Surefoot 05: Secrets & Lies Ch. 01

Shuttlecraft Sureswift, Deep Space:

Sasha Hrelle and Giles Arrington dressed in quiet, by the light of a PADD sitting on the floor of the sleeping compartment. She stretched out the time adjusting her boot, more than once, in order to work out something to say. She had to say something to him after losing their virginity to each other. Didn't she? I mean, she had been vocal enough at the time, with stifled cries to God, assorted profanity, and complaints about some sharp object that had been sticking into her when she was on the floor and he was on top. What was it, anyway- Oh, it was the corner of her combadge, which must have fallen off the table when they had decided the bunk was too narrow and awkward and the floor was roomier.

And then they fell asleep, not even thinking about what would have happened if her father had come in and seen them lying on the floor, entwined.

She had to say something.

Anything.

Come on, you stupid cow... "Good work."

He looked up, looking pale and as confused as she felt. "Uh, thanks. You too."

They nodded to each other as they continued dressing. Terrific, she thought. That'll be up there with the love sonnets of Shakespeare, Shelley and Tarbolde of Canopus. "Let's- let's not tell my father about this, okay?"

"No, no, of course not."

Sasha nodded with some satisfaction. The last thing they needed was Dad getting involved.

They blinked as they emerged into the bright light of the rest of the Sureswift, which continued on its race back to its mothership the Surefoot. The cockpit was unoccupied, though that wasn't too worrying, as it worked mostly on autopilot and would alert the rest of the ship to any problems or incoming transmissions.

Her father was in the aft section, where he sat hunched over the table, working an engineering tool on a transtator panel. His tongue poked out the side of his muzzle in concentration as he focused on some delicate work. "Morning, you two. At least I think it's morning. What's the time, Giles?"

"The time, Sir?" He glanced at the chronometer on the adjacent wall. "0833 Hours."

"Thanks. Sit down. I'll be done in a minute."

They looked to each other and took the seats on either side of the man. Captain Esek Hrelle was still dressed in civilian gear, something which Sasha knew had distracted Giles since they started this journey, never having pictured the man wearing anything other than Starfleet uniforms. Sasha knew better, having spent a good portion of her life in the company of the man who had married her mother and had become her father; she smiled inwardly at some of the outrageous outfits he chose to wear whenever they went on vacation at the beach or in the mountains... Mom used to laugh her head off-

Mom. Thoughts of her brought her back to the reason for their being out there now: Sasha had become obsessed with witnessing the execution of Mom's murderer, the criminal Alexander Giger. She scared herself now with how bloodthirsty she had been, since receiving the invitation from the Nist. She had cursed her Dad as a coward when he'd initially refused to let her attend the execution, tried to conspire with her friends to steal this very shuttle, insulted Commander T'Varik, assaulted Counselor Kami- she shuddered at how bad she had become.

And when Dad had finally given in and took her there, the results were... horrifying. The Nist's method of execution had been unexpected. And unforgettable. She swallowed.

"Are you cold, Sash?" Hrelle asked. "Turn up the heat, if you want."

She shook her head. "I'm okay. Just woke up."

He nodded, his pointed ears twitching as he bared his fangs. "Get a good sleep, you two?"

She exchanged glances with Giles, before she finally replied, "Yeah, thanks."

"I have to say, I'll be glad to get back to the bed in my own quarters. How do those bunks compare to the ones in Alpha Squad's quarters?"

The cadets exchanged looks again, before Giles offered, "Not as good, Sir."

Hrelle nodded, still seemingly concentrating on his work. "I'll bet. Still, it does have some advantages for the two of you, sleeping together."

Giles frowned wordlessly at her, mouthing 'sleeping together?'

Sasha felt herself blushing, but couldn't find anything to respond with.

Then Hrelle elaborated, "You know, just two of you in the room instead of six. Less snoring."

Giles visibly relaxed. "Uh, yes, Sir. Quieter."

"I never got used to it when I was a cadet and sharing a room with someone else. It took a while when I started sleeping with your mother, Sash. I loved her with all my heart... but she could rattle the windows with those sinuses of hers. And she always denied it. Fortunately you don't seem to have inherited her considerable talents in that area."

She nodded, after a moment adding, "No. What are you doing, anyway?"

"A little creative sabotage of the replicator. I'm hoping to bypass the dietary override Dr Ling put in its programming so I can get something other than the rabbit food she's put me on. Hopefully I won't screw this up and we end up eating emergency rations for the rest of the trip." He chuckled and added, "You won't squeal on me, will you?"

"Us? Our lips are sealed."

"Much appreciated. I know how much you two hate keeping secrets."

They went silent again, sitting there, before Hrelle leaned back, holding up the transtator panel while setting down his tool. "There. Fingers crossed."

"Sir?" Giles asked curiously.

"Fingers crossed. Humans used to cross their fingers to wish them luck with a venture. Of course, they also would do it to negate a promise they had just made. Humans can be perplexing and mysterious - present company excluded, of course." He rose and inserted the panel into a waiting slot below the replicator unit in the wall. "There's nothing mysterious about either of you two."

Sasha frowned at Giles, as if the boy might have let slip something in the very, very few words spoken since they emerged from the compartment.

The replicator came back online as Hrelle stood up again. "There, now for the acid test. Computer: bottle of Spican flame whiskey and three shotglasses."

Both cadets looked at their Captain, as the requested materials appeared in a swirl of energy in the replicator slot, and the Caitian collected the items and brought them back to the table, taking his seat again. "You're lucky: my first instinct was to order a massive plate of fried chicken. And eat it all in front of you and give you none."

Sasha watched him uncork the bottle and pour some of the cherry-coloured liquid into the shotglasses, sliding one to each of them. "Alcohol? Isn't this... unbreakfasty, Dad?"

"Yes, and if either of you started your day with this, then you'll inevitably find yourself under the unforgiving gaze of my Vulcan First Officer. But this is a special occasion." He smirked at their reactions as he raised his glass.

Sasha never touched her glass, but given the way her temperature seemed to double, she felt as if she had downed the whole bottle. "You know, don't you?"

"He knows?" Giles asked, looking equally flushed.

"Yes," Hrelle confirmed, chuckling. "He knows... 'Tiger'." He downed his shot in one go.

"Shit," Sasha muttered, reaching for her glass.

"How profane," Hrelle teased, refilling his own. "And you a religious girl. Or so I assume, given the number of times you called to your deity."

"Dad!"

"Don't 'Dad' me, Runt of the Litter! It wasn't like I could avoid hearing you two rabbits. I was prepared to ignore it, grant you both your right to privacy and to act and behave like adults. But then you two come out here acting all awkward and stupid - and there's no way in the Seven Hells that I could put up with that level of nonsense for the next four days. So, better to act like Caitians."

"Caitians, Sir?" Giles asked, frowning in confusion at Sasha's look to him.

"Yes, Giles. You see, Caitians have superior senses, so we know whenever our parents are busy in their bedrooms, we know when our females go into Season several times a year, we're casual about nudity amongst ourselves, and our Great Mother has never made us feel guilty over having sexual drives the way many human deities have done. Caitians choose to be quite open about adults and cubs discussing sex-"

"I don't want to talk about it," Sasha declared, finishing her shot.

"I know, I know, you poor, pitiful, repressed humans are too coy about such matters. But if either of you want to talk to me privately about anything," He focused on Giles now. "Anything at all, I'm always available."

Sasha looked to Giles, shrugged and raised her own glass, Giles following suit, the three of them clinking them once. Then she worked the controls of the entertainment screen, bringing up a gaudily-coloured pair of animated cats, one large and one small, wearing clothes and walking upright together as music played in the background.

Hrelle frowned with memory. "Is that Fat Cat and Lil' Kitten? Is that still being made?"

Sasha nodded, not looking at him now.

Her stepfather chuckled. "Can't believe you're still watching that after all these years."

"The writing's a lot more sophisticated than I could appreciate it when I was just a kid."

"Still looks like the big dumb cat gets all riled up until the little cat strokes his hand and makes him purr. They do it in every episode. It's speciest."

"It's meant to be cats, not Caitians."

"Whatever." Hrelle rose, corking and taking the bottle with him. "Don't just sit there in front of that screen all day, get a decent breakfast in you before catching up with your classwork. I suggest a Cuban omelet with ham and peppers; that was your mother's favourite the morning after one of our all nighters-"

"Dad!"

"Good night," he chuckled as he entered the compartment, closing the door.

And then opening it again. "Would one of you please go to the Environmental Control panel in the cockpit and clear the sex funk out of this room before I choke?"

*

USS Surefoot, Deck 3, Hangar Bay, Stardate 35325.02:

Commander T'Varik awaited the three as they emerged from the shuttle, ignoring the crew that appeared to swarm around the smaller vessel to perform the usual check-ups. "Welcome back, Captain, Cadets. I trust all went as expected."

"More or less. Anything to report outside of what you've already sent me?"

"Of course not, Captain." She nodded to the cadets. "Congratulations on passing the Astrophysics Exam. You will be pleased to know that the rest of Alpha Squad also performed to satisfactory levels."

"That's good to hear, Commander." Sasha breathed in. "Commander, may I have a quick word with you now, please?"

The Vulcan raised an eyebrow, before nodding to a corner of the hangar bay, allowing the cadet to follow her towards it. "How may I assist you, Ms Hrelle?"

Sasha swallowed. "Commander, I wished to apologise for my behaviour towards you in the holodeck before I departed. It was disrespectful and uncalled for."

"I cannot argue with that, Cadet. However, I should point out that you have already apologised to me before you departed for Tau Beta."

Sasha flushed. "Yes. But I, ah, I'm actually meaning it now."

T'Varik raised an eyebrow. "I see. In that case, I will accept this genuine apology." She paused before continuing. "You will, however, remain bereft of two weeks' academic credits, and you will stay suspended pending an assessment from the Counselor."

Sasha nodded at that, appearing contrite. "Fair enough. If I had gone to her from the start to talk about all this, I wouldn't have ended up in trouble."

"I cannot argue with that either." T'Varik relaxed her posture a little. "And should you wish to talk on a less formal basis, Sasha, I will always be available."

Sasha offered a slight smile. "Thank you."

"Commander," Hrelle drew up to them. "If you're done here, I need to speak with you on an urgent matter. You and the Counselor."

The Vulcan nodded, looking to Sasha again. "You and Mr Arrington return to your quarters with your belongings. Alpha Squad is currently on a study period there, I believe."

"Yes, Ma'am." She grabbed her bag and nodded to Giles to follow her out of the hangar bay, striding ahead of him by a step.

"Sash? Sasha, wait."

She didn't want to. She knew what he wanted to talk about. What he had wanted to talk about since that time together in the sleeping compartment. But she had managed to avoid that, during the interminable journey back to the Surefoot.

But she did stop and face him, looking down either end of the curved corridor to ensure they were alone. "Let's just keep what happened between us... between us. Okay?"

It didn't look like it was okay to him. But he nodded. "Sure. If that's what you want."

She saw a vista of emotions play across his face. But she couldn't deal with them, not now. It had been embarrassing enough when her father joked about it. "Yes. It is."

*

Deck 1, Captain's Office:

"Giles has a secret communications link to his father," Hrelle announced.

T'Varik and Kami exchanged glances, the Vulcan responding first with, "How do you know this?"

"I heard him talking, when he was alone in the sleeping compartment. I heard this beeping sound go on for a long time, which I assumed was just some sort of alarm. Then I heard him talking to the man. Later, when they were busy and I was supposed to be lying down, I searched his case, and found an old-fashioned communicator, some mid-23rd Century model."

"How could something like that reach light years across space?" Kami asked.

"I'm assuming it only looks like an antique, and is in fact an advanced piece of technology from the offices of Starfleet Intelligence. I'm also assuming that it was delivered to him by his aunt, Captain Lucille Arrington, when the Impala intercepted us weeks ago."

"That would be logical," T'Varik, frowning. "Did you confront him about it?"

"No. I only heard his side of the conversation. It was clear that he was ordered to report anything unusual that goes onboard. It was also clear that he was very reluctant to do so. But fathers can be very... assertive."

"And with a large extended family of equally successful, equally assertive people backing him up..." Kami added with some sympathy.

Hrelle nodded. "I dropped hints to him, that he could talk to me about anything. I want to give him a chance to come to us about it. I... like him."

"A laudable sentiment, Captain," T'Varik opined. "But the legal ramifications of Admiral Arrington's actions are considerable, if he is operating without authorisation from Starfleet Command."

Hrelle leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. "There's an additional complication, and though I would normally not betray such confidences, given the circumstances..." He looked up at the two women again. "Sasha and Giles had sex on the shuttle."

Both of them glanced at each other, Kami responding first with, "Before or after you witnessed the execution?"

"After." He felt himself flush beneath his fur. "Whoever constructed the walls of the sleeping compartment never factored in Caitian hearing. And... I didn't want to let them know I could hear them because, after what she saw, Sasha sounded like she really needed it. She talked about wanting to 'feel alive'."

"That's a common occurrence among victims of trauma," Kami noted soberly. "And given what you reported about Alexander Giger's execution, that would certainly qualify as traumatic. Do they know that you know?"

"Yes." He shrugged at their reactions. "I had to bring it up, they were going around all furtive and guilty." He looked at T'Varik. "You know what humans are like."

"All too well. I am assuming that the incident wasn't repeated during the journey?"

"You assume correctly. And Sasha doesn't know about the communicator." He breathed out. "Commander, I want you to check Alpha Squad's schedule. The next time they're on duty for an extended period of time, I want you to personally collect the communicator and run a full scan on it, collect as much evidence as you can about its origins and purpose; do everything short of tearing it apart. Get Lt Abed and Chief Abed to assist if necessary. Then put it back where you got it."

"Is there an ultimate goal to this, Captain?"

"We'll know when we get there. Dismissed."

T'Varik nodded and departed. Kami drew closer to Hrelle. "And how are you doing after all that?"

"After all what? Seeing the man who turned my life upside down end up as the first meal for a cluster of Nist larvae, and feeling more disturbed that I'm not very disturbed by it? Being present when my little girl lost her virginity, and wondering if I did the right thing by letting her get on with it, and then bringing up the subject? Or do you mean finding out that a cadet is secretly spying on me on behalf of his family over what could be at best a personal vendetta, or at worst a secret investigation by Starfleet Command?" He rubbed his eyes again. "When did life get so complicated?"

"The day you crawled out of your mother. And that's a lot of issues for us to deal with."

He stared at the far wall. "Not really. I was prepared to put Giger behind me without a second thought; seeing him die before my eyes doesn't change that. And if my little girl is old enough to be intimate with someone else, she's old enough to be the butt of her old man's jokes. And if the Arringtons are going to try and take me on... let them try."

She smiled. "Very sexy. But you're not off the hook for the increased counseling sessions."

He grunted. "Just take care of Sasha first. Think you can manage it without her kicking you in your babymaker again?"

She winced with the memory. "I'll keep her at arm's length."

He stared at her.

She shrugged. "Okay, leg's length, then..."

*

Deck 2, Alpha Squad Quarters:

Jonas Ostrow focused on the latest adventures of Fat Cat and Lil' Kitten on the screen opposite him, trying to ignore the big blue bare foot shoved in his face. "No."

Next to him on the couch, Neraxis Nemm wriggled her toes invitingly. "Go on, Scrappy. That's your forfeit."

He looked up at the others. "She cheated, somehow. Someone tell me she cheated."

Sitting at the adjacent table reading the news reports on her PADD, Eydiir Daughter-of-Kaas never looked up. "I no more care about the outcome of your game of Durotta than I do this childish carton you and Sasha enjoy so much."

"It's 'cartoon'."

At the other table in the living quarters, Kitirik was gently peeling the shedding skin off the soft mottled green surface on his forearms, the loose wrinkled folds beneath his reptilian jaw purple with embarrassment at performing such an intimate act, even in the presence of his friends. "Forgive me, Friend Jonas, but I am unfamiliar with the rules of the aforementioned board game. And protocol would prevent me from suspecting unsporting behaviour on her part."

Neraxis lifted her other foot up off Jonas' lap, nudging his cheek with her big toe. "Come on, Scrappy. Pay up."

Jonas sighed, setting both feet down again, before selecting one to massage first, kneading the toes, sole and arch. "I'll win next time."

Neraxis leaned back, folding her hands onto her belly and grinning. "But if you don't, just think of what I'll be getting you to massage next."

"Jonas, be sure to wash your hands afterwards," Eydiir advised. "Given the caustic nature of Bolian biochemistry compared to other humanoids, Neraxis' hyperhidrosis could trigger an allergic reaction in your hands."

"Hyper-whatsit?"

"Sweaty feet."

Neraxis frowned. "Are you saying I have sweaty feet?"

Jonas' face screwed up in disgust. "She doesn't have to say."

Eydiir ignored them as she read another page of news. "Kit, you might be interested in this: your people are engaged in hostilities with another government. The... Ootine?"