Vivienne was desperately trying to hide her disappointment and confusion as her arrival on the Cupertino turned out quite different from what she had envisioned. Or rather, it made her realise that she had failed to envision anything even remotely realistic.

There was the fact that she should have sought approval to bring her feline companion Hera on board. There was the fact that she didn’t have her own private quarters, but shared a group with presently two, but potentially three others. And then there was the fact that casual setting of the initial meeting had somehow covered up the fact that this was still a Starfleet vessel with rules, regulations, and uniforms. Vivienne would have loved some time alone with her thoughts, but at present, her two roommates – Ensigns Tom Thomas and Naya Ceix – showed no intention of leaving. Instead, they were in deep conversation. “How long have you been here?”, Tom asked Naya curiously as he unpacked his duffle bag. He had claimed the bunk below Naya’s.

“Two years,” the Trill explained. “After being joined, I found a desire for adventure. So now, I’m living my best life.”

Vivienne glanced at Naya. Being joined with another lifeforms was a concept she was curious about, but didn’t quite understand yet. She neither understood the mechanics, nor why anyone would want to give up themselves and become someone entirely different. She knew that it was considered a great honor and achievement to be chosen for it, bit she wondered if someone with a happy life and loving family would really give all of that up. She planned to ask Naya more about it later, but something else was on her mind at the moment. 

“You mentioned that you served on another vessel. Can I ask why you left?”, she asked Tom, who seemed perplexed by the question. For a moment, silence spread between the trio, and Vivienne quickly clarified her question. “It’s my dream to become a Starfleet officer, I think. My whole family is Starfleet, and all I hear about it is how great it is. But I also know this isn’t exactly anyone’s dream vessel.”

“Like I said,” Tom responded curtly. “I’m here because of Doctor Brennan.”Naya seemed to misinterpret the comment immediately.

“I kind of thought she’s dating the captain,” she  interjected.

Tom seemed a little frustrated but eventually sighed. “I’m here because of her, as in, if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t even be alive.”

“What happened?” Vivienne asked.

“Doctor Brennan and I were serving on the same vessel. Something happened. I tried to protect her, but I couldn’t.”

Vivienne wanted to know more, but drew back ever so slightly. She could sense the deep resentment in every word Tom spoke, a smoldering ember of hatred directed at the memory – and himself.

“That sounds horrible,” Vivienne said quietly.

“I was a security officer. It was my job to protect people, but I just couldn’t.”

“What happened?”, asked Naya.

Tom looked down at his hands. “I don’t want to talk about it. But it almost ended her Starfleet career.”

Vivienne found it concerning, and she wondered what Brennan might have done to have her career affected, but she didn’t ask. Instead, Tom continued.

“Anyway, she stitched me back together. She visited me while I was healing, helped me through recovery.”

“So you got attached?”

“Kind of,” he sighed. “Like I said, I feel more comfortable when I’m around her.”

“Does she feel the same way about you?”, Vivienne asked carefully.

“I don’t know. She tried to keep me from quitting Starfleet, and she got me the spot here. So I try to believe she feels the same.”

Vivienne nodded. It still seemed strange to her, but less so. She couldn’t truly understand what it was that connected the two, but she could appreciate that there was a connection.

“She seems nice,” Vivienne remarked.

Tom looked at her incredulously, with a hint of amusement. “Really now?” Vivienne blushed, and Naya giggled. “She can be difficult. I know people used to call her a “Cactus”. But she absolutely has your back.”