Schoolyard Stories

Posted on Sun Jul 27th, 2025 @ 7:32am by Rhianha Creon & T’Shan

1,475 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Serpent's Tooth [3]
Location: Seventh Grade Classroom, Civilian Sector, DS13
Timeline: 1555 - MD12

"Now I know holidays are the thing you're all thinking about right now, but don't forget that history reports and science projects are due in week three of the next term. Don't make the mistake of getting to the last day of the break before you remember." The Trill teacher cautioned his class warmly. "Alright then. We have five minutes to go until the end of the day, so as a thank you for all your hard work this term, I'm going to let you out early."

The sound of relief was palpable, and chatter began immediately among the class. Most of the students were the children of DS13 staff, but there were a smattering of civilians. At the front in their usual positions were T'Shan and Rhianha Creon. Their friendship had spawned a number of rumours, that Creon was spying on T'Shan at her mother's behest, that T'Shan was spying on Creon at her fathers, that both were secretly agents of some sinister force shrunk down to the size of 14-year olds to spy on the rest of them.

Both were unusual enough, being the only known Vulcan-Andorian hybrid and daughter of a Romulan Spy turned Federation Captain turned Romulan Ambassador, that they hadn't made many other friends in their year group, but it made their bond all the stronger for it.

"Are you still going to do your report on the Khitomer crisis?" Rhianha asked T'Shan.

"No, I was doing some more reading last night that changed my mind. I'm thinking Chancellorship of L'Rell isn't quite so pivotal, but there's been a lot less said about it." T'Shan said, double-checking that she had all the recommended reading listed on the board loaded onto her padd.

"Isn't she the reason Klingons stopped letting women be Chancellor?"

"There was still Azetbur during Khitomer, but that was a special circumstance. But yes, basically." T'Shan acknowledged.

"I heard she put a bomb in a baby and threatened to blow up the Council with it." Rhianha said, not being quite so dutiful a student of history as her friend.

"Not quite. There's a few different versions of the story but they mostly agree that there was a bomb in the core of Qo'noS and she threatened to blow it up if they didn't obey her. The baby was.. another thing that happened later. Distasteful." T'Shan said, her antennae making the sort of strained fluttering movement they made when she smelled something foul, like they might throw up.

"I don't like Klingon politics. It's so boring. Always the same thing. Everyone goes on about their honour while stabbing each other in the back. It's like one of those Cardassian mysteries. Egh." Rhianha said, standing, putting her padd in her satchel.

"I can't exactly dispute your assessment, but there's a lot more nuance than that. And it's the histories of the houses that make them richer. None of them ever want to behave dishonorably, but often it's the only way to survive." T'Shan said, following her out of the room. "Do you want to get a shake?" She asked as they walked out onto the promenade, it was a busier time of day, which still didn't mean much on the sparsely populated station.

"Alright, but if they don't have passionfruit I'm going to go next door and get a juice." Rhianha said, recalling her disappointment from the last time they'd visited the small business that was out of both of their way, but they had both discovered great affection for. "Why do the Klingons still live on Kronos anyway? There's so many nicer planets in the Empire. Planets that aren't held together by environmental manipulators and without the risk of what remains of their moon exploding or falling on them."

"Tradition, I suppose." T'Shan said. "Do you think Romulans would live on Romulus if they could restore it, even if it wasn't like how it used to be?"

"Probably. They're all crazy about it. You'd think it was the only class-M world in existence." Rhianha said sarcastically. She had been born after the homeworld's destruction, and found the mournful obsession with it bizarre. "It's not like it was even their homeworld. But I guess they probably wouldn't be welcome on Vulcan."

"No, I suppose not." T'Shan concurred as they stepped into a turbolift with a pair of Klingons.

One of the Klingons stared at T'Shan, whether because her appearance confused him or because he knew her.

"nuqneH?" T'Shan asked aggressively as much as a greeting as a learned response from dealing with Klingons. The Klingon smirked, amused by her spirit. "Qapla', daughter of the Captain. And Qapla' to you, daughter of the Ambassador."

"Qapla'," T'Shan responded with appropriate but artificial vigor.

"Yeah, qapla." Rhianha echoed without enthusiasm.

The Klingons got off a few decks before them.

When they reached the shake shop, it was busier than usual, but at least they had passionfruit. Of course their ingredients were all replicated, but apparently they only replicated a certain supply every morning, and once that was gone that was it. Neither T'Shan nor Rhianha understood the logic of the approach, but then it wasn't entirely clear why someone would travel all the way to the distant Beta Quadrant just to open a milkshake bar. Especially next to a juice shop, which at least go its produce from hydroponics.

They sipped at their drinks as they left, and made their way to their usual spot on the promenade.

"Did you see the big gate?" T'Shan asked.

"Yeah. Ipae told me about it, my whole Romulan school class watched. The teacher wasn't happy, but she watched too. What were those things that tried to take over the station anyway? I heard they were a kind of fungus that used spores to control people." Rhianha asked, hoping her friend would have the inside track. Not that she was spying. She had the impression her mother didn't ask about her friends anymore just to avoid the appearance of trying to get intel on them.

"I heard they were little slugs. Crawl in your ear and stretch over your brain." T'Shan responded.

"Who told you that?" Rhianha asked.

"One of the Ops officers. I don't think he was actually involved in what happened." T'Shan said.

"Didn't your father tell you about it?"

"No. He doesn't discuss much of his work. It's general if he does."

"Because he's worried you might tell me? And I'll tell my mother?"

"Maybe. But he's always been that way. He says he wants me to focus on my life. Like I can't do that and hear about his."

"Probably because you keep trying to get him to let you join Starfleet." Rhianha teased.

"My scores are more than adequate to - oh, you're making fun using confidences." T'Shan said in a very Vulcan way, until she realised.

"You know Romulans and secrets. So what are you going to do with your holidays?"

"Father is going back to the Alpha Quadrant to discuss the situation with the refugees. And to go to the funeral for that Lieutenant who died."

"You're going to Andoria? Are you excited?"

"Somewhat. My mother's family are traditionalists. Big on honour and the status quo. They don't exactly approve of my mixed heritage. Don't want me in the clan. But it'll be nice to see Andoria again."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I'd love to see Andoria. I never got a chance before my mother defected." Rhianha said longingly, sipping at her shake, which sounded to be near empty.

"You should come! Do you have anything else on?"

"Well, Ipae is running catch-up classes in the Romulan school. But I already paid attention, I tested better than most of my class. And my Rhian is near-flawless, even if I never use it. I'll have to ask my mother." Rhianha said, the excitement of possibility smoldering within her.

"And if she says no, you can let her know it'll be a good opportunity to spy on us." T'Shan said without affect, but her antennae coiled in such a way as to reveal she was joking.

Rhianha rolled her eyes, knowing it was a jest. "I'll let you know." She looked around for the nearest chronometer. "Hey, I've got to go. I'm meeting Ipae to go check in with the older Romulans."

"Where does that girl find time to sleep between all her volunteering?" T'Shan asked of the older Romulan girl, who she did have a great deal of affection for, even if she did find her scheduling improbable.

"I'll ask her. Jolan tru." Rhianha said with a smile, holding out her index and middle finger.

"Bye." T'Shan told her friend, returning the gesture and touching her own two fingers against Rhianha's. She decided to stay where she was, the people watching had been slowly improving, and today there was plenty to see.

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