Two Romulans walk into a bar.

Tal'Ara smiled.

"Yes, tomorrow would be better. I want to spend some time with D'Imus while he is here - I dont get to see him too much these days."

Despite how much she wanted to simply spend time with him, she had a mission. He was going to bring back the first of her intel back to the Tal Shiar - this arrangement with Falten would now allow a constant flow.

She took a drink.

"So, tomorrow night it is. You can pick the place," she paused for a second, before adding innocently, "A rumor about little old me? I'm sure I have no idea what you are talking about."

She winked.

The rumor was in fact true. Tal'Ara was to be promoted to Commander. She could not believe how foolish the Federation was being by allowing this to happen. This was almost too easy. She was one heartbeat away from totally being in charge of this station... not that her goal was assention to power. Her mission was simply to supply information to the Tal Shiar. However, if something were accidentally happen to dear Commander Rai... well, that is another story.

She stared at Falten, her scarred blue skin - what did those marks mean? Her soft, dark blue lips...

Tal'Ara wanted her. Badly. She was practically jumping out of her seat. But she knew better than to blow her hand so quickly. She couldn't appear desperate.

Her tone changed slightly - more serious.

"So, how does your little arrangement with the Federation work? Are you a Federation citizen? A part of Starfleet? Or do you simply rent space from them?"

Falten gave a shrug, tipping the very last of the midnight blue ale into Tal's glass.

"I'm from Andor, so I guess I have Federation citizenship by default. Andorians being so involved in the creation of the Federation and whathaveyou..." She sighed at the ale bottle, leaning forward on the bar wearily. "My being an employee lowers my rent, but all in all it's pretty standard. I'm sure as fuck not Starfleet." She smiled and shook her head.

She could feel Tal'Ara's heat, the way she looked at Falten and her skin and her face. It was incredibly flattering, and she also had a sneaking desire to run her fingers along Tal's tattoo, but that was not for now. Her antennae shifted a little. There was some undercurrent within Tal'Ara, something she tried to hide, but the effort to hide was able to be felt, a small, springy resistance in her energy. The heat and intensity of her interest had loosened her grip on the defensive walls, but Falten had no idea what was inside her mind. Only that there was something there, and it was sharp and dark. Nothing she couldn't handle, most likely, but it was intriguing in its danger.

"No, you don't seem much like the Starfleet type," she said.

She was glad to know this. The idea of betraying someone she was starting to care about was something she would not like to ever do again.

Her face relaxed again. She could feel Falten examining her. Gazing into her eyes, studying her face.

She liked the feeling it gave her. Falten had a powerful energy, which was something Tal'Ara really fancied in a mate. For as controlling as she was in her daily life, in the bedroom, she liked to be the opposite.

She sipped at the final glass of the ancient ale and sighed.

"I have to be honest with you. When I first met you, I thought you didn't like me much at all. That seems to be the standard reaction to me around here."

She didn't say this sadly, but there was the smallest hint of loneliness in her tone.

Falten laughed and lowered her eyes.

"You don't exactly give the best first impression, hot shot." She smiled. "But I figured you were either a bitch, or you were in a bad mood, and given what people are like when they hit up a bar, I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt."

Her eyes gave the slightest hint of concern.

"The other crew members being weird at you?" She asked. "I mean, again, you have a very strong first impression. Give them time, they'll warm up to you." She smiled gently. "I did."

Tal'Ara sighed, "Yeah, I suppose that's true. But it is more than them outright disliking me. I expected that. It's that they dont trust me. Which, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by, given our government's history. But this whole arrangement was the Federation's idea!"

She was selling it. Her crew members were right to be suspicious. She was acting that way intentionally. It would be too unbelievable if she had come on this station all chipper and friendly. Give them what they want to see.

She took another drink.

"I'm glad you warmed up to me though," she said sweetly, putting her hand on Falten's.

It was a bold move, but she felt like it was the right moment.

Falten felt the lie. She felt the emotional stickiness that came with lies, but as Tal placed her hand over Falten's, she realized she didn't particularly care right now.

She looked down at Tal's hand, then wiggled her fingers playfully.

"Well, look at you," She grinned, tilting her head. "All ballsy and shit." But her cheeks had flushed a darker blue in spite of her casual words. "I'm glad I did too."

Tal'Ara simply smiled.

"I wonder how long it will take for word to get out. This station is small and people talk," she said. "Not that I care."

Falten gave a shrug. "Talk is talk. It's part of my job to eavesdrop and listen to the direction of rumors among the people who frequent a bar - I've heard lots of talk in my time." She watched Tal, soaking in the quiet excitement between them and wondering what she wasn't saying.

Tal'Ara perked her eyebrow at the mention of eavesdropping. This could be of some use to her. Not that she intended on using Falten - she genuinely liked her. But why not kill two birds with one stone?

"So, how many Romulans have you known in your time?" she asked, with a grin.

The feeling of Falten's fingers on her hand sent shivers up her spine. She stared into her grayish eyes and saw her own reflection. She had not been vulnerable with anyone like this in quite some time. But there was a wisdom, a tenacity in Falten's eyes. She was tough. At least on the outside. But she wagered that deep down, she was lonely, and like her, sought company.

The loneliness that Falten was branded with was of a different sort than simple lack of company. It was an unspoken distaste for those who easily found comfort in other arms, it was a blood shame, it was the label of outcast that she had branded into her skin as a permanent reminder, in every color and language, that she was not wanted as an Andorian. No Andorian would hold her, no four-way marriage was ever to be hers. She would never be someone's zhavey.

Her eyes were grey-green like the thunderclouds that rolled on Andor, and they seemed to be filled with rumbling, rolling clouds now. But she didn't speak on them, only a slight tightening of her lips as she thought on it.

She took her free hand and set it lightly on Tal's grey hand, running her fingertips lightly over the skin, as if she had never touched another person before. Tracing small, delicate, looping patterns over knuckles and the thin tendons of the back of her hand.

"The human Biblical definition, or just in general?" She smiled cheekily, all introspective darkness banished in an instant. "Never fucked any, if that's what you're asking. And honestly, all the Romulans I've run into are fairly close lipped, keep to themselves and their groups when they hit up bars. Not the friendliest bunch of space travellers."

Falten's fingers sent shudders of excitement through Tal'Ara's body.

She let her hand relax, submitting to Falten's delicate movements.

Tal'Ara looked up at her with sweet, longing eyes - about as close to puppy eyes as a Romulan can get.

When Falten talked about her experiences with Romulans, Tal'Ara nodded.

"Yes, we certainly do have that reputation."

She chuckled.

"I have never been with an Andorian, either. Though I do think blue and grey go nicely together," she winked.

Tal'Ara started fantasizing about all the things she would let the beautiful Andorian do to her. Would she think that she was a freak? Tal'Ara was certainly not the run of the mill Romulan when it came to sex; and that is saying something. A notoriously passionate people, all Romulans were indulgent. But Tal'Ara was on a different level.

Anytime she got close with a stranger, this was a concern. Sometimes she didn't even bother, because what are the chances? Sure, there may be attraction, and there might be a lot in common. But in the bedroom... would they want nothing to do with her? Would she want nothing to do with them?

Her mind pushed away the taboo images of her fantasies, and focused on the subtle movements of Falten's fingers.

"Your hands are so soft - but somehow, so firm," she sad sheepishly.

Falten smiled, tilting her head.

"I've never been able to see the Romulans so called 'passionate' nature, since they were always busy being standoffish and bitchy at me," She laughed lightly, "but you're just falling apart over here, aren't you?"

Her antennae shifted. Tal's thoughts were ricocheting around, heated and curious, but there was a nervousness. It eased Falten's mind a little. Someone too certain could be pushy and dangerous, but there was a genuine feeling here, and she was relieved to feel it. She smiled, blushing slightly at the heat from the edges of Tal's mind.

"Bartending gives me fingers of steel!" She said jokingly, giving Tal's hand a light squeeze. "But all the ink means I have to take care of the skin more than usual - and Andorians have the shittiest immune systems, next to Phylosians, I swear, so I've got to take care of it."

Tal'Ara blushed. She was indeed falling apart.

"Yeah..." she took a free hand brushed her hair nervously. "I... I'm sorry. I'm not usually like this, I swear."

She felt a lot of shame for being so vulnerable like this. And she wanted to snap out of it, to regain control. But for some reason she couldn't. Every time she tried to harden, she would simply crumble more and more.

The most she could do was give a defeated laugh.

"Well, whatever you are doing to it. Keep it up... it's lovely," she said, closing her eyes and feeling the touch of her smooth, blue skin.

Falten almost laughed, but then looked at her closely, still letting her fingers run across Tal's hand.

"Why are you apologizing? I don't mind. If I did I'd say something," She grinned. "And I'd say it loudly, but I'm sure you know that by now."

Tal'Ara laughed and relaxed a bit.

"Yeah."

She took another sip of her drink with her free hand. The glass was getting close to the end.

"How do you like living here? Are you quarters as drab as mine?"

Falten shrugged, looking up at the ceiling and its sharp design.

"It's been an interesting first week or so. Everything is so very Cardassian..." She gave an involuntary shudder and fell a slightly paler blue. "I've decorated as I could. Maybe we can compare and give each other interior design tips, some time." She grinned cheekily. "I warn you, I like plants. Like, I really like plants."

"You will definitely have to give me some tips. I have no sense of ascetics."

The thought of going into Falten's bedroom was exhilarating.

"My mother used to keep a garden at our summer home. What kind of plants do you raise?" she asked, curiously.

She hadn't quite shaken the chill from the Cardassian calling her "little gardener," and thinking on her neglected plants drew a frown to her face, but only for a moment before she smoothed her face and smiled.

"I collect them. Plants from all over the galaxy, mostly little flowers that can survive in small pots, but I love miniature trees. Humans call them bonsai. I have to keep a few in atmospheric containers, depending on where they're from, but a lot of them do very well with the standardized nitrogen/oxygen balance. It makes my room smell a little funky, but it's better than smelling like ionized steel and floor cleaner."

"My room probably smells like a mixture of booze, sweat, and cleaning products," she laughed.

"That's pretty interesting though, I'd love to learn more about botany. I'm afraid my areas of expertise are limited to military strategy, espionage, and alcohol.... but I would love a new hobby. I don't really have much of a life outside of work," she frowned.

"Depending on the booze, that's not necessarily a bad thing," She grinned, shaking her head. "And I can show you my flowers some time - I used to think I was a decent botanist, but the Phylosian just moved in and I think he's going to run circles around me in that department." She sighed, smiling. "All of the things he must know about the plants of this galaxy... is it true they can speak to plants?"

She saw Tal's frown and gave a light drum of her fingers on her hand. "And you'll find stuff. You're really fucking hard on yourself, you know that?"

"I have no idea. I'd never met a Phylosian until yesterday," she shrugged.

Tal'Ara smiled weakly as Falten played with her hand.

"Yeah, I know. I mean, I have to be. My line of work is very dangerous. And the slightest mistake can get you killed. I have to be a perfectionist."

Her mind flashed to countless kills and lies, coverups and conspiracies. She had done some truly terrible things in her life in the name of the Romulan Star Empire. But she did them with computer-like precision. When she thought like this, her mathematical mind seemed to go on a weird auto-pilot, and began rhythmically counting. Her eyes were still present with Falten, but her mind was away, pointlessly running meaningless algorithms.

"Do you have any other hobbies I should know about?"

Falten felt the shift, as distinct as a cool draft, and she didn't understand. It was the stickiness of the half-truths, the lies, but she could not see where they were coming from.

She laughed, smiling confusedly. "You say that like I might be some kind of bounty hunter, or mob queen. You really are a cautious one." She danced her fingers up to the underside of Tal's wrist, the delicate, paper-thin skin there. "Except when I do this." She grinned wickedly.

Tal'Ara jumped.

"I'm ticklish!" she squealed.

She composed herself after the outburst.

"Well, I have to be cautious. Old habits, you know," she sighed. "Makes it tough to have friends."

Falten pulled her hands back, startled.

"Shitballs... gods, sorry," She laughed. "You don't strike me as the ticklish type, but I'll keep that in mind," She grinned, shaking her head.

"I promise I'm not a bounty hunter. Or a mob queen." She smiled. "And I'm pretty sure there aren't any double agents onboard looking to scalp you, little Romulan." She offered her hand again, the underside of her wrist dotted with ink stars.

"No, I dont mind being tickled... I kinda like it. JUST DONT TELL ANYONE," she joked.

Tal'Ara normally would snap someone's neck for calling her "little Romulan", but she oddly liked it coming from Falten.

She looked at Falten's wrist and touched it, softly.

"Those are beautiful. Where did you get them?"