Star Trek: Erin

Part 68: Belonging

     I reached her quarters without incident. Didn't bother to knock, which was—in hindsight—a terrible idea. A heavy, black metal throwing knife immediately buried itself to the hilt in the wall next to my head.

     "Hey!" I yelled.

     "Cobos?" Lieutenant Tetra returned the second knife to its pedestal. "Be glad instinct allowed me a warning shot. What do you want?" She looked down and began working to remove her Starfleet badge.

     "The hell did you do?"

     "Excuse me?"

     "Rijeka. I just met her."

     "She's still around?" Tetra met my gaze. "Ah. That's what you mean." She tapped the Starfleet badge. Until that moment, I hadn't paid it any attention.

     The badge was black.

     I froze.

     "I needed the problem with Hoal to go away." Tetra shrugged. "Don't be shocked. You didn't offer any alternatives."

     "No," I snarled. "Don't you dare pin this on me. I did my duty. I stayed loyal to Starfleet."

     "So did I."

     I was struggling to keep my voice down. "What did they do? Is Hoal dead now?"

     Tetra smiled darkly. "They asked him to back down. And he listened, unlike a certain junior lieutenant I know."

     "Do you know what Sprite would do to you if he knew?"

     "That's why he doesn't know."

     What now, Cobos? I wanted to growl, but that's unprofessional. I straightened instead. "This needs to stop, Tetra."

     "Why? I finally found an organization that lets me do what I'm good at. You think Starfleet would let me kill someone without looking if I told them I could? They don't care what you can do, they care what they want you to do."

     "That's not the point. It's illegal." Even as I said it, I knew it would never mean anything to her. "Just watch your step, Tetra. Remember where you are now."

     Her eyes narrowed. "Threatening me is a great plan, Cobos. Do continue."

     I laughed. "I'm not the one threatening you." And I pivoted, left her quarters.

     I should've done that differently. At the time, I couldn't think of any other options.

     Flipping open my communicator, I called Nowak. He answered immediately. "Erin? How was the medical bay?"

     "I'm fine... ish. I'll go back later. Where are you?"

     "I am completing my investigation on the station. Kith is under station protection if you would like to join us for a discussion."

     "I'll be there. Out."

     Beaming over took a moment, but I got there within ten minutes. Along the way, there were quietly murmuring tribbles lying in drifts. Usually a mess, but there was something oddly comforting about them. I let them be.

     Station K-7's med bay was bigger than the Enterprise's, but that is to be expected. Nowak was waiting for me at the door. He was holding—and idly petting—a tribble.

     I snorted. "You have a pet now?"

     His shoulders were a little less tense than usual. "It is very soft."