Elbows Deep in Engineering

"Deal?" echoed the half-Vulcan in confusion. She scrunched up her face trying to figure out what the XO could mean. "What kind of deal would we have?"

T'Pren put down the chip she was fixing to study Tal'Ara for clues.

"Oh come on... I see the way you two look at each other. Something is going on," she said.

A vague green flush crept into T'Pren's cheeks, but she didn't look at all like she'd been caught. If anything, she seemed embarrassed and affronted.

"He's keeping me sane," she replied with an edge to her voice. "Akhil is an excellent counselor, but sometimes one telepath needs to be anchored with another."

"Well, glad to know you have someone keeping you... anchored," she teased.

She cleared her throat, realizing that she was probably making T'Pren uncomfortable.

"But anyway, that is good. It is important to have people you can rely on. Rai seems like a decent person."

"He is exceptionally decent," came T'Pren's irritable reply, turning her back on the Romulan and taking her frustration out on the diagnostics she was running. "I don't think I would have survived the last two weeks without his support."

She managed to work a few more seconds before she whirled back around on Tal'Ara with a sharp expression on her face. "Why do you keep insinuating that I'm having romantic relations with everyone on the station?"

Tal'Ara was taken aback by her harsh tone.

"Everyone? When did I say everyone? I was only talking about Rai..." she paused. "OH... you mean my comment about Doctor Ozan? I was just teasing. I know you are just friends. But there is something between you and Rai. I can see it... there is nothing wrong with that. It's perfectly natural. Like I said, he seems like a decent person. And exceptionally decent person, even. But we can leave the topic alone if talking about it makes you uncomfortable. It is none of my business, of course."

She smiled apologetically.

"It isn't your business," T'Pren agreed heatedly, turning back to her work yet again and staring at it rather than actually doing it. Her cheeks flushed and she set her shoulders, eventually abandoning the console in favor of going back under a panel where she wasn't quite so close to the Romulan. "I may act human," she told the grid of chips huffily, "but I'm still half Vulcan."

For a half-Vulcan, she sure is fragile, thought Tal'Ara.

She sighed.

"Well, I think I better let you get back to your work. I've distracted you enough for one day."

She turned away and headed to the door.

But she turned back before she left.

"I'm sorry if I..." she trailed off. "Well, anyway, it was nice spending time with you. We should do it more often."

Tal'Ara frowned. She felt bad for hurting T'Pren's feelings. Because she really did enjoy spending time with her.

T'Pren worked in silence while Tal'Ara excused herself, but after the Romulan's apology, her expression softened and she signed.

"Commander, wait."

She extricated herself from the panel and sat up to give the other woman a flat but conciliatory look. "I get it a lot," she explained. "The Vulcans think I'm too wild and the humans think I'm a prude. It's a sore subject. I'm sorry."

"You have no need to be sorry. I was out of line. It wont happen again," she said, plainly.

Tal'Ara took a breath and examined T'Pren up and down.

She added, "Speaking as a Romulan, I'd say you are just right."

T'Pren smiled gratefully at Tal'Ara for that. "Maybe I should apply for the exchange," she joked.

Tal'Ara smirked, "Maybe one day."

She smiled and nodded goodbye, and left the room.