Niala’s eyes flicked over the crowd in Odin’s Palace, her gaze steady as she took in the scene. The usual calm of the space had been swallowed by a sea of chatter and laughter. People were scattered in cliques, some wearing colorful party hats, others with drinks in hand, their voices rising and falling in a cacophony that filled the air. The scent of spiced meats mingled with the faint tang of replicated alcohol, and the sound of glasses clinking was a constant rhythm.

She slid up to the bar, her boots clicking against the polished floor, and caught the eye of the bartender—a tall Human with a crooked smile and eyes that seemed to know things. His gaze lingered on her for a second longer than necessary, and Niala’s lips quirked into a smile, but she quickly turned her attention to the drink menu, as if the moment had never happened.

The bartender handed her the Bajoran Springwine, his fingers brushing hers just slightly, but she didn’t let herself dwell on it. She needed no distractions. The Valkyrie was far too demanding, and she had no space for anything else. She took a sip of the drink, the taste rich but not quite right—a pale imitation of the real thing. There was something about the replicated versions; they never captured the depth she remembered from Bajor, but it was enough to bring a faint ache in her chest.

Her attention drifted from the glass in her hand to the crowd, and her gaze snagged on a woman passing by. Green skin, dark eyes, and a confident stride—an Orion, dressed in civilian clothes. She didn’t belong. Niala watched her for a beat longer than was normal. The woman’s aura was… different. She didn’t wear the weight of rank or the familiar posture of a crew member, yet there was something about her that felt purposeful.

Curiosity flickered in Niala’s chest, quick and sharp. She moved without thinking, the crowded space parting just enough for her to step in the woman’s path. Her fingers tapped lightly on the Orion’s shoulder, a casual gesture, but something about it felt charged.

“Hey, you’re new.” Niala’s voice was low but direct, the words carrying an undertone of knowing.

Nesta stopped walking and turned toward whoever had just tapped her shoulder. She was positive she was not doing a good job at hiding the grimace on her face. Of course, she doesn’t want to be rude but she had to make sure things were going smoothly at the party and she didn’t have time for distractions. Despite her slight annoyance at the interruption, she plastered a genuine smile and reached her hand out to the woman as if to offer to shake hers in greeting.

“Yes, I guess you could say that. I have been on board the ship a few weeks now but I have not had the privilege of meeting everyone yet. My name is Nesta. It’s lovely to make your acquaintance,” the Orion said with her hand still stretched out waiting.

Niala extended her hand, the smooth motion of her arm deliberate and confident. As her fingers closed around Nesta’s, she could feel the coolness of the Orion’s skin, the contrast between their touch surprising yet strangely fitting. She shook it firmly, just enough to signal respect but not so much as to seem overly eager.

The brief moment of contact lasted only a heartbeat, but Niala made sure to hold Nesta’s gaze as she spoke, her smile easy, though her eyes were sharp, scanning the woman in front of her. “Lieutenant Commander Lorra Niala,” she said, her voice steady, with a trace of pride. “Valkyrie’s returning Chief Engineer.”

“Ah, well then let me extend an official welcome back to you then,” Nesta replied. She waits a few seconds before retracting her hand and returning it to her side. “I haven’t had the privilege to speak with many officers during my time on board the ship. This is my first time on a Starfleet vessel and you are the first Starfleet Engineer I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with. If you don’t mind some questions, do you enjoy it? Being an engineer that is….” Nesta inquired while tilting her slightly to the right as if genuinely intrigued to find out what the woman would say.

Niala’s brows lifted for half a second before she caught herself. She blinked, tilting her head slightly as if weighing the question in her mind. Then, her eyes narrowed just a fraction, and a slow grin stretched across her face—wide, almost too polished, like a performer slipping into character.

“Oh, I love it,” she said, her voice smooth, but the dry edge in her tone gave her away. She exhaled a quiet chuckle, shaking her head. “The only downside?” She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice as if sharing a grand secret. “The 700 other people on this ship whose main talent seems to be making my job harder—breaking things, pushing buttons they shouldn’t, and keeping me and my team in a constant state of barely-controlled chaos.”

She took a sip of her drink, letting the words settle before flashing another grin, this one a little more genuine.

Nesta lifted her brows and shifter her head ever so slightly to the right. “I can imagine. If you weren’t aware, I helped plan out this whole party thing,” she spoke while using both of her hands to motion around them. “I haven’t actually been able to enjoy the festivities much myself because of various issues that have arisen. You would think that it wouldn’t happen this way on a starship but it apparently even a starship isn’t immune to people and the aftershocks they cause.”

Nesta smile back at the woman. She wasn’t sure how to read this woman which only seemed to intrigue her more. She had not met many women who could stump her before now. She should really excuse herself from this conversation and return to her work and figure out what was going on with the replicator. But she couldn’t walk away. Instead, she found herself staring into the eyes of the Lieutenant waiting to see what she would do next.

Niala’s smirk played at the corner of her lips as she tilted her head, her gaze drifting over Nesta’s face and lingering just long enough to toe the line between casual and something else entirely.

“Well, Nesta,” she murmured, her voice dipping low, the syllables rolling off her tongue like a secret meant only for the two of them. “If you’re the one keeping all this chaos in check, that makes you the real Chief Engineer of this party.”

She absently swirled the last of her drink, the liquid catching the dim light as she traced Nesta’s posture—the slight stiffness in her shoulders, the barely-there flicker of restraint in her expression. Niala let the moment stretch, let the hum of the crowd around them fade into background noise.

Her eyes flicked back up, sharp and knowing. “But if you’re always fixing everyone else’s mess…” She let the words hang between them, her voice dropping just enough to pull Nesta in. “When do you get to have a little fun?”

Nesta couldn’t help but find herself laughing. It wasn’t loud laughter and more like a giggle. But she couldn’t help herself. She had not expected to have someone speak to her this way on board this ship. The woman didn’t know it, but her behavior was making Nesta feel more at home. “Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to have too much fun yet. This party has been my first chance and I’m afraid I haven’t been able to slow down yet. Maybe I should,” she said with a small smile on her face.

Niala leaned in just slightly, enough to narrow the space between them, enough to make the moment shift. The smirk deepened, her lips barely parted as she studied Nesta’s face.

“I’d say,” she murmured, her voice just above a whisper, “you look like someone who could use a distraction.” A beat passed, the air between them charged. Then, with the hint of a grin, she added, “Maybe even a good one.”

Nesta met the woman’s gaze and her smile grew even larger. “I could most certainly use a distraction. What do you have in mind?”

Niala’s smile was slow and deliberate, the kind that promised more without saying a word. She let her gaze linger on Nesta for a moment before speaking, her voice low, with just the right hint of mischief. “I can think of a lot of things,” she said, her words deliberate, “but we’d have to leave here.”

Her fingers brushed gently over Nesta’s upper arm, the touch light but intentional, a fleeting connection that left a subtle warmth in its wake.

Stepping closer, Niala leaned in, her presence drawing almost too near. Her breath was warm against Nesta’s ear as she whispered, “We could always check out that back replicator. Looks like it’s acting up again.”

Nesta shivered slightly as she felt Niala’s breath against her ear. “That’s sounds like a great idea. The work never stops. Lead the way,” Nesta replied.

“It’s a date!” Niala said with a grin, already turning away. But the second the words left her mouth, she faltered. Her breath hitched, and heat crept up her neck, blooming beneath her collar.

She stopped mid-step, fingers drifting to the back of her neck, pressing lightly against her skin as if the touch could steady her. A small, breathy laugh escaped—more exhale than sound. Her gaze flicked back to Nesta, searching, uncertain.

“Unless you… wanted it to be.” The words came quieter this time, her usual ease slipping just enough to show through the crack. She shifted her weight, exhaling through her nose before forcing a smirk, tilting her head toward their destination.

“Not that I’d say no,” she added, rolling a shoulder back as if to shake off the moment. “Just… maybe not the best setting.”

Nesta noticed the change in Naila’s behaviors and smiled. “Don’t worry. I hadn’t thought of that. I wouldn’t be opposed to one though so maybe we could find a better setting in the future. For now though, why don’t we go check on that replicator?” Nesta gave Niala a wink and then grabbed a hold of her arm to lead her to the backroom where the replicator was located.