Personal Log: (Ensign Caellica S'io) Stardate 88242.6,
My first-ever bridge shift went much better than expected. I never thought I'd be asked to pick up the night shift st the science station on the bridge, but there I was at 0000 hours staring at the long-range sensor readouts. Despite a rocky start, I ended up discovering a brand new quasar in the process of forming near the Hayashi system. I can't believe no one else spotted it, not even the stellar dynamics department! Commander T'Vrell said she's putting in a commendation for me, and stellar dynamics isn't even my field! If I hadn't listened to M'Rerra and buckled down when my attention was starting to waver, I might not have spotted it at all. I'm heading down to Ten-Forward to blow off some steam.

M'Rerra: ...and it just caught your eye?

S'io: I was starting to dose off, so I did what you said and just snapped back in to attention-

M'Rerra: [Raising an eyebrow and leaning in knowingly] Wait, you mean to tell me you were lying down on the job, Ensign...?

S'io: [defensive] M'Rerra...I've never done the night shift for anything before, and literally nothing happened for hours!

M'Rerra: Come on, S'io, I'm just kidding. Then what happened?

S'io: Well, then I looked back at the EM scan on the long-range sensor readouts and something just didn't look right, there were small amounts of backround radiation all over the EM spectrum, but very small and coming from one point only. Turns out stellar dynamics didn't catch it because of the Hayashi wormhole, the neutrino emissions made it almost undetectable.

M'Rerra: Heh, see? Aren't you glad you listened to me? A sharp eye is how you move up on this ship.

S'io: [smiles] It also helps to have a good teacher.

M'Rerra: [chuckles] Shut up...

S'io: Hey, M'Rerra?

M'Rerra: Hmm?

S'io: You...weren't really getting perfume out of your fur in the shower earlier, were you?

M'Rerra: What are you talking about?

S'io: Come onnnn, don't be coy, you were mating someone, weren't you?

M'Rerra: [looks away from S'io. She holds a poker face for a long moment, then shakes her head and chuckles] Dammit...

S'io: I knew it! Ok, who is it, I want to know!

M'Rerra: I'd...rather not say right now.

S'io: Whaaat? Why not? Are you embarrassed? Is it Lieutenant R'Mira? Oh wait, you've spent a lot of time around humans, right? Is it commander Flores? Is it the Captain?

M'Rerra: Ok, that's it, come here you! [Pulls S'io into a light chokehold and noogies her with her other hand

S'io: Oh no! [giggling] Hey! Stop it!

M'Rerra: [continues noogie] I'm putting you on report for insubordination, Ensign!

[M'Rerra and S'io laugh out loud for a few moments before M'Rerra finally relents]

M'Rerra: I promise, I'll tell you one day, S'io. Let's just say it's been a long time coming and I feel like there's a weight off my shoulders now that we're mated.

S'io: Awww, I'm happy for you, M'Rerra!

[M'Rerra nods and looks away, her chuckles becoming increasingly nervous as she realizes that one day S'io may catch on to her and Mark's relationship too soon]

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Many thanks to Shusha_Art for another wonderful commission.

M'Rerra and Sio:  Sunstreak091
Art:  Shusha_Art