Intolerance {Star Trek Enterprise Fan Fiction}

Don't Get Too Involved

Pamela crept out of An's quarters before anyone could see, and before she'd have to deal with him. It had been kind enough of him to offer her a place to sleep but she had bigger fish to fry. Coffee would be on the agenda that morning. But not until after a shower.

At least the coast was clear at her own quarters. Blair and Will were ... somewhere. Good.

Her PADD was flashing. She picked up a message from Hoshi: "This is from the same anonymous source," Hmm.

The message was just one word:

Tonight.

Nothing more.

Okay, she thought to herself. Tonight it is.

=/\=

The Ti'Mur had sent a shuttle.

Dr. Keating-Fong was ready. She smiled and shook hands with Dr. Phlox, who was seeing her off, "Oh, I almost forgot! I have a present for you!"

"A gift, for me?" he asked, "Why, that's hardly necessary."

"It's small," she said, "A token of teaching."

He unwrapped the small package, "This is a box of chalk."

"Yes. Teachers on Earth used to write on blackboards and students would read and often copy down what they had written. Teachers always had chalk on them. You're a teacher, so you should have chalk."

"Thank you," he smiled, "I wish I had more chances to instruct. These next three weeks should be fun."

"Yes, there's nothing like it," she said, "Being listened to! People hanging on your every word! I do admit it's a bit of an ego trip. But it's also rather rewarding. If you come to Nereid, can I persuade you to give a guest lecture or two on Xenobiology?"

"Why, that would be a delight," he said, "Safe journeys."

She departed.

=/\=

It was the evening, right before the party was to start.

"What do you think?" Blair asked Pamela, holding up two outfits, "Brown or grey?"

"Um, grey," Pamela said, "With the drop earrings."

"Good idea. Will likes those."

"Ah, you are going to do everything because Will likes it, now?"

"Not necessarily," Blair said, "I do like to see him happy, though."

"Well, don't lose yourself in the process," Pamela picked a piece of lint off her skirt.

"How can you sit down in that thing?" Blair asked.

"Well, you usually don't. You just lean," Pamela said, "And you wear interesting underwear because if you cross your legs one way, heh, it becomes public knowledge."

"I see you got new fishnets."

"Yeah, the old pair had a hole in them you could drive a shuttle through."

"Are you ready to go?" Blair asked.

"Yes, but let's let 'em wonder for a while. Never arrive to a party early or on time. No one should."

"Uh, there's a philosophical flaw in that plan. How, exactly, do parties get started if everyone is late?"

"It's like the old Steady State theory of the universe," Pamela said, "No beginning and no end. Or maybe it's just turtles all the way down."

"Maybe. Do you know who your poet is?"

"Not telling you."

"Oh, then you don't know," Blair said.