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Imperial Bird-of-Prey Vrax
Medical Bay
Major Leta reached out and cradled Glover’s hand in her own. Terrence didn’t know if it was the drugs coursing through the woman’s system, but he enjoyed the gesture just the same. Leta had a serene expression on her face as she laid on the biobed. Rhean, who had some combat medic training, had done an admirable job stitching up the woman’s chest wound. Glover could see just the tip of the stitching above the sheet Leta was under. During Crassus’s attack, Leta’s console had exploded, lodging a shard of metal into the woman’s chest. Thankfully it hadn’t been in her abdomen.
That made him think of Crassus’s final moments, and Glover shuddered. Leta’s smile spread. “I didn’t take you to be the squeamish type.” She had mistaken his shiver to the sight of her wound.
“I’m not, but I don’t like the idea of you suffering any harm,” Terrence said. Leta closed her eyes and purred.
“You have quite the golden tongue human,” She replied.
“That’s uh, silver tongue,” Glover gently corrected.
“They’re both tongues, does it matter?” The major challenged. And Glover was glad to see that she hadn’t lost her old fire.
“I guess it doesn’t,” Terrence conceded.
“I like…tongues,” the woman said, her eyes fluttering open, and her cheeks greening with embarrassment. “That came out wrong.”
“Nah, I think you got it right, and I couldn’t agree more,” Glover said before bending down to kiss the woman’s forehead. “Perhaps we can…explore that once you’re recovered.”
*******************************************************************
Imperial Bird-of-Prey Vrax
Main Bridge
When Glover entered the bridge, Rhean swiveled out of his chair and Hudson gave up the operations console for the Romulan. “How are they?” Cal asked.
“Leta is recovering nicely, thanks to the Sublieutenant,” he nodded in her direction and the woman smiled. Glover’s expression grew dourer, “But Xinran is still in a coma.”
“I’m sorry, but his injuries were very severe,” Rhean said, “I did the best I could. Inducing a coma was the best way to save his life.”
“No judgment here,” Terrence waved away her apology. “Cal and I couldn’t have done any better and more than likely worse.” Xinran had been nearly electrocuted in a feedback loop from his console to the adjoining bulkhead monitors, catching him in a net of electricity.
“Terrence is right Sublieutenant,” Hudson added.
The woman looked at both of them, a pinched expression on her face. “Sublieutenant? I think it’s safe to say that I’m not longer a member of the Imperial Fleet. I never belonged there to begin with,” she added, and that made Glover think of how easily the woman had offered to destroy the ship she had served on.
“So what’s our status?” Glover asked as he made his way over to the helm.
“We’re an hour away from the Federation border,” Hudson said. “I can’t believe how easily it’s been traversing Romulan space and crossing into the Neutral Zone since our tussle with the L’Nar.”
Glover winced. “Why did you have to say that Cal?”
Hudson stood behind Terrence and clapped his shoulder. “Stop being so superstitious.”
“I’ll stop being superstitious once we are back in the Federation,” Terrence rejoined. But as the Vrax neared their destination, Glover allowed himself to relax, as the adrenaline started to pour out of him and the dark memories of what he had experienced aboard the Arx flooded in. How was he going to explain the loss of Admiral Uhura, Lady Valeris, or sending the Arx into another reality? What had he doomed the denizens of that reality to? The Borg threat had been neutralized, but for how long?
The things were still heavy on his mind as they entered Federation space. “Hallelujah!” Cal pumped a fist. Rhean’s swallow was audible. Now the consequences of her decision to defect got even realer for her.
Rhean glanced at her terminal in frowned. Glover’s stomach tightened. The universe delayed getting them back for Hudson’s assertion, but Terrence knew the pushback was coming.
“Sensors are detecting a Starfleet ship, approaching on an attack vector!”
Glover checked the information on his console. “Griffin-class,” he replied. “Perimeter action vessel.”
“Border Service,” Hudson added, his brow wrinkling.
“Hail them,” Glover told Rhean. “But I’ll do the talking.”
Before Terrence could speak, he was interrupted, “Romulan vessel, this is Captain Cicero Donners of the USS Blackhaw; you have illegally crossed into Federation territory. If you do not exit Federation territory and return to Romulan space immediately, this violation will be considered an act of war!”
“The Blackhaw is charging weapons,” Rhean said, her voice even, though Terrence could sense the strain beneath.
“Lower shields and power down weapons,” Glover ordered.
“What?” The woman was incredulous.
“We’re among friends,” Terrence explained.
“They don’t seem too friendly to me,” Rhean shot back.
“Just do it,” Glover said tightly. The woman huffed but followed his command.
“The Blackhaw is still on an attack vector, with weapons primed.”
“Hail them again,” Terrence said.
“Hailing frequencies open,” Rhean reported. Glover spoke quickly and persuasively enough that the Blackhaw skipper requested visual communication.
The dark-skinned man stroked his mustache, his grin beaming. “We’ll I’ll be damned. Lt Commander Glover eh? Welcome back to the Federation!”
**********************************************************************
Imperial Bird-of-Prey Vrax
Medical Bay
Major Leta reached out and cradled Glover’s hand in her own. Terrence didn’t know if it was the drugs coursing through the woman’s system, but he enjoyed the gesture just the same. Leta had a serene expression on her face as she laid on the biobed. Rhean, who had some combat medic training, had done an admirable job stitching up the woman’s chest wound. Glover could see just the tip of the stitching above the sheet Leta was under. During Crassus’s attack, Leta’s console had exploded, lodging a shard of metal into the woman’s chest. Thankfully it hadn’t been in her abdomen.
That made him think of Crassus’s final moments, and Glover shuddered. Leta’s smile spread. “I didn’t take you to be the squeamish type.” She had mistaken his shiver to the sight of her wound.
“I’m not, but I don’t like the idea of you suffering any harm,” Terrence said. Leta closed her eyes and purred.
“You have quite the golden tongue human,” She replied.
“That’s uh, silver tongue,” Glover gently corrected.
“They’re both tongues, does it matter?” The major challenged. And Glover was glad to see that she hadn’t lost her old fire.
“I guess it doesn’t,” Terrence conceded.
“I like…tongues,” the woman said, her eyes fluttering open, and her cheeks greening with embarrassment. “That came out wrong.”
“Nah, I think you got it right, and I couldn’t agree more,” Glover said before bending down to kiss the woman’s forehead. “Perhaps we can…explore that once you’re recovered.”
*******************************************************************
Imperial Bird-of-Prey Vrax
Main Bridge
When Glover entered the bridge, Rhean swiveled out of his chair and Hudson gave up the operations console for the Romulan. “How are they?” Cal asked.
“Leta is recovering nicely, thanks to the Sublieutenant,” he nodded in her direction and the woman smiled. Glover’s expression grew dourer, “But Xinran is still in a coma.”
“I’m sorry, but his injuries were very severe,” Rhean said, “I did the best I could. Inducing a coma was the best way to save his life.”
“No judgment here,” Terrence waved away her apology. “Cal and I couldn’t have done any better and more than likely worse.” Xinran had been nearly electrocuted in a feedback loop from his console to the adjoining bulkhead monitors, catching him in a net of electricity.
“Terrence is right Sublieutenant,” Hudson added.
The woman looked at both of them, a pinched expression on her face. “Sublieutenant? I think it’s safe to say that I’m not longer a member of the Imperial Fleet. I never belonged there to begin with,” she added, and that made Glover think of how easily the woman had offered to destroy the ship she had served on.
“So what’s our status?” Glover asked as he made his way over to the helm.
“We’re an hour away from the Federation border,” Hudson said. “I can’t believe how easily it’s been traversing Romulan space and crossing into the Neutral Zone since our tussle with the L’Nar.”
Glover winced. “Why did you have to say that Cal?”
Hudson stood behind Terrence and clapped his shoulder. “Stop being so superstitious.”
“I’ll stop being superstitious once we are back in the Federation,” Terrence rejoined. But as the Vrax neared their destination, Glover allowed himself to relax, as the adrenaline started to pour out of him and the dark memories of what he had experienced aboard the Arx flooded in. How was he going to explain the loss of Admiral Uhura, Lady Valeris, or sending the Arx into another reality? What had he doomed the denizens of that reality to? The Borg threat had been neutralized, but for how long?
The things were still heavy on his mind as they entered Federation space. “Hallelujah!” Cal pumped a fist. Rhean’s swallow was audible. Now the consequences of her decision to defect got even realer for her.
Rhean glanced at her terminal in frowned. Glover’s stomach tightened. The universe delayed getting them back for Hudson’s assertion, but Terrence knew the pushback was coming.
“Sensors are detecting a Starfleet ship, approaching on an attack vector!”
Glover checked the information on his console. “Griffin-class,” he replied. “Perimeter action vessel.”
“Border Service,” Hudson added, his brow wrinkling.
“Hail them,” Glover told Rhean. “But I’ll do the talking.”
Before Terrence could speak, he was interrupted, “Romulan vessel, this is Captain Cicero Donners of the USS Blackhaw; you have illegally crossed into Federation territory. If you do not exit Federation territory and return to Romulan space immediately, this violation will be considered an act of war!”
“The Blackhaw is charging weapons,” Rhean said, her voice even, though Terrence could sense the strain beneath.
“Lower shields and power down weapons,” Glover ordered.
“What?” The woman was incredulous.
“We’re among friends,” Terrence explained.
“They don’t seem too friendly to me,” Rhean shot back.
“Just do it,” Glover said tightly. The woman huffed but followed his command.
“The Blackhaw is still on an attack vector, with weapons primed.”
“Hail them again,” Terrence said.
“Hailing frequencies open,” Rhean reported. Glover spoke quickly and persuasively enough that the Blackhaw skipper requested visual communication.
The dark-skinned man stroked his mustache, his grin beaming. “We’ll I’ll be damned. Lt Commander Glover eh? Welcome back to the Federation!”
**********************************************************************