It had been ages. Allura had been doing everything properly, the way it should have been done, instead of just throwing a skeleton crew into the nearest teludav-capable ship and taking off. She had spent her nights reliving every moment she and Takashi had spent together – especially that last night – and wistfully dreaming of what it would be like to be reunited with him. 
	On a practical level, she knew neither of them could do what they wanted. She couldn’t run up and hug him. He couldn’t hold her and kiss her and welcome her to his homeworld. She fully expected they would play things civil, as they had when he’d left Altea all those months ago. But then, some moment would come when they could find an excuse to be alone together, and then…
	“Approaching Earth,” the helmsman declared, snapping Allura out of her fantasy. 
	She did her best to smother her grin. “Well, time to make myself presentable then. Coran, the bridge is yours.”
	“Aye, Princess.” 
	Because of course she couldn’t go on this mission without her nanny. Technically he was one of her father’s closest advisors, the king’s right-hand man, and it wasn’t that she distrusted or disliked him. But Coran could be rather “fatherly” to her sometimes, and she worried about being stuck with him chaperoning when she’d rather be holding Takashi as tightly as she dared and basking in the happiness of being able to see her dashing, belo-… captain again. 
	She went to freshen up and make sure she was attired properly. She had to look regal but not dazzling. Not too formal, but still something that would leave no doubt as to her rank (as if the tiara wasn’t indication enough). She double-tapped the smooth aetherite cube on her vanity. It was just a little larger than her palm, with rounded corners, but, most importantly, it held a copy of her mother’s memories & personality. Portable Mother.
	“Yes, dear?” The small cube couldn’t project an AI either, but it could at least project a voice, unlike the memorial stone in the Chapel of Memories.
	“Help me decide what to wear, Mother. We’re almost there.”
	“You want to look your best for your intended, do you?” she teased.
	Allura rolled her eyes. “I need to look royal but not like I’m trying too hard.” Then her mind went back over what her mother had said and she tacked on, “And Captain Shirogane is not my intended.”
	“Just so long as you have your hair down, my flower. You always look lovely like that.”
	She huffed. “Mother, he probably won’t even be there.”
	“You want him to be. You want him to be there and you want him to be your karavash. Just admit it to yourself.”
	“YOU want him to be my karavash. Scheming meddler. Even from the beyond.” She pulled out a dress. “This one?”
	“Hm, no. Wear the blue one.”
	Allura put it away. “I suppose that one would suit, but why not the pink?”
	“Because that shade of pink means ‘forever.’ Save it for the night you propose to him.”
	“By the Ancients, Mother…” But she pulled out the blue dress and began changing.
	“In all seriousness, I do want you to be careful on this trip, Allura. Just because you met some nice Earthlings – and one very, very nice one – doesn’t mean they’re all like that.”
	“Father reminded me. Repeatedly.”
	“I’m not surprised. He’s more protective of you than even I was.” She sighed. “At the same time, I want you to keep an open mind. Not just on diplomatic and trade issues – I know you’ll do wonderfully – but in matters of romance.”
	Allura stopped partway through changing to stare at the cube. “Wait, what happened to ‘marry him’ and all of that?”
	“Oh, it’s fun to tease you, and I meant it when I said that’s how your father used to look at me. You care very deeply for this captain, and I want you to be happy. But, honestly, how many of them have you met? Just because one of them was handsome and accommodating doesn’t mean there isn’t another Earthling, or Altean, or Galran, or… or someone else out there for you. I just don’t want you to rush into things.”
	“You told me to marry him the first time you met him!” Allura exclaimed in exasperation, resuming getting dressed.
	“I knew you wouldn’t. I just did it to annoy you.” She sounded very pleased with herself there, but then her voice went back to cautious warning. “I only want you to be happy. Your father wasn’t my first love; when I first met each of the others, I thought I would be with them forever. But it wasn’t to be.”
	“Honestly, it’s not like I haven’t had lovers before!” She sat down at the vanity to see to her jewelry and hair. “Something’s different with him, Mother. There’s… a pull. As if I am a moon in his orbit. It scares me a little but also thrills me. It makes me wary while I also want to throw caution to the wind.”
	The cube was quiet for a moment. “I just want you to be happy,” her mother’s voice reiterated. “And it sounds like he made you very happy.”
	“You have no idea.”
	“Only because you won’t give me the juicy details.” Ah, the teasing was back.
	“I’m not telling you what it was like to bed him, Mother.”
	“I was only ever with Alteans! Can you blame me for being curious?”
	“I have no way of knowing if he’s a reasonable representation of Earthlings in that respect.”
	“He doesn’t have to be a representative of anything. How many times did you…?”
	“MOTHER! I’m not answering that.”
	There was silence from the cube as Allura brushed her hair out now that it was down. Even though the cube had no eyes, she could practically feel her mother’s gaze on her. She was doing her best to ignore it. I will not give into her desire to gossip. I will not.
	“Well?” the cube prompted.
	“I lost count,” she replied before she could stop herself. Her mother laughed, and Allura couldn’t help smiling at the sound. “I’m so glad I have you with me for this, Mother.”
	“You’d do fine on your own. You are my daughter, and your father’s. So very much your father’s, honestly. Too much sometimes.”
	“Yes, thank you, Mother. I’ll talk to you again soon.”
	“Good luck, my flower. Not that you’ll need it.”
	Allura double-tapped the cube into silence just as Coran’s voice came over the comms. “We’re landing at the designated coordinates, Princess.”
	“I’m on my way,” she acknowledged, rising from her seat. 
	Time to show all of Earth what Altean royalty was like. She wasn’t nervous at all.

	Shiro was very nervous, but he thought he was hiding it very well (the sunglasses helped). Keith was eyeing him, so that was probably a fail there, but he was practically a little brother to Shiro by now, and that meant it was hard to hide things from him. He’d seen Iverson give him a look or two, and that was worrisome. But everyone else was in the dark. He was mostly sure, anyway.
	And, really, what did he have to be nervous about? Just because the alien princess he’d spent an illicit night with was coming to Earth? Just because he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since he first saw her? He was standing with the mission group, waiting to welcome her after Ambassador Roberts introduced her to the Secretary-General of the EGC. He wasn’t sure if he wanted her to take special notice of him or not.
	I shouldn’t have… But every time he thought that, he knew he couldn’t have done anything differently. She was as inescapable as terminal velocity. And he didn’t want to escape anyway. That night had felt perfect, it’d felt right, and leaving her to return to Earth the next day felt like he’d left half his heart behind. It wasn’t that he shouldn’t have stayed with her that night; it was that he should never have left.
	He focused on her ship landing. Sleek, gleaming white, running nearly silent. It wasn’t the first time he’d regarded Altean technology with envy and awe. He’d been hoping to get to fly something of theirs on their visit – just a light craft of some sort, something small – but that hadn’t happened. He wondered what it was like to pilot something like this. Not that he’d ever find out. But maybe they’d let him take a joyride in a shuttle or something? This was to be a reciprocal visit – you visited us, so we will visit you – but also was meant to discuss the possibility of trade. He’d be surprised if they’d give up weaponry, but even just transport vessels would be literal light-years better than anything they had. He’d be a glorified tour guide if it meant he could fly something like that.
	The engines died; the only way you could tell was that the dust was settling. So quiet, so powerful. Please help us with our spaceflight capabilities, he prayed. A part of the ship, underneath, in the center, began to descend. Iverson called for Attention, and Shiro dutifully snapped to it, as did all Garrison attendants, in one smooth sound and motion. The ambassador straightened his tie and smoothed out his jacket. They’d paved a walkway from the designated landing grounds, rather than risk offending her. Alteans had different meanings for colors, and they seemed very sensitive to them sometimes. Who knew what rolling out a red carpet might mean to them?
	Shiro thought back to the Chapel of Memories, such bright and lovely colors, and the queen’s stone with its ever-shifting hues. He wished he could think of somewhere so bright and colorful to take Allu- …The Princess, but it was highly unlikely he’d ever have a moment alone with her, let alone leave or time to while away the hours on a sightseeing trip.
	The part of the ship that was descending hit the ground with a quiet thump, and a door slid open with barely a whisper. Soldiers came out first. Of course. The Garrison had stationed soldiers every so often along the path, but there was room enough for the Altean guard to file in next to them, and they did so. Earth and Altea guarding the path together. Symbolic and strategic (if anyone meant any harm, the other side was right there to immediately step in).
	And then there she was, striding out, head held high, a faint smile on her face. There was an entire entourage following her, of course, but Shiro couldn’t look anywhere but at her, especially as she walked out into the sunshine. 
	She was still the most breathtaking sight he’d ever seen, shining brighter than every star in the sky, more awesome than any vista he could imagine or remember. He’d thought he’d never care for anything or anyone as much as he longed to be exploring outer space. That had been true right up until he’d met her.
	She was so regal, dressed in blues and golds, whites and pinks. Her hair shimmered in the light, and Shiro remembered the twin moonrise from her balcony. Seeing her here, on Earth, and remembering being with her there, on Altea… His breath caught in his throat. He wished they were two different people. But then, if they had been, they’d never have met.
	Ambassador Roberts stepped forward as Allura neared the end of the walkway, and she smiled as she greeted him. Shiro wasn’t close enough to hear what they said, but Allura’s eyes crinkled warmly. The ambassador stepped aside and raised his voice. “Her Royal Highness, Princess Allura of Altea, may I present the Secretary-General of the Earth Governing Council, Jiang Maylin.”
	Secretary-General Jiang stepped forward and bowed. Allura bowed in return, and the leader of the EGC announced, in barely-accented English, “Welcome to Earth, Your Highness.”
	That was the cue for members of the military to salute. Again, the action was executed smoothly.
	“Thank you, Secretary-General. It is my pleasure to visit your lovely home.”
	The civilian audience – such as they were – cheered at that. They were mostly politicians and their families, a few NASA scientists and their families, military families, that sort of thing. Just in case, you know. The Garrison dropped their salute but remained at attention.
	Jiang stood and posed with Allura and the ambassador for a few photos, and then began walking with her, talking quietly. Shiro had to just face forward silently and pretend it wasn’t killing him. She’s here. She’s really here. It just seemed so strange to imagine her on Earth. She belonged to the stars. As soon have some sort of immortal goddess striding the land as this princess of a distant planet.
	“And you remember the members of the Altea mission?” Jiang said smoothly as they came up. 
	“Of course!” She was all polite smiles. “It’s so very good to see you all again.” She greeted each by name, shaking the hands of the diplomatic members and nodding in acknowledgement of each salute. And then she came to him. He was the last, of course, the junior member of the military detachment that had gone, the lowest on the totem pole. He should have been far, far beneath her notice, even back on Altea.
	“Captain Shirogane,” she said, and he saluted as required. 
	“Your Highness.” He had to clear his throat after he said it. He was gladder than ever for his sunglasses. “Welcome.”
	Her smile picked up, just a little. Or maybe he imagined it. “I’m very glad to be here, Captain. Thank you.” And then she turned back to Jiang.
	He dropped his salute as smartly as he’d raised it and tried not to be disappointed. What did I expect? She can’t just throw herself into my arms and kiss me in front of everyone! I would be in so much trouble, and that’s not proper, and… and none of that changed the fact that he’d wanted her to. Or to be able to hug her and kiss her himself. Or… or something. Some way to acknowledge what they meant to each other. I wish…
	“No. Don’t say it,” her voice came to him in memory. “Don’t even think of it right now.”
	“How do you know what I was going to say?”
	“Because there’s only one wish I can think of right now, and it can’t come true for either of us.”
	He had to remember that. It can’t happen. It couldn’t happen, it wouldn’t happen, even if they both wanted it that way. He’d never been good with “can’t.” It was what drove him, what had kept him going until he got all the way to the stars, to distant planets, to… her. He’d been going so fast, and it felt like he’d hit a brick wall of “can’t.” It shattered him.
	But he’d been dealing with that for a long time now. It’d been almost a year since they’d left Altea. He knew it had been a one-night-only sort of deal. He’d known it then. It could never have been and never would be anything else.
	But he’d loved her with every part of his being that one night. And nothing could change that either.
	Jiang was still talking. “…and I believe Commander Dos Santos and Major Iverson have arranged an escort for you and your entourage to your accommodations.”
	The commander stepped forward and nodded. “We’ve secured the top three floors of the very best hotel for you, Your Highness. Your guard will be on the lowest of those floors, your entourage on the second floor, and you’ll have the penthouse suite at the top all to yourself.”
	“It sounds lovely. Thank you for the trouble you’ve gone to on my behalf, Commander.”
	“We’re sending some of our soldiers along to guard the motorcade on your way there, but we’ve entrusted Captain Shirogane with leading the detail.”
	Shiro blinked. He’d known he’d been a candidate for it, but Iverson hadn’t ever confirmed someone. He shot the major a look and wasn’t surprised to see him looking right back at him. You could have at least warned me.
	But he stepped forward quickly and saluted again. “We’ll get you there safe and sound, Your Highness.”
	“I’ve no doubt, Captain.”
	The secretary-general inserted herself back into the conversation. “We’ve got the motorcade waiting for you this way, Your Highness. My aide will accompany you to the hotel to go over the schedule we have planned, but you’ll have the rest of this day to yourself. Please feel free to ask him or the captain if you have any questions about anything at all.”
	“Thank you, Ms. Jiang. I appreciate all of your hard work and I look forward to talking with you more soon.” They were walking towards the limos.
	Shiro took the opportunity to step up to Iverson and whisper quietly, “With all due respect, sir, what the HELL?”
	“I convinced the commander to change his plans at the last second,” Iverson replied just as quietly. “I mean, Mulcahy wanted Cianciulli. She’s good, but one thing she ain’t is personable or diplomatic. We’ve got the honor guard for the motorcade covered; hope you can pick a trustworthy team in the next minute or so.”
	“I can, but…”
	“You’re welcome.” Iverson patted him on the back nearly hard enough to knock the sunglasses off. Shiro sighed and took them off anyway so he could catch Keith’s eye. He pointed at Keith, showed four fingers, and then jerked his thumb. Keith nodded and stood to get to it. Shiro tugged his uniform jacket straight and shot Iverson another glare before he slid his sunglasses back on. The major just looked smug. That was worrisome, but he didn’t have time to think about it. 
	He, quite unexpectedly, had a princess to protect.

	Allura focused her attention on Ms. Jiang’s aide, who did, indeed, have quite a lot to discuss with her. She tried not to let her resentment show. She wouldn’t have been quite alone with Takashi in the vehicle together – there was a driver, after all, on the other side of very thick and dark glass – but it would have been enough to talk at least. To tell him how happy she was to see him again, how handsome he always looked in his uniform, how glad she was that he was going to be showing her where she’d be staying. She could have held his hand and just been ecstatic.
	But no, instead she tried to ignore his presence and listen to the aide. “And, of course, if you have any need to reschedule any of this, please let us know as soon as possible, and we’ll find a way to work it out. The EGC is looking forward to working with you, Your Highness.”
	“Thank you, Mr. Govender. So, what can you tell me about this hotel?” 
	He smoothly pulled out a brightly-colored brochure to hand to her. She asked questions as he described the various features. He assured her that the kitchen had one of the very best chefs at her disposal, day or night, and would work with her to try to make sure the food was up to her standards.
	“I’m a simple woman,” she reassured him. “Nutrien will suit me.”
	“I’m sorry, I don’t know…”
	“It’s a very basic foodstuff.” It was so good to hear Takashi’s voice again. He had his sunglasses off in the car, and he was still looking out the window – for possible threats, she assumed – even as he explained things to their companion. “Sort of like gooey porridge. Only green. But it provides all the necessary nutrition.”
	“He’s leaving out that it’s really quite tasty,” Allura told Mr. Govender.
	“If you say so, Your Highness,” Takashi replied.
	She badly wanted to stick her tongue out at him, and that feeling only increased when she noticed he was doing a poor job of hiding his grin. 
	“The captain is a good man,” she said, “but it’s a shame he has such poor taste.”
	The aide coughed. “I don’t think they have nutrien, but I’ll let you discuss your dietary needs and desires with the chef.”
	“I’m sure we’ll sort it all out, thank you.” She continued letting him explain things to her. It sounded lovely, but she couldn’t wait to see it in person. With her captain beside her. 
	The vehicles floated to a stop outside a tall building. “Here we are,” Mr. Govender declared.
	Takashi was out of the car almost immediately, and the door slammed behind him. She frowned until Ms. Jiang’s aide explained, “He’s doing a security sweep and getting the Garrison men in place.”
	“The hotel is secure, is it not?”
	“Yes, but we can’t afford to take chances with your safety. He’ll open the door for us when they’re ready.”
	“Oh, now, really.” She practically shoved him aside, opened the door on the other side, and stepped out.
	“Your Highness.” Takashi sounded exasperated with her, which she rather liked. It wasn’t a cold, military response, despite the formality of her title. “Stay in the car for now.”
	“I’m already out.” She headed for the door, and the other Alteans began doing the same.
	He caught up with her. “You’re still stubborn, I see,” he said under his breath.
	“Did you miss me?” she replied teasingly.
	“Every single day,” he said immediately, and the genuine response threw her for a second, long enough for him to get in front of her and hold the door. She shook her head a little in amusement and walked through, feeling warm from just those three little words. He missed me! She hoped she didn’t look like the blushing little girl she felt like.
	Mr. Govender caught up with them. “I have your key cards here, Your Highness. I was going to give them to you, but…”
	“Thank you, Mr. Govender,” she said as she took them from him. “I will have nothing but praise to give Ms. Jiang.”
	“Thank you, Your Highness.” He bowed and left, looking (and likely feeling) somewhat awkward. But then she liked throwing off expectations.
	And then the slim envelope was snatched from her hands. She looked over to Takashi in annoyance, but he was already fishing small, flat cards out and distributing them to Garrison soldiers.
	“These are for Her Highness’s guards. You guys go up with them, let them choose their own rooms, help them get settled. Keith!” He waved over another, smaller pack of Garrison-uniformed individuals. In fact, there were only four of them. “You help the diplomatic entourage to their floor; they’re on 19. Let them pick their rooms, answer their questions and such.”
	“Aye, sir.” This ‘Keith’ person seemed a good, stoic little soldier, but Allura caught one of the others with him grinning at her. She arched an eyebrow in challenge, but a third member of their group – the largest of them – pulled him away. The smallest gave an apologetic smile and hurried after them. “Diplomatic group! With me!” Keith was yelling.
	Takashi winced. “Sorry about that. He’s good, don’t worry. Just not very… personable, I guess.”
	She smiled. “Does this mean you are the one taking me to my suite?”
	He nodded. “Of course. We have to go up to 18 – the floor where your guards are – and then take a special elevator up to 20. The entire floor is yours, as Mr. Govender explained.” He gestured to a wall of golden double doors. Her guards and entourage were already walking through some of them, so she headed for one that wasn’t open yet.
	He jogged ahead of her and pushed a button. “You have to do this so it knows to come to this floor for you,” he explained when she walked up.
	“Oh, I see.” Everything was charmingly antiquated, but easy enough to understand. Takashi didn’t ease down out of his “Captain” pose even after they stepped into the elevator and the doors closed behind them. He pushed the button labeled 18 – the highest value on the panel – and it began to move.
	“It’s so good to see you again,” she said. “Truly.”
	He cleared his throat. “I’m glad to see you looking well, Your Highness. I hope the trip here went smoothly?” He was looking straight ahead.
	She frowned a little at his excessive formality. “Very.” When he wouldn’t stop Not Looking at her, she sighed and gave up for the time being. But as she looked around the elevator, she spotted a camera. Ah. I understand. That soothed her a bit. He was only being stand-offish because of the audience. 
	She consoled herself with that little whisper of his as they’d entered the building. Once we’re alone… she thought. It was hard to contain herself. But if the cameras weren’t reminder enough, she could overhear occasional comments made to him through the earpiece he was wearing. I suppose they didn’t count on Altean hearing. It was boring – status updates and whatever ‘sitreps’ were – and she just chose to pretend all those people were there with her in the elevator.
	He led her through the 18th floor, where members of her guard were choosing rooms. They all stopped to salute, of course, as did the Garrison soldiers. She nodded at them all as Takashi led her to the elevator at the end of the floor. This one had up and down buttons on the wall outside the doors; he pushed up. When it arrived, it had only three buttons: 18, 19, and 20. Next to each one was a small black rectangle.
	He showed her how to wave her key card in front of the rectangle after he pushed the 20, to prove that she was allowed to go to that floor. “Your key cards are the only ones that can go up to 20, aside from the hotel’s master key. If you want to confer with your entourage, you’ll have to go down to 19 and either bring them up or just talk down there.”
	She nodded. The elevator slid to a stop and dinged softly as it opened onto her suite. It was large, spacious, with multiple rooms, but what drew her attention immediately was the huge windows looking out over the ocean and the clear blue sky. She ran to them and found that some of them were doors leading out onto the balcony. She started to pull one open, but then Takashi’s hand appeared over hers on the handle. He pushed the door shut again.
	“Please limit your time outdoors. You’re too easy a target out there.”
	She turned to face him. He was still so close to her. “Takashi, we’re alone now, aren’t we?”
	He cleared his throat and dropped his arm. “Yes, we are,” he agreed.
	“Can the others overhear you?” She pointed to his earpiece.
	“Only when I choose to transmit.”
	“Good.” She looped her arms around his neck and kissed him, hard. She felt his arms wrap around her in response and she wanted to melt. It felt so good to be back in his embrace, to have him here where she could hold him and kiss him and know he was real.
	But as soon as they broke for air, he protested, “Allura, we can’t.”
	“You said that before,” she reminded him. “Back in my bedroom.”
	He sighed. “We shouldn’t have then, and we can’t now.”
	“Takashi, I’ve missed you so much.”
	“And I’ve missed you. But this isn’t… I can’t…”
	“You’re still holding me,” she pointed out. “You kissed me back. Very well, I might add.”
	Blush bloomed on his cheeks, but he didn’t move away. “I want to stay here with you. I want to so badly, Allura. But I can’t. If my superiors found out…”
	“What if I request you to stay with me?”
	“You know better than that.”
	She huffed. He was right. It would look like favoritism – which it was. 
	“Allura, I did want to ask something.”
	“Anything.”
	“This trip is… it’s about diplomacy, right?”
	She smiled. “It is. The ambassador worked it out with my father before you left. But I am very glad my father asked me to come in his stead. I hated watching you leave.”
	“I hated leaving.”
	“I watched your ship until I couldn’t see it anymore.”
	He pulled her back in for another hug. “I really have missed you, Allura. I wish we could spend more time together.”
	“As do I. We didn’t get near enough time to spend together during your visit.”
	“I, uh… didn’t mean…”
	“Lovemaking?” she asked. When he nodded, she giggled. “I didn’t just mean that either.”
	“Oh.”
	She laughed at his embarrassment. “Though I wouldn’t mind spending every night with you.”
	His sigh was tinged with regret. “That would be wonderful. And the days, too. If we could, I’d love to take you down to the beach, to the museums and… just… everywhere.” But, sadly, he pulled away entirely. “For now, I need to show you how to reach hotel staff and how to contact outside parties like Secretary-General Jiang, Ambassador Roberts, or Commander Dos Santos.”
	She folded her arms in annoyance. “Will you show me how to contact you as well?”
	“Not at this time,” he said, reverting to military mode. “Come.” He was heading for a desk.
	“I’d love to, but someone still has his clothes on.”
	And she got the exact reaction she was hoping for: he whipped back to her, face and ears bright red. “Allura!”
	She grinned. “It’s the truth. And it got you to stop acting like ‘Captain Shirogane’ again.”
	“I am Captain Shirogane.”
	“Not to me. Not when we’re alone.”
	“Look, I have to give you this information. If you don’t know how to do this, they’ll think I did a bad job, and I might never get to come near you again.”
	“Alright, alright,” she relented. “I will let you do your little presentation or whatever it is you need to do, but only on the condition that you stop acting all stuffy. I know we can’t be together the way I want…”
	“…the way we want,” he corrected.
	She beamed at that. “…the way WE want, but don’t act distant, at least? We were friends before we were lovers. Can we at least still be that?”
	He exhaled slowly, studying her like she was a trap about to spring on him before nodding. “In private.”
	“In private.”
	“Okay. And my friends,” he put emphasis on the word, “call me Shiro. Just so you know.” He smoothed out his uniform and went on showing her how everything worked. The old-fashioned communication devices, the various bathroom objects (it took every ounce of self-control she had not to push him into the shower when he demonstrated how to turn it on, just to mess with him), and even entertainment objects like the “television.” Her bed could be adjusted, she could summon beauty assistants, masseuses, or food whenever she wanted, and Takashi assured her it was all the best their planet had to offer. There was fresh fruit in a bowl, and a large kitchen area she could stock as she pleased.
	“I think I’ve got it all. If I have any further questions, hotel staff can answer them.”
	He nodded and handed two of the flat cards to her. “Here are your key cards. You can give the other to someone you trust if you need them to…”
	She held one out to him instantly.
	“Allura.”
	“I trust you,” she said. “If your superiors feel you shouldn’t have it, then return it. But I won’t let anyone else have it.”
	He relented and accepted it. “Thank you. I should get going.” He headed for the elevator, then stopped and turned back. “Oh, and I forgot to mention something.”
	“Hm?” 
	“We’ve been learning Altean for your visit.”
	She brightened. “Have you now?”
	“And I remember the first time we were alone together, not long after we’d arrived and been presented to you and your father. You walked up to me and said something. ‘Alu tein gaschta menco si.’”
	She smiled at the memory. “Yes, I did. And you say it very well.”
	“Thank you. But you told me it was a greeting.”
	“Yes, I did.” 
	He was smirking. “You lied.”
	“I did not,” she replied evenly. “It was how I chose to greet you.” She walked up to him. “And it’s still true.”
	He looked down at her, smirk fading into a smile that warmed her better than any sun. “Thank you. Thera vian,” he said softly, giving her the traditional departing phrase.
	“Thera vian,” she replied.
	He pushed the elevator button and it responded immediately. She watched his smile get swallowed up by the elevator doors. He remembered what I said. After all this time.
	Her mind drifted back to the first time she’d seen the handsome human captain alone, getting some air at the welcoming party they’d thrown together. She’d walked up to him, knowing he didn’t know a word of Altean, and brazenly told him, “You are the most amazing man I have ever seen.”
	And he had laughed uneasily and apologized for not speaking her language. And she had smiled and told him – in English, which their translator programs had picked up easily – that it was just a greeting, then asked why he wasn’t dancing. He’d said he didn’t know how, she’d told him it was easy, and she’d pulled him out onto the floor. He’d proceeded to trip and stumble his way through the dance, but by the end he was getting the hang of it, and they were both laughing.
	But when she blinked out of the memory, she was alone in this huge and impersonally-decorated space. She sighed and decided to go down a floor, to see what Coran was up to and what he thought of his own accommodations. Anything to get her mind off how cold she was now without Takashi’s – Shiro’s – arms around her.

	Shiro met up with his team back at the barracks later.
	“Man, this is so much nicer!” Lance was declaring from his top bunk. He was laying back, arms folded behind his head, and his eyes were closed. “I need to transfer out here.”
	“They’re the same bunks,” Pidge declared without looking up from her laptop.
	“But we’re near the beach!”
	“You can’t see it from in here!” she shot back.
	“Officer on deck,” Keith announced, and everyone scrambled to their feet (and the ground, in Lance’s case) and to attention.
	“At ease,” Shiro said. “It’s just me.”
	“The one time I don’t do it, you’ll have Iverson or someone with you,” Keith said. “And then I get chewed out.”
	“Again,” the other three said in unison.
	Shiro snickered. “Good point. How’d it go?”
	“They’re really interesting people,” Hunk replied immediately. 
	“They seem okay with their rooms,” Keith said.
	“How’d things go with you and the princess?” Lance asked with a grin.
	“Fine. She gave me her extra key card.”
	He regretted saying it instantly. 
	“Way to go, Shiro!”
	“Get some alien lovin’!”
	“Oh man, Matt is going to be so jealous of you.”
	“I knew it.” That was from Keith, and Shiro started the glaring with him before he swept it across the rest of them.
	“Knock it off, all of you. And please, don’t tell Matt. She knows me from the last mission, so she trusts me, that’s all.”
	“Yeah huh.” Lance was teasing, but Keith was still studying him.
	“Times like this I wish I was still your instructor so I could assign demerits,” Shiro groaned, pulling out a desk chair to drop into it. 
	“Too late! We graduated!”
	“I mean, you could court-martial us,” Hunk mused, “but I dunno what for.”
	“Bust us down a rank?” Keith suggested.
	“That’d work for you,” Lance retorted sullenly, “since you’re a rank above us. Where are we gonna go? Back down to cadet?”
	“Are you STILL upset about that?!” Hunk wanted to know. “Let it go, Lance. We’ll get promoted, too. Eventually.”
	“I’m not going to punish anyone,” Shiro interjected. “At least, not right now.”
	“Good, ‘cause I might have something you’ll wanna know about,” Pidge said. She’d retreated to her laptop.
	“What’s up, Pidge?”
	“I’ve been… keeping tabs on the alien conspiracy boards for a while now…”
	Lance snorted. “More like you signed up when you were a kid.”
	“Shut up, Lance!” Shiro noticed she didn’t deny it though. “They’ve been pretty, um, excited ever since the word first got out of our going to Altea. And now that there’s an actual alien here on Earth, well…”
	“They’re haywire, aren’t they?” Hunk asked.
	“Pretty much. Most of it isn’t credible, I don’t think, but there’s some chatter that’s kind of unsettling. Talk about ‘getting them before they can get us.’”
	Shiro frowned. “You think that’s worth looking into?”
	She looked at him over the lid of her laptop. “Yeah, I do.”
	“Then do it. Send a heads-up to Iverson and Dos Santos, on my say-so. I’d rather we spent a little time on wild goose chases than wind up with interplanetary war.”
	“Aye.” He had a feeling she’d’ve done it anyway; there was no stopping a Holt, he’d learned.
	Hunk cleared his throat. “Uh, Shiro, did you forget about the time Pidge hacked Iverson’s email?”
	“And the time she set off the sprinkler systems in all the commanders’ offices?” Keith added.
	“I was only trying to get Dad’s,” she muttered as she continued typing.
	“Oh!” Lance piped up as he remembered. “And the time she photoshopped that picture of Iverson into a bikini and made it look like he was twerking?”
	Pidge snorted. “You helped with that,” she reminded him.
	Lance stood proudly. “Yes. Yes, I did.”
	“To be fair,” Hunk said, “the bikini Lance picked out was much sexier.”
	“Okay, okay, point made!” Shiro said, trying not to laugh. “Pidge, send me the data, and I’ll send it on to Iverson and the commander. And maybe stop harassing them so much?”
	“Iverson gave me more shit than any of the other instructors,” she groused.
	“That was Matt’s fault,” Shiro told her. “Take it up with your brother for starting the ‘Let’s Prank Iverson’ train rolling.”
	“Are you kidding me?! He helps me come up with some of the best stuff!”
	“Wait, why are you using present tense?” Hunk asked suspiciously.
	“I’m in!” Lance said immediately.
	“I figured you would be. Keith, we need you for this one, too. That higher rank can help me bypass some obstacles.”
	“Depends what it is,” he replied warily.
	“You ever hear of a cockroach bomb?” Pidge asked brightly.
	“Whoa, okay.” Shiro stood up again. “I’m leaving before I hear any more of this.”
	“Don’t want to be an accomplice?” Hunk asked.
	“Plausible deniability,” he told them. “Keep those two words in mind.”
	“Aye,” they responded in chorus. 
	“And try to stay out of trouble during the princess’s visit, at least? I need a team I trust helping out with this.”
	“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Pidge said. “It takes a while for this prank to… incubate, as it were.”
	“Don’t. Want. To Know.” 
	As he turned to leave, Keith was saying, “I don’t think I want the entire Garrison crawling with cockroaches.”
	The last thing Shiro heard before the door shut was, “That’s why I need Iverson’s home address.”
~End of Chapter 1~