Chapter Text
They are surrounded. Covered in blood and gore. Trapped on a planet, their shuttle destroyed, no way home until the Enterprise returns from a nearby system. Una’s phaser rifle is near empty. She’s sure La’an’s is too.
“We need to fall back until the Enterprise can get to us.” Una orders La’an. “I saw some overhangs and possible caves back a few clicks.” She motions back.
La’an nods and quickly walks back, she watches the front until she is just past Una, then flips to watch the direction she’s headed.
Una fires a few more shots before dashing after La’an, ducking low to keep cover.
The two run. No sign of the pirates that had attacked them following them. Una’s eyes search the cliffsides, looking for any cavity that could house them until the Enterprise returns. She spots a gap in the rocky face, just barely wide enough for her to get through, plenty large for La’an.
“There.” She points it out.
La’an heads in first, turning on the light at the end of her rifle. Una covers the entrance, waiting for La’an to give the all clear.
“Clear. You can come in.” La’an calls out.
Una turns her rifle and begins shimmying through the crack. Rocks scrape against her face and rip at her uniform. She presses through and enters the larger chamber behind. With hers and La’an’s flashlights she sees a short chamber with two paths diverging. One shorter than the other.
“We should go deeper in, in case they follow.” Una nods at the paths.
“Let’s go.” La’an takes one of the passage, Una follows behind.
They enter a small chamber, something that could fit three people shoulder to shoulder at most.
“Cozy.” Una offers a smile to La’an.
“It’ll do.” La’an gathers a small handful of stones and sets them in piles at the entrance to the passage they now reside.
Una pushes a larger rock towards the center of the room, and heats it with her phaser. She settles against the rocky wall, and pulls emergency rations from the small kit she managed to nab from the shuttle before it was destroyed.
La’an settles next to her, rifle leaning against her bent leg, within easy reach. Una offers her half the rations.
“It’s not much. It’s all I was able to grab.” Una leans her head back against the wall and looks at La’an. “It should get us through a couple days. More than enough time for Enterprise to return.”
“Thanks, Chief.” La’an smiles and takes a bite.
“How did things go so bad?”
“Pirates?”
“Maybe we should’ve brought Erica. She could’ve flown us out of that no problem.” Una chuckles, trying to lighten the mood a bit.
“Are you saying I’m not a good pilot?” La’an struggles to stop the smirk crossing her face.
“Security is definitely your strong suit.” Una holds back a laugh.
“Hey.” La’an elbows her. A full blown grin on her face.
“Hey. We’re absolutely disgusting.” Una gestures at the dirt, blood, and sweat covering their faces.
“Yeah.” La’an tears at her uniform, ripping out a chunk from the torso. She smacks it against the wall a couple times, then wipes her face. She looks at Una and presents her face for approval.
“You missed a spot.” She takes the ripped uniform and wipes at the massive streak leftover along her temple. She watches La’an’s nostrils flare and pupils dilate. She pulls the rag back slowly and hands it to her, choosing to ignore the physical reaction she’d been noticing more often in La’an recently.
“Thanks.” La’an nods, her face back to its careful neutral.
Una rips at the hem of her dress, taking a chunk out and giving herself a nice split leg look. She scrapes the dried grime from her face.
“You’re bleeding.” La’an reaches up, her hand stopping just short of Una’s face.
“Must’ve been the rocks on the way in.” Una hands La’an her tatter of uniform.
La’an rotates it, looking for a clean spot. She presses it gently to Una’s face. She slowly wipes down her cheek. She repeats the motion a few times and sets the rag down. Una’s chest aches from the gentleness. Something in her feels lost.
The two sit quietly for a moment, gazing at each other. Una’s breath is even, relaxed, slow. She can tell La’an’s is the same. Their hands meet, coated in shadows cast by the glowing stone. Taking comfort in each other's warmth.
“I’ll take first watch. Get some sleep La’an.” Una starts to stand.
“Una-”
When Una looks down, she sees a look even younger than the woman next to her.
“Please don’t. I-” La’an looks away. “I hate sleeping in caves.”
Una’s mind flashes to the Gorn breeding planet La’an had survived. Lots of caves. How many times did she fall asleep in a cave, not knowing what she’d wake up to, if she even woke up in the morning? Una feels a swell of protectiveness and settles back in, next to La’an.
“Ok. I can keep watch from here.” Una puts a comforting hand on La’an’s shoulder. She slides her phase rifle to right next to her, keeping a hand on it even as La’an rests her head on Una’s shoulder. One of her hands comes up to slowly stroke the loosened braids atop La’an’s head, taking comfort in something soft.
Una notices a slight noise lingering in the air. Almost like a trickle. Her eyes sweep along the cave walls, finding a small stream of water running down the wall. It glistens from the glow of the superheated rock. She lifts a finger to point it out to La’an only to hear the quiet snores emanating from the woman next to her. Una keeps her body still, supporting La’an and the rest she’s sure she needs. Her mind wanders, while her eyes stay focused on the entry to the cavern.
How long has she known La’an now? Nearly 15 years. When they pulled her malnourished unconscious body from that space raft, Una had thought she couldn’t be any older than 10. Turns out La’an was 16. Just so poorly malnourished that she hadn’t quite hit puberty yet. She’d been trapped on that Gorn planet for years. Una had just been an ensign, granted she was awaiting a promotion, but still just an ensign.
She could still remember the fear in La’an’s eyes as she curled her small body into a corner of sickbay. She swore she’d help that fear go away. And she did, by the time the few week journey to the nearest Federation starbase was concluded, La’an clung to her, sometimes even smiling.
The two had spoken over the next few years, mostly through video calls. Once La’an was 20, Una offered to sponsor her Academy application, as she had finally reached Lieutenant and could actually sponsor applications. La’an had accepted and gone into the academy. Una helped her with her school work, offering experience in the engineering La’an struggled with so much. Slowly as the years went by, the closer La’an got to graduating the further apart the two grew. She was there when La’an graduated, but once she’d been assigned to her first commission they didn’t speak for months at a time.
They hadn’t spoken for nearly a year when La’an turned up in her cell on Kiley 279. Una had been shocked at what a fine woman she’d become. She’d had to stamp down an odd feeling of attraction she was not expecting. Women in uniform had always done something for her. It felt odd, seeing her like that. She hadn’t even realized how much she missed her.
Una knows La’an is 31 at this point, an adult, capable of making her own decisions, but she can’t help but be concerned whenever she feels attraction for her, or whenever she notices the heightened physical reactions La’an has to her. La’an’s touches had been lingering more often recently, and her eyes seem to always be mindful of Una.
She can’t help but fear the cause of La’an’s attraction for her is the fact that she was the one to pull her from that Gorn ship. Maybe if La’an would take advantage of Starfleet’s trauma counseling she would feel a little better about it. Until then, Una’s feelings would remain just that. Feelings. Not words. Besides, she is La’an’s commander. It’s against regulation.
La’an lets out a soft groan next to her as she shifts against the rocks, pulling Una from her thoughts. Her ass has started to hurt from the rocks stabbing into it. Still, she remains still for La’an.
A sizzle on the heated rock catches her attention, and she looks up to see several thin hollow tubes jutting from the ceiling, all with varying sizes of water hanging to the end. Una can’t help but admire the natural beauty of the cave they’ve managed to duck into. The stream she’d noticed earlier looks different, now that her eyes have properly adjusted to the dark. White ribboned walls glow with hints of orange from the heated rock.
Several hours pass, well beyond a normal watch shift, but Una does not wake La’an, rather letting her sleep as long as she needs. It’s only when she herself starts to nod off that she gives a gentle shake to La’an.
La’an’s eyes fly open, and her body jolts up, leaving Una’s shoulder cold.
“Una.” La’an seems confused for a moment.
“Your watch.” She says with a yawn. Her shoulders pop as she stretches her arms out in front of her. A few cracks sound from her knees as she stretches her legs as well. She leans her head back and closes her eyes. She cracks one open as La’an shifts next to her. She seems to not be making any attempt to get up, just grabbing her rifle and sitting in an alert position. Una internally shrugs, trying to not show her pleasure at La’an remaining, and closes her eye again.
It feels as though only a few moments have passed before La’an shakes her awake. She’s standing over her, a gentle hand pushing against her shoulder.
“Una. Una. We’ve got movement outside.” La’an gives her another tap before moving back.
Una blinks her eyes a few times and moves to stand. Her back stiffens and she lets out and immediately cuts off a groan.
“Stupid cave walls. Terrible for your back.” She grumbles, using the rocky wall as leverage to get herself off the floor. She grabs her rifle on the way up. Her whole body aches and pops and groans as she makes her way to the passage. “What’s out there?”
“I’m not sure. I hear footsteps. Likely humanoid. Four or five of them. Likely armored.” La’an peers out through the cave passage.
“Well, seeing as our communicators were destroyed with the ship, it’s possible it’s crew from Enterprise.” Una offers.
“I was not on watch for nearly enough time for Enterprise to have gotten here.” La’an looks at her.
“Well-” Una raises her eyebrows. “I may have taken a double watch.”
“Una.”
“You looked like you needed the sleep. I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Una. I’m not the only one who needs sleep.”
“I’m Illyrian, remember? My modifications mean I can go weeks without sleep.” Una looks towards La’an. She stands, eyes out towards the passage, shoulders stiff and alert. If Una didn’t know any better she’d think La’an was alright, but she can see the shake in her hands as she shifts her grip on her rifle.
“Number One?” Pike's voice rings out in the cave, echoing several times.
“See? Enterprise.” Una gestures at La’an and steps into the passage.
“Fine.” La’an follows suit.
They exit the cave, Una losing more tatters of her uniform to the small crack of an entrance. Pike, M’Benga and three red shirts stand outside the cave, waiting for them.
“What did you two get yourselves into?” Pike asks.
“Pirates sir. Knocked us right out of the sky.” Una reports.
“Chased us for several clicks across the surface. Our shuttle wreckage is north by northwest several kilometers away.” La’an points.
“We found that earlier. Looks like they did a number.” Pike looks around. “Let’s get back to the ship.” He flips out his communicator. “Enterprise. Seven to beam up.”
Upon rematerialization the two women are directed to sickbay for examination. Upon finishing up, they are released into the wild of the Enterprise corridors. Una heads to her quarters, ready to sleep in a real bed. She’s quick to strip and change into her nightwear, a long t-shirt and some Starfleet regulation boxers. She’s just settled into her soft, warm, not rocky bed, when her door chime goes off.
She lets out a groan then sits up.
“Yes?” She calls out.
The door slides open, revealing La’an, still in uniform and fidgeting with her sleeve in front of her. When the door opens Una can see the shine in La’an’s eyes, swollen red rims around her eyes.
“La’an.” Una jumps from her bed, sympathy and the need to help do something. “Come in.”
“Thank you.” La’an steps over the boundary of her quarters. The door slides shut behind her. Her shoulders are stiff, her throat bobbing with a tough swallow, her hands keep themselves occupied.
Una’s eyes glide up and down La’an. She ignores the pang of attraction to instead focus on the issues. Something is clearly going poorly for her.
“La’an, are you alright?” Una steps forward, keeping her voice gentle, calm, and even.
“No.” Her voice sounds so small.
“Come here.” Una feels her heart break at that quiet confession. She opens her arms, outstretched. La’an hesitates for a moment, before pressing her small body into her. Una almost cries herself, instead she presses as much warmth into La’an as she can, her arms wrap around her, holding her sturdy.
The two stand in silence for quite some time, wrapped around each other. Una feels with each breath, La’an relaxing against her. Eventually, La’an pulls away. Una releases her arms and steps back, she searches for La’an’s eyes.
“Thanks, Una.” La’an meets her eyes, the red rim gone.
“Of course. Do you want something to eat? Drink?” Una smiles softly at her.
“Do you have strawberries?” La’an’s voice is small.
“Of course.” Una gestures towards her couch. La’an settles down at the edge of it. Una grabs a bowl of fresh strawberries out of the cooling unit she has hidden away. She settles next to La’an on the couch, her legs cross, the bowl of strawberries resting on her knee.
La’an takes a strawberry, pulls the green off, then pops it into her mouth.
“So, what made you drop by?” Una raises an eyebrow.
“I couldn’t sleep.” La’an looks at Una, as if taking in what she’s wearing for the first time, her eyes widening. “Oh- did I-”
“You’re alright La’an, my door is always open for you.” Una reassures her before she can start blaming herself for something. “So, a soft bed not any good compared to a rock wall?”
“No.” La’an says. Her eyes avoid Una. “That’s not it.”
“I won’t make you talk La’an. But I can do my best to help with whatever it is.” Una takes a bite of her own strawberry.
“I-” La’an hesitates. She rolls another strawberry in her hands. "I slept better in that cave next to you than I have since I graduated from the Academy. When I tried to sleep when I closed my eyes, I just-” A deep breath. “It felt like I was back there. I could feel rocks pressing into my back. I could hear gorn hatchlings scratching, sniffing, howling. I-”
"La'an-" Una starts, her heart aching for this wounded woman before her.
"Just being able to hear that there's someone else there. To feel someone else there. With you. It was- safe. You're safe." La'an pokes and prods at the strawberry in her hand, her eyes keeping away from Una.
"La'an. Look at me." Una speaks softly. La'an looks up, her eyes turning red again. Their gazes meet. "You're always welcome here. Whether you just need to calm down, sleep, relax-"
"Work through your supply of strawberries?"
"Yes, even just to eat my strawberries. You're welcome here." As if to emphasize, Una takes a bite of the largest strawberry in the bowl.
A bowl of strawberries and a movie later, La'an is lounging across Una's couch, her legs in Una's lap, the twos shoulders touching, leaning. The credits roll on the film they're watching and as the screen fades to black and fills the room with silence, Una waits. She waits to see if La'an is going to move off her, or if the two are going to remain almost tangled together.
A soft snore and the even movement of La'an's shoulders and chest tell Una that she's finally fallen asleep. Rather than move to wake her, she accepts the inevitable back pain of the morning and curls in to sleep, her arms coming protectively around La'an.
It's some of the best sleep in her life, on that couch with the warmth of La'an curling into her body. When Una awakes the next morning, minutes before her usual alarm, she can’t help but feel content as quiet even breaths come from the woman in her arms. Her neck aches, and one of her arms is entirely asleep, but it was well worth it. Something warm and fuzzy fills Una's chest, before being so rudely interrupted by the computer announcing the time.
La'an jumps from Una's arms, her hands slipping from Una’s hips, still bleary eyed but alert. From the increase in breathing and the wild movement of her eyes, Una assumes she's had a jolt of adrenaline shot through her body.
"Good morning." She smiles at La'an, a hand gently taking her face, a soothing thumb running along her cheek.
"Una-" La'an seems confused for a moment, then her eyes widen. "I am so sorry for falling asleep on you. Sleeping out here can't have been comfortable."
"Relax La'an, I can handle a little sore back." A lot sore, but La'an doesn't need to know that. "I'm not that old."
"Funny. I don't ever think of you as old." La'an lets out a smirk as she stretches her tired and stiff limbs.
Una freezes for a moment, realizing that one of La'an's legs, that she is currently stretching, resides between her own legs. Heat rushes to her face and she shifts her legs to free more of La'an's body. As her body moves she notices La'an notice and turn bright red.
It's as if she's touched fire, La'an leaps up from the couch, an apology on her lips. Before she says anything Una reaches a hand out and takes La'an's.
"Coffee?" Una offers, changing the subject from the unspoken words they both have.
"Yes please." La'an lets out a hefty sigh.
"Coming right up." Una rises from the couch, her hand bracing on the arm, desperate to not show the sheer pain on her face. She doesn't want La'an to feel guilty. She stretches her hands up above her head, arching her back with an impressive crack. An eye back at La’an shows her face dusted with pink, Una suddenly becomes aware of what she’s wearing, her t-shirt crooked, and her boxers barely clinging to her hips. She drops her arms to her sides.
Una arms herself with two cups of coffee then returns to the couch. She settles in next to La’an, who is yawning, and hands her a mug.
“Thanks.” The word is distorted by La’an’s yawn. Her hands wrap around the warm mug and she takes a sip, her shoulders dropping as she drinks.
“How’d you sleep?” Una smiles into her coffee, remembering waking in the middle of the night to an especially loud snore coming from La’an.
The pink returns to La’an’s face. “I slept good. I haven’t slept that good since-” La’an pauses, “Well, since the last time I slept in your quarters.”
Una thinks back to 15 years ago, after they’d pulled La’an from that space raft. She’d been freezing, life support was about to fail, she had no food left, and barely any water. When they’d pulled her from the ship she’d looked so young. So young, yet the look on her face was one that had seen so much more than she should have. La’an had stayed in her quarters after keeping her in sickbay had proven unsuccessful. The two bonded during that time, with Una helping La’an through the shaking nightmares, and the mornings full of tears, and the afternoons of self-destructive rage, and the evenings of struggling to get food down, to keep it down.
“I was just glad you were sleeping back then.” Una murmurs, still pulling herself from her thoughts.
“Thanks to you.” La’an finishes her cup of coffee, and rises from the couch. “Thanks for letting me crash, Chief. We’ve both got bridge duty. It’s best we both continue with our days.”
“You’re welcome anytime La’an.” Una watches La’an leave her quarters, still in uniform from last night, tousled hair, and crumpled clothes. She swallows her attraction with the rest of her coffee, and begins preparing for her day.