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This is a list of characters who are referenced and appear in this story.
Angela Wren, Species: Human, Beta, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Title: NA, Speciality: Engineer, Description: Engineer on the base studying Epison 2000. One of the 3 engineers who assembled the station.
Bihr Sh'Alaack, Species: Andorian, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Shen, Title: Ensign, Lieutenant, Speciality: Engineering, Description: Was a colonist on Taurus IV, where her parents and original bondmates died. Joined Starfleet. She signed up with matchmakers in the hope of forming a new four Andorian bond pairing, but didn't find anyone until just as she was finishing Her 4th year at the Academy. She's just entering the five year period when she'll be reproductively active when this occurs.
Clara Watson, Species: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Omega, Title: , Speciality: Actor, Description: Harry Watson's former spouse.
Elise Watson, Species: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Omega, Title: , Speciality: Actor, Description: John Watson's mother. Actress and playwright. She Can trace Her descent from 2 nation states: India and British. Her mitochondrial DNA is Indian. She is fond of recounting a family story about being descended from the Lady of Flowers and the Analyst, two Augments who saved many 2nd and 3rd generation Augments (and people with other genetic variations) from Colonel Green.
Freddy Washington, Species: Human, Beta, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Title: Crewperson, Speciality: Security, Description: From the Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia. Talks about his grandmother. Bit naive when the series starts.
Harry Watson, Species: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Alpha, Title: , Speciality: Actor, Description: John Watson's twin. Originally, an Omega, but as a young teen she took illegal (as in they were not prescribed by a doctor) supplements to switch to an Alpha and chose to identify as female.
Ishros, Species: Andorian, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Chan, Title: Poet. Author, Speciality: , Description: The Shen of his bond group (the one who provides the egg) died in an accident as a teen. Ultimately writes a book series about his time on the Bakerstreet.
Jennifer Sisko, Species: Human, Beta, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Title: , Speciality: , Description: Benjamin Sisko's wife. Died aboard the USS Saratoga in conflict with the Borg at the battle of Wolf 359. Some medical background. Cousin to Lucy, though not an augment.
John Watson, Species: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Omega, Title: Cadet, Doctor, Civilian, Captain, Speciality: Medicine, Description: One of our main characters. Child of a theater family. Can trace his augmentations to 3 nation states: British, India, and America. Wants to be a doctor as a result of childhood illnesses and his father's stories about problems in the colony worlds. Same stories influenced his desire to join Starfleet. Has a naturally attractive scent.
Julian, Species: Emergency Medical Hologram, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Title: None, Speciality: Medicine, Description: Hologram modeled on Doctor Julian Bashir. Was provided with additional memory in the Pegasus Chimera ships to supplement medical staff given shortages of doctors after Wolf 359. Intended to last until John Watson finishes his medical training.
Khatri, full name Pilavullakandi Thekkaparambil Khatri Species: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Omega, Title: Chief Petty Officer, Speciality: Astro-Physics, Engineering, Deep Space Telemetry, Description: Knits. She has 3 degrees. Is a early 60 grandmother from South India at the beginning of the series. Formerly a professor on MoonBase Alpha. Joined Starfleet after the Borg attack on Earth and her home was destroyed. Has a family tragedy tied to one of Her children. Her augmentation to 1 nation state: India.
Karidian Watson, Species: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Alpha, Title: , Speciality: Actor, Description: John Watson's father and a talented actor. Often quiet.
Khel, Species: Andorian, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Zhen, Title: Architect, Speciality: , Description: Was just starting her career as a journeyman architect (though for Andorians that's more interior design), when a matchmaker found a possible match for herself and her bondmates. The Shen of their 4 person bondmate group (the one who provides the egg) died in an accident as a teen. In the year before the series starts, Khel has tried multiple times (unsuccessfully) to carry a child to term.
Martha Hudson, Species: Betazed, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Title: Lt. Cmdr, 1st officer, Speciality: Mechanical Eng, Description: Plays up being sweet old thing, but actually quite dangerous. Was an instructor at Starfleet Academy and was pulled back into active service after the Borg/Wolf 359.
Owen Tregennis, Species: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Omega, Title: Crewperson, Speciality: Engineering, Description: In his early 30s at the start of the series. Left a job working for starliners (cruise ships in space) to join Starfleet when admissions opened up as a result of the casualties at Wolf 359. Talks a lot. Sometimes funny. Some malapropisms. Can trace his augmentation to 1 nation state: Britain.
Sally Donovan, Species: Human, Beta, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Title: Chief Security Officer, Ltd, Speciality: Security, Description: Previously posted on the USS Bozeman and caught in a timeloop for 80 years.
Shelly, Species: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Omega, Title: Actor, Speciality: , Description: A cousin to the Watsons on Elise's side.
Shroleb, Species: Andorian, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Than, Title: , Speciality: , Description: The Shen of his bond group (the one who provides the egg) died in an accident as a teen. Had always meant to figure out what he did to occupy his time, but it just never came up.
Sun Liu, Species: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Omega, Title: Crewman third class, Speciality: Astro-Physics, Description: Shy. Dedicated. Nervous around Sherlock. Can trace her augmentation to 1 nation state: China.
Vice Admiral Hayes, Species: Human, Beta, Sex&Gender: Not stated, Title: , Speciality: , Description: Off screen, doesn't appear
Violet Hunter, Species: Human, Beta, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Title: Ensign, Lieutenant, Speciality: Pilot, Description: Hikes, jogs, plays tennis, loves history. Was an Ensign in her first year on a ship not at Wolf 359 when the Borg invaded.
Violet Smith, Species: Human, Beta, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Title: Ensign, Lieutenant, Speciality: Helm, Description: Loves ships, exuberant. I Am from California. Over time, Hunter calls her Vi. Given Hunter and Smith are both named Violet. She was a junior Lieutenant when Wolf 359 occured. i.e. she was one class ahead of Hunter.
William Scott Sherlock Holmes, Species: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Alpha, Title: Professor, Lt. Cmdr, Speciality: ExoBiology, Engineering, Space based species, all the thingsEngineering, all the things. Description: One of our main characters. Mysterious background. Claims to be from Taurus IV, which suffered a disaster that destroyed their computer infrastructure. Says he Can trace his augmentation to 3 nation states: British, Indian, and America. Has a pleasantly appealing Alpha scent.
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Angela Wren wasn't one of the scientists busily studying Epsilon 2000, a red supergiant on the verge of going super nova.She'd been one of the three engineers who'd assembled the station. She'd run the massive industrial replicator. She'd snapped every piece into place. Made the welds where they were needed. Slotted in every isolinear chip. Now she kept the small station operational.Eventually, it would be her to job to pack up the few pieces that mattered, and there really wouldn't be very many of them, and ship out.The last act of research this station would perform would be to be consumed by Epsilon 2000.It was boring work. She sipped her tea sometimes and imagined opening one of the vents she'd installed into the void and just letting everything fly out.She wouldn't, of course, that would be insane. But she imagined it so many times over a cup of Darjeeling or Chamomile.
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John stared at his academic adviser as she told him that Starfleet needed him. He had to think that was the first time any omega had heard those words. She said, "You've completed your four years at the academy, and you have two and a half more years of medical training to become a doctor. But Starfleet needs all available personnel deployed if we're going to keep up our fleet strength.""But," he looked abstractedly at the models on the commander's wall. "I want to be a doctor. It's what I've been training to do.""And you will do that. All of our new ships plans had already included an Emergency Holographic doctor in sickbay. We're simply going to add additional power and memory to support running that hologram for the next two years while our recent graduates on the Pre-Med track receive on the job training. The hologram will serve as your professor going over the same course work you would have done here and carry out the more complicated procedures in the biobay until you're ready to take over."He tried to think how to phrase it, and in the end blurted out, "Will there be real doctors on board?""Some vessels will have… as you say real doctors. We'll be reassigning experienced personnel across the fleet, but with the loss of so much of the fleet, there's simply not enough personnel to go around." It was terrifying. He could end up on a ship lightyears from anywhere with only a hologram that was confined to one area of the ship as backup.It was amazing. He'd be on an assignment two years earlier than he'd expected. He'd be on the cutting edge of medicine and science. He'd be exploring new worlds.It was all a bit numb. He'd lost friends. A few old lays had been on the lists. His friends had lost family.He'd gone with Lucy to her cousin, Jennifer Sisko's, funeral. Followed a New Orleans jazz band in a hot sudden downpour, which pretty much summed up the whole thing. He'd gone with Bill to his dad's funeral up in Edinburgh. Stamping their feet on the icy ground to keep warm. That was a good sum up too.He made himself focus on what his advisor was saying."We'll also need you to carry out an accelerated study course over the next three to six months. Classes won't be in the same format as previously. They'll be single credit courses designed to be completed in two week sprints, so that personnel can be deployed as soon as assignments become available.""Oh," he said. He really had nothing else to say to that. He got a report for his work as Professor Holmes T.A., but he threw it away unopened. It could hardly matter what Professor Holmes thought of him after everything that had happened. Nothing was going to keep him from starship duty.Over the next three months, he ate and breathed classwork. The only time he saw a bed after that was to crash into it face first. When he blearily ordered a cup of coffee, it was because he'd working a triple rotation the previous day in a crash course in Invertebrate physiology. Endocrinology. Psionicology.He didn't precisely forget about the box under his bed. He definitely did not forget that last conversation with Professor Holmes. To think that he'd reproduced with such a heartless machine. That the reason Professor Holmes had kept moving inside of him, filling him, was… no. That was instinct and John had been the one to pick the lock. The one to show up every night and finagle backrubs… and no again.That was victim blaming. Or something.He wasn't going to think about it.There was no time to think.But sometimes, between blinking awake and asleep, he thought about it.He certainly thought about it when his assignment came through.The USS Bakerstreet under the command of Commander Sherlock Holmes.He went back to see his academic advisor.She beamed at him. "Assignments took into account existing working relationships. We want to smooth things out where we can. You were his T.A. He gave you glowing recommendations, as you saw. Was there a problem?" Her expression had a hint of steel in it. If there was a problem, he couldn't say anything. Wouldn't be encouraged to say anything. He had a sudden vision of ending up transferred to Captain Sholto's next command.John said, "No, just trying to understand how I got so lucky."He went to his dorm room. Sat on his bed. Tried to think through his exhaustion and did the only thing he could think to do. He called his mother. She answered the com dressed as a Rigilean pirate. "Oh, hello, love. You look terrible.""Just tired. Getting ready to ship out. I have my assignment.""Well, of course, I've been hoping that you'd leave that dreadful life of military domination and come back to us, but I'm happy you're getting what you wanted.""Yeah, um… about that.""Mmmm," she turned and waved at someone off screen, "No, the castle of the Dread Pirate R'thal goes on stage left. How else am I supposed to cling to the balcony while singing about my dastardly deeds?" She turned back, "Now what's the matter?""Umm… okay, so," he sighed and gave her a highly edited version of events. Very edited. Extremely edited. Practically white washed. Of course, his mum already knew he'd shared a heat with Professor Holmes and that there had been… consequences. Since how the Borg were defeated was classified, he couldn't describe why they'd had that final conversation, but he went into what had been said the last time they talked.""Hmmm… well, dear, are you concerned that he'll use what happened against you because of your disagreement? If so, you can't stay silent. If not for you, then for the next person he takes advantage of?""No, Mum, nothing like that." John flushed bright red."Oh, like that was it. Hmmm… then I'm not sure what to tell you. Just know that you'll always have your father and my support." She was wearing a gold eye patch and had a fake rikatha lizard on her shoulder, and he dearly wished he could hug her just then."Thanks, Mum." He chatted with her about the rest of the family. His twin, Harry, had been arguing with her wife again. His cousin, Shelly, was rejoining the troop. Another cousin was going off to do a solo run on one of the larger theatrical routes. They signed off.John packed his belongings. He spent a very long time looking at the wooden box, but in the end didn't put it into storage. He'd feel better if it was near him.He didn't see Holmes again until they were both on the Bakerstreet in sickbay. The Commander, because that was all he was to John, lingered in the doorway.The holographic doctor said, "Hello, wonderful to see you. Is there anything I can help you with?" Its long brown face managed to somehow convey intelligence and an eager golden retriever. All the more disconcerting because it had no scent. John supposed that would be too much to integrate into a medical hologram.Holmes glared at it. "No. Program off."The hologram winked out.Holmes walked around the room three times not saying anything. Finally, he paused and said, "Unless you can stop that hologram's inane smile, do not let it near me.""He's modeled on very good doctor." John wondered if Holmes had ever been in a disagreement over whether Julian Bashir counted as an Augment or not. "His parents had him augmented, if you can believe it. Starfleet took a lot of convincing to let him in. He was the reason I decided Starfleet might have a place for me." Which was more information that he'd wanted to give. Old habits that should be crushed when talking with an absolute prick.Holmes looked at John for a long moment. One of those looks that felt like John was being scanned at the molecular level. Immediately followed by one of those moments were it was as if Holmes beamed somewhere out of his own head. John puttered around putting things away while Holmes stood like a statue in the middle of the room. He was examining the brand new biobays when Holmes said, "You'll be my doctor.""Not actually a doctor yet."Holmes turned to face his current location. "It doesn't matter. You'll do fine. I made sure to request… although," he came closer, "you're very competent and I never would have thought of replicating the signal to the Borg without your inane virus idea. You saved many lives.""Thank you, I think.""I simply wanted to be sure that you knew that. I credited you in my report. Did you read it?" Holmes stared at him. "No. Classified." He frowned. "Fine. It doesn't… I gave you credit for my being able to fully implement on my concept. You should know that. Carry on." He paced around the room. "Also, you should know that I did not mean that I think lifeforms should behave in a destructive manner towards the young of other lifeforms, merely that historically and biologically that this is often true.""Holmes," said John warningly.Holmes faced the wall away from him. "This is also why I am determined to be married to my work. As the work does not lend itself to that kind of behavior." He nodded at the wall and swept back out of the room."Okay." John told the room. Not sure how he felt. He turned the hologram back on. "So, where were we?"The hologram smiled happily and repeated back the lesson plan they'd been working out.John looked around the sickbay. "I have a lot to learn if I'm going to be ready for the emergencies that are coming our way." He sighed. "I also don't to wash out this close.""You'll make an excellent doctor. We'll make an excellent team." The hologram looked at the door. "Do you think the Commander would like me better if I had a beard? It's important that all of the crew feel comfortable with me." The hologram briefly shifted through a few variations of beards."I don't think that would help." John paused. He didn't say that what might help would be some sort of odor might make it seem less unsettling. He decided to get over himself. "I can't spend the next two years calling you hologram and it. Do you have a preference for what I should call you?"The hologram nodded agreeably. "Yes. I'm modeled on a human, who identifies as male, so male pronouns. Do you think it would be appropriate if I went by Julian?"John tried to decide how that would feel if he ever ended up working with the actual Julian Bashir. It occurred to him that the exact same conversation had to be going on at ships all over Starfleet. The actual Doctor Bashir was in for an interesting time. "Sure. If that's what you want.""I'm programmed to want my potential patients and co-workers to be comfortable." Julian touched a display and aimed a smile over his shoulder. "Also, the original will love it. They did extensive scans of him when designing me."That settled, they accepted their first patient. An ensign who'd been a little too enthusiastic on the stairs in engineering.Life on board settled into a certain rhythm.The Augments on the ship held a mixer. Starfleet recommended that starships have cross species clubs to reinforce Starfleet ideals and so on, but Lucy Hebron, who as luck would have it was the brand new ensign in charge of a botany department of one, had organized the event. She said, "There's no way of knowing how well we'll be accepted by the rest of the crew. The more we know about each other, the more we can help each other."Of a one hundred and eight person crew, there were eleven omega Augments, which was an unusually high number to serve on the same ship. Of that eleven, he and Lucy were the only Augments who were academy graduates. The rest were enlisted. Educated, certainly. But not Academy graduates. Therefore, they were not officers.Sun Liu, an Astrophysics technician admitted to leaving a teaching job at the University of Beijing to become a Crewman third class. "The opportunity was just too good. Starfleet was begging for qualified candidates. A three month training course and I could actually be exploring at the forefront of my profession.""It would be nice if three PhDs and twenty years teaching qualified me to be an officer," said Dr. Pilavullakandi Thekkaparambil Khatri, who had requested they all call her Khatri to avoid, as she put it, the murder of her name. "But so it goes. My grandson thinks I am having a mid-life crisis. Why he thinks I will to live to be one hundred and twenty-three I cannot say." She pulled a skein of yard and some knitting needles out of a bag. "Although, I had hoped to see more diversity in my assignment."Sun said, "It is strange. All the journals and publications I follow were full of advertisements offering opportunities to qualified candidates from throughout the Federation. But so far, it's mostly been humans."Owen Tregennis, who had left his job with one of the big starliner companies to join the engineering staff, shrugged, "Humans are the hold my beer race." Everyone looked at him. "What! We are. I mean, we're all here aren't we. Could be sitting plush somewhere, but we handed our beers to our mates so we could go out beyond for the hell of it and play with cutting edge shite.""To midlife crisis then," said Khatri. That grandmotherly looking soul assumed a comically lascivious look. "I'll tell you, there's one Augment I wish had shown up to this event. That handsome commander of ours."Lucy looked at her blankly. "Because as our commanding officer, and a fellow Augment, he can understand the unique pressures we're under. Not only mentor, but ensure we are promoted through the ranks."Khatri gave an evil chuckle. "No." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Because he is the only alpha on the ship, and very fine on the eyes. And even as his face is a delight to the eyes, that scent of his is a delight in the nostrils.""He is attractive, granted," said Sun Liu, "but... he doesn't seem to know how to talk to people. He called Crewman Skonn a moron. A Vulcan with fifty years of engineering experience!""Yeah, I was there," said Owen. "Himself was bouncing off the walls and going on about how Skonn's father died in the destruction of Vulcan, his mum's an Matriarch of some Vulcan thing or another, and how Skonn's over compensating for his feeling of inadequacy by joining Starfleet, and then wrapped up with how the alignment in the transducer array was off." Owen paused with a lift of his eyebrows. "Thing was, he was right.""Holmes generally is," said John glumly. All focus shifted to him."That's right, you were his T.A. for Exobio at the academy," said Lucy.John leaned back, clutching his cup of synth-chardonnay, and wondered how to get Lucy to get a source of the real stuff. "Guilty.""Please tell me something happened between you," said Khatri. "Even if it didn't make something up. He is so fine upon the eyes and to the ears and in the nostrils, there must be a sexy story.""Nothing happened," said John firmly. Positively. Truthfully, because this was only going to work if he thought of it as having happened to someone else.Khatri sighed and poured herself another glass of synth-chardonnay."But what is he like?" asked Lucy. "I'm very concerned that he didn't attend this event because he doesn't care about Augment advocacy.""I can answer that one," said Sun Liu. "He is no one's advocate."John wasn't sure he trusted himself to answer. His feeling were so mixed up, but they were going to be serving with Holmes for at least the next couple of years. "No, that's not quite it. He..." John wasn't sure where this next bit came from, but he found himself saying, "I get the impression that before he joined Starfleet he wasn't around people much. Not that he said much about his family, but it was about how he didn't say anything, you know. Like they kept him super isolated, maybe because he's so smart, but it didn't really help him with… not calling it exactly as he sees it."Lucy's expression softened. "We'll just have to wait and see then.""The fuck with him," said Owen. "Didn't show up to the mixer, so I say we talk about how we're on a fucking Starship off to explore the fucking galaxy." He waved his synth-chardonnay in the air, "Fuck, yeah! Hold my chardonnay."They toasted to that and speculation shifted to their possible future missions.John next saw Holmes at the ship's first department head briefing in the Captain's ready room off the bridge at o'eight hundred hours.Lieutenant Commander Hudson, the First Officer, was there before him. He thought to himself that he was glad to have someone with her level of experience with the crew.He got his first taste of what it would be like to serve with a Betazed, when Hudson said, "Oh, thank you dear. Yes, I had thought my days of flying the stars was behind me, but when Vice Admiral Hayes personally asked me to do just one more mission while you new ensigns and lieutenants get the dew blasted off you. It'll be an interesting shakedown cruise." She leaned over. "Don't worry that I'll be reading your thoughts all the time, but you were rather loudly relieved at me." She winked at him.They were joined by a Normal Human woman, Lieutenant Donovan, the new Chief Security Officer. Normal, but there was something a bit off in her scent. Not that it mattered. John just wished he could place what it was.As John understood it, she'd been promoted from the enlisted ranks after managing to get a large number of the crew of her former ship onto escape vessels in the battle of Wolf 359. She glared at the empty commander's chair as if the devil was going to be sitting in it. She sniffed when she saw John sitting by Hudson. Which was just lovely. An anti-Augment. Great.She was followed by another human, Ensign Hunter, their navigation officer, and Ensign Smith, their helmsman. The women smiled at each other."Hello, Violet.""Hello, Violet."Donovan sneered, "Great, you're both named Violet. I'm sure that's the most important fucking thing you academy graduates could discuss as we fly through space on a new ship with an untested crew."Hudson said mildly, "Oh, it's the first day. I'm sure our dignity as officers can withstand a little fun."Hunter bounced a little in her chair making her ginger curls bounce. "It is exciting!""Dull, we'll only be assigned patrol missions for the first six months at least," said Holmes, sweeping into the room and sprawling into his chair."We'll do the missions that we're sent on," said Donovan stolidly, lifting her chin. "Sir.""Yes, yes, of course." Holmes sighed. He waved at Hudson and closed his eyes.Hudson said, "For our first mission, as our Violets know, we're on a heading to Starbase 139 to pick up the remainder of our crew and our new chief of Engineering, Victor Hatherley. Lovely boy if his pictures hold true. He graduated a couple years ago."John remembered Hatherley. He'd seemed so mature and knowledgeable when John had been plebe. Very knowledgeable of all the best spots to hook up. Which they had taken a certain advantage of."Ah," said Holmes. "Statistically inevitable given the sample size." He stood up and paced around the room. Donovan snorted. "What kind of briefing is this?" She glared at Holmes' back. "Although, I suppose I can't expect much better. Alpha commander. More omegas than I've ever heard of on a ship in all my years in Starfleet. Bet you feel like some sort of Khan with your Augment followers. With your harem.""Excuse me," said John sharply. Things might still need some settling with Holmes, but that kind of comment had led to riots a hundred years ago.Holmes stopped pacing and turned slowly to stare at Donovan."Uh," said Smith."Second the uh," said Hunter. "That kind of prejudice is…"So uncool," said Smith.They bumped fists. "It does seem to be a little much, if we're going to be getting along in our little ship," said Hudson."Oh, Lieutenant Donovan wants us to think that she's simply prejudiced." Holmes walked around the table. "Your discomfort at your promotion is palpable. The nicks and cuts in your communicator. Obviously retained from your previous post on the USS Bozeman, despite it being an old and out of date design. Exactly the sort of item someone who was caught in a temporal loop for eighty years might wish to cling to." Donovan flinched.John frowned, thinking. The Bozeman had gotten a raw deal – first getting caught in a time loop and then destroyed at the battle of Wolf 359 – John cleared his throat. Time to move on.Holmes looked at John. "Ah, too much. Very well." He lounged back into his chair. "No, I do not…. feel," he elongated the word, "like any sort of Khan." He closed his eyes. "Hudson, carry on.""Yes, well, obviously we all need to get know each other." Hudson smiled. "I had been thinking of hosting a series of talent shows in the cafeteria. Break down some of the barriers. Encouraging some clubs in the various common rooms.""Boring," said Holmes."Oh, I wouldn't worry about excitement," said Hudson. "I'm sure something will come up."However, for the next several days the only excitement were days of study interspersed by new crewmen, unfamiliar with the layout, falling prey to every shipboard disaster that could occur. What happened was their Chief Security Officer seemed convinced that Holmes was about to start killing everyone or declaring himself the overlord of planet X on the strength of one small starship. It made briefings interesting.At odd hours of the day, Holmes would sweep into sickbay. Circle a few times. Often walking out again without saying anything. It began to form the backdrop of John's days.One day Holmes said, "Will you be attending tonight's talent show?"John looked at Holmes. "I thought I might. Take a few hours off my studies. See what's what.""You're not planning on performing yourself?""Oh, no. I… no one needs to see me act. Anyway, all the world's a stage."Holmes nodded and was off again.Still, it was a surprise to see him that night. Holmes was standing to one side of the stage that Hudson had replicated down in the empty cargo hold. He stood with his back to the crowd while Ensign Sh'Alaack and her three bondmates played Andorian Folk music on flabbjellah, an instrument that was part flute, part weapon.They were... not good. But, as Sh'Alaack had apologized profusely when they'd gotten on stage, they hadn't been practicing very long, as they'd only bonded a year before when Sh'Alaack had entered her reproductive phase. The five year-span of the Andorian reproductive cycle was why Sh'Alaack's bondmates, civilians, had been given dispensation to be onboard the ship.They seemed... happy wasn't the right word. Determined to pull through it. Put their lives on hold on the off chance they'd succeed.They were climbing down from the stage when Holmes jumped up on the stage without any sort of introduction, put a violin to his shoulder and played. John found himself leaning forward. The sound pouring out of the small instrument made him think of a waterfall. A meteor shower on one of the less settled worlds. The struggle to get into the academy. The pride he felt in his grades. In all that he'd learned. The promise, there in the last long note, of more.He was on his feet clapping with the rest of the crew the moment it was done. Holmes glanced briefly at John and left the room.John looked across the room at Donovan and dared her to call Holmes a Khan in waiting after making music like that. She only scowled at him and looked away.When Holmes next appeared in sickbay, John said, "That song you played. That was amazing. I didn't know you played violin.""You should have. There were a least three indicators in my office at the academy." Holmes darted a glance at John. "What did you think?""Amazing. Beautiful. I felt like I was flying. What's it called?""Hmm… it's I wrote it. Its name is…" Holmes flushed slightly, "not important.""You wrote it. I…" John blurted out, to his embarrassment, "is there anything you can't do?""Many things, my dear Watson." Holmes froze as he said that. Darted another glance and was gone."I do not understand that alpha." John meant it to be rhetorical.But Julian said, "While Doctor Bashir requested that the scans to replicate him be 'very' thorough, I'm afraid I'm not qualified to give advice. However, basic protocols require that I remind you that fraternizing with a superior officer is against regulations.""Of course." John tried to look bored. "That's not… I meant if I'm going to report to him, I need to understand him."Julian smiled blandly. Incuriously and suggested they go over the Vulcan pulmonary system.They were two days out of Starbase 139, when they received a distress beacon from the research station orbiting Epsilon 2000, a red supergiant on the verge of final disintegration. Holmes commed down to sickbay. "Watson, there are life signs on the station, but no response to our hails. I'll need you in Transporter Room Two."John packed his med kit and after some thinking, requisitioned a phaser from the ship's gunnery. It wouldn't hurt to be prepared.Holmes was standing impatiently on the transporter pad with Crewman Washington, a Normal Human from Security, and Sh'Alaack from Engineering. "We do not require a security escort," said Holmes.Donovan crossed her arms. "The first officer should go on this kind of mission.""Do you honestly expect Lieutenant Commander Hudson to go on away missions." Holmes glared at Washington. "Don't get in my way."Beside them, Sh'Alaack's antennae twitched.Washington said, "Sir, yes, sir."John climbed up onto the pad. He leaned over to Holmes. "You're just going because you want to get a look at their research.""Think about it, Watson. The death of a star. A red supergiant." Holmes grinned.John tried to keep his expression stern. There were possibly injured people, but he knew Holmes caught his hint of a smile.They materialized in a mess hall, surrounded by the bulk of the life signs apparently engaged in an orgy. John tilted his head to the left. "Not what I expected."Sh'Alaack bent down and shook the nude shoulder of a man licking the clitoris of a woman currently licking on the cock of a third man, who was himself being buggered by… it was a mass of bodies. Washington tugged from the other side to no effect.Holmes hissed, "Ensign, Crewman, what are you doing? Are you idiots? Don't you know even the most basic protocols?""Sorry, sir," Sh'Alaack stood up, having failed to get the attention of anyone."They didn't cover that in training, sir." Washington twitched. "It was an accelerated three month course."Holmes grumbled and picked his way through the bodies. From the corridor beyond, a man ran into the room waving a laser cutter. "Sinners! Fornicators. You're all going to hell." He ran at Holmes, who kicked him back against the wall with a thud. The man shook his head and came at them again.John stunned him.Holmes growled at Washington. "They did not teach you very much. The doctor had to subdue the only threat. The doctor!" He glared at Sh'Alaack. "And you, don't just stand there. Check out the basic systems. We don't want to blow up."He stalked out into the hallway. John turned to Washington. "Take everyone here to decontamination on board the Bakerstreet and get yourself looked over as well.""Yes, sir," said a very subdued Washington.John followed the sound of Holmes' footsteps. The corridor was littered with bottles. Food wrappers. There were gouges and phaser burns on the walls. As well as crudely drawn graffiti of what looked to be a Cardassian being penetrated by a Vulcan with a two pronged cock. John shook his head at this bit of anatomically incorrect folklore.He heard garbled words and a loud clank. A pop, indicating a change in air pressure. Over the com, he heard Hudson say, "Commander what was that?"John ran down the corridor. He found Holmes examining the entry door to the station control room. John reached out to open the door."Don't," said Holmes sharply. He showed John his tricorder reading, there was vacuum on the other side of the door. "As I arrived one of the engineers said something about a blowout and opened the emergency hatch. I barely had time to close the door on my side." Holmes rubbed at his fingers. There was something red and sticky over them.John arched an eyebrow at him. "You were saying about bio-protocol."Holmes glared, but allowed John to herd him back to the Bakerstreet for decontamination.Julian smiled at them from inside the decom unit. He held up a jar.Holmes said, "That is unnecessary. I'm very unlikely to have been contaminated. I have a highly augmented immune system."Julian said, "Since you've expressed discomfort with me for medical procedures, John should apply the decom gel.""Leave," said Holmes. "Don't you have other patients?""Oh, yeah. They weren't too happy to be separated, but I have them in quarantine. I've already finished clearing the rest of the away team." Julian bounced on his heels. "I'll just be going to see to them now.""Yes, do. Doctor Watson is my doctor.""Not a doctor yet," muttered John, who took the jar from Julian and took what was hopefully a very professional breath. "Okay, we both need to strip down." The decom gel was cool, but Holmes skin was hot. He remember that from all those backrubs. The one time they'd fucked. Repeatedly. Fucked repeatedly. Holmes was hot. Firm. Muscular. John made himself focus as he slid his hands over Holmes back, spreading the gel. Putting on a double and trip dose, just in case.Holmes grunted. John was certain that was a grunt.He turned around. "You'll need to do my back now." He heard Holmes rub his hands together slickly, before lightly touching his back. Holmes slid his longer slender fingers down John's back in gliding strokes. Carefully rubbing the gel into every inch of skin. He said, very close to John's left ear. "There. That's it."John took a breath and dealt with his front. Facing away from Holmes, thank you very much. When they were covered, he started the Decom cycle. Various spectrums of radiation flickered over them, eliminating any potential pathogens they may have been exposed to.John took a long time in the subsequent shower. He'd already verified the privacy of the cubicles and took a few extra minutes for a quick wank to ease his nerves. He needn't have bothered considering privacy. The moment he came out, Holmes gave him a startled look. His hair was particularly curly and soft looking. It made him look much younger than he was. Look more John's age. Particularly as a flush crept up Holmes' pale cheeks all the way to his ears.Holmes pulled himself up. "I… Lieutenant, when you have a report on what's affecting the scientists, bring it to my ready room.""Yes, sir," John left the room and let out a breath as soon as the door closed behind him. Since he didn't want to face Julian just yet, he swung by the galley to grab some comfort food to settle him. He spotted Sh'Alaack wildly gesticulating to her three bondmates. Her zhen bondmate, Kehl said, "The Commander does not think you are an idiot."Sh'Alaack said, "I know I'm not the one who was originally chosen for you. That she died. I'm so lucky you wanted me. An adult, already months into my reproductive years. I didn't think I'd find anyone who would want me."The other two Andorians clustered closely around Sh'Alaack. Ishros said, "You are not alone. We want to be here."While Khel whispered, "I'm not sure. What will I do onboard here? Wait. Fail over and over. Stay still while others advance with their lives."John steered around the family drama and got a bowl of curry. He was about to search through the database for illnesses with similar symptoms, when he realized he was being an idiot. He tapped his com. "Julian, start a search for any pathogens that could cause the kind of symptoms we're seeing.""Oh, I started that when I heard the word orgy. Nothing so far, but our medical library is very large. This is not an uncommon occurrence all told. It'll take me a while."John said, "I'll be in the galley looking at the scanner readings." The people from the station were exhibiting some unusual brain activity comparable to the effects of alcohol, but somehow he doubted that the scientists had decided to have a massive kegger.Across the room, Sh'Alaack shouted, "He hates me. Of course he does. I'm an idiot. I screwed everything up! That's what I do!" She waved a very non-regulation knife. "I don't deserve to be here. I should have died with my parents on Taurus IV. Died when the bondmates who were chosen for me died. I'm not worthy of this bonding. I've wasted precious time and resources to pursue a foolish dream. I have not even succeeded in providing a zygote that can be carried to term. If our species dies, it will because of me. I should free you to bond with a more genetically compatible mate."Sh'Alaack turned her knife towards her chest. Her bondmates struggled to take it from her, but her movements were wild. Hysterical. Tears streamed down from red eyes. John pulled a hypospray out of his kit and hoped he was picking the right sedative for an Andorian. She slumped forward, dropping the knife. He checked her vitals. Her pulse and temperature were elevated.Khel whispered, "It's not her fault that I lost our child."John blew out a breath. He suddenly wished he was on a Galaxy class ship with counselors and such. "Let her rest in your quarters. Ummm… keep her there though. I'll check in later." Ishros, her chaan bondmate glared at the room. He said, "I would put a period to the life of any who makes her feel inadequate.""Why don't you just take her to your quarters, yeah." John watched Ishros leave with Sh'Alaack, while the other two remained.He tried to work his way through the rest of the report, but Khel moved to sit next to him. He said, "I'm sorry, I really need to focus on this."There was a deep blue hue in her cheeks. "Your scent is changing." She leaned forward tilting her antennae towards him. "Sweeter." She turned to her bondmate, Shroleb. "Isn't he getting sweeter?""Yes. Her as well," said Shroleb pointing at Lucy, who was lifting her thick clay daubed braids to dab her neck with a cloth a table over.Lucy didn't smell sweet to John. She smelled acrid. Mildly threatening. Their eyes met and John was baring his teeth at her before he knew what he was doing. He shook his head. Realized he was standing even though he hadn't noticed doing so.John wished the lights weren't so bright. John forced himself to focus and take a tricorder reading of the room. Something wasn't right.Wonderfully right as Holmes swept into the room. Had exactly the scent John wanted. Exactly what John needed as he gripped John's shoulder and spun John around. Faced him. Looked down with beautiful, lovely, wonderful concerned eyes. "Watson! Are you injured? I was informed there was an incident."Just as suddenly, John's mood shifted. "Quiet, I'm trying to take a reading," shrugging off Holmes' hands. "You're always interrupting me, and calling me stupid."Holmes looked at him in shock.Lucy laughed and tossed her braids. "Khatri was right. His scent is yummy."John glared at her. He glared at his tricorder. Given their suppressants what he was seeing shouldn't be happening. "I...Lucy's hormone levels, in particular her couplins, are highly increased." He didn't mention that his own hormones were off the chart.He moved to put himself between Lucy and Holmes. Bared his teeth at the other omega.Holmes said, "Security, Ensign Hebron is going into heat. Meet us in sickbay. Holmes out." John knew Holmes must be able to scent John's shifting scent. He knew it. That was… fine. It was all fine. John was on birth control that would keep him from ovulating. It was… he should focus."You might want to get down here, John," said Julian over the com. "We have a lot of customers." There something to focus on.Holmes glared at Khel, who was brushing her antennae against John's hair. "Move away from my doctor."She whispered, "You both smell so good." She raked her fingernails along Holmes' neck. Raising them to her lips. Licking lightly at her nails. "Good." She offered her hand to her bondmate for a taste.Khel didn't smell like a threat. Not like Lucy. But still, she shouldn't be touching John's commander like that.John pushed her away from his Holmes. He didn't want to, but he herded Lucy with them, staying between her and Holmes, as they headed for sickbay.When they arrived all the biobeds were full of sedated patients. And it was at least a hundred degrees.John wiped his forehead. "Can't you turn the temperature down?"Julian glanced at him. "It's seventy-five degrees. Ship normal."John pushed Lucy towards Julian and away from Holmes. "She's in heat." He didn't say what had to be moderately obvious given Julian was directly connected to sensors all over sickbay. That he himself was about one meandering step away from heat as well.Julian didn't appear to notice. He examined Lucy's pupil dilation and briskly gave her a shot of something just as Washington stumbled into the room. Julian said, "Crewman Washington, I've given Ensign Hebron a sedative. Since there are no biobeds left, take her to her quarters to let her sleep off the effects.""Uh..." said John, not really wanting to contradict Julian. He did after all know a good deal about medicine than John, but a sedative would do exactly nothing for Lucy given the hormonal cocktail of heat currently pumping through her system. In fact, it could even have an opposite effect. Lowering her inhibitions even further. But, what did John know. He'd completed one credit of medical school."Don't be an idiot," said Holmes. Wonderfully. "Take her to the holodeck and turn on an appropriate program."Washington blinked slowly. "What?" His forehead wrinkled. "Um?"Lucy giggled. "Appropriate. Ah...pro...prick...ate." She waggled her index finger and moved it in and out of a circle she made with the thumb and index finger of her other hand.Washington giggled. "Heh.""She'll know," said Holmes turning bright red, wonderfully moving closer to John, warm and firm at his back, "and if any other omegas go into heat, put them in the holodeck with her."He had to know John was going into heat. He had to, but he instead of pushing John to join Lucy, he stood so wonderfully close to John."Yeah, sure," said Washington.Lucy slumped against Washington giggling. They lurched out of the room.Holmes rested the back of his hand on John's neck. "You're very warm. Very. Warm." Holmes brushed his hands up and down John's shoulders, which felt nice.Holmes suddenly pulled away from John. "We've been infected. This isn't possible." He loomed over Julian. "What good are you if you can't identify the infection? I could find it faster." Julian maintained exactly the same expression. Calm and friendly. "We have extensive medical libraries that… there it is." His face assumed a look of concern. "Hmmm, that could be problematic."Holmes glowered."Here let me show you." Julian called up a molecular display on the monitor. "The infection is called polywater intoxication. This pathogen was first identified by the USS Enterprise on stardate 1704.2 and by the USS Enterprise D on stardate… you're not listening to me are you?"Holmes was examining the display. "Ah, I see. Complex water molecules acquire carbon from the body when exposed to the radiation peculiar to an immanently exploding star, which results in an affect like intoxication. It's communicated by physical contact."The Bakerstreet shuddered around them."Commander," said Hudson over the com. "Helm is, oh, dear it is warm in here. My, anyway, I thought you might want to know that the Violets have disappeared somewhere. I'm all alone up here. Well, I've summoned some of the more muscular of our crew people. Oh, yes, keep doing that dear. Anyway, we're getting dangerously close to the star, which does appear to be, oh yes, hmmm… exploding. If I don't explode first. Yes, keep doing…" The com cut off.Holmes grabbed John's hand. "Watson with me," and practically dragged him from the room. His hand felt good. Better than good. It felt great.There was something John needed to say. "You have incredible hands. I've always liked that about you." He drew Holmes' hand to the side of his face.Holmes slowed his pace. He didn't look at John. He didn't let go. "You're not yourself, Watson.""Where have I heard that before," John heard himself say as if from a distance. Heard himself volunteer. "I've changed birth control to something more effective." Then asked worriedly, "Has it affected my scent? Made me less attractive?""Yes. No," said Holmes, flushing further. "No." They came to the entry of engineering.Donovan was standing in front of the door armed with a phaser. There were at least a dozen stunned crewman lying on the ground. She glared at them. "I know what you are. Who you are.""I very much doubt that," said Holmes, letting go of John's hand to push him behind him, which was sweet. Unnecessary, but sweet.John ran his hands over Holmes' very pertly rounded backside. "Hmm…" Holmes leaned back into his touch."No, I know exactly what you are," droned Donovan on and on. She should shut up already. John didn't care about Donovan. He cared about Holmes' hands. His scent. How warm he was. "You're genetically engineered monsters. People forget, but Khan was only loyal to his own kind and you're just like him.""That's the second time you've referenced Khan rather than a more generalized dislike of Augments." Holmes moved away from John. Picking his way over bodies. John stayed where he was admiring the way Holmes walked. The left tuck in his uniform. The whole package. "While it's true you were stuck in an eighty year time loop, Khan Brittanus' attacks on London and San Francisco occurred when you would have been an infant." Holmes was gorgeous. The way his eye color changed in the light. Sometimes blue. Sometimes green. Sometimes gold even. "Nothing you directly experienced." Brilliant. Holmes shone as brightly as a star. Holmes cleared his throat. "Watson, you're saying that aloud.""Should I stop?" asked John concerned."No, no, uh, as I was saying, Donovan you speak as if Khan Brittanus had a direct effect on you. But you haven't referenced the death of a parent, the obvious cause." He took several more lithe steps. Graceful. "I won't betray my own kind," hissed Donovan the boring.Holmes grinned, bright as a stage light revealing true love's dawn. "You're Thomas Harewood's daughter. The officer that Khan suborned in exchange for a cure to save his daughter's life from a life threatening illness."Holmes' voice was going directly to John's ovaries. His clenching cunt. To the liquid dripping down his thighs. He blinked at the thought. Muttered, "This cannot be happening." He raised his hand to his face for the faint traces of Holmes' warm smoky scent lingering there. But really all he could think about was if they could just deal with Donovan and not be consumed by a dying star, they could fuck.That would be lovely. Exactly what John needed right now. There was something else niggling at the back of his mind, but he couldn't have cared less.Holmes was now as far from John as possible. Donovan had to turn her head to look at both of them. Holmes said, "But that's not why you're so fixated on Khan." He breathed in, closing his eyes. Focusing on whatever it was that was different in Donovan's scent. "It's because of what he did to cure you.""He changed me. He made me not human," said Donovan, spitting her words. John tackled her and pressed a hypospray to her neck to make her shut up."Okay, Lieutenant Donovan down." He wobbled to his feet. "Door." Which turned out to be locked.John looked around for a replicator so he could replicated something to pick the lock, but it was probably inside engineering for access by hungry and caffeine deprived engineers. "Oh. I wanted to show off again."Holmes lifted him off his feet and held him dangling against the door. His lips ground against John's. He muttered. "Competent." Another kiss. "Resourceful." Another breath stealing kiss. "Good." He paused. Catching John's lower lip between his teeth. Slowly letting him down. Body sliding against body. "I will not be an animal. I will not. This is just transport."John smiled and let his head fall to the side giving Holmes access to his neck. Holmes growled before his canines pierced the flesh over his scent glands. John came with a shout. Liquid soaking his front.He wanted to stay here forever. Move onto fucking. But there was something they needed to do.John wrenched himself away, grabbed the phaser from the floor, changed the setting, and fired at the Jeffrey's tube over their heat. "Lift me up."Holmes laughed. He pushed John up and then lightly jumped up into the shaft.John chuckled. Shaft. They didn't make very fast progress. Touching each other. Pausing to snog and grapple. Get both their cocks out of their uniforms. Jerk off a few times. Eventually they came to the grate over engineering. Came.Reminding each other they were going to fall into a star, John and Holmes dropped down.There was an unconscious crewman by the engine core. Stunned. "Shouldn't it be," John waved at the warp drive, "glowing?"Holmes growled, "Someone turned off the engine core. I can do a cold-restart with a controlled matter anti-matter implosion, but you need to," he pointed to the far end of the room. "Over there. So I can think."John grumbled, but had to admit if they died in a fiery explosion then they couldn't fuck. He stripped off his uniform.Holmes said, "Watson, that is… not… helpful. Farther away."John rubbed his body against the wall. Marking it with his scent. Regretfully climbed the stairs to the next level. Pausing frequently to squirm against the rails. To press the line of a railing against his backside. Looking down through through the grating, watching Holmes work. His wonderful fingers flying over the controls. He slid the railing up and down along his crack. Fingered himself. Faint relief.Finally, finally, finally, the engine glowed to life. The ship lurched. John would have fallen if he hadn't been humping so hard against the railing.Holmes gripped the control unit – John chuckled about units – and said, "We will not have a repeat of the last time. We will not." His scent was heavy. Earthy and honeysuckle sweet. His gorgeous cock was fully erect. Red tipped and ready for what John needed.John smiled and stroked himself. He flicked some precum down, nothing more than a few drops, but it landed where John wanted. Holmes wiped at what had fallen on his face and almost unthinkingly licked his hand clean. John squirmed and said, "I could always fuck myself with that," he waved a hand at a cylindrical rod plugged into a thingey."You'd… incinerate yourself. No! I order you not to." Holmes ground out.John squirmed, spreading his legs wider. "I need it. If you won't then, I'll…" He didn't get to finish the statement.One moment, Holmes was on the deck below. The next he'd jumped up to the upper level and was fucking John through the railing. His cock long enough to get past the metal and into John.John keened at the feeling of Holmes' cock stretching him. But as much as he pushed back, he couldn't get Holmes' knot from this angle. Knew that wonderful knot was expanding outside of John. Teasing him. He whined as Holmes came. Mutinously, he didn't order him to come again. Not that he moved away. Not with the alpha doing his best to please him. John pushed back against the rails. Felt a wonderful euphoria come over him.Still, it was so much better when the alpha finally pulled himself out, swung himself over the railing and spun John around so he could hold onto the railing. Lean forward and present what he wanted to be filled. Was as ready as John to go again. Pounded into him from the better side of the railing. The right side to get the curves of his swelling knot inside John.The balcony was hard against John's hip bones at each slap of their bodies. Still the angle wasn't quite right to get all of that wonderful knot. John shifted his hips, bending. Yowling as the alpha pushed deeper inside John. His knot finally able to breech needy flesh. Again and again. Growled that he needed more. He pulled himself higher. Bending half over the banister. Exposed and open for the next brutally wonderful thrust. Again and again. The alpha's knot swelling. Locking them together as the alpha came inside John in hot thick spurts.John came, spurting in an arc on the grating. His internal muscles squeezing around the wonderful alpha cock inside him, milking it. Drawing up the cum that filled him. He felt dizzy with pleasure as one and then two beads of light made an intoxicating drop inside him. Like internal fireworks of good. There was something wrong with that, but he couldn't quite remember why it shouldn't be wonderful that he was releasing ovum for such a good alpha. John leaned back against the alpha. Doing wonderful things with the angle now that the alpha was firmly seated. Exposing his neck for more bites. The alpha's teeth clamped down again on John's neck, pinning him twice over. Even as both their bodies moved restlessly around the knot pinning them. Pushing and pulling to their mutual pleasure.John babbled. "That's it. Fuck me. Fill me. Breed me. Yeah. He put his hand over where the alpha's hand was wrapped over his belly. "Feel that. That's where you'd breed me." He tried to mention the data crystal, but it came out, "Fucking filled me up. I'd get so round. You'd like that wouldn't you."The alpha ground his teeth in John's neck. Shifted, pressing his knot even more firmly against John's very good, nice spot. Coaxing another bead of wonderful light. His wide wonderful hands lifting and holding John against the railing. John squirmed around the knot. His feet dangling inches above the ground, as he tried to make more firework beads fall. Needing more. The alpha came again. Hot spurts that sent white fire through John's belly. Causing a chain reaction within John that had him coming onto the floor below.Finally, they both slumped against the banister, now slightly bent from their activities. The alpha slid out of John, his cum dripping onto the grating and onto the floor below. The alpha nuzzled John's neck. John giggled. "Tickles. Good ticklish."John could hear groaning outside. Crew people. They needed to be… somewhere less… exposed. He looked at the alpha, who lightly picked John up and jumped up to catch the opening into the Jeffrey's tube. He swung them up easily. As if it was nothing to carry a grown man.At first John wasn't sure why they'd gone back to the Jeffries tube, but understood when the alpha lay out next to John nuzzling and licking his entire body. "Oh." He spread his legs wide, welcoming the exploration. The alpha's lips on his cock. His tongue was slightly rough. It felt amazing. He came so hard his cum hit the ceiling, dripped down on both of them. The alpha licked it where it landed on John's skin.Which was lovely, but John needed more than the sweep of a tongue on cock and cunt. He growled to let the alpha know what he wanted. Another fast wonderful round of grappling in the dark. Beads of light filling him. Orgasm shaking his entire body. When John was finally boneless and content, he pulled the alpha up next to him. "Sleep." The alpha rumbled and resumed nuzzling him. John decided he'd take his own advice and closed his eyes.They fucked again at some point. John came half awake with his legs wrapped around the alpha, who was rocking inside of him. He sighed happily. The alpha nipped at his neck. "Yeah. That." Shifted his hips up to take in the swell of the alpha's knot. The rush as the alpha came inside of him. Muscles squeezing to ensure John could get all he could.He slipped back asleep as alpha pulled out and resumed his cuddling.Only blinking awake hours later in the dark of the Jeffrey's tube.By the faint light from the two openings, he could make out Holmes staring at him.He could also think again."Well, that was a thing." He rubbed at his hair. There was a lot of dried cum in it."Not good," said Holmes."We're not dead, so there is that." John sat up carefully so as not to bang his head. "Not sure why we're not still," he waved a hand, "suffering from polywater intoxication."Holmes pulled away from him. John observed that the man really had no body fat. He said, "It probably ran its course.""I am practically a doctor. I read the same report you did. Polywater intoxication requires a fairly specific treatment, which we haven't gotten from Julian.""Mmm… the hologram.""He's quite nice if you get to know him.""You mean it, not him."John rubbed his neck. "I'm in a relatively good mood with you right now, but that… can… change."Holmes shut his mouth with a click. He looked mutinous. Also naked. Also, his hair was sticking out in all directions. John didn't bother resisting smoothing it. Holmes eyes briefly closed, a purr rumbling from his chest.He seemed to remember after a moment, flinching as he pulled away. "I would understand if you felt that you needed to put in for a transfer, but really you shouldn't because I think the events of the last day and in the Borg cube demonstrate the excellence of our working relationship."John felt as if his hands were still tingling from the sensation of dragging them through Holmes' curls. "Can we not have this conversation naked and covered in each other's dried spunk?""Ah," Holmes pulled against the far wall, which wasn't that far. "Yes. Perhaps. Good. Now." John pointed at the opening he'd blasted with the phaser, "I'm going to go out that way." He pointed to the opening into engineering. "You go that way.""But you won't decide to leave the Bakerstreet without my making my case.""Out of the Jeffries tubes, clothes, deal with things, shower, sadly in that order and we'll go from there." John crawled gingerly to the opening. He dropped down passing by several crewman and ensigns who studiously looked away from him. A good number of them looked like they'd spent the last several hours doing the same thing that he had.Lucy passed him in the hallway, muttering, "I can't believe I did that. I don't behave like that."John decided that as long as he'd passed this many people, he might as well go to his quarters and get that shower before getting dressed.He was a little surprised to find that the entire hallway had been painted to look like a forest, which was new. Still, the shower was divine. The clothing was nice too.As he came into sickbay, he found a flushing Hunter saying to Julian, "I just want to thank you for not taking advantage of my whole, 'Are you fully functional?' kind of insane behavior.""Not a problem," Julian smiled wide and friendly. "While I'm not functional in that way, so it's not an issue, it's not something I'd want anyone to do to someone under the influence." He spotted John. "Oh, good. Since I'm stuck in sickbay, I could only give the cure to people here and then have them distribute it among the crew. Speaking of which," he examined John, "who did you get the cure from?"John scrubbed his head. "Actually, I didn't.""That's not possible," Julian ran a scanner over him. Hunter slunk out of sickbay while Julian analyzed John. "You were infected and now you appear to be back to normal. If you'd like, I could do a complete workup."John sighed. "Maybe tomorrow.""Ah," Julian's eyes crinkled just like he was made of flesh, "funny thing. You know that trick Commander Holmes pulled restarting the engines.""Yes, the one that kept us from falling into a star," said John carefully."It sent us three days back in time. Tomorrow is in fact yesterday. Fascinating isn't it." Julian said that in the most conversational way possible. Like saying that knitting is a fun hobby."That is, interesting." John's eyes crossed a bit at the idea, but decided not to worry about it. He floated through the rest of the day on left over endorphins. Woke sometime in the middle of the night to a stabbingly familiar pain in his abdomen. "No, no, no." He tried to sit up, but felt too weak to move.He was still shivering in agony come the long night's end. There was a chime at the door. "Watson, may I come in?"John wanted to invite Holmes in. He wanted to be wrapped in his arms and be held and be told this wasn't happening. He squeezed his eyes shut. This was not happening. "Not a good time. Tomorrow. Make that the day after tomorrow."There was a long silence at the door, and finally, "Very well, but I will not agree to your transfer until you've heard me out."John kept the com off as he muffled groans into his pillow. The pains were shorter this time. No less painful, but fewer of them.When he felt capable of standing, he showered thoroughly, opting for a sonic rather than water shower to scour his skin clean. He dressed in a crisp uniform. Told himself that it would be far too soon for any signs to be present.Sickbay was empty. Julian had a cup of coffee waiting for him. He couldn't have known that it would have John swallowing nausea. "Thanks, ummm would it be possible to have little privacy for the next hour?""Sure," Julian smiled genially, always friendly, always smiling. "But if you need any help looking over your scans, that's what I'm here for." He winked out. John turned the privacy shield on for biobed two. He ran the scan and chuckled sourly at the result. "Losing your touch there. Only six." He rubbed his face. Wondering how polywater could have affected his birth control, but it wasn't like he could experiment. He stared for long minutes at the reading. Little more than a few cells, but rapidly replicating. He sighed and made himself get up. Replicated a utero-transporter from the designs in his files. Loaded a stasis cube. He felt that same tingling sensation. If no less of a loss. He left sickbay with the data cube tight in his hand. He pulled the box out from under his bed. The two cubes were such little things.He let out half hysterical laugh and made a notation with the stardate on each of them.He put the box back under the bed. He sat there until Julian's cheerful voice filled his com. "Hey, John, are you alright? Do you need me for a second opinion?""No, I'm good." John got up and made himself go back to work.When John opened the door to his room the next morning, Holmes was standing there waiting. He said, "It is now the day after tomorrow." He scowled. "Technically even now we're trying to save the Bakerstreet from falling into a star."John checked his chrono. "Come inside. We should have breakfast.""Then we will discuss my case.""First breakfast, and then we discuss the situation."