How to Break the Prime Directive (and get away with it)

Part 8: Back on the Bridge

Sabian did not have to feel Tokal's emotions to know that the Lieutenant Commander was angry. Tokal's face told that particular story quite eloquently.

"Grax! Ylmaq!" Tokal barked. "What took you so long? Were you out in a shuttlecraft, orbiting the ship?"

Grax felt confused. He and Ylmaq had gotten to the bridge as quickly as they could; it wasn't like the turbolift had taken any longer than usual. Still, whatever had inspired Tokal's ire, the feeling was genuine. Grax could feel Tokal's confused self-righteousness pushing into his belly like a strangely twisted wall.

"The two of you waste far too much time fraternizing," Tokal continued, "I will be speaking to Captain Williams about this, you mark my words."

"Yes, sir," Grax said in his best, most meek, mildest voice.

"Sir," Ylmaq began. Her tone was polite, but confused. "Ensign Grax and I came as soon as summoned. Furthermore - "

"Enough, ensign," Tokal replied. What had started as general anger was sharpening and focusing. In a moment it would be white-hot. "Get to your duty station at once."

There was a pause. Grax could feel Ylmaq bristling.

Tokal raised an incensed eyebrow. "That was an order, ensign."

Sabian felt Ylmaq's own emotions start to peak, a blast of cold fury that was surprising strong, gvien how hard Ylmaq had to be working to keep her emotions to herself. Grax sympathized with Ylmaq's frustration, but he didn't need her losing her temper. He knew that attending the Academy had been hard for Ylmaq. There weren't many Klingons in the Federation, after all. And now that she'd made it into Star Fleet, it would be a pity for her to throw it all away by being insubordinate. Besides, if she said something really stupid, Ymaq might get Grax into trouble too, He focused his sudden, rising hysteria into a single, focused beam of thought and emotion. What he sent out was nothing more complex than a desperate 'Sit down and shut up!', but it was aimed directly at Ylmaq.

Ylmaq glowered at him, but she walked to her duty station, and sat down. She ran her hands over the conn panel, settling in to the familiar routine.

Grax let out a relieved breath - until Tokal turned his gaze on Grax. Before he could be told, Grax scurried off towards the communications desk at the back of the bridge. He had no desire to call down Tokal's wrath.

Grax never made it to the desk. Just as his hand stretched out towards the chair, the bridge was flooded by a flash of blue light.