( nsfw open )

[skittys]

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Comments

[whistles_loudly]

[There's one thing that hooks in his brain before everything else she said.]

I love you too.

[It shouldn't be obscured by anything else. Not when it comes from him, and not when he gets to say it, out loud, to Una.]

[unas]

( it takes her a moment before she realsies that he's right, that the only reason he commented on just that was for a very good reason )

That's the only thing that matters.

( there's a very small smile. and strangely... a story comes to mind )

Did you ever meet Captain Georgiou here? She died in our universe but another version of her, a different one to this universe, was brought to our universe. Starfleet made a cover story but had her live out the life of the Captain Georgiou she was supposed to be.

( would una want to do that? to be captain here, to live someone else's life? or rather her alternate life? what would she do otherwise? though she'd probably find something )

[whistles_loudly]

I have, we went to the Academy together. She drank me under the table back then. She's a respectable admiral now.

[He shakes his head obviously amused. But he sees where she's going with it.]

It's possible. She...there wasn't a body.

[unas]

If I was stuck they'd need some explanation and Starfleet Intelligence wouldn't want to admit the existence of another universe, not with the unknowns.

( and not when there's multiple of them )

It won't just be Starfleet Medical that talks to me.

( yesterday it had been but she knows there'd be more to come )

[whistles_loudly]

I know they won't. Marcus doesn't want to admit much of anything. He doesn't think the Fleet at large needs to know half of whatever the hell secrets he has in Section 31. He and I have disagreed over a number of things.

[And how they treat Una is going to be the next one.]

[unas]

( at least una's here to back herself and be incredibly resourceful even if she doesn't know all of the cards. she always finds a way )

I'm prepared. I also have a few things he won't from my universe.

( like her experience with georgiou )

[whistles_loudly]

And all those people that still owe her favors are going to be very surprised when you walk through the door.

[And he's amused by that too.]

[unas]

I think I'll be glad I'm resourceful in every universe.

( she might need a few of them )

Would you be able to catch me up more over breakfast? I read the reports, that's not what I'm asking for but prepare me for today?

[whistles_loudly]

I can do that. My guess is Marcus is going to be either conducting or watching your interrogation.

[He starts to get out of bed.]

I'll shower, then get started on breakfast.

[unas]

( she nods, waiting for him to move before getting out of bed, moving over to the replicator. it takes some time to find what she wants, a sleeveless blue tunic with black leggings, taking them back to the room he'd offered her to freshen up before dressing. though she'd had to replicate everything to do that, making a little collection on the dresser of her hairbrush, make up and shower products.

she's got her hair in a ponytail when she emerges, barefoot for now, silent pads of her feet down the hall as she makes her way into the kitchen )

Is there anything I can do?

( other than coffee as she's making that anyway )

[whistles_loudly]

[He's off to shower and change into his gray Starfleet Uniform. When he comes out from the bathroom, his Jacket goes on one of the kitchen chairs that he assumes will be unused, leaving him in just his undershirt and pants.]

Just decide what you'd like to have.

[unas]

Pancakes?

( there's a raised eyebrow, a question rather than just asking for them, not wanting to make him have them if he didn't want them )

I miss the yellow.

( grey drained the colour from him )

[whistles_loudly]

I can make those. Strawberries or no?

[He hopes she still likes them.]

My duty uniform is still yellow. Academy Instructors get this. I like the jacket.

[unas]

( she nods again, a sweet smile at the thought of strawberries that isn't very sweet at all -- if he gets them out whilst he's making the pancakes she'll eat them already. especially in this situation )

What are the ship uniforms like?

( curious to see if they were the same in both universes )

[whistles_loudly]

[He gets to work on breakfast, and yes the strawberries are put right on the counter. He already cut their green tops off.]

Division colors are yellow for command, red for operations, and blue for sciences and medical. There's a shirt and pants option, and a two different dresses, short and long sleeved. Ranks on the sleeves except for the short sleeved dresses. All of the uniforms have knee high boots, and black undershirts.

Starfleet's insignia is printed in the fabric for all the divisions. Mine's in my closet, if you want to take a look.

[unas]

( she's got a mouth full of strawberry when he offers, nodding and disappearing to look, though taking another strawberry with her first, back after not too long )

They're similar but not entirely the same. We have one dress, though it's more a tunic than a dress, long sleeved only, black and department colour. I wear that most often.

( her jumper otherwise. sometimes she misses the other uniform, it fit nicely )

What do you think they'll do? Let me stay free, give me her life... lock me away?

[whistles_loudly]

[The strawberries are a hit. How many other little things are the same?]

The easiest route is to tell everyone they found an escape pod stranded on a planet. Then you'd just be her, which isn't too far off.

[He goes about mixing batter, and making some perfectly done pancakes. There are eggs in another pan.]

I know it's going to be difficult to convince them you aren't her.

[unas]

( una nods, biting the inside of her lip and its the worry that has her paused in eating her strawberries )

I don't know if I want to be her. Staying with you is a big draw, and if I can't get back I don't want to be anything else, but I don't know her life, not the parts that are different.

( and it was this recent history that was very different. but this is again that fear of hers )

I'm not a Captain for a reason, not because they haven't tried to promote me.

[whistles_loudly]

If that's the route they choose, we can talk about it. She didn't have any family left. I have a lot of her personal things in Mojave. I was with her for a lot of it. I can help too, if it's needed.

[Maybe making it hypothetical would be easier.]

You keep refusing? They think you can do the job. I think so too.

[The implied question is, why does she keep refusing?]

[unas]

( he asks a good question but she's stuck on one thing-- )

I didn't read about her family. ( that hurts a little. her father had died a few years ago but her mother and brothers? ) I'm guessing she never went back home either?

( starfleet always had her homeworld on file even if not the entire truth about it )

[whistles_loudly]

She never talked about them much. When she died, they couldn't find any family. She listed me for all those types of questions. I cleaned out her apartment, I just assumed?

[That her parents died. She was the only child. It made sense to him. He never asked, he should have asked.]

[unas]

( a pause )

She never told you.

( though chris only knew because of one mission, not because she'd told him.

there's a deep breath, a shakier one and whilst she's going to keep up the lie with starfleet she wants to be honest with him )

The colony I'm from had humans on it and there were smaller human settlements on the planet, it made it easier not to be questioned. But I'm not human-- I'm Illyrian.

( which is why any una didn't talk much about her family )

[whistles_loudly]

[He's quiet for a minute while he puts their breakfast on plates. Illyrian? But Starfleet won't let anyone who's genetically modified join. But Una's explanation makes sense, and how she was able to get into the fleet.]

No, she never told me. She said she wanted to tell me something when she got back from that mission, since I wasn't her CO anymore. I wonder if that was it.

[He carries their food over to the table, then gets the berries and the hot sauce.]

You've hidden that this long? That has to be difficult.

[unas]

It is.

( she grabs her fork when he brings the pancakes over, abandoning her strawberries for the moment )

Leaving home was hard, knowing I'd likely never be able to return. I probably could but Starfleet finding out was too much of a worry to let me. So I called them when I could, but it wasn't often enough.

( maybe she'd do that here, maybe she'd wait until knowing she was stuck before doing it. maybe she'd go home and see what was there )

I didn't want to lie to you, not now. And not when you know in my universe.

[whistles_loudly]

It makes sense, if she told me beforehand I should report it. I wouldn't, but I should. Human or Illyrian, you're still you. I don't want to lose that.

[The syurp and all follows after, then he sits and adds some hot sauce to his eggs.]

Maybe Starfleet'll change its mind about your people. I'm sure you weren't the only one who wants to enlist.

[He's not trying to make her the ambassador for all of Illyria, that's too much weight for one person. One false move and you can ruin the chances of everyone that could come after you.]

We can't let them find out. I don't know how it can be hidden from medical but I assume you've done it before?