Uncomfortable Appearance

Posted on Thu May 15th, 2025 by Lieutenant Choyi Zaimu & Lieutenant Amelia Baird
Edited on on Thu May 15th, 2025

1,058 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: M02 - The Sixteenth Rule
Location: Varrom's Guest Quarters, USS Hooke
Timeline: Present

Nuri was nearly ready for this formal dinner that the Captain had arranged for the diplomats from Cardassia and the Ferengi Alliance when she was alerted to the presence of someone at her door. She turned, hoping beyond reason that it was Miley and not anyone else. "You may enter." She said, then watched the door slide open before it closed to her new guest.

Miley was a little confused, "Is everything all right?" She asked.

Nuri nodded and turned back toward the mirror where she was actively fixing her hair, "Yeah," She told Miley, "For a second I thought you were someone else." She managed to say the words and hoped that Miley understood immediately and didn't ask too many questions. If such a thing were even possible? She shook her head trying to remove the thoughts from it.

Miley frowned, "You thought I was Doctor Hayes?"

Nuri nodded a second time, "I still don't get why Starfleet thought it necessary for him to come with us. It's not like we've ever needed a Doctor in the past. I'm sure they could have found some other meaningless task for that man, especially considering the fact that they wanted him to stay in the service." She breathed out rather heavily, almost to the point of it sounding as if she'd snorted or something.

Nuri finished her hair and looked at Miley once more, "He wasn't bothering you again was he?" She asked.

Miley shook her head, "Nah," She covered the distance and wrapped her arms around Nuri's waist, "He's been leaving me alone today. And, Amelia assured me that the Captain was watching the man very closely." She added the second part, "I don't think they trust him much either."

Nuri couldn't agree more than she already did, "Oh I know," She answered. "The Exec told me the same thing, and the Captain seems concerned about Starfleet keeping such a person in the service to begin with." She looked at Miley for a moment, "You're not dressed in your dress uniform?" She asked.

Miley shook her head, "I'm not going to this dinner thing," She answered, "Amelia and I are going to spend some time together and catch up on things. We've not seen each other for a little while you know?" The question was rhetorical and she frowned, "Were you expecting me to be there?"

"I was hoping," Nuri answered. "You're not required to be there, only the Captain, myself, our two foreign national friends, and I think the Exec are going to be there. Possibly their daughters too," She said. "I hate this uniform, perhaps that's why you never see me in my Starfleet uniform for any events."

Miley was too busy thinking of ways to get the Trill out of her uniform, "You know later you could relax and let me count your spots," She teased.

Nuri purred a little bit then smiled warmly, "Who said you get to see me without anything on this trip?" She asked in a rather playful mood. Then Nuri shook her head, "Tomorrow we're going to have dinner just the two of us okay?" She asked the second question anticipating an answer.

Miley liked the sound of that, "Well I had come here to invite you to spend time with Amelia and myself. I didn't know the Captain had other plans," She sighed, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by that though, all Starfleet Captains tend to do things weirdly and all that." She shrugged, "I'm sure he means well, and from what I've come to understand he's still pretty new as a Captain."

"Not wrong," Nuri pointed out. "But, alas there's nothing wrong with that now is there?"

Miley shook her head, "Nah." She answered then considered the dinner invitation, "Yeah I'd like that. The dinner thing," She added the second part. Miley released her grip after kissing Nuri on the cheek, "Don't worry about Doctor Hayes though," Miley added, "This isn't the first time we've had to deal with him."

"You're right I suppose," Nuri told her and returned the kiss. She turned and took one last look at herself in the mirror. Nuri adjusted the front of her uniform, smoothing it down and falling into some deep thought. She didn't trust Doctor Hayes, though Miley knew that part. The man shouldn't still be in Starfleet and besides the fact that he creeped her the hell out. "As soon as we get back, I'm going to tell them he doesn't need to go on these trips anymore."

"Right," Miley answered. "Good luck with that, remember that we're not the first ones to tell the Diplomatic Corps to not send their precious Doctor with them?" The question was rhetorical of course, "And yet they keep doing it. It would be nice if Starfleet would have thrown the guy to the curb, and yet here we are. They only send him with the diplomatic teams so they can have a moment of peace.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he was experimenting again." Miley found herself adding.

"Yeah," Nuri agreed, "Nothing would really surprise me anymore with that guy." She sighed and turned back around, satisfied that her uniform was just fine. "Have I ever mentioned how many of my previous hosts had a distaste for formal events?"

"Only about a thousand times Nuri," Miley told her. Miley continued to watch Nuri for a moment and could almost sense the fear the woman was feeling in that moment. "I'm sure Captain Cohen is a good man, and besides you'll get to meet Paige if she's there."

"True," Nuri said. "And be asked a thousand more questions than usual." Nuri loved kids, even the ones that asked all the questions about what it was like being a joined Trill. "Did you know there's another Trill on the ship?"

Miley shook her head, "Nope," She answered. "Did you meet him or something?"

"Not yet," Nuri added, "I'm sure at some point he'll corner me and be like the thousands of others. Why did they pick you and not me," She remarked sarcastically then sighed heavily. "All right I'm heading to this event, please be safe." She kissed Miley once more then left her quarters.

Lieutenant Nuri Varrom
Written by: Choyi Zaimu

Lieutenant Miley Kirk
Written by: Amelia Baird

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