D'ravsai = the Great Brothers; the Preservers; "an ancient species believed to have seeded many forms of intelligent life throughout the galaxy; worshipped as gods in one Rihannsu religion." Read about them on MemoryBeta for more info on them and their importance to Romulans. I'm using it in the same way Bones would say, "My God, man."
Nhaidh = a scuttling, multi-legged creature that inhabits the sewer systems on Romulus. They are like cockroaches but much bigger, I think.
All locations mentioned in this chapter (and for the rest of the fic) come from an old map posted on MemoryBeta. I edited it with labels and symbols. Accuracy/canon varies severely in Trek anyway, so if you find that what I describe doesn't jive with what you've read somewhere else, I'm sorry. Trek canon is a weird mess of scraps, so I'm just going to make myself a patchwork quilt out of them and hope it looks good in the end.
Joanna Ortega was, on paper, a married woman.
Not long after she moved into Vreenak's quarters, the dreaded paperwork was finally processed and approved, making it official - Vreenak and Jo were now husband and wife.
At least, according to the Federation.
While their civil union was inarguably important, the most significant event was yet to come - the Romulan ceremony. They hadn't settled on a date yet, and Vreenak stubbornly refused to talk about it, but Jo suspected he was playing a long game of chicken with the Federation. He likely thought that if he stalled long enough, there wouldn't be a need for a formal wedding at all. But Jo knew it was foolish to assume this matter would blow over so easily. The Federation didn't do anything halfway, and with Federation-Romulan ties healing at a glacial pace, she and Vreenak were still under an intense spotlight.
Two people who were not under extreme scrutiny, however, were Letant and Edith. As they sat in Letant's office, they counted their blessings, grateful they didn't have the Federation breathing down their necks or picking out fabric swatches for a wedding reception. But, still, they found it hard to be enthusiastic. An odd part of them wondered, and not for the first time, why the Federation hadn't asked them to marry. At least they were cooperative, unlike Vreenak and Jo, who seemed as harmonious as oil and water.
But, neither the Senator nor his aide would voice that question, even if they found their minds drifting to it regularly. It was curious that those musings became even stronger as their departure date to Romulus approached.
"When we arrive on Romulus, we will be taken to our rooms; we'll be staying at the Impirial guest accommodations since our time there will be short. You will then accompany me to my home. I believe I told you, but I have a few things I need to collect while I'm there."
"Yes," Edith nodded, "something about a few PADDs you needed, right?
"Correct."
She typed a new line into her scheduling app. "And then, of course, after we're done on Romulus, Jo and Vreenak will come back here while you and I will leave directly for Fielenedi."
Fielenedi, the homeworld of the Tüzar, required a joint "second contact" visit from the Federation and the Romulan Empire. It was a small M-class planet, resting just outside the jurisdictions of both powers, but, while the Federation had already sent their representatives, official Romulan diplomats hadn't prioritized the little world. Thus, Letant was propositioned for the low-priority job. Initially, Edith had been surprised that he'd accepted the mini-mission but suspected he really just wanted to delay returning to the dreary station for as long as possible.
"...And we are set to return from that trip on the twelfth day of the Federation calendar, yes." Letant, amused by his aide's doting, murmured, "I haven't forgotten."
Edith, for once, was too distracted to say something witty or sharp in return. Since Letant told her they'd be visiting his home, she'd been overflowing with questions. She'd seen just about every inch of Letant's quarters - except for his bedroom, of course - but the idea of going to his family's home was fascinating. Little by little, she'd coaxed out more details about the Senator's personal life and history, but seeing where the man was born and raised was sure to be an avalanche of information.
"Where is your home, by the way?" she blurted out, causing Letant to raise an eyebrow.
"Are you familiar with Dartha?" he asked.
"Dartha? I thought the capital wa-"
"Ki Baratan, yes. My apologies. 'Dartha' is a somewhat anachronistic name for the capital city. The capital has actually changed names several times throughout history, so it can become quite confusing. Don't be surprised if you come across other names as well."
"That just shows you how much more reading I need to do," she confessed. "Though, that does answer your question; I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with the city. I suppose, what I should have asked is: where is your home in reference to the Hall of State? I only know where the main government buildings are, so…."
"It is close," he smiled. "No more than ten minutes, depending on shuttle traffic. My family has always been heavily involved in the military and political spheres, so our ancestral home is appropriately situated."
"I see…" she trailed off as the phrase 'military and political spheres' captured her interest and fueled her anxiety. The formal and professional atmosphere she was about to be thrust into was a little nervewracking, and premonitions of all the faux pas she could commit had plagued her for over a week. "About those 'political and military spheres'…do I need to dress a certain way? That might be a dumb question, but. I just don't want to offend anyone by accident."
At that, Letant grinned widely. "Quite right. It's best to offend someone on purpose."
"You know what I mean," she chided.
"I don't dress differently when on this station," he gestured to his tunic. "Why would you need to do so when you visit my planet?"
"I don't know," she shrugged, "because of cultural sensitivity? Different places have different views on what's appropriate. I don't want to be scandalous."
"Your concern is appreciated but unnecessary. I doubt anything you own will be so inappropriate it'll cause offense."
"What about the gala? Formal wear is a different story."
While the primary purpose of their trip to Romulus was for the Senate meeting, Letant and Vreenak and their aides were also expected to attend a gala, an annual event that marked the start of the Senate's session. Letant said he typically used the night to schmooze for an hour or two before departing, but Vreenak hadn't shown his face at a single gala to date. However, now that the public knew he was married to a Human, he had no choice but to show up, and his Human wife was expected to be front and center.
"Is it?" asked Letant. "What do you plan on wearing? Keep in mind, I'm not overly familiar with Terran clothing."
"I was thinking of wearing a dress. But I want to make sure that the hemline, for instance, isn't too short. Do I need to keep it a certain length? And are bare shoulders allowed or no?"
At that, Letant felt a small thrill. "Bare shoulders?"
Edith's cheeks burned, and she decided to drop the subject. "I suppose it's difficult to describe."
While envisioning Edith in such a garment, Letant's imagination fell short. His aide had never worn something so scant in his presence before, and he had nothing to build upon. Suddenly, an intense curiosity festered in his mind. Leaning on one elbow, the Senator smoothed a finger over his chin, debating with himself.
"You may show it to me if you like," he said.
"What?"
Edith's wide eyes turned Letant's expression darkly mischievous. "The dress. I assume it's in your quarters, yes? If you want me to give you sound advice, I'll need to see it for myself. I'd hate for you to get all the way to Romulus, only to find what you've packed isn't appropriate. You won't you find the abundant number of replicators there, as you do here. Of course," he baited, "it's up to you."
It took a few moments before Edith acquiesced. This was a test, she realized; Letant wanted to see if she was brave enough to follow through with something dangerously close to flirting. It was hard to place exactly why seeking a superior's opinion about an outfit was inappropriate, but it certainly felt…improper. Almost intimate, in a way.
Not giving into her shy nature, she narrowed her eyes. You want to play, Letant? That's fine. I'll play.
"Alright, I'll be right back," she told him, her words sweet. But, when she slid out of her chair and exited the room, it was with daring poise.
Once alone, Letant sat back and chuckled. He was looking forward to his aide's return, if only so he could work her up into a pink, flustered mess. Ever since the incident in the turbolift, producing an adorably embarrassed response in Edith had become much easier. It'd also become his favorite pastime.
This time, however, the situation would be slightly different. He was playing with fire, which became exceedingly apparent as soon as Edith returned.
She strolled toward him, not with the dress displayed on a hanger, but with the dress clinging to her slender form.
Edith figured if she took things one step further than Letant anticipated, she'd gain the upper hand. He thought he was being cunning and devious by teasing her? Daring her? She was happy to prove him wrong.
The only issue was, while she'd felt smug smoothing the dress down and admiring herself in her mirror moments before, now her heart was racing. The Senator wasn't wearing the expression of a man playfully admitting defeat; his gaze was more appreciative than that - not lascivious but awed.
Suddenly, the room felt ten degrees hotter.
To cover her own confusing reaction, Edith forced out a chuckle. "That bad, huh?"
'Bad?' Letant wondered to himself. That's certainly not the descriptor I'd choose. The dress is beautiful, to be sure, but the woman wearing it makes it even more so - too much so.
The dark green satin accentuated Edith's slight curves and brought out the copper in her hair. The hem stopped above the knee, slightly higher than the dresses she usually wore when working, and the neckline showed off her shoulders. Altogether, the dress revealed more of Edith than Letant had ever had the privilege of seeing before.
He didn't voice his thoughts but instead answered, "It's not aesthetically unappealing. However, I don't believe it's appropriate for an event on Romulus."
"Because of the sleeves or the length?"
"...Yes," he smirked.
"Oh…Okay. Um, then I'll replicate something with a bit more…coverage," she cringed. "I'll be sure to pass that info on to Jo as well."
The Senator shook his head. "That won't be necessary. While you are not under many wardrobe constraints, Miss Joanna is. Now that she's a married woman, she'll need to wear Romulan formal wear."
Memories of Jo's excited little face danced around Edith's mind. She remembered how, as children, the two of them would pour over images of alien clothes, promising they'd try on the various gowns, robes, and adornments one day. It made Edith smile to know that Jo would soon make good on those promises.
"She'll be thrilled to hear that."
Letant rolled his eyes. "I'm sure she'll survive."
"Oh, no, no, I wasn't being sarcastic. She really will be thrilled. She's always loved non-Terran fashions and has been frustrated with how little information there is about Romulan clothes. Beyond military and political uniforms, we don't get to see what the rest of Romulan society wears. Jo really will be excited."
Letant, though entertained, had a word of warning. "She'll need to reign in that excitement somewhat. On Romulus, she will be a spectacle, though… I suppose you'll both be. Keep out of trouble and don't attract too much unnecessary attention."
"People won't really care about us that much, will they? We're just Humans."
"You may be surprised," he cautioned.
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Early one evening, two days later }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
"What's goin' on, you?" Jo asked her PADD but, of course, didn't receive a response. The little device was refusing to add a new line to the itinerary she was writing up, and, for the life of her, Jo couldn't figure out why. She'd been sitting on Vreenak's couch in their main living room for a few hours, thinking over logistics for the upcoming trip, and had lost track of time.
In the back of her mind, she knew Vreenak would be 'home' any minute.
A rustle off to her left was the only warning Jo was given before the Devil himself strolled in. He came to stand directly in front of her.
"Good evening, honey," she teased. She'd taken to calling Vreenak pet names when in public but soon found that she couldn't break the habit - it was just too fun.
Normally, Vreenak would grumble at her for her cheek, but he was too busy drowning in mortification. The moment he'd entered his quarters, his mouth had gone dry as his sights honed in on Jo's bare collarbones. The handsomely sculpted ridges peeked out, mocking him, as they sat above her purple shirt. Her blouse itself wasn't particularly revealing, but it was very fitted, more so than her regular work attire, and the pleasant hue of the fabric didn't help matters. The color complemented the warmth of her skin perfectly.
Collarbones? he silently exclaimed. Must every inch of her elicit some sort of reaction?... D'ravsai, she's reduced you to a pathetic hormone-riddled child…One would think you'd be used to this form of torture by now, he groaned.
Since Jo had moved in with him, he'd been subjected to many cruel and unusual outfits. His thao-jol was always immensely pleased to see what Humans wore for leisure, but sometimes the Senator wished his housemate would wear long-sleeved turtlenecks and loose pants, all at least two sizes too large.
Getting a grip on himself, Vreenak drew a breath, ready to speak, but caught sight of how orderly the room appeared. He didn't remember his seating area looking so organized. "Did you clean?"
"No, I didn't clean…there wasn't really anything to clean, per se. It wasn't dirty around here."
Vreenak's eyes narrowed. "But you did rearrange this room. I know this room is different."
With a huff, Jo slapped the PADD down onto her lap. "Yes, Vreenak, it is different. You caught me - I tidied up in here while you were gone. I straightened the pillows and put stray glasses back in the replicator." Shaking her head, exasperated, she started talking to herself. "I swear, you've got the same disease as Edith. Why is it so hard for you two to put things back after you use them? You're both adults."
"Enough," Vreenak ordered, mostly annoyed because he couldn't refute her. She was right. "I will make an effort to be less…slovenly moving forward. However, I'm not here to discuss cleanliness standards with you, I've come to collect you. We will need to leave now in order to make our appointment."
"Where?"
"For once, can you not question me?"
Jo's eyebrow arched up higher than Vreenak had ever seen before. "No. I'm your wife, not your pet or your servant…Don't be gettin' any ideas just because I cleaned up after you."
"You are my personal aide," he reminded her.
"Not at the moment, I'm not. I'm off duty." He really should know by now that this sort of power trip isn't going to work, she thought, shaking her head. "I know you love secrets, Vreenak, but I don't see why you can't just tell me where we're going?"
"We are going to the Ferengi's bar. And if you ask me why," he held up a finger to stop her as soon as her mouth started to open, "I'll simply carry you there over my shoulder, unconscious."
The two battled in a brief but dramatic stare-down until Jo finally gave in.
"Fine."
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
"Quark!" Vreenak barked.
Used to patrons shouting at him in anger, the bartender barely flinched. "Senator," when Jo came into view, his disposition morphed into something much more suave, "and Miss Joanna. Happy anniversary. I've got holosuite three all ready to go for you two lovebirds."
The word "anniversary" made Jo freeze; the date had wholly slipped her mind. Thankfully, Vreenak's hand on her back gently guided her toward the stairs; all she had to do was plaster a smile on her face. "Oh, thank you, Quark. Is this the 'special promotion' you were talking about a while back?"
"It is." Despite the Romulan daggers being launched at him, Quark followed the pair up the stairs and down the hall. "I hope you enjoy it. It's not every day someone brings their own program into one of my holosuites, but your husband was adamant that he didn't care for my collection."
Jo was immensely relieved to hear that. She'd overheard Quark rattle off the titles of his programs before and was glad she wouldn't be subjected to any of them. In any case, the idea of Vreenak taking an interest in one of those programs made her feel strange.
Suddenly, Quark appeared in front of her, and she realized they'd arrived at the holosuite door.
"I'm not sure if that means tonight will be extra interesting," Quark implied, "or…well, whatever a Romulan finds interesting. Maybe I should say, 'good luck' instead?"
At that, Vreenak placed himself in front of his wife, blocking her from any more hassling. The Senator was through listening to the nhaidh's chatter. "We do not require any more assistance. You may leave. Now."
Once Quark marched out of earshot, Jo turned to her spouse. "A holosuite reservation, huh?"
"Believe me, it wasn't my idea." Vreenak slid a datarod into the control panel's many ports. "However, when the Ferengi offered it as an anniversary gift, refusing his 'generosity' would have been suspicious."
"True…So…what's the program? Should I be worried?"
Vreenak smugly tapped a few buttons, setting the safety parameters and initiating the sequence. "Patience, wife."
The computer's voice droned out from the wall a moment later, "Program is running. You may enter when ready." One keystroke later, and the doors hissed open.
Jo was in awe as soon as her eyes adjusted to the light.
The landscape beyond the doorway was a dense forest. In the light of the cloudy sun, the needle-shaped leaves shimmered a silvery green, a sharp contrast to the soft black dirt resting on the forest floor. Even at midday, when it was at its full strength, the sun would be hard-pressed to fight past the conifer's dense canopy. What little light there was was caught by tiny crystal droplets that clung to every surface. Rain showers and heavy mists must have left them behind as gifts, turning branches into sparkling chandeliers.
To Jo, the sight wasn't entirely unfamiliar; the landscape was similar to some of the Terran forests she'd explored. But, while this forest looked familiar enough, the way it sounded was unquestionably alien.
The cacophony of various birdsongs and insect chirps - hallmarks of any ecosystem on Earth - was absent. In its place was an assortment of deep pips, squeaks, and caws, presumably the songs of native bird species, but these tunes were uttered in a much lower octave than any Terran bird was capable of. It was as if these birds were singing in a minor key - odd and uncanny enough to make one unsettled. But, any unease Jo felt was quickly dashed once Vreenak confidently sauntered through the doorway.
It's just a holosuite program after all, she reminded herself.
"Welcome to a tolerably close approximation of my home territory on Romulus," Vreenak proclaimed, taking a deep, invigorating breath.
"Oh!" she exclaimed. Her feet immediately began to move of their own accord, now more curious than anything. "Is this what most of Romulus looks like?"
"No, not at all. The terrain around the capital, for example, is very different. Since Ki Baratan is situated on the coast of the Apnex Sea, it often becomes oppressively humid, and afternoon storms are a daily occurrence. However, I was born and raised several thousand miles from of the capital, where it's rugged, mountainous, and considerably colder. In fact, the heart of the T'aresh mountains is less than two hours north of here. Temperatures there regularly dip so low, the land freezes into one large glacier and remains in that state for over half the year. When summer arrives, the ice melts, but only enough to create a frigid swamp."
"And…where is 'here,' exactly?" Jo cringed.
She'd planned on studying a map of Romulus, so she wouldn't look like a complete idiot but hadn't gotten around to it yet. Judging by Vreenak's smug face, not making the time to study was a mistake.
"Computer, display a map of Romulus," he requested.
Since the Dominion War, the Federation had uploaded volumes of information on Romulan geography and culture, which their new allies had shared. A few years ago, asking the computer for a map of Romulus would have been impossible.
"Here." He pointed to a claw-shaped patch of land. "This is the Brel'karan continent, and we are here," his finger slid toward the eastern coast, "in the Thevasa forest, a part of the T'areshi wilderness."
"And where's the capital?...I'm sorry," Jo begged when he gave her a testy look. "I'll study on the transport, I promise."
"You better…Ki Baratan is here," he huffed.
Once Jo finally found her bearings and thoroughly annoyed Vreenak, the map was dismissed, and their journey began.
As Jo hiked beside her husband and they moved deeper into the woods, a little smile crept onto her face. It was endearing - if such a word could be applied to a man like Vreenak - to see how relaxed he was, surrounded by familiar territory. She could confidently say that Vreenak was the most unburdened he'd been since they met.
Mmm, I was right, she mused.
He'd never mentioned it, but Vreenak suffered from a bad case of homesickness - something Jo had long suspected. Not that she could blame him. The cold, lifeless station did little to make one feel at home, and she often longed to see something green, alive, and reminiscent of Earth. The arboretum helped lessen the sting, but not enough.
It recently occurred to her that as much as she yearned to see home, Vreenak was probably much worse off. Humans were natural explorers and faired better, psychologically, on long-distance journeys than other species. Being away from home had to be especially brutal for a passionate and patriotic Romulan.
"It's beautiful here," she later said. "This place reminds me of the temperate rainforests on Earth. But, there are so many more trees here…"
Vreenak looked down at her, curious. "I was under the impression Earth was filled with trees."
"Parts of it are, but, on average, the trees aren't the same as they used to be. In the past, Humans cut down a lot of the old-growth forest and thought that they could just plant new trees in their place. Problem is, some of the trees they cut down were thousands of years old. Today, most of the trees you see are only a couple hundred, at most. The young trees are smaller and thinner, so any old growth that's left is cherished."
"Much of this forest has been under government protection for over eight hundred years, and there hasn't been a single tree cut down here in all that time. I don't expect that will ever change."
"I hope it doesn't. This is perfect," she murmured, but then a question popped into her brain. "Is this the territory you represent as a Senator?"
"Yes. Traditionally, one serves the territory of their birth, but not always. Some, who elevate to their position through marriage," he informed her with evident derision, "often serve the territory their mate hails from….As Senator of the Vil'danarex territory, I'm tasked with representing a considerable amount of land, though not a considerable amount of people. This area is filled with forests, mountains, and small seas, so it's sparsely populated. My jurisdiction begins east of the Peld'rath Peninsula and spans eastward across the T'aresh range, eventually hitting the Nelrek ocean, and it continues until reaching the northern tip of the Kae'raktar foothills. I have the honor of governing the second largest territory on Romulus…I'm, technically, only bested by Senator Milok, who represents most of Novok. He has the 'honor' of presiding over the Ar'hael Desert, which is a huge swath of land, but little more than an over-glorified sandbox," he sniffed, shaking his head.
Vreenak's tone was dripping with so much pride and contempt, that Jo could barely hold back a giggle. "So, I take it you don't like Senator Milok?"
"He's tolerable. Though, I do pity him. The poor man governs several million kilometers of dust, tumbleweeds, and withered twigs, which he dares to call 'trees.'"
Jo laughed, almost wanting to egg him on, but she had a feeling Vreenak could complain about Milok and his dustbowl for hours if she let him, so she steered the conversation in a new direction. "What about Letant? Where's his territory?"
At that, Vreenak snorted. "Letant presides over the central portion of the Umrikan continent, which is where the capital is situated. While Ki Baratan itself is considered a neutral district and, therefore, doesn't have government representation, the surrounding areas are Letant's responsibility. His is one of the most prestigious and highly sought-after territories in the empire." Despite his tone, Vreenak's countenance didn't hold a trace of bitterness. "Letant lords his status over our more… 'malleable' colleagues, but, secretly, he despises how plush his position is. He's a soldier at heart."
Jo tried to make sense of what she was hearing but had many questions. "Then why did he pursue senatorship?"
"I don't feel it's appropriate to delve too deeply into his personal life with you, Joanna. Ask him yourself - if you dare," he grinned. "However, I can tell you that he comes from one of the oldest and most revered clans on Romulus. His position in the military and in the Senate has been guaranteed since his birth. If he weren't so competent and more than worthy of his station, I'd disparage him for being a nepotistic twit. Fortunately, Letant is one of the few people I've met who isn't full of hot air."
"How long have you-" Jo's question was cut short when her foot became lassoed by a gnarled root. Luckily, Vreenak's quick reflexes pulled her upright before she even noticed her predicament.
"Thank you," she squeaked, her face stinging as if sunburned. She started moving forward again, hoping to forget the embarrassment, but Vreenak's drawl stopped her.
"Are you sure you want to continue? It would be embarrassing for you, yet very troublesome for me, should you die in a holosuite with only myself as a witness. People might talk."
"Ha ha," Jo mocked. "Speculation about you murdering me would put a stick in the Federation's spokes. Might even cause a war, considering how things have been going lately. But I'm sure you know of a thousand better ways to kill me than 'death by tree root.'"
Vreenak frowned at her joke. He had been the one to start this morbid exchange, but the topic didn't sit well with him the longer he considered it. Romulans and Humans shared an appreciation for gallows humor, but the image of Joanna's chilled, lifeless body was anything but humorous.
"I'd prefer you remain alive," he told her. "I have no desire to become a widower."
"I'll do my best."
As she quipped, Jo stepped away, over to the base of one of the behemoths, and reached out to caress its bark. It wasn't the rough texture she was used to feeling at home; this had a pleasant, velvety feel. "Huh…wow, do they really feel like this? Are they this soft?"
"This program is accurate, Joanna. But what you're feeling is actually a species of fungus that coats this entire forest. It protects the bark and helps the trees resist wildfires. However, if this were the real forest of my childhood, I'd recommend you stop petting that tree so enthusiastically."
"What?" Comically, Jo pulled her hand back to inspect it. "Why?"
"The moment it's disturbed, the fungus releases millions of spores, which will stick to every inch of you for at least a week."
Jo backed away, grinning as she fell into step next to him. "You sound like you know that from experience."
"Mmm, yes, I do," he hummed, making her laugh. "I was a boy when I learned how foolish it was to disturb the bark of these trees. I sneezed continuously for days; I barely slept. My mother insisted on scrubbing me down with a homemade - and very foul-smelling - concoction of hers until my skin was raw, but it made little difference. Time was the only true remedy. My clothes, however, had to be burned."
Those were fond memories for Vreenak. The entire affair had been uncomfortable and mortifying, but now, as a man, he considered it a cherished character-building exercise. Enduring one of nature's many challenges was a rite of passage for those living in the T'areshi wilderness.
Enough. Don't be distracted. You aren't here to indulge - especially not with her, he reminded himself. He turned to his companion. "Now, as enjoyable as I find this program, we have business to discuss."
"Oh?"
"We leave for Romulus in the morning, and while we are there, we will undoubtedly be assailed by many of my colleagues. In all likelihood, we'll be interrogated about our relationship each time we step out of our room…It is imperative we not contradict each other."
She pursed her lips. "Makes sense. Although, I doubt there's anything about me you don't already know."
"Why do you assume that?"
"Oh, come on. You must have looked up my file, and then, when that wasn't thorough enough for you, you used your 'spy contacts' to learn everything else. And," she held up her finger, mimicking what Vreenak had done earlier in their quarters, "before you make some droll comment about how I must have an 'overinflated sense of importance,' please know that Romulan paranoia is legendary - especially yours - and I refuse to believe that you'd allow someone to work with you, let alone live with you, if you didn't know everything about them; from their favorite food down to their blood type."
Vreenak wore a sly grin, looking at his little wife from the corner of his eye. "While my rigorous intelligence investigation didn't uncover your favorite food, I do know that your blood type is A positive."
"Wow…" she laughed. "The Tal Shiar is really slacking these days."
"Yes, I'm sorry to say they're not what they used to be."
Jo perked up. "'They?' Not 'we?'"
"I'm no longer involved with the Tal Shiar," he informed her. "I haven't been for some time."
"Oh…I thoug-...Well, I guess that proves how much I need to learn about you before we go to Romulus, then."
"An understatement…However, I wish to start with you. Assume I don't know anything about you. To make our marriage appear convincing, reciting facts from your personnel file will not be enough."
"Alright. Um," Jo began, staring at her feet. "I'm originally from Virginia, which is on the east side of the North American continent. My mother's name is Mary, my father's is Eli, and I have a younger brother named Christian. He's ten years younger than me." When Vreenak shot her a surprised look, no doubt trying to calculate how likely it was for a Human to have children ten years apart, Jo quickly explained. "He is, what is sometimes known as, an 'oops baby.' So, my mother thought she was done having children, but…had a bit of a surprise. A happy one, but…I do wish my brother would have come a few years earlier. There is such a large age difference, I didn't get to know him as well as I would have liked. By the time I moved to San Francisco with Edith, Christian was only eleven years old."
"And how did you meet Edith?"
"Oh," Jo smiled. "We've known each other since we were five. Even though our houses were just a few blocks down from each other, she lived at my house on an almost full-time basis. Before Edith was assigned to be Letant's aide, the longest we'd gone without seeing each other was…maybe two days?" she guessed. "So it's hard for me to think of her as just a friend since she's really more like a sister. My parents love her like a daughter anyway, so…"
"Is it customary for Humans to host someone else's child in their home? Why live with you if her home was so close?"
Jo started to explain but caught herself, choosing instead to echo Vreenak's earlier words. "'I don't feel it's appropriate to delve too deeply into her personal life with you, Vreenak. Ask her yourself - if you dare.'"
The Senator merely arched a brow at her antics; he knew complaining would be hypocritical. "Very well."
At this point, they'd been walking for nearly an hour, and Jo could tell they were approaching a clearing. The light of the sun was growing stronger with every step. Once at the edge of the trees, she parted the fronds eagerly, expecting to see a meadow, but instead saw an enormous body of water. Its glass-like surface stretched out to meet the horizon, reflecting the sky as faithfully as a mirror, and in either direction, the coastline stretched far beyond view. There was no telling where or if it ended.
Jo neared the water's edge, peering at its strangely docile shore. "It's awfully calm for an ocean."
"That's because it isn't an ocean," Vreenak offered. "This is the inland Sea of Vrekess; the Nelrek is at least two hours in…that direction," he pointed east. "However, I can understand the confusion. The Vrekess is so large it would take several days to walk its border. However, we must be on our way. We only have two kilometers to go."
Jo spun around, intrigued. "To where?"
Vreenak only motioned ahead, not elaborating further.
He led them toward a small river, one noisily delivering its brisk mountain water to the sea, and followed it north. As they left the placid sea behind them and crawled deeper into the wilderness, the world went dim and quiet; only the whispers of the river below disturbed the air. But the tranquillity did not mean an absence of life.
Narrow and damp, the riverbank trail was evidently a hub for a number of animal species. Tracks and nests littered the banks and, pressed into the wet mud, there were dozens of large, peculiar-looking footprints.
Looks like a cross between a bear paw and a webbed duck foot," Jo observed.
The size of the indentation made her concerned.
"River veruul," answered Vreenak. He'd been watching her face with amusement, enjoying Jo's curiosity about his home. "It's a large amphibious creature that has claimed many Romulan lives since my people first colonized this planet. A larger subtype of veruul lives in the humid swamp land around the capital, but river veruul can be just as dangerous. This program includes occasional veruul, but I've set the safety protocols at their highest level. There's nothing to fear."
"I wasn't afraid. I was…alarmed, that's all," Jo shrugged, but Vreenak wasn't convinced.
"Of course you weren't," he smirked.
"Anyway…Why are they called veruul? I thought 'veruul' meant 'fool' in Rihan?"
"It does - and for good reason. When my people settled on Romulus, they quickly learned that underestimating the native fauna was usually a deadly mistake. If a settler went missing, it was often assumed they'd been foolish enough to linger near the water after nightfall and had been pulled in by a veruul. Thus, foolishness became synonymous with the beast."
Jo's eyes had grown wide over the course of his story, and she envisioned something that looked like an alligator roaming around city streets. "How common are they around the capital?" she asked. "Should Edith and I be on the lookout for them?"
"For veruul?" he scoffed. "No, I wouldn't be concerned. They don't frequent heavily populated areas. In any case, the two of you will not be wandering around on your own."
"What do you mean? You and Letant are going to be in Senate meetings for most of the trip; she and I won't have anything to do but explore. Plus, there's a good chance neither of us will have the opportunity to see Romulus again, so of course we're going to sightsee."
"Absolutely not - it's too dangerous," he said stiffly. "You and Miss Brown will be confined to the buildings within the State Plaza and Imperial Mall. I assure you, the Alavhet library alone contains more than enough entertainment to satisfy two curious Humans."
His wife wanted to argue, but Vreenak's opinion on the matter was concrete. He wouldn't risk a disgruntled citizen or, God forbid, a Tal Shiar loyalist snatching his wife and her friend. Not only would Vreenak himself be apoplectic and wrathful, but the Federation would surely seek vengeance.
"No, Joanna. It's out of the question."
Jo huffed and remained silent for almost a mile before grumbling, "It's your turn, by the way."
"Pardon?"
"It's your turn to tell me something about you. I hardly know anything."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Vreenak's posture stiffen. It was like he was preparing for something.
"I was born and raised here," he began, "in the lower T'areshi wilderness, to the s'Asenth clan. I was the middle child of three children and the only son…I attended the Imperial War College and was later recruited into the Tal Shiar. As is customary for any Shiar member, I underwent additional training at the Romulan Intelligence Academy. Once an officer, I served for nearly four decades, rose through the ranks, and later wove myself into the political circuit. Now-"
"Vreenak," Jo interjected, "please don't misunderstand because I do appreciate everything you're telling me, but this all sounds like something I could just read from a computer file." When he looked at her doubtfully, she corrected herself. "If I could ever get access to a detailed file…but the point is, you said we needed to know enough about each other to make our marriage seem genuine. You've skipped over a lot of personal details."
Abruptly, Vreenak stopped, clearly annoyed. Gone was the relaxed Romulan Jo had seen upon entering the holosuite; a cautiously guarded man stood in his place.
"You and I are chained together against our will. We are only married out of diplomatic convenience, but we are not on intimate terms. I will not divulge every detail of my life to you," he ground out.
Jo held up her hands. "Look, this information swap - set in the forest you grew up in - was your idea. Now, I don't expect you to tell me every detail about your life. Keep whatever secrets you want to keep. But I would appreciate it if you could tell me about your life, not just rattle off a list of achievements. It's all a bit…wooden, you know?"
"Wooden," Vreenak repeated blandly.
"Like, why did you join the Tal Shiar? How, exactly, did you get to be a senator? What do you care about? What legislation have you pushed through? Do you even like it? Stuff like that."
Jo wanted to ask about his family and his heavy, blatant use of the past tense when talking about them but didn't want to push her luck. Her husband was sensitive enough as it was.
Eventually, Vreenak sighed. "Fine. We're not far now. Perhaps seeing it will help explain. Come."
Confused, Jo had no choice but to trudge on, hoping the mystery would be solved soon.
Not long after, the path forked; the river trail hooked right, but a tiny dirt path meandered off in the opposite direction. Vreenak, without hesitation, took a left and abandoned the coursing river. But they didn't travel very far for, a few minutes later, they reached their journey's end. In a sparse clearing, there stood a house. The shabby building was too large to be considered a cabin but couldn't have contained more than five rooms; its rustic style was a far cry from the Romanesque architecture Jo had seen in holoimages of Romulus. Not constructed from large, stacked timbers, the home appeared to be made out of random pieces of felled wood and river stones, cemented together with hardy clay.
Just looking at it made Jo warm and cozy.
"This was my home," a soft voice muttered beside her.
She stared, dumbfounded and sure she'd misheard him. "Are you ser-"
But Jo stopped.
Though a thousand questions threatened to bubble out of her mouth, Vreenak's subdued figure gave her pause. Suddenly, she could sense an odd tension in the air, a gravity she wasn't used to feeling. It was clear that whatever Vreenak was preparing to share with her was serious. No more quips about pitiable colleagues or tree fungus; this was privileged information that seldom few had been trusted with, and Jo was not about to betray the meager, yet growing, amount of trust Vreenak was showing in her by acting like a child.
She fiercely reigned herself in.
"It's lovely," she told him quietly. "Did your family build it?"
"This was built by my paternal great-grandfather. My father's clan were miners; they worked in the mines that once operated in these foothills. Those mines have since closed…technological advances made that sort of dangerous work obsolete. However, it was upon returning home from a day's work in the mines that my father met my mother. She was a biologist, completing her field research on the banks of the Sherdak, which is another inland sea not far from here. According to my mother, she was instantly taken with my father, and the two fell deeply in love. My mother proposed marriage just two months later."
Vreenak started to walk the home's perimeter, and Jo eagerly followed.
"However, she came from a much wealthier, much more respected, clan than my father…A lowly mining clan in the backwater of the T'areshi has little to no social standing, but her family was among the elite clans of Brel'kar. So, when my parents announced their intention to marry, the fallout was…unpleasant. You see, in my culture, a husband marries into his wife's clan, which can be quite advantageous if one marries above their station, but it can also be detrimental for the woman's family if their line becomes too 'diluted.' Despite my mother's assurances that the union was genuine, her family eventually shunned her because she dared to marry an unworthy man."
Jo didn't know as much about Romulans as she should, but she did know that to be shunned from one's clan was almost unthinkable for a Romulan.
"My father's clan, s'Asenth, admitted her into the family, and, thus, she remained here. While she and my father raised my sisters and I, my mother continued her research in any way she could."
Vreenak soon led Jo to the front door and held it open, finally allowing her to enter.
It was a curious experience to enter the living space of an alien. There were so many similarities between what one would expect in a Terran home, but with odd, eye-catching differences. The paintings, the textiles draped over the sofa, the pottery set out on the table, and the uniquely styled light fixtures were a fascinating sight. But Jo's fascination was short-lived; it didn't take more than a minute to notice how much smaller the home was once inside. A family of five would have found it a tight fit, and a scientist would have found it an impossible place to study.
"Vreenak…" Jo began cautiously. "This reminds me so much of home, but…that does bring up a question that I hope doesn't offend you….I was under the impression that most, if not all, Senators were members of the nobility. That they came from old money and were high-born. Ho-"
Vreenak didn't need to hear her question to know what she was on about. "How did I become what I am today since I, clearly, did not come from a wealthy family?"
Jo nodded.
His expression turned sardonic. "It was a feat which required years of determination, careful networking, no shortage of underhanded deals, and…at times, pure luck," he admitted. "My mother and father had high hopes for all their children. My sisters were keen on studying in the sciences, like my mother, rather than becoming miners. This desire was reinforced tenfold after my father was killed during a cave-in when I was fifteen…However," he paused to finger the spine of a book on the mantle, "to everyone's disappointment and fear, their only son soon voiced his interest in joining the Tal Shiar. And he was too headstrong to be dissuaded."
When Vreenak mentioned his father's death, Jo's chest ached terribly, and now her stomach sloshed coldly somewhere near her toes. "Why were they against you joining? I thought it was considered an honor?"
"To serve the State through military service is considered an honor," he sneered. "But the Tal Shiar is a different matter. No one freely admits this without fear of retribution, but the Shiar are as disliked as they are feared. Many respect the organization as a necessary evil, a force that preserves the security of the empire. Yet, I believe that there are far more who wouldn't mind seeing the Tal' crumble. My family fit into the latter group."
Upon his whispered invitation, Jo sank into the soft couch, and Vreenak sat across from her.
"They couldn't understand how I could consider selling my soul to the Shiar…I had countless arguments with my mother and older sister over it before I left…My younger sister was mostly concerned that joining the Tal would take me far from home. Beyond that, she was always supportive…" The longer he spoke, the more distant his eyes became.
"What happened after you left?"
"They were dismayed, at first, but over time, they became fearful - of me." Jo struggled to understand, so he elaborated. "The Shiar have been known to drag dissidents from their homes and monitor citizen's comm lines. There is even a superstition among the Romulan people that anyone touched by the mere shadow of the Var'theldun Cidadel, headquarters of Tal Shiar, is doomed to become their next victim. Would you trust Edith, for example, if she joined an organization with that kind of reputation?"
Jo pondered that. Her instinctive answer was "yes," for she trusted Edith unconditionally, but she could see Vreenak's point.
"Precisely," he nodded. "Now, as far as my political life is concerned, that is a simpler tale. Over time, I grew leery of the Tal Shiar and sought out a different career. It was by sheer coincidence, then, that I came across an old acquaintance, someone whom I'd met while studying at the Imperial War College: the ever-urbane Senator Letant," Vreenak grinned. "At that time, he'd recently given in to the demands of his family and had relinquished his command to become a senator. After speaking with me, he proposed a generous arrangement: in exchange for my friendship - and, therefore, my support when voting on the floor - he would use his influence to appoint me as Senator of Vil'danarex. He was true to his word."
Her husband's fondness for his friend was infectious, and Jo smiled along with him. "How long have you two served as senators?"
"Forty-six years. Though, Letant has technically served for forty-seven."
"No term limits on Romulus, huh?" she said jokingly.
"Term limits?" he snickered. "No, the Romulan government is a fine balance between democracy, plutocracy, and stratocracy. Most positions are filled via appointments or bribery, not elections."
"And you still like it?"
After a moment of careful deliberation, Vreenak gave a somewhat cryptic answer. "...It has its moments."
Intrusively, a familiar, crackled voice issued out from an unseen source. "Uh, I hate to disturb your…festivities, but this suite is booked for another client."
Vreenak swore under his breath, and Jo jumped to respond before he could. "Okay, Quark. We'll be out in a moment. Give us five minutes!"
They heard a reluctant sigh.
"Five minutes," Quark said.
When the comm went silent, Vreenak and Jo were left in an awkward silence. The safe, insulated bubble that had shrouded them for the last several hours had just disintegrated, and already Vreenak felt the instinctive urge to throw up his walls again. He'd just made himself incredibly vulnerable, sharing things he hadn't spoken of in years with a woman he hardly knew - an alien woman at that. The edges of his trudged-up past felt painfully raw.
"Thank you for showing me this," murmured Jo. " I mean…I know the Federation hasn't given you much of a choice, but…still."
Instead of looking gratified, Vreenak appeared even more defensive than before. "I ask that you show your gratitude by keeping what I've shared with you between us. If I learn that Miss Brown-"
"That won't happen," Jo promised without reservation. "She'll never know anything about this."
"Are you certain? I thought you two shared everything?" he questioned.
"We usually do. But we respect each other too. She'd never expect me to share something with her that wasn't mine to share. Edith knows I'd feel the same if things were the other way around."
His instincts screamed that he should trust no one, but Vreenak knew enough about Joanna to take her at her word. He simply nodded.
It's not as if I'm entrusting her with state secrets, he reasoned.
The two stood and made their way out of the house. Vreenak could have simply ended the program and left but was loath to break the illusion just yet. He wanted to exit his home through the front door, not a cold, conjured archway.
"Do you plan on traveling back here when we're on Romulus?" asked Jo. "Will you have enough time?"
"No," he breathed. "Distancing myself from the Tal Shiar would have pleased my family greatly, but neither my mother nor my sisters lived to see me become a senator. They all perished when this home caught fire in the middle of the night. According to their autopsies, they suffocated in their sleep and died long before the flames could take them. All that's left of this home now is a scorched foundation…I have no reason to visit."
For all the emotion he displayed, one would think he was talking about the weather. But Jo found his unaffected tone sounded too well-practiced.
She gaped at him, horrified. "A housefire…those don't happen very often these days…"
Vreenak smirked, but there was no light behind it, no spark. "No. they don't. Although this was a modest home, it was at least equipped with a fire suppression system…I know better than to put much stock into the story of their demise. In my experience, tragic accidents are rarely genuine accidents."
As a chill ran up Joanna's spine, a few points of confusion clicked into place. Perhaps she'd been naive, but for as terrible as the Tal Shiar were known to be, Jo didn't think they'd be so brazen as to kill the family of one of their own. "Why would they kill them?" she whispered.
"My older sister had grown sloppy; she'd become an outspoken skeptic of the Shiar as well as certain government leaders….As I said before, the Shiar often monitor comm lines, and they have many loyalists hidden among the common people - in the unlikeliest of places. The true reason she's dead, however - why they're all dead - is that I was her brother. Her association with me put her in great peril…I knew better than to keep in contact with her, but I did so anyway….My mistake," he finished in a hollow voice. His stare, on the other hand, was far from being hollow; the weight behind his eyes sent Jo thinking.
"Getting to learn more about each other wasn't the only reason you showed me this place, was it? Was this," she nodded toward the house, "your way of warning me? You're trying to scare me, aren't you?"
"Am I succeeding?"
"A little," she whispered.
Vreenak weighed Jo down with a grave stare. "I'm glad. Attachments can be extremely dangerous. To predators, they signal weakness, and weaknesses can be used as leverage, which is the greatest reason why you will not wander off without being accompanied by either Letant or myself. Is that understood?"
When Jo nodded unhappily, he let out a weary sigh. "You are an intelligent woman, Joanna, but, as a Federation citizen, you are naive. Human idealism has done little to prepare you for the reality you now face. So, I implore you, don't indulge your rebelliousness while we are on Romulus. Despite our…friction," he decided, "you must trust me. At the very least, I ask that you trust my judgment."
Jo blurted out, "I trust you," with utter confidence, shocking her and Vreenak both.
Did she really just say that out loud? Was it even true? The Jo from a few months ago would have thought such a thing impossible, yet the affirmation slipped easily past her lips.
I guess I really do trust him, she realized. When did that happen? …He even looks different now.
After the storm of information she'd just endured, it was difficult to see Vreenak as the same acerbic and arrogant Romulan she'd walked in with. He still was acerbic and arrogant, but it was easier to look past it now, knowing there was much more substance underneath.
Empathy, it would seem, had given Jo a new perspective.
A bit stirred, the pair held each other's gaze for longer than was comfortable and came to a silent understanding. While their antagonism wasn't over, their relationship was certainly not the same as it had once been.
Finally, Vreenak turned to the tree line. "Computer, end program."
/
The couple entered their quarters, intent on giving each other a wide berth for the evening, when Jo paused in her bedroom doorway.
"By the way," she called to Vreenak, "...one of my favorite foods is something called Moussaka."
He furrowed his brows before lifting one high in amusement. "One of your favorites?"
"Well, you can't expect a Human to choose just one favorite food, Vreenak. That's downright criminal."
Too fatigued to hide his fondness very well, he smiled. "I'll make sure to add this information to your security file. I'm sure the Tal will be pleased to have such an important detail at their disposal."
"Happy to help," she beamed. Ducking her head and offering a soft "goodnight," Jo soon disappeared into her room.
"...Goodnight, Joanna."
Thank you for the read!