Orbital Injection

“I am afraid our warp technology has a long way to go, compared to yours.” Po sounded a little disappointed. The two women were on their way back from an extensive tour of the Windhoek’s engine room. The queen was fascinated by warp drives, and she had enough detailed knowledge that she would be able to repair one, if need be. Tilly learned on this occasion that Po had studied engineering, but never graduated due to the tragic death of her family that forced her to take the throne.

The chief engineer seemed to enjoy the sudden interest in his field of work, and was eager to answer all of Po’s questions, although he had to give a pass on some of them. “I’m afraid you have to ask a physicist.” He said. “I’m content to know that it works.”

Tilly didn’t understand most of it, but she knew her friend well enough to let her nerd out. It was one of the rare occasions when she could.

Now the two of them were headed back to the living areas.

“I don’t feel like going to bed.” Po said.

“Not sleepy?”

“Well, a little. But to be honest, I feel a bit lost at my quarters here. I know, you want to show off to your guests and all, but the suite is too big for my taste.”

“Aren’t you used to it. I mean, you surely had a large room for yourself, even as a princess, right?”

“Several. But I always preferred the natural caves. Or even a lab.”

“You sleep in a lab?” Tilly joked.

“While I was at the Academy of Sciences, I sometimes fell asleep over my work. They found me the next morning with my head on the desk. So yes, sometimes I do.”

“Sounds like a great recipe for a stiff neck.”

“I can sleep almost anywhere.”

“We could go to the galley, it should be empty by now.”

Po thought for moment. “I read a lot about human customs. I read your people staying at their friends place for the night. It sounds like a fun thing to do.”

“A pyjama party?” Tilly asked. “It’s something mostly young girls do.”

“I am young.” The queen grinned.

“Don’t you do that on Xahea too?” Tilly wondered.

“Not that I know of. And certainly not when you’re the princess.”

Tilly’s interest was sparked now. “All right, let’s do this. I grab some snacks, and we get your pyjamas.”

“What’s a pyjama?” Po wanted to know.

“What you wear when you’re in bed.”

Po blinked. “I don’t wear anything when I’m in bed.”

“Oh, um, well, you can always have one of mine.”

“Can we go to your cabin? I’d really like to know how you live. Also, I don’t want any of my guards hang around.” She rolled her eyes in a dramatic gesture. Or at least that’s what Tilly thought she did, for the actual eye rolling was barely visible. Po’s eyes were completely black, with no iris or visible pupil.

“Well, I don’t live there, actually. My home is my cabin on Discovery. And I only have one bed.”

Po grinned sheepishly. “I’m sure we’ll find an arrangement. I promise not to take up too much space.”

The two women then decided to split up. While Tilly went back to the galley to order sweets and crisps, which the Windhoek surprisingly had on board. At the same time Po snuck back into her quarters to grab a toothbrush and some toiletries. Over the years Po had learned how to avoid the royal guards on any occasions she didn’t want to be tracked. So about 20 minuted later, she rung the buzzer to Tilly’s quarters with a toothbrush a towel and a few pillows in er arm.

The door slid open and she entered the small cabin. Tilly had already set up a small candy-buffet in front of the comms screen. The holoscreen itself showed a very convincing image of burning candles. The holo candles were the only illumination in the room, so when the doors closed, the room lighted in a cosy half-dark.

Tilly had already changed into her night clothes. Instead of a uniform, she wore a pyjama with red polka dots on the top, and trousers in matching colour. Her ginger hair fell over her shoulders in curls. Po had admired that hair ever since they had first met. On Xahea most people had black hair, some with a tint of blue in it. A person with hair the colour of polished copper was exotic and alien, and people had initially not believed her when she told them about Tilly.

“Hey! Welcome back!” Tilly hugged her as if they had been away from each other for months not for ten minutes. Po dropped the pillows and hugged her friend back. “Thanks for having me.” She said.

“Any time.”

After they parted from the embrace, Tilly directed Po to the small bathroom. “You can change in here.”

“Thanks.” Po said, as Tilly handed her a bundle of clothes. She went into the tiny bathroom and closed the door behind her. She felt relieved to get out of her ceremonial dress. Although her choice of dress was rather simple, she still preferred a pair of leather trousers and a shirt over all the expensive dresses. The kind of clothes a hunter or a miner would wear. Comfortable and practical. The pyjama thing Tilly had given her, wasn’t exactly a hunter’s choice either, but it was equally comfortable. Although it was way too big for her. Tilly was a little taller than Po, and she had more curves in her figure. The wide shirt meant, however, that there was room for the long spikes that lined a Xahean’s back, and that human backbones lacked.

The pyjama was white with pink lining, which build a weird contrast to the blue patterns on Po’s skin. The white cloth was printed with enormously cute stylised animals. Po had to laugh, when she looked at her reflection. She looked ridiculous in these, but also, wearing images of cute pets was so typical for her friend, that she could not help, but love it.

“How do I look?” She asked when she stepped out of the bathroom.

“Adorable!” Tilly smiled.

“What’s with those animals?” Po asked. “Are they some sort of pet?”

Tilly laughed. “Certainly not. Bears are biggest land predators on Earth. They are among the few animals that can pose a threat to humans.”

“They look so harmless.”

“Only in the cutified version. In reality, they are fearsome.”

“Why put them on your bed clothes then?”

“I have no idea. Someone decided to make a cute children’s toy out of them centuries ago. It’s been a cultural icon ever since. Maybe that way, we don’t need to be afraid again.”

Po sat down on the bedside looking at her friend. “I never had a chance to ask you about your exams.”

“I failed again.” Tilly sighed.

“You want to talk about it?”

“I don’t know. There is not much to tell. I went in, they told me I’m a failure.”

“I can’t believe that’s what they said, You’re a decorated war hero.”

“Well, they try to put it into nicer words. But the fact is, I don’t have what it takes. I always fail, when it comes to making the hard decisions. I’m a coward, I’m afraid.”

Po looked shocked. ”How can you say that?” She said. “I look at you, and I see someone who jumped into the fire to save others. More than once.”

“When it comes to sending people into dangerous situations, I take too long. I cannot really bring myself to do it.”

Po put an arm around her friend. “And you think that is a weakness? Not being willing to send people to their deaths?”

“My mother seems to think so.”

“Then she’s wrong.” Po said firmly. “It’s what makes the Federation: Starfleet isn’t about dying gloriously in battle. It’s about celebrating the diversity of life in the universe. And the fact that we’re in it. Infinite diversity in infinite combinations, as the Vulcans put it.”

She paused for a moment. “I am here, because I want this for my people. I want them to be part of this infinite diversity. To grow. To learn.”

“To me,” she continued “you are the embodiment of these values. Starfleet is exactly the place where you need to be. Because your kindness, your curiosity and your empathy are a constant reminder, what Starfleet was founded for.”

Tilly tried to fight back her tears. She hugged her friend.

“You’re really good at motivational speeches.”

“That’s what I am paid for.” The queen answered.

“I will never make the command chain, will I?” Tilly asked.

“That depends on where you want to go?” Po answered. “There are more things a Starfleet officer can do, than the commando on a star ship.”

“I don’t want to end up in admin. I want to be out here.” Tilly said.

Po nodded. “Everything else would be a waste of your talents. Have you ever considered becoming a specialist for first contact situations?”

“What? I am not an anthropologist. At the academy I majored in engineering!”

“So?” The young monarch shrugged. “I studied engineering and subspace field theory. And now I am a diplomat.”

“I don’t think I can do this.” Tilly said. “I am not a diplomat. Or a politician.”

“Maybe not. But you are open anything new. You’re unafraid of facing the unknown. You’re kind and relatable.”

“Do you think that’s enough?”

Po thought for a moment. “Remember when we first met?” She asked.

Tilly nodded.

“I was confused and afraid.” Po continued. “And pretty aggressive.”

“I was feeling like I had to defend myself, and took a fighting stance. I know how intimidating an angry Xahean can be.”

“I remember. What’s your point?” Tilly asked.

“Ask yourself how many people would have pulled their phasers and stunned me. You on the other hand, saw a creature in distress, and tried to help. And I must have looked very alien to you.”

“Not that alien.”

“Well, you looked pretty alien to me, and that scared me.”

“And you believe, that makes me a good first contact specialist?”

“It was a first contact situation, wasn’t it? And your behaviour on that day laid the foundations to our peoples current relationship. I doubt I would have such a positive image of the federation, had you shot me.”

Tilly pondered on that. “But that’s your personal view. And you’re biased.”

“Then what about the mycelium network?” Po asked. “From what I know, the hive mind in there thought the federation waged war against it when it abducted you. And when you came back, you made friends with that being.”

“That was a coincidence.”

“I doubt that. Basically, you prevented a trans dimensional war.”

“I’m not allowed to talk about that. It’s classified.”

“Not my point. You wanted to know, why you’re qualified for the job. The only question is: Is that what you want to do?”

Tilly thought about it for a long while. Po let her friend take her time, and simply allowed her to lean into her, gently stroking the ginger hair.

Finally Tilly spoke again. “I think I would like that very much. It’s at the core of what I think the federation means to me.”

“Then you should go for it.”

“My mother would note it as another failure.”

“This is not about your mother. It’s about you.”

“I want her to be proud of me.” Tilly admitted.

“Everyone wants their parents to be proud of them. You can only be yourself, and hope that they accept that. You cannot force them.”

Tilly pressed herself into her friends embrace, and Po held her tight.

“For all it is worth: I am very proud to call you my friend.”

”Thank you.” Tilly managed to say.

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