Two Slips of Latinum…
Posted on August 19th, 2022 by Rike Herschel

Rike sat in the window bay, sipping on hot cider and taking in the mountain views. Although she doesn’t remember the first time her father took her to the Alps once she could walk by herself, she has the hundred of pictures that were taken on that trip. She could almost see her child self running around outside in the snow, her father chasing after her then falling himself. Rike chuckled out loud, now mentally planning for the next vacation, bringing both her mother and father back here. Ada Herschel always left the mountain trips to Rike and Jerome, but she deserves the calm peace as well. At least it was calm peace until-

“It’s pretty fucking gorgeous huh?” Linxi stepped over to the stranger looking out the window. “Linxi Jude. Rike, right?” She cocked her head to the side, holding out a hand.

“Yes, Rike. Nice to meet you.” Rike looked up and shook Linxi’s hand. “So I overheard that you used to be a science officer on Atlantis? I presumably took your spot in that case.”

“Yup. You’re right about that. Left cause I needed to take care of that little nerd over there.” With her head, Linxi gestured to Sivat, who was sitting in a corner and fixing a robot.

“Oh, you have a kid? You seem awfully young-”

Linxi waved her arms then did the time out sign with her hands. “AWWHELLNAW! Not my kid. Sorry, I’d barf at that. He’s my baby brother.”

Rike crossed her legs together and wisely nodded, “Ahhh I see. I never wanted children myself. I was never actually around that many kids in my adult life until recently with Taril.”

Linxi made an ungodly guttural noise then shook her head in disbelief. “I’m sorry what? You mean that Romulan kid I didn’t know existed until like, a month before I left?”

“Well I wouldn’t know about that, but yes, the Romulan teenager. I’ve been helping to teach him biology! T’Lira and I actually caught him snooping in the botany lab when we first met.”

“Ooh, so you’ve met T’Lira.” Linxi made a popping noise with her lips, “Huuh. She’s intense, isn’t she?” Linxi shifted her weight to one leg and crossed her arms.

“Intense? Pfffft far from it. She’s very nice! We’ve had some rather lovely conversations! You know, Vulcans seem like such hardasses but I swear they’ve got a soft inside!” Rike smiled widely, then hid part of her face by drinking from her mug.

Linxi meanwhile, cackled. “Are you- are you fucking KIDDING me? AAAHHHHAHA! Nice?! Vulcans aren’t just nice. Noooo fucking way.” She turned away, trying to stop laughing in front of the very confused Rike.

“Excuse me! T’Lira is very nice! She is incredibly smart, patient, a rather good conversationalist for a Vulcan! Is she the life of a party? Nooo but she is lovely to be around!” Rike huffed and stared down Linxi, who was now grinning.

“Woooow. Oh wow. Just- good deities. That was- that was defensive wasn’t it? Defensive of your sweet Vulcan?” Linxi started laughing again, this time doubling over. “Why I’ve never- I’ve never seen this. The Four Deities- you’re so obvious aren’t you? You don’t just wear your emotions on your sleeve, you are drenched in them from head to toe. Maaan I would be surprised if no one has noticed yet that you like her.” She doubled over wheezing again, not able to believe this. That old hippie dippie geezer likes a cold-blooded Vulcan? Now she’s seen it all. “Duuude look. You have literally no poker face at all, like. I’m not even using my telepathy and you’re a damn open book. My advice- take a card out of the Vulcan deck and like, dial this-” as she finally stood up straight, she gestured at Rike, “-back just a liiiitle bit.”

Linxi wiped the laughter-tears from her eyes, gave the older woman a two-fingered salute, then walked away.

“I- I- wh- wha- what th- the- the. What the- I- um- whhhuuu. What?” For maybe the first time, Rike was left utterly speechless at whatever this interaction was. She stared at the direction that Linxi left in, with her mouth dropped open. After many minutes of slowly trying to process what the Betazoid just said, she facepalmed. “Ohh no not again.”