— Neo Risa —

The newly settled colony of Neo Risa was attempting to make their planet the next vacation destination in the Beta Quadrant, right down to calling in Neo Risa (New Risa). After a hastily assembled wedding Lieutenant Pierre Lambert and his new wife Commander Olivia Carrillo were having their first look at the world. Displaced through time Lambert had not even known of the original Risa, and had only learned of it through cremates stories aboard the USS Luna.

The newlyweds had been prepared not to get a honeymoon, given that the USS Luna’s captain was injured and the ship was meant to leave Starbase 86 shortly, but repairs had taken longer than they’d thought and after a delay of two weeks to launch was announced they’d been allowed the time off and use of the USS Luna’s Captain’s Skiff which had been undamaged during their last mission. 

“We should go for a hike,” Commander Carrillo said, obviously the more adventurous and inquisitive of the two. To Lambert exploring the pools and private areas of the world sounded better, but if his wife wanted to go hiking, well that’s what they’d do.

They’d reserved a small cabin on a lake in the resort, and left from there. They took a small pack of supplies, hydration and a snack and walked through the forest. Purple trees, orange grass and blue weeds reminded them that they were on a new and alien world and not someplace back on Earth. The pink sun hung over the world, casting strange shadows that were an off colour of red. Half walking, and half climbing for about two hours they finally stopped on an outcropping looking down on the lake whose shore their cabin was. 

“This isn’t much like Risa,” Carrillo said, “less like a space Hawaii and more like a space Pacific Northwest.”

Lambert shrugged never having been to Risa and not having spent nearly as much time on the American continent as his wife. 

Carrillo sat on a log, pulling her insulated bottle of water out of the pack that Lambert had been carrying on his back. 

“I’ve never been to Hawaii, space or not,” he said. He was also not sure which Pacific Northwest she meant, since that was likely different to a European like him than to a North American like her. Alaska maybe?

“I’m surprised the Academy does a lot of navigation courses there, because it’s easier for whales and dolphins to attend,” Carrillo said.

“We didn’t have Cetacean Operations when I was in the Academy,” Lambert pointed out, “We didn’t even really have humpback whales at all, let alone flying starships.”

He took the bottle of water from Olivia and had a swig of water. The trail had been not for beginners and far more involved than he’d thought. They hadn’t needed anti-gravity boots or anything of the like, but it had been more strenuous than he had been planning. 

“I took some courses out there at the campus there, for Command I had to take a few navigation courses,” Carillo explained. Command students had to take at least the basics in most disciplines, so they were more flexible and able to adapt to what the situation required. Carrillo could fly a shuttle, or even a starship in a pinch if the situation required it.

“I’m glad that we were able to do this,” Pierre Lambert said, he took another sip of water and walked over to Carrillo pulling her up and onto her feet.

She took the bottle from his hand, put the cap back on it and set it in the backpack they’d brought, then wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him. He deepened the kiss, then after a moment they came up from air, not letting each other go. 

“We should start the honeymoon,” Carrillo said then she let go of her husband and pulled up her shirt that had USS Luna on the front, tossing it to the ground behind her.

“Olivia,” started Lambert as she pulled his shirt up, nervous that they’d be spotted. 

She read him mind, or more accurately guessed his concern and said, “We’re at the top of a hill, long ways away from the cabins, and we’ll see anyone coming before they can see us. Besides it’s a Risa, if wanton exhibtionism isn’t okay here, I don’t know where it is.”

Lambert did not put up a further argument and kissed his wife once more, and they slowly sunk to the ground.

At dinner that night they found themselves at a restaurant that was apparently a version of one that was on the original Risa. Rich foods, strong liquor and delightful deserts filled the menu. 

Carrillo had replicated a low cut dress, and Lambert had put on a suit complete with a tie. Neither of them felt comfortable exactly, but they both thought the other looked amazing. Prior to dinner Carrillo had discovered that the air had a chemical in it that acted as a light aphrodisiac to humans and most humanoids. Nothing too much, not that would make them lose control, just be a bit more risky and public given that normally there were private with their affection.

It also, she supposed, helped that for once they did not have to balance their attraction to each other with their duties as First Officer and Pilot aboard the USS Luna. Also being married some how felt more legitimate.

“Vous êtes très bell, Olivia,” Lambert said dipping into French and allowing the sentence to go untranslated, a reminder that they had very different backgrounds despite both being from Earth.

Carrillo blushed, “Thank you Pierre.”

She remembered finding him, his ship filled with the dead and him the only one shielded by a bulk head that had absorbed the radiation that had killed the rest of the crew. He had no idea that a century had passed in the blink of an eye, until the away team from the Luna had found him.  They they had found each other, over all these years and married was… almost too good to be true.
Lambert noticed her regarding him, and the lull in their conversation, “What’s on your mind?”

“I’m just thinking, that this is too good to be true,” Carrillo said.

Lambert nodded seriously, “I worry that sometimes. But I am holding on tightly to what I have, I lost everything once, and I found you. We do not get to always pick everything we live through, but we can hold on to what is important to us. You are my world now Olivia.”

“Is it the aphrodisiac on the air or do I just want to kiss you,” Carrillo grinned.

Lambert smiled, “We should eat first, for some reason our earlier activities, have made me quite hungry.”

Carrillo said something extremely graphic in response that caused her husband to redden and that we’re not allowed to repeat here. Imagine if this was an episode of the show a black bar appearing across her mouth while she spoke at length about a topic that we aren’t going to broach right now, her voice bleeped out in for an extended period.

“I will do that,” Lambert agreed grinning, still red in the face not mad but a bit shocked by the New Yorker he’d married.

The next day they rose late and went down to the beach a few hundred metres from their porch. The beach was sandy, and they both worse swimsuits. It was warm, without being too hot and more like a warm day in Oregon or California than Hawaii, or the original Risa. They both swam out, taking turns diving into the water to retrieve a pair of swim goggles as they challenged each other to dive deeper and deeper. Finally Carrillo gave up and swam to the shore laying in the sun to dry off.

“I prefer Hawaii,” she said when Lambert joined her a bit later.

“Or the first Risa?” He asked.

“Nah, that’s better when you’re single. I went there when I was a Lieutenant, had a lot of fun, but now I’m an old married woman I can’t just be hooking up with every sexy beach bod,” she teased.

Lambert nodded and jokingly flexed his muscles, “Just this one.”

“We never talked about what we wanted, whether we wanted family, of anything,” Carrillo said.

Lambert sat on the beach beside her prone form, he shrugged, “I want you Olivia. If you want a family I’ll want one, if you don’t I’m okay with that. But we have time, and you have a career.”

“You have one too,” she pointed out.

He shrugged once more, “No, my career is you. I am in Starfleet now because I have no where else to be. My grand nephew is living in my home, my family is gone and no longer remembers me. I am on the Luna because you are. I’ve been in Starfleet since this Captain Kirk you’re all so obsessed with was a Captain. I lost everything, including my career in time, but I found you.”

“No pressure of anything,” Carrillo joked.

“No, none at all, you just need to be you,” Lambert said. He leaned to his side, and kissed her, “And you’re already perfect.”

“We have to go home tomorrow,” Carrillo said.

Lambert nodded, then smiled, “I’m already home.”

Carrillo playfully punched his shoulder, “That was cheesy.”

“I’m French it is who I am,” he said pulling her to the side and up onto him.