Cerulean Stars - Chapter 110

Chapter 110

Stardate 48489.4 - June 28, 2371 - 15:08:38

“You know we’re going to have to talk about what happened sometime.” Jadzia said, keeping step with Raine as she headed to the Defiant's transporter room.

“I know.” Raine agreed with a sigh, this not nearly the first time the Trill had brought the issue up since the empathetic effect had worn off. 

Truthfully though Raine just really really didn't want to. Because as much as she liked Jadzia, and the Asari really did like her, there was just a persistent feeling of mortification attached to the idea of having a sexual relationship with any of the people she remembered as main characters from the show.

It was completely irrational Raine knew, because Jadzia was markedly different from Terry Farrell. And even different from the momentary snapshots of Jadzia Dax that she had seen in the show itself. But that niggling feeling of mortification at the idea just wouldn't go away.

“How about after the gamma quadrant symposium?”

Jadzia raised an eyebrow at her. “And skip the dinner with Admiral Drazman?” 

“If we call it a joint therapy session no one will so much as say a word.” Raine said, absolutely certain of that fact given the circumstances of their multi-day long experience.

“We couldn't do that, we'd be leaving Benjamin and Julian to the wolves.” Jadzia pointed out, the grin on her face heavily suggesting the objection wasn't even remotely sincere.

“Commander Sisko wouldn't hesitate to do the same to us if he had an excuse.” Raine pointed out, her lips twitching slightly in mirth at the thought of turning the tables for once.

“All right, you convinced me.” Jadzia began as they entered the transporter room. “It's a date.”

Four pairs of eyes focused on them at those words, and Raine knew with almost absolute certainty that the Trill had timed her statement to their entrance just to mess with everyone.

“We finally agreed to arrange a joint therapy session to talk about the whole ‘sleeping together under the influence of a psychic effect’ thing.” Raine admitted with a sigh, taking her position on the transporter platform and ignoring the continued looks Sisko, Bashir, Kira, and O'Brien were sending their way.

“Good to get that out if the way I suppose.” Bashir offered with a grin from the pad next to her.

“What about you and that Dabo girl?” Jadzia inquired as she took position on the pad in front of Raine.

“Leeta and I are dating now.” Bashir returned primly.

It was still more than a little amusing to Raine that Bashir and Leeta had hooked up, but it made sense with how things worked.

“Bareil and I are still together.” Kira blurted out awakardly.

“Better you all than me.” O'Brien muttered before looking up from the transporter console. “Ready to transport at any time, Commander.”

Sisko nodded to Kira. “She's all yours, Major. Just remember, I want her back in the same condition I left her.”

“No promises.” Kira shot back.

He turned to O’Brien. “Energise, Mister O'Brien.”

The world began to dissolve around them into a curtain of light that was oddly more rainbow hued then the ships usual fare, at which point an odd feeling hit Raine and everything went black.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stardate -298337.0 - August 30, 2024 - 15:47:31

Something slapped Raine’s cheek, the light sting of pain adding to the throbbing in her head as she slowly clawed her way back to consciousness.

“Come on blue.” An oddly familiar voice intoned.“Gonna need you up and about before a cop shows up and thinks I’m mugging you.”

Forcing open her eyes despite the throbbing pain, Raine held up a hand to block the harsh artificial light only to stare dumbfounded at the peach colored skin that covered her appendage.

A snapping sound dragged her attention to the woman crouching next to her, and Raine was left staring dumbfounded for a second time at the recognizable form of a young Whoopi Goldberg that greeted her.

“Who? What?” Raine mumbled as she shakily pulled herself to her feet, taking in their surroundings as she did and noting they seemed to be in a public bathroom of some kind.

Standing up, the Whoopi Goldberg lookalike cracked her back and let out a relieved sigh. 

“I'm Guinan.” She finally offered, glancing at the door  “Though I guess you already know that.”

“I thought you were Whoopi Goldberg.” Raine answered honestly, shivering slightly at the out of place feeling of hair caressing the nape of her neck.

“That's certainly a new one.” Guinan muttered, shaking her head in obvious bemusement.

“Is this Q's doing?” Raine asked as she held up a very human looking hand, purposefully ignoring the dissociative feelings coming from her body to avoid what would otherwise be a breakdown she likely couldn't afford.

Guinan pointed at Raine's left arm, where a quick glance showed some sort of decorative technological looking arm cuff had been secured. “No, that's the funky bit of jewelry your friend left for you. She said it was some sort of hologram projector.”

The sigh of relief Raine let out wasn't even remotely feigned, and the dissociative feelings at least somewhat resolved themselves as her mind accepted the feeling of holographic hair brushing over her fins.

“Great.” Guinan said, nodding slightly to herself. “Didn't even need my help to get yourself back together, now come on, the four o clock uptown leaves in five minutes, and unless you wanna wanna walk the six miles to the hotel we need to be on it.”

Dozens of questions flashed across Raine's mind, but if a young Guinan was telling her something they mostly likely answer to most of them was either dimensional or temporal travel, in either case the best answer was to follow the directions most likely to know what was going on.

“All right, lead on Macduff.”

Rolling her eyes, Guinan shot Raine an oddly judging stare. “You quoted that wrong. It's lay on Macduff, and it was Macbeth demanding that Macduff fight him.”

A blush of embarrassment colored Raine's cheeks and she gave a helpless shrug. “Honestly, I'm really more of a Tolkien and Russell kind of girl.”

“Least you have some taste.” Guinan muttered, shaking her head in an almost pitying manner before walking towards the doorway and giving a jerk of her head. “Come on.”

Letting out a sigh, Raine followed the other woman, only to pause in her step upon catching a flash of her reflection as she passed a mirror. Glancing over to get a full glimpse of just what others were seeing when they looked at her. The Asari felt her eye ridge twitching in pure annoyance as a sudden suspicion of just who might have set this up formed in her gut.

“Why the hell do I look like Number Six!?”

“Your friend said you can blame Q for the image choice.” Guinan offered with a tone of clear annoyance. “Now stop admiring yourself and lets go.”

Following the El-Aurien out of the bathroom and into what looked to be a twentieth century subway station, Raine clamped down hard on her biotics at the sight of various humans so there wouldn't be any unfortunate timeline errors if someone accidentally ran into her.

Siding up to Raine as they walked towards a security gate, Guinan passed over a small wallet. “You'll need this.”

“My friend again?” Raine asked as she glanced inside to see the expected currency and credit cards related contents alongside an ID with her holographic forms picture and the name Tina Hansen on it.

“Good guess.” Guinan said, coming to a stop in front of the gate and holding out her own ID for the annoyed looking police officer to check.

“You're good.” He said after a moment waving her through and motioning for Raine to step up.

Pulling out her newly received ID and handing it over to the suddenly much more attentive man.

“Tina huh?” He offered, handing the ID back while shooting Raine a grin that would probably have been charming if the Asari didn't live in a future where the attractiveness standard of those around her started at a hollywood eight. “First time I've seen you pass through, new to the city?”

“I'm here on vacation with my girlfriend.” Raine lied, really hoping that particular shoot down was just as effective now as it was in her time.

“Girlfriend?” The police officer repeated, sounding oddly disappointed as he glanced over at Guinan who was staring at Raine with an inscrutable look on her face as she waited for the Asari to be let through.

“Yup.” Raine confirmed with a nod, putting on her best lovestruck smile as she purposefully met Guinan's eyes.

“Ah well.” He murmured forlornly, motioning for Raine to head through. “If it doesn't work out though, I'm single and have a government pension heading my way.”

That probably wasn't the pull her thought it was, but it never paid to piss off officers of the law so Raine shot the man a slightly flirty look before walking through.

“Just to be clear.” Guinan said as they walked towards the open doors of the subway car. “I've had a number of husbands over the years, but never any wife. And that's not going to change.”

“Don’t worry.” Raine said, taking note of how the El-Aurien pulled out a white card and tapped it on a pedestal near the car door before digging a similar object out of her new wallet and following suit. “You’re not my type either.” 

“Oh, I know that.” Guinan returned with a mysterious smirk. “Still had to be said.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Notes: An internet cookie for anyone who guessed this episode's special guest star would be Guinan. And another cookie if you can guess who the “friend” she's been referring to is.

And yes, surprise Saturday chapter. Enjoy.