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freezing-kaiju · 7 years ago

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Stardate: 2689

Chapter 9: Echoes of a Crew

a fire emblem Heroes fic by me and @pupmon1 in a Ster Trek AU

warnings: injury mention

Captain’s Log. XX/XX/2689. Camilla. We FINALLY received a message from Valm regarding the crew they promised us. They’re finally sending their delegation to us, fourth captain and all. And yet, we received word that we will have to pick them up from a Valm station...because of course we have to...

Camilla fidgeted restlessly in the hangar bay as the ship docked with the station. The fourth captain slot has been empty for longer than it should have been, and Hinoka had been taking care of that shift, something she is not trained for.

“Why the hell did this take so long?” Severa asked. “It sucks having to work extra shifts...”

“Because screw Valm…” Lucina muttered. “This Union was their idea...but they still get their own little bubble of ‘don’t go’.”

“We’re expecting around 25-30 new members,” Rhajat said, looking at a holo-clipboard. “Hopefully on the low end. We already picked up 5 extra crew...”

“Ye-” Camilla stopped as the ship docked and the airlock slid open...revealing about 16 people standing there in uniforms.

A redhaired girl stepped forward with her hands behind her back. “Commander Camilla?”

“Yes. Are you...Captian Celica?”

“Yes, I am the Valmese captian. This is my crew.”

“Oh fuck no…” Lucina grumbled.

“Your crew is about 20 people short,” Rhajat mused, checking off names while listing them off. “Celica, Mae, Faye, Silque, Mathilda, Sonya, Saber, Genny, Valbar, Leon, Delthea, Kamui, Catria, Palla, Est...those are the crew that’s present.”

“My ship needs more people than this!” Camilla snapped. “What happened?”

“...there was a borg attack on this station as we were preparing...we lost fine men…”

“A borg attack?” Camilla and Lyn glanced at each other nervously. “Well...that’s not good…”

“My sympathies,” Lucina said. “We managed to avoid that disaster narrowly...”

“We drove off the cu-” Celica paused for a few seconds. “Wait...you avoided the borg? How did you manage that?”

“...experimental technology that Camilla...acquired...about a decade ago.”

“That technology could be useful. I would like for my sci-”

“No,” Camilla said firmly. “It’s...not that simple…the technology is very……temperamental.”

“Integrated into a person who doesn’t want to give it up,” Rhajat responded. “We’d have to kill her to extract it. Hey, the Union approved this.”

Celica’s eyes narrowed. “...I assume I will get a proper report once we’re on board and settled in.”

“Of course,” Camilla responded. “And your crew is welcome to take a tour of the ship before assuming their shifts.”

Celica nodded and gave a wave to her crew, allowing them to stand down and relax. A large man with an eyepatch stepped up behind Celica.

“I want to see this technology,” Saber said.

“I’ll ask her.” Rhajat pulled out a comm and stepped away. “...yeah, one of the crew wants to see you...he’s big, red mohawk, eyepatch...no? Okay. She says no.”

Saber frowned and stepped forward. “I am your deputy, it wasn’t a request. I will see this woman.”

Rhajat rolled her eyes and pulled out the comm. “Yeah, he wants to see you. He’s not taking no for an answer and he outranks both of us. Yes yes, I know, organic...” Rhajat let out a sigh. “She says no. I’ll take you to her anyways but she’ll probably be hostile, she’s not very balanced yet...oh and i’ll remind you again, this is just observation. You can read the report we gave the Union if you want a justification, they seemed to agree...”

Saber nodded and followed Rhajat.

Celica turned back to Camilla and the other captains. “Now, am I going to be staying in a captain’s quarters? Or can I select another room?”

“You’ll be staying in the captain's quarters,” Camilla said simply. “The large bed belongs to me and Lyn, the other two...can be worked out between you and Lucina.”

Celica nodded. “...may I request that Faye, Silque, and Mae be put in the same quarters?”

The three captains all glanced at each other and grinned. “Yeah sure,” they said. “Why not at this point.”

Off in the distance someone shouts. “Might as well rename this the USC Polyamory!”

“I don’t want to have to pay for the paint job!” Camilla shouted back.

Celica frowned. “Wait...you have...open relationships on this craft?”

“Darlin’, when you’re floating in the loneliness of space, with only your fellow crewmen to talk to, not much stays hidden for long.”

Several audible sighs of relief could be heard from Celica’s crew, including her. “...good, then I see no reason to keep it from you. I’m dating Mae, Faye, and Silque.”

Camilla put a hand around Lyn’s shoulders, pulling her into a hug. “We’re together, with Hinoka, Florina, and Setsuna as well.”

Lucina squirmed and looked away. “I-...uh...Noire, Severa, and Kjelle…”

Mae grinned and jumped forward. “Yay! So far this is awesome. Better than back home, at least!”

“I’m a Nohrian who feels emotions and dares to show it, I clearly care that everyone is socially acceptable to those on their planets,” Camilla said with a dismissive gesture. “Now, let’s get you all settled in.”

“Hinoka! Severa! Florina! Show these crewmen to their quarters!” the captains called out.

“Yes ma’am!” the three deputies responded before herding the Valmese away.

---

Rhajat led Saber to the science lab, where Beruka spent her regular shifts. “Here she is.”

Beruka looked up, twitched, and snapped to a salute. “Hello, Deputy Saber. This unit greets your unwelcome arrival.”

“So...you’re the reformed borg, huh?” Saber walked up and circled around her. “Ya sure don’t sound like it. Or look it, for that matter. Ya just look like a Borg with a chrom job.”

“This unit does not understand what you are implying. This unit cannot replace my essential parts without quick and painful death.”

Saber stood in front of Beruka, looking down at her. “So...you helped this ship evade the borg cube that was recently found in this sector?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell them where the station was to send them away?”

“They did not ask. And all communications had to be disabled to stay safe. I assume by the time we managed to send a transmission, the Borg intercepted it, or it just got there too late.”

Saber stood down and crossed his arms. “...that’s acceptable...have a good day…”

“You too, Deputy,” Beruka said, with a very forced and unnatural looking smile.

“...how about...not trying that...” Rhajat said.

“Okay…”

---

“Well this is a lot better than the station!” Mae said happily as she donned her uniform in the morning, her antennae wiggling happily.

“I hope they have a kitchen I can work in,” Faye said. “Wonder if anyone will like my cinnamon rolls...”

“I’ll punch anyone who hates it,” Mae said, punching the air.

“And I won’t heal them,” Silque said with a light giggle.

“Now now girls, don’t antagonize our crew members,” Celica said as she slipped into the room. She noticed there was one large bed. “Huh...they’re really used to people being in a relationship, aren’t they?”

“Probably,” Silque said.

Mae smiled and hugged Celica. “I missed you. This ship is too big...I couldn’t see you…”

Celica sighed and petted Mae’s head. “I know, I know dear. I told you...the walls are going to mess with your signal. But don’t worry, based on what Lucina did last night, I can come in here a sleep with you three.”

“Ooo, who’s Lucina with?” Mae asked. “Sorry, I get like...super into all this kinda gossip.”

“Believe me, I know Mae.” Celica paused, trying to remember. “Her deputy...along with her communications officer and one of her security officers.”

“Oh cool.” Mae shrugged. “Guess I’ll get to know them.”

“I hope they’ll be okay with the fact that I let my cats loose in the ship,” Celica mused.

“Did you tell the-”

“WHY THE FUCK ARE THERE SO MANY CATS?!?” they suddenly heard Camilla shout. “THEIR FUR IS EVERYWHERE!!!”

“SORRY!” Celica shouted.

Celica sighed and shrugged. “They’ll...be fine…” she muttered. “Now, I want to make some rules for you three. First off, no messing with Mae on duty, this is more serious post. Understand?” Faye and Silque nodded. “Okay, good. Now Mae, no smoking on duty. But, if...you can’t find one of us to help you during your off duty times…” Celica hesitated, nervous to give Mae the okay to smoke during off hours.

“...they have a bar, i’m sure there’s somewhere she’ll be able to smoke,” Faye said.

“I know...I’m just nervous about telling Mae she can smoke whenever she’s off duty...which...I know is how she will take this…”

“Well I think that’s all the confirmation I need,” Mae said with a grin. “They have a bar too? Gods, this ship is loaded.”

Celica frowned and put a hand on Mae’s shoulder. “Mae...please...don’t hurt yourself.”

Mae’s smile vanished with a sigh. “...I know...just...”

“I know your power is a curse as well as a blessing. I just…” Celica pulled Mae into a hug. “I don’t want you hurting yourself…”

The other two joined her in the hug, and Mae sighed again. “...thanks, guys...hey, maybe the weapons tech thing will occupy me enough..?”

Celica nodded and smiled. “Yeah...hopefully.” She pulled away and stretched. “Now...I have to spend time with Saber to get used to the ship. You three have fun.”

---

Maria walked up to the science lab and knocked on the door. She had been called up here to consult on something the new science officer had devised. She wasn’t completely sure why a science officer would request the presence of a medic, and a junior officer at that, but orders were orders.

The door slid open. “C’mon in!” Delthea said.

She was leaning over a workbench, adjusting something on...well, Maria didn’t exactly know what to call it. It looked like someone took apart two shotguns and a medical extractor and haphazardly assembled the pieces.

“What’s that?” Maria asked, puzzled.

“Oh, it’s uh...it’s like...it’s a multi-chambered tranquilizer gun!” Delthea responded. “Perfect for administering multiple medications at once from a long range or delivering a ludicrously potent dose of anything you choose to inject. I just...ah... need you to observe it and...stuff...”

Maria nodded. “Okay...don’t see why you need my opinion...”

Delthea nodded and aimed the gun at a target on the other side of the room. She pulled a lever and cocked the gun. “Here goes...”

She fired the gun. Three syringes hit the target perfectly...but one missed, bounced, ricocheted off a wall..and hit Delthea in the leg.

“Oh no...aim needs work...” she said. “...I feel kinda dizzy...”

“Did you load that with actual tranquilizers??” Maria asked panickedly.

“...yep...probably a bad idea...” Delthea responded sluggishly. “...sorry...screwed up...”

Delthea passed out. Maria wasn’t sure whether to be more concerned or frustrated...but what she knew is to take Delthea to the medbay, immediately. She pulled out her comm. “Hey, um...Dwayne?”

“It’s Dwyer.

“Right. Uh...prep for medbay, science officer Delthea accidentally shot herself in the leg with uh...” Maria pulled out the syringe. “...a full dose of military-grade tranquilizer, enough to bring down an adult rollenratl.”

“HA! Wait, you’re serious?” Dwyer chuckled through the comm. “Shit, she’s fitting in with this crew already...alright, I’ll prep for it. Stomach pump necessary or just the regular accommodations?”

“Uh...regular prep.” Maria put away the comm and sighed, attempting to shoulder the other short woman...to little effect. “...guess I’m gonna have to drag her...”

---

“Ugh....” Delthea blinked and looked around. She was in the medbay, and Maria was looking over her. Great. She had fucked up...maybe she could salvage this with a smooth line. “H-hey, doc...am...am I in heaven? Cause you’re an angel...”

“No, thank the gods you’re not dead,” Maria said, frowning. “Why did you load that with actual tranquilizers? You nearly overdosed! And....and...” She processed what Delthea had said...and blushed. “...and did you just hit on me?”

“Yeah...wait.” Delthea frowned. “Don’t you recognize me?”

“...wait...” Maria frowned and furrowed her brow...and then her eyes lit up. “Delly? From high school?”

“Yeah…” Delthea muttered. “It’s good to see you again...Mary…”

---

Delthea and Maria were in Maria’s quarters, sitting on her bed. Both of them were thinking of holding out a hand but were afraid that they’d just be left hanging.

“...so...” Maria began, “Uh...what’s new with you?”

“Well, a lot of accidents for one,” Delthea said, pointing to her metal eye, hand, and leg. “Though I chopped off the hand on purpose...otherwise I uh...went to engineering college, dropped out, and then got an honorary degree thanks to a few advancements in concealed weapons tech I sold to the military and a flip-out first aid arm. Got invited to join this project, decided it’d be a cool way to pick up more experience...and then sat around on that space station for six goddamn months waiting for Valm to stop screwing around and finish the fuckin prep. What about you?”

“Well...I finished college, then I went to med school, and I just got my degree and ended up here.” Maria shrugged.

“Ah. Always the valedictorian, eh Mary?” Delthea said.

“And you would have dropped out of high school if I wasn’t there to tutor you,” Maria retorted.

“Yeah...true...” Delthea sighed. “I miss those days...well, I don’t miss being covered in acne and having teachers yell at me all the time, but I miss...” She sighed and flopped back on the bed. “I miss you...and I miss us, and I miss those days when we would just hang around your house and watch tv and study, and I miss going back to my house and talking to Luth about everything and I miss writing you love letters and...yeah.”

Maria paused. “...maybe we could...maybe we could do that again. Make some new memories.”

Delthea sat up. “You mean it, Mari?”

Maria chuckled. “Yeah, Delly. I mean it.” She leaned down and hugged Delthea, giving her a smooch.

Delthea blushed. “...good...maybe now we can finally be happy.”

---

Hinoka sat in the gym, relaxing from a workout session. She looked around the empty room and unwrapped her bindings, her small brown wings fluttering as they were freed…..and then the door opened.

“...well fuck me…”

“Hi deputy!” Est announced. “Wait, are we interrupting someth- oh my gods your wings are tiny.”

“Let’s...not make fun of the deputy...” Palla said reproachfully. “Though...I confess, we all mistook you for human at first.”

“That is...kinda the point…” Hinoka muttered, her wings pressing close to her back...they don’t even look big enough to carry her.

“Can you fly with those?” Clair asked. Gods, it was more than just the whitewings who showed up...

“Why would you want to pretend to be human?” Catria asked quizzically. “I am what I am and you are what you are.”

Hinoka sighed and closed her eyes. “To answer your question...I’ll answer the first. No, I can’t fly…”

“Ah. That’s kinda sad...” Est said.

Hinoka squirmed and buried her face in her arms. “......yeah yeah...whatever…”

“...crap did I offend you?” Est asked. “Sorry, sorry!”

“....I don’t want your pity...leave me alone, fullwings…”

“Ok. Sorry,” Est said, backing up, Palla joining her.

Catria, however, continued to stare quizzically. “Why pretend to be human?

Hinoka looked up, her wings bristling a little. “...I thought I answered that…”

“...no...” Catria shook her head. “No you really didn’t...is it something to do with your parents?”

“...I...can’t fly…” Hinoka muttered. “I’m...I’m a...shame to...to my species…” Hinoka’s wings drooped and she sighed. “...I’m too small…”

“...ah.” Catria shrugged. “Never really got the whole ‘shame’ thing...sorry you feel that way, though. Flying isn’t everything though. It’s...well, okay, it is necessary to navigate our cities and stuff but it’s not really a mark on character...”

“It’s a pretty big body image thing too, sis,” Est reminded her.

“Indeed. Wings should at least be able to hold someone up,” Clair said with a shrug. “Anything else is useless and unappealing.”

“Thanks, that helps her a lot,” Palla said sarcastically.

Clair gasped and shook her head. “No no no, I didn’t mean anything by it I mean-...I-...” She looked at the whitewings, pleading for a little help.

Catria sighed. “What my girlfriend meant is that that’s how society generally views wings. Nonfunctional wings aren’t glamorous and aren’t exactly demeaned but aren’t appreciated or celebrated. There’s also a tad of envy in there cause those with smaller wings have an easier time sleeping, driving, and generally being in human society...It’s complicated and stuff.” She paused. “...huh I kinda explained it to myself there...dunno why I didn’t think of it like that before.”

Hinoka sighed and shrugged. “...I guess…” She stood and grabbed her bandages. “Well, I...shouldn’t linger around here…”

“Apologies for interrupting your workout, Deputy,” Clair said formally.

Hinoka just nodded, and pressed her wings close to her body and trying to bind them, and her chest again.

Clair suddenly blushed and turned around. “A-are you usually so indecent while you train?”

Hinoka chuckled and shrugged. “Depends...”

Palla raised an eyebrow. “Camilla’s lack of shame is spreading, it seems.”

“I date her...so…” Hinoka trailed off as she secured the bandages.”

“I’m aware...my girlfriend has told me...less than savory things about her.”

Hinoka frowned and crossed her arms. “Really? What as she told you?”

“Broken most social rules of her species, almost from the get-go. Also very abrasive.” Palla paused. “...I mean...those rules are somewhat strange but still. I respect her culture and she should probably respect her own.”

Est rolled her eyes.

Hinoka snorted and closed her eyes. “Do you actually know about her culture? Her culture says emotions are bad! How do you respect that?!?”

“By keeping my mouth shut and not offending the woman I love,” Palla said. “How would you feel if someone walked up to you and started making fun of Hoshidian culture?”

Hinoka stepped forward. “Even if that means she has to be half a person because humans are assholes? There’s a difference in antiquated traditions and not fucking feelings anything! I’ve met your girlfriend, and she’s a bit of bitch.”

Palla walked up to her and flared her wings out, glaring down at her. “Say that again.”

The other two whitewings rushed forward. “Palla, no!” Est said

“Your girlfriend, the great Admiral Minerva, is a bit of a bitch,” Hinoka repeated, not backing down from Palla. “She traipsed on this ship and dragged Camilla around like it was some kind of damn honor to be in her presence, told her what she felt, who she is, is inappropriate like she stripped naked and danced through the damn corridors!”

Palla seethed with rage...and then turned and punched a wall. “...you’re lucky I’m lowkey terrified of you...ow. I think I just broke my hand...”

“I’m standing by what I said,” Hinoka said. “Fight me if you want.”

“You’re the deputy. No matter how much you make my blood boil, I wouldnt dare hurt you.”

“At least I stand up for the women I love...I punched a general to get here,” Hinoka said with a shrug.

“You’re a princess, you can get away with those kinds of things,” Palla said with a handwave.”

“Or maybe you’re just too big of a wimp to actually stand for anything.”

“Stop trying to fight everyone,” Camilla called from the door.

“Yes, Captain,” Palla said. Her wings drooped. “My apologies, deputy. And I apologize for demeaning you. And for the actions of my girlfriend, if those offended you as well.”

Camilla dismissed Palla’s apologizes with a hand wave and walked forward to face Hinoka. “Hinoka,” she said darkly.

Hinoka crossed her arms. “No.”

Camilla’s expression didn’t change, but her scales shifted towards a darker shade. She grabbed Hinoka by the neck and dragged her in front of Palla, forcing her into a bowing position. “Say it.”

“Kinky,” Catria said in an aside to Clair.

Hinoka squirmed, then sighed. “Alright...I apologize for insulting your girlfriend, Admiral Minerva, and yourself. Please forgive me.”

There was a heavy pause, Palla looked shocked. Then she nodded and said, “...I forgive you.” Then she looked up at Camilla. “...what are you doing here? I am at fault. And...again, I’m sorry for my comments about your modesty.”

Camilla shook her head. “No no, you’re fine,” she said with a gentle smile as she released her deputy. Hinoka stumbled backward and rubbed the back of her neck. “I apologize for the actions of my deputy, she should know better.”

Hinoka shied away as Camilla leaned down towards her, nodding a little.

“...In all fairness, I provoked her, kinda?” Est said. “I pointed out her wings, and that got this whole awkward situation started.”

“Isn’t what you just did a conduct violation?” Clair said.

Camilla just shrugged. “My ship, I do what I want. If that means my higher officers respecting the crew, then I’ll do so whatever way I like.”

Hinoka chuckled and shrugged. “She’s...yeah...that…”

“...I’m just going to say I’m glad I don’t work your shift and leave it at that,” Catria said. “Y’know...fragile bones...actually I’m surprised you didn’t shatter Hinoka’s neck, are her bones stronger than ours?”

“Yes,” Hinoka spoke up. “Not as strong as humans or...Nohrians...but stronger than fullwings…”

“Huh. Interesting.” Palla said.

Camilla shrugged. “I’m used to doing it?” She paused and looked away. “...oh shit that makes me sound abusive…”

“She’s just a physical person, she doesn’t mean any harm.”

Palla nodded. “I see. Minerva is too...Gentle but forceful I guess?”

Hinoka shrugged. “I guess that’s just how Nohrians are…?”

“Probably. We should ask Felicia about that...”

“Yeah maybe.” Hinoka paused. “Minerva ever...uh...broken your wrist by accident during…” Hinoka trailed off. “Or is mine just an ass…?”

“...no but she shattered my foot trying to dance once...the first few times Minerva was extremely stiff though. Not..in that way, more trying a bit too hard to be careful.”

Hinoka flinched and shook her head. “Ow...that’s gonna hurt. Camilla does when she...gets ahead of herself. But every time after it she gets the same way.”

Hinoka put a hand on Palla’s shoulders, gesturing for her to follow to the med bay to look at her hand...and continue talking about the experience of dating a Nohrian.

“...did we just witness an enemies-to-friends turn in less than five minutes?” Clair asked to nobody in particular.

“I think we did…” Camilla muttered. “...fliers are weird…”

“Everyone’s weird,” Est said with a shrug.

Everyone just nodded.

#stardate: 2689 #my fics #gaydreamers ot4 #useless lesbian ot5 #magic tricks #maria/delthea #refined wings #clairtria #clair/catria #palla/minerva #saber #beruka #rhajat #lucina

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