August

            Archer enjoyed the long summer days in the city. Although a cool fog often came over the Bay City each morning, by the afternoon the sun would melt the cloud and leave a warm glow. It was rarely warm enough to enjoy swimming in the ocean, but August was about as warm as it was going to be.

            “Come on, let’s go down to the beach,” he called coming in the door that afternoon. The Cabana won’t be serving dinner much longer and the onshore is blowing. Can you take your test later?”

            “Sure” came Riaan’s voice from the next room. They met each other halfway; Jonathan picked her up around the waist and swung her just a bit off the floor before he kissed her. “Everything go well today?” Jonathan was caught just a little off guard.

            “Of course. Nothing out of the ordinary.” Riaan looked at him squarely.

            “Something happened.”

            “Well, something happens every day.” He released his grip and casually went to the bedroom to change from Admiral back to Jonathan. He wondered if it was his inability to conceal anything from her, or just her vague form of personal telepathy, that she could read him like an open book.

            “Jon,” she said, following him to the bedroom.”

            “Where’s Arianna and Branni?”

            “What happened today, Jon?” He looked at her gently, but her eyes were intense and stubborn. He hung up his jacket, tie, and put his shirt in the laundry basket. He sighed.

            “I was made an Honorary Member of the Andorrian Imperial Guard.”

            “We’re not moving to Andorria, are we?” She followed him into the wardrobe. “I’m still getting used to Earth, you know.”

            “No, we’re not moving to Andorria. It’s cold there. But I may have to visit now and then.” He turned briefly to see her worried face. “No anxiety, now, we’re going down to the beach. We’ll eat at the Cabana, Brannigaan can run amok, you need a break. Where’s everyone?”

            “’Anna just went to sleep, Branni’s at Geoff’s.”

            “Really? We’re alone?” He immediately stopped rummaging in the closet and turned back to her. She slowly unbuttoned her summer dress.

“At least another hour.” Biting her lip, she took a step closer to Jon and let her dress fall to the floor.

           

            “I didn’t think I’d be headed out so soon,” Archer told Captain Mitchell over the office com. “I guess when the Andorians have a bee in their bonnet we don’t want to be stung.”

            “They want to re-militarize. You know who won’t like that.”

            “Pete, get a hold of T’Pol for me. I haven’t talked to her in a while, I want to get her thoughts about this. We’ll swing by Vulcan before we go to Andorria.”

            “Bringing the family?”

            “Riaan has her medical exams coming up, and I need to be back here to take care of things at home while she is at the center. It’s in New York, where she takes her practical.”

            “She’s almost there?”

            “Another month.”

            “Well, tell her to take a commission in Starfleet and she can be my new chief medical officer. Dr. Mundi is going to the Yorktown.”

            “You’re going to steal my girl?” Archer said, only half joking. He hadn’t thought that she might have such an ambition. She never said as much, but it was a valid choice for her.

            “Better me than someone else, Admiral. At least you can tag along whenever you want.”

            “Not if I’m stuck on Andorria.”

            “You think she might?” Mitchell asked. “I mean that genuinely. She’d be a great medical officer. She could visit Akal now and then, learn about new species—“

            “Okay, I hear you. New subject: when are you arriving?”

            “I’ll see you in a week. Mitchell out.”

            Archer’s mind raced, trying to remember if Riaan had said anything about a Starfleet commission.  He didn’t remember anything about that. He opened a channel home.

            “Hey, it’s my Honey,” Riaan greeted over the com. She held Adriannaa in one arm.

            “Hey, my Baby and my baby! What’s happening with your practicum? I have to go to Andorria next week. Did you want to come or are you in the middle of something”

            “Already? How long are you going to be gone?”

            “Not certain yet, a few weeks, a month.”

            “We better talk about it tonight,” she told him.