“Computer, run Tactical Simulation Alpha-Two-Red. Increase fog of war 20% and set opponent target sensitivity to 105%.”

“Computer, belay that.” Ensign Smriti Dahad sighed and flicked her glossy black hair. “I don’t want to play a training exercise on my down-time.”

T’Xof’s brow knitted slightly. “We would not be playing, we would be engaging in simulated training in order to improve our phaser proficiency. Starfleet Security recommends continued and ongoing learning as part of the pathway for junior officer rank progression…”

Smriti rolled her large, dark eyes, an exaggerated gesture she performed regularly whenever her unstoppable free spirit met the immovable wall of T’Xof’s rigid self-discipline. “We can do training another time. This is meant to be recreational. You know. Fun.”

“I merely meant,” explained T’Xof, “That you have explained your frustration with your current assignment. You wish to progress to starship service. Logically, therefore, taking measures to improve your small arms proficiency, one of the assessments in which you failed to obtain the highest grade in the Academy, would contribute to an increased probability of…” T’Xof tailed off, concerned that Smriti was having a stroke.

Nope, just a particularly severe eye-roll.

“I know, OK, I know! Another time, I promise. For now, can we please pick an actual recreational holo-sim to play! What’s your favourite?”

T’Xof considered the question.

“Tactical Simulation Alpha-Two-Red,” she answered, after an arch pause. “Especially when fog of war is increased by 20% and opponent target sensitivity set to…”

“Aaargh! Come on! No one is that square, not even Vulcans.” Smriti watched as T’Xof’s eyes flickered, just momentarily, looking herself over.

She did not think she resembled a square whatsoever. A geometrically illogical proposition…

“Other than a training sim. Other than something for your career.”

“Every aspect of my identity is tied to my career as a…”

“No – no. Something. Fun. Look.” Smriti brought up the holo-sim index and sorted by Category:Recreational. “Anything in here.”

T’Xof reluctantly moved to examine the console. She pointed out an entry. “The Sehlat of the Baskervilles?”

“No,” said Smriti firmly. “I can’t stand those Shalok stories. You could just solve them using logic.”

“A curious objection, from a security officer.” T’Xof arched her eyebrow. Smriti stuck her tongue out in response. T’Xof was unsure with which body part to retaliate.

“How about this. Oooh, Christmas Apple Pie On The Moon. Tempers fly when Lina, an ambitious young Federation News Service wire reporter, gets sent to cover Luna’s annual colony-wide apple festival and stays at the Moonshine Inn, run by Rex, a lonely widowed single father. Computer, run program, and set Rex’s beard stubble length to…”

“Computer, belay that,” said T’Xof sharply.

“But it sounds so romantic!”

“Such a plot is not only unlikely but highly illogical.”

After several more attempts by T’Xof to nudge them in the direction of a training exercise and Smriti’s repeated efforts to enlist T’Xof in playing through a romance (all of which, for reasons T’Xof admitted she could not discern but was curious to investigate, seemed to involve baked goods) they agreed to disagree and put aside plans for a story sim, instead settling simply on a game of tennis. Smriti was an excellent player by human standards, though of course her hand-eye coordination and stamina was little match for T’Xof. She only managed to win points whenever T’Xof’s frustration with the highly illogical scoring system distracted the Vulcan from pin-point precise placement.

Afterwards, they walked back to the junior crew quarters together.

“I still can’t believe you requested Starbase service,” sighed Smriti. “Didn’t you join Starfleet wanting to explore? All those stories coming out of the Shackleton Expanse, don’t you want to be part of them?”

“Some day,” admitted T’Xof. “But a Starbase is an excellent primary posting for honing a wide range of requisite skills for an investigator. Consider: the crew of a starship, especially a deep space exploratory vessel, is relatively static. Starbases see far more traffic. Contraband smuggling, trafficking, espionage, even terrorism; such crimes are rarely if ever seen on Fleet ships, but on a Starbase, especially one of Bravo’s size, every new ship could bring new challenges.”

Smriti knew T’Xof had grown up on spending a lot of time on her parents’ civilian freighter doing cargo runs, and felt there was probably more to her personal story that explained her having opted for a starbase over a starship for her first posting out of the Academy. But she didn’t pry, for now. “Well. I just know I can’t wait to get off Bravo and out…” she gestured towards the mass of stars twinkling through the large viewport by which they passed.

“May I make a recommendation, then?” T’Xof asked.

“Of course!”

“I would recommend improving your phaser proficiency. Perhaps by running Tactical Simulation Alpha-Two-Red…”