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This is a list of characters who are referenced and appear in this story.
Bihr Sh'Alaack, Race: 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. Parent of 4 children, though an attack by John's sister, Harry, means she cannot provide eggs for further children.
Billy, Race: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Omega, Title: , Speciality: , Description: 3rd generation Augment. Grand-son of Grendel, a British augment. He was captured by Colonel Green and his men, along with his son Connor, and tortured. He carries a lot of trauma from his experiences during WWII. His sister, Anthea, is a distant ancestor of John Watson.
Connor, Race: Human Augment, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Omega, Title: , Speciality: , Description: 4th generation Augment. Great-grandson of Grendel. British augment. Has traumatic memories of his time while held by Colonel Green.
Eva, Race: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Beta, Title: , Speciality: , Description: Lucy's daughter.
Ishros, Race: 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.
redacted, Race: Dopterian / Changeling, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Title: Ensign, Speciality: , Description: The less said the better.
John Watson, Race: 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, Race: 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.
Khel, Race: 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.
Lucy Hebron, Race: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Omega, Title: Cadet, Ensign, Lieutenant, Speciality: Biology, Description: Botanist. Friend of John Watson's since the academy. She's passionate about Augment rights. Can trace Her background to 2 augment nation states: South Africa (Himba tribe) and British. Wears otjize, a type of skin clay worn by the Himba tribe (where the South African nation state got most of the human DNA for the super soldier program) as sunscreen, skin care, and cosmetic. When into heat during the polywater incident and had a child, Eva, with Freddy Washington.
Martha Hudson, Race: 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. Formerly a Section 31 agent, but retired to non active status after she went through the Betazed change of life.
Sally Donovan, Race: 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. Has a family history with Britannus. Her father was Thomas Harewood, who betrayed Starfleet/Section 31 in exchange for a cure for an illness his infant daughter (Sally) was suffering from. Sally's mother changed their names and moved them after everything went down with Britannus.
Shroleb, Race: 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.
Violet Hunter, Race: 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, Race: Human, Beta, Sex&Gender: She/Her, Title: Ensign, Lieutenant, Speciality: Helm, Description: Loves ships, exuberant. Is 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, Race: Human, Augment, Sex&Gender: He/Him, Alpha, Title: Professor, Lt. Cmdr, Cmdr, Speciality: ExoBiology, Space based species, Engineer, really 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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"It's good to be home," said Khel, putting down their bags.Ishros popped his back as he stretched.Thil and Shor, awake and freed from their strollers, raced for their room. Shroleb followed at a more reasonable pace with the younger twins.Home.Bihr wondered if this was home. She had considered it so for last several years. Here in her quarters that Khel had changed to their tastes. A piece of Andor when Andor itself had not felt like home.There, her remaining relatives were distant kin. Her bondmates' parents had done their best to smother her with affection as her body healed. Tried to distract her thoughts. Except, of course, like a sore tooth, her thoughts always strayed back to recent events.Left her wondering if she would be able to face Doctor Watson without flinching. Without seeing his twin raising Bihr's own phaser. Without seeing her parent's murderer giving his life to save her.A sore tooth. She wanted it pulled. She wanted to go back to reality as it had been. When she'd thought, Kodos long dead. When the past only haunted her every few weeks.Her bondmates had asked her if she wanted to put in for a transfer.She had considered it.But when she'd gotten word from Stonn on the Bakerstreet that every Augment in the fleet had been ordered to be remanded to a Starbase, all she could think about was the engines. Alive or not, to the engineering crew, a ship was a living thing. An extremely modified and customized living thing.A being without documentation about the nature of the modifications that were not entirely to Starfleet regulations, and as Yao often said, anything recorded was sure to be improved upon shortly.Frankly, it had always made Bihr's antennae twitch.She had made plans to return immediately.Bihr left her bondmates to settle in, with a rueful look from Ishros. She went to the engine room to find Stonn asleep on a cot, McCarthy and Smith looking wild eyed at the controls for the transducer coils. "What are you doing?"Smith said, "Oh, thank God! You came back. Stonn wasn't sure you would, and I've been trying to help out, but none of the systems work like it says in any of the designs."So it was her first day back on the Bakerstreet, Bihr documented the modifications and saved it in her private records with a local coy on her pad. Over dinner, Kehl looked at her fondly and Ishros squeezed her hand. Bihr stopped waving her fork. "What?""Nothing," said Ishros.Bihr resumed explaining the systems that she'd been documenting. That night she dreamed of warp cores.And yet, on waking, she returned to the same sore tooth.And so she applied the same cure to it.
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John put away his most hidden belongings back in sickbay.Spoke with Julian. Apologized for his behavior before he'd left.Found out that Sh'Alaack had returned with her family, but decided that there were some conversations that could wait.Went to talk to Billy about Yao.Which was several kinds of horrible. He ended up holding the other man as Billy burst into tears. His relative separated by centuries. "I didn't know it had gone that far."Billy pulled away. Pulled himself together. "I can't believe she would do something like that. Soo Lin hadn't had an easy time growing up. There were expectations from her parents that she didn't feel she'd ever measure up too. A childhood that sounded as isolated as mine. It took her months to hold hands, but… I can't believe that she would do something so horrible. She knew that my grandfather was in one of those cryo-chambers. I told her that. I told her what it was like in the twenty-first century and all that time she was hiding that she'd done… this. How?"John swallowed. He hadn't even thought of that, but of course, Billy's mother had been first generation from the first augments. Of course, Billy's grandfather had been one of the Augments who went with Khan. "Did you hear much about your grandfather growing up?" Had a really horrible thought and wasn't fast enough to keep it from coming out of his mouth. "Was your grandfather's relationship with your grandmother… consensual?""That does seem to be the first question I get asked since coming to the future," said Billy. "Except from Soo Lin. She just assumed it was. Course… according to what Mum heard from her mum, it was more complicated than that." He sank back into the cushions of the couch. "Grandmother thought if she got close to him, she'd be safe. Protected from all the chaos going on. While mum, my Grandfather would carry her around on his shoulders and tell everyone she was his little princess. First five years of her life were spent in a castle next to a lake in the mountains. She had a room just for her toys in a tower. Rest, didn't quite work out that way."John sat awkwardly for a bit longer with Billy, until Billy said very softly, "It's okay. I need to be alone for a bit before Connor gets out of school."John left him, but did ping to Khatri to let her know the situation. She could generally be depended on to organize the right thing.Then it was time.John told himself to man up and put on the big boy pants. He went to Sherlock's quarters and went inside.The door opened. Sherlock was standing, but he wasn't in uniform. He was wearing a flowing green silk robe over black leather trousers and a waist cinch that managed to expose and conceal Sherlock's body simultaneously.John stopped just inside the door. "When did you get that?" He came closer. "That's hand made."A smile flashed across Sherlock's face. "On DS9. Garak's. I haven't had a chance to show them to you yet." He slunk – because that was the only word for it – closer. "Do you like it?"John licked his lips. "I know you don't need to ask. You know I do."John tried to focus and looked in the box that Sherlock had been examining. It was full of the sex toys that John had stashed in Sherlock's quarters when he'd discovered that his parents would be coming on board.Sherlock was holding the black leather collar that he liked to wear when being the Emperor's favorite concubine.Sherlock lowered his gaze. "Shall I put this on? Or would you like to put it on me?"John plucked the collar out of his hands. "You are my favorite sex slave.""Hmmm… as you are mine." Sherlock picked John's leather collar out of the box. "Oh!" His eyes widened. "Next time, we should try being sex slaves together. Giving into… forbidden desire. That is," he looked down, "if there will be a next time.""Yeah, there'll be a first time." Then since John was about to say the most hated words in any relationship, that they needed to talk, he put the collar on Sherlock's neck. Stretched out his neck to have Sherlock do the same.He opened his mouth to say what he had to say, and everything went black.
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He blinked awake. A thick fur rug under his cheek. He swallowed and sat up. A stranger was sitting up next to him. A beautiful stranger. Golden skin. Golden soft hair. Smiling blue eyes as they examined the room. Their scent was milk-cream, earth rich, and yet somehow subtly spicy. Omega, supplied something in his memory. He waited, but nothing else bubbled up.The omega said, "Who are you? Who am I?""I would ask the same thing, but obviously something has affected both our memories." He unbuckled the collar around His neck. He looked at it. Sniffed it. Licked the leather. "We are wearing matching collars.""We could be… captives.""Ridiculous. No."He leaned over and lightly licked the omega's cheek, who asked, "What are you doing?""There are bodily secretions on the collar I'm wearing. I'm verifying that you produced them." It was obvious even with their lack of information. He huffed an annoyed breath. "Your semen has been rubbed into its surface. The most likely scenario is you have ejaculated on my face or chest while I've worn the collar, perhaps both, in order to achieve that result."The omega's scent subtly shifted. Their arousal apparent even in their loose fitting trousers.He flushed, suddenly very hard as well. It wasn't a memory. Perhaps a sense memory. But he could very clearly envision the omega doing precisely that.The omega climbed to their feet and looked in a box on the table. "That would certainly match what's in here."He looked in the box. There were a variety of dildos, anal beads, ampules of lube, and cock rings inside.The omega licked their lips. "Yeah." Dragged their hot blue eyes over his body. He felt every moment of the gaze. That golden seraphim said, "Maybe we should… kiss. See if it feels familiar."He could only nod helplessly. Needing to know if what his clothes and collar indicated was true. "That would be a logical plan."Their lips brushed together. Softly at first. The omega slid their tongue inside his mouth. He did the same tasting the omega. Delicious. It made him long for more. Tongues swirling against each other. Mouths parting only to shift and find each other again. Breathe growing rapidly harsh. His heart pounding. The omega's hands already finding their way inside the silky robe to slide it wonderfully back over the skin of his upper chest. The omega pushed the robe back to let it fall to the ground.He wanted it to fall. Wanted more skin. Air. Hands. Given the surety of the omega's muscle memory, he was more and more certain of his conjecture.Especially as the omega's hands found the opening of his leather trousers. Wonderful clever hands freed that freed his cock. Then without pulling their lips from his, their own. The omega reached over to the box and plucked out an ampule of lube, crushing it in their hand. The omega wrapped that hand, with callouses for weapons. With callouses for devices. That wonderful slick, warm hand around both of them. Twisting to rub their cocks delightfully together as the omega rapidly slid their hand back and forth between their bodies. Mouths still doing their best to steal each other's breathe away.He came. His blood rushing in his ears. The omega coming as well with a shout. They swayed against each other.The omega said, "That uh… felt familiar." Cum was splattered on both bellies. "We maybe didn't think that through. Let's see if we can find some other clothes."They put themselves in some order and searched the room. There was a box with an array of well-made clothing at various levels of exposure, but there were no furnishings that stored clothing in this or the next room.Why would the master keep clothing in their mistresses quarters if the only purpose of visiting would be to remove them and restore them when done?"My clothing's all hand made," he said to accentuate the differences in their garb.The omega examined his clothing and their own. "How can you tell?"He ran fingers down the side of his clothing if only to make the omega follow the movement with their warm wonderful eyes. "My clothing has seams. Yours does not.""Amazing!"He flushed, feeling a sudden pressure in his chest that had nothing to do with the cinch around his torso. "Also, you're in the military. Your clothing is some form of uniform. You have the insignia indicating a level of rank." He tapped the round circles over the omega's neck. Surely a high ranking officer to be able to keep a mistress in their own quarters. Bushed fingers over a gold object on the beautifully smiling omega's chest. It chirped, but made no other noise. "This symbol is a spaceship of some sort. Perhaps a symbol of the military organization you belong to, which I do not wear."He dragged his fingers over his own bare chest. Noting his own lack of calluses."They examined other areas of the room. There were chairs padded with velvet that they had both sat on. A tan leather couch draped with a deliciously soft white fur and velvet blanket. The only scent on it was his own. The art was abstract. Nothing to indicate personal interests.There was only one item that belonged to the omega in the main room. He leaned over the omega as they leafed through a paper bound object with the title "Collected Works of William Shakespeare" that bore the omega's scent. At the front was a handwritten note in blue ink. "Son. As you leave for Starfleet academy and begin your next journey, I send a piece of myself with you to support you as you face trials we can't yet imagine. May you get as much wisdom, comfort, and joy as I have done over the years from the Bard's words. Your Loving Father.""There you see. Starfleet."He could not resist kissing the omega's cheek, when that delightful being whispered, "I hope I did get all of that." Flushing. Hoping that he had not overstepped the implications of the collar that he'd replaced around his neck. Was rewarded with a wide open smile from what surely must be his master.They attempted to access the computer, but they only received a reply of, "Memory systems locked out on command authority. Please initiate release sequence to unlock."They went into a connecting chamber. Some form of bathing room. There was a small basin. The omega removed their uniform with no hint of shyness. In fact gave him a saucy wink before rinsing them in a basin.He was incapable to resist nuzzling the golden god's delicious neck above pale teeth marks from some form of attack or ritual. The omega asked, "What are you doing?""Checking for familiarity."Received an order in answer. "Back off a bit." He stepped away only to be cleaned by the omega with a soft cloth hanging on a hook. The omega, that golden seraphim of delight, took a great deal of time stroking him with the cloth until he purred.Left him aching as they returned to the main room and then into a sleeping chamber, which was dominated by a large bed covered in a red velvet coverlet. His fingers itched to plunge themselves into the soft fabric. Particularly as he saw the contrasting soft cotton of the sheets below.The bed smelled like them. The left pillow smelled like his own scent. While the right side smelled like the omega. If more lightly. Confirming his speculation that these were not the omega's quarters. There were indications that at times, he spent nights here alone and lay in the center of the bed."We should lie down and see if that feels familiar," suggested the omega. "Here, that can't be comfortable." They tugged on his leather trousers."Seems reasonable," he agreed. Who was he to disobey such a delightful command? Especially when his master whispered about kilometers of legs and a lovely arse as he removed the clothing. With no command to remove it, he left on the cinch.He slid between the sheets and laid his head down on his pillow. Breathed in his own scent. Was still breathing when the omega leaned forward. Softly explored his lips.It all felt marvelously familiar and completely unknown. Whoever they were, some part of him relaxed to know that he was owned by such a self-assured being. Almost whimpered when his master left him there alone, only to return with the box full of toys. A playful smile. "We should see if any of these feels familiar."Before that golden look, that wonderful command to do anything but say, "Yes." Watch as the omega lubed up the smallest dildo and teased him with it. Finally sliding it inside him. Foreign. Controlled by the omega's hand. "Feel familiar.""Not yet. Perhaps," his heart pounding at his daring, he said, "you should try a larger one."They lubed up the next largest dildo. Pressed it gently, skillfully inside him.He couldn't help rubbing his bare arse on the soft fabric below him, feeling the constriction of the waist cinch, moaning, "Please, Master! Something larger." Flushing that he dared express his speculation.Gasped as his master responded by lubing up their own cock. "Let's see if this feels familiar."All he could do was spread his legs, and tentatively stroke his own aching erection, before he received a stern command. "Don't," said his stern but kind Master, "I don't want you to touch yourself. That's no test."His breathe caught and he did as commanded. He reached up, gripping the slats of the headboard over his head. Tilted up his hips in a hopeful invitation. Which was accepted.The dildo was removed. The omega pushing inside him. Filling him. Possessing every part of him. Their warm body pressed between his legs. Their breathe gusting over his face. The very air he breathed. Even as the waist cinch constricted his ability to breathe.It felt utterly familiar and utterly new.Down to the increasing speed of motion. The desire to lift his legs to let the omega in farther. Harder.The omega came with a shout.He pleaded, aching, "Please, Master. May I come?"The omega gasped out. "Yes," and that was all it took. Waves of white release that had him shaking with sensation. Familiar. Unknown.Eventually, the omega pulled out. Shifting to wrap a leg and arm around him. Blue eyes unfocused. Blinking. Finally said, "Why did you call me Master?""Isn't it obvious?" He looked at his master's face and saw only confusion. "You wear a Starfleet uniform. Military. Purposeful. Mine is not. We are aboard a starship. Listen." He was silent for a moment and around them the low hum of a ship reverberated."That doesn't prove that I own you," said the omega."My clothing is designed to reveal my body for your pleasure. It is bespoke and of excellent quality. We're in a set of rooms that are redolent with my scent and my belongings. These are my quarters, but someone dressed as I am could have no other function on a starship if I was not here to please you. There are furnishings draped with soft fabric meant to illicit pleasure. There's nothing military in this room. It contains my belongings, but very few of your own. This is my bed, but you have often shared it. Out belongings included a box full of objects used for sexual intercourse that we have just used. The only reasonable explanation for my role here would appear to be to satisfy you sexually. Some form of concubine. Mistress." He dared to watch the omega's pupils as he said all of this.The omega with his thigh with their foot. A rueful smile on their face. Their pupils already dilated from intercourse. No clues there.He continued in the warmth of that smile. "We've been awake less than an hour, and we've already had intercourse twice. Both of which, you initiated. You were comfortable with the idea. Muscle memory had you manually stimulating us to orgasm, and your instinct was to penetrate me vaginally with several items from the box and then with your penis." He shrugged. Sweat making his hair cling to his forehead and neck. "It seems a logical conclusion.""But," smiled the omega, "we woke up wearing matching collars." They pressed a kiss to his lips and said something that blew all other ideas out of his mind. "I think we're married."There was a roar in the ears. A rumble louder than any starship engine, which earned him another kiss."It's your bed, but I've slept here a lot recently." Another kiss. "I think I just get the same uniform over and over. That's why I have no clothes. I keep a book my father gave me when I left home to join the military. It's precious. The pages have been looked at. They are well loved. That's not something you leave in a lover's quarters. A mistress. A concubine." Another kiss. "Maybe I work long hours. That's why I haven't slept here all the time. Maybe we're newlyweds, given we've had sex twice in the last," he twisted to look at the chrono on the wall, "hour and a half."His mind was still blazing. On fire. Smoke. Flame. Heat.The omega bared his neck. "Check to see if your teeth marks match the scar on my neck."He almost didn't dare to hope.They did.
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"We're wearing the same type of ring even." He wanted to think that the gold rings on their hands had some significance too."They are not the same design, and you're wearing two," said the alpha, but the protest had no force to it. Their beautiful face still flushed and glowing from their activities.He looked at the rings on his left hand. They were both gold engraved with the image of a sort of masked face. One was laughing comically. The other ring showed a sorrowful tragic face. He hoped that didn't mean there was some sort of tragedy in his past. To distract himself and for yet another excuse to touch the alpha, still looking dazedly at him, he examined the alpha's ring. There was a sort of helix engraved around the top.So, again the alpha was right. Not the same.He kissed the alpha's hand. "I still think we're married. Because you're brilliant and beautiful, and anyone would be lucky to have you." He hoped they were married.The alpha sighed. "We won't discover the truth here.""Yeah." He couldn't help but lean over to press another kiss to the alpha's lips before getting up.The alpha insisted that he help them select an outfit. "Something you'll find attractive." They looked down almost shyly. It was funny. The alpha was taller, but when they looked down like that, he felt ten feet tall.He didn't want to say that he thought the alpha was so stunning they could be wearing the box the clothes were sitting in and they'd be gorgeous. Finally, he settled on flowing green silk trousers that felt amazing when he stroked the alpha's legs, and a brocade green and gold tunic that brought out the golden color laced through the alpha's eyes, and accentuated the broad expanse of his chest.As the alpha insisted he pull the laces tighter, with a toss of their hair, he kissed the pale column of their neck, humming with the absolute conviction that this gorgeous person had to be his spouse. There was simply no circumstance where he wouldn't have wanted to claim them in every possible way.They went out into the hallway.The walls had been painted with images of thick dark trees and large blooming flowers. The image of bees the size of the alpha's head hovered by the door. He said, "Creative. So, right or left."The alpha contemplated him. "Left. You are left handed.""Fantastic." He raised his left hand. Glad to know something else about himself. They continued down the hall.A small pale skinned child with wildly curling brown hair ran up the hall and skidded to a halt in front of them. A voice called out, "Stop, Connor. You're going too fast. We don't know what's down there." A voice soon followed by a grown omega, who paused as they saw the two of them. "Apparently, what's down here is you. Who are you? Do you know me? Where we are?" They smiled hopefully."We don't know who we are either," he said. "We woke up and couldn't remember. But… you called the kid Connor. How do you know Connor's name.""Obvious," said the alpha, before the omega could answer. "There's a bracelet on the child's wrist with their name written on it.""Amazing." So there was. The word Connor was written on a strip of gold metal on the child's wrist. He smiled at the whimsy at the linking small gold flowers that made up the band.The omega said, "Yeah, I woke up in the hallway in front of a door. Connor was in the rooms inside. As to me, I've been going by G." The omega held up their arm revealing a black and gold tattoo. It read GR3ND3L-12.2. Followed by the playful image of a monstrous creature smelling a flower. "Connor has a tattoo on their arm too, but it doesn't look like mine. Do you have tattoos?"The alpha sighed. "No. In any case, your tattoo was done when you were a child not much older than Connor. See how the image has faded. That it retains its form indicates it was done by an artist with considerable skill. Connor's was rushed. Inferior ink. Not intended to last. 1220. It could have multiple meanings. One possibility is it was done to indicate that Connor is your child.""What?" said the omega.The child looked up."You have the same shape to your eyes and mouth. Similar skin tone. Your hair is the same texture. Muscle memory has you both standing with the same general posture with more weight on your right foot. As if you are getting ready to run. There are significant similarities in your scents. The flowers on your bracelet match your mother's flower," the alpha reached down, "but more evocatively, the bracelet has more than one side." They flipped the bracelet to reveal the same monster smelling a flower on the other side."Huh," said Connor."Amazing!" He shook his head at how the alpha was able to glean information out of things that seemed obvious after he said them, but before were nothing he would have noticed."To bad I don't have a name badge," said the omega lightly. "I guess I'll have to keep going by G. Shorter than flower smelling monster.""You have a name now," said Connor, who nuzzled their head against their mother's hip. "We can call you Mama.""Sweetheart, somehow I doubt I'm the only mother on the ship." The omega said it affectionately. Laughing."No, indeed," said the alpha. "There are indications on your hands and civilian clothing that you are associated with on board childcare.""Amazing." He ought to be concerned that he didn't know who he was or what was going on, but he couldn't help laughing."We'll call you Mama G," said Connor decisively. They looked at the alpha and said, "We can call you Supersmart and your friend is umm… Amazing Sparkles."He looked down. There was nothing sparkly about him. "Why am I Amazing Sparkles?""Because your eyes sparkle when you call Supersmart amazing." Connor thought a little longer and said just as decisively. "And I like sparkles."The alpha grinned. "Those are as good a names as any." They squeezed his hand. Kissing the fingers briefly. "I'm being kept by someone amazing.""Well, Supersmart," he said, still trying on the name Amazing Sparkles, but thinking perhaps the Sparkles part could go, "let's keep looking."They walked in a long circle and found themselves back where they had started. However, when exploring one of the side corridors, one of the doors opened, and a blue person with antennae walked out. They were wearing a green and black uniform like Amazing (not sure how Sparkle's fit). They looked down at a tablet in their left hand. "I see why it's called the Forest level." In their other hand, they held a long sort of club with a jeweled decoration on one side."Hello," said Mama G. "Do you have any idea who we are? Or where?""I can't help you with who, but this is the USS Bakerstreet. A Starfleet Pegasus Chimera." The blue person held up the tablet. "I woke up in the engine room holding this. I think my name is Bihr Sh'Alaack, if this is my tablet. It contains many pages of documentation and a complete set of schematics. I've been using it to explore. I've made it to Sickbay, which was empty, and this level." Bihr smiled and a dimple appeared on their right cheek. "Don't worry. I left a copy of the documentation with the other two people who were down there. There's was quite a lot of instructions on what not to do.""And the weapon?" he asked, because it really needed to be asked."Oh, it was in a closet." Bihr grinned. "Strange ship. Unfamiliar circumstances. Any weapon to hand. Plus," They held one end to their lips and a horrible moaning noise came out of the thing. "It's also a flute.""Which you do not regularly play," said Supersmart. "It's obvious from both the lack of wear on the flute itself and your lack of muscle memory for how to play it."He repressed the urge to comment on the alpha noticing a detail like that. "We should go to the bridge. See if anyone there knows what's going on." They got in the small chamber marked turbo lift on the schematics. Bihr entered a value onto a flat panel and it started to move.As the lift went up, Connor introduced everyone. Supersmart told Bihr that she had children, as evidenced by the stains on her uniform."Children," said Bihr looking down at one of the stains in question with a bemused expression. Bihr lifted her chin. "If we can't find anything on the bridge, I'm going to keep looking." She let out a long sigh. "Children. I can't believe I didn't document that.""Four of them," said Supersmart.Bihr's eyes widened. "I really can't believe I didn't document that!"The lift opened on a round room with three levels and people talking animatedly. On the same level they were standing on, a dark skinned woman was arguing with an older woman with grey hair.On the third and lowest level, there was a brocade couch below the ornate carved railing. Sitting on it was a pale skinned, dark haired man wearing a red and black uniform dripping with gold braid, and a red and gold crown on his head.A pale ginger haired woman was sitting in front of an instrument on the left, while a woman with pale brown skin and hair sat near her in front of another set of instruments."Hello," said Amazing. "Do you know who we are? What's going on? Where the Bakerstreet is headed?""I didn't know it was called the Bakerstreet until you arrived," said the older woman, "I came up here when I came awake in a sort of galley. I," she rubbed the side of her head, "I appear to be able to read some people's thoughts and there is confusion all over the ship. I came here because it's one of the farthest points." She sighed. "Everyone is very loud. Although," she pointed at the red haired woman, the gold braided man, and Amazing. "For some reason I can't read your thoughts, which is a bit of a relief from all the noise.""I'm in charge," said the braided man. "I've got all this gold braid on my clothes. And I've got a crown. I woke up sitting in the big chair.""Yeah, you've mentioned that a few times," said the ginger haired woman.Supersmart stepped into the room. "No. There's very little indications of your scent signature in this room." He swung over the railing and landed lightly next to the couch. They leaned down and strongly inhaled next to the fabric. "Amazing sits here frequently." They patted the fabric. "While I sit next to them."Supersmart looked straight at him. "I think you might be the captain.""But I have lots of gold braid on my uniform," said the braided man. "I must be the captain."The dark skinned woman crossed her arms. "You can't both be the fucking captain,""Um," said the ginger haired woman, "The monitor in front of me just started blinking red. I think we're crossing into something called the Romulan Neutral Zone. Does anyone know if that's good or bad?"
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The discussion quickly dissolved into an utterly tedious dissection of the word neutral and what it could possibly mean and what a Romulan might be, which was only broken up by Connor interjecting with introductions and deciding that since they had named the lift party, they should name everyone on the bridge. The names betrayed a certain theme.The psychic was Snow Sparkles. The red head and brunette at the stations at the front of the bridge were Ginger Sparkles and Brown Sparkles respectively.The interloper sitting on the command couch was dubbed Prince Sparkles, on account of his crown and gold braids. Finally, Connor grinned up at the Scowling Woman, who said, "If you give me a name with sparkles in it, so help me.""You'll what?" said Mama G, putting her hand on Connor's shoulder."Of course you're not going to have sparkles," said Connor, with a sniff and a toss of their hair. "Your name should be Protector, because you've got a weapon," they waved at the phaser in Protector's holster, "Anyway, I can smell you stand up here all the time and make sure people stay safe.""Oh, I…" Protector's scowl lost its rigor. "Yeah.""Oi," said Prince Sparkles. He started to giggle. "What is Supersmart wearing? Is that his name Supersmart, because he's a super tart?"Connor said with a glare, "Supersmart isn't a sweet.""Or he is a fairly yummy sweet," muttered Ginger Sparkles and bumped fists with Brown Sparkles, when she chuckled.Amazing Sparkles moved a little closer on that remark, which was lovely. Wonderful. He looked down at the outfit that his Master – possibly his spouse – definitely his lover – had placed on his body. Felt the tightness of the lacing holding him as if he were in a continual embrace. "You may address that question to the captain.""I am the captain," said the Prince of Incorrectly Claiming his Best Beloved's Authority, also known as Prince Sparkles. Whatever his name, he turned to look at Protector. "Are you going to let him question my authority like that?""I agreed that you're mostly likely the captain," said Protector heavily. "So, back to my point, we're in the military on a starship. I think it's likely this Neutral Zone is some sort of zone between space our military controls and some other military power.""Does it matter if we have no way to steer the ship," said Brown Sparkles.Supersmart abandoned the conversation to attempt to open the door to what the schematics IDed as the Captain's Ready Room."It's locked," said Protector regaining the sour tone to her voice. "We have actually tried to figure out what's going on.""Hmmm…" hummed Amazing Sparkles, running their hand along the side panel. "Does anyone have a tricorder?""I do," said Snow Sparkles. "I had it with me when I woke up. It was synched up with a delightfully smutty romance novel I was reading. Unfortunately, it hasn't told us much of anything other than my taste in literature and the number of people on board, but I didn't need a device to tell me that they are all shouting very loudly in their heads."Amazing Sparkles got the most wonderful sparkle to their blue eyes, as they out their hand. Snow Sparkles handed Amazing Sparkles the tricorder, who turned a setting that put out a high frequency that had everyone in the room clutching their ears. But after ten seconds, the door opened."How did you know how to do that?" asked Mama G. "Did you remember something?"Supersmart wanted to say, "Because Amazing Sparkles is amazing," but was incapable of speaking in the face of the salacious wink that Amazing Sparkles gave him. Or perhaps he had spoken, given Connor's giggle."It was less of a memory and more of I just… knew how to do it." Amazing Sparkles shrugged.Supersmart cleared his throat. Attempting not to think too long about that wink. "We appear to have retained our skills. Operating the lift. Walking. Understanding that there is such a thing as a computer exists for us to try to log into. I'd postulate that these are skills and knowledge that have been repeated so frequently that there is a level of cognitive resonance that is beyond active cognition." He sighed, disliking proposing a theory before he had the evidence to back it up. Still, if individuals could be encouraged to attempt activities, all the to the better. Or it could lead to explosions."Ooooh, that means Amazing Sparkles here is a thief," said Prince Sparkles. "While I am definitely the Captain. Sitting in this couch is comfortably familiar."Supersmart went into the ready room and looked around. There was not much personal information to be had. There was a desk at one of the room by a faux fireplace and a bearskin rug. Some aromatic herbs in a curling slipper. By the wide window was a long table surrounded by comfortable chairs. The scents of the personnel on the bridge – with a few exceptions – were present in the room. They had all sat in these chairs. Even, he noted with delight, himself. Although, his scent was strongest by the desk. No doubt placed there by his love to give him a space to be near while his love worked. He said, "I can detect the scents of everyone but two individuals in the ready room. Connor, who presumably is not in the bridge staff," Connor giggled, "and the self proclaimed captain.""I smell the same thing," said Bihr stepping into the ready room. "Let me see if my document has any information about this room." They looked at the tablet. "Oh!" They laid the flute-club down on the table with the most scent signatures and held the tablet gently in both hands."What is it?" asked Amazing Sparkles, who tried to peer at the tablet."No, it's nothing about the ship," said Bihr turning the tablet from his view. "It's about the design work my spouse, Khel, did in this room while pregnant with our first set of twins. That she is the creator of our home and is home to my heart. That my bondmates are all…" They trailed off, wiping away a tear from one cheek."It's a love poem," said Snow Sparkles, "By someone who is as yet uncomfortable with risk. With saying something as simple as 'I love you' and expecting to receive love back." She pushed Supersmart out of the room, which was fine. Amazing Sparkles had stepped back out onto the bridge anyway.Supersmart was not unsympathetic to Bihr's discovery. He rather wished he'd thought to leave some form of object verbalizing the exact nature of his relationship with Amazing Sparkles, and yet the colder thought was what could have happened had they been separate when their memories were lost. Unable to visualize Amazing Sparkles' smiling face, he'd have had no way to know that they even existed.Snow Sparkles patted his hand."So, um… not that I don't believe you about the scent stuff," said Brown Sparkles, "But isn't it a little convenient that you showed up on the bridge claiming one of you is in charge? It's not like any of us stink or anything. I can't smell what you say you can smell. The blue lady maybe, but the rest of you look just like… me.""Not sure I believe anyone can smell what you say you can," said Protector. She hooked her thumbs through her black belt."I believe them," said Snow Sparkles. "Of course, it's easy for me. I can read minds. For the most part.""So, you say," said Prince Sparkles. "Or maybe you know who we are. It's awfully convenient you can't read my mind. Or maybe you can read minds. Who is to say you weren't the one to do this to us in the first place. Mind reader. Problems with our memories. All I know is you weren't on the bridge when we woke up. I don't think we can trust anyone who wasn't on the bridge.""I agree," said Protector, "as I said before Amazing whatever arrived. We need to lock down the lifts until we can be sure that there aren't boarding parties roaming the ship."Ginger Sparkles laughed. "To do that, we'd need access to the ship's controls. At this point, I'll trust whoever can get us computer access.""You can trust me," said Connor, taking Mama G's hand. "And you can trust my Mama.""Okay, and the twee kid," said Ginger Sparkles."He could be a child soldier," said Prince Sparkles.Ginger Sparkles rolled her eyes, while Brown Sparkles muttered, "He's a kid."Bihr came out of the ready room, looking excited, cheeks still slightly damp. "I have had an idea. I think there is a way that we could restart the instruments on the bridge in safe mode, which would give us limited control over the ship. We might even be able to restart them altogether." They waved a hand at Amazing Sparkles. "Use the tricorder to override the lockout on the panel locks, and then we can access the isolinear chips, which will give us a way to restart." They waved the tablet. "There are clear instructions on what to do."Prince Sparkles said, "Isn't this just exciting. Randomly manipulating machinery we know nothing about on the word of a woman none of us knows."They were all duly subjected to a high-pitched whine before a panel popped off the back of what the tablet identified as the navigational system. Bihr handed the tablet to Supersmart, who held it while Bihr made some adjustments. "Ginger Sparkles, try it now.""I'm in," said Ginger Sparkles. Fingers flying over the control panel. The monitor in front of the bridge shifted from a view of space to a glowering figure with pointed ears, who was wearing a grey metallic uniform."For the last time, this is Commander Tomalak of the Romulan Star Empire to the unknown Starfleet vessel. You are in violation of the Neutral Zone. If you continue, this will be considered an act of war and we will take steps to neutralize your ship and retaliate."Bihr breathed in sharply.Prince Sparkles said, "Well, you see we've lost our…""No time for jokes, Ensign." Amazing Sparkles stepped in front of Prince Sparkles. "This is Captain Amazing of the USS Sparkles. We're experiencing a minor instrument failure that resulted in a navigational error. Give us a few moments, and we'll get right out of the ummm… neutral zone.""I fail to believe that that is possible.""Oh, you know how it is. Accidents happen. Backup instruments aren't calibrated. We were supposed to in for maintenance months ago. Now we're here having this conversation.""You have thirty minutes. I have three D'eridex class warbirds. Your paltry craft will be destroyed and the hull displayed in front of the Romulan Senate as a demonstration to all. Tomalak out."The transmission cut off."Now we know what the neutral zone is," said Amazing Sparkles."What I said it was," muttered Protector.Ginger Sparkles said, "We'd better hurry. There are three ships headed our way, which if I'm reading this right, are arming their weapons systems.""One of the people I woke up with, one of the engineers I left behind in the engine room looked just like Tomalak," said Bihr urgently. "Do you think he could be a Romulan?""Yes," said Prince Sparkles waving a finger in the air. "An evil Romulan. One of many seeded around the ship to create exactly this situation. You'd better go deal with him.""I gave him a copy of my document. They could be doing anything with it." Bihr squared their shoulders, "Protector, I can guide you to where I left him. I've already studied the schematics. I know how to get around the ship."Protector pulled her phaser. "As I kept saying, someone did this to us. We have to find who that is and deal with them.""Exactly," said Prince Sparkles. "Precisely. You must deal with them swiftly and decisively. Show them who is in charge.""Stun, please," said Amazing Sparkles. "There could be another explanation, and death is hard to take back, I think."Protector grudgingly nodded. "I'll want to question them anyway."Bihr looked at Supersmart. "If I leave the tablet, could you keep resetting the systems?"He snorted to let them know what he thought of that question.She stroked its surface once before handing it over to Supersmart.After Bihr and Protector left, Supersmart and Amazing Sparkles reset the controls for the helm. Soon it was humming and Brown Sparkles sighed with relief. "We have control of the helm and weapons systems."Ginger Sparkles said, "I've charted a course back the way we came, which should be safe.""Belay that," said Prince Sparkles. "We could be here on orders. We need to keep unlocking stations.""I thought you said we might have been boarded by Romulans."Prince Sparkles widened his eyes. "Anything is possible. Now that we can unlock the controls, we should see if we can access the ship's computers. See if we're under orders. How about that one." He bounced out of the couch and up to a station on the second level.Supersmart looked at the interloper narrowly.Mama G asked slowly, articulating each word, "What is the most important aspect of being a captain?""To be powerful and commanding," said Prince Sparkles. "To seize control of every aspect of the ship. To win at all costs. To do anything not to be bored.""And what do you think?" they asked Amazing Sparkles.Supersmart didn't need his memories to know what Amazing Sparkles would say."I think a captain should be someone who thinks about the needs of everyone on the ship first." They smiled ruefully at Supersmart. "Be the first out of bed when they just want a lie in with their wonderful spouse." They looked over at the command couch which was redolent with both their scents, and Supersmart decided that perhaps they were married. A glowing thought. "Be the last to leave the bridge when there's danger to see every last person on board stays safe.""I think Amazing Sparkles' the captain," said Connor with a lift of their chin. "Prince Sparkles, you're kind of mean. Actually, I think your name is really Prince Poo Face."Mama G said, "Connor!""Sorry, Mamma," mumbled Connor.Prince Whatever crouched down, leaning forward, with a menacing smile. "Is that any way to speak to your captain?"Supersmart met Mama G's eyes. Hoping, they'd noticed the same thing he had. That by every law of gravity, Prince Whatever's crown, perched so precariously on their head, should have at least shifted with their movement, but it has stayed exactly where it was.Mama G said, "Connor, that kind of language calls for a timeout I think. Let's go to the ready room." Connor grumbled, but followed Mama G, who soon returned holding the flute-club over one shoulder. "Now stay in there, Connor.""Yes, Mama," came the aggrieved reply.Mama G held up the club. "Can't leave this in there while he's being like this."Prince Whatever flapped a hand at them and stood up. "Shall we."Supersmart watched him carefully as they reset the station.As he might have expected, when they got access to the ship's computers, there was a communique from Starfleet ordering Captain Moriarty to take the ship through the Romulan Neutral Zone and attack a colony near the border in retaliation for a Romulan raid the previous month. Stealth was not an issue. The Romulans needed to see what even a single Federation ship could do.Prince Whatever tapped through some controls to show the crew manifest with his own smiling face listed as Captain Moriarty. "I am the captain. This is a mission that the Romulans are doing their best to subvert.""That can't possibly be real," protested Amazing Sparkles.Moriarty tapped a few more controls. "Since you're just the ship's medic, I'll ask you and your super tart to leave my bridge." The display updated showed a young-looking Ensign John Watson looking out at them.Supersmart examined Moriarty's face looking for a further clues, when something entirely unexpected happened. Mama G clocked Moriarty in the back of the head hard with the flute club. Hard enough to make a loud thud. Moriarty's head briefly glowed orange and shivered. His entire body melted and shifted until instead of facing the instruments, he was now facing Mama G. "You really shouldn't have done that."
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John moved to Moriarty's right while Supersmart fanned out to his left.Moriarty said, "When I saw the Bakerstreet arrive just as I was ready to leave DS9, I knew that like destined lovers, we were drawn together for a good fucking time. I was hoping to cause a diplomatic incident, and I still could. Starfleet ship equipped with an illegal cloaking device. I know you got it working Supertart, you saucy minx." He winked at Supersmart.John hoped he'd keep talking until one of them could get closer to one of the panels that were still lying on the floor. Ginger and Brown were a bit busy trying to get the ship turned around."Fits in with my sector dominating plans, but… really it's too impersonal for old friends." His face and form shifted. Elongating into a truly terrifying fur covered creature. Supersmart ripped the railing off the banister, and jumped at Moriarty with it aimed like a spear. While John rolled for the panel. The thing absorbed the wooden railing and rippled when John slammed the broadside of a panel against its flank. Mama G jabbed with the flute-club to the same effect.Supersmart let go of the railing. Crouched down and grabbing the thing's feet. Lifting with seemingly impossible speed. He threw the creature at the monitor, which cracked at the blow.It shook its enormous head. "Always something new to learn in our relationship. All this time, and I had no idea how strong you are," said Moriarty, before shifting into a tentacle sort of plant thing.Supersmart said, "Blunt force or penetrating weapons don't have any effect.""Oh, but they're so sexy," said Moriarty and received a thwap from Mama G in response. "Oh, Mama, spank me."Snow Sparkles yelled, "Mama G, where is my scent strongest in the room?" Mama G opened their mouth, but before they could reply, Snow Sparkles said, "Thank you, dear." She darted up to a station on the upper level, and tapped a pattern in several places on the underside of a work station. A phaser dropped out of a hidden panel. She aimed it at the creature and fired. There was a hiss and a floral burnt smell. "Birh's documentation left out where I sit."The creature shifted again into a sort of ooze that shot up to the ceiling. It slid into an airduct. "Next time I won't play so nice." Snow Sparkles fired at the grill duct, but was answered with laughter that faded away.John tried to follow Moriarty's progress on the tricorder. "He's moving too fast. Straight down to the starboard airlock."Ginger Sparkles tapped a control. "He's already outside the ship." The screen shifted. They watched a space whale squirt away from the Bakerstreet.Brown Sparkles said, "It's in range.""No," said John a bit more forcefully than he'd intended, and then a bit more softly. "The Romulans have to be scanning us. If we fire on anything, they'll increase speed and investigate, and if we've got something illegal onboard, I'd rather not have that conversation."Snow Sparkles said, "Although, a cloaking device sounds useful."John had a thought. "We should find sickbay. He could have injected us with a neural inhibitor, preventing us from accessing our memories." He had no idea if he really was a medic, but it couldn't hurt."That's it!" shouted Supersmart, "Obviously, not the injection. But there could be a localized energy field that's interfering with our memories." They scanned the room with the tricorder. "There's it is."But it could be anywhere," said Snow Sparkles."No," said Supersmart, picking up the tablet. They paged through the document. "It's most likely using our own deflector array to rebroadcast the signal throughout the ship." They grinned back at John. "Come on."John hated to say it, but he had to. "We can't both go. There's still too many controls offline up here. What if we black out again when the energy field is turned off? We need as many systems online as we can get."Supersmart looked at him with those wide gorgeous eyes of his and nodded. "He handed John the tablet. "I don't need it."There wasn't time for more than a quick kiss. Nothing more than a press of the lips, and quick command, "Don't forget me.""I won't," and Supersmart was gone.
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Supersmart raced down the corridors. Every step taking him farther away from Amazing Sparkles. John Watson. If that was his actual name. Knowing that there was a real chance that if he deactivated the device incorrectly he could end up causing the situation to repeat or make it worse.As he approached the deflector array level, a voice shouted. "I'm not a Romulan. I don't even know what a Romulan is. I don't know who I am." A low range blast from a modified welder splatted onto the wall across the room. Blackening the metal.Protector yelled, "Surrender now and we'll treat you well." There was a rather more accurately aimed phaser blast at a control station across the room.Supersmart raised his voice. "Protector, Bihr, it was Prince Sparkles. He was some kind of a creature with the power of transformation.""A likely story," yelled Protector."Who are you?" said the first voice.Supersmart did not have time for this. He needed to be in position to turn off the device when he got the signal from Amazing Sparkles.The likelihood of getting out of the neutral zone was greatly increased if they knew what they were doing.Supersmart tried again. "I believe there's a device attached to the deflector array, which is affecting our memories."There was a murmur of voices, the sound of a scuffle. Bihr shouted, "Supersmart, go."He raced across the room and scaled the ladder to the array controls. There was the sound of more scuffling below him."Get away from the controls," yelled the first voice. "I do not know who any of you are, but it would be illogical to trust you under the circumstances." Followed by a blast that burned through the silk of his trousers. He gritted his teeth at the pain of third degree burns. He hooked an arm around the rung of the ladder. There was a small device attached to the external controls. Based on what he'd read, that was not part of the deflector array controls.Another blast from the laser. This one fortunately missing.Over the loud speakers he heard Amazing Sparkles say, "Supersmart, we have a plan, but we need our memories!"Supersmart looked at the device. He had no idea, how to turn it off. No information. No helpful buttons with wear patterns. He yanked it off the wall, hoping that was the correct decision. A leap of faith.Darkness welled up as he fell backwards off the ladder.
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John blinked awake, face mashed into the floor. "Ngh. Not much better the second time." He pushed himself up. Didn't have time to feel embarrassed about…everything.Billy raced into the ready room at the sound of Connor crying.He set off a series of probes that exploded as the Romulans torpedoes found their new targets.Buying time while Hunter and Smith maneuvered them a good deal more confidently into a nebula full of waves of Thalaron radiation.The Romulan warbirds peeled off, no doubt not wanting thier organic material to be disintegrated when the Thalaraon radiation inevitably ate their shields."Shields at eighty percent," said John."We're in far enough for sensors to no longer be effective," said Hunter."Excellent," said Hudson, who activated the controls for the completely illegal, but damn useful at the moment cloaking device."Here goes nothing," muttered Smith, as she piloted the ship back out of the nebula before their shields failed any further.They crept by the Romulan warbirds on impulse, but they weren't fired on. "They don't see us," said Hunter."I do feel for whoever they stick with going into the nebula to find our ship," said Smith. "A little."John let himself start breathing when they were far enough away to go to warp.Billy came out holding Connor's hand. Gone was Connor's bright smile and confident bearing. He clung to Billy's side. Gone was the straight stance Billy had had while being Mama G. Billy said quietly, "We're going back to our quarters now."John said, "I'll head down with you. I need to go to sickbay. See what Moriarty did to Julian, and start checking on the crew.""Good idea, dear," said Hudson.In the lift, Billy stroked Connor's hair, who whispered, "I don't want to remember.""I know, honey," said Billy. "But we have had so many good memories here on the Bakerstreet."John cleared his throat. "I guess, I've never asked about your tattoo. Why the monster and the flower?"Billy looked at him startled. "Isn't that part of the family story? I was a little too overwhelmed by your mother to talk about it and… you hadn't asked." At John's head shake, Billy crouched down next to Connor. He tapped his arm. "This symbol was on your great grandfather's banner. It hung from one of the walls at his castle, where your grandmother lived when she was your age. His name was Grendel. When the scientists made him, he was part of crèche 3 with Brittanus. Your grandfather's designation was ND31, and he decided that if they were going to make monsters, he'd be one who liked," Billy tapped Connor's nose, "flowers too. So when Brittanus rose to power, he renamed himself Grendel. When he left, your grandmother got this tattoo and she made sure I had one just like it. Aunt Anthea too.""Like on my bracelet," said Connor."Exactly like." The lift stopped. Billy stood up. "I'll see you later, John."He watched them go. John made his way to Sickbay. The holographic computer had been had been turned off. Once Julian was back online, they planned how to divide up checking for possible injured.Which was why John was in the stairwell when Stonn came pelting past him. He followed him just in case, but Stonn stopped as he arrived at the daycare.Sestre stood up. "I am well, Father. Ishrob and Shroleb took good care of us while we had no memories.""I see that," said Stonn coming to a halt. "However, visual confirmation is good." He nodded at Ishros and Shroleb. "Thank you. Come Sestre, we should depart for our quarters.""Yes, Father."John looked at the Andorians awkwardly. Hardly even sure what to say. With memories came the knowledge of everything that had happened. Everything he'd have to deal with.As it was, he was still standing there when Sh'Alaack came in. She went straight up to her bondmates and said, "Commander Holmes has given me a promotion to be the head of engineering. It could be temporary if it is not approved by Starfleet, but it is likely they will take his recommendation.""That's wonderful," said Shroleb. "You deserve it and don't you dare tell me you don't.""I… Sh'Alaack paused. "I won't." She looked nervously at John, who knew that was his cue to leave.He continued to work his way through the ship. There were a couple of people with minor injuries. One broken leg, which he set in sickbay.He was more than a bit surprised to have Sh'Alaack come in holding her flabbjellah. He nodded and went into his office. She followed him. He made tea, because his mother had always told him to make tea if he wasn't sure what to do next.He had no idea what to do next.They both stared at their cups. Occasionally, glancing at each other.Finally, Sh'Alaack said, "The strangest thing about losing my memories was how good it felt. Stonn and Tregennis work up worried, and I felt good. Free. I had something in my hand telling me what I do. Every new discovery was a revelation that filled me with joy. A new challenge to face."She reached out and picked up a picture of John's parents at one side of his desk. He'd taken down so many pictures in his quarters, but he'd hardly been in his office since everything that had happened had happened.He blurted, "I'm so sorry. I should have listened to you. I should have…"She held up her hand stopping him. She put down the picture carefully. "I kept thinking if I saw you again, I would see your sister. That I would keep thinking of your father."She looked around the office. Her antennae moving slowly. Scenting the room. "I would very much like to be the person that I was when I couldn't remember who I was. Who couldn't understand why I didn't just tell my loved ones that I love them." She adjusted the picture slightly. "I cannot be that person. Unaffected by memories." "Our memories make up who we are," said John looking at the image. He'd taken the picture at his parent's twentieth anniversary party. He remembered thinking how wonderful it was that after all those years, they were still so much in love. Eating bits of the very stale remaining slice of their wedding cake.He'd gotten to have that memory of his parents. Sh'Alaack never would."If time allows from my new duties, I believe that we should form a band."John blinked at this sudden change in conversation. "What?"She picked up her flabbjellah. "I play the flabbjellah. Badly. You can learn a musical instrument and play badly with me. Your honor owes me that sacrifice.""I had piano lessons as a kid, but," he hastened to add, "I was terrible. I'm also terrible on the clarinet." He wouldn't go into that every time he'd put the clarinet in his mouth as a teen, he'd been unable to think about anything but other things between his lips, which had resulted in more wanking than practice."Excellent. We'll see if anyone else on the ship has poor musical abilities and we're going to make some new memories together that are not about surveying nebulas, giant space ameobas, or… what happened. If I can gain the courage to be laughed at and with, perhaps... I can be some version of that person."John could live with that. But he did have one stipulation. "Sherlock. I mean Holmes, he cannot play in the band.""Of course, not. The Commander actually has musical abilities. It would completely throw off the nature of our band." She regarded him thoughtfully. "But it may be best if we let him play after we play. As a kindness to those who have sat through our playing."Since that was probably the only way to keep Sherlock from throwing the greatest wobbly in the history of wobblies if told he couldn't join in, he agreed.Sh'Alaack stood up. "Now I shall go back to documenting our systems." Her eyes widened. "I could order McCarthy and Tregennis to do it.""You are the Chief Engineer.""I am. Good day, Doctor Watson." She left John sitting there bemused.If he could manage that conversation, he could certainly manage to talk to Sherlock.He headed for Sherlock's quarters. The door opened at his chime, but Sherlock wasn't in the living area. "Sherlock?" He went into the bedroom and stopped.Sherlock was kneeling on the bed wearing a red robe this time, his black collar, a vivid black stripe on against his pale skin, and nothing else. He was typing rapidly into a tablet, which he set aside. "I'm hoping to distract you from my completely incorrect deductions about our relationship.""I don't know. I got to be amazing. That was nice. But consider me distracted." John stripped. After a moment of thinking, difficult with all his blood rushing into his genitals, he put on his own collar. Just in case."Intercrural was traditional in ancient Rome," said Sherlock between kisses. "I've been researching." He pressed his legs around John's cock.John wasn't sure that had to do with collective amnesia, but he said, "We've been to parallel Rome, so I think you're right, but we should do more research." John popped an ampule of lube from the nightstand next to the bed. Curled behind Sherlock and slid his cock between slick thighs. All the while sliding his hand up and down his dearest friend's cock. It was different than penetrative intercourse. Looser. Slower. They shifted several times, trading places. Until finally John came on Sherlock's chest.Another memory once done.Sherlock looked at his own cum decorating John's chest. He slowly, languorously, licked John clean. Before rolling them over to spoon beneath the covers.John whispered into the darkened room. "We have to talk."Sherlock's hand stilled."Nothing, bad," John took that hand and kissed it. "I just need to talk about Dad and Harry for a bit." Words spilled into the dark. How he felt like he had something horrible inside him. Some sort of ticking time bomb. He left out the holo cubes, because… he wasn't ready to talk about that. Even while he knew it was like some evil alien sentient oil slick sitting in the corner of the room. Came to a sort of awkward end of, "I feel like such an idiot."Sherlock kissed the back of his head. "Because you are an idiot. But less than most. You need to forgive yourself for being human."John rolled over, letting his ear rest on Sherlock's chest. Listened to his steady heartbeat. "Maybe." He wasn't sure he believed it. "Thank you for listening."Sherlock resumed stroking John's hair. John drowsed. Heard Sherlock whisper, "I'd be lost without you."He hummed his agreement. "Not going to." He rubbed his cheek against Sherlock's chest and chased sleep to the sound of Sherlock's heart.