INT CAPTAINS QUARTERS USS FORGER
TANAR and RILEM are sitting in the living area of the Captain’s Quarters, both clearly off duty wearing sweatpants and the crew exercise shirt with FORGE written across it. A couple of half-finished glasses with bright green liquid sit on the coffee table.
TANAR
Does your mother really think you’re going to take leave for that?
RILEM
Considering I didn’t even make it back for her wedding, you’d think she’d know better.
TANAR
In fairness, isn’t she on her fourth–
RILEM
–fifth.
(He takes a deep swig and puts his glass back down)
I think. Might be fifth.
TANAR
Your sister is wild.
RILEM
I know. I truly am the best of mother’s children.
TANAR doesn’t say anything, though she lifts her own drink and snickers into it.
RILEM
That was rude, Laron, bringing up my incident.
TANAR
I didn’t say anything. You shouldn’t be digging around in my mind, Caraxxus.
RILEM
I’m Betazoid, Laron. And you were being loud about it.
Both look at each other and burst into laughter.
RILEM
Ahhh, well. The bridge must be absolutely tedious with the Benzite at what should be my station.
TANAR
(snorts) Kertog isn’t that bad. And besides, do you have any idea how hard it was to get Starfleet to approve of you just being on this ship in the first place? Deputy Science Officer and heading up the labs was the best I could manage for you. They wouldn’t let you near command staff with a twenty parsec pole. Unless you’d rather still be out on Starbase 189?
RILEM
(sighs) No. And I do appreciate you pushing to have me aboard. I was going slowly mad. I’m not meant for sitting in a fishbowl on some research station. I need to be actually in the field. Hells, I should be commanding my own ship by now. (Pause, shrugging) A science vessel, of course, if we still even do those things.
TANAR
I know. (Finishes Her glass) And we are both lucky Starfleet believes in second chances and rehabilitation. (sets the glasses down, frowns consideringly) Speaking of–
RILEM
–don’t you dare ask–
TANAR
How is he?
RILEM
(Deep sigh, standing up and moving towards the window, watching the stars streak by in silence for a few moments.) Last we spoke, same as always. It’s been… awhile.
TANAR
Well, we are due to be back in the Alpha Quadrant in a couple of months to pick up our fighters. Could drop you on Terra on leave while we’re at Utopia Planitia–
RILEM
Gods no. Not necessary, I–
TANAR
Caraxxus, you can beam down willingly or I can stun you and send you down with one or both of the wunderchildren to babysit you. Your call.
RILEM
You can’t order me to take leave.
TANAR
Please. Who said I’d make it an order? And Maka could. And she would if I asked.
RILEM
Monster.
TANAR
Because I think you should go see him in person?
RILEM
No, because you’d shove me in a shuttlecraft with Rahn and Thranesk.
TANAR
(laughs) You complain about them enough.
RILEM
I wish they’d just hook up already. Or kill each other. Arrogant little zarkrats.
TANAR
“Arrogant”? Coming from you?
RILEM
I’m not arrogant, Laron, I’m simply incredibly aware of my own heightened Superiority.
BOTH LAUGH.
RILEM
But whilst you have decided to meddle in my romantic endeavors–
TANAR
–by telling you to go see your husband?
RILEM
Quite. And technically, we never finished that process, as you well know. As I was saying, it’s only fair that I ask when you’re going to allow the good counselor to… how is it the kids say? Kirk you?
TANAR
I have no idea what you’re talking about.
RILEM
You’d be far less grouchy if you just admitted it. Do you really want a repeat of the situation with Commander Price?
TANAR
(glowers) We agreed never to bring that up.
RILEM
(shrugs) I’m just saying that you carried that torch for far too long, and eventually missed your chance. (leans on the window) I heard he also has a ship now. The Cronus?
TANAR
Wouldn’t know.
RILEM
I’m sure. (a beat) …that you are lying.
TANAR
Cheating.
RILEM
Always? The point is, you should actually try and forge a couple of relationships with your crew mates that aren’t us.
(pauses and considers)
Though. Remember what Talbert used to call the lot of us?
TANAR
“Starfleet’s Island of Misfit Toys”. (sighs) I remember.
RILEM
You’ve collected a few more of us, it seems to me. A pirate in engineering. A stowaway exocomp. A Trill raised to eschew symbiotes that then… accidentally became joined. Several crewmembers who have been busted in rank for varying criminal or disobedient activities– tsk. And I thought I was special. A selection of children who can barely tie their boots and yet are also far too skilled for their ages. You may claim to have just picked your crew at random, but (taps forehead)…
TANAR
(dryly) Park helped.
RILEM
Oh, absolutely. I’m just saying that the roster for this ship simply has to have some of the graybeards back at headquarters roiling with heartburn.
TANAR
That is half the fun, after all.
RILEM
But back to the point, I’ve known you long enough to know that you’re only needling the poor counselor because you are attracted to him and are pre-rejecting him so he doesn’t reject you. (a pause) And at least this time, your taste isn’t awful.
TANAR
I recall very vividly you telling me once that you focused on hard science because you felt these “soft fuzzy so-called social sciences” that your people usually went into were beneath you, yet here you are, playing ship’s counselor.
RILEM
(scoffs) Never. And really, you shouldn’t be so ashamed of any of it. You could use the recreational loosening up, you know.
TANAR
(flatly) I’ll take it under advisement.
RILEM
I can read your mind, and I know that what you really just said was “jump in a hole with the paghwraiths”.
TANAR and RILEM both laugh again.
TANAR
Refill?
RILEM
Absolutely.
TANAR moves towards the replicator, and their conversation fades into quiet background noise as the scene fades out.