Perhaps We Should Talk

Posted on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 @ 9:04pm by Commander M'Mira & Lieutenant Commander Catrina (Cat) Tendai

3,959 words; about a 20 minute read

Mission: Mission 2: Into The Breach
Location: M'Mira's Quarters
Timeline: MD06 - 2000

They were going to have to work together, they were going to have to get past whatever this was that they were stuck in. Having dug through some of her things, especially with Sarah having left to go back to her team after their extra long and relaxing picnic lunch, she found what she was looking for and, once verifying that M'Mira was in her quarters, she stopped by the replicator and then walked towards M'Mira's quarters, pressing the chime once she got there.

Expecting Mint, M'Mira called out, "Come in!"

Letting the door open, Cat glanced around, giving M'Mira a small smile when she saw her.

M'Mira was dressed solely in a pink, frilly nightgown. Her hind paws, which she walked on were visible. Those nails were also painted red. Her tail swished with anticipation but stood straight out once she saw Cat come in. Curiosity overwhelmed her. "What brrrings you to my quarrrters, Tendai?" she asked semi-formally.

Holding out the White Russian with extra creme she had brought and her collection of multiple shades of red nail polish, Cat shrugged. "Thought maybe we could try to talk this out."

M'Mira looked at the White Russian with extra cream suspiciously, then at Cat, then took the drink and sampled it. She swished it around her mouth and then smacked her lips several times, savoring the drink. A hint of a smile crossed her face. "I'm imprrressed that you rrrememberrred my favorrrite drrrink."

"I enjoy them on occasion as well, though unfortunately not with the extra cream. Between that and all these," Cat held up the small basket full of nail polish, "Figure we could chat."

M'Mira's eyes grew large, looking at the basket of nail polish. Her tail began swishing from side to side in a lively display. Crooning her neck, she looked at the labels, trying to discern what would look best on her. A pleasurable purr escaped from her lips as she asked, "Werrre you planning on doing each otherrr's nails or each of us doing ourrr own?"

Cat shrugged slightly and handed her the basket to look at more closely. "I don't really know. I don't wear it often with all the digging around in engineering I do."

"Then why do you come with these?" M'Mira asked suspiciously.

"Because you will appreciate them more than I will. And I thought maybe we can try to figure out whatever is going on between us that makes us angry at each other."

"So, they'rrre a gift?" M'Mira asked, solely focused on the nail polish.

Cat smile softly. "As long as I can keep one or two? Otherwise, I have no use for them. Never been a red nail person, doesn't go too well with my hair."

M'Mira craned her neck over the basket, her tail swishing lightly to and fro. She looked up at Cat and then back down at the nail polish. Repeating the process, M'Mira made a quereying meowing noise. She tsked and finally concluded, "You are corrrrrect. Rrrred would not do well with yourrr hairrr colorrr or skin tone. I would rrrrecommend taupe or pink. You might be able to get away with a fuchsia."

"Never was the fashion person. I didn't even get most of these myself, except the two I'd like to keep." Cat handed the basket to M'Mira after pulling the two she wanted to keep. "Though you're welcome to use either of these two while we talk, that doesn't bother me. I think I wore a really deep red to a wedding once, because I was asked to."

M'Mira wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Deep rrred on you would look so awful! Oh, my starrrs, what did you do?!"

Cat held up her hands innocently, "I was part of the wedding, nothing I could do. The bride picks the colors, not the party. But you are welcome to all of those. Can't say I'm any good at painting nails, but trying to talk things out? Been to enough counselors in my life that I know how to do that one."

"The brrride should have thought morrre about it," M'Mira told Cat definitively. Her tail stopped swishing when Cat said that she wanted to talk things out. "Counselorrrs?" M'Mira asked. "Why?"

She'd caught M'Mira's attention. Not that she'd like the story, but Cat realized there was no point in really keeping it secret anymore. "Maybe we can sit and I can explain? Not the greatest story."

M'Mira downed the remainder of her White Russian with Extra Cream in one fell swoop. She sat down on a chair and invited Cat with a gesture to sit on the bean bag chair. "Explain, as you will," M'Mira instructed Cat.

Having not sat in a bean bag chair in years, Cat sat down and curled her legs up underneath her. "When I was a teen, I fell for this guy, hard, and would do literally everything he asked of me. He took advantage of that in the worst way. We were out one night, he took me out to a fielded area near our school." She closed her eyes, the memory always making her emotional, "Beat me...raped me...left me for dead. My friends found me, but I had to relearn to walk, can't have children safely without basically 24/7 bedrest..mentally destroyed me."

M'Mira growled. "Unacceptable! I will tearrr him limb frrrom limb!"

"M'Mira, easy." Cat was surprised by the growl. "He's locked up, has been for a while. I've hidden that away for years, only you and Mint and Sarah know about it."

"Locked up is too good forrr him," she continued with a dangerous growl. Her hair started to stand on end. "Why tell me this now?" she asked, irritated.

Cat sighed, "I had mentioned talking this out, said I was used to it with talking to a lot of counselors, you wanted to know why." She shrugged. "Besides, it's in my past, and there's no real point in hiding it anymore."

M'Mira's eyes blinked twice in confusion. She craned her neck again, trying to make some sense of the situation. "I see," she replied, not seeing anything at all, but feeling that she had to say something.

"Frankly, it doesn't make a lot of sense in my head either. But, it is what it is. It's told now, and you can do with the information what you will. I came down here though in hopes for us to figure out what's got us mad at each other."

"Mad?" she asked curiously. "Why would I be mad?" she continued asking while pawing through the nail polish. "Oooh! Rrruby!" she purred. "You would not happen to have any nail designs, too? I am cerrrtain that I could find some of Mint's sisterrr's to go with these. Maybe some gold flecks.... Hmmmm." Her tail curled and moved to one side of her body.

Cat gave a slight eye roll. "Because of when we first met, we argued, and you haven't liked me or trusted me with anything ever since." She shrugged to the nail designs. "I might, never really looked through everything that closely."

"You trrreated me like an inferrriorrrr," M'Mira responded simply. "But, Ooooh!" she cooed, "Is that a shimmerrrry red?"

“It isn’t like I meant to. I was just doing as I was told, calling you when I had questions. We were all frustrated at that point, and we both got angry at each other. And yes, yes it is. Too many people thinking I need red shades and gifting them to me.”

"I rrreally like sparrrkly and shimmerrrry," M'Mira replied, completely avoiding the rest of the conversation. "This is verrry thoughtful of you. I always knew that I liked you," M'Mira concluded.

Guess that did the trick Cat through to herself as she got up and went to the replicator, ordering two White Russians, but only one with extra creme, and brought them over. "Like I said," she stated handing M'Mira's drink to her, "Those are yours to keep."

M'Mira took the White Russian with extra cream and started by licking off the cream topping, some cream landing on the top of her lip. "Delicious," she told Cat. She took out the shimmery red and said, "So tempting to do this now.... I don't want to rrruin it while sleeping, though. That would make a terrrrrible imprrression tomorrrrrow, wouldn't it?"

"Makes perfect sense," Cat said as she sipped her drink. "Gives you more time to decide on a color to put on tomorrow though, right?" Here she'd been expecting to argue all night, but instead she sat back on the beanbag chair again and curled her legs up underneath her.

"I have to decide on the crew for Minotaurrr forrr tomorrrrrow," M'Mira replied concerned. "I had hoped to do it tonight but I do not see a lot grrreat options. I have to take the nerrrvous engineerrr, Ensign Turnerrr. I know I will take Lieutenant Srrrash, but I am not cerrrtain who else." When M'Mira said she was going to take Lieutenant Srash, her eyes lit and her tail swished meaningfully. "Probably Aiman-Tamarrr, too, from science. You were therrre," she told Cat. "Do you have any otherrr suggestions?"

Cat thought for a moment, as she’d been focused on the explosion and her enjoyable lunch earlier, and hadn’t thought on this. “You’re going to need medical, even if it isn’t for treating those who are alive. Engineers to dig things out, but I agree on your other choices. Turner can keep the computer systems steady while you are all working. My other suggestion? Eat light before you go, it's a sight that you won’t be able to forget.”

"Therrre arrrre just so few that arrre competent," M'Mira complained. "I wish Turrrnerrr could do both. He's an odd one but he seems to get jobs done."

"I don't think Turner could handle helping with the other parts of this mission. He's great with the computers, but him trying to do the rest of what is needed there?" Cat shook her head and took a sip of her drink.

M'Mira gave a combination between a sigh and a hiss. "What happened?"

Cat bit her lip. “Um, bodies not sitting right, some in the walls and corridors. And I do mean in. Its not a pretty thing to see, M’Mira.”

"But see it, I will. You may as well tell me," M'Mira told Cat.

"Bodies are split apart, thanks to what they were working on. Bit everywhere, but their faces showing obvious pain when they died. Most of the ship compacted into the ground, no idea what is down there because we couldn't get clear scans."

"I can handle it," M'Mira announced quickly. "I'm unconcerrrned."

Nodding, Cat took a long sip of her drink. "Just make sure you warn the others on the team as well. They might not be able to stomach it as well."

"I suppose," M'Mira conceded. "What else should I know?" she asked.

"We didn't get to do too much digging. We were there to look for survivors, stabilize the ship enough for us to be able to come back." Cat shook her head, "And hopefully it stayed stable. Looked like it would hold for about a month or so, just don't want to push it that long."

"Hopefully? A month? How could you make such a precise...?" M'Mira paused understanding. "What did Turrrnerrr do?"

Cat frowned, "I didn't get a chance to look over his work. I was helping the survivors get out while he did his computer magic. Didn't even get a chance to see it once we were back aboard the ship. But with him, I think we can trust it."

“He’s an odd one,” M’Mira answered. “But he does seem to have a cerrrtain prrroclivity forrr computerrs.”

“That he does. Not sure how he does it either. I’ve seen him work, and half the time I can’t keep up.”

I'm not certain that that is a surprise, M'Mira thought to herself remembering Cat's initial work. "And he is still an Ensign.... Why?"

Giving a slight shrug, Cat shook her head, "Between repairs when I got here, the Medway, now the second officer job and trying to catch up on the information from the Klingon explosion...I haven't had a whole lot of other time. My one free night last night was...spent relaxing." She grinned as she remembered Sarah both the previous night and earlier that day.

"Must be nice," M'Mira replied frowning. "I have not had one moment for a prrroperrr rest. I am going to get bags under my eyes and look absolutely hideous soon."

"Alas, I can't say that I went to sleep right away...quite a bit of energy was used up before I did." Again, a grin crept across Cat's face as she hid behind her drink, taking another sip of it."

Great! The entire command staff is getting action but me. I'm going to die an old spinster without ever finding a decent husband. M'Mira sighed and relented, "Good for you. Must be nice."

Cat frowned. “Sorry...I just...” she sighed. “It’s hard for me to let people get close, especially after what happened when I was younger that I told you. And they were considered MIA until last night, I wasn’t sure if they were dead or alive and was having trouble coping.”

Uncertainty crossed M'Mira's face. Her tail swished in lazy half arcs, occasionally curling in on itself, as if trying to determine what it is should do next. "So, intelligence, then?"

"How did you..." Cat shrugged. "Yes, intelligence. But not going to tell." She looked to M'Mira, and her tail, for a moment. "What about those two twins? I've spoken to Shorish, he's nice, and a pretty good engineer to boot."

A toothy grin came to M'Mira's face. "They arrre both quite the trrreats to look at. Howeverrr, rrright now, I think I prrreferrr his brother Srrrash. Shorrrish is shyerrr, not as asserrrtive. Someone needs to know how to take charrrge, as well as spoil me, as is my rrrright." She paused and thought again. "They both come frrrom a good family. So, yes, they have prrrromise."

Cat blinked, "When he talks about engineering, he is far from shy. But, I suppose I can see him being that way for other things." She didn't say anything to the spoiling and it being her right, as that thought never did cross her mind when it came to relationships. There had to be that connection, the rest didn't matter. "Taking either of them on the mission? I hadn't looked over who you put on the list, been a long day."

"I will take them both," M'Mira replied with a bigger grin. "Let each of them fight forrr my affection," she told Cat. "Then, of courrrse, I have to take Turrrnerr. Why arrre engineerrrs so odd?" she wondered aloud. "Then the doctorrr and maybe someone from intelligence...."

"We are not odd," Cat protested but shrugged, "Okay, maybe a little. But what fun is being boring?" She finished her drink and set the glass aside. "Full crew. Leaving me very few engineers but, that's okay. I'm working on the explosion stuff as it is."

"You'rrrre not odd?" M'Mira challenged with a sharp look. "Just a little?" she asked again with her tail standing on end. "You don't use nail polish!!! How is that not odd or not borrring?"

Cat chuckled, "Never been a girly-girl. Plus don't want to ruin it all the time in engineering." She looked at the colors she'd pulled out to keep for herself. "Maybe since things have calmed down a little, I should see if I can make it last more than a day."

"If you call this calmed down, then I hate to see what you think busy might be," M'Mira told Cat.

"Okay, more calmed down than it has been. I'll be doing more research than work for the time being."

"You have a strrrange sense of calmed down with the Captain leaving, and Mint and I and you getting prrromoted and half of the crrrew leaving. You'rrre an odd one. Don't make me reconsiderrr my opinion on you, Cat."

Cat put up a hand. "Meaning I don't have to go digging around in panels and such anymore and ruining any nail polish I put on. Might actually be able to not destroy them for...a day or two?"

M'Mira laughed heartily at that. "That is most definitely a prrrivlege of command. No digging in dirrrrty panels!"

“Oh, I’ll still have to, just not as much. I’m still chief engineer after all. But, what color suggestions do you have for me?”

The Caitian craned her neck, at one point nearly turning completely upside down to get a better look at Cat and her hands. There were several considering purrs as she inspected the Chief Engineer carefully. Several more purring sounds came forth before she said, "Something in a brrrown. Definitely brrrown. Will go well with yourrr hair and occasional spots. I think a cinnamon. Yes.... That won't be a borrring brrrown, then. Cinnamon, definitely cinnamon." Her tail swished with approval.

Watching M'Mira as she did the thinking, Cat wasn't sure what the end result would be. When the color was finally mentioned, her eyes lit up. "I never once thought to go off my spots. Cinnamon...always went with bright colors before."

"Brrright colors?" M'Mira asked scandalized. "Oh, you poorrrr, poorrrr soul! No wonderrr yourrrr manifest picturrre looks like a glamorrr shot. You have no sense of style! You poorrr, pooorrr dearrr. I have so much to teach you. Had I known that you had as much sense of style as Mint, I would have helped you so much soonerrr."

Cat couldn't help but give an eye roll. "I have my own sense of style. When you go through what I did, you make your own style to make yourself feel like...you. It's all I had at the time. My clothes aren't that bad, but you normally see me in my uniform. Just never was great at makeup and nails."

"Yes, you have a sense of style," M'Mira started. "All bad. I rrrreally need to take you under my proverrrbial wing. I will have you fixed up in no time. Just leave it to yourrrr frrriend, M'Mirrra." Her tail swished happily and M'Mira gave Cat a toothy grin.

"No, not bad. Bad to you maybe. I don't want to conform to anyone else." Cat sat back, "Besides, a certain someone seems to like it so," she shrugged slightly.

"Oh, dearrr, you know not of what you speak. Besides, I would neverrr trrry to make you look like me. Nobody can look that good," she said without any intended arrogance. "And, I'll make whoever yourrr intelligence officerrr frrriend is like yourrr style even morrre."

"M'Mira," Cat said after a moment, "Please, you don't need to. Let me just be me."

"Oh, I'll let you be you. No prrroblem. I'll just be helping you! It is my pleasurrre," she said purring with delight. "I rrratherrr enjoy it. Besides, I have Mint prrromised for a girrrl's night out. Perrrhaps we can make it a thrrresome!"

Cat sighed, knowing she wouldn't win. "I'll join for the girls night, but I'll keep my style. Nails? You can help me there."

"Of courrrse I will," and when you see how pretty I make you with your nails, I will start on something else. We're going to make you look as lovely as you can be. M'Mira purred as her tail swished in thoughtful curls as it moved from side to side.

“M’Mira?” Cat stated simply and nodded to M’Mira’s tail. “What’re you thinking of doing?”

"Yourrr nails. So many possibilities..." M'Mira answered, avoiding her full thoughts.

"My nails, right. We doing anything with them tonight before you leave tomorrow?" Cat couldn't help but be curious.

"If you wish...."

"You don't have to, M'Mira. I just came to talk anyways."

"It is not a matterrr of having to. It is a matterrr of making you look the best you can be," M'Mira said confidently. "What arrre yourrr plans tomorrrrrrow? That shall deterrrmine a lot of what I do forrr you."

Cat thought, “Tomorrow? Meetings, reports, digging into system logs to see what there is about this whole Klingon explosion.”

"I'll send you my notes," M'Mira told her. "It appearrrs to be an inside job. Something stinks about it." She looked around and said, "Wait rrrright herrre. I will be rrright back."

"Just the bits I've researched I agree," Cat stated before M'Mira ran off. She couldn't help but wonder where she was going.

M'Mira returned with a tray. On it were cotton balls, three bowls with clear liquid, a nail file, and some apparent nail polish bottles. She put the tray between herself and Cat and ordered, "Put yourrr paws, errr, hands in the bowl on the left. Yourrr nails only, actually."

Smirking, Cat rolled up her sleeves and gently put her fingertips into the bowl. "Full treatment is seems."

"Oh, goodness! Why would anyone do anything less?" M'Mira asked, her eyes growing wide and her tail standing near at end. "And yourrr nails arrre an absolute disasterrr! I will not have anyone asking who did yourrr nails and you telling them it was me, if it was less than incrrredible. That would be embarrrrrrassing for both of us."

“I’ve never been a girly-girl, and being an engineer, i didn’t pay attention to my nails because I was always digging around in things.” Cat gave a small shrug.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," M'Mira told Cat as she continued to work on Cat's nails. "One must always take time forrr oneself. I have been functioning too long without my naps. It is doing all sorrrrts of awful things to my complexion."

“And now we have too much work to do to get any extra rest, don’t we?” Cat frowned. “If you want a shift off once you’re back from the Medway mission, you can have one. I know you didn’t like the idea during the meeting with Mint but...seriously.”

"That's why I was going to go to bed earrrly," she admitted. "But, this is more imporrrtant," she continued, as she nodded at Cat's nails.

“Don’t let me stop you from getting your sleep, M’Mira,” Cat stated, “My nails can wait until you have caught up on your sleep so that they look perfect.”

"They will look purrrfect, beforrre I go to sleep, Cat. I cannot in good conscience, allow a frrriend to go out in public with nails like these."

Cat shrugged, "Okay, okay. Then when you get back you can take a shift off and rest if things aren't to hectic here."

"Rrrest?" M'Mira asked. "I doubt that will ever happen herrre." Her tail drooped. "I made the mistake of thinking a station would be less busy than a starrrship. I was wrrrrong. Now, I'm stuck. Perrrhaps I will figurrrre out how to nap herrrre, yet."

"The offer is there. There is a full command team for a reason, and we can't let each other get burnt out due to lack of rest." Cat stated with a soft smile.

"I will considerrr it," M'Mira replied reluctantly as she continued to work on Cat's nails.

“That’s all I ask, M’Mira,” Cat finally said, knowing that in the end she’d likely not be taken up on the offer, but it was there.

 

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