Baggage

Posted on Tue Apr 1st, 2025 @ 12:26am by Captain Liam Grimaldi-Ral & Reittan Ral

Mission: 01-A Change
Location: USS Lo'rathe
Timeline: 1.5 weeks before MD01-1030Hours

Captain Liam Grimaldi-Ral sat alone at the work space in his quarters aboard the USS Lo’rathe, adjusting the cuffs of his uniform with practiced ease. The fabric felt stiff against his skin, its weight unfamiliar despite the years he had once worn it daily. It had been a long time since he had worn the command red in anything but ceremony, and now, here he was again, en route to a station that had all the makings of a logistical headache wrapped in a diplomatic minefield.

Deep Space K-17.

He exhaled through his nose, rubbing a hand over his face before leaning back in his chair. The ship hummed around him, steady and reassuring, a far cry from the unpredictable environment he would soon be stepping into. K-17 had its history, its reputation. A relic of a bygone era, refurbished into something meant to be functional, yet still carrying the weight of what it once was. There was something poetic in that—something familiar. Perhaps that was why he had said yes.

He reached for the steaming cup of raktajino on the desk, taking a slow sip. The taste was rich, grounding. The station would be different from the diplomatic posts he had worked in recent years. Starfleet had called him back, pulled him away from the world he had carefully built, and now he had to reacquaint himself with the rhythm of command. It wasn’t just about diplomacy anymore. It was about running a station that had been largely neglected until the Federation realized it was needed again. It was about officers who had been sent there to be forgotten, now suddenly finding themselves at the center of something much larger than any of them had likely bargained for.

The doors to his quarters hissed open without ceremony, and he didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

“Deep in thought?” Reittan Ral’s voice carried a knowing lilt as he stepped inside, dressed far more comfortably than Liam in loose Betazoid silks. He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, dark eyes scanning Liam with quiet amusement. “You’re brooding.”

Liam let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “It’s not brooding.” He gestured vaguely toward the window where the stars streaked past in their warp-induced blur. “Just… considering.”

Reittan pushed away from the door and moved to sit on the edge of the desk, plucking the raktajino from Liam’s hand and taking a sip for himself. “K-17 isn’t your usual assignment.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“You’re not worried about it?”

“Worried?” Liam let the word roll over his tongue, tasting its shape before shrugging. “Not exactly. I’m just acutely aware of what I’m walking into. The station has… baggage.”

Reittan smirked. “So do you.”

Liam huffed a laugh. “Fair point.” He looked up at his husband, taking in the familiar, reassuring presence. They had done this dance before—new assignments, new uncertainties—but this time, it felt different. This time, it wasn’t just a mission. It was a return to something he had thought he had left behind.

“I think you’ll like it,” Reittan continued, as if reading his thoughts. Which, given his abilities, he likely was. “You get restless when you stay in one place too long.”

“That’s not—” Liam stopped himself, sighing. “Alright, maybe. But it’s been a while since I’ve done this.”

“Command?”

“Command. Starfleet. Wearing this uniform and feeling like I belong in it.”

Reittan studied him for a long moment before setting the cup down and placing a hand over Liam’s. “You never stopped belonging. You just needed time.”

Liam looked at their joined hands, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You always know exactly what to say.”

“It’s a gift.” Reittan grinned before standing and stretching languidly. “Now, stop overthinking and get some rest before we arrive. I have a feeling you’ll need it.”

Liam chuckled, shaking his head as he leaned back once more, watching as Reittan disappeared into the next room.

Deep Space K-17 awaited. And despite the uncertainty, despite the years that had passed, despite everything… he found himself looking forward to it.