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"Is there a reason I'm here?"

"For starters? You entered snow rabbit space without permission," Aria said, ice-blue eyes scanning a computer pad, "in a stolen craft." They were in her office (the constable's office), in the middle of the Promenade. She'd told her deputies to wait outside.

"Uh, borrowed," the prisoner corrected, holding up a finger. "Not stolen."

A glare. Waiting a moment before continuing, " ... being pursued by Arctic foxes and smuggling Federation-brand phase rifles?"

"The rifles were for self-defense."

"And the foxes?"

"You'll have to ask them."

She put the pad down on the smooth, black tabletop, crossing her arms. "You were ultimately caught while attempting to force your way aboard the starship Luminous. Why shouldn't I put you in the brig?"

The periwinkle-furred bat leaned back in his chair, spreading his winged arms. As if to indicate he had nothing to hide. "I have a trustworthy face?"

"Do you," Aria stated, dryly. She was a serious individual, only letting her guard down around a select few.

"Mm-hmm. Well, that's what my mate says." He furrowed his brow, worriedly, covering his muzzle with a paw. "I have a mate, by the way. And two pups."

"I highly doubt that."

"Excuse me?" A blink.

"If you were truly innocent, you would be more forceful with your defense. You're too relaxed. Furthermore, as constable of this station, I've made it a priority to know the various quirks of every species. It helps me to better understand their motivations when they commit crimes."

"Oh, so you're a profiler, then?"

She ignored that, clasping her paws behind her back and leaning forward, omnisciently. "I'm aware that bats form symbiotic connections with their partners. The more you breed, the more permanent it becomes." She began to move, padding behind him. She was rather svelte. A winter-white pelt, save for a few charcoal highlights (her ear-tips, for instance). Unclasping her paws, she gripped the back of his chair. "If you've really given a female multiple offspring," she whispered, into his swept-back ears, "logic would imply your bond would be strong enough to prompt withdrawal symptoms after a week away from her." A pause, for effect. "You don't seem to be missing anyone."

The bat harrumphed.

"I have to conclude, therefore, that you are fabricating your 'mate' and 'children' to garner my sympathy."

Craning his neck upward, slowly. "I guess I'd forgotten that female snow rabbits were ice queens."

She leaned down. There noses almost touched. "Or maybe I'm smarter than you think."

A dismissive paw-wave.

"In fact, I believe I know why you're here," Aria continued, standing back up. Padding in front of him, again. Making direct eye contact. Her bobtail flickered behind her like a fanned flame.

"Enlighten me," the bat insisted, cheekily.

Aria tapped her comm-badge. "Send her in," she said, enigmatically, still staring down her prisoner.

"Think you can vibe me out, huh?"

Still staring. "Yes."

The bat began to fidget. Well. Maybe she can ...

The doors swished open. And in stepped Adelaide.

The male bat sat up, eyes widening. All female bats were pink, of course. (And all male bats a light blue.) But her pink seemed especially eye-catching. Maybe it was the lighting in the room. Or maybe that pretty violet bow tied around her tail-base. Or the confident sway of her hips. But she had all the characteristics of a firecracker.

"I invited the lieutenant-commander to join us. As you can see, she's a bat, as well. Which means she's just as telepathic as you are. She'll serve as my lie detector," Aria explained. "We'll start with your name."

"You don't waste time, do you?" Trying to stall.

Aria, quirking a brow, just glanced at Adelaide.

The watermelon-furred bat returned the look. "His name's Barrow," she supplied. "He's a medic. Well, ex-medic."

The blue bat sighed. Figures they'd team up. He licked his lips, nodding once or twice. "Fine. I'll cooperate." Adding, "But only because you're not playing fair."

"You were caught on my station. By default, you are my problem," the snow rabbit explained. "Fair doesn't enter into it."

"Whatever," Barrow huffed.

"I believe you knew Adelaide was here. I suspect you were going to kidnap her."

"Now, there's a salacious idea. I've never even met her before."

Adelaide nodded. "I've never met him, either."

"But you are," Aria told Adelaide, smartly, "the highest-ranking bat in the sector, and a senior officer on a Federation ship which saved countless snow rabbit lives by defecting to the High Command. That gives you notoriety."

"Yet I still feel like a commoner," Adelaide joked, lightly.

Barrow piped in, from his seat, "Maybe I didn't know Adelaide was aboard Luminous. You think just because I'm a bat, I'm interested in other bats?"

"Yes."

"Pretty stereotypical assumption. Anyway, she's already completed 'symbiosis'." He was using his telepathy to sift through the 'surface thoughts' of her mind. "With a mouse?" Making a scrunch-face. "Seriously? They're so cute and innocent." Saying all this like it was gag-worthy. "Can't even bite you back ... "

"They can nibble," Adelaide responded, defensively.

"Ooh." An eye-roll. Clearly unimpressed.

Adelaide gave a dangerous chitter, breasts heaving beneath her uniform.

Barrow just squinted back at her, daringly.

Aria, before things got out of paw, insisted, "You wanted Adelaide for something? Specifically?"

"You're still asking about that? What could I possibly want her for?"

An impatient sigh. "Should I have Adelaide extract the information? Or are you going tell me what I need to know?" Aria pressed.

"Fine." A huff. "Snow rabbits. No sense of fun."

Aria was undeterred. "You were saying ... "

"I did, in fact, want to see her. Wasn't my original plan. But once I got to the station and saw her on the Promenade? Well, I hadn't realized any bats were in orbit." A pause. "I have information vital to my species' survival. And everyone else's, for that matter. I knew no one around here would believe me. But they trust her, don't they? She can validate my story."

Adelaide, tilting her head, realized, "You're a rogue, aren't you ... "

" ... perhaps."

"Rogue?" Aria asked, ears twiddling.

"They're a group of bats who've broken away from greater society," Adelaide explained. "They believe our mental abilities make us stronger. Better. And, therefore, shouldn't be regulated. Anything goes. They live apart from other furs to maintain the 'purity' and 'untapped potential' of our species."

"Sounds like predators," Aria commented, dryly.

"We could rule the galaxy, if we wanted," Barrow proclaimed. "Our telepathy was meant for securing mates and enhancing intimacy, but evolution can't stop us from using it for other things, too."

"Like exerting influence over others without their knowledge? Spying and selling the information to the highest bidder?" Adelaide shot back.

"Nothing so mundane, my dear. Though I like the way you think," Barrow replied, smoothly, blowing a kiss. "You have a beautiful mind." His telepathic 'feelers' brushed through her consciousness.

Her feelers, in turn, pushed his away.

"A strong one, too." He rubbed his cheek, as if he'd been metaphorically slapped in the face.

"Why would a rogue come to a government for help? I thought you were self-sufficient," Adelaide continued, trying not to get sidetracked.

"We were. Well, my roost was. Until the Arctic foxes got ambitious."

Aria raised a brow. "How do you mean?"

"Well, they got new friends, didn't they?"

"They are in collusion with the wasps," the snow rabbit stated, with a nod.

"Yes," Barrow said, simply. "You know about that?" His tone was a bit arrogant. As if no one without telepathic abilities could possibly gather reliable information.

"They've recently started using wasp transporter technology to aid in their terrorist attacks."

"Transporters aren't all they've been using. New sensor nets, too. They have an incredible range. We had a big roost in the DMZ, between your space and theirs. It seemed a safe place. In neutral space. Neither side was supposed to even be in the zone ... "

"They haven't been honoring that agreement, lately."

"I know." A sigh, seeming genuinely sad. "They found us. We all escaped, of course. Used our combined powers to send them on a wild goose chase. We'll find another colony. Besides, there are other roosts in the quadrant. A whole network of rogues. It's not just us."

"You still represent a small minority of bats," Adelaide insisted, as if she needed to defend her species' reputation.

"Yes. Most of us want to appease 'normal' furs. We're too afraid of what others think about us. We don't want to be seen as vampires or parasites." A bit of disdain in his tone.

"Maybe that's because we used to be feared and hated. And hunted to near extinction," Adelaide reminded.

"That was over a thousand years ago. We're not endangered anymore."

"Because we agreed to adhere to society's rules. And use our powers discreetly or in private. That's not the same thing as disowning them. Everyone's better educated, now."

" ... you'd be surprised how inaccurate that statement it."

"Well, I've never had to hide anything that makes me a bat," Adelaide told him, proudly. "And especially not from my mate."

"Then you've had it lucky. I've found that many furs still don't trust us. They might smile. But, deep down, there's a lingering fear. Especially amongst the predators." He lowered his voice, speaking from experience. "They don't like any-fur that can cut through their defenses without blinking an eye."

"Maybe you're generalizing ... "

"The Arctic foxes attempted to exterminate us! How's that for a generalization? Think the wasps care about ethics and social decorum? They only care about order. Their order. And anything that disturbs that order is something to be removed by any means necessary. There's a word for that: hunted. Which, by the way, is why I sought you out. We found out something very helpful. I think we can use it against them. The hunted will become the hunters ... "

The two females raised their brows. That was quite a teaser.

Barrow relished having a captive audience, purposely holding back for a few seconds. "The wasps are telepaths, too." A deep breath. "Just like us. Only, the Arctic foxes don't know it. They don't know anything, really. Morons."

Aria blinked.

Adelaide eyed Barrow, intently, with her plum-colored eyes. "You mean, they're controlling the foxes?"

"Oh, not entirely. Exerting an influence, yes. But the foxes are still doing what they want to do. Which is to 'out-sly' and 'outsmart' themselves." An exhale. "They know the snow rabbits are stronger. They think they need the wasps. But the wasps don't need them. They just want pawns to move around the board. The wasps are strong, unified, efficient, and deadly. It's their telepathy that allows all that. Without it, they fall apart."

"You could say the same about us," Adelaide injected, honestly. "What are we without our telepathy?"

"Mouses," Barrow replied, sarcastically. "With wings."

A grumble. Watch it.

He chuckled at her silent command. "Anyway, the difference between them and us is that our powers are equally shared. Each individual bat could potentially be as powerful as the next. Not the same with wasps. The drones have limited abilities. Weaker than ours. Their Queen is the heavy-hitter. She's their center. She's like a snake."

"Chop off the head, and the body dies," Adelaide whispered, darkly.

"Exactly," Barrow whispered back. His fangs showing. "They're essentially one entity. If you block her influence, the wasps no longer have an advantage. The arms and legs become clumsy, and they become much easier to defeat." He sat up straighter, voice becoming more urgent. "We know they're planning on an invasion. It's only a matter of time." He glanced at Aria. "You're a logical species, aren't you, snow bunny?"

A frown. In snow rabbit culture, the word 'bunny' was only used by those you were close to. During intimacy, for instance. For a stranger to call you 'bunny' was a breach of etiquette. Barrow was telepathic and had to know that. He was still trying to get under her pelt ...

"Right now, would you say the High Command could defeat the wasps in all-out war?" he continued.

"We can defeat anybody." Aria insisted, breasts puffing up proudly. "We've already repelled the Federation. Been keeping the Arctic foxes at bay for years. We're the strongest species left in the quadrant. Resilient," she emphasized, "prey."

"Answer the question."

Aria was silent for a moment. A reluctant sigh. It was all going to come out sooner or later. "This isn't to be mentioned in casual conversation. We don't want to cause a panic."

"Snow rabbits have 'freezes' ... how can you panic?" Adelaide asked.

"Contrary to public opinion, we do feel. The intensity of our emotions is simply regulated by a unique part of our brains." To protect them from their feral past. But that was another conversation. Back on topic, "Taking into account the wasps' technological superiority, with transporters, multi-phasic shielding, weaponry, and their 'soldiers' outnumbering ours five to one ... "

" ... wait, five to one? I thought rabbits bred like ... well, rabbits," Barrow injected.

"We do." A dry, defensive glance.

"And your male to female ratio's gotta be way more balanced than theirs," he added.

"It doesn't matter. Their Queen and her 'princesses' aren't limited to one or two live births a year. As far as we know, they can lay eggs all day, every day. Insects also reach adulthood much faster. Within months, even. It takes us up to sixteen years for us, depending on your definition of 'adult' ... "

" ... they must have shorter life-spans, then."

"Technology and population are only two of the variables," she reminded, not wanting to debate this. "With everything is factored in, the High Command has privately has concluded ... " A sigh. " ... a sixty-seven percent likelihood of defeat. That is, if the war began today. We are, of course, building vessels around the clock, formulating defense schemes," she insisted, defiantly. (This was why officers like Oliver had been pulled from the outer rims to work at the shipyards.)

Adelaide hung her head for a moment, trying to digest this.

"Bleak odds, though," Barrow said, seriously. "But we can turn the tide before it even arrives. Snow rabbits are good at preparation? Then you handle that. If you let us place several bats on every one of your ships? They can pool their powers to disrupt the Queen's hold on the wasp vessels long enough to even the fight ... " A pause. " ... getting to the Queen herself ... "

" ... and her princesses," Aria added, smartly.

" ... her successors, yeah. Taking care of all that is another matter, entirely. Like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I suspect it'll take more than a few of us to take down the Queen, herself. Maybe even hundreds. Her power is great. Better, for now, to focus on simply cutting off each group of drones as we encounter them. Leave the Queen for long-term ... "

" ... you talk about 'disruption'," Adelaide interrupted. "How are we supposed to do that? I mean, we can't even directly read minds 'thought-for-thought' unless we've initiated a bite. Just snippets. Flashes. We need close range ... "

"Ah, but nature always provides," Barrow said, reaching into his pocket.

Aria stiffened.

"Relax. It's not dangerous." Pausing, slyly. "Not unless we want it to be."

"A stone?" It was like an amethyst. Clear purple.

"Harder than diamonds, this stuff. Very sturdy. It's a special mineral. We found it in the Uncharted Territories. Quite by accident, in fact ... " He turned it end over end. " ... it conducts psionic energy. Enchances telepathic range and intensity." And he thought, directly to Adelaide: Good for 'recreational' use, too, by the way. If you know what I mean.

The bat rolled her eyes. Field and I don't need any aphrodisiacs, thank you.

"How does this help us?" Aria questioned.

"Well, all the bats on every ship will have one. They'll serve as amplifiers. That'll allow them to disrupt the Queen's signals to her drones within a certain range ... so many miles or so."

"Has this been tested?" Aria asked.

"Yes."

"I would like to see the data."

"We don't keep data," Barrow replied, testily. "We're not in the business of regulating our powers. We experiment. We explore. Believe me, the crystals work. That's how our whole roost escaped from the foxes ... "

Adelaide nodded. "He's not lying. Or, if he is, he's really good at it."

"Thank you." A heavy sigh. "This will work. It can't guarantee victory. But it'll be enough, at least, to even things up. Your snow rabbit gunners and mechanics will have to take it from there. Or whatever you call them. The ones who can make food processors out of rocks."

"Your plan sounds feasible, if not idealistic." Aria raised a brow. "But what is to keep your friendly 'rogues' from using these enhancements to take control of our vessels?"

"Like I said: I have a trustworthy face. So do they."

The snow rabbit wrinkled her nose.

"He's still telling the truth, for what it's worth," Adelaide said. He hadn't really lied since she'd entered the room. Maybe because he knew he'd get caught. "I don't believe he'd cross us."

"You can be certain of that, only having known him for a few minutes?" It wasn't that she thought Barrow was deceiving them. She believed his story. But she had to play Devil's advocate. It was her job to know every side of an issue. Had to cover her bases, just in case.

"If the wasps are telepathic, they'll view bats as a threat above all others," Adelaide knew. "They'll try to exterminate us. From Barrow's description, they've already attempted to, through the foxes. Since the foxes failed, they'll probably try and take care of it themselves. Just like they're aiming to exterminate everyone else. It's in everyone's best interests to work together and defeat them. We may not have a choice." A short breath. "Live together or die alone, right?"

"Pretty much," Barrow whispered, forebodingly.

"You realize I can't authorize this 'collaboration' without my superiors' consent. And, even then, you will both need to testify with me. We'll probably need to go before the Council."

"I'm fine with that," Barrow said.

"Me, too," Adelaide agreed.

Aria nodded, lightly. Thinking it over before deciding, "Then I will contact Admiral Flint ... "

" ... I still haven't talked to Pyro since it happened." Kody confessed, flopping onto his back on Wren's couch. In the captain's ready room. It'd been at least a day since the ion storm. The view outside the windows was much clearer, now. Black velvet dotted with powder-sugar stars. Snow rabbit ships were floating back and forth between stations. Traffic was busy, lately. As if everyone was nervous. Beneath it all, the planet glowed, a marble of blue, green, and lots of white.

"Is he avoiding you? That's not very wolf-like."

"Eh, it's more like I'm avoiding him," the rabbit admitted. "What am I gonna say? Sorry for screwing your mate? Multiple times? While she was in hysterical heat?" A pause. "Well, 'almost' mate ... they hadn't consummated yet. So, technically, it wasn't an affair." A self-assuring nod. "I didn't do anything wrong."

"Technically ... "

" ... and Dotna was half the tango! Why isn't anyone blaming her?" Stretching his lithe, loping legs a bit, including those big, bare foot-paws.

"Probably because you have a reputation as a lothario, and she doesn't."

"Well, the storm had everyone acting weird. Trust me, I'm a doctor. No matter what anyone likes to think, the body always wins in the end. It exerts the greater influence. Matter over mind."

"Yeah." The walnut-furred squirrel smiled. "Especially with rabbits."

Kody nodded, distractedly. "Especially with rab ... hey," he went, making a face. He turned his head, watching his friend (and ex-lover) out of the corner of his eye. "What'd you and Rella do during lockdown, by the way? You haven't said a word about that ..."

"Things."

"That's a 'Field' answer."

A chuckle. "It is, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Totally." If Wren was too embarrassed to mention what they'd done, it must've been intense. Hot, branch-swinging, treetop action! Or as close as you could get on a starship. Kody took a deep breath. "Uh, listen, about when I kissed him ... Field, I mean ... "

" ... you going to apologize to me?" Leaning back in his chair, now.

"Do I need to?"

A slight pause. "No. Only Adelaide."

"I did. I think she got turned on ... "

" ... I sorta saw that."

"Not enough to let it happen again, maybe, but ... " A sigh. Flexing his hoppy feet. " ... I hope you weren't mad."

Looking at the floor. And then back up, the squirrel replied, "I wasn't. Caught off-guard, maybe. We still care about each other. The three of us. I think that's always been clear. But you add in Rella and Adelaide and ... " Trailing. " ... there are other variables, now. Things have changed. We've all matured. We're older. We're all moving on with our lives."

"It's easy to do that when you have a mate."

"I didn't know you wanted one ... "

"Me, neither. 'Til recently. Maybe." Curling and uncurling his toes, now, specifically. "I don't know." A sigh. "I'm never lacking chemistry with females. Physical chemistry? Sparks? I can please them ... "

Wren chittered, mirthfully. "So modest."

" ... what? I can."

"It's just cute when you boast like that."

"Really?" An easy smile.

Bushy tail undulating for a moment, the captain nodded. "Maybe it's because I know you so well."

" ... uh ... " The rabbit took a deep breath. " ... anyway, I just don't know how to connect with them when we're not in bed," he emphasized. "Females, I mean. I can connect with males. I can talk with you about anything. But not with them. And I'm leaning toward 'them' at the moment, so it's becoming a problem ... " He was starting to confuse himself.

"You never worried about that before," was all Wren could say.

A slight blush. "Well, like you said: we're all changing." His nose twitched. "I'm not complaining. I'm just ... " Trailing off, he fought back a yawn. " ... there aren't many furs I can talk to about all this. You're bi. You understand ... "

"To a degree ... " Wren wasn't nearly as 'free-spirited' as Kody.

"I'm just glad you're not mad at me," the rabbit reiterated.

The squirrel smiled, shyly smoothing his uniform. And his pelt beneath. He changed the subject. "I don't know why you're worried about Pyro's reaction. Didn't he ... "

" ... with Ketchy?" Blowing out a breath. "Uh, yeah. You could say that ... "

"So, you're even, then. It all cancels each other out."

"In theory. I'd agree with that. I'm not sure he does ... "

"Only one way to know."

"Mm," was the rabbit's non-verbal response.

"Well, as an outside observer, I'm more worried about Ketchy," the squirrel admitted. "She has a tendency to be ..."

" ... clingy?" Everyone on the ship knew that.

"Vulnerable," Wren corrected, diplomatically. He was fond of Ketchy, in a brotherly sort of way. She was also one of his bridge officers, so they worked together daily. "Maybe you should find an excuse to give her a checkup or something."

"A checkup?" Blinking.

"Make sure she's handling it well. Wouldn't hurt. You're the ship's physician ... " He stopped short of making it an order.

Kody sighed. Mental health wasn't really his thing. But, whatever. He didn't feel like arguing.

Wren sat up straighter, ears cocking atop his head. He glanced at his computer screen.

"What's wrong?" Kody sat up, too.

"There's been some strange energy signatures coming from the Federation border."

"They're two weeks away from here. Who cares? They left us for dead."

"That's kind of harsh." A frown-face.

"It's also the truth," the rabbit reminded, seriously. "I'm not going to forget that."

A slight nod. "I know. And we might be exiled from home, never to return, but it's still home, isn't it?" A pause. "Still conceived there. Born there. Raised there. In our blood ... "

Kody remained quiet.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried sick about all the turmoil. The Federation was the most species-diverse government in the known galaxy. I guess it was too good to be true." A sigh. "First, they try to attack the snow rabbits and lose. Which was an act of war, as well as a humiliatingly defeat."

"Well-deserved," Kody injected.

" ... yeah." A deep breath. "Then, right after that, the prey launch a civil war to overthrow the predators who planned the attack in the first place, which was a repeat of a civil war not fifty years earlier ... and they're still at it, presumably, as we speak." Information was hard to come by, anymore. Their borders were sealed. Which made the strange activity even more alarming. Something was going on. Or something was about to.

Kody's ears bent over, slowly. And then quickly popped back up. "Maybe the Federation was a pipe dream. A mistake."

"The diplomat in me doesn't want to accept that. Field and I are peacemakers. Problem solvers. Neither of us got into the command track to lead forces into battle. It was the peaceful missions, the expeditions." He rubbed at his whisker-twitchy face. "So, there's this romantic notion, this imprint, you know? The Federation. Home. I wanted to nobly represent all of it on a grand stage."

"You're representing Luminous, now. This ship and crew. And our snow rabbit friends. That's better. It should be enough."

He nodded. "I know. It is." A pause. "But ... "

" ... you still worry."

"The hallmark of being a rodent. Worry makes you antsy and restless, which feeds your energy, and that energy loops right back into more anxiety. It's a vicious circle. Too many nights of insomnia." Until Rella had come along ...

"You're not nearly as anxious as you used to be," Kody pointed out. "You're mellowing in your old age." A bucktoothed smile.

"Twenty-seven is old?"

"Sorta. I feel a hell of a lot different now than I did when I was twenty. I mean, what I can do, how I move. Little things I never noticed about my body? I notice them, now. Tics ... limitations ... "

"True ... " A slow, meditative breath.

"Technically, it's all atrophy after your late teens. And the older you get, the faster time seems to pass, because each day becomes a smaller percentage of your overall life."

"That sounds kinda morbid." Whiskers twitching. "It's not that time passes too quickly, for me. I've never felt that. Every memory I look back on seems like a lifetime ago. Every week is a different era. It's that I remember too much."

"Me, too," the white rabbit whispered. "But if you had the choice between remembering everything and remembering nothing, you'd take the former every time."

"I don't know about that. Ignorance is bliss, isn't it?"

"It's also no fun," Kody added.

There was a moment of silence before the captain continued, "Anyway, uh ... " he shook his head. " ... the snow rabbit border patrols were picking up disturbing readings yesterday. All along the Federation side of the border. They went to yellow alert. Should know what happened later today." It took that long for the subspace signal to arrive at the snow rabbit Home-World.

"You seem to be setting yourself up for the worst," Kody observed.

"I'm a captain. That's part of my job."

Kody felt very tempted to give the squirrel a hug. And, with nothing stopping him, he got up and did just that. Standing behind him. Putting his arms around his neck. Resting his chin on the rodent's head-fur.

Wren closed his eyes, emotionally. "I'm so tired, today," he mumbled.

"We all are. Hangover from the ion storm."

"It's not just that ... "

"Yeah, I know." Kody was quiet for a moment, before mumbling something into one of the squirrel's angular ears. It was barely audible.

The squirrel nodded, quietly.

And the rabbit stepped back, taking a deep breath. "I'll talk to Ketchy," he promised. Pyro, though, was another matter. "Thanks for the chat. Don't be a stranger, okay?"

"I won't." Wren gave a deft nod.

With that, the good doctor smiled and hopped for the door.

"You're late," Juneau noted, fluffy tail curled off to the side. "Again. You're supposed to be helping me recalibrate. We're a team, remember?" The squirrel was on her back beneath a flow regulator. On C-Deck. All the regulators (on all the decks) were out of synch from the ion storm's electrical discharges. This one was off by point three microns. They could get it all repaired in a single day. They just had to keep a strict schedule.

"I spent the night on Orbital 7," Assumpta explained, properly. "From there, I took a pod to Orbital 9, had breakfast, and then came here. The 'to and fro' took longer than expected."

"You're getting around, it seems ... " Always more concerned with her 'playmates' than her work. Typical feline. Lazy in all but love (and maybe even that). "Well, I'll forgive you. This time," the squirrel said. She'd become somewhat friendlier since she'd mated Chester. But not entirely. She still had anti-social tendencies.

Assumpta purred, pointing out, "You have never been known to be late, of course."

"Never."

"I seem to recall, last week, you arrived in engineering completely out of breath? And I don't believe it was from scampering."

A stubborn hesitation. Blushing beneath her cinnamon fur. "Don't know what you're talking about."

"I also heard shuttle-pod two has been converted into a rodent sex hotel."

"Just a rumor."

"Of course," Assumpta humored. "I suppose it's actually shuttle-pod one, isn't it?"

A slight mumble. Getting back at her with, "Usually, when you come in, you're scented of 'snow rabbit du jour' ... but I've been scenting the same one on you, lately. What's that all about?"

An uncharacteristically shy pause. "I ran into an old friend. More than a friend, actually." A deep breath. "We mated. That's where I was during the storm, too. On Orbital 7 with him." He'd had time to count all her spots, too. As he'd promised. Most romantic foreplay ever.

Juneau bumped her head on some tubing. Wriggling back into view. Sitting against the bulkhead. "You? Mated?" Blinking. "Really?"

"Normally, one says 'congratulations'."

"Oh. Yeah, that, too."

"Thank you." A sharp-toothed smile.

"So, what's his name?"

"Oliver."

"This a long-distance thing? Those never work."

"I admit our jobs are currently keeping us apart more than we'd like. He spends half the week in Sleetmute, a city on the planet. And then the other half on Orbital 7. I'm only with him three days a week." Well, they'd only been mated a week. But, still. "The nights we can't spend with each other, though, we use the comm."

"I've got that image in my head, now. Thanks for that."

"You're welcome."

"Still, it bugs the hell out of me that you're late all the time. You're the assistant chief."

"One minute past the start of my shift is not 'late'," the snow leopard objected.

"It is to me. Engines and their systems run on precision. I expect the same of my staff. You know that." A twitchy fidget. "Hand me my tool kit?"

She bent down and did so. Staying on her knees and peering into the wall paneling. "I'm surprised the storm didn't fry anything."

"Nearly did. Federation tech may not be as advanced as the High Command's, but it's sturdy stuff," Juneau opined. "The iso-linear chips held up fine."

"They are also slower and less efficient. We should switch to a bio-neural network."

"You prefer snow rabbit tech, now? I never would've guessed."

Assumpta decided not to argue the point, and patiently replied, "If we alternate, this will go much quicker. You work on this one. I'll do the next."

"Just don't get too far ahead of me." She wanted the snow leopard's company but was too embarrassed to say it. Aside from Chester, she was her best friend. One of her only friends.

"I won't."

A quick nod. "I've, uh, never seen you so relaxed ... "

" ... really?" Assumpta swished her tail.

"You're glowing. I didn't know predators did that."

"Neither did I." A light, enigmatic smile. "Do you think it will wear off? You have been mated longer than me."

"I'm not an expert on love."

"Nor am I, obviously."

"Well. The, uh, flow regulators," Juneau said, simply. "I don't wanna be doing this tomorrow."

"Of course." A pause, getting onto her back. Removing a rectangular wall-panel and sticking her paws inside. Messing with a few things. Asking, after a while, "Which shuttle-pod is it, really?"

A sigh. "Two."

"A feline's intuition is never wrong ... "

Soldotna twitched in place, bobbing up and down restlessly. The ion storm had put the torpedo guidance systems on the fritz. She had to open each torpedo casing and reset them. And Luminous currently had a complement of forty-six torpedoes. She'd just finished with number twelve when the double doors swished open (retreating into the wall).

"Don't shoot," Pyro teased, holding up his paws.

"Don't tempt me, and I won't," was the retort, her back turned.

Pyro blew out a breath, awkwardly. "Tough crowd. Eh." He stayed in the entryway, rubbing his neck. "Should I go?"

"No." An apologetic head-shake. Giving him a shy glance over her shoulder. "No, I'm sorry."

He padded forward. The doors shut, and he sniffed the air. "What you workin' on?"

"Torpedoes. You?" She turned around fully, now.

"Adelaide's on the station, so Field's running Ops. It's 'tidiness day.' Where everything becomes tidy."

"Heh. Cleaning duty, you mean? That's not good for your 'bad boy' image."

"I know. But I guess someone has to do it. And Field was so excited about cleaning B-Deck, he didn't notice when I slipped away for a bit ... "

"To see me?"

"To see you. Yeah." A sigh. Hesitating. "I know it's been an awkward few days."

"A little bit." It hadn't been so awkward when it'd happened. She'd enjoyed it, actually. But once the radiation wore off, the storm passed, and everything was back to normal? Well, uh ... " ... just don't know what to say. I've never been in a situation like this before."

"Me, neither." The wolf sounded almost shy.

"I've been blaming myself. Over and over. I know we were being 'affected,' but if I'd only pounced you sooner. Days earlier. Even a few minutes," she stressed, "then none of this would've happened. I kept you waiting, waiting. I kept myself waiting, too. I was so nervous about finally finding love that I ended up losing it."

"You didn't lose it. It's still here. I'm still here. In a strange way, hun, I think this whole affair ... " Bad choice of words, Pyro. " ... uh, this incident," he corrected, "made us surer than ever, you know? That I love you. And you love me. That we should be together." A pause, and a deep breath. "My body might've been happy that night, but my heart wasn't. It was miserable. Cause it was too busy wanting you."

A smile melted onto her striped face. "That's kinda sweet."

"Yeah. I know." A silly, tongue-lolling grin.

The smile remained on her muzzle as she turned her attention to the thirteen torpedo (unlucky for some). "Heh. Well, since we've waited this long, what's another few hours?"

"A lifetime?" he responded. "I mean, lunch break is coming up. We could always spend it in here. I could provide dessert." A raised brow.

"You're so subtle," she teased.

"I'm famous for that." A low whistle, looking around the room. "So ... "

" ... I need more time."

"Hun ... "

" ... no, to do my work. I mean, I'm on duty."

"So, we're good?" He just wanted to make sure.

"We're good," she whispered. "Yeah." That may have seemed too easy. But they were both mature, right? They understood the situation. They still loved each other. "Besides, I don't wanna set these torpedoes off and blow up the ship."

"Hmm. That'd be one big orgasm, though. Could be worth it."

She laughed. "Pyro ... "

" ... yeah?"

"Mm. Just, uh ... " A sigh. " ... tonight, maybe? Play it by ear. I mean, with the wasp threat and everything, I have to get these torpedoes working as soon as possible. And you," she added, wagging a paw, "need to tidy."

"Like a mouse," he went, dryly.

"You'd almost pass for one," she joked. "I think the eyes, though, would give you away."

"Oh, yeah. Just the eyes." He wagged his very non-mousey tail. And flexed his predatory muscles.

"Well, for a start."

"Perhaps you need to be acquainted with just how much a wolf I really am," he whispered, suggestively. "Maybe you need a refresher course."

She played along. "You can arrange that?"

"Just might be able to."

"That a promise?"

"Pretty sure," he breathed.

"It better be." The chipmunk trembled. She wanted to hug him so badly, but was afraid she wouldn't be able to stop if she did. "You know, Kody thinks you're going to dismember him. You should really put him out of his misery. He's actually a nice fur."

"In bed?" the grey wolf ribbed.

" ... uh. I don't kiss and tell."

"Fair enough." Her bashfulness gave everything away, though. If it'd been bad, she wouldn't be embarrassed. He puffed up his cheeks and blew out a breath. "I've tried approaching him. Keeps hopping away. I scare him." Striking a winning pose. Yep. I still got it.

"H-heh ... well ... "

"I'll square things up," Pyro promised, waving a paw. "Eventually." Let him stew another day or two. "I kinda told Ketchy she should pursue him."

" ... ah."

Pyro sucked in air. I shouldn't have mentioned Ketchy. But, hey, she mentioned Kody. I don't wanna pussyfoot around this. It happened. I'm not ashamed. He made it a personal policy to have no lasting regrets.

"I actually told him ... you know, maybe he should have a go at her," the chipmunk said, fiddling with some tools.

"You tried to set them up, too?" A red-eyed blink.

"Well, I suggested it."

"So, maybe," Pyro insisted, "us sleeping with them was really a way of bringing them together. As well as making ourselves realize who we really loved." He clasped his paws together. "It all works out. Fate or something. There's a moral to every story."

Her smile returned. "I don't know about that. But life is sorta funny, sometimes. You have to admit."

"Oh, it's hysterical," Pyro whispered, with a murr. He was about to add something else, when his comm-badge chirruped.

"Pyro?" Field's soft, squeaky voice.

"Uh, yeah?"

"We're about to vacuum. It's the third-funnest part!"

" ... oh. Really." Unable to hide his un-enthusiasm. "What's the funnest?"

"You'll have to find out! Where are you? Are you on the other side of the deck?"

"Yeah, something like that. I'll be right there." Tapping his badge, he cut the channel, shrugging. "He's cute."

"Maybe you should sleep with him, too, then." The chipmunk fluttered her striped tail, raising a brow, playfully.

Pyro laughed, shuffling backwards out the sliding doors and giving a playful growl to his 'almost' mate. "Maybe." His eyes glowed, wittily. "I'll see you tonight. If you don't blow up the ship, first ... "

"I thought our physicals were bi-monthly." The squirrel's tone was shy and uncertain, as it often was.

"They are. But I know you had a bit of an 'experience' during the ion storm," Kody mentioned. "Just wanted to make sure everything was alright. You've been avoiding everyone ... " He didn't mention that the captain had basically ordered him to check up on her.

"Doesn't mean anything. I always keep to myself." Her whiskers twitched. "Guess that's the opposite of you, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're so outgoing. Sociable. Charming ... "

He chuckled, offering no denials.

She kept going. "I'm just awkward. And when I find myself as the center of attention, it only gets worse. They all want to know what happened. The crew, I mean. Even though they already know. Can't keep secrets aboard a starship," she muttered.

"No, they sorta carry through the walls," Kody quipped. "I think your problem is that you treat relationships like these lofty, mountainous things, and you end up intimidating yourself. You can't ever match up to that 'ideal' you've imagined. You just need to relax."

"Easier said than done," she replied.

"Besides, we were all 'under the influence'," he reminded. "It wasn't just you."

"Yeah. I, uh, heard about your, uh ... well," she stammered, without making eye contact. " ... your thing."

"Dalliance?" the rabbit provided.

"With Dotna, yeah." She looked up at him. "That."

The rabbit gave a brief, sheepish smile. "Not the first time I've been caught with my pants down. Probably won't be the last."

Ketchy wasn't sure if she was supposed to laugh at that or not. "You say that like it's no big deal."

"We're both furs," he continued, softly. "It's natural. Nothing to be ashamed of."

"You'd think not." She cleared her throat, weakly. "I just have ... " A hesitation. " ... I mean, I struggle, you know, with my self-confidence? And with what everything means, deep down? Looking back, I kinda threw myself at him. Maybe subconsciously. Maybe not. But that's what I did."

"At Pyro, you mean?"

A nod. "Even though I knew he had eyes for someone else."

"The radiation made you uninhibited. You wanted something, and you went after it."

"I don't normally do that." Not unless alcohol was involved.

"Well, maybe you should," Kody whispered. Quickly adding, "Not have affairs, I mean. But, you know ... "

" ... yeah." A pause. "I wish I was more like you."

Kody was a bit taken aback by that. He actually blushed (beneath the fur, and along his inner ears). "I'm hardly perfect. Much as I'd like to say otherwise."

She stared down at her bare foot-paws. And finally (if not shyly) meeting his gaze, remarked, "You're not running scans on me anymore."

"Oh. Uh ... " A lame twitch. " ... well, you seem fine to me."

"But I'm not. Check me again ... "

"You shouldn't put yourself down like that," Kody insisted.

"No. I mean, there actually is, um ... " She didn't know how to say this. " ... there is something. Like, medically. Physically."

"Oh?" He listened. Ears standing tall.

"I'm still a little sore," Ketchy mumbled.

"Sore?"

An embarrassed sigh. "He was in me a long time. And it the biggest I'd ever taken." A twitch. "It was the knot, mainly ... "

"Oh. Right." Nodding. "Sore!" the rabbit emphasized. "Like your ... "

" ... yeah."

"Muscles."

"Yeah." God, I can't believe I have to talk about this.

"Can't believe I missed that on my scanner." A wink. "Well, I can give you something for that," he said, gently. "Lucky I summoned you! Hate to think of anyone in that kind of discomfort." He padded over to a wall panel, tapping some buttons. Synthesizing a painkiller for a hypo injection.

"It's not a sharp 'hurt'," she added, trying to downgrade it. "Just a little residual ache."

"Still," he reasoned. "I'll take care of it."

Ketchy nodded. Waiting a few seconds. "Did you happen to, uh, talk to Pyro ... "

"I've kinda been avoiding him. Why?"

"Oh." Pause. "No reason."

"Have you been avoiding Dotna?" he wondered.

"We never talk in the first place. She's nice enough. But I'm always on the bridge. She's always in the armory. Only time we see each other is in the mess hall, or in a corridor ... "

"Well, same with me and Pyro."

"I just don't like tension. I want everyone to be happy." And yet I'm often so unhappy, myself. I get anxious and jealous. "I just ... " An audible exhale. "I don't know." A chitter, too. "But he was gonna ask you out, maybe."

Kody's eyes widened. "Wait, what?" There had been rumors that Pyro might've been bi, but wow ...

" ... no, no ... no. For me! I mean ... " Very flustered, now. " ... ask you, maybe, if you wanted to ... "

" ... go on a date?" He returned to her with a hypo. And pressed it against her neck. A tiny 'whoosh.'

" ... with me. Yeah." She rubbed at her pelt where the 'shot' had been given. Those things weren't supposed to hurt. But she swore they sometimes did. "He was just trying to make me feel better, I think. And probably keep me quiet. But the whole thing found its way into the open, anyway, so I guess he didn't follow through."

"You could always ask me, yourself. I'm standing right here," he reminded her.

She hesitated. "Maybe I just did ask you ... "

"Then maybe I'll say yes," Kody continued.

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm." An easy nod, paired with that winning smile. He was at a loose end. All his former partners were now 'off-limits.' Sorta getting lonely, lately. Why not?

A shy smile. "Wow. I mean, great ... "

"But you can't take it, or take me," the doctor added, "too seriously."

"I can't take things lightly. Not in my nature."

A quiet nod on his part. "I know. But, hey, it's just a date," he said. "We'll just talk over supper or something."

"Tonight?" she asked.

"I'm free."

"Me, too." She nodded, slipping off the bio-bed she'd been sitting on. "Thanks. For the hypo, I mean. And things ... "

"No problem. That's what I'm here for."

She blushed and hesitated, before scampering for the door. You and Kody? Really? You have nothing in common. How is this going to work?

And the rabbit, left alone in sickbay, wandered into his office and sank into his chair, thinking very much the same thing.

But there was only one way to find out ...