled her temple.
Jo's heart jumped into her throat as his palm slid over her stomach. "Uh, guess I did. Doesn't feel like it's been that long."
"Time flies," muttered Quark. He watched the two closely. His lobes might have been wired for business intuition, but they weren't so selective they couldn't pick up other signals as well. Right now, they were tingling with doubt. Quark couldn't get a solid lock on its cause, but there was definitely something that wasn't adding up.
"Indeed, it does," the senator purred into Jo's ear. His next words, directed at Quark, were said with much more bite. "Now, go fetch me a synthale."
"Synthale? Sure you don't want a glass of kali-fal? Replicated, of course. Although," the bartender leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "I do have a small stock of the real stuff if you're interested."
Vreenak's response was chilly. "If I was, I would have ordered it."
"Fine, synthale it is," Quark shot back and raised his hands in mock surrender. He turned his attention to Jo. "And what will the lady be having?"
"Oh…um." She was about to tell him to forget it, as the idea of sticking around the bar had soured considerably, but Vreenak gave her a warning squeeze. "The same for me…please."
"Coming right up. I'll make sure to put both drinks on your tab, Senator," Quark jabbed sweetly.
As the Ferengi hustled away, Vreenak held Jo tighter and grabbed her hand.
"You could have easily ruined this entire charade just now," he told Jo telepathically.
She plastered on a smile so the outside world wouldn't think anything was amiss. "What was I supposed to do? Say I didn't know how to answer his questions? That would have been even worse. He was just asking me about when we started our relationship. Simple questions. Questions that normal people, in normal relationships, don't even hesitate to answer."
Vreenak didn't respond; he just rested his chin on the top of Jo's curly mop.
"How did you know I was here, anyway?" she asked. "Did you put a listening device and a tracker in my clothes or something? Is one of the snaps on my shirt actually a camera?"
"Nothing so crude. Romulans enjoy exceptional hearing. I could hear you and the Ferengi from out in the Promenade."
"And now you've decided to torture yourself by being in my presence, even when you don't have to?"
He dipped down to kiss her neck, an extremely forward move to make in public, especially for a Romulan. Several heads turned to stare at the pair in fascination, and a few people were already whispering behind their hands.
"We need to sell the illusion, do we not?" Vreenak teased.
His teeth grazed Jo's skin, making her gasp, and man seated nearby snickered into his drink.
"Sure, but do you need to feel me up in public in order to sell the illusion?" she asked.
"Would you rather I do so in private? I believe that would defeat the purpose."
Jo gripped Vreenak's arm but kept her face adoring. "Very funny."
"Relax. I overheard the little troll mention how I wasn't affectionate with you. I thought I would rectify that immediately."
Jo tried her best to relax into his embrace, but an odd mix of hurt and humiliation started to fester in her gut. She wished she could say she was just uneasy about Vreenak's groping, but that wasn't it. Though she still intensely disliked the man, she trusted him not to be a lout and take advantage; behind closed doors, he was as professionally distant as ever. He always kept his hands, and any lewd comments, to himself. What really bothered Jo was how genuine Vreenak made his affection appear when, in reality, it was as fake as Quark's replicated kali-fal. As her fiancé's nose brushed behind her ear and her body grew warm and heavy, Jo reminded herself that none of it was real. She was just being used to make an implausible story a little more believable, and, for some reason, that hurt.
Suddenly, the urge - no, the need - to get away and catch some air was fierce, and Jo slid out of Vreenak's arms so she could face him.
"I'll be right back," she murmured seductively for their audience to hear. Pressing into him, she hooked her hands behind Vreenak's neck, forcing him to stoop. Dropping her voice low, she created a breathy whisper. "Keep my synthale frosty for me while I'm gone, won't you? I'm sure your wonderful mood will do the trick." With that, she rocked onto her toes and captured Vreenak's lips. On instinct, his hands settled on her waist.
He was much more pliant than he'd been initially, but Jo planned to push him further this time. Ratcheting the kiss up to the next level, she palmed his jaw and spread his lips apart with her tongue. Vreenak was slow to respond, his breathing a tad startled, but he let her have her way without a fight. Their kiss was intense and passionate, so much so that Jo was becoming lightheaded, but she finished it off by lewdly sucking on his tongue. When she stepped back, she found Vreenak's eyes glassy and dark, his pupils blown, and his breathing ragged.
I did that to him, Jo remarked foggily. That's payback, you ass.
Smug and flustered, she patted her partner's chest and slipped away, cutting through the crowd in search of a restroom where she could take a breather.
Vreenak, too frozen in shock and lust, watched Jo's round bottom saunter off. All the while, the beast of his thao-jol raged within his breast, incensed that he was letting his willing mate leave after she'd made such a clear overture, but Vreenak's sanity beat it back. It was becoming tiresome dealing with the more primal part of him, which acted like a poorly trained set'leth pup; it constantly needed reminding that any attention from Joanna was purely fictional.
Then, a familiar and obnoxious laugh broke Vreenak's concentration.
"Oh, ho…" Quark chuckled, his delighted eyes bright. "Senator, I thought you were dead from the neck down. But I see now, I got it allll wrong. She's got you bad."
"Put the synthales down and leave, Ferengi."
"Whatever you say, Senator. But, when she gets back, don't get too handsy, alright? At least not up here at the bar. That kind of fun belongs in the bedroom or in one of the holosuites. This is a respectable establishment and I plan to keep it that way." Quark's words may have sounded serious if not for his wide grin.
"If you plan on keeping your head, you'll cease your yammering." Vreenak stormed away in search of a secluded table.
The Ferengi had no idea how close he'd just come to having all his teeth shattered by an angry Romulan.
Fifteen minutes passed, and the senator's patience was wearing dangerously thin. He was sure Jo had escaped back to her quarters, leaving him to twiddle his thumbs like a fool. But as his anger began to mount, he spotted a familiar silhouette fighting to get through the rowdy mob assembled at the bar. Joanna was so short it was difficult to see her among the Starfleet officers and random Klingons - all of whom were considerably taller than Jo - but Vreenak found her easily. His mind was, to some degree, always focused on the runty spitfire, so it wasn't too surprising that he could pick her out of a crowd with little trouble.
She approached the barstool where she'd last seen Vreenak, only to find that the seat was now occupied by an Andorian freighter captain. Searching around but not finding any sign of her fiancé, Jo's face fell.
She thinks I left. Is she disappointed? Vreenak wondered. No, you silly woman. I'm over here. Can't you feel me looking at you?
Humans had the strange ability to feel another's eyes on them, a useful adaptation many species were envious of, and Vreenak was sure Jo's sense of gaze detection was strong. He'd caused her to turn around before by staring hard into her shoulder.
Over here, Joanna.
Sure enough, as soon as he thought her name, she spun in his direction. The way Jo's face morphed from hesitant to relieved ignited something within Vreenak, and his chest felt a little warmer. But quickly, a different sensation took over. Fearful and shocked, he questioned if it had been his stare or his thoughts that had drawn Jo's attention. Only mated pairs, or parents and their children, were capable of such things, and even then, it was rare. Romulans may be directly descended from Vulcans, but the genes to perform telepathy without skin-to-skin contact had greatly diminished over time.
Jo, unaware of Vreenak's inner struggle, sat across from him. "Did Quark scare you away from the counter, dear?" she joked.
Vreenak assumed a haughty stance. "If I had stayed, his life would have been in danger. Besides, the bar is not a suitable place to sit. I detest turning my back on a full room."
"You don't like people behind you?"
"No one in an elevated position in Romulan society turns their backs to a room full of people if they can help it."
"I walk behind you all the time. You don't seem to mind."
"You, I'm not worried about."
Jo snickered and pulled her synthale close. "Gee, thanks."
"You're welcome," Vreenak answered seriously. "While you are many things, I don't believe 'treacherous' is one of them."
Jo was a little shocked that Vreenak had paid her such a sincere compliment, and she wasn't about to make light of it. "You're right. Even if I hadn't agreed to make a commitment to you, you'd still be right."
While Jo sipped her drink, Vreenak stared at her quietly and tried not to let her profession of loyalty soften him too much. But her mention of "commitment" brought up images of Romulan weddings and ancient traditions, such as the ceremonial garments, the iarr'vois, the presentation of his dathe'anofv-sen, the uhhael'anna…
Uhhael'anna…The bonding rings, he thought, marveling at how small Jo's hands appeared as she held her glass. What would it be like to see a bonding ring shining on her finger?
Not long ago, he would have pushed those musings away for being too self-indulgent, but now, such a sight would soon be a reality. According to the Federation, it had to be. His thao-jol purred, feasting on the image of his ring on her finger, but Vreenak reigned in his desire.
"Joanna, I was not simply roaming the Promenade when I overheard you. I was looking for you."
"Really?" replied Jo sarcastically. Usually, Vreenak made a point to avoid her whenever possible.
"Yes, really," he frowned at her tone. "An hour ago, I received a call from our Federation matchmakers."
She groaned and reached for her mug again.
"My feelings exactly," Vreenak drawled. "However, they wanted a progress report and were dismayed to learn that we do not… cohabitate." When Jo looked up from her mug with alarm and dread painted on her face, he nodded. "You have been ordered to move into my quarters."
All the color drained from Jo's face. She'd been dreading this news since Edith planted the idea in her brain, and now the nightmare was coming to fruition. Suddenly, she wanted to punch something.
"You probably shouldn't have told me that in public, Vreenak. It's hard to keep this fake, ecstatic, brain-dead grin on my face." Despite her inner rage, she was doing a stellar job of looking lovesick while she glared at her partner.
But Vreenak wasn't fooled and smirked. "I doubt the station's bulkheads are thick enough to muffle your angry yelling, so I thought it prudent to choose a public venue to break the news."
Jo grinned ruefully and nodded. "Smart."
"Thank you," he remarked smoothly, taking a long drag off his drink.
The pair then sat in mutual silence. Jo's thoughts were dangerously close to going down a defeatist, self-pitying route, and Vreenak was busy analyzing everyone in the room. Distracted as he was by his ridiculous dilemma, old habits compelled him to take stock of possible dangers or persons of interest scattered around the dim bar. The Klingons at the dabo table were causing the usual havoc, the Starfleet officers were cheery and obnoxious, and a few Romulan personnel were smartly tucked away. Among the Romulans were the two Tal Prai'ex officers assigned to Vreenak's security detail. He hadn't noticed them until just that moment.
Quite good, he thought, impressed. But I must be off my game. His eyes swept over to Jo. Or, perhaps, I'm distracted.
"Why didn't they tell me this themselves?" Jo suddenly asked.
"Because they're cowards, why else?"
"I guess…" Absentmindedly, she flicked a piece of lint onto the floor. "So, how soon…?"
"Immediately."
"Of course," she snorted. "Not sure why I asked." When Vreenak calmly took another sip of his drink, she eyed him curiously. "You seem oddly okay with this. I'm surprised that the moment they told you, you didn't just explode. Shouldn't there be a little mushroom cloud issuing out of your quarters right now?"
"I am a Romulan," he told her loftily. "We don't give ourselves away so easily. But make no mistake, I am just as displeased about this as you are."
"At least that makes me feel better. 'Misery loves company,'" she grumbled.
"Odd saying, but undoubtedly true."
"So," Jo rubbed her temples. "You have a couch or something for me to crash on? Or are you going to be crass and just toss a dog bed on the floor?"
She'd meant it as a joke, a little dark humor for a dark occasion, but she immediately realized Vreenak hadn't taken her question in jest. His eyes were narrowed into a harsh glare.
"Contrary to what you believe, my opinion of you is not that low."
The close proximity and the sudden tension muddled Jo's good judgement and she, again, responded jokingly. It was a poor choice, but she snorted and shook her head, causing Vreenak's eyes to flicker dangerously.
Uh oh, Jo thought.
Her fiancé gave a disdainful huff and leaned closer so he wouldn't be overheard. "If my opinion of you was truly that low, I would have suggested you share my bed instead. Perhaps then, I could take some pleasure in your invasion of my quarters. Even if it's just reimbursement for being so inconvenienced."
Like a cold lead weight, Jo's stomach hit the floor. She visibly closed up on herself, tighter than a gresh seed pod, and her eyes lost all their spark as they drifted down to her hands. "I'll take the floor, thanks," she murmured weakly.
Seeing her deflate, Vreenak knew he'd gone too far. Really, he'd known it even as he'd spoken the words, but they'd tumbled out on their own accord.
He appreciated the uneasy position Jo was in, posing as his wife. She was locked into a close relationship with a man whose people had a dark reputation; one which was cloudy and mysterious enough that outsiders could only guess what a Romulan's values might be. Just how moral were they? Did those in power, like senators, always get what they wanted? Get whoever they wanted? Joanna had no way of knowing what sort of man Vreenak was, but what she did know of him wasn't favorable.
Considering his position as her superior and now as her husband-to-be, Vreenak had ample opportunity to be a rake if he wished. In Jo's eyes, Vreenak might not have any qualms about taking what he wanted, especially when it was so conveniently within reach. His beastly thao-jol certainly yearned to be vulgar - it told him so every time he had to publicly show affection and desire for Joanna. But not even the most primitive side of him wished to be that utterly depraved. It craved a mate, not a slave. As for Vreenak's rational side, he certainly wasn't about to sell his soul to be that brand of monster. He'd done unspeakable things in his time but had never stooped that low.
So why was he even hinting at such behavior now?
An apology was required, but the senator was too proud to speak the words. Instead, like an imbecile, he settled for murmured criticism. "Try not to look so miserable, Joanna. We're in public."
"Actually," Jo said shakily, "I think I've had enough. Thanks for the drink, honey. I'll see you later in yo- our quarters." She smiled at him and brushed her fingertips over his shoulder as she left, but the joy never reached her eyes. She ducked out of the bar and seemed smaller somehow, diminished by Vreenak's behavior.
"Kllhe hwiiy," Vreenak cursed and downed the rest of his ale in one gulp.
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Edith entered her quarters after being excused much later than usual. Her workday had become longer and longer as of late, but not because of workload. She'd fallen into a routine with Letant where the two of them would get wrapped up in a conversation just around the time she was supposed to be dismissed. Discussed topics ranged from Romulan and Human cultures, politics, history, and, over the last month, Vreenak and Jo. Today, it had been the latter topic that had kept Letant and Edith engrossed far past dinner. As it turned out, the senator was in the same position as Edith, incredulous and angered on behalf of his friend but also somewhat amused.
Setting down her bag in a nearby armchair, Edith spotted the empty kitchen table and vacant couch and wondered if Jo hadn't turned in early for the night. But when she heard a little sniffle emanating from Jo's bedroom, Edith knew something was wrong.
"Jo?" she called, entering her friend's room.
On the bed, Jo laid face down; in her hand was a crumpled tissue.
"Oh, no. What happened? Is Vreenak being an ass again?"
Jo dislodged her face from the mattress, so her words wouldn't be so muffled. "He's always an ass, but that's not it. At least not all of it…They're making me move in with him. Congratulations, E, you called it."
"Dammit, Jo. I'm sorry," she sighed and rubbed her friend's back. "When do you have to move?"
"Tonight."
Edith grimaced, wanting to smack the Federation officials who orchestrated Jo's bizarre arrangement. She chose to find the silver lining in the chaos instead, something that, between the two of them, Jo was typically the best at. "Maybe it won't be so bad? I'm sure Vreenak isn't going to bother you that much. He's gotta be even more upset about this than you."
Thankfully, Jo's face was stuffed back into the mattress, so Edith couldn't see her anxious look of discomfort. Vreenak's crude, predatory remark was still pinging around her ears, taunting her, but she didn't want to worry her friend with it.
"Besides," Edith continued, "it's just for appearances. You can still come over here whenever you want or need to. It's a quick walk just down the hall - you can c-" She stopped short, unsure if any of that was true now. There was a good chance that, with Jo gone, Edith would have to find other accommodations.
Jo sensed her apprehension and reached out to pat her friend's hand. "They're not making you move, babe. My Federation overlords sent me a message - after they had Vreenak to do their dirty work and drop the bomb for them - and they said that you could remain here. They're making an exception."
Edith's eyebrows shot up. "Huh. That's nice of them."
"Hardly. I bet it was because Vreenak probably complained and said he wasn't going to let me move all my things into his quarters so…I guess this place will act like a storage locker for my stuff."
Edith shrugged. "It's a good move on their part, I guess. Letant would have thrown a fit if they'd moved me. He wants me close so he can call me to quickly do his bidding. He's a high-efficiency kind of man," she joked. "Having his aide in a different section of the Habitat ring would be a massive inconvenience for him."
"Why don't they make you move in with him?" Jo grumbled childishly. "It'd be fair."
"Ha! Letant is ex-military. He's as neat as a pin, and I'm…"
"A little gremlin?"
"Right," Edith nodded. "He'd kill me in less than a week."
Jo shook her head and smiled. "Nah, he seems to like you."
"As much as a Romulan could like a Human. I suppose I got lucky; he could be a lot worse." Edith hesitated to voice her next thought but proceeded gently. "I think we both got lucky, actually."
As predicted, Jo tittered. "Speak for yourself."
"Oh, come on. What's happening is crazy, but it's not Vreenak's fault."
"It is his fault for being so difficult. If we're in this together, then why does he treat me like an adversary? And then, just when I begin to think we're seeing eye to eye, he pivots and acts like an asshole."
"Well, Romulans mate for life, so maybe that's why this is so hard for him?"
"I'm not his mate."
"Yeah," Edith huffed, "I know, but 'wife', 'mate' - it's all the same thing for them, I think. A marriage isn't the type of thing you pretend to do in their society. It's too serious."
"Political and social ladder climbing through marriage is definitely something Romulans do. It's in their history. Besides, Vreenak was Vice Chairman of the Tal Shiar for decades, and he's been entrenched in politics for even longer. He's used to deception and pretending. It shouldn't be difficult for him to at least act professionally towards me, although I guess he's never been professional around me. He's acted strangely ever since we met...What does Letant think about all this, by the way?" Jo asked.
"He was extremely disturbed that the Federation could be so bold, but he was even more surprised that Vreenak agreed to go along with the plan." Edith reflected on her previous conversations and noted something peculiar. "Thing is, Letant doesn't seem to know as much about all this as I thought. He seemed to be in the dark about how Vreenak feels, so I don't think Vreenak's been very forthcoming. I can tell that that bothers Letant."
"Mmm…you think they got into a fight?"
"No, I don't think so. I just…I just don't think Romulans talk about their feelings much," Edith chuckled. Suddenly, a little chime rang out from Edith's PADD, reminding her of the time. Recently, she'd become more militant about when she went to bed and set several alarms. "Geeze, it's almost bedtime."
At that, Jo sat up, spooked. "What? How the hell is it so late already?" She was ready to groan about how she hadn't packed anything yet when it struck her that she hadn't been talking to Edith for that long. "Wait, E, you just got in. What kept you so long? You should have been off work a couple of hours ago."
"Oh, I got caught up in a conversation with Letant." She waved her hand casually as she rose from the bed. "Sorry, I should have sent you a message."
"Nah, don't worry about it. I was going to ask you to meet me at Quarks earlier, but Vreenak ruined those plans. Let's just throw this whole day away and start over in the morning. How 'bout we meet up for breakfast tomorrow, yeah?"
"I wouldn't miss it." Edith's smile paled when Jo picked up her pillow, clearly packing light for her first night in Vreenak's quarters. "Are you only taking your pillow?"
"My pillow, a change of clothes, a toothbrush, and a PADD. That's it," Jo declared proudly. "That way, if I have to make a run for it, I won't have to carry much."
"I can't tell if you're joking."
"Neither can I," Jo admitted, snagging a PADD off her desk. She ducked into the bathroom to change into pajamas, and when she was done, she found Edith standing at the front door, looking misty-eyed.
"I'm being silly." Edith sniffed. "Just ignore me, seriously. You're less than a two-minute walk away, so I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Two minutes is still too long. Come here." Jo smiled tenderly at her friend and hugged her tight. "Hey, you gonna be okay with me gone? I noticed you haven't been turning the light on at night as ofte-"
"Yeah, I'll be okay." Edith reassured her quickly, but it was more out of embarrassment than confidence. "Don't worry about me."
"Well, if you get a message from me that says, 'code green,' that means 'get your ass over here quick, I need help hiding Vreenak's body.'"
Edith gave Jo a cheeky salute, laughing as she wished her luck.
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When Jo stepped up to Vreenak's door, it, unexpectedly, slid open on its own. The room revealed was dark; only a solitary lamp atop Vreenak's desk was lit, and it warmed the space considerably. It took a minute for Jo's eyes to adjust to the gloom, but when they did, she saw that an unsettling pair of eyes were staring directly at her.
She sputtered and pointed at the control panel. "Oh, I, uh, I was going to ring first-"
"No." Vreenak set down his PADD, looking almost as apprehensive as Jo. "I programmed the door to recognize your biosignature. If these are to be your quarters as well as mine, then restricting your access is nonsensical."
Jo, hardly believing Vreenak would relax his security measures for her, only managed a weak "thank you" as she crept into the room. Her eyes sought out the couch, which sat a few meters away, and she wondered if that was where she'd sleep for the time being. The leather piece, undoubtedly made from the hide of some Romulan animal, looked much more comfortable than the standard issue Federation couch, but there wasn't a blanket in sight. The thought of blankets pushed her mind to other ideas, and Jo glanced at the bedroom door. Suddenly, she felt uncomfortably warm.
"Behind you," the senator told her softly. He'd been watching her eyes dart around nervously.
"What?"
"The door to your room is behind you."
Though Jo would have sworn on her life that it hadn't been there earlier, an inconspicuous door shone back at her, painted grey like the walls, and blending in seamlessly. Upon approach, it opened with the same ease as the front door, but what it slid back to reveal was very different. The room beyond the doorway was cozy and small, outfitted with a plush bed, a rug of Romulan design, and a bedside table adorned with a lamp. Modest and sparsely decorated but inviting.
"I didn't know you had a guest room," murmured Jo.
"I didn't. I repurposed that room for your use after receiving our 'orders' from the Federation this morning...I trust it's better than a dog bed?"
"A bit," she told him sheepishly. "Wait. What was this before?"
"It was a small library. Though outdated and, technically, unnecessary, I find that physical books and tomes hold a certain appeal. At least, they do to me."
"I didn't take you as being sentimental."
Vreenak's eyebrow shot up toward the ceiling. "I'm not. 'Nostalgic' is a far more accurate description. I look upon Romulus's past fondly and my collection of books and other bound texts is a way for me to enjoy that past. Digital media," he considered his PADD, "has its place, but, at times, I find it lacking."
Jo smiled as another tiny puzzle piece, making up the mystery that was Vreenak, slid into place. She didn't have many pieces at her disposal yet, and it was doubtful that she'd ever have enough to see the whole picture of who he was, but she was happy to discover something about him that didn't deal with politics or espionage. She looked around to see just how extensive this collection of his was, but there wasn't one book in sight.
"Where are all your books now?"
"They've been moved into storage." Vreenak's tone was unbothered, but it did hold a twinge of reluctance.
Embarrassed, Jo felt whiplashed. A few hours ago, she'd been affronted by Vreenak's behavior, but now, she was touched by his unexpected generosity and hospitality. Jo would have taken issue with his hot-and-cold attitude if she wasn't so filled with guilt, she couldn't stand it. The cantankerous man had moved his beloved book collection and displaced his belongings just for her to have her own private space? Jo was as irked as she was flattered.
"I'm sorry," she told him. "You didn't have to move all of that for me. I'm sure I coul-"
"You are not to blame." He held up a hand and proceeded to recline in his seat. It took him a moment to say the words he'd been rehearsing since he'd left the bar. "Joanna…I apologize for my crass words earlier today in Quark's. I had no intention of being so degrading."
Jo squirmed a little where she stood. "You've never made a secret about how you feel about me, Vreenak."
Despite the heaviness in the air, he smirked and began again. "Allow me to amend my previous statement. I had no intention of being so sexually degrading. We've crossed a significant number of boundaries in order to keep up appearances, but there is no excuse for crossing such boundaries when we're in private conversation…You," he paused, unsure if the words would sound as genuine coming off his tongue as they did in his head. "You have nothing to fear from me."
Jo was still unsure. "That wasn't the tune you were singing the first time we spoke."
"Our circumstances have changed significantly since then."
"They sure have," she conceded. It was shocking how quickly time had sprinted by; Jo had been pretending to be the senator's lover for a month already.
With Vreenak's unusual honesty and humility rusting her armor, Jo couldn't deny her own guilt any longer. She wasn't entirely blameless. "Look, I'm sorry as well. You've probably noticed this, but Humans tend to use humor when we're uncomfortable, and I'm one of the worst offenders. In Quark's, we were talking about something serious…I shouldn't have been so dismissive and sarcastic."
Vreenak nodded thoughtfully and sensed that further discussion on the topic wasn't necessary. Both of them had erred, one significantly more than the other, but being entirely inflexible and unforgiving wouldn't help their situation.
After a quiet moment, Jo pointed her thumb at the room behind her. "Thank you for this, by the way."
"You're welcome."
"Well…goodnight," Jo made to leave, but Vreenak's voice stopped her mid-turn.
"That door has a programmable lock. I trust you won't keep too many secrets from me, especially not anything of great importance, but you are entitled to some degree of privacy."
Jo was touched and more than a little shocked that Vreenak would make such a gesture. A Romulan's trust, though it may not be a very deep level of trust in Jo and Vreenak's case, was a hard-won prize.
"Thanks…but I don't think I'll need to use it." She raised her chin and gave her new roommate a small, meaningful smile before ducking into her room.
Love you, readers (Lookin' at you, Fung Mao)