Today was Brought to You by the Word “Fuck”

Posted on Friday, 21 May 2021 - 10:11pm by Captain Barret Stillwater & Lieutenant Talarn Zilth

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich
Location: Captain’s Quarters

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Lieutenant Talarn Zilth had always felt like once he hit the door to their quarters that he was no longer requiring to be Lieutenant Talarn Zilth and reverted to just Tal. This time was not an expectation. It was obvious that he was angry. He stomped into front room and waited for Bear to join him and the door had shut behind him. His eyes bored into Stillwater and he shook his head.

"What?!" Barret said practically feeling the heat radiating off his husband. "Go on, out with it," encouraged the Captain. He crossed his arms and waited to hear what his husband had to say.

“Fucking bitch... is she fucking serious?! I don’t fucking like it, Bear. No, Sir. What the fuck are you going to do?” He didn’t mince words.

Barret chuckled. "Sit on my ass, twiddle my thumbs, and file reports," replied the man. "I know, you do not like her. If you want some good news, I'll be back in command soon. She's staying aboard, but she's here to observe."

Talarn growled and the light over his eye continued to blink rapidly. “You better fucking be... why is she here?” He fisted both of his hands and raised them a little. He was trying really hard to deal with how angry he was about this. “And they better not put you off the fucking ship! You fucking go, I fucking go. Fuck her!”

"Lots of fucking with you," Barret replied. "Relax, don't get your nanoprobes in a bunch, Spoonie," Stillwater quipped back teasingly. "I'm not being removed from the damn ship. I'm up for fucking promotion. As if they would remove me? They pulled my ass out of retirement, they aren't going to discard me."

Talarn turned his back to Barret, his fists still balled at his side. He still remembered when Starfleet had removed him from his own promotion. He had to remember that he wasn’t human, he wasn’t Cardassian, he was Borg. “Don’t call me that...” he spit softly. This wasn’t usually a sore spot. “If she does anything to hurt this ship or crew... step one toe over the line... and I will melt her fucking face."

"What would you like for me to call you, sweetie? You are threatening to melt the face off a flag Officer," quipped Barret. "I know you are protective, but at ease. She's not here to separate us. She's not here to hurt this ship or its crew. I promise."

“Fine, but I don’t like it at all.” Some of the anger started to leave him. He took a deep breath and counted to ten before he let the air out again. He flexed his hands, staring at the floor. “Why is she here?” Tal asked again. This time, softly.

"Just to observe, evaluate, and report," Barret replied. "She is here to focus on me. To make sure I can play my part in this diplomatic mission, fix my own 'mistakes,' and determine if I am fit for the position she's dangled in front of me."

Talarn’s shoulders sagged a little. Now that he wasn’t as angry as he was before, he was starting to see the logic. “I’m an ass. I just... bad memories.” He turned around again. “It’s hard not to feel that way. At least for me...” He sighed. “I have issues. I will do my job, of course.”

Stillwater wrapped his arms around his husband. "Tal, just be you. Be the protective ex-Borg overprotective Cardassian that I have always admired, served with, and married. I know you will do your job. I know that I can always depend on you, and that is why I need you here with me on the Standing Bear handling Security and Tactical. We're in this together, issues and all."

Talan hugged Bear’s arms around him and leaned back into him a little. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I just worry. Like I said... too many bad memories. I’m sorry I yelled and of course, we’re in this together. Thank you for putting up with my moods.” He didn’t say he was sorry very often. He usually wasn’t sorry, but I’m this situation he felt it was necessary. His anger only added to what was already stressful and was unneeded.

"Let's try to relax a bit and not worry too much about flag officers and what they want or are doing buzzing about," replied Stillwater. "We are going to be just fine. I promise, and when we are finally done with all of this... back to Prarie we go."

“I’m really trying to be good. I know that didn’t really look like it,” he admitted. “I want to go back more than most things... I’d like to live long enough for that to happen... for both of us.” He chuckled softly. “To be honest... I should have been happy if they wanted to boot you,” he teased.

"Maybe just maybe, and hear me out," replied Stillwater with a chuckle. "Perhaps, you are getting used to this ship and being aboard it... working with the others? I'm not saying you are going to fall in love with it and call it home, but maybe it is not as bad as you initially thought it was? We could just call this a long vacation."

Talarn snorted. “This is not a vacation and if it is I need a vacation from my vacation. I do admit that I am enjoying the crew... I really am, but you really gotta come up with something better for a vacation, husband,” he poked.

"Maybe after this long journey to Ekos, we can take proper shore leave, not on Ekos of course. I don't have space Nazis as my destination vacation."

“Yeah, please no space Nazis. At least no on our shore leave.” He turned so he could see Barret’s eyes. “It’s okay, you know. Here is fine. I just get uppity when Starfleet tells me anything I have to do or that you have to do. I feel like they’ve lost their privileges and have to win them back with me. I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t embarrass you. I know how you humans feel about being embarrassed,” he teased.

"You haven't embarrassed me. If anything, I appreciate having you yank me back to reality. These people did betray us, you in particular. It is, however, their nature to operate the way that they do. Let's just proceed cautiously with this and work towards our goal of returning home to Prairie. "

Talarn nodded. “I’m not going to drop my guard. They will have to win me back. It was pure racism... what they did to me. It’s hard to just forget that happened. I was a Borg for no reason of my own and they held it against me.” He shrugs. “I will do my job because I love you and maybe someday I will forgive Starfleet.”

"Maybe. Maybe someday," echoed Stillwater. "Let's put the duty talk aside and find a way to unwind."

“I can think of several,” the Cardassian replied with a smirk. “I finally found the leather.”

"Mmm," Barret replied with a chuckle. "Sounds like we may need to test out those Cardassian interrogation techniques."

“Oh really? We’re in that sort of mood, are we?” Tal let go of Barret, pulled out of his arms, and faced him. He was trying to be commanding, but the smirk was giving him away. “Then go to the room. Now!” He pointed.

"Yes, Sir," Stillwater shot black with a suggestive tone. "Whatever you say, Gul Zilth."

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